Computer Gaming

Windows released a security patch that disabled the ability to play many games from disc.  Like a huge list of games.  The one that mattered to me was Civ IV.  Apparently when the game starts up it checks the disc to ensure it's not a pirated copy before initializing play.  Microsoft decided that whatever the game did for its check created a Windows security flaw and therefore released a patch to prevent that check.  It was kind of frustrating to try and play the game and be told, "nope! no can do."


I could buy a digital copy of the game for $30 and play, but man, I already bought the game once.  I asked Ben to start watching Steam for sales, hoping that maybe I could at least get it for a better price.  I really don't like Steam.  It is a resource hog.  I don't like being required to log onto their servers to play my game.  I don't like being forced to watch their ads before I can play my game.  But I have to admit, I do like paying only $7.50 for my game.


Which is what it eventually went on sale for.  So now I can play Civ IV again.


On another computer gaming note, about 10 years ago I used to play a lot of MTGO (Magic the Gathering: Online).  The company supported a play option called Leagues which was a ton of fun.  It was a great way to play Magic without putting a ton of time & money into it and on a playing field that was relatively level in that folks with huge card collections didn't have any advantage.


Then Wizards of the Coast, which publishes Magic, rebuilt their software and stopped supporting Leagues ... but with the intent of starting them back up sometime in the next year.  Which did not happen.  Or the next year, or the next year.  Or ever, it seemed.  /sigh.  Then just this past month, they started Leagues again.  Woo Hoo!


I got into one and am losing horribly.  LOL, I haven't played MTGO in almost 10 years.  There's a learning curve for the new software, for the pace. Man, I'd forgotten how quick a pace you have to play online.  I actually lost my first match in the League by timing out!  I'll get the hang of it though.  It'll be fun.


I am a happy gamer.