John's Corner: eBooks?

If I created an eBook, would you read it? "John's Corner" this time is somewhat an announcement. Someone suggested long ago I could be an eBook author with lots of the niche content I've created. I never considered trying to make an eBook on anything previously. Considering the fact I am that dude from Houston, Texas, USA who will blog about almost anything, why not test the waters of eBooks? Just like anything in the realm of creative works, I have a number of ideas but nothing to fully focus on towards completion. I do have an idea that I do want to entertain as the basis of my would-be first eBook. Usually, I never reveal anything because I usually want to keep the element of surprise intact. It is much the same way I am with blog posts and videos. I usually release material when I feel like it. Not being under any pressure from others and making myself responsible for content I post are why I do what I do in blogging and videos. What you are about to read is more on my thoughts on trying out the eBook realm, and maybe I could get you to try out making an eBook. But first, this commercial break. This is "John's Blog Space!"





Do you want the opportunity to get a piece of my mind on certain topics? Read any blog post of mine. Do you want me to just chat with you one-on-one? Read my "John's Corner" blog posts! These are the posts where I simply chat with you one-on-one outside of any of the usual material I make blog posts all about. Best news of all, you don't have to leave my blog! To see all of my latest blog posts in the category of "John's Corner," click on the image below. And as always, welcome to...

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Now back to the blog post.

eBooks: A New Challenge.

Because I am stepping into territory I have little experience, I am not really expecting to come up with anything spectacular in my would-be debut in eBooks. I surely will still give a solid effort regardless because that is what I do and I have a certain amount of pride and reputation to maintain. I certainly have one thing going for me here- the ability to type up a bunch of stuff to somehow get people to care. Hey! I've done that for years online! I've done that for over 2,000 blog posts across all of my blogs... even when I blogged on Myspace! So what makes eBooks different? Well, as much as I feel a blog post has its own level of appeal, I feel making an eBook entails a certain level of professionalism. eBooks range in price online from free to who knows much. They can have less than 20K words to perhaps over 100K. If I am going to make a blog post on something, I want to do so knowing I provide something useful and/or entertaining. Same goes for the eBook scene.

What is the biggest barrier and challenge for me in this possible venture? Believe it or not, I think the biggest challenge is that I am not a pro at formal writing. I feel doing something like an eBook requires a little more professionalism than most bloggers and most blog posts. Not to disgust any of my past English/composition teachers, but I couldn't properly make a formal-type book (let alone an eBook) even if my life depended on it. I figured since I almost basically live in cyberspace, why not offer something I feel others can use? I also feel this can be an opportunity to maybe make material I feel I could profit from financially. Of course, I care more about offering quality material before even considering making even a penny for my work. It is the same way I feel about simply making a blog post here or in any of my other blogs. On top of that (this may REALLY disgust my past English/composition teachers), I haven't developed a general love of reading or writing to where I make myself any true aficionado of reading or writing. Even still, I have long had the passion to express myself through the means of words. I do admit that I've developed a habit of being slightly poetic in something as simple as posting comments on Facebook. Most of these include alliteration and sometimes rhymes.

eBooks: Inspiration.

One such inspiration for eBooks was provided by the fact I have some software capable of making eBooks with. Never have I succeeded yet in making one, though. I began to think about what it would make to make even a simple eBook. For the most part, I think I could create something that I think people would be even slightly interested in. The biggest inspiration of all- that ultimate dream of making something I can be proud to release that earns me fame and respect. Of course, that's the same thing I hope for with some or most of my blog posts.

That piece of software I have capable of eBooks? I have Corona SDK. I may use something more proper for making eBooks with instead. To make an eBook for free, I read online it is possible to simply use something basic (even as simple as Wordpad (not Word)) to make even a halfway decent eBook.

eBooks: Expectations?

If you have read my blog posts for the longest, you sort of know what you're going to get from me in an eBook I post. You are going to get my own thoughts in an almost unapologetic way about topics I am educated enough to make proper opinions on without making a fool of myself. I am somewhat contradicting myself to something I posted earlier in this blog post, but I am going to bring the same sort of vision and panache to eBooks as I do any of my blog posts.

Message to my Fans.

I hope you all get to enjoy my content and support my eBook efforts as much as you all do my other material. I thank everyone- friends, family, fans for all of your support of my work. Help support my work should my eBook work ever materialize. Thank all of you for your support over the years.





That's it for this post. Maybe I can work my magic and come up with something awesome in the eBook realm apart from my blogging. Why? Because that's the John Marine way, gosh darn! :) Anyhow, go have a great day/night. And as always, thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Sword of XOLAN

You don't mess with the XOLAN! :) "Sword of XOLAN" is an action platformer made by indie developer Alper Sarikaya, and it offers an intense pixel art experience as you try to save the world from evil. Your mean sword and sharp wits will be more than enough to tame the 33 levels of this game. I'll let you know if this should be worth your time or not with this review. This review is based on my experience playing this game on my Google Nexus Player.

--- Sword of XOLAN ---

This blog post is a look at "Sword of Xolan." The review is based on my playing of this game on my Google Nexus Player. This is a mobile game available for both Android and iOS. It was made by Alper Sarikaya.


^ from: appadvice.com - Sword of XOLAN is an action platformer from indie developer Alper Sarikaya.

Storyline.

The story is centered around a colossal evil named Borzandar, whom has had his minions ravage the land and seize many villagers. Tulvir is a wizard who tried to fight off Borzandar's magic, but he too was captured. It is up to Xolan to go into the world and rescue the trapped villagers and also defeat Borzandar. Can you save the world from this madness?

Briefing and Strategy.

"Sword of XOLAN" features two modes of play: Adventure and Challenge. The main story plays itself out over three Acts each with 10 levels and one boss fight. So you are looking at a total of 33 levels in Adventure Mode. Challenge Mode consists of nine levels. The total number of levels among both modes is 42.

In Adventure Mode, you must complete all ten levels and beat the boss at the end of each Act. Each regular level has three villagers trapped in cells and a treasure chest. If you want to beat the game, you need to find and rescue all three villagers and find the treasure chest in each level. The most important thing to remember is that you must complete the level. If you fail to do so, all of the progress you've made will go null and void. That even includes how many Coins you collect in each level. If you simple complete a level rescuing only a few of the trapped villagers or if you only find the treasure chest, your progress is saved, and you don't need to re-rescue any villagers you've freed or once again find and open the treasure chest. So the most important thing to do is to complete each level.

In Challenge Mode, you will need to destroy 30 uniquely-placed targets as quickly as you can. You can unlock more Challenge levels by rescuing more villagers from the Adventure Mode. If you want to unlock all nine Challenges, you must rescue at least 80 villagers.

There are ten Game Cards to collect. Each Card costs 1,500 Coins to unlock. The Game Cards offer perks to help give you an edge in a number of departments in the game. Collect all ten to have the greatest edge in your journey.

Gameplay.

Your weapons are your sword and your fireballs. These are more than enough for you to complete this game. You are unable to upgrade your sword or magic. Thankfully, many of the enemies won't require too many hits to bring down. Few enemies take only one hit to defeat, and some enemies could take as many as four hits to defeat. Most will take about three hits to defeat.

When loot is dropped by enemies and items, nothing goes away. So you can go back track through levels to pick up certain items to replenish health or mana. Same goes for collecting coins. After defeating enemies sometimes, Xolan will say something as a taunt, such as "Xolan is in the house!" They are a bit cheesy, but it offers a nice touch to the action and keeps you interested.


With this briefing, it is time I review this game now. Get ready.

--- Sword of Mana: Review/Thoughts ---

"Sword of Mana" began as me trying to find a game for my Google Nexus Player that requires a gamepad. What ended up happening was this game taking up minutes and hours of my time with enjoyment. This game is a very solid action platformer. Nothing seems repetitive or boring. While the action isn't brash or in-your-face, the game is still a fun, classic experience. This is the kind of game you can probably recall playing in the days of 16-bit gaming.

The only real faults to this game are the rather uninspired boss battles and some minor English grammar faults. Other than that, I would recommend this game for action RPG and action platformer gamers.

For More Information...

Learn more about "Sword of XOLAN" by going to www.swordofxolan.com". The developer's website can be found at game.alpersarikaya.com.





Thanks again for your support! I hope you enjoyed your time here. Subscribe and Follow this blog (and my others) if you enjoy my work. Be sure to support my work any way you can if you enjoy my work. Go have a great day/night. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Google Nexus Player

(UPDATED: September 28, 2015)

The Google Nexus Player is vying for your streaming media attention. It is doing so with Android TV, Android "Lollipop," and a $79 USD price point. This is also Google's third attempt at a streaming media player. Is the third time the charm? I had a chance to play around with the Nexus Player enough to give a review based on my thoughts on this device. If you are interested in my thoughts on the Nexus Player, please keep reading this blog post. Welcome to "John's Blog Space" and my review of the Google Nexus Player!

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

SEP 28 2015 - added extra section, including notes on Bluetooth; also added information on the Nexus Player gamepad

--- Google Nexus Player ---

Let's take a little further look at the Google Nexus Player. Here is how one looks:


^ from: www.amazon.com - Here is the Google Nexus Player. It is made by ASUS, features an Android TV interface, and runs on Android "Lollipop."

The Google Nexus Player is meant for media consumption. It also is capable of playing games. The device was made by ASUS. In addition, the optional gamepad for the Nexus Player was also made by ASUS. It is one of many devices today in the streaming media market, and it is going up against the following: Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and even Google's own Chromecast. The Google Nexus Player is a device meant for media consumption as well as gaming. Someone could take the Nexus Player and even make it one's own home theater PC (HTPC).

Released since October 2014, the Google Nexus Player brings Android to your TV. This is NOT Google's first attempt at bringing Android to the big screen. In fact, the Nexus Player is Google's THIRD attempt. The first attempt from Google was with the long defunct Google TV interface that didn't work very well. The second attempt was with a device that was so much an epic fail that Google quickly pulled it from the market- the Google Nexus Q. So you can say that the third time's the charm if you believe in that expression.

The device is shaped like a large hockey puck. The device comes with three ports: an HDMI port, a Micro USB port, and an A/C Adapter port. At the bottom of the device is a circular button good for picking up Bluetooth devices. You may navigate items using the directional buttons and the centered select button, or you may use the integrated voice button to search for items with your voice. The voice search only picks up YouTube videos, movies on Google Play, and music on Google Play. So don't expect to use this feature on the Nexus Player for any web browsing or anything like on your smartphone or tablet PC. The device runs on WiFi. If you use Ethernet to connect, you will need to buy a Micro USB male to Ethernet female cable or adapter to utilize an Ethernet connection.

The Google Nexus Player is always on. There is no Power button on it. The only way you can turn it off is to unplug the device from the jack you plugged it into or disconnect the A/C cord. If you don't want to display the Nexus Player while it's running, either switch the HDMI input or go to another input on the TV. If you want to replace the HDMI input with input from some other device, disconnect that HDMI cord and put in the HDMI from another device into that slot (if your TV or monitor has only one HDMI port).

About That Nexus Player Gamepad...

(ADDED: September 28, 2015)
You can purchase a gamepad suited for the Google Nexus Player, also made by ASUS. The gamepad works just fine and plays much better than the OUYA controller I used previously. The controls and buttons are all functioning nicely. You can power up and power down this gamepad by holding down the Power button. You use this for pairing Bluetooth with it. A lovely blue hue is given off with the lighting on the gamepad. I recommend you get this if you plan on gaming. While you could use other Bluetooth controllers, the Nexus Player Gamepad is recommended for gaming on the Nexus Player.

Why I Bought a Nexus Player.

The Google Nexus Player intrigued me most for its apps and its Android interface. As someone who has yet to design ANYTHING for Android, this was another platform for me to study and imagine what I could design for it. Namely- a game or some other app. The Android TV interface is built into this device to offer a host of options for media consumption. It runs on Android L- "Lollipop." Some people are even wondering if the Nexus Player will be upgraded in the future to Android "Marshmallow." I figured if I am going to have a device capable of streaming media and playing media, I'd best have something actually best equipped to handle such duties rather than have my PC try to do everything at once. Also, I prefer Android gaming on a proper device rather than game on my mobile devices and my tablet PC. That's why I still use my OUYA for OUYA-designed games (OUYA is Android-based) and also why I use my Nexus Player to play some Android games made for Android TV. The many things that are possible with a device like this have ultimately led me to buy a Nexus Player.

Learning Something New.

Prior to setting up this blog post, I had no real idea on what I wanted out of using a device like this. I actually wanted to get another device instead, but I became intrigued with the Nexus Player to where
I imagined the possibilities for me to enjoy Android on a big screen. Two other devices loved in regards to Android TV is concerned are the Razer Forge TV and the nVidia Shield. I had no interest in the Razer based on reviews I read about it, and the nVidia Shield is just really out of my budget. So I went ahead and bought a Nexus Player from a Wal-Mart after considering my needs and doing my own complete research.

App Detail.

From accessing the Store app on the Google Nexus Player, you can find apps designed for the Nexus Player through Google Play. These range from apps to games. A lot of the usual suspects are included as apps available to you right away. Among some of the included apps are YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Sling Television among others. Google services are also available to you including Google Play Movies and TV, Google Play Music, and Google Play Games. Any other apps you download/purchase will be available on the main screen of the Google Nexus Player.

While you can use various apps from Google Play, being able to have extra memory or be able to sideload apps will require you to have certain apps (like Sideload Launcher) or have certain apps stored on some sort of flash drive or flash media. Those wanting to enjoy streaming music may look to apps such as TuneinRadio and iHeart Radio. Those who want one of the ultimate media experience need not look any further than KODI (formerly XBMC). KODI plays and runs very well on the Nexus Player, and I actually recommend you get this as opposed to having this for a PC (though there's nothing wrong with the PC version). Some people even recommend you get ES File Explorer for managing memory on the Nexus Player and to do some extra things.

Two games available to you are "Badland" and "Despicable Me." You can uninstall either or both games. Games are offered for free or for a fee. Few games have a free version for you to try out. Also, some games may require you have a gamepad to play. There is an optional Nexus Player gamepad you can buy to play games on the Nexus Player. However, you can use almost any Bluetooth-enabled gamepad to play games. I say ALMOST any because some gamepads may not be fully compatible with the Nexus Player. Also, be aware that some gamepads may have unusual button mapping. So playing certain games on the Nexus Player with a gamepad can be somewhat of a challenge. In fact, I played two games using the controller from my OUYA controller to play two different games on my Nexus Player. It is probably recommended you get the Nexus Player gamepad if you intend on playing games with a gamepad or that require a gamepad to play.

Just like there are some apps and games that are not compatible with all devices, there aren't as many apps and games suited for Android TV devices like the Google Nexus Player. The best way to know if an app is compatible with the Google Nexus Player is to simply poke around the Google Play app store. At least you know through the Google Nexus Player what apps can be used on the Nexus Player without needing to go to the Google Play store through a web browser.

NOTE: I know nothing about rooting Android devices, nor do I know of any apps to recommend for rooted devices. I will leave this up to you to find certain apps and resources in case you are thinking of rooting the Nexus Player. I do not recommend rooting any Android device. Unless you REALLY know what you're doing, root at your own risk.

Google Cast.

While I have no experience with Google Chromecast, the Google Nexus Player comes with Google Cast functionality. Google Cast allows you to take media from your mobile device to cast to your television. So you may be playing a movie on your device and want to put it onto the big screen with the Nexus Player running. Or maybe you are playing a game on your mobile device and want to put your experience on the big screen. Either way, Google Cast allows you to take your media to be played on any connected TV through Google Cast. All you need is an app that is Google Cast capable.

I have no Google Cast experience, nor did I test this feature in my review.


The Google Nexus Player has perhaps one major shortcoming. Which is...

Not About That Space, Space...

Yes- that was a Meghan Trainor reference. Glad you noticed. The serious note here is that the Nexus Player comes stocked with 8 GB of onboard memory. The amount of total space for you to work with is 5.8 GB of memory. It is a good amount of memory if you don't plan on overloading the Nexus Player with high-quality movies or games. However for gamers, this is a very poor amount of onboard memory. So you will have to invest in certain methods of external memory. One recommendation is to purchase a Micro USB male to USB female cable or adapter. For example, the freely-available "Ashpalt 8: Airborne" requires 1.48 GB of memory. You may need to simply delete certain apps or games you aren't playing or using to save up space on the Nexus Player.


Now that you've been briefed, allow me to offer my own review of this device.

--- Google Nexus Player: Final Thoughts/Review ---

The Google Nexus Player is a very good media consumption device that has few, if any, faults. There isn't enough to say the Nexus Player will replace your PC or your home entertainment system, and it likely will not replace your PC or home entertainment system. You may have to buy some extra equipment to take advantage of the Nexus Player's shortcomings. The biggest shortcoming is its poor amount of memory at 5.8 GB. Many of the apps and features work perfectly fine. The Android TV interface is rather stylish and is responsive and doesn't lag much at all. It is probably recommended you get some cables or adapters which go from Micro USB to USB or Micro USB to Ethernet depending on your needs. You can play games with the remote or with a Bluetooth gamepad. A gamepad is required for some games on Google Play. While you can use almost any Bluetooth gamepad for gaming, it is probably recommended you get the Google Nexus Player gamepad for your gaming needs.

The Google Nexus Player is a very good streaming media device that takes advantage of the Android and Google ecosystems. Do not look to the Nexus Player to replace your PC, laptop, or home entertainment system, however. What it CAN be is your own home theater PC. Granted you have the right apps, you can have a quality and enjoyable media experience with the Google Nexus Player. The selection of apps is great enough for Android TV and the Nexus Player. However, I do wish more apps would be available for or engineered to be played on Android TV.

Maybe the biggest fault of the Nexus Player is the loss of the Bluetooth signal when gaming sometimes. I almost never had my controller go out when I was gaming on my OUYA. There were a few times when I had to try to restore the Bluetooth signal on my devices when I was playing games. The quickest way to restore the signal is to press the button at the bottom of the Nexus Player to have the device look for available Bluetooth devices to pair with it. Just seek the devices to pair back with the device to restore the Bluetooth signal of paired devices. This isn't a common occurence, so don't feel like this thing can't hold a Bluetooth signal.

So if you want a solid media player that utilizes Android and Google and offers a robust gaming interface, you can do little to no wrong going with the Google Nexus Player.

For More Information and to Buy...

Want to buy one of these? You can learn more about the Google Nexus Player by going to www.google.com/nexus/player. If I compelled you to buy one of these, I'd like for you to visit Nexus Player at Google Store to buy directly from Google Store, or click on the item(s) below to learn more about the Google Nexus Player and to buy one:




I would appreciate your business if you do buy this item online through my blog.





That is all from me on the Google Nexus Player. I hope you got yourself some insight from me in regards to this device and what it is capable of. Please be sure to Subscribe and Follow my blog(s) for more content from me. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Random Heroes

The world needs heroes, even random ones. Even random heroes toting big guns. Heroes are needed in the world of Random Heroes because the world has been invaded by aliens. You are the last hope to save the world from these evil beings. This blog post is my own review of "Random Heroes." The review is based on my playing of the Flash-based version.

--- Random Heroes ---

^ from: gamefok.ru - When aliens invade the world, who needs some superhero or some team? A bunch of random heroes will save the day!

Released in 2011 by Woblyware, "Random Heroes" is an action platformer that will have you feeling like a hardcore (or "H4RDC0R3" for you people who love confusing old men like me with hacker speak), gun-toting bad a$$. You need to be that kind of person to blast your way through the various levels of Random Heroes. This game is available in Flash, Google Play, iTunes, and Amazon. Ravenous Games made the non-Flash version of this game.

Story.

Two emo or punk guys went into a cemetery and awoke a horde of evil zombies and robots, and they have terrorized the city. These are monsters who come from a different dimension and have terrorized the world as we know it. It is up to you to go and drive away the evil forces from our world. There could have been some task force specifically designed to wipe out the aliens. There could have been some superhero or superheroine that is humanity's last hope. But no- you have a bunch of nameless people armed with huge guns with the task of wiping out these baddies. So don't worry about some overrated and cheesy storyline or some whiny heroes who say what almost any hero-type character would say. This game is all about heroes- random ones with big guns!

Gameplay.

There are have 18 levels and three boss battles in your quest to save the world. Every sixth level is a Boss fight. You can play as any of the three included heroes, and progress in the game will allow you to play as two extra characters. This game allows you to upgrade your weaponry and also add certain perks to help save the world by collecting money. Keep buying items and killing enemies to help add to your Achievements. You will sort of pick up money quite quickly and somewhat easily.

There are a total of nine guns you can use in the game. You start off with a weak 9MM pistol and work your way to more powerful, faster-firing weapons. Each gun is rated for their damage and their rate of fire. Damage determines how much attack power you can lay out with each fired shot. The rate of fire determines how quickly (or slowly) shots are fired off.

Buy Armor to add extra units of health. There are five Armor upgrades you can purchase. Having more than one unit of health is better than the three you start off with. So make sure to buy these upgrades as you have enough money to get them.

There are five Books to buy, and each Book gives you certain perks and bonuses. These are mostly boosts to picking up items. One book gives you slightly better attack power. Collect them all to gain that edge you can vastly use.

Strategy.

It is a better strategy to go with guns that deal great damage at a decent firing rate. You'll want to pick up all nine guns, but maybe the most ineffective of the nine is the Flame Thrower. None of the enemies are terribly difficult to defeat. Just make sure to attack quickly and don't leave yourself open to either get shot or run into them. If you get killed, don't worry about the money you have collected. The amount of money you have will carry over as you restart the level. So you still will have sufficient funds to buy upgrades if you have enough money. Also, none of the platformer elements to this game are extremely difficult. This game really isn't all that difficult or challenging.


Now that you have a grasp on this game, I'll let you know if this is any good.

--- Random Heroes: Review ---

"Random Heroes" is none too difficult or cheesy. The game is very fun even if it doesn't seem overly hardcore and laden with explosions and blood. There isn't too much really to complain about this game. If there was maybe one or two complaints, however, the game mostly feels too short. There's no real replay value once you've cleared all of the accomplishments. What you probably could do after completing all the accomplishments is maybe start a new game to go through the game again. I probably would have liked different characteristics and abilities with each of the heroes, but there isn't anything to distinguish between them except for simply picking one on personal preference. Sounds and music are very good. Nothing impressive, but very good all around.

Video Preview.

I must warn you that this is the non-Flash version of "Random Heroes" in this video. Still, it is your best look at this game and what it has to offer:


^ "Official Random Heroes Trailer"

Want to Play?

I played this game from Armor Games' website. If you want to try your hand at this game, click the link below. Good luck! :)

Random Heroes on Armor Games


Woblyware made the Flash version of this game, but the game was really designed by Ravenous Games. To learn more about Ravenous Games and the games they offer, visit www.ravenousgames.com/.


I hope you got to take something from this review.





Happy gaming. I hope you enjoyed this look at "Random Heroes." Please be sure you are Subscribed and Followed so you can keep up with my latest posts. Until next time, it has been a great pleasure of you to visit my blogs, including this one. Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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BetaMax: Sherbet Plains

"BetaMax: Sherbet Plains" by Super Cookie Games is an old-school 2D platforming experience but with super fancy graphics. Big-nosed Max is out to save his girlfriend Min while defeating the evil Mittens. I am reviewing based on my OUYA experience with this game. However, it has long been offered for Android and iOS. So if you're ready for another review blog post of mine, you've come to the right place- "John's Blog Space!"

--- BetaMax: Sherbet Plains ---

"BetaMax: Sherbet Plains" is a platformer that plays itself out among 21 levels including a final boss battle (Level 21 is the boss fight). According to the developer, Super Cookie Games, BetaMax's history goes back as far as 2010-2011. BetaMax was released to Android in 2013. It was some time earlier in 2015 that BetaMax landed on OUYA. So this is the work of over three to five years to get to this point.

Max's girlfriend Min has been kidnapped. Rather than cry his eyes out hoping and praying his girlfriend will return to his loving arms, this guy with a big nose decides to venture out into the world and try to rescue her. The world you get involved in is sweet. It is sweet in the sense that there are lots of candy-themed and sweet-themed items in the world, such as all the sweets you collect. Everything is simple- navigate your way through the various perils and reach the exit to go to the next stage. But of course, a handful of hazards await you ranging from evil bunnies, massive rolling donuts, and more. Nobody said this sweet world was COMPLETELY sweet...

If you want to challenge yourself, try to complete each level getting three stars. Here are the ways to earn stars for your progress:

• complete the level
• collect all three cookies in each level
• collect as many items as possible to fill up the candy jar.

Simple, huh? It is not important to collect all three stars to advance through each level. This one will give you a very nice platforming experience.

My Review/Thoughts.

"BetaMax: Sherbet Plains" is a very good platformer game in its execution and in its play. However, there isn't too much variety or personality to make it great. The game just feels boring traversing most of the same kinds of levels dealing with some of the same sort of obstacles. It has variety all around. I just wish there was a bit more variety in level design and maybe even in level types. For example, why not a few levels at night? Maybe some underground levels or levels in conditions like rain, wind, snow, or stuff like that? I also wouldn't mind a few more enemy types. A way to recover your health would also be helpful. I also think the game would be better and have more replay value if you could better keep track of your progress. What if you wanted to ensure that you collected the maximum three stars for all the levels? This game has no way to keep track of your progress to help you reach that goal of totally beating this game.

There is one thing I am indifferent about. At least on my OUYA, I noticed points in the game where the graphics are a bit off with some of the sloped terrain or some other different other graphics on screen. This is only a minor annoyance that does nothing to ruin the flow of "BetaMax: Sherbet Plains." Speaking of graphics, I forgot to mention that the old TV-style effects can be annoying. You can thankfully toggle this screen display at any time during the game.

So all in all, I would say that "BetaMax: Sherbet Plains" is a very good platformer. Only that there are a number of factors that prevent it from being a great platformer game. Perhaps too many factors to keep it from being great. It is still worth playing regardless of the negative commentary I've given it.

For More Information...

Learn more about Super Cookie Games and all the games they offer by going to www.supercookie.co.uk. Get "BetaMax: Sherbet Plains" on your OUYA by going to BetaMax: Sherbet Plains on ouya.tv.





I hope you were able to enjoy this review of mine. Thanks a lot for visiting "John's Blog Space." Have you seen my other blogs? Yeah- blogS, with an "S," meaning I do more than one blog. Be sure to visit my other blogs to see my other content if you enjoyed the content of my main blog here. JBS is my main blog, but I blog about lots of other stuff in my other blogs. So check them out if you like my work here. I thank you for visiting. So until next time, thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Soft Drinks

If you enjoy soda, this is a blog post you'll probably enjoy. I actually wanted to blog about soda for quite some time. Lots of soft drinks have caffiene and sugar and can slowly eat away your good health. But for those who drink them, who cares? We just want something cool (and tasty) to drink! So I will open the floor for discussion of soft drinks for this blog post. Since almost any blog post can be viewed by anyone worldwide, I even invite a lot of my international readers to tell me about soft drinks maybe not sold here in the United States.

--- Soft Drinks ---

This will set the mood:


^ from: guysandgoodhealth.wordpress.com - This blog post is all about soft drinks. Is one of your favorite drinks in this picture?

A lot of us want something tasty and refreshing to drink. You might be drinking a soda right now reading this blog post. There is still nothing better to drink for comfort than soft drinks. No matter what your favorite soft drinks are, there is plenty to love for any number of sodas. Some sodas are offered in diet form, caffeine free, and even diet caffeine free. So you can still enjoy the taste of most soft drinks while still closely monitoring your health.

I mentioned soft drinks as comfort drinks. You certainly don't make soft drinks as the only drinks you drink for when you need to be hydrated. Most soft drinks have a lot of sugar and can do a lot of harm to your body with each sip. Even still, there is no denying the tasty and indulgent properties of most soft drinks. In trying to stay healthy, one change I made over time was limit myself to one soda a day. There are days when I have two sodas a day, but I NEVER go over two sodas a day.

Not every soft drink is readily refreshing and enjoyable. I can remember in the mid-late 1990s of a drink called Kick. I think the slogan was that it was the "hardcore nitro psycho soft drink in a can." Kick was a soft drink that could thrash taste buds (even the sodas themselves said so!). It was a drink that was pulled from the market eventually.

Let me offer a few quick reviews and thoughts on certain soft drinks I've had before. Check out the next section.

--- Quick Soda Reviews ---

Here are a number of soft drinks I've had. They include a lot of past and present varieties. Official websites to some of these drinks are in the headings. Click on them for more info on each on those featured soft drinks.

Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola (or Coke) is perhaps the most popular soda people drink. You will have no problem spotting people drinking Coca-Cola considering its popularity. There are even people who fancy Coca-Cola in those classic Coca-Cola glass bottles. A recent marketing deal has Coca-Cola bottles and cans with "Share a Coke With..." and then something. Coca-Cola wasn't always such a tasty deal, however. In fact, Coca-Cola used to prove that it was possible you could be high and drunk at the same time because Coca-Cola had cocaine in it long ago. So this was more like one of those alcoholic drinks way back when.

I rarely drink Coca-Cola to be honest. Not that I hate it or anything- I just don't drink it as much among various soft drinks.

So what do you say? "Share a Coke With John?" Please? Anyone?

Vanilla Coke.

When I was a student at Lamar University in 2002, I used to have Vanilla Coke a lot. The taste of Coca-Cola was mixed in with a vanilla flavor for a unique taste. It was pretty good drinking Vanilla Coke.

Coca-Cola Zero.

Coca-Cola Zero (or just Coke Zero) is supposed to be a zero-calorie alternative to Coca-Cola. Some people, however, think Coke Zero has ingredients that may be even more unhealthy than a regular serving of Coca-Cola. It does have a good taste to it.

Pepsi.

I drink Pepsi more than I do any other variety of soda. I mostly enjoy the refreshing and smooth taste of Pepsi. I just like Pepsi more than I do Coca-Cola.

Sprite.

I sometimes drink Sprite. Best thing about Sprite is that it is Caffeine Free. While I drink Pepsi more often, I actually get Sprite a lot for a soft drink at restaurants often times.

Dr. Pepper.

One thing I didn't know about Dr. Pepper is that this soda is made right here in my home state of Texas. All I know is that its bold taste never disappoints and never fails to quench thirst.

Pibb Xtra.

So you need a soda bold enough to cool your mouth off after eating something spicy? Pibb Xtra might do the trick. Pibb is already a fairly good Dr. Pepper alternative; Pibb Xtra is even better.

A&W Root Beer.

The kind of root beer I drink mostly these days is A&W Root Beer. The one thing I didn't know about root beer is that it is Caffeine Free. A&W is made with aged vanilla. All I know is that this is good root beer to have washing down food or for whatever else you're doing.

Barq's.

I used to have Barq's a lot when I was younger. Barq's has a bold taste and a good taste.

Dad's Root Beer.

Once, I tried out Dad's Root Beer. It tasted pretty good.

Hawaiian Punch.

Nothing like Hawaiian Punch to quench your thirst. I had Hawaiian Punch often times when I was younger. It has been a long while since last downing a can of Hawaiian Punch.

Canada Dry.

I sometimes drink Canada Dry as an alternative to Sprite. Canada Dry, as I'm told, can actually be good for you to drink. It is a Caffeine Free drink with a quite good taste.

Jarritos.

Made in México (Hecho en México), Jarritos is a series of soft drinks with real fruit juice in them. I had their fruit punch once and thought it was pretty good. Nothing mind-blowing or very tasty, but it's alright to me.


Those are some of many different soft drinks I've had before and my thoughts on them.

--- Coca-Cola Freestyle: Retrospective ---

Here is a bonus section for me to discuss in regards to soft drinks. I want to go back to mentioning the Coca-Cola Freestyle drink machine since we're discussing soft drinks here.

While we are on the subject of soft drinks, one of the most unique machines I've ever seen was the Coca-Cola Freestyle Drink Machine. Rather than select a specific drink, you can actually select a combination of soft drinks mixed together to form your own unique soda to drink. So you can get yourself a cherry-flavored Sprite if you want to mix regular Sprite with some cherry soda. Some vendors dare add various alcoholic drinks in addition to offering basic soft drinks. Of course, since we're talking about the Coca-Cola Freestyle Drink Machine, the choices will likely involve Coca-Cola products more than any other.

I blogged about this machine before. If you want to read my blog post on the Coca-Cola Freestyle Drink Machine, you are welcome to check out this past blog post I made on it: "Coca-Cola Freestyle Drink Machine" (John's Blog Space).

--- Soft Drinks: Final Thoughts ---

No matter what your favorite soft drink(s) is/are, these are a great and varied form of liquid refreshment to enjoy. Feel free to enjoy soft drinks while out and about or while enjoying lunch or dinner. There are a whole lot of options for you all ranging from flavors to certain other considerations- including diet and caffeine free. Sometimes, water isn't enough to quench thirst. If you are able to enjoy a soft drink, go try yourself a good soft drink to quench your thirst!





After posting about a not-so-nice topic recently, this is a much lighthearted topic. I hope you enjoyed this blog post.

What is/are your favorite soft drink(s)? Do you like soft drinks?

Like I said before, I long wanted to do a post on soft drinks. I just never got around to really working on the post or completing it until now. I certainly hope you enjoyed this one. Be sure to visit other blog posts here as well as my other blogs. Subscribe and Follow for more! Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Cancer

Cancer sucks. Only cancers I like are those who are Cancers in the zodiac. The various forms of cancer can spell doom for most people. Many have had cancer and fought it off. Some are still in their own fights against cancer. Regardless, it is just crippling to imagine having cancer and trying to deal with it. With the various forms of cancer out there, it is terrible just to imagine how much damage they can do to us. One of the most encouraging signs is being able to detect cancer at an early stage to help in the treatment process. No matter what, cancer is absolutely terrible. All you just want to do in these situations is...


^ from: www.thefruitdoctor.com - Don't let cancer win. Take the fight to cancer and defeat it!

Some people deep with cancer may not have much longer to live. So in these cases, it is best to offer quality experiences just to offer peace of mind and to provide positive reinforcement while dealing with something as cruel as cancer.

Famous People Who Died From Cancer.

Many famous persons have died from some form of cancer. I will name only a few of them:

• Marvin Zindler (news reporter and investigative reporter here in Houston/Galveston media) - pancreatic cancer
• Steve Byrnes (FOX Sports NASCAR broadcaster) - head and neck cancer
• Buddy Baker (legendary NASCAR race car driver) - lung cancer
• Wes Craven (legendary horror movie director) - brain cancer
• Audrey Hepburn (famed actress and fashion icon) - colorectal cancer
• Peter Jennings (long-time journalist) - lung cancer
• Sherman Hemsley (comedian and actor) - lung cancer
• Steve Jobs (co-founder and CEO of Apple) - pancreatic cancer

So when it comes to cancer, it is no joke. These are among many people to die from some form of cancer. I want to wish those who are battling cancer well in winning their battle with cancer. Getting the best treatment and perhaps detecting it early will both make big differences in winning against cancer.

--- Cancer: Final Thoughts ---

This section includes my final thoughts in regards to battling cancer as well as offering some online resources in case you or someone you know is dealing with cancer. Please take a look...

Cancer: My Final Thoughts.

Most of you may know me for trying to bring positivity to a negative world. Dealing with cancer is absolutely a time where we need each other in trying to offer support and well wishes to people. Cancer can cut anyone's life short. People battling cancer need all the support and love they can get. Even if people don't ask for sentiments or support, at least it doesn't hurt to offer love and well wishes to those dealing with some form of cancer or cancers. So if you are someone you know is battling cancer, I personally would like to wish the absolute best to everyone trying to beat out cancer.

To those battling cancer, I want to extend to you my best wishes and hope you'll be well. To those whom have lost their battle with cancer or know someone who died from cancer, my condolences are with you, as I am terribly sorry for the tragic loss(es) among your family and friends. To those whom have had cancer and defeated cancer, congratulations! We need people like you to help encourage others that beating cancer is possible. You should be examples to show that we can be stronger than the cancer and not let cancer rule our lives.

To everyone in the health care industry helping others beat cancer, I want to thank all of you and salute all of you. Even more worthy of my respect is all the various hospitals and such worldwide researching new ways to help others defeat cancer. There may eventually be a time when cancer can be beaten easily and effectively no matter what stage it is in. While we await when that time actually comes (if it does), I am still forever grateful and thankful we have such strong support and vast resources to help battle cancer and defeat cancer. Support from fine doctors and nurses and such is very much appreciated to help us win against cancer. With further research and with loving support and care from others, we can cure (not just treat) cancer and enjoy living life again.

Once again- thank you doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other individuals in helping us battle cancer to those who have cancer.

Cancer: Causes and Organizations.

There are many people and groups committed to defeating cancer both minor and major. This section features various organizations and such committed to educating or helping end cancer. This section was meant mostly for my American audience. You may want to look elsewhere online for any online resources on cancer for your nation or for your native language. I am not sponsored by any of the groups I will make mention to. I am only offering this for those who may need some assistance.

• For my American audience, learn everything you want about various forms of cancer by visiting the American Cancer Society's official website at www.cancer.org.

• One of the more popular ones is Stand Up to Cancer, which you can visit their website at www.standup2cancer.org.

• Breast cancer is certainly a major cancer. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation is the most popular group for breast cancer. Visit ww5.komen.org and shop for goods to promote breast cancer awareness at www.shopkomen.com.

• Have prostate cancer? Know someone dealing with prostate cancer? Visit www.pcf.org to visit the official site of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.


I may add some other resources in future posts, but I wish all of you the very best if you or someone you know is dealing with cancer.





This was a not-so-nice post here on "John's Blog Space," but I am pretty sure this topic is much appreciated to discuss and share. I care deeply and am committed to offering material that I hope will be beneficial and helpful. I hope this post is something helpful and useful to you and others. Your involvement with my blog(s) and the posts I make mean a lot to me. I never post anything that I think lacks any value or importance. Since we live in such a negative world, I just want to offer positive material in a sincere and heart-felt manner. This post has concluded for the most part.

My best wishes are with everyone dealing with cancer. I hope you are able to defeat cancer and return to living life and enjoying life.

Even with difficult topics, I try to offer something positive and helpful. I am not trying to be a hero or a visionary- all I want to do is provide positive energy and hope to those who may most need them. I hope you appreciate my efforts. On a lighter note, please Subscribe and Follow if you enjoy my online work. Thank you for reading. And more than ever, take care and be well.

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