Mark's EDiT 2019 Planner

From The Manufacturer: 
This versatile one-page-per-day planner works just as well for journaling as it does for personal, school, and work scheduling. It features a flexible dotted line page style that makes it easy to plan out your schedule, write notes, sketch, draw diagrams, and divide the page into sections.

Pros:

• It's like a hobonichi techo, but has less added stuff per page
• Specifically, instead of a quote, there is a section with check boxes to put in "TO-DO" items
• The paper is very high quality.  
• My guess is that it is 52 GSM Tomoe River paper based on its thinness and fountain pen friendliness.  I couldn't confirm this guess, however.  The manufacturer and multiple sellers just list it as, "high quality Japanese paper."
• The notebook offers a page for each day of the year without being unwieldy.  This is mostly a function of the aforementioned high-quality paper.
• The included cover held up well over the year.  I could easily reuse it.  The added bulk also helped keep pages from being wrinkled or folded unnecessarily.
• With that being said, the cover is fairly bulky; with cover, the B6 notebook was closer to A5 in size.  Also, the zipper doesn't play nice with the notebook's ribbons; a few months into the year, I just stopped zipping up the cover.
• Two ribbons are included in the notebook (though I would've welcomed more).
• There are lots of little touches that make the notebook convenient to use.  
• This includes, but is not limited to: a place to write the weather and temperature on each daily page, printing on the edge of the page that allows the user to ID the month at a glance, a few extra blank pages at the end of the notebook, a "contact information" page should the notebook ever be lost, etc.
• Though the product is designed primarily for the Japanese market, I had no trouble using it.

Cons: 

• When I purchased my 2019 planner, there were no "understated," options for covers.  I wasn't bothered by this, but if you need something that's "stealthy," you may need to purchase your own cover (which is an added cost). 
• This particular brand can be hard to purchase at a reasonable cost.  Since they are meant for the Japanese market, it can be a pain to purchase a new refill each year.
• EX: Amazon (or an Amazon seller, anyway) is currently selling this product for over $80.  This includes a cover, but that's nothing to sneeze at. 
• Some may balk at the price, especially if they don't need a ready-made planner solution or if they won't use the notebook's various features. 
• For my part, given the paper quality, relative compactness, and durability, I think the price is reasonable.  

Conclusion:
This planner was a winner for me.  It performed my essential tasks well (e.g. being fountain pen friendly, having a page for each day of the year, being durable enough to last the year, and not being too bulky given how much info it holds).  In my eyes, it also performed every other task competently or better (e.g. enough ribbons, enough non-intrusive extra features, enough space per page, etc).  I've already purchased a planner for 2020, and surprising no one, it's another Mark's.  Though my 2020 planner was a bit of a pain to find, I'm confident it was worth the search.

Why Rocksmith 2014 Is NOT A Perfect Guitar Instructor

From The Manufacturer:
Join over 3 million people who have learned to play guitar with the award-winning Rocksmith method. Rocksmith becomes your personal guitar teacher as it monitors how you play, dynamically adjusts the difficulty to your skill level, and then slowly introduces more phrases and techniques until you’re playing your favorite songs note-for-note.

-x-

I've been playing Rocksmith (Remastered) on and off for the last few weeks. I should say up-front that believe that the game has made me a better guitarist.  Any tool that encourages players to pick up their instruments is a win in my book!  Moreover, between the official DLC and the near-limitless amount of content via "Custom DLC," (songs with "charts" made by the community), you'd think this game would be guitar paradise, right?  Not exactly.  Here are 5 reasons why Rocksmith 2014 is NOT a perfect guitar instructor. 

1. All official DLC and most CDLC offer dynamic difficulty, meaning that the game's challenge can change with the player.  While I generally appreciate this feature, it isn't perfect.  I would often bounce between boredom and panic depending on which song I was playing (and which section of the song).  Moreover, the "reduced difficulty" sections sometimes offered chords / fingerings that that seemed harder to me than just playing a "CAGED" shape chord.  I guess it makes sense if you are a "total beginner," but I am not.
2. It's nice that the game makes recommendations about how to improve your playing for a given song.  The problem, though, is that these recommendations are also often imperfect.  For example, the game often recommends lessons that I had either already completed, or that were irrelevant to a song (e.g. recommending "chords 101" for a song that didn't have explicit chord shapes in the chart).
3. The "riff repeater" (which allows you to break songs into bite-sized sections for easier practicing) is a great tool for working on particularly difficult sections and riffs.  The problem, however, is that you can't break down a song note-for-note.  In other words, if only 1/2 of a given section is giving you trouble in the riff repeater, you can't focus on just that.  This is compounded by the fact that the repeater speeds up a section after a single successful completion (which is far from ideal, see point 4)!
4.  Point 3 wouldn't be as much of an issue if it weren't fairly easy to trick the game into thinking you played a note when you didn't.  There are limits to what you can get away with, of course, but this leniency combined with the allowance of "late" notes is a recipe for sloppy playing.  Rocksmith would praise playing that I would be embarrassed to present live, let alone have on a record.  In short, is up to the player to set their own tolerance for rhythmic issues, bum notes, etc.
1. In other words, rhythm and individual note volume are both fairly easy to fudge.
5. All of this is to say nothing of the player's technique (i.e. the way the player interacts with the guitar to produce the notes the game is asking for), which the game can't really measure.

In a perfect world, everyone who was interested in guitar (or any instrument) would have a well-qualified instructor to help them on their musical journey.  An instructor could to provide more focused feedback, address issues of technique, and even (potentially) help a student make connections in the music world.  With that being said, lessons can be expensive, and not all instructors are created equal.  

Ultimately, since we don't live in that world, Rocksmith is a reasonable alternative (for guitar and bass players, at least).  I wouldn't be surprised if a generation of guitar players cite this very game as one of their inspirations (not unlike how Guitar Hero and Rock Band drew people to the instrument in the last console cycle).  As I said at the start of this post: "any tool that encourages players to pick up their instruments is a win in my book."

"Control," By 505 Games and Remedy Entertainment (PS4 Pro)

From The Manufacturer:
After a secretive agency in New York is invaded by an otherworldly threat, you become the new Director struggling to regain Control.  From developer Remedy Entertainment, this supernatural 3rd person action-adventure will challenge you to master the combination of supernatural abilities, modifiable loadouts and reactive environments while fighting through a deep and unpredictable world.

-x-

Pros:

• The game's premise is awesome.  
• Here's the TL/DR: investigate an SCP-like organization as a psychic badass.  If that sounds interesting to you, this game is worth a look.
• The core gameplay loop is fun, and certain actions are immensely satisfying.
• EX: Sending an enemy's missile back at them basically never gets old.
• Both the game's protagonist and her weapons can be upgraded and customized to better fit the player's individual approach to the game.  This includes a number of unlockable powers, like a "superhero landing," style attack in which the protagonist dive-bombs an enemy.
• The protagonist's look can be customized to a certain extent.
• THOUGH, in my opinion, the new outfits are not unlocked until far too late in the game.
• Certain settings of the game are inspired.  This includes the Ashtray Hotel, which stands as one of the best sections of the game.
• The game features a smattering of full-motion video (FMV) cutscenes.  This generally adds to the experience, but has the (likely unintended) consequence of making the in-game character models seem a touch "uncanny" as a result.
• There is a fair amount of post-game content
• EX: Any unfinished side quests, the "Jukebox" missions, etc

Cons:

• The game can be a bit glitchy at times.  This was especially prevalent in certain sections of the map, with some enemies and other assets not spawning correctly (if at all).  
• EX: The "Jukebox" Mission, where there were supposed to be multiple waves of enemies, but only 3 enemies in total spawned.
• EX: The Safe Room hallway leading to the anchor
• There is some obvious slow-down in areas with lots of enemies / explosions, even on my PS4 Pro. 
• Oddly, there is also consistently a few seconds of slowdown after pausing and unpausing the game.
• The weapon variety is only OK.  The game covers all of the usual bases (e.g. pistol, machine gun, shotgun, grenade launcher, sniper rifle), but it is unlikely to wow or surprise.
• The enemy variety is also only OK.  Though different enemy types do require different strategies to defeat, the need for these strategies decreased as the game went on (and my character became more powerful).  
• Unfortunately, this also applies to the bosses.  Too many of them are just beefier versions of regular enemy types.
• The game offers little in terms of waypoints (beyond scattered fast travel locations).  This often made finding specific areas and objectives more difficult.  It makes some sense as a means to increase immersion, but I found myself annoyed more often than not.
• The game's puzzles are one-note (e.g. the Motel).  After you figure out the first one, the next few do little to mix up the formula.  Luckily, said puzzles only appear sparingly and do not disrupt the game's flow too much.
• Some of the side missions are glorified fetch quests (aka are annoying).
• EX: The mold missions, talking to plants
• I was frustrated by the number of times I died by never-ending pit, especially toward the end of the game.
• I found the game's ending to be anti-climatic.  Though certain key details are revealed, the main issues of the plot (aka the antagonists) are still present.
• (SPOILER) Mechanically, there is no big, "final confrontation."  
• To be frank, some of the sub-bosses from the game's side missions were more challenging than the final sequence of the game.
• (Nit-Pick) The game's generic title can me it a touch harder to find guides / FAQs about the game
• (Nit-Pick) Even though the game gave me a number of cool traversal powers, I never felt pushed to use them in combat (and/or to their full potential).  I am listing this as a nit-pick because I could've made the choice to do this without the game's prodding.
• (Nit-Pick) I wish there was a way to carry more weapon mods.

Conclusion:

I liked the game enough to finish it.  Even though there are numerous, "pain points," they never stopped me from moving the story forward.  At most, they were a temporary distraction.  

The game is not perfect, and I felt particularly let down by the story.  With that being said, I think the premise, atmosphere, supporting characters, and core gameplay loop go a long way toward keeping the game interesting.  Ultimately, if the idea of playing an "SCP" style game as a super-powered psychic sounds interesting to you, this game is definitely worth a look (especially if you can get it on sale).

Final Score:

8/10

Initial Impressions: Shovel Knight's King of Cards, by Yacht Club Games (Switch)

From The Manufacturer:
Play as King Knight, the gilded Goon himself, As he travels through 4 new worlds and more than 30 all new courses, on a journey to best the three kings who rule over the land.

-x-

Pros: 

• It's more content for what is arguably the best indie game of all time.
• It's FREE if you bought the "treasure trove" version of Shovel Knight
• The platforming is as sharp as ever, with King Knight offering yet another set of movement mechanics to traverse the world with. 
• The game has a LOT more levels than other Shovel Knight expansions (they said levels tend to be shorter as a consequence). 
• The music is still top-notch.
• The visuals are as sharp as ever, even if a lot of assets from previous DLC is (understandably) re-used.
• As one of the earlier (if not the earliest) entry in the Shovel Knight timeline, it is interesting to see another side of the various residents of the Shovel-verse

Cons:

• I understand why King Knight has to play Joustus from a story perspective, but it doesn't mesh well with the otherwise fast, tightly-paged platforming sections.
• The game takes an even more comedic tone than previous Shovel Knight DLC, mostly at the expense of King Knight himself.  While the jokes were often funny, I couldn't help but feel a bit of tonal whiplash between King Knight's apparent incompetence / vapid nature and that fact that he wins battle after battle (be it of Joustus or a physical engagement). 
• King of Cards punishes you for losing Joustus: the winning player can take a card from the loser (as long as it was in play when a match ends).  Though these cards can be bought back, this mechanic is likely to frustrate players who want to focus on the platforming (and who would rather spend their in-game currency on upgrades for King Knight rather than on cards).
• I just haven't been as excited by King of Card's artifacts (aka Secondary Weapons).  In particular, I'm disappointed that they seem to focus exclusively on offensive / defensive abilities, rather than adding to movement tech (like they did in other Shovel Knight DLC).
• (Nit-Pick) Artifacts (aka secondary weapons) are gathered more sporadically in King of Cards, and are never purchased "in-level" (for a discount) like previous DLC.  There isn't anything wrong with this approach (hence it only being a nit-pick), but it felt like there was one less reward for skillful play compared to previous iterations.

Will I Keep Playing?

Yes.  I'm excited to see what else the game has to offer, even if I think the card game portion of this DLC should've been completely optional.  Beyond that, I'm stoked to see what Yacht Club Games does next.

Franklin-Christoph Model 66 x Hippo Noto (M, S.S.)

Up for review today is the limited edition Hippo Noto Franklin-Christoph Model 66.  I purchased this pen for myself as a holiday present.  How does it compare to my existing collection, including my other Franklin-Christoph pens?  Read on to find out. 

Pros:

• The body is long without being too girthy, meaning it is comfortable to write with.
• Franklin-Christoph offers a wide variety of nib types and materials
• This includes: stainless steel and gold options, with everything from needlepoint to music nibs.  They also recently added an EF flex nib, which I am excited to try.
• As an aside, the Diamine Eclipse ink I paired the pen with seems to run a bit dry, but I've had almost no hard starts.
• The pen includes a cartridge converter.  This is appreciated, as I do not plan to eye-dropper the pen.
• The section adds a nice pop of color to the pen (in this case, lilac).
• The barrel of the pen has a (subtle / small) flat portion.  It isn't as effective as a traditional roll-stop, but it allows the pen to maintain a smooth aesthetic without giving up having a way to keep the pen in place.
• The pen is a "special edition" / collaboration, which may appeal to some pen lovers.  To my knowledge, it isn't a numbered run, though
• I got a free pack-in of pocket-sized Tomoe River notebooks (a $18 value) with my purchase of the pen.

Cons:

• The design isn't "bad," by any means, but the bulbous, utilitarian form isn't for everyone (and it certainly isn't the most aesthetically pleasing pen I own).
• Along these lines, the barrel is a bit wider than the section.  The "step" is small and I barely noticed it, but it makes the pen less aesthetically pleasing.
• Most new Franklin-Christoph pens come in a leather sleeve; this model came in a presentation box.  I would have preferred the sleeve, as they are more useful. 
• Though they are quick to clean off, the pen's "smoke and ice" finish easily gathers ink marks (especially on the inside of the cap). 
• I was disappointed to learn that the section was not interchangeable with other Franklin-Christoph sections, or at least not with the extra Model 02 section I had laying around.
• Depending on who you ask, the price of the pen ($185 USD) is high, even compared to other Franklin-Christoph models.

Conclusion:
Though the pen isn't the most aesthetically pleasing, it writes well.  I've both owned (and own) a number of Franklin-Christoph pens.  They've all been reliable, and I don't expect this pen to be any different.  If I could do it all again, though, I'd just purchase a "standard" Model 66 on the used market.  The more time I spend with it, the more I feel the "Hippo Noto," affiliation doesn't add value to the pen (save the section color).  I feel I could've been just as happy with a "solid color" Model 66, as they seem to float around half the price of what I paid for this pen new.

I can't be more plain than this: unless you really like the aesthetics of this particular pen (and especially the section), you're better off buying a "standard issue," Model 66.  You may even want to consider a different Franklin-Christoph model; my personal favorite is the Model 31.

Namisu Ixion Stainless Steel Fountain Pen Prototype

Up for review today is the Namisu Ixion Prototype.  I purchased 3 during their pre-Christmas sale: blue with copper finial (F nib), black with steel finial (M nib), and red with steel finial (B nib).  All nibs on offer are Bock #6 stainless steel.  I paid £25.00 GBP for each pen, as well as an additional £9 GBP for 3 converters.  How do these pens perform?  Find out in my review below!

Pros:

• Aesthetics are a matter of taste, but I find the pen to be understated and classy.
• When I purchased mine, several colors (red, blue, and black) were available.  This also included a prototype-exclusive combination of blue body and brass section and finial. 
• The price (£25 GBP) is reasonable for the amount of pen you get.  
• The pens are made of aluminium, which gives them a solid, but not overly heavy feel.

Cons:

• Only bog-standard stainless steel Bock nibs (EF to B) are available for purchase.  Though #6 nibs are relatively easy to replace, it would have been nice to have more options at the point of sale. 
• The pen can be posted, but I never do for fear of scratching the finish. 
• Cartridge converters are not included with the pens, costing an additional £3 GBP each.
• These are included in the non-prototype models.
• (Nit-Pick) The pens can't be eye-dropper converted because they are made of metal.  I don't consider this an issue, but eye-dropper enthusiasts can skip this one.
• (Nit-Pick) The pens each had minor scrapes and scruffs on arrival.  This is only a nit-pick because A) it was specifically called out as a possibility on the website, and B) it was reflected in the price of the pen.
• (Nit-Pick) The pen is very similar to the PenBBS 350, minus the added finials on the Ixion.  Ultimately, I don't know (or care) which pen came first, but budget-minded shoppers may get more mileage with the PenBBS model if / when the cheaper prototypes sell out.  
• Note: non-prototype Ixions sell for 50 GBP, while PenBBS 350s can regularly be purchased for $20 or less.  My PenBBS 350 also included a converter and roller-ball conversion for the price, too.

Conclusion:
The pen performs well for its price.  The prototype version in particular is an unassuming workhorse that is likely to please both the budget-conscious and those who prefer an understated look.  It isn't perfect, but it would be unreasonable to expect perfection for the price.  While the full-priced version is a much harder sell, the £25 prototypes will likely be in my collection for some time to come.

Field Notes "Pitch Black" Notebook (2 Pack, Ruled)

Basic Info:

• $12.95 for a 2-pack
• 4¾" x 7½" (a little bigger than a B5 notebook
• 64 Pages
• Duplex Cover

Pros:

• The size / form factor is a good compromise between the portability of Field Notes' typical fare (aka "pocket" sizes) and the room to write offered by an A5 notebook
• Those who like matte black will like this notebook.
• Even the staples used to bind the notebook together are black. I appreciate the attention to detail.
• The info on the inside covers are good for a laugh. 
• I appreciate that “Mx” (a gender neutral honorific) is available in the “personal info” section.

Cons:

• While the cover quality is good, the individual pages are only OK.  Bits and pieces of the edge have been shearing off as I’ve carried the notebook with me. 
• The paper isn’t especially fountain pen friendly.  Show-through and feathering are both common, even for fine and medium nibs.  Bleed-through is less prevalent than show-through, but still noticeable.
• I wouldn’t say that the “backside” of a given page is unusable, but folks who are really bothered by this may not enjoy using this notebook.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed my time with the “Pitch Black,” even if it will not be dethroning my current favorite type of notebook: A5 size, with 68 GSM Tomoe River paper.  With that being said, fans of the Field Notes brand, or those who prefer other writing instruments (e.g. rollerballs, gel pens, pencils, etc) are sure to find a lot to like with this product.

Initial Impressions: Rocksmith Remastered: 2014 Edition, by Ubisoft (PC)

From The Manufacturer:
The fastest way to learn guitar is now better than ever. Join over three million people who have learned to play guitar with the award-winning Rocksmith® method. Plug any real guitar or bass with a 1/4 inch jack directly into your PC or Mac and you’ll learn to play in just 60 days.

-x-

Things I Like So Far:

• The game has a wide selection of songs; this includes tunes from the last 50+ years.
• I like that the game makes suggestions about how to learn a given song, giving the user a path to mastery.  This includes everything from playing the song to set the difficulty to providing chord charts relevant to the song. 
• Nit-Pick: I wish the chord charts were more interactive than a picture.  It would have been nice if they reacted dynamically to being played (and being played correctly) like they do during normal game-play.
• The game offers more than just tabs (a la GuitarPro).  Among other things, it can react to your playing and adjust the difficulty accordingly.
• It also offers a "riff repeater," that allows the user to isolate certain sections of a song over and over until they are mastered.  In my mind, this is one of the most important features of the game, as it allows songs to be "worked up," in a manner similar to how I would learn them without Rocksmith. 
• You can learn to play bass, too.  I really appreciate that both are included, as I could have totally seen a different publisher releasing that as a different game (and still asking full price).
• I like that there are many way to learn from Rocksmith, including lesson videos, "games," that help the user guitar-related skills (e.g. string skipping, fret locations, etc), and of course, the songs themselves.

Things I Like Less:

• DLC songs are $3 a pop when they are not on sale.  
• It's not that the price is unfair, given the cost of licensing, transcribing, and programming any given track, but it also means the end user could easily pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to get all the songs they want.
• The "dynamic leveling," (aka dynamic difficulty) mentioned above can be hit-or-miss.  
• While it is nice to be able to play bits and pieces of even the most difficult songs, I wasn't always able to hear the song in what I was playing.  This was especially true when the given part was really cut down compared to the, "full version."  Dynamic difficulty also sometimes made it difficult to know when to play, especially when the, "full version" of the song (with more notes) was chugging along in the background.
• There are certain features of Rocksmith that are oddly difficult to access.  
• Two examples that come to mind are: 1) adding fretboard markers to the on-screen UI while playing songs, and 2) creating playlists of songs (beyond just adding a given song to your "favorites").
• The game is not without technical issues, even 5 years later.  
• First, some of the DLC songs didn't work when they were released to the general public.  I haven't encountered any "unusable DLC," but apparently that was a problem when the game was younger. 
• Second, the game sometimes slows down (with glitched / "bit-crushed" audio to boot) if certain audio outputs are used.  I had no problem playing on headphones, but this would happen within minutes when I played the game using speakers.  
• The game is far from a complete, "perfect," learning tool.  In particular, I found it was sometimes much too forgiving with my timing while playing.  It also sometimes gave me credit for notes I clearly missed, but was "miming," on the guitar as I was flailing to keep up with a song. 
• Granted, I can't lay both of these problems solely at Rocksmith's feet; it is also my job as a player / musician to try and address these issues. 

Will I Keep Playing?

Given that I spent a bunch of money on DLC during the 2019 Steam winter sale, yes.  Despite some of the issues listed above, I still think the game is worth playing.  I don't think it will ever replace in-person lessons, but if nothing else, it keeps me playing the instrument.

"Crush Crush," by Sad Panda Studios

From The Manufacturer:
Hey hot stuff! Are you looking for a fun and flirty game to kill some time and make you laugh out loud? That’s a crazy coincidence, because it’s been looking for you! Welcome to Crush Crush – the Idle Dating Sim!

-x-

Pros:

• I found the writing to be better than this game's sibling, "Blush Blush."  It's definitely more off-the-wall, and got more laughs.  They're both pretty vapid, but but this game takes itself a touch less seriously.
• One of the girls you can interact with is a LITERAL BEAR, for heaven's sake.
• There's voice acting for every one of the unlockable characters.  That's neat, even if some of the voices sound a bit similar
• The game is "free."
• NOTE: It also includes micro-transactions to speed up the process of moving forward with each girl.  The game doesn't seem predatory (ie with enough time and patience  you could unlock everything without paying for the game), but it is still a little annoying to see ads for these purchases baked into the game.  
• There is also a $7 "moist and uncensored" DLC add-on that makes the game for "adults only."  I didn't buy this, but I guess it's cool that it exists for those who want it.
• You can earn some in-game currency even while the game is closed, which is nice.  It is a "quality-of-life" feature that I appreciate.
• I like that there are other ways to interact with the game and its characters when compared to "Blush Blush."  In particular, the cellphone comes to mind.
• All the language is gender neutral, so you can enjoy the game pretty much no matter how you identify.
• One of the girls, Quill, is a treasure. 

Cons:

• I think calling this game a "dating sim" is generous; it is really much closer to an idle game with dating sim elements sprinkled in.
• The art isn't as good as this game's sibling, "Blush Blush."  It definitely has a whiff of "DeviantArt Anime" for some characters.
• You can create an avatar, but it doesn't really appear in the game's cut-scenes in any meaningful way.  Also, the rendering of the avatar looks noticably more lo-fi than it did in "Blush Blush."
• The end-game (i.e. unlocking and reaching the "highest level" with each character) can be really brutal, and requires a number of "resets," to get a speed boost. In other words, the game artificially pads its run time by making the player start from the beginning. While this may be a trope in clicker games, it's a bit weird in a game where relationship building is the core of the narrative.
• I'm not sure if this is a pro or a con, but there's a yandere character.   She even makes her appearance by offing another character named "Generica."  It's funny in a trope-y sort of way.  I was also impressed (and creeped out) by the fact that the other girls have dialogue that mention the yandere following / stalking them.

Conclusion:
Just like my "Blush Blush," review, if you like idle games and the cast of characters is of interest to you, this game may be up your alley.  Also, to give credit where credit is due, the game's zany writing and voice acting are above average for the genre.  With that being said, if you want a more "traditional, VN experience, you can safely skip this one.  In the end, I had fun with "Crush Crush," but it draws more of its DNA from the "idle game" genre than from visual novels, so it is important to know what you are signing up for.