The Dollar Interface of Our Virtual Word

I am noticing more and more that anything you want to view, read, or research on the Internet is a mess of overly polluted advertising that seems to be getting worse. You go to a website and you can't read a thing because there are way too many ads, and they are literally everywhere. You can't read paragraphs with multiple ads or videos playing in the background as you browse the site. All this makes it daunting for anyone casually browsing or researching something. I'm not opposed to ads, but I am opposed to flooding.

It's not only visiting websites; it even pops up in your email now, so no one is safe from unwanted ads, and now they literally want you to pay for ads. There is no more TV while watching ads, as this is their revenue. Now they want you to pay to watch ads, and I'm not talking about free TV channels; we are talking about companies like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, etc. If you want ad-free, then pay double. 

Online apps and the cost.

Netflix raised the price, but not only that, they literally started charging you to watch ads. You can get Netflix for $8 if you are prepared to watch ads. Same with Amazon and all the other TV apps. Whatever happened, cut the cord and stop it from being ripped off. 

I don't mind ads, but there is no way I am going to pay to watch them. Then there is YouTube and its ads, I get it they need to make money, but asking people for $15 just to disable ads is worse than watching multiple ads every few minutes. That is literally all premium offers, which is actually frustrating because you are paying for nothing, so businesses have become smarter at making you pay to advertise on their behalf.

But this post isn't just about ads like dish soap or a new car; this is about the multiple ads directing you to specific people who seem intent on spreading hate and discord. There are a lot of vulnerable people out there who are naive and easily swayed by what they read or see.

YouTube, being the most popular, looks like a dollar store page of advertising, with their app directing you to multiple people you don't know or care about. They spend all day mocking or fighting with other people publicly for fame or engagement, and then there are people who claim to help animals when they are in fact abusers. people who claim to help you with more personal issues, whether mental or physical, and it goes on. The worst ones of all are the people who make money out of other people's misery and misfortune, and it's all set up in a nice little lunch box by people who claim to care.  

Same goes for Twitter, now known as X; they want you to pay $8 per month to view multiple adds between comments and are over-polluting the timeline. You also have companies like Microsoft and their multiple armies that pollute every person's thoughts with their trash mentality. Why are affiliates not declared on Twitter? Why are these people allowed to spread misinformation with the intent to mislead?

Let's also talk about people who want your votes to govern or already have the job and are literally paid to protect the people, yet they are using your money to help themselves instead of working for the people who put them there. Why are politicians even allowed on social media? It's not because they want you to have a better life, healthcare, or education. It's a bunch of rich businessmen who want to manipulate you into their way of thinking. They have an army of people who push their agenda, and yet again, no declaration or affiliation is declared, and it should be.

I was so tired of social media, and it is no longer a place I want to be, and it's not just the ads; it's the toxic nature of the people pushing their beliefs and opinions on others through advertising. We have moved into an age of shaming people as a form of entertainment. Then there is the online fighting and name-calling, forcing people off platforms because they don't like their opinion, threatening them in real life, and even going as far as stalking. When it comes to things that truly matter, you are silenced into submission, while social media influencers are paid to keep you distracted, so people start fighting each other. 

The virtual world is now the new world, and the business world is the new world order. 

 

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Fearless with A Controller

So how did I come up with the name for this blog? My gaming quote and bio is "Fearless with a Controller," a quote I have been using since first booting up my PS4. It was based on my love for gaming; it's my passion, and when I'm not working, it's my favorite hobby. When I step into that gaming room, I become a fighter, a warrior, and a savior. Someone who lives the lives of others to do the impossible. Yes, it's a fantasy world, but it's my world, and I love every minute of it. So my controller was my chance to be fearless. 

Username & Bios (About Me)

On the original console, it was simply a user name, as there were no achievements. It wasn't till 2006, when Sony introduced the PSN Network, that we started creating online IDs (2008 for me). No one really thought about IDs or gamer tags; it was just picking something to go online. I don't even remember the option to showcase 'About Me" at that time. 

We had multiple consoles in our house, so each console had a separate username. Then I had three usernames, but it wasn't until we went online that I realized picking one would be better. You couldn't change online IDs, so you were actually stuck with what you were using at that time. The first time I remember being asked to create an ID was in 2008, when I first put in Dead Space. It asked me to put in an online ID. Then,  in 2011, I switched to my other account, now known as "Valkiaria," and went online with it as I hated the other username. The last account I went online with was in 2015 with the username "Witcherlin," which was used mainly to replay games and collect trophies. This username has since been changed but is rarely used. 

How can see your PSN account creation date?

Well, the rumor is that Sony will send you an email on your anniversary, but this is only your username creation date, not the date you joined Sony. Honestly, I think buying a PS1 justifies your years with Sony if you continue to play on the PlayStation. The easiest way to check your account creation date is to look at your trophies. Although this will only go back to 2008, anything before that may be difficult, especially if you have changed your username several times. Another option would be to turn on your PS2/PS3, which should show you your original user names.

Trophies PS3/PS4

It wasn't till the PS3 era came out that we started to get achievements, although at that time I did not think about it. Trophies were first introduced in 2007/8, but not all games supported them. That's why using your trophy list as a placement for joining Sony is restricted to that date. My first achievement at that time was, in fact, Dead Space, but the first game on PlayStation to have trophies was Super Stardust HD, and the first game to have a Platinum Trophy was Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. 

Trials of Trophy Hunting

My first attempt at platinum was actually on the PS3 on Valkiaria in 2014, but due to a glitch with the feathers, it prevented me from gaining that achievement, hence the reason I went for it again on the PS4 and have since platted it on 2 of my accounts. If I love a game, I will replay it to obtain that shiny platinum on my other accounts and the only reason I stick with them. 

The first platinum I earned was Beyond Two Souls in 2016 on "Minipoppy" and Assassins Creed II was my second Platinum, but this time on a different account of which I think was known as "Whitcherlin" at the time. This is the problem with having three accounts, and all because the ability to change usernames was not available at that time. Now I usually just play on Valkiaria 99% of the time, but this is basically how I started my journey of becoming one of those annoying trophy hunters.

Triple Platinum's - Seriously?

I was asked the other day if there will ever be a triple plat trophy where triple AAA games can give that option. Obviously, the game would need to be completed three times at 100% from scratch, with no carrying over of any trophies. Somehow, however, I really don't see if that would even be possible, as  what actually defines a triple AAA game. Slapping a $70 price tag on a game should not justify that kind of achievement. The only way around that idea would be that the game would only be a console exclusive made by PlayStation Studios, and even then, there would need to be some minimum difficulty level attached along with other requirements. The Last of Us 2's (my least favorite game) trophy list is basically collectibles and, in no way, would deserve a triple plat. Yes, there are other exclusives like Ghost of Tsushima and God of War. I can see that as a possibility, but honestly, I really don't see this Idea taking any kind of traction.

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Bloodborne Rumors and Dramatics

Bloodborne is Sony's IP and probably the most requested re-master for the new Gen console and PC port. We have gone through multiple rumors from leakers about PC ports and movies that show the level of madness out there and the people who thrive on posting rumors instead of facts. In the end, people will complain if they do and become toxic if they don't.

Bloodborne is one of my favorite games and was recommended to me by a friend on PlayStation. He was right; it was brilliant, and I personally waited too long to play it. I understand why Souls players want to play it, but expecting Sony to jump hoops for anything other than PlayStation is actually mind-blowing to me. They were always reserved in sharing their titles and what they were working on; everything was always done in the background until they were 100% sure the title would be released. Look at "God of War' total surprise and most welcome announcement that had players even to this date reveling in the moment when it was revealed. 

Today we are seeing a new generation of gamers who want everything yesterday and spend most of their time on social media complaining day in and day out about what they want. Honestly, you guys need to chill out. If it happens, it happens, but stop whining and demanding. If you can spend thousands of dollars on a PC rig, then you can buy a PlayStation, and yes, it's worth it. I understand not everyone has money to buy a new console or switch from one to the other, and I'm sorry, but demanding Sony port their games because you want it shows your entitlement has reached a new level of Insanity.

Bloodborne was made from the ground up for the PlayStation, where there are many titles, and that's where it's better played. Why should Sony port to a PC because you want it? Why should Sony spend the money on a port because you want it? In the end, you will always have something to complain about, even if you get it. If you spend 90% of your time on social media complaining about Sony not giving you a port, then you are obviously not playing much. Its a commodity not life saving surgery.

I'm not saying or suggesting they won't, but until they do, play, and have fun with what you have. Elden Ring is a phenomenal game with a new DLC, and I absolutely recommend you try it. As for Bloodborne, no one knows what Sony is working on, and until they decide to go that route or reveal it if they have, take a chill pill, enjoy your time with your friends and family, and take a walk in the park with your dog. But stop being so dramatic about what you want from a company when you don't even own a PlayStation.

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Dark Pictures: Anthology - Devil In Me

Devil in Me is one of four games and the season finale in the Dark Pictures: Anthology series developed by Supermassive Games. The story is based on HH Homes Murder Castle. The story follows a group of documentary film makers who receive a mysterious call inviting them to a modern-day replica of HH Holmes’ ‘Murder Hotel’. But on arrival, the crew soon discovers they’re being watched and even manipulated, and suddenly there’s much more at stake than just their ratings!

  

The Devil in Me encourages the player to put their problem-solving skills to good use, as the game includes puzzles. You’ll need to find codes hidden or disguised in the world, untangle old fuse boxes, and find your way out of mazes, and failure might prove to be very costly. Like other games in the series, you control their fate, whether they live or die.

 

There are rewards, but what is more interesting about this one is the collection of videos about H.H. Homes that you will need to find throughout the game. If you find them all, you can view a small documentary about him, which can be found in the bonus features.

So who was H.H. Homes? Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, was an American swindler and confidence trickster who is widely considered the country’s first known serial killer. Mudgett moved to Chicago and took a job as a pharmacist under the name "Dr. HH. Homes." He built a house for himself, later known as "Murder Castle," which was equipped with trapdoors, secret passages, and soundproof rooms with doors that could be locked from the outside. Mudgett confessed to 27 murders, which he later increased to 130. Some researchers, however, have claimed the real number exceeds 200.

To gain the platinum will require more than one playthrough, and for some, it may actually require a walkthrough, but overall, it is not bad but not great either. The dialog can become tedious as there is no option to skip when replaying the game. Some trophies can be a little more tricky but still achievable, but I see it as more of a glitch problem than anything else. Like the task of collecting crime scene photos, there is no way of tracking how many you have or need, and most annoyingly, you spend too much time trying to find the right angle. Overall, it's a pretty decent list, but questionable on some things. 

Trophy List Rating 7 - Say what now?

 

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