ShaggE

Rocksmith was a HUGE help for me, just a fantastic program, but its critical flaw (besides sometimes sketchy detection) is the total lack of fundamental training. Just ultra-basic but critical stuff like technique or keeping your guitar healthy (and theory? Fuggedaboudit). Granted, the program can only do so much, but it's worth noting. Still, Rocksmith and Justinguitar are a pretty formidable duo of learning tools.

I really wish we could get a 2021 Edition, imagine a VR release that can see your finger positioning, track your actual guitar, etc. It'd be amazing. (although the tracking would have to be dead-on, and finger tracking is still a bit wonky)

My back has been through the wringer, threw it out twice and years of sitting way too long has made it so that standing for any length of time is mildly painful, and standing for an extended period of time (hour or more, but sometimes less) can be agonizing. Doesn't help that I'm tall, or that my feet are structured oddly which gives me an unusual gait (god, I'm going to have so many hip problems when I get old).

Like @csl316 said, I'm in my mid-30s and can't just abuse my body without a care anymore. I'm trying to get in the habit of forcing myself to exercise daily to hopefully undo some of the damage I've done. Seriously, anyone in their 20s or younger reading this: TAKE CARE OF YOUR BACK. You may feel fine now, but it's going to catch up to you way faster than you might imagine.

@ghost_cat: Very good way of looking at it, thank you! I always had a bad habit of letting my disorders control my life, to the point where *not* doing that seemed impossible. Unsurprisingly, my lifestyle made things worse and worse until, as of last year, I was having suicidal breakdowns twice a month. After a major wakeup call post-New Year's, I knew something had to change ASAP.

@nickm: Very true! For years I justified my shitty diet and lack of exercise through the fact that I *look* in shape due to good genes and an absurdly fast metabolism, but all I've been doing is making things worse than they need to be, physically and mentally. But yeah, "never too late" has been my mantra now. Life is terrifying, but I'm willing to face it head on for the first time ever, and I couldn't be more excited.

This one takes some preamble, pardon my guts-spilling:

I'm in a weird spot, in that I'm 34, live where I work (I'm an innkeeper), and due to a series of arrangements, I basically get paid in reduced rent. It's worth it to me since I don't drive and get to live in a literal mansion in the heart of my city despite being broke as hell.

However, I'm deeply unhappy with my life, as I rarely leave the house, my social circles are way too small, I have barely any traditional work experience due to my mental health getting me fired from every normal job I've attempted, I dropped out of high school for similar reasons which really fucked me... it's a whole thing, and I sank into my internet and gaming addictions from 18 until now instead of fixing the problem. Call it an early mid-life crisis, but I've had enough, and I'm starting the arduous task of making up for all of the lost years.

My first step I actually took a year ago by signing up for and taking voice lessons (my main dream is to be a singer, as cliché as that sounds). However, that's a journey that'll take quite more than a year of lessons before I can even attempt do anything lucrative with it, and I still need a day job and a social life worth a damn either way.

So, basically, I'm actively hunting that ideal lifestyle from the ground up as I speak. Job I can actually hold on to, GED, maybe belated college if I can swing it, another shot at therapy, continued vocal training... that's pretty much why I'm sharing all of this, putting it down in words helps my motivation to actually do it and not balk at the first sign of difficulty as is my usual M.O.

I haven't gotten my hands on one yet, but it seems like the natural current step for affordable haptics, and I do believe that haptics are the next big nut to crack. I've been playing around with my Quest 2 a lot lately, and those controllers are the first I've used with "HD rumble" (is there a non-Switch term for modern rumble?). If that's similar to the DS5's rumble, it's pretty damn cool, and makes me excited for what creative devs can do with it.

Can't speak on the adaptive triggers, but I think it's a clever idea that I hope holds up to extended use. It does bother me that the mechanisms are plastic, all I can picture is someone giving the trigger a hearty squeeze while it's locked and snapping or stripping the screw thinger.

Bubblin' hot take: Motion controls are cool (when used well). When they're accurate and intuitive, and not just doing what a button press could have done, I love motion controls. Hell, VR wouldn't be VR without motion controls. (that's another spicy one I could go into, but VR isn't really a "mechanic")

@ahifi: Sorry, had to, hahaha

I'm very excited, although VR support seems to be up in the air, which would be really disappointing if it's omitted. 7 was one of my favorite VR experiences. Either way, though, I'm looking forward to playing it.

Heh, funny reading back on my post here from three years ago... it's all still accurate, but I've since stopped being satisfied with just karaoke and took the plunge on singing lessons to pursue performing more seriously. Best decision I ever made.