So I recently learned something about myself...

[Videomaster21XX]

I didn't even know the PS4 comes with a mic, so I am truly out of the loop on this one.

It does, but it's a small thing that I wouldn't be surprised if most people missed.

To make a long story short, P.T., if you forgot, is a demo for what was going to be a Silent Hill game. Kojima and Guillermo del Toro were to work on it.

The thing about this demo is TO THIS DAY we don't know exactly how to beat it. We have a pretty clear idea on what to do till about the end, then you have to do seemingly random stuff to trigger a phone call that ends the demo. The biggest idea we have to beat the demo is if you happen to have a microphone on during play (AKA most likely ONLY if you are streaming the thing) and say certain words it MIGHT trigger the last phone call.

I've never been a big fan of Kojima's writing since Metal Gear Solid 2, and as neat as puzzles that require you to think outside the box. (Like how in Metal Gear Solid 1 you had to get a frequency to call via looking at the back of the CD case for the game) I voiced how I was weary about the upcoming game, as I don't really care for how that type of puzzle can lock people out of completing it.

As such I made mention that they clearly designed it in such a way that only streamers would likely beat it since they'd be actually using a mic, and how if you were just messing around you could spend hours trying to beat it, but couldn't because you wouldn't think to use a mic just randomly in a demo like this.

Basically since my brain is calculating the possible issues with doing a puzzle in such a way, and how all of this gets solved if you just you know. NOT MAKE PUZZLES LIKE THAT.

I voiced I was hoping we didn't have more puzzles like that in the main game. (which we'll never know now), and boy did people give me crap for that.

A lot of pushback I got was basically along the lines of: "But the PS4 comes with a mic, so there isn't a problem."

No amount of me trying to point out how if you were just playing it alone would indicate you probably wouldn't be using that mic. Or even pointing out that mics can be damaged, or you very well might not have one anymore as it got broken or something seemed to matter to anyone.

I just kept being told that it didn't matter. Basically from what I can gather since it was such a small issue, people just waved it off. Which fine fair enough, but that doesn't MAGICALLY mean I'm going to stop feeling the way I do. I eventually went on a rant about how I didn't expect people to follow my lead, or feel the same way, but as long as the puzzle couldn't be completed without a microphone, I just wasn't a fan of it.

The next post was and I quote: "But the PS4 Comes with a mic!" To which a LOT of people thumbed up that post, and yes I'm still bitter about it today.

Like I'm sorry but I don't get it. Why does the fact it comes with a mic solve the ******* problem to you? I'm talking about how -I- feel. I'm sorry I can't go into my brain and flip a switch and suddenly stop caring about this.

I feel vindicated too, as I looked around the web, and YEP. Just as I said, there were people who didn't have a mic and were miffed that they basically couldn't beat the demo. The sliver lining I guess is since it was just a videogame they sorta just shrugged it off, said whatever, and moved on.

But frankly I'm still sitting here going: "And that wouldn't have been an issue if we just didn't make a puzzle like that in the first place."

 

[MEDdMI]

That would've ticked me off, too. I think the only time I ever used a mic for any game was in the old Trace Memory DS game, but I think that one mentioned you can use the mic and other non-conventional methods to solve puzzles. I would never in a million years think to use a mic for a solo PS game, nvm a demo.

 

[Videomaster21XX]

That would've ticked me off, too. I think the only time I ever used a mic for any game was in the old Trace Memory DS game, but I think that one mentioned you can use the mic and other non-conventional methods to solve puzzles. I would never in a million years think to use a mic for a solo PS game, nvm a demo.

Yeah something like that is different because it's literally built INTO the system, and the game hints at you using it.

This was a case where the demo purposely didn't even hint at it, because they wanted it to take as long as possible to solve, and failed because someone streamed it and stumbled upon the ending like a day later.

 

[Videomaster21XX]

Had some dreams last night that played out as they normally do. This one was about me possibly going on a field trip with people, looking for clothing that would magically alter the person who wore it, and eventually I remember going to a food truck and buying a water bottle that for some reason came with a free wish. What I mean by 'as they normally do" is the entire time I knew I was dreaming, which is the default for me in my dreams. If I'm ever blocked by an obstacle, or need to make a path, I can reach over to a wall, slide down a panel, type in a code or flip a switch and things will move/open for me. Or I'll just fly away or phase through a wall.

I'm typing this here, because I've always wondered what I did that started me to lucid dream all the time and why Nightmares stopped when I was like five, and I think I have a theory. It's kinda the same reason I don't get motion sickness at all when doing VR games.

It's because of that thing my brain does when it's trying to log and process ALL the information. Or to be more specific in this case. It freaking recognizes that I'm not feeling any wind/ air displacement on my body. If I'm in a cold or hot environment, my brain realizes we aren't feeling those effects on our skin. If in water it recognizes there isn't any wetness.

I think I lucid dream because my brain can't re-create the world 1:1 and keeps realizing what it's seeing can't be real. >_>

 

[CoffeeHorse]

That makes a lot of sense. It's recommended that people who want to try lucid dreaming should get in the habit of doing reality checks, but your brain is already doing that intuitively. Any missing detail gets flagged immediately.

This is so fascinating.