Geeky Apps

 

So today I am leaving you an afterthought, before the year ends, on some geeky apps that I have tried this year. I am not the most techy person, but I thought “you need to try ’em to know you hate ’em”, sorta thing, and that is pretty much what happened. Well, maybe I didn’t hate them in the end – one of them I did…oh yes, I still Do. But in general I was left with a feeling of emptiness. I got this feeling that now that geek culture is popularising – which is not a bad thing – our consumerist/capitalist habits are transforming the essence of our ‘aficionado’  communities, and I am not sure if I necessarily like the impact…

As many of you may know by now, I deal with cultural theory for my academic research, so this hit home very closely. Concepts such as cultural capitalism, cultural citizenship and mass consumerism are intrinsically connected to the purpose and use of these apps, and it felt incredibly awkward dealing with this as a first hand subject, rather than from the point of view of analysing the phenomenon. But, in any case, here is  some food for thought.

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ABORDAGE – Board Game Bar/Cafe (Sofia, Bulgaria)

 

As some of you may already know, we had a little update stop for a week or so as I was away on holiday. Well, don’t you worry friends, because during our travels we discovered a super cool place where all geeks and board game lovers should ever go! I am referring to Abordage! 

Right in the city centre of Sofia (Bulgaria), this is a seriously nice place. Abordage has a lovely team running the place. I contacted them a day in advance to know if we needed to book a place or something, and some other bits because we wanted to be sure to enjoy the place to its fullest. After a lovely conversation over Messenger I found out that, not only Imma play games hard-core like I do, but that the place – which is all pirate themed btw! – is like the only place that serves mead! Oh Boy! The holiday only gets better! Now after having been trotting along all of the museums in Sofia, we knew we’d be hungry. Then they tell us that they don’t do food but they have a partnership with a burger place, so if we want, we can order from their mates and eat there when the burger arrives. SWEET! We already had high hopes. And when we arrived it didn’t disappoint.

Soulcalibur IV: How to Kick Ass

 

I have recently reunited myself with a long-lost videogame love – Soulcalibur IV. Something not many people know about me is that I actually LOVE fighting videogames. From my Nintendo origins with Super Smash Bros Melee, to Street Fighter, and more recent titles like Injustice, I just love giving someone a good beating – virtually AND metaphorically speaking. It is probably genetic inheritance from the days when my mum and dad used to play DOOM with the cheats to have the immortality bonus and hack people open with a chainsaw – I Promise we are actually very pacifistic people!!! I guess, it is somewhat funny, because in an RPG I’d never play the warrior/tank sort of character. But you know, we all have our quirks.

I first started playing the Soulcalibur series probably much later than most people: Just as I was doing my Masters degree in 2012-2013. Back then I was playing it on the PlayStation, whilst now I am hooked up on the Xbox 360. After 4 years of not having touched the game – or many fighting games for that purpose: I have been very PC based and it’s just not the same… – I found great relieve in knowing I was still sharp with my combos, I just needed some dusting. However, I have noticed a few differences. Some to do with the platform, some just with a chance in preference and style, I suppose?