Diversionary Pursuits

Here’s something different from my normal cycle of expressed interests, although I have very occasionally mentioned it before.

There are not many online (or offline) games on which I have spent more than a hundred hours or so, and less than a handful on which I have  enjoyed playing for more than a thousand hours.  On the Hello Games published offering called ‘No Man’s Sky’ (NMS), which I have participated in since its day1 release in 2016. I have, as I write this, clocked up a little over 3470 hours of engrossed play.  This has just topped ‘Company of Heroes 2’ (CoH2) at 3440 hours (last played Sep 2020 and probably never again), and ‘Black Desert Online’ (BDO) at just under 3000 hours. I am also on the verge of taking a break from the BDO digital world, enjoyable as it is, as all my 12 individually different playing characters, each of them a beautiful, self-created female warrior (though I am not sure why I find the need to mention that, nor do I have any great desire to investigate as to what may be the underlying reasons) are at level 60 or 61 and it is now increasingly difficult to find ways to enjoyably make much headway.

I did take several months break from ‘No Man’s Sky’ until the recent ‘Expeditions’ update which has retriggered my interest.  For how long, I am not sure.  But I do need, for my continued mental balance, some diversionary passtime – away from the out-of-control spiralling of world events, and for as long as such pursuits continue to be available.

It would take too long to describe ‘No Man’s Sky’ as being a fitting and absorbing diversionary interest (I have tried that in a small way before), but I just came across this exceptionally well made video review of the game from the viewpoint of a returning gamer. It is 23+ minutes long and very interesting, being narrated in a calm and soothing voice.  I know of no better introduction, though some ‘facts’ are incorrect but only a beginner (or someone who has played a mere 60 hours) would not know that, and many of the points laboured over are ones only a beginner would experience.  You are going to need some pretty high-end computing power or a game console to enjoy playing if this kindles your interest. And also a decent internet connection.

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Here’s a look at my own purpose built, glass sided, programmably fan and motherboard illuminated gaming machine… It is not the peak of all possibilities by any means, but fully capable of getting the best out of all regular and current online games.