London Casino Crew meets (RIP the Arcade)

[Mills]

If I had funds, I would have been down today or tomorrow evening.

[JDE]

Weekly Casino Crew Meet #10: Xmas Drinks Edition

Date: Thursday 5th December
Start Time: 6:30 PM
Venue: Loading Bar, 53 Rupert Street, Soho (inside MADD)
Website: http://loadingonline.co.uk/
Nearest Tube Station: Piccadilly Circus

A lot of the Casino Crew will be away on holiday or seeing relatives for a good chunk of December, so this will be the last meet of 2013: be there!

[Jonst]

it will be my new year's resolution to make some of these meets in the new year!!

[CStarFlare]

I'm going to be in London the first week of January (getting in sometime on the 2nd, leaving on the 7th). Didn't even think to check the shmupmeets forum until Spadgy mentioned it.

It's probably too much to hope for a meet while I'm there, but the thread has been a nice way to familiarize myself with what's available in the city regardless. I'm looking forward to it!

[spadgy]

You never know CStarFlare - we should at least be meeting at our local gaming cafe in that time.

Anyway, I'm absolutely on for the 5th December Casino Crew Christmas Meet.

The rest of you? I spoke to CHI last week and he said he'd make it.

Come on guys - last one before the Christmas break!

[dan76]

I should be there around 6:30

[spadgy]

Boom! In before the hibernation!

[Blinge]

oh bollock yoghurt, i might have to work late tommorrow =/

Have a good one regardless fellas

[Skykid]

And Skykid - I'd love to see a photo of that train 'simulator' (?).

Anything for you!











Sorry for the terrible phone photos.

It's 4 player, two people per side of the tank, and I had a go! The little trains have little cameras on the front, so as you're driving you get a first-person perspective as you drive around the track. It's sadly quite fun. I think I killed the passengers each time I tried to stop at the station, but you get a good long go for 2 yuan (20p.)

[JDE]

The little trains have little cameras on the front, so as you're driving you get a first-person perspective as you drive around the track. It's sadly quite fun.

Sounds like just the thing that could have saved Casino Arcade. The Casino Crew would have been wizards at it. I can feel it in my bones.

A combination of model railways and shmups?! Spadgy is right, this would have saved Casino. Also I'm not into trains but it does look fun.

[Rupert H]

Is everyone still in on this? If so I should be down around 6.

[JDE]

Is everyone still in on this? If so I should be down around 6.

Confirmed so far: CHI, dan76, hzt, spadgy and myself.

[spadgy]

Got your text JDE - and then my phone died. I'm already around the corner from Loading, with a stick and tonnes of region free 360 shmups!

[dan76]

Oops, can't make it. Have a good one, Happy Crimbo and all that. I'll see you in spring.

[spadgy]

You've spoiled our christmas Dan.

And missed out a chance to be a creative force in JDE's next project. A shmup made from stop frame animated food. It's gonna make us all rich!

[brentsg]

Skykid, do you have better photos of the chairs in the train sim shots? Those look nice.

[Skykid]

Skykid, do you have better photos of the chairs in the train sim shots? Those look nice.

Well they're easily gotten! I'll snap some tomorrow for you. People will think I'm weird taking photos of stools, but they thought I was weird taking pictures of a train sim that no-one plays, so anything is game.

They're bum comfy, definitely, and sit well, but I don't like the backrest much for anything except a brief recline.

[spadgy]

So we can get Skykid to head out and photograph things that make him look a bit odd in public? I like this idea.

Skykid. I'm suddenly fascinated by public urinals in your neck of the woods. It's a very serious new hobby of mine.

[hzt]

lol fucking n00b

[Blinge]

Hzt... context NOW!!!??

[JDE]

Hzt... context NOW!!!??

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013- ... rospective

And it's very good, actually. Well done spadgy!

[Blinge]

Hm yeah, despite being invulnerable to half the bullets at any given time, I'd still say you can get away with calling Ikaruga a bullet hell, especially in the world of western games reviews in which one probably can't avoid giving a nod to that game if you wanna write about shmups at all, and get it printed..

It's a damn good read, Spadge. 'Seminal' is the perfect word for DDP.

I wonder if "Cubadoo" has an account on here..

[Skykid]

lol fucking n00b

Lol, sig worthy!

Nice work Willius. I'm still angry at you for not acknowledging the train pictures I created for you (or responding to PM.) But these things can be rectified once you lay off the acid.

[spadgy]

Sorry mate! I missed that I'd not actually responded directly! I always put too much effort into 'hilarious' piss taking out of you, rather than once in a while being nice or appreciative. I love the photos though, sincerely. Even got my father in law (an avid collector of model trains) quite excited about them. And I owe you a PM? I'll check that now. Sorry you're angry. You are hot when you're angry though!

As for you guys' kind words here and elsewhere about my article, thanks!

I might put that line in my sig. I do like it a lot!

It is always kind of frustrating with comments on articles. I think as a journalist it's professional to stay out of the comments threads (of course there are cases when it's time to step in), but that can be hugely frustrating. Other press I know argue it's constructive to encourage the conversation by joining in. I wish I felt that way sometimes.

The shmup NOOB comment was funnier than it was annoying, but the one where the guys says DDP and such are 'not the fore runners to genre,' makes it very hard to resist pointing out 'I wasn't bloody saying that; I was talking specifically about bullet hell etc'.

But I shall resist. At least most of the comments (and Tweets etc) are kind and encouraging.

[Skykid]

It is always kind of frustrating with comments on articles. I think as a journalist it's professional to stay out of the comments threads (of course there are cases when it's time to step in), but that can be hugely frustrating.

No no no no NO!

Never go into the comments section, you'll only make things worse. Even if they're raping the ego you once owned and everyone is standing around laughing, still better to just watch, tearfully, and plough on.

[trap15]

The most appropriate twitter account: @AvoidComments

[spadgy]

No no no no NO!

Never go into the comments section, you'll only make things worse. Even if they're raping the ego you once owned and everyone is standing around laughing, still better to just watch, tearfully, and plough on.

I've managed to stay well clear of commenting in my own articles. The comments I get on my articles for the Guardian website are horrendous in the accusations, and still I resist. For individual journalists I think it's a matter of professionalism not to join in.

However, when you are editor of a website, there can be cases where you have to join in, effectively in a moderator role, and sometimes that could be on an article you've written. Let's say commentors turn to sexism in their comments, and there have been many comments; as editor your responsible for policing that. Perhaps censoring those comments isn't the right option, and so policing through commenting yourself might be the best option. Similarly, if an article itself becomes the subject of a news story, sometimes the comments thread is (one of) the right places for a public statement from the publication.

I don't think I've ever had to do either of the above, but I've definitely seen situations where an editor has been left little other choice.

Some publications/editors of specialist sites also say there's a good reason to join in when the conversation is a positive one, or a measured, constructive debate. Develop, for example; the comments there were often experienced games developers having a friendly debate about a particular development method; something like physically-based rendering vs photorealistic rendering methods. In that case, an editor could go in and ask those experts to elaborate on a particular point; stimulate the conversation a little. Over in the world of specialist press, there's such a thing as worthy, interesting, friendly comment threads, and as such, if an editor can foster that, there can be reason to join in with comments.

Going in and defending your writing or joining in with the arguing, however? An absolute no-no.

[Skykid]

If you were policing sexism you'd probably be busy 24/7. Racism on the other hand.

Youtube care about neither, however.

Brentsg, I went to the 'cade and spoke to the manager about where they got their lovely stools, and I was pointed to this site:

http://tl300.en.alibaba.com/product/671 ... stool.html

They're rather neat with an adjustable height feature, and damn cheap (that's £30). Might have to get one myself if I get a cab here.

[brentsg]

Thanks for the link. I thought that I saw a height adjustment in the previous pics. Those look like neat chairs for a cab, though the backrest could use some work.

[Skykid]

Thanks for the link. I thought that I saw a height adjustment in the previous pics. Those look like neat chairs for a cab, though the backrest could use some work.

I agree, although I don't know if reclining when playing on a cab is something I'd do much of anyway. I'll take a mental note of what it feels like in a day or so while attempting to recline while playing SFIV.

£30 quid though. Rather inexpensive!