Fallout: New Vegas
June 25, 2026 Filed in: Video Games
2026 is turning out to be a big year for Fallout. I started the year by playing Fallout 3 and all of its add-ons. June has been dedicated to playing Fallout: New Vegas. FNV comes from the same stock as Fallout 3. It uses the same game engine and shares most of the gameplay elements. Although it feels like a large expansion to Fallout 3, it is a standalone game with familiar Fallout game mechanics. Your character, known as "The Courier," possesses stats according to the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system: Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck. There are also many skills and perks available, most of which were seen in Fallout 3.
FNV is set four years after the previous game (2281 vs. 2277). Instead of Washington, D.C., the setting is Las Vegas (now New Vegas) and the surrounding Mojave Desert. The story begins with an attack on the Courier and his quest to find the assailant. He becomes involved in a power struggle around New Vegas between several factions. The most notable factions are the NCR (New California Republic), the Legion, and one led by the mysterious Mr. House. There are numerous quests for each faction and the outcomes affect their favorability toward the Courier. In my case, I found myself siding with the NCR most strongly. Things escalated toward a confrontation between factions with the Hoover Dam as a particular focal point. The NCR was victorious in my game but there are several possible endings depending on your choices.
In Fallout 3, I played all five add-ons after I finished the base game. Fallout: New Vegas has several add-ons as well. Unfortunately, FNV does not allow you to continue playing after the main story has concluded. I did not realize that beforehand. I will have to go back to an earlier saved game to allow me to play those DLC quests. Even with that disappointment, I still really liked Fallout: New Vegas. Both games were great but I think I enjoyed it a bit more than Fallout 3.
FNV is set four years after the previous game (2281 vs. 2277). Instead of Washington, D.C., the setting is Las Vegas (now New Vegas) and the surrounding Mojave Desert. The story begins with an attack on the Courier and his quest to find the assailant. He becomes involved in a power struggle around New Vegas between several factions. The most notable factions are the NCR (New California Republic), the Legion, and one led by the mysterious Mr. House. There are numerous quests for each faction and the outcomes affect their favorability toward the Courier. In my case, I found myself siding with the NCR most strongly. Things escalated toward a confrontation between factions with the Hoover Dam as a particular focal point. The NCR was victorious in my game but there are several possible endings depending on your choices.
In Fallout 3, I played all five add-ons after I finished the base game. Fallout: New Vegas has several add-ons as well. Unfortunately, FNV does not allow you to continue playing after the main story has concluded. I did not realize that beforehand. I will have to go back to an earlier saved game to allow me to play those DLC quests. Even with that disappointment, I still really liked Fallout: New Vegas. Both games were great but I think I enjoyed it a bit more than Fallout 3.
Eador: Genesis
May 29, 2026 Filed in: Video Games
I was busy over the last few weeks updating STBL-Web for Game Central's 20th anniversary. Prior to that, however, I was playing Eador: Genesis, a turn-based strategy game with a fantasy setting. It reminded me of the early Heroes of Might and Magic games or King's Bounty. You play as a Master and move your heroes around on a world map. Combat is waged on a 2D hex grid. Available heroes are warriors, scouts, commanders, and wizards. They level up in abilities, learn spells and skills, acquire equipment, and recruit units for their armies. In Eador: Genesis, you conquer shards, which are small worlds. Conquered shards unlock additional buildings, units, and other elements. Playing each shard was like its own mini-game. I conquered several (at least half a dozen) but the game progresses slowly. Estimates to complete the campaign range from 50 to 170 hours. As much as I enjoyed it, I can't justify devoting that much time to finish the game. It's time to move on to something new.
Game Central's 20th Anniversary
Today is the anniversary of the Game Central website. It debuted on May 25, 2006 so this is the 20th anniversary. I can hardly believe two decades have passed since I started the site mainly as an archive for our old tabletop RPG campaigns. Over time, I added a lot of video game information as well. Game Central also linked to STBL-Web, the home of the Southern Tier Baseball League. The STBL was our computer baseball league, powered by various versions of Earl Weaver Baseball. My last major update to STBL-Web was in 2023. Prior to that, there was a sizable update in 2018. The STBL started in 1987 so next year will be its 40th anniversary. However, I wanted to do something special now and not wait another year.
I rebuilt the site, which comprised several hundred pages. I kept it simple and largely preserved the existing layout. Most of the stats came from text reports output from DOS games so there was no reason to get too fancy. One thing the site lacked was good navigation. You had to keep coming back to the home page. I created links between seasons and some of the other pages to streamline things. I found and corrected quite a few errors along the way. The biggest addition, however, is new pages for the preseason drafts. Earl Weaver baseball came with all-star teams of players from 1900 to 1975. They also released MLBPA stats disks with new seasons, starting with 1986. Just before the 1988 season, we instituted a four round draft with a MLB 1986 player pool. When we didn't have a new season available. we started drafting from the late 1970s. These drafts are now included on STBL-Web.
If you are interested in the STBL, check out the updated STBL-Web.
I rebuilt the site, which comprised several hundred pages. I kept it simple and largely preserved the existing layout. Most of the stats came from text reports output from DOS games so there was no reason to get too fancy. One thing the site lacked was good navigation. You had to keep coming back to the home page. I created links between seasons and some of the other pages to streamline things. I found and corrected quite a few errors along the way. The biggest addition, however, is new pages for the preseason drafts. Earl Weaver baseball came with all-star teams of players from 1900 to 1975. They also released MLBPA stats disks with new seasons, starting with 1986. Just before the 1988 season, we instituted a four round draft with a MLB 1986 player pool. When we didn't have a new season available. we started drafting from the late 1970s. These drafts are now included on STBL-Web.
If you are interested in the STBL, check out the updated STBL-Web.
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition - Finished
April 10, 2026 Filed in: Video Games
After 45 hours or so, I finished The Witcher: Enhanced Edition. I'm really glad I gave this one another chance. When I tried it the first time, I wasn't crazy about the combat and it never hooked me. This time, I switched the default camera style to isometric and I enjoyed it much more. The story features Geralt of Rivia who is a monster hunter known as a Witcher. It is an RPG with dialog options, character talents, inventory management, and alchemical crafting. As with most RPGs, there is a great focus on combat. The Witcher has a somewhat different take on combat compared to other games. Geralt has a steel sword for fighting humans and a silver sword for fighting monsters. There are also three fighting styles for each: strong, fast, and group. Talents for the primary attributes (strength, dexterity, stamina, and intelligence), sword styles, and magic signs are chosen by the player. You earn these talent points by going up levels from experience or sometimes through other means such as imbibing special potions. I enjoyed the character development and the choices of which areas to spend your precious talent points on. By the end of the game, my Geralt had achieved level 35 so he had almost all of the combat talents. I also spent some points on magical signs but primarily stuck to the melee talents.
I'm off to a good start with video gaming in 2026. Fallout 3 and The Witcher were both really good. Hopefully, I can play Fallout: New Vegas and The Witcher 2 this year as well.
I'm off to a good start with video gaming in 2026. Fallout 3 and The Witcher were both really good. Hopefully, I can play Fallout: New Vegas and The Witcher 2 this year as well.
The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
March 31, 2026 Filed in: Video Games
In March, I've been playing The Witcher: Enhanced Edition exclusively. This was another classic that I skipped over but felt compelled to play. The original game debuted in 2007 and the Enhanced Edition followed a year later. For a game of its age, it holds up remarkably well. It uses a modified version of BioWare's Aurora Engine, which powered Neverwinter Nights. Cities feel alive with plenty of people and animals wandering around. The weather effects, sound, and music all help bring the world to life. The game mechanics are different enough from D&D and similar fantasy RPGs to keep it fresh and interesting. I am finishing up chapter 3 and I think there are two more. I will write more about The Witcher after I complete it.