PC Woes

A few weeks ago we found a top flight gaming PC on sale, so we ordered it.  Deb spent the usual several hours setting it up, killing off the bloatware, and transferring our files from the older PC.  The new one has a much faster processor and a kick-ass video card.  Except that over two weeks the system crashed on us 6 or 7 times.  So Thursday it was back to the store with it.  It has been sent back to the manufacturer for repair.  We could have exchanged it for a new one, but decided to wait a week and get this one fixed, which would be far less work for Deb than starting all over with a new PC.  So the old one is back in service for a while.  It runs fine, but it is a bit on the slow side for some games, and the graphics card is quite outdated now.

 

Original plans had us leaving for Europe on Sunday and staying for two weeks.  However, it was not to be.  Deb took pretty long to recover from recent invasive medical tests, but that wouldn't have stopped us.  Her breathing difficulties seem to be exacerbated by her new RA drug.  And my foot is not yet ready for airports and London transport.  There is good news, however.  I am now walking daily again for up to half an hour, but still at slow speed (2.2 mph versus my normal 3.5 mph).  Foot pain has subsided but is still present.  The big toe feels like it is always sprained, most noticeable when walking on cement or asphalt.  Despite the improvements I will still attend my bone scan on Saturday in Windsor.  Anyway, we took a couple of walks near our local ponds this week, before the weather turned grouchy.  I also managed (so far) 4 astronomy outings in October.  I am very happy about that.

 

Hard to see, but a pair of swans were enjoying the warm autumn weather.

 

Since our walks early in the week the weather turned cold and windy, and we've been indoors a lot.  The wood stove is in action, but we spent time preparing the gas boiler for its seasonal labours. 

 

In movie news there are a few to report, including one that we saw a few weeks ago and I forgot to mention.  Though Hollywood often misses the mark with big budget pictures and actors, we quite enjoyed The Sandpiper (1965) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.  She is a single mom living off grid on the California coast at Big Sur, in probably the best location for a house in the entire world.  She is an artist raising a 9 year old boy.  When he gets into minor trouble one time too many, the local judge orders him sent a boarding school.  It is run by Richard Burton, playing a married religious man.  Of course they fall in love and all the rest of the Hollywood crap, but there are some memorable scenes.  In one of them Taylor could be talking about herself in real life as she describes how men have hounded her since she was 12, and that she doesn't want to be tied down to any kind of normal life.  We're with you, Lizzie!  Burton's character, despite being happily married, can't keep his lust at bay when near Taylor, and the ending is a strained one for all concerned.  This is a beautiful colour film to watch, and it does carry an emotional impact.  Altogether very well done.  And of course that famous song, "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Johnny Mandel...

 

A Hollywood film worth catching on a big screen. 

A Chinese Ghost Story 2 is from 1990, with the same characters (and a few new ones) keeping things lively and pretty funny.  If you liked the first one (we did) then the 2nd one will contain much of the same things.  Good effects and the sad and tragic love story keep the pace lively and interesting, up to a point.  Having seen two of these things, and knowing that a 3rd one awaits, I can't say I'm terribly excited.  Still, there are worse ways to pass the time, and obviously a lot of stunt work and fun effects went into this feature.

 

Now showing on Criterion. 

 

Lastly comes Robert Altman's Gosford Park, from 2001.  With an all star cast, it's kind of a mash up of Renoir's Rules of the Game, and the Upstairs Downstairs series for TV.  It inspired Downton Abbey to be created, and is well worth watching.  There are so many characters involved, each with their own mini-plot, that the pace is very quick and the time flies past (135' running time).  The events take place over a weekend of "shooting", as a ton of birds are massacred by the gentry for the sake of a pleasure outing.  There is so much story, given out in pieces separated by pieces of other stories, that one has to really pay attention to keep track of all the happy people (sarcasm, dear readers) and their doings.  There is also a murder, with Stephen Fry recreating Monsieur Hulot as an ineffective detective.  Great fun by a master director.

 

Leaving Criterion Oct. 31st.  

 

Mapman Mike  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Myst 2024

I have now completed all of the Myst versions for PC that I know of.  I played the original way back when.  It came on a single CD.  I was mesmerized.  It was rendered in 256 colours.  Then came Myst Masterpiece, rendered in thousands of colours.  Eventually, a long time later came RealMyst.  The slide show format was gone forever, and though the game ate a lot of computing power back then, I managed to get through it several times without a crash.  I still love that version and will replay it many more times, I hope.  It introduced the day/night cycle to Myst, and I still love sitting upon Myst Island and watching the sunrise, moonset, sunset and moonrise.  It also introduced a new age!

Now we come to Myst 2024, which was originally conceived for VR (someday, perhaps!).  I guess they figured that it wouldn't sell many copies, so they also produced a new PC version.  Gone is the day/night cycle, and we are stuck with what we get.  Now for the good and the bad.  First the bad.  Out of the six areas one can explore (the island, the original four worlds, and the new world Rime), two are quite disappointing, one is at least equal to the other versions, and three of them hit the jackpot for atmosphere and effect.

 

 

Now for the two disappointments.  Myst Island is quite a disaster.  Usually it's one of my favourite places to hang out, but this game makes me want to get away from it as soon as possible.  It is overlit, and even the shadowy areas offer no respite.  In an attempt to create atmosphere, everything is overdone.  Each scenario has mist upon the water, and sometimes upon the landscape.  Even that doesn't help the bright afternoon sunlight we are relentlessly faced with.  The less said about this the better.  My guess is that with VR a lot of light is needed, at least at first while players get used to the environment.  There is very little that is mysterious here on arrival.  I will make a general positive comment at this point, however.  ALL interiors are very well done throughout the game, including the library, tower, various bedrooms, tunnels etc.  A lot of work went into texture and lighting.

 

 Disappointment number two is, unfortunately, often the favourite world for players.  Yes, Channelwood is a mess.  Again the lighting is too strong, the sound effects are bad and we have a few tiny frogs hopping along the walkways and jumping into the water.  The bottom of the trees are rendered okay, I suppose, but the branches with leaves are atrociously done.  The windmill looks good, and the interior rooms are beautifully done.  Of course these were the two areas I played first, so I nearly gave up at this point.  However, I decided to at least have a quick peek at the other worlds before panning the game totally.  I'm glad I did.  Whereas the most recent version of Riven was perfect from the get-go, Myst already had some serious flaws.  I spent very little time in Channelwood, and have no urge to return in this version of the game.

 

I next went to the Mechanical Age.  Finally I felt as if I was playing Myst again!  Though there was nothing too surprising here, at least everything looked right and felt right.  The mist on the water was peaceful and I felt that I could watch the clouds pass overhead for some time.  Throughout the game there were small changes, most of which improved on the original game, and most often with the puzzles.  All of the puzzles are essentially the same, however, so that old walkthru you might still have can still be used. 

 

  

Feeling buoyed by my visits ( went back for each page here) I moved on to the Stoneship Age.  Jackpot!   While I love the thunderstorm in RealMyst, I never felt like standing around outside very much.  The sky here is glowering and stormy looking, but it doesn't rain.  The sea looks menacing, and the lighthouse is a welcome retreat.  The upper area has been changed, and one can now walk all around once up top.  Nearly every viewpoint gives wonderful atmospheric views.  There are some fun additions once the underwater lights are turned on, too.  I really loved my time spent here, and again went back for both pages.

 

 

The Selenitic Age is another marvel of design, colour and atmosphere.  While the old sounds have been kept, the age has been given a perfect makeover.  It is foggy and quite dark here, and the lights on bridges and pathways enhance the chilly, damp atmosphere.  I always liked to hang out up in the forest by the little waterfall, and this area has been done to perfection!  The designers have done a perfect job here.  Bravo again!

 

 

Now we come to Rime, the add-on age from RealMyst days.  I always loved it here. but found it rather cramped.  Playing with the aurora machine always gave me a rush.  The age has been expanded slightly, and still feels as cold as ever.  There are several new areas to enjoy a chilly nighttime walk.  Best of all, once the aurora have been set in motion, they continue on indefinitely, so that one can walk around again under different coloured lights.  Sharp-eyed folk will also spot a whale surfacing!  The interior cabin areas have been expanded and enriched, and Rime is now an age on equal footing with the other worlds.

 

 

So there you have it.  Two dud worlds, one "B" and three "A+s".  I will revisit my favourites again before unloading this version and uploading RealMyst for another go.  Playing the latest versions of Myst and Riven has been a gaming highlight for me this year!!

 

In other gaming news I have upgraded to the brand new Train Sim World 6, with three routes.  With each edition of the game the routes are longer and more complex.  I can still drive classic engines, though I choose not to drive steam (way too complicated).  But I love the early diesels, especially the British ones that chug their way through stations hauling classic passenger cars filled with tourists, and belching smoke and fumes as we go, especially uphill.  I now have nearly 40 routes to drive, with well over a hundred engines, each with their own timetable.

 

We just upgraded the main computer as well, to an up to date gaming machine.  With a super fast processor and a top notch video card, we are good to go for many years.

 

In movie news there are three to report.  Most recently we finished a brand new (2025) documentary on the brief life of John Candy, the Canadian comedian who won fans wherever he went.  We first met him in the SCTV series, still probably our favourite comedy show of all time.  Many of his films, especially Planes Trains and Automobiles remains one of the best holiday films ever made.  Interviews with John's wife and two children, as well as with virtually every comedian he ever starred with (think Stripes, for one).  A must see film for fans.  Even if you don't think you are a fan, you will be after seeing I Like Me.  It is showing on Prime.

 

A terrific and moving tribute to the great man.  Showing on Prime. 

 

Still Life is a 2006 film from China.  It takes place during the building of the three Gorges Dam, when cities were being evacuated and pulled down.  Two love stories intertwine in the area, as one man leaves his village after 16 years to finally search for the wife that left him.  She took his baby daughter with her, and he wants to see her.  The second story is about a woman who comes looking for her husband, who has been out of contact and away from her for two years.  The backdrop of the city and some of the remaining people (most of them are employed to demolish the buildings, using sledge hammers) is the main story, however, as we watch a way of life disappear forever.  Well worth sitting through, it has some odd moments as well (a ufo sighting, and a large monument taking off into space, to name two).  It is leaving Criterion Oct. 31st.

 

Leaving Criterion Oct. 31st. 

 

A Chinese Ghost Story is from 1987, and is a kind of wuxia/horror/comedy film.  It was made in the same year as The Princess Bride, and seems to share a similar type of humour and overall outlook.  While some of the jokes are crude and fall flat, many hit the target.  An innocent and child-like man attempts to save a dead princess (yup).  Other ghosts have different ideas, but with the help of a martial arts/wizard master, the man helps battle the forces of evil when he not trying to run away.  The ending is somewhat unexpected, as guy does not get girl.  But wait--there are two more film sequels.  Stayed tuned.  This was a fun film to watch and I am looking forward to the 2nd one, which was made three years later.

 

Now showing on Criterion.
 

 In final news Deb had a couple of invasive medical tests today.  One was negative and one turned up something that might help explain many of her symptoms.  More later.  

 

In final final news, here is a picture of our front garden.  It's sunny today and quite warm, but that should be changing very soon.

 

Happy October! 

 

Mapman Mike 

 

 

Back From Sudbury

We left for the north last Wednesday, poking along for a day in southern Ontario and staying overnight in Collingwood.  We made stops in Alvinston (Munroe Meadery) and Thedford (Twin Pines Orchard).  The latter was a first time visit, as they make hard cider from their own apples.  I came home with a jug of their original cider, as they were out of apple/pear cider.  We arrived in Collingwood just before 5 pm, checked into our hotel, and then undertook the short walk to Endswell Beer.  We had fine ales here and pizza, then took a sunset stroll on the adjacent trails.  Collingwood is a major ski resort in winter, but it sits right on Georgian Bay, so it is also a boater's paradise in summer.  There is hiking in the nearby mountains (we could see the ski runs from our hotel window), but my foot is still not up to the challenge.  However, on this 6 day journey I did manage 4 walks, two of them for forty minutes.  I had intended to take a lot of photos on this journey, but alas I forgot my camera at home.  So these few photos were taken with the android phone.

Three photos from our walk in Collingwood.  that's me in the 2nd photo, and that is part of Georgian Bay in the last one. 

 

Next day we drove to Coldwater, a small and pretty village that is a favourite stop of ours when northbound.  They have a nut roastery there that always gets our business, and a small street of very interesting shops.  Deb was able to buy an old suitcase that she needs for an upcoming film shoot.  We stayed for about half an hour before pushing on north.

 

A decorated shop in Coldwater.

 

The old mill has been kept up and is now a bar and restaurant that also sells deli items.

 

The Coldwater River flows beside the 1833 mill in the downtown area of Coldwater. 

 

Shortly after leaving Coldwater and heading north drivers cross a large bridge over an inland bay (Matchedash Bay).   Almost immediately afterwards comes another bridge with very fine views of Georgian Bay.  Immediately after this bridge one suddenly finds oneself in Northern Ontario, amidst the Canadian Shield.  It is a sudden and shocking change of scenery, and from here on north as far as one wishes to go are the thousands of lakes, rocks, and mountains of the Shield.

    We stopped again in Parry Sound for ales from Trestle Brewing, and this time finally made our first stop at Norse Brewery, several miles north of the the Sound.  Then it was a straight run into Sudbury, which is about 440 miles from our house in Amherstburg when the quickest route is chosen.  Usually heading home we take the fast route, which takes about 8 hours if traffic isn't too bad.  For European readers, this 8 hour and some 440 mile drive only covers a small portion of Ontario.  To drive to Kenora, near the border with Manitoba, from Sudbury would be another 900 miles.  Ontario is absolutely enormous, and would fit many countries into its borders.  It is also filled with parks, so that many of the best natural areas are accessible to the public.

    We got to visit with my mother (96!), my younger brother Steve, his wife Lynne, and my two nieces.  Alicia is the oldest, a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces.  Emma Lee is the youngest, currently in Grade 11 at a high school for girls.

    We also visited Lake Penage, Deb's first visit in many decades.  We were actually given a tour of the inside by Tony, the current owner.  He has done a beautiful job with the camp, which is now accessible for most of the year.  My cousin still owns the adjacent lot with two camps, but he wasn't there today.

    It was unseasonably warm on our visit north.  Though the leaves were changing to fall colours and the smell of autumn was in the air, it was in the 80s so it didn't feel quite right.

 

Found near Norse Brewery, Nobel ON.

 

A walking trail in Sudbury that we take to reach Beard's Cafe and Bakery, and all-vegan establishment.

 

View from the deck at camp, Lake Penage.  Now owned by Tony and his wife, this is where I grew up during summers since the age of ten.  The lake is still clear and clean and very very inviting. 

 

We got to watch some TV while visiting family.  We don't subscribe to either Netflix or Disney, but they do.  We managed to finish up season 15 of Dr. Who, and are now all caught up with the series.  We also watched an 8 part series on Netflix called House of Guinness, detailing the history of the great Irish brewery from the death of Benjamin (1868) onward.  The series has good actors, some very fine writing (though it includes more F bombs than any other show I've ever watched), and some of the best night photography I've ever seen.  While I can highly recommend the series, beware that the final episode ends in a really stupid cliff-hanger.  While there will probably be a season two, it's still a terrible way to end a series that people have watched for nearly 8 hours.

 

Now showing on Netflix.  It's an 8 part series. 

 

Turning to Doctor Who, we managed to finish up the 2nd series with Ncuti Gatwa, watching episodes 3-8.  They were all pretty good, with Disney's budget allowing the show to at least equal the effects of Star Trek and its ilk.  These stories were usually much better than Star Trek, too.  The final two episodes were linked, and made a fine conclusion to Gatwa's era.  He is among my favourite doctors now, with an energy and outlook that really boosts the show.  And Varada Sethu as Belinda, his companion for several episodes, is now one of my favourite companions.  The 5th episode, "The Story and the Engine" is set in a barbershop in Lagos and features an all-coloured cast.  It uses mythology heavily in its storyline and to great advantage.  "The Interstellar Song Contest" could have used more alien songs, though it was a fun episode.

It was exciting to see Susan helping the Doctor to control his temper.  We have heard nothing of his granddaughter since she left the show back in the days of the first doctor.  She is way overdue for a reappearance.  I can't say I got too excited when I saw Billy Piper at the end of the series. A third season with Disney is likely, though I would guess that the show is far too "woke" for the present state of American entertainment.  I suppose the return of a blonde white female might be just what Disney needs to convince it to undertake another season.

 

Mapman Mike