Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and Memos2 Comments

Empressive on English neck a Norman yoke (Crusader Kings II 2.5)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

Ever read Maurice Druon’s Les Rois maudits? If not, you ought to fix that. If you did, you certainly understand the whole point of playing some more Crusader King II: even though the period covered isn’t right, the whole vassal-suzerain, dynasties and murder plots are in. In that spirit, best starting date is the bookmark the Stamford Bridge, with Guillaume de Normandie conquest of England, since the chain of events that drives Les Rois maudits is bound to the specific link between France and England. Considering you start with a fat 1000 cash, it is not really an achievement to … Continue reading Empressive on English neck a Norman yoke (Crusader Kings II 2.5)

Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and MemosLeave a comment

Aragon run: become the Emperor or Trade Hegemon, with No Pirates or a Grand Armada (Europa Universalis IV 1.15)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

otI was contemplating the notion of doing the Spain is the Emperor achievement (Become the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire as Spain, added in 1.1 classified hard). Except I already had both a Castillian and Portuguese run already. So I went for Aragon, with has the perk of starting in personal union with Milan, not so far from the Holy Roman Empire. Starting Aragon strategy is determined by attitude toward France: ally or oppose fast. You need either a strong ally to defeat Castille or a weakened french rival for him not to be able to destroy you. At … Continue reading Aragon run: become the Emperor or Trade Hegemon, with No Pirates or a Grand Armada (Europa Universalis IV 1.15)

Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and MemosLeave a comment

Terra Mariana run: liberty desire is not to be trifled with (Europa Universalis IV 1.15)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

I noticed a new achievement was added with Europa Universalis IV’s Cossack extension: as Riga, own and core all provinces in the Baltic region. Quite a fun area this Baltic Area… In my (failed) Baltic Crusader run, I had the opportunity to get a taste of the Swedes wrath. So I allied them. And kept this alliance until the end of the game. By keeping it, I mean most of the time keeping a diplomat assigned to maintains relations, unless the guy was really needed elsewhere. Only once, Scandinavia (what became of the Swedes) made a separate peace. And this … Continue reading Terra Mariana run: liberty desire is not to be trifled with (Europa Universalis IV 1.15)

(Usually comparative) Game/Movies/etc ReviewsLeave a comment

Standing desk does not have to be complicated (ie expensive)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

I started using standing desk since more than a year now, a few month after reading an article about it. I wanted to give it try: which meant I was not prepared to spend cash to get a specific desk that might be useless soon enough. Moreover, why would I need something complicate? I’m using computers since decades and found, over years, what matter most are: the position of the screen by comparison to the head: alignment of the top 1/3 of the screen to the eye level ; the position of the elbow to some sort of 90° angle … Continue reading Standing desk does not have to be complicated (ie expensive)

(Usually comparative) Game/Movies/etc Reviews2 Comments

In the shadow of the cargoes (Hunting Hitler, 2015) or possible might not be plausible

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

Earlier, I was pointing out how hard it is actually to bring something new to the table when producing a documentary about WWII. Well, History Channel proposes now some Hunting Hitler series, titled season 1 (how long could it go?). … Continue reading In the shadow of the cargoes (Hunting Hitler, 2015) or possible might not be plausible

Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and MemosLeave a comment

Around the World in 49 Days with £24500 balance (80 Days)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

In my sixth attempt, I went down to 52 days, I improved in the seventh by going down to 49 days, not by taking more direct routes but by making a few lucrative extra steps to avoid being stuck due to low cash. DAY 49 — “Arrived in London at 2:00 PM” DAY 47 — “Departed for London” DAY 46 — “Trombone, sold for £3100/0d!” DAY 46 — “Arrived in New York at 9:00 PM” DAY 46 — “Smith and Wesson, sold for £570/0d!” DAY 46 — “Arrived in Washington at 8:00 AM” DAY 44 — “Departed for New York” … Continue reading Around the World in 49 Days with £24500 balance (80 Days)

(Usually comparative) Game/Movies/etc ReviewsLeave a comment

Have you ever been alone, enough to know it (Detectorists, 2014-2015) or when Sons of Anarchy gets real

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

Did you watch Sons of Anarchy and felt that it was bit too much or not enough? Criminals that said all their crimes over the phone, that carried phones on every place they committed crime and still were never properly … Continue reading Have you ever been alone, enough to know it (Detectorists, 2014-2015) or when Sons of Anarchy gets real

Video Game Industry MonitoringLeave a comment

Paradox about to do board games?

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

It looks like Paradox Interactive (CK, EU, etc) is planning to do board games. They posted a survey. To the question how important is the element of luck, I did not know what to reply: I’d hope for a game to have the least of it possible. So I guess that makes it important: it makes its absence important. They also ask which of the following computer games would you like to see as a board game. As much as I like Europa Universalis IV, I cannot picture it in a game played for sixty minutes, or even four hours. … Continue reading Paradox about to do board games?

Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and MemosLeave a comment

Memo: The Witcher 3 VOST

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

I started Witcher 3’s Heart of Stones. only to find myself surrounded by cossacks speaking with a cockney accent. I understand that’s probably the best translation option. Making brit-cossackish accents, that’d probably sound like germans in Hogan’s Heroes. Anyway. I always watch movies in VOST: even if a voiceover is good, could it be better than the original voice? Worse, if a culture is to be depicted, how could that be deprived of the main feature of any culture, the language? The most reliable way to get the Witcher 3 in VOST (polaki voices, english subtitles and interface – this … Continue reading Memo: The Witcher 3 VOST

Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and MemosLeave a comment

Around the World in 60 Days through the North Pole (80 Days)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

This fifth attempt, I got down to 60 days – despite bad timing on several occasions. If you compare with the 4th journey, I already lost a few days even before reaching Saint-Petersburg (route not known soon enough, etc). Much later, on my arrival in Reykjavik, on the 53th, I was short £20 to take an immediate two/three day flight to London and had to go to bank and wait for another flight. All these small mishaps could actually amount to 10 days easily. (a color for each 4 days leg) DAY 60 — “Arrived in London at 11:00 AM” … Continue reading Around the World in 60 Days through the North Pole (80 Days)

Achievements Runs, Playthroughs and MemosLeave a comment

Around the World in 70 Days (80 Days)

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

Visited 19 cities, travelled 29936 milles, balance of £16970, I’m satisfied by my first attempt. I first thought I’d travel through Russia and North-America but events made me go through South-America. From there, I assumed I’d pass by Africa but more events saved me that trip. Undoubtfully: this 80 days is a nice way to relive Jules Vernes’s Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours. DAY 70 — “Arrived in London at 4:00 PM” DAY 70 — “No time for puddings!” DAY 69 — “Arrived in Lisbon” DAY 68 — “Arrived in Ponta Delgada” DAY 64 — “Changed course for Ponta … Continue reading Around the World in 70 Days (80 Days)

(Usually comparative) Game/Movies/etc ReviewsLeave a comment

Believe your bluff get rough (Elementary, 2012-2015) or how CBS can be more british than the BBC

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

I considered posting an article about Fallout 4 but it has already a tremendously media coverage. Enthuastic or not that much, both sides are probably right: the user interface is a mess, it is buggy, it is not visually astonishing … Continue reading Believe your bluff get rough (Elementary, 2012-2015) or how CBS can be more british than the BBC

(Usually comparative) Game/Movies/etc ReviewsLeave a comment

Prospects were high till provisions ran low (A Most Wanted Man, 2014) or how to make a two hours movie ends in one

Mathieu, Ignare z barów

Watching A Most Wanted Man, it took me a while to remind where I had recently seen the young (female) lawyer that accompanies the chechen refugee target of Günther Bachmann/Philip Seymour Hoffman said, “unconstitutional, covert government team that seeks to … Continue reading Prospects were high till provisions ran low (A Most Wanted Man, 2014) or how to make a two hours movie ends in one