My reaction to Twitch's new Content ID system and the Google merge

(Posting on the Codex of Aegis meta-blog and the AstukaGaming Steam Community)

I know streaming has become a side-thing for me, but I'd figure I'd take the time to address this anyway.

Today, in preparation for the Google purchase, Twitch added two new “features” – a content ID system and the end of permanent archiving (at least for the foreseeable future). Both of these have obviously caused quite a stir, and although I doubt very many of you are wondering how this is going to effect my stream, I'll tell it anyway.

So far none of my previous highlights or broadcasts have been effected by this update, but its likely that once they do I might make a switch to somewhere else. This is simply because I don't condone either of this updates, and I don't like using services with major features I don't like. It's exactly the same for when I stopped buying EA games and stopped using Youtube as a viewer.

Will Twitch lose its fame once it becomes a more widened livestreaming service? It's highly doubtful. Just like Youtube, when something stays at the top for so long with such a gap between all other competitors, it's likely it will stay that way no matter what the criticism is. So, you may ask, why would I go away from Twitch if Youtube does the same and I still upload things there?

Three things.

One, there are no good substitutes for Youtube. Dailymotion is the Yahoo of streaming services. Vimeo, although it does have good video support and content, has a lack of competent browsing and search features. All the others, well, its safe to say they're far below.

Two, publicity. With Youtube, even if you don't advertise your video in anyway, you're guaranteed to get at least 20-30 views eventually. Even more if it's interesting material. You simply don't get that with Twitch – you HAVE to advertise with Twitch or else you won't get any newcomers. If that's the case, why bother hosting it on the popular website if it's the same for everything?

Three, the streaming brand isn't as important. Simple as that. I don't really have to get into how AstukaGaming is all fun and no gain because I already talked about it in my previous post. It's important for things that do have gain involved to be on the popular site, because people are more happy in clicking. This is a fact, because just recently (names voided) someone I know actually declined to see a video not because of its length or subject matter, but because of the website it was hosted on. That's right, if you're out there reading this, fuck you. I still haven't forgotten.

With these things in mind, you can hopefully see that it wouldn't be near as big of a blow in switching from Twitch to another website than it would be in switching from Youtube to somewhere else. That's the reason for change.

The next thing that comes up is the alternate streaming website in question. It's quite obvious, really. Some might have even thought I mentioned it previously, even though I have not – Hitbox.tv. It's a indie streaming service with the most modest of upbringings, and unlike other streaming services that have ended up being complete disasters (coughown3dcough) it doesn't try to strike a contract and its admin community seems friendly. Though, like twitch, I'm sure that will be eventually subject to change.

I'll be honest, I actually have zero experience with Hitbox.tv. All that I am aware is that many believe it is actually a better streaming website than Twitch, which is entirely possible. So here's the plan: Over the course of time I'll go and try out Hitbox.tv. If it really is more both streamer AND viewer friendly than Twitch, I'll make the switch (heh) otherwise I'll likely just stay on Twitch and endure.

Anyway, that's all for now. Remember to follow my Twitter @JohnMcGroover (the only thing that will be staying the same despite any moving) and check out the main website, Codex of Aegis (The “main website” link up top if you're viewing on the blog; http://landofeternallife.blogspot.com if anywhere else.)

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Happy 1k views!

Congratulations to our main publication, Codex of Aegis, for finally hitting one thousand hits. Though its a long way from our 6k (closing in on 7!) We hope that eventually it will reach much farther.

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Mega Update: The future of my projects

(Originally posted on Codex of Aegis, AstukaGaming, and Astuka's Tumblr)

Hello everybody, checking in for my monthly here. No, but really this time – I have something meaningful to say. Really.

So it has (finally) come to my attention that I have way too many side projects, and instead need to focus only on a small few in order to make quality content. Mindblowing, right? Anyway, I decided to gather together all my current side projects and decide which ones would be cut and which ones would be totally okay. This is the result.

Codex of Aegis

Status: Totally okay

Yes, yes. I know. Most of the time when I say things are on hiatus, they end up dying. I get that. But right now Codex of Aegis is literally the only actual important thing I'm making, so of course it will end up staying.

The reason I haven't updated, as I've said so long before, is two things: A, the Guardians of Enthia playthrough, and B, a revamped site.

Both have not happened mostly because I don't have any time to do either thing. As I begin to loosen up my schedule though I'll try getting them done, and finally once again we'll be able to have our shitty one off stories.

Speaking of Codex of Aegis, I actually plan on self-publishing a “Volume I” compilation soon (aka likely Winter 2014). It will feature all of the stories written until that time, as well as colorful commentary by yours truly and a few cut/extra stories specifically for the book. At first I thought it might be a dumb idea since CreateSpace only allows 50 pages and greater, but the current reference sheet filled with the writing is about 78 pages long, and added with commentary and other meta stuff and it could be around 130+ pages.

As well as this, I might as well explain the full revamp since I haven't actually already.

I'm planning on making Codex of Aegis my overall project homepage until I have enough time and money to make a website of my own. I'm going to try and feature direct pages to all my shit, including the twitter, twitch, and *possible* facebook page. I'll also see if I can add two blogs, so we can keep all of my meta bullshit on the same site instead of a completely different one like it is right now, and I won't feel bad for abandoning AstukaGaming (the blog) because it will live on in spirit (also we get to not have any confusion between the group and the blog).

Honestly I'm really excited for the revamp, but I won't do it until I finish Guardians of Enthia. I'll try doing it first thing tomorrow but I've done that multiple times before and as you can all tell it hasn't exactly worked out.

AstukaGaming

Status: ded

I thought the idea of a group playthrough channel always was pretty fun, but its come to my attention that I really don't get anything out of having one. The AstukaGaming “brand” is completely isolated from my personal “brand”, so its not like I would be getting more viewers for Codex of Aegis while making videos for AstukaGaming. Furthermore, having a lets play channel doesn't really say anything about me professionally. Not in that “hue hue muh formal” type of way (to be honest I'll probably never be able to pull that off), but the fact that works of video games and movies and books have a lot more impact than lets plays and livestreams. I'll still be using my personal twitch channel (astukari) though, and occasionally on there I will play with the AstukaGaming guys, but the channel itself will likely be gone (unless anyone wants to buy it hehehhe).

Stencyl Game

Status: hiatus

Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention that. I'm making a stencyl game.

I've always been pretty interested in the whole flash game shebang (shabang? Huh?) and so I finally decided for my first work in vidya would be a simple flash game. And boy, did I not prepare for how much work even a simple game would be.

It came through my mind as I went along that there are many other, even more easy games I could make, and so I decided I might as well delve into those other projects even if there's no chance of income or revenue from it (I'd be learning something though, so I guess that counts). Eventually once I'm back from my journey I'll release the projects I tried for free (on the website nudge nudge) and start working on games for profit. Ad profit, that is. Glorious ad profit.

Half-Life Playthrough

Status: What do you think?

I am kind of mad about trashing this since I've always wanted to do at least one complete lets play, but I've already addressed in the AstukaGaming block everything you need to hear about this.

OT RPG

Status: ...Really?

Okay, I just added this because it was an old popular project that I never officially said anything about. There is literally nothing to profit from this. I don't even forum anymore.

Personal/Skit channel

Status: Probably still happening

If any of you can remember, I did mention that I would be making a personal channel for skits and other bullshit separate from AstukaGaming. Although I might end up putting the videos on AstukaGaming and just wiping everything that isn't cool and nostalgic due to one of youtube's many problems, the idea is likely still in the mix. I do admit though I was planning on making a skit for the Summer Sale, but nothing ever came of it. Just a warning.

Dota 2 Championship

Status: Dead and Gone

Yep, it just couldn't generate the interest. Not much to it.

Well, that's all for now. Next time we see eachother the site will likely be changed and I would've posted Guardians of Enthia 6-12. Although I'm pretty sure I said that last time, though it might've been a Deja Vu. Huh. Well, I'll do it for sure this time. I promise.

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Post pls?!??! Why Codex of Aegis is on hiatus.

(Posted on tumblr, astukagaming, and codexofaegis)

Hello, my non-existent fanbase.

Just in case there really is anyone out there, I've decided to make this post to explain some things. You might've noticed the last post on Codex of Aegis was the Guardians of Enthia second draft, and it's last update was already about a week ago. I am working on finishing it, and its actually the main reason I haven't posted anything.

You see, The ALB for the Second Draft was supposed to be special in two ways – one because it was supposed to be the first series up on my new personal youtube (which it wasn't due to a youtube glitch) and second because the THIRD draft of the series is coming – which is totally still happening. Technically I could be posting the stories while I wait for an opportune time to make the episodes for ALB, but eventually I just decided to wait. Which means I also haven't been writing anything. Haha, whoops.

But on the other hand, I am working on a few new projects which include a TRUE first video on the personal channel, as well as a few games I'm getting involved in as well as perhaps a game of my own. Maybe. If I have time.

Believe me though, Codex of Aegis is – as always – my number one priority. I'm just currently swamped with stuff and am waiting for one of them to finish so I can start working on it again. I dream of the day that I can just put stuff on my schedule and get done with it like that, but I suffer from human ineptitude and procrastination.

- JR

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Splatoon HYPE!

I’m glad to see that my favorite game of E3, Splatoon, is getting a lot of love across all the internet. I’ve taken this time to post some of the hypest fanart I’ve seen so far. 

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Tumblr Revival and E3 Reactions

I'd like to start off by saying that, as to promote my stuff on multiple platforms, I'll probably repost these on the old blog (astukagaming.blogspot.com) as well as some other community blogs for websites I frequent. Besides that, my main blog will always be at landofeternallife.blogspot.com.

I probably shouldn't be writing this, as I'm down enough that I haven't written a lot of fiction recently. Writing this will probably just make things worse, but fuck it. 

Anyway, as a start to this new series of tumblr posts (or blogspot posts, or...) I guess I should start on something topical. That topic is E3.

This years E3 was pretty bland, but that's how things normally are. If you just started with last years behemoth of an E3, you're going to be mighty disappointed -- every year it's about this interesting. Still, there's a wonder that draws us all to E3. A lot of people say its the same feeling you get when Christmas arrives, and I suppose it is. Except it's likely you probably won't actually buy most of the games that interest you in E3 and instead just forget about them.

Enough about that though, onto the conferences. Microsoft had a much more solid performance than their blunder of a conference last year. Phil Spencer seems to be doing a pretty good job saving the Xbox One's reputation, but it's still a long road coming. Honestly, most of the games in the Microsoft conference we either already knew about, expected, or was just a CG trailer. That gives it an average C rating from me.

Next was the Ubisoft and EA conferences. Since these are the smaller ones, I won't go into as much detail into these. Ubisoft really didn't have much at theirs besides what we were all expecting: the series of yearly releases followed by a bullshotted trailer of their new game. EA as well seemed to be trying to save their skins, using “Conceptual Prototypes” as a way of guilting us into thinking “We don't rush teams guys, we promise!”. In the end the conference was simply just a plethora of sports, hotheads, and people walking in hallways. Both publishers get a F+.

At the end of day zero we had Sony. Honestly, as a Playstation fan I felt pretty disappointed by it. They could've used the conference to further expand their lead against Xbox, but instead decided to rest on their laurels and spend 2/3rds of the conference talking about TV and metrics. Again. Except for more information on Uncharted 4, there wasn't really much in the game department either. Overall, I'd give it a D.

Now I really wasn't expecting much from the Nintendo Direct. I was expecting to go home (figuratively, still waiting on that press invite heh) disappointed at there being no real new games. Oh boy, was I wrong.

Now, Nintendo won it for me at the Reggie Iwata battle, but they didn't just stop there. Three unique looking platformers (Captain Toad, Wooly World, Rainbow Curse) were announced, as well as the first look at Zelda Skyrim (it looks AMAZING), Bayonetta+Bayonetta 2, and, drumroll please, several new IPs. Nintendo really stepped up their game with this one, and best of all, they focused on the Wii-U! Nintendo gets a A- from me.

My game of E3 was probably Splatoon. I'm pretty sure no one expected Nintendo ever to go into the online shooter industry, but they did and their spicing it up. In case you didn't know, Splatoon is a shooter where you use ink to cover up the map. It's basically paintball with supersoakers, and since you don't get much points for killing people, the game is primarily about winning via map painting. That means its more of a game of strategy than anything. Definitely a buy for me.

People have also brought up No Man's Sky as well, but honestly I think it looks bullshotted to all hell. I HIGHLY doubt the game will be as polished as the trailer, EXPECIALLY since the people making it are a small indie team. Though if, by some miracle, they do pull it off; I'll be buying it.

Anyway, that's it for now. I'll be posting pretty infrequently, only when there's something to talk about on my mind. I'll be working a lot more on writing fiction (I'm a lot better at that, haha) and maybe starting some projects that might actually get somewhere.

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Astuka Makes a Stencyl Game - Part 2

Updating today because, as of Friday, a group is already out of the running. Two sophomore girls decided to quit their game because apparently their dads computer could not run game maker. Immediately one took the panic and began to ask the other groups what there project was, to no avail. Eventually they remembered one of the beginning suggestions that was actually put in by me -- a single lets play episode, meant as sarcasm. Unfortunately neither of these girls knew it was (the main one didn't even know what a lets play was) and proceeded to get extremely excited over the proposition. Oh dear.

Anyway, time for the progress on my game.

For the basic layout (as well as the first level) I decided to just take the run 'n gun example. I mean, its an elective class, so it's not like I have to TRY. The second level however, is a wonderland made entirely by me. And by that I mean I stole a couple of extra assets and added it into the game.

Magnificent, isn't it?

I used the platforming aspect to my advantage, focusing less on the shooting as the instruction level showed but instead a more jumping and running centered game. I also tried to make it hard, but that's pretty difficult to do considering its a stencyl game.

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll add one more post around when the project is due, but if not I'll see you in the not-so-distant future. Toodles.

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Astuka makes a Stencyl Game - Part 1

I'd like to preface this by saying even though I'm bringing this back, this will still be the main website I will be focusing on. That being said, don't expect regular posts -- besides, I write better when I take my time.

Anyway, there's a new school project that I'm working on. Basically we could choose anything that was related to technology, and I naturally chose making a game -- but I didn't want to focus TOO much on working, so I decided to make it the copy and paste engine that is known as Stencyl.

Many other people decided to do games too, but unfortunately they decided to be in groups. Ah, I can smell it now -- the anger and frustration, the broken hearts and broken friendships, and the mass amount of different personalities, none likable. Classic game industry. If there happens to be any drama, I'll update you on that too.

I know I can't draw, so I'll be taking my drawing time and cutting it out by taking stuff out of the StencylForge. It's not like I'll be releasing it, anyway.

I will be making all of the logic for the game however, since its as easy as scratch and for the most part even an 8 year old could do it.

Anyway, I'll update you on my progress in a few days. Don't expect specific time for release dates, as I'm having a hard enough time releasing my main blog posts on time. That being said, I'll probably never update this ever again. Oh well.

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

Is this the end?

"What, no posts since December?!? Could this mean... is Astuka's Blog dead?"

I'm afraid yes, it is. With school coming around, there's quite a lot of stuff to do, and I don't have enough time to keep up with all of my side projects. But don't despair! There are still places you can keep up with me at:

My occasionally used twitter, JohnMcGroover.

My new, much into planning writing blog, Codex of Aegis (I'm a better writer than a blogger, I promise!).

My youtube channel, AstukaGaming.

To this I say adeiu to all of you! T'was fun while it lasted. See you, space cowboy.

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis 

ASTUKA'S GAMING PALOOZA GAME AWARDS 2013

Yes, it's that time again. The time I've been waiting for for about a year now. Once a year it comes and goes and all children are filled in absolute amazement only to brag or argue to their friends the next day about it. You know what I'm talking about.



AWARD SEAASSOONNN

Ah, yes. The one time where all the fanboy factions come together to stage all out war, the winner normally being whoever wins IAA or VGX. Now, here in the AstukaGaming household the tradition of holding a massive game awards ceremony has been in existence since 2010, but this is the first year that we're recording it for the internet to see. So before we start, let's take a look at some of the past overall winners.

2010
Game of the Year: Mass Effect 2
Studio of the Year: Rockstar Games

2011
Game of the Year: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Studio of the Year: Bethesda Game Studios

2012
Game of the Year: Journey
Studio of the Year: Telltale Games

Now normally there's about 16+ award categories but I can't even remember what I had for breakfast yesterday much less what I rated the best mobile game in 2011 was so for the most part I'm going to skip the rest of that. Well, that's enough of the intro -- let's get to the awards!

MMO OF THE YEAR

The recent years of gaming have seen a massive uptrend in highly anticipated MMORPGs being released, only to fail about two days after launch. While we haven't found a WoWkiller yet, it seems as though the MMO community is just going to keep throwing out shitty MMOs until it finally does. Or WoW goes free-to-play and adds another 10+ years to it's lifetime. Whatever works.

Nominations

Eve Online: Odyssey

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria

Firefall

Defiance

Guild Wars 2

The Old Republic

The Secret World

Neverwinter

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Rift

And the winner is...

Out of all the ideas for an Action MMORPG, a full 3D, diablo-esque game seemed about as good as it could get. Yet for some reason, none of the attempted "WoWmurderers" even attempted to try that -- until Neverwinter came along.

Neverwinter does something no other MMO has done yet; feel like it's not a grind. A heavy action/gameplay oriented F2P MMO with a fair cash shop and Blizzard-focus on both PvE and PvP, Neverwinter seems like a gamers dream come true -- and despite a few hiccups along the way, that's exactly what it is.

MOBA OF THE YEAR

Despite being highly unpopular with some of the gaming community, MOBA's are one of the largest mainstream gaming trends since World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. Now with a previously one-game genre spurting out new games left and right, it's only fair to crown a winner.

Nominations

League of Legends

DotA 2

Smite

Rise of the Immortals

Guardians of Middle Earth

And the winner is...

Even with the MOBA industry now being chockful of games, the one real winner as always is the (slightly) original League of Legends. True, it may have a shit community, but the category that helps this one succeed is without a doubt the gameplay.

Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned for more posts, with will lead up to our game (and studio) of the year!

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Twitter: @CodexofAegis
Facebook: facebook.com/CodexofAegis