Sabbath - Kinda Bloody Sabbath!

[YaManSmevz]

Well, damn.

 

You've popped up in my head more than a few times during your absence, and I was kinda hoping you were just on a beach with a cocktail this whole time, I'm quite saddened to hear that it's very much the opposite!

 

I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble - I know you're a supremely tough fella but nobody needs all that on them! I hope you know that your ability to tackle hardship, be it in gaming or real life, earns a fuckton of admiration. Wishing you the best, homie!

 

Yo, he said 8 kids...

[PlutoRico]

I noticed your absence and was wondering if you were just taking a break from gaming or if real life was getting in the way. I'm saddened to hear about your struggles but I like how you're reacting through these tough times. You'll get there eventually. I don't have much power in my hands as far as trying to be helpful in this situation except being reachable and checking up on you from time to time. 

 

Shit happens but we can't let them define us, define who we are. I believe in you tho, I'm sure you're gonna figure it out. 

 

If you need a friendly ear in the meantime, feel free to reach out, through text or even vocal chat my friend. Wishing you a healthy and speedy recovery ?

[Destructor-8]

6 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

So after tomorrow I will be on bed rest for a bit - giving me plenty of time to catch up on everything PSNP related. I've had so many people reach out to me through DM - to check in on me and its hugely appreciated. To be honest I didn't think many would even notice my absence, I'm overwhelmed and if I haven't got back to you yet - I definitely will.

Even though I say, I don't tend to reel off all my problems publicly - anyone who has followed my checklist from the beginning, probably knows that I put it all in here - it's all me, who I am and what I love. The good, the bad and the ugly. I believe that this is the reason I have been lucky enough to make so many friends here and I'm very grateful.

I'll be aiming to respond to all @'s and comments over the coming weeks as I recover.

 

It's great to see you back man & as the others said do what you need to do for you until you get back at it. It seems like you have a lot going on but sounds like you will get through it as that's what you do. These threads are great to follow & this thread in particular is one of my favourites so I'm glad that you will be back soon.

[det_gittes]

Good to see you back, even if in limited capacity - reading your thread has been very entertaining and I do admit that I've checked up on your profile quite a few times this last month. It sucks to read that you've been going through some hardships - I do hope that things will take a more positive turn for you soon! 

[Eqill5]

Man, yesterday I checked both in here and your profile to see what you’d been up to (where the fuck you have been Sabbath) and was surprised to see a month of inactivity! Sorry to read about everything and I hope your situation improves and soon.

 

I don’t think I’ve actually ever posted in here before but I’ve sure as hell enjoyed reading along! Even random strangers notice your absence ? So formally, hello! You seem like the kind of guy with a lot of resolve, I’m sure you and the Sabbath family will fight through this. Stay strong brother ?

[Arcesius]

22 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

Where the fuck have you been Sabbath?

 

Dude, I know I wrote you already, but I wanted to reinforce my support to you and your family, and curse lady luck once again for all the shit she's making you go through. However, you make a resilient impression, and I'm sure that you'll bounce back in no time. What's clear is that you have your priorities straight. 

 

You haven't been here too long, and still plenty of people noticed your sudden absence. I think that speaks for the impression you've left on us, and I hope that you can use that as a small motivator whenever you need something positive to think about  (Not that you wouldn't have 9 positive things close to you to think about anyways ?) 

 

 

Also... dude, I will never again complain about my lack of time for myself having (only) one kid.  

 

Talk to you soon, and good luck with the OP! 

Edited November 2, 2021 by Arcesius

[KindaSabbath]

Huge thanks to everyone for all of the moral support! I'm a little taken back by it to be honest! So many cool people on this site and I feel lucky to always have you guys in my corner!

 

Just wanted to to drop a quick update in here to say that I'm home from the hospital and my surgery went well! The road to recovery begins now. 

 

I will reply to everyone tomorrow as I'm high as fuck on all sorts of pain meds right now ?

 

I did see a comment about none stressful games in the meantime. Not gonna lie - I've been looking into Splasher while I was in the hospital ? looks reeeally fun. Maybe I'll do Crash Team Racing first, when I finally get back to playing games  maybe not though ?

 

Much peace and love to you all! 

[Destructor-8]

59 minutes ago, KindaSabbath said:

Huge thanks to everyone for all of the moral support! I'm a little taken back by it to be honest! So many cool people on this site and I feel lucky to always have you guys in my corner!

 

Just wanted to to drop a quick update in here to say that I'm home from the hospital and my surgery went well! The road to recovery begins now. 

 

I will reply to everyone tomorrow as I'm high as fuck on all sorts of pain meds right now

 

I did see a comment about none stressful games in the meantime. Not gonna lie - I've been looking into Splasher while I was in the hospital looks reeeally fun. Maybe I'll do Crash Team Racing first, when I finally get back to playing games  maybe not though

 

Much peace and love to you all! 

 

That's good that everything went well! Here's hoping things do get better & you get back to getting into the games you wanna do again. You had something very interesting that I hope you go along with when you get to it. I hope you enjoy your next few games!

Edited November 2, 2021 by Destructor-8

[DrunkenEngineer]

Oh man, I was wondering where you had been.  I figured the recent debacle with the Trials save games forced some much needed time off gaming, but never guessed it would be IRL difficulties!

 

Much love dude, reach out if you need anything even if it's just a chat.

 

And 8 kids, wow!  Never will I complain again about having not enough free time, you definitely seem to have your priorities worked out and must be one efficient dude.

 

Get well!

[KindaSabbath]

On 01/11/2021 at 11:32 AM, DrBloodmoney said:

Sorry to hear that mate - self employed myself, and know all too well what a thorough kicking health issues can deliver to the old finances.

Glad you're keeping your chin up though - looking forward to your updates!

 

Appreciate it dude. Yeah - I love the freedom that comes with being self employed, but it doesn't come without risk. Chin up and power forward is the only way.

 

On 01/11/2021 at 11:32 AM, DrBloodmoney said:

Also, as someone who considers raising one kid to be a challenge, I'd just like to say:

 

 

 

???? - I guess when you casually drop that you have 8 kids into a post and casually drop a disgustingly heavy song in the same post - no one notices the song!! Seriously, that shit is heavy. The kids are cool too, ofcourse ???

 

On 01/11/2021 at 0:11 PM, rjkclarke said:

Sorry to hear about that man! I'm in the whole self employed boat too - so I get where you are coming from, but only to a very small degree. In that I have none of the family responsibilities that you do.... Which makes me feel even worse for you, that you have had such a tough time of it lately.

 

Thanks man. It's just one of those things that couldn't be avoided in current times but it will turn around. Being self employed can be scary with or w/o an army of kids. 

 

On 01/11/2021 at 0:11 PM, rjkclarke said:

I'm really gutted that you've been hit by a truckload of rubbish all at once, but it's great to see you've got a really strong positive mental attitude about it. That's going to really help, I wish you the speediest of recoveries obviously.

 

Welcome back though dude - I've missed seeing you around. ? 

 

I have a seriously stubborn mother fucker mentality/personality so I'm confident when I get back on my feet - I'll figure it out! 

 

It may be a while before I'm back properly but I'll be hanging around keeping up with everyone else in the mean time. Hope you're well brother.

 

On 01/11/2021 at 0:47 PM, Deadly_Ha_Ha said:

You seem like you're meeting your challenges head-on and with resolve.

 

The only way I know! 

 

On 01/11/2021 at 0:47 PM, Deadly_Ha_Ha said:

I did also want to say though that Titanfall 2 is one of my favorite games I've done on this account so I'm glad you also liked it. I think the game is eternally underappreciated and exists as sort of a relic since I doubt there will ever be a follow-up,.

 

Titanfall 2 is a fantastic game, I think the only factors that took it down a notch overall - are that I played it not long after Trials Fusion (my favourite game of all time) and Vanquish which imo is far superior in every way. However, TF2 is a little gem and I'm very fond of the gameplay that Respawn deliver. I think you're right though, their main focus now is Apex Legends and I don't think there will be much more from Titanfall which is a shame.

 

On 01/11/2021 at 3:44 PM, GonzoWARgasm said:

I hope your luck turns. Best wishes for you and your family. Please consider taking it easy until coming out the other side of being healthy... you wouldn't want to hurt yourself further by not doing the right physiotherapy/waiting until you are healed properly. To finish first, first you must finish

 

Thank you mate. I'm completely in taking it easy mode and have been resting far too much ? - I totally hear you though and appreciate the wise words.

 

On 01/11/2021 at 3:44 PM, GonzoWARgasm said:

Maybe consider not taking on a stressful game for a while? ?

 

It'll likely be a while before I can play video games. When I can though, I have no idea what I'll be starting with. Got a few on my radar though. The End is Nigh looks good ?

[Platinum_Vice]

11 minutes ago, KindaSabbath said:

It'll likely be a while before I can play video games. 

 

As someone who has no other hobbies in my life - I really do wish you a swift recovery. I mean that half as low quality banter and the other half out of genuine concern as a surgery affecting you in such a way must have been very very serious.

[KindaSabbath]

Apologies for the split post but on mobile - I'm not sure how to quote people jumping between pages!

 

On 01/11/2021 at 4:11 PM, YaManSmevz said:

Well, damn.

 

You've popped up in my head more than a few times during your absence, and I was kinda hoping you were just on a beach with a cocktail this whole time, I'm quite saddened to hear that it's very much the opposite!

 

No beaches recently, next year maybe! 

 

On 01/11/2021 at 4:11 PM, YaManSmevz said:

I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble - I know you're a supremely tough fella but nobody needs all that on them! I hope you know that your ability to tackle hardship, be it in gaming or real life, earns a fuckton of admiration. Wishing you the best, homie!

 

Appreciate the kind words Smevz. Hope you're keeping well dude. Need to catch up on everything you've been up to! 

 

On 01/11/2021 at 4:24 PM, PlutoRico said:

I noticed your absence and was wondering if you were just taking a break from gaming or if real life was getting in the way. I'm saddened to hear about your struggles but I like how you're reacting through these tough times. You'll get there eventually. I don't have much power in my hands as far as trying to be helpful in this situation except being reachable and checking up on you from time to time. 

 

Hey man, knowing so many of you guys are there for me outside of the video games means alot, so thank you! 

 

On 01/11/2021 at 4:24 PM, PlutoRico said:

Shit happens but we can't let them define us, define who we are. I believe in you tho, I'm sure you're gonna figure it out. 

 

Exactly that mate. Figure it out I will. 

 

It goes both ways, too. If yourself or anyone else needs anything, I'm here too. My inbox is always open. As is my party chat on PlayStation - haven't turned it on for a while, but drop me a message and I will!

 

On 01/11/2021 at 6:09 PM, det_gittes said:

Good to see you back, even if in limited capacity - reading your thread has been very entertaining and I do admit that I've checked up on your profile quite a few times this last month. It sucks to read that you've been going through some hardships - I do hope that things will take a more positive turn for you soon! 

 

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? How have you been getting on with your new profile? Have you destroyed and conquered Trials all over again? You should capture and share your zero fault runs on the extreme tracks with us! Feel free to post them here if you still haven't made a checklist yet! 

 

Things will be OK for me dude, thank you though!

 

On 01/11/2021 at 11:10 PM, Eqill5 said:

Man, yesterday I checked both in here and your profile to see what you’d been up to (where the fuck you have been Sabbath) and was surprised to see a month of inactivity! Sorry to read about everything and I hope your situation improves and soon.

 

Yeah it's kinda weird, I had a nice flow going, steadily chipping away through my games and posting about them too. Something I very much look forward to getting back to when the time is right.

 

On 01/11/2021 at 11:10 PM, Eqill5 said:

I don’t think I’ve actually ever posted in here before but I’ve sure as hell enjoyed reading along! Even random strangers notice your absence  So formally, hello! You seem like the kind of guy with a lot of resolve, I’m sure you and the Sabbath family will fight through this. Stay strong brother 

 

Hey man, you're always welcome to post in here! Everyone is welcome! I'm a little taken back by the fact that random strangers even read my posts, let alone notice when I'm not around. Appreciate the kind words my dude! 

 

On 02/11/2021 at 9:20 AM, Arcesius said:

Dude, I know I wrote you already, but I wanted to reinforce my support to you and your family, and curse lady luck once again for all the shit she's making you go through. However, you make a resilient impression, and I'm sure that you'll bounce back in no time. What's clear is that you have your priorities straight. 

 

Appreciate the support Arc! Some one said to me when I first started trophy hunting -  "If you start tackling something you know is going to be difficult, and still expect to get it done quickly.. yeah, that just is an invitation for frustration." Crazy how much wise words like these can help, even outside of video games. I think those words will stay with me indefinitely and help in many areas of life in general.

 

On 02/11/2021 at 9:20 AM, Arcesius said:

You haven't been here too long, and still plenty of people noticed your sudden absence. I think that speaks for the impression you've left on us, and I hope that you can use that as a small motivator whenever you need something positive to think about  (Not that you wouldn't have 9 positive things close to you to think about anyways ) 

 

I'm very lucky in that I have huge motivation all around me, to always keep me powering forward. I'm surrounded by awesome people both in person and here on PSNP, too! Absolutely no excuses to sit around and feel sorry for myself at all. So the * let's get shit done * mentality is always strong!

 

On 02/11/2021 at 9:20 AM, Arcesius said:

Also... dude, I will never again complain about my lack of time for myself having (only) one kid.  

 

 

??? - Hey man, being a parent is tough regardless of how many kids you have. All parents have my respect and admiration. Hope you and the family are doing well dude!

 

On 02/11/2021 at 8:55 PM, Destructor-8 said:

That's good that everything went well! Here's hoping things do get better & you get back to getting into the games you wanna do again. You had something very interesting that I hope you go along with when you get to it. I hope you enjoy your next few games!

 

Thanks bud! Yeah it'll be awesome to get back to it when the time comes. Definitely still plan to go ahead with what we discussed. Bonus is - I now have more time to plan how to do it. 

 

15 hours ago, DrunkenEngineer said:

Oh man, I was wondering where you had been.  I figured the recent debacle with the Trials save games forced some much needed time off gaming, but never guessed it would be IRL difficulties!

 

Much love dude, reach out if you need anything even if it's just a chat.

 

And 8 kids, wow!  Never will I complain again about having not enough free time, you definitely seem to have your priorities worked out and must be one efficient dude.

 

Get well!

 

Hey man, appreciate it! Yeah losing my Trials Rising save file still stings ? - unfortunately a few other things have kept me busy recently. As I said above, it works both ways and I'm here for you all too. Nothing but love around here! 

 

Yo, the kids definitely keep me busy/on my toes.. I wouldn't have it any other way though! I wouldn't be half the man I am without them, they're my world and keep me always pushing ahead and working hard!

 

Tiny Update:

I got really sick after my surgery and the last 2 weeks are a bit of a blur. Hence the huge delay in posting and replying to all of the kind words and support. I'm hoping I'll get back to actually playing on my PlayStation soon, it will likely be in the new year though if I'm being realistic. In the meantime I will try to post a long overdue write-up for Limbo and then it's gonna be kinda quite in here for a while.

 

Looking forward to hanging out in my friends checklists though! 

 

[Arcesius]

1 hour ago, KindaSabbath said:

It'll likely be a while before I can play video games. When I can though, I have no idea what I'll be starting with. Got a few on my radar though. The End is Nigh looks good

 

Yes! Man, at least someone that listens to me... TEiN is the best platformer I've played, though I wouldn't call it "relaxed" ? It is a very personal game (I mean personal to Edmund), where he deals with his agoraphobia, his anxiety, his depressions... He made the game while going through some really rough times, and it shows. But besides the stellar gameplay and top-notch level design, the game being that personal is something that really grabbed me. It's fantastic, and will definitely be featured in my "Favorite Games" list if I ever get around to writing it ?

 

 

1 hour ago, KindaSabbath said:

Apologies for the split post but on mobile - I'm not sure how to quote people jumping between pages!

 

What you can do is click on the '+' symbol bottom-left of every single post you want to quote. That adds the post to a "quotation-pool", if you want. Once you have selected all the posts you want to quote (you can do this across pages), simply click on the "Quote x posts" in the bottom-right corner of the page. 

 

 

1 hour ago, KindaSabbath said:

Appreciate the support Arc! Some one said to me when I first started trophy hunting -  "If you start tackling something you know is going to be difficult, and still expect to get it done quickly.. yeah, that just is an invitation for frustration." Crazy how much wise words like these can help, even outside of video games. I think those words will stay with me indefinitely and help in many areas of life in general.

 

"Some one", huh? ? Must be a really wise dude, that some one! ?

 

In all seriousness though... While obviously I said that within the context of trophy hunting, it definitely is something that holds true for anything you approach. I really am glad to hear that you could gain anything from my rambling back then ? Even though given your situation right now and how you are dealing with it, I think you have everything you need to deal with the toughest shit. 

 

As you wrote... keep that chin high. Hope to see you back in your best form soon! 

[YaManSmevz]

6 hours ago, Arcesius said:

What you can do is click on the '+' symbol bottom-left of every single post you want to quote. That adds the post to a "quotation-pool", if you want. Once you have selected all the posts you want to quote (you can do this across pages), simply click on the "Quote x posts" in the bottom-right corner of the page.

 

That was a schooling I didn't know I needed. Thanks!

 

6 hours ago, Arcesius said:

Yes! Man, at least someone that listens to me... TEiN is the best platformer I've played, though I wouldn't call it "relaxed"  It is a very personal game (I mean personal to Edmund), where he deals with his agoraphobia, his anxiety, his depressions... He made the game while going through some really rough times, and it shows. But besides the stellar gameplay and top-notch level design, the game being that personal is something that really grabbed me. It's fantastic, and will definitely be featured in my "Favorite Games" list if I ever get around to writing it 

 

I've already started my research, looks like I've got a new backlog entry?

[KindaSabbath]

On 14/11/2021 at 10:37 AM, GonzoWARgasm said:

As someone who has no other hobbies in my life - I really do wish you a swift recovery. I mean that half as low quality banter and the other half out of genuine concern as a surgery affecting you in such a way must have been very very serious.

 

Thanks Gonzo - Recovery is going well, I don't want it to sound worse than it is... Basically I had a nasty accident with alot of weight on my back, which literally snapped my shit up and tore some stuff that needed to be put back together. Long term I should be okay. I just need to be careful and take it very very easy while I heal. Bright side is I'm fucking bionic now - got some pins and some mesh and stuff.

 

On 14/11/2021 at 0:27 PM, Arcesius said:

Yes! Man, at least someone that listens to me... TEiN is the best platformer I've played, though I wouldn't call it "relaxed"  It is a very personal game (I mean personal to Edmund), where he deals with his agoraphobia, his anxiety, his depressions... He made the game while going through some really rough times, and it shows. But besides the stellar gameplay and top-notch level design, the game being that personal is something that really grabbed me. It's fantastic, and will definitely be featured in my "Favorite Games" list if I ever get around to writing it 

 

Oh man, it looks so dope. It's on my list of games that I want to get around to much sooner than later. As soon as I can comfortably hold a controller and sit up pain free - I think I'll be installing this one.

 

On 14/11/2021 at 0:27 PM, Arcesius said:

What you can do is click on the '+' symbol bottom-left of every single post you want to quote. That adds the post to a "quotation-pool", if you want. Once you have selected all the posts you want to quote (you can do this across pages), simply click on the "Quote x posts" in the bottom-right corner of the page. 

 

Super helpful Arc, thanks man. Literally had no idea it was that simple.

 

On 14/11/2021 at 0:27 PM, Arcesius said:

"Some one", huh?  Must be a really wise dude, that some one! 

 

 

Yeah, same guy who wrote the guide for Nex Machina ? - top bloke..

 

In all seriousness though, those words pushed me through my 12 hour slog when going at Hill Climb and they've definitely stuck with me through recent struggles. All banter aside - I'm very grateful bro.

 

Also, as @Destructor-8 has mentioned - I have a little challenge that I'm trying to put together for myself when I return. We've already discussed some of it through DM. There's a few things I'd like to run by you and maybe a couple others, too. Is it better to drop you a message on here or through the ps app?

 

On 14/11/2021 at 7:16 PM, YaManSmevz said:

I've already started my research, looks like I've got a new backlog entry

 

We've gotta be careful my dude. The backlog grows stronger everytime I check ? 

[Arcesius]

1 hour ago, KindaSabbath said:

Also, as @Destructor-8 has mentioned - I have a little challenge that I'm trying to put together for myself when I return. We've already discussed some of it through DM. There's a few things I'd like to run by you and maybe a couple others, too. Is it better to drop you a message on here or through the ps app?

 

Uh, now you've got me intrigued... ?

 

And yeah, of couse! No hesitation there. You can write wherever you want. I usually prefer PSNP cause here I can type on my laptop, I hate writing on the phone ? But both options are fine  

[KindaSabbath]

A Crash Themed Racing Update:

 

 

So the time has come for me to dust off my game pad and get back to squeezing in some video games over the Christmas period. With things having calmed down a tad for me recently, I started eyeing up the perfect game to get back into the swing of things… I fancied trying my hand at a racing game and after many discussions with @Destructor-8, we narrowed it down to 2 options: Wipeout Omega Collection or Crash Team Racing - Nitro Fueled. Since as my experience with racing games is somewhat fuck all and completely limited to a little casual CTR and a bit of Mario Kart in my youth - an arcade racer is at least familiar ground. 

 

Although Wipeout and CTR are considered of equal difficulty in regards to trophy completion, Des thought Wipeout would be a bit more gradual in its learning curve and the least demanding of the two. So naturally, I went with CTR ?

 

Fast forward to today and I’ve got to say something and this is straight from the feels man: I FUCKING ADORE THIS GAME. This is why I love this beautiful hobby of ours! It’s games like this that bring me the most joy to play. The game is gorgeous, it runs silky smooth and it offers that easy to play but difficult to master kind of depth which made me fall in love with the Trials series and I’ll write more on this shortly. 

 

You want a good challenge with a nice trophy list that is totally manageable? CTR has got you. 

 

You want MUCH more challenge outside of trophies with some dope in game rewards? CTR has got you. 

 

You want an EXTREME challenge also outside of trophies and also offering dope in game rewards? The devs will literally shit all over your face ? - but guess what? CTR has got you. 

 

So let’s talk abit about that sweet, sweet hook in games of this nature I.e. easy to play, yet difficult to master and what the big appeal is here for me, personally: 

 

I can literally boot this game up in the day and play it with my kids. The controls are simple and the game is fun - no matter who is playing or what level of skill they happen to be at the time. It’s vibrant, it’s banter, it has all of the bells and whistles with different modes to engage almost anyone. However - when the sleepy heads go to bed and the lights go out - I can sit down and play the same game in a completely different way… AKA the Time Trials! 

Demon Mode [ON]:

 

 

Now the Time Trials are where things get sweaty. There are various difficulties within this mode and in my opinion, they are as follows:

 

Pass the track fast enough to unlock the TT’s: Easy

N. Tropy: Medium

Oxide (required for platinum): Hard

Emperor Velo: Very Hard

The Developer Times: Extreme

 

I won’t break down the difficulty of these individual ghosts in greater detail as my man @Shrooba has already covered this beautifully in his own very awesome checklist.

 

However, in order to best Velo and the devs there’s no way around it - you need to ‘git gud’… which leads me to another reason why I love games like this: you see undeniable tangible progress with the more time that you invest. That is the main hook. There’s nothing better than seeing the undeniable progress as you slay each ghost in this mode. 

 

Below is my own example.

 

The first time I beat Oxide:

 

 

The first time I beat a Developer:

 

 

Same track, same person. In my ability though? A completely different racer at the sticks. 

 

This is a game that offers so much incentive to return long after acquiring the platinum trophy. I mean there’s a reason that @Shrooba and @LancashireLad87 are both back on this game right now grinding out the dev times long after trophy completion. These two lads are about to pull off one of the toughest feats I know of in video games by beating every single developer time in the game. To put that into perspective: CTR is fairly rated an 8/10 platinum, for which the difficulty is decided by having to beat Oxide in the Time Trials. The dev times are in a different fucking league. If they were required for the platinum - in my opinion that would make it a very rock solid 10/10. It’s pretty special to whiteness this being done first hand and be along for the ride. These guys are immense. So…

 

HUGE SHOUTOUT to the boys in the chat: @Destructor-8 @Shrooba @GonzoWARgasm@LancashireLad87

 

Like my journey with Trials, I find myself surrounded by the very best there is, to help guide me, offer me advice and steer me in the direction of improving my skills. Much love and much appreciated lads! 

 

Now I need to get back to racing against the Oxide ghosts in order to wrap up the platinum before I get stuck into the challenges that lie ahead with Velo and the developer times myself. I’m not a very good trophy hunter, largely because I’m a sucker for a good challenge and I get sidetracked soooo easily doing none trophy related things ? - not that it’s even a bad thing though and in all honesty it’s the best thing about CTR - the challenge is there if you want it. 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by KindaSabbath

[Arcesius]

First of all.. It's great to see you holding that Dual Sense again!  Not only that, but it seems like the game you chose for your comeback is one that managed to get your excitement going as hard as Trials did a while ago. Awesome stuff! 

 

14 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

I can literally boot this game up in the day and play it with my kids. The controls are simple and the game is fun - no matter who is playing or what level of skill they happen to be at the time. It’s vibrant, it’s banter, it has all of the bells and whistles with different modes to engage almost anyone. However - when the sleepy heads go to bed and the lights go out - I can sit down and play the same game in a completely different way… AKA the Time Trials! 

 

These are the best games, aren't they? Simple games that can be enjoyed casually, but that offer some sort of extreme yet fun challenge for those that want some of that stuff. And of course, you clearly belong to the main target audience, given your small army of kids and your thirst for moral-destroying challenges!  

 

 

14 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

This is a game that offers so much incentive to return long after acquiring the platinum trophy. I mean there’s a reason that @Shrooba and @LancashireLad87 are both back on this game right now grinding out the dev times long after trophy completion. These two lads are about to pull off one of the toughest feats I know of in video games by beating every single developer time in the game. To put that into perspective: CTR is fairly rated an 8/10 platinum, for which the difficulty is decided by having to beat Oxide in the Time Trials. The dev times are in a different fucking league. If they were required for the platinum - in my opinion that would make it a very rock solid 10/10. It’s pretty special to whiteness this being done first hand and be along for the ride. These guys are immense. So…

 

HUGE SHOUTOUT to the boys in the chat: @Destructor-8 @Shrooba @GonzoWARgasm@LancashireLad87

 

Like my journey with Trials, I find myself surrounded by the very best there is, to help guide me, offer me advice and steer me in the direction of improving my skills. Much love and much appreciated lads! 

 

Yeah and I can kinda imagine already that you will soon follow suit, won't you? ? I mean, you did the same thing with Trials, grinding for better times even besides trophy-requirements. It's a great thing, too. I recent memory, I can only think of a handful of games that grabbed me enough to keep my interest past the 100%. If this is one of those games, well then keep playing and grinding for as long as you are having fun! The next game you tackle might not be as exciting.. (unless you finally get to Nex Machina or Furi ffs.... ?)

 

In any case, great to see that also this time around you are being supported by awesome people, it makes this hobby so much richer to have people around to share one's experiences with!  

[LancashireLad87]

Always a pleasure, that Hasty setup is looking fresh, shame I don't have the wheels or the skin otherwise I'd run that exact setup! I have at least another 10 non-trophy challenges I want to have a go at after CTR NF so that will definitely keep me busy and out of trouble ^^

[Destructor-8]

19 hours ago, KindaSabbath said:

So the time has come for me to dust off my game pad and get back to squeezing in some video games over the Christmas period. With things having calmed down a tad for me recently, I started eyeing up the perfect game to get back into the swing of things… I fancied trying my hand at a racing game and after many discussions with @Destructor-8, we narrowed it down to 2 options: Wipeout Omega Collection or Crash Team Racing - Nitro Fueled. Since as my experience with racing games is somewhat fuck all and completely limited to a little casual CTR and a bit of Mario Kart in my youth - an arcade racer is at least familiar ground. 

 

Although Wipeout and CTR are considered of equal difficulty in regards to trophy completion, Des thought Wipeout would be a bit more gradual in its learning curve and the least demanding of the two. So naturally, I went with CTR 

 

HUGE SHOUTOUT to the boys in the chat: @Destructor-8 @Shrooba @GonzoWARgasm@LancashireLad87

 

Like my journey with Trials, I find myself surrounded by the very best there is, to help guide me, offer me advice and steer me in the direction of improving my skills. Much love and much appreciated lads!

 

Cheers man! It's been amazing watching how you've come onto the game only recently & are already doing things that usually take a long time to do. It seems you've picked up on it quick & I'm glad you are liking the game as much as you do. I knew this would be one that you would enjoy & now I think you'll like the other games that I recommended to you even more now. It's gonna be awesome to see what you do next!

[KindaSabbath]

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

First of all.. It's great to see you holding that Dual Sense again!  Not only that, but it seems like the game you chose for your comeback is one that managed to get your excitement going as hard as Trials did a while ago. Awesome stuff! 

Thanks bro! On a side note - I think the Dual Sense is my favourite controller of all time! So it’s definitely is a blessing to be holding that bad boy again!

 

Also, exactly that! This game has me hyped just like Trials did - it is a must play for all Trials Heads out there! @det_gittes you’d love this one too mate! 
 

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

These are the best games, aren't they? Simple games that can be enjoyed casually, but that offer some sort of extreme yet fun challenge for those that want some of that stuff.

100% man. Games that offer massive replay-ability without unnecessary bloat.
 

It’s pretty special when a game can appeal to a variety of different gamers with varying play-styles and yet offer a wholesome experience for everyone. 
 

I’d actually love to know what other games out there would fit this category. 
 

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

And of course, you clearly belong to the main target audience, given your small army of kids and your thirst for moral-destroying challenges!  

? -  you’re on point twice here!

 

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

Yeah and I can kinda imagine already that you will soon follow suit, won't you?  I mean, you did the same thing with Trials, grinding for better times even besides trophy-requirements. It's a great thing, too.

Maybe ? 

 

Thats the thing though. Both this game and Trials offer two things that I adore: a good challenge for the trophies, but, more importantly - a high skill ceiling. On both games you can get good enough to grab the completion, but that’s the entry point in terms of how far you can progress/improve. It’s a beautiful thing!

Oh and both games are insanely fun otherwise they wouldn’t hold my interest, of course ?

 

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

recent memory, I can only think of a handful of games that grabbed me enough to keep my interest past the 100%. If this is one of those games, well then keep playing and grinding for as long as you are having fun!

I’m listening? Which games got you like that Arc? You have great taste so you’ve piqued my interest?

 

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

The next game you tackle might not be as exciting.. (unless you finally get to Nex Machina or Furi ffs.... )

Nex & Furi ? 

 

I will get to these soon for sure! Problem is - I take my sweet ass time with games! I suppose that’s a good indication that most of my picks end up being exciting, at least ?

 

4 hours ago, Arcesius said:

In any case, great to see that also this time around you are being supported by awesome people, it makes this hobby so much richer to have people around to share one's experiences with!  

It really does mate! But hey man, I think I speak for everyone when I say there’s an invitation waiting for you if you decide to jump in on the action! Since as you’ve made good progress on the games you have open - if you decide to fire this one up - you’re welcome to hang out with us in the chat where we’re all hyping each other up and sharing our progress! Or just talking games in general ?

 

 

59 minutes ago, LancashireLad87 said:

Always a pleasure, that Hasty setup is looking fresh, shame I don't have the wheels or the skin otherwise I'd run that exact setup! I have at least another 10 non-trophy challenges I want to have a go at after CTR NF so that will definitely keep me busy and out of trouble ^^

Definitely mate! How do you get those items? In game challenges or do they just appear in the store?

 

What you got lined up after CTR? 

 

17 minutes ago, Destructor-8 said:

Cheers man! It's been amazing watching how you've come onto the game only recently & are already doing things that usually take a long time to do. It seems you've picked up on it quick & I'm glad you are liking the game as much as you do. I knew this would be one that you would enjoy & now I think you'll like the other games that I recommended to you even more now. It's gonna be awesome to see what you do next!

Bro, wherever there is solid gameplay on offer - I will put that time in to get the most out of it! Plus wherever there is Time Trials - I’m all in ?

 

I’m pumped for what’s next. I trust your recommendations and even with how difficult some of the challenges are in the games you’ve suggested to me. I’m confident it will be a fun and rewarding experience!

[det_gittes]

1 minute ago, KindaSabbath said:

Also, exactly that! This game has me hyped just like Trials did - it is a must play for all Trials Heads out there! @det_gittes you’d love this one too mate! 

Ehm, the first thing I did after I read your previous update on CTR was check psprices to see if the game is on sale and when I noticed it isn't, I put it on my wishlist. I meant to write something to that effect here, just haven't gotten round to it yet   ?

 

But most of all, I am glad to hear that things are (slowly) improving for you, that's great! On my end things have slowed down considerably as I've had more work than usual (it will only get worse ) and we've been battling some health issues, too (out of the blue, my wife developed back problems which already grounded her for three weeks), but I have been having quite a lot of fun with Returnal for the past month or so and I intend to take it to 100%. I also got Riders Republic which I played for a while but then I got into Returnal, so I am taking a break from it (but it's quite a lot of fun and I will be definitely going back to it).

 

And, surely, I haven't abandoned Trials  I only play Trials on my laptop, though, and I've gotten more comfortable with level 3 ninjas, so who knows, maybe level 4s are still in the picture for me

[Shrooba]

@KindaSabbath It's definitely incredible that you've already beaten several Velo times -- and even a dev time -- a week into playing the game, that's great potential right there! It's been great having you around and seeing your progress. You'll get the plat in no time, and Velo and the devs await, you've got this! ?
If you ever need more help, always remember that you've got a great group of us to give some sweet advice. ?

[KindaSabbath]

On 21/12/2021 at 2:34 PM, det_gittes said:

And, surely, I haven't abandoned Trials  I only play Trials on my laptop, though, and I've gotten more comfortable with level 3 ninjas, so who knows, maybe level 4s are still in the picture for me

Could you ever abandon Trials? The games are just too good man. I’ll be returning to get some platinum medals on the extreme tracks in Fusion at some point! 
 

Level 4’s? All fucking day mate. You are sick at Trials dude, you’ll get as high as you want to go in the ninja ranks! 

Merry Christmas to all of my PSNP friends! Hope everyone is enjoying some down time with some sweet video games!!

 

So not much progress has been made in regards to acquiring the  in Crash Team Racing - Nitro Fueled. As per usual, I’ve been far too busy getting distracted to actually focus on the stuff I’m supposed to be doing! I’m still having incredible amounts of fun though, so it’s a good thing!

 

I’m making good progress in regards to getting the more intricate mechanics of the game dialled in though. I had an absolute nightmare earlier this week when it comes to things like air braking and u-turns because I play on a very awkward control scheme where I use RT for gas and X/L1 for drift/boost (alternate in the menu). On top of that, a lot of the top players in CTR play with the d-pad whereas I opt for the sticks - which can add an extra layer of difficulty to some of these techniques. I will add though, that I don’t think these techniques are essential for beating Oxide. For the dev times though - I think they’re a must personally. 
 

So yeah, apologies to the dudes who’ve had to listen to me rant about the controls and I appreciate all the tips while I was figuring out what works. I did decide to just suck it up and do things the awkward way hoping eventually I’d just build up the required muscle memory to get things done quick enough where needed. 
 

Here’s a few more dev times that I’ve managed to beat so far. You can likely see progression on a track by track basis where I’m still learning the game. As someone with almost no experience with racing games, it’s definitely taking some time to get up to speed - by that I mean dev speed ? - I’ll get there though.

Roo’s Tubes:

 

I did Roo’s Tubes last week, so you can see I’m still very much learning about the correct racing lines. Sloppy but quick enough to get the job done. One of the easiest tracks so a good one to learn the above. 
 

N. Gin Labs:

 

 

First time learning how to maintain blue fire (fastest boost in the game) so it was a bit wild. Also the first time I had to learn how to u-turn properly and with doing it on the sticks, it was very frustrating to begin with. Perseverance though and I was able to pull it off just about enough to get N. Gin Labs done. Definitely one of the easier dev times. Nonetheless, still happy to tick this off the list. 
 

Slide Coliseum:

 

Okay - this is where everything I’ve had to learn so far (except blue fire as there’s no boost pads on this track) got put to the test. This was brutal, so I’m happy to see that my friend and top tier player @LancashireLad87 has this ranked in his top 5 hardest tracks, because this kicked my ass for a minute. It all had to be on point here; managing reserves, racing lines, u-turning and nailing shortcuts. You have to pull it all out of the bag in order to beat the infamous William P’s time of 1:40.96. Big shout out to my friend and another top tier player  @Shrooba for helping me figure out this track and spending a little extra time talking me through a few of the trickier sections!  
 

I think the two William P tracks that I’ve beat so far: Crash Cove and Slide Coliseum - have shaped me into a much better player! It’s nice to have at least a couple of difficult ones crossed off for now. 
 

Going forward I’ll definitely be leaving the rest of the dev times alone until I’ve beaten all of the Oxide ghosts. I think the road to Master Wheels is something I’ll definitely be working towards. It’s going to be a long road but it’s one that I’m excited to travel!

 

On another note - I’ve had so much damn fun with CTR that I’ve absolutely bumped up Crash 1-4 on my priority list, massively! Mrs Sabbath loves Crash Bandicoot too so this is awesome!

 

Thats pretty much it for now. There’s a couple more dev times that I’ve beaten but my PlayStation just wouldn’t record yesterday or it seemed to be working intermittently at least. Hope everyone is having the most rad of festive times and I’ll catch up with you all soon!! ?

 

Oh and just to throw this out there, as I was listening to it last night while sinking a few cold ones:

Better than the original. *incoming shit storm* ? Obviously I love the zeppelin version to death but I just like this version more!!

 

Peace ✌️

Edited December 27, 2021 by KindaSabbath

[KindaSabbath]

Happy New Year to all! Let’s dig into the first Sabbathi update of 2022!!! ?

 

Soooooo - I’m still playing CTR - NF and I still haven’t earned a single trophy in weeks ?…

 

… This will not remain the case for much longer because as much as I’m having fun, too much fun with the Time Trials - I’m apart of a few events around here that actually require me to go hunt down some trophies, so exactly that I will do! 

 

I think now would be a good time to document some of my gaming related goals for 2022, for which there are 2 types of goals that I’m setting for myself: Trophy Completion Goals & Beyond Trophy Goals. The former is the bread and butter of this site so it requires no explanation, really. The latter is a little side-hustle of mine - a passion project of sorts - for the games that I have much to do in, still, beyond trophy completion. 

 

So with these two categories in mind, this is what I’m aiming for:

 

Trophy Completion Goals 2022:

After falling in love with the addicting game-play on offer in CTR - NF, it’s really made me want to go on an old skool kick of sorts. I aim to complete some games and franchises that were important to me in my younger years. I may add or subtract from this list but so far, I’m fairly certain that I will go for the Crash Bandicoot games, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, potentially the Metal Slug games as well as sprinkling in a few Sonic titles here and there, but also anything with old skool vibes that piques my interest.

 

It’s no secret that I heavily favour fairly hardcore and niche indie titles, which to be fair quite often give me these vibes anyway! So there’s definitely a few of them that I’ll be squeezing in this year. Especially as they often fit the requirements for certain events that I’d like to make progress in!

 

By the end of the year, at the very least I’d like to have completed and fully experienced these 5 titles in particular:

 

• The End is Nigh
• Solar Ash
• Splasher
• Furi
• Nex Machina

 

I should be able to fit these games into some of the events anyway. But my game selection is almost never final, so I’m documenting here that these ones are especially important to me ?

 

I think my biggest obstacle is that I really don’t get through many games in a year, so I expect to not get through all of what I’d like to play!

 

I’d like to complete at least 1 tier in the Ultra Rare Event. 

 

I’d like to complete 10 games for the Platinum Difficulty challenge. 

 

I may be a little over ambitious ? - always good to just shoot high though, right?

 

Beyond Trophy Goals 2022:

• Achieve the Master Wheels in CTR - NF
• Become top 20 world rank in Aaero
• Zero fault more extreme tracks in Trials Fusion

 

So with my own personal gaming goals out of the way, let’s tuck into a little CTR - NF update:

 

A few devs have fallen to the sword of sabbath. Even if if only just (fuck you William P):

 

Mystery Caves

Jungle Boogie

Papu’s Pyramid 

 

Sewer Speedway

Dragon Mines

Disclaimer - if some of my runs look scruffy, it’s because they didn’t require much practice to beat - makes sense right?

So when you see a run where it looks like I smashed it. Know that’s only because it smashed me repeatedly ?…

 

Going forward I’m setting a target of beating 4-5 of these developer time trials each week. In order to not burn out and so that I can make progress in other games too!

 

That is all for this week! I really would of loved to do a little game award ceremony of my own but I reckon it’s better if you’ve completed more than like fucking 6 games in a year ??? - it’s been rad to read through everyone’s unique take on this though! There are some incredibly talented gamers/writers here and I appreciate you all! ?

Edited January 3, 2022 by KindaSabbath