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Offline Iain Baker

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All my articles go here
To avoid becoming 'spammy' all notifications about any new articles I write will be posted on this thread.

To get everyone started, links to all the articles I have written to date under my own name or the Nomad persona are below. NB - this does not include any of the articles I wrote for clients due to confidentiality issues.



My free to download semi-fictional S.T.A.L.K.E.R themed book 'The Chernobyl Zone Survival Guide'

http://bit.ly/TCZSGFULLSIZECOVERART2019



The first video game website I wrote for, which (not at all coincidentally) I happen to own  :D

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/



My freelance writing, proof-reading and editing business website

https://iainbakerfreelance.co.uk/



Articles with Exclusively Games

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/top-7-game-franchises-that-radically-shifted-perspective/

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/3-video-game-franchises-that-devolved-over-time/

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/8-gameplay-mechanics-i-wish-more-fps-games-used/



Articles with Coin-Drop.com

http://coin-drop.com/video-game-outfits-that-make-no-sense/

http://coin-drop.com/for-the-love-of-mod-why-mods-are-a-game-changer/

http://coin-drop.com/the-paupers-guide-to-gaming-on-a-budget/

http://coin-drop.com/why-do-console-devs-treat-gamers-like-peasants/

http://coin-drop.com/happiness-misery-part-one-welcome-misery/
http://coin-drop.com/happiness-in-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-misery-part-two/
http://coin-drop.com/happiness-in-misery-part-3-mutated-nature-is-red-in-tooth-and-claw/
http://coin-drop.com/happiness-in-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-misery-part-4-radiation-weather-and-anomalies/
http://coin-drop.com/happiness-in-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-misery-part-5-brutal-economy/

http://coin-drop.com/freespace-blue-planet-masterclass-video-game-storytelling/
http://coin-drop.com/freespace-blue-planet-is-a-masterclass-in-video-game-storytelling-part-2/
http://coin-drop.com/freespace-blue-planet-is-a-masterclass-in-video-game-storytelling-part-3/

http://coin-drop.com/dumb-and-exploitative-character-design-in-video-games/

http://coin-drop.com/diversity-in-video-games-a-conversation-with-destiny-writer-seth-dickinson/

http://coin-drop.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-website-gets-an-update/

http://coin-drop.com/metro-exodus-open-world-but-no-side-quests/

http://coin-drop.com/metro-exodus-jumps-ship-from-steam-to-epic-game-store/

http://coin-drop.com/serious-sam-collection-game-lineup-leaked/

http://coin-drop.com/system-shock-remake-ut4-video-looks-spectacular/



Articles with Nomad's Reviews

Books, audiobooks and radio dramas

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-black-series-by-paul-e-cooley-no-spoiler-audiobook-review
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/alien-solara-audio-drama-no-spoiler-review
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/metro-2033-no-spoiler-book-review


Tech Reviews

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/tech-review-thrustmaster-t-flight-hotas-x-joystick-for-pc-and-ps3


Film reviews

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-ingeniously-sensible-casting-of-inglourious-basterds


Video Games

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/video-game-developer-brands

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/top-ten-and-then-some-reasons-to-love-pc-gaming


Horror Games 101

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/horror-games-101-part-4-how-aliens-vs-predator-2000-creates-three-unique-fear-factors-nsfc
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/horror-games-101-part-3-how-games-rob-us-of-our-senses-to-scare-us-witless-nsfc
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/horror-games-101-part-2-keeping-you-scared-by-keeping-you-poor
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/horror-games-101-part-1-how-games-keep-you-looking-over-your-shoulder

The History of Video Games

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-7-gaming-on-the-speccy.
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-6-the-audio-visual-capabilities-of-the-good-old-speccy
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-5-the-first-home-computer-the-zx-spectrum
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-4-gaming-on-the-atari-2600-and-the-great-video-game-crash-of-1983.
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-3-gaming-comes-to-the-living-room.
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-2-where-it-all-started.
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-video-games-1-introduction.

Gaming Highs

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-highs-6-video-game-source-ports
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-highs-5-graphics-mods
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-highs-4-video-game-cut-content-mods
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-highs-3-unofficial-patches-for-broken-video-games
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-highs-2-video-game-mods
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-highs-1-aa-video-game-developers

Gaming Lows

https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-lows-5-corrupted-physical-media-in-the-bad-old-days-of-video-gaming
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-lows-4-no-save-game-system
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-lows-3-dumb-non-controllable-npcs
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-lows-2-let-me-choose-my-own-censored-controls
https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/blog/gaming-lows-1-arcade-joysticks-and-why-they-sucked



Articles with Vocal Media

Sci-Fi Aliens

https://futurism.media/the-implausibility-of-popular-sci-fi-aliens
https://futurism.media/the-implausibility-of-popular-sci-fi-aliens-part-two
https://futurism.media/the-implausibility-of-popular-sci-fi-aliens-part-three

My shenanigans with the (sort of) British Army

https://serve.media/a-comedy-of-errors-in-the-british-army-uotc-part-1
https://serve.media/a-comedy-of-errors-in-the-british-army-uotc-part-2
https://serve.media/a-comedy-of-errors-in-the-british-army-uotc-part-3
https://serve.media/a-comedy-of-errors-in-the-british-army-uotc-part-4
https://serve.media/a-comedy-of-errors-in-the-british-army-uotc-part-5
https://serve.media/a-comedy-of-errors-in-the-british-army-uotc-part-6

Tanks

https://serve.media/in-defence-of-the-tank-1-introduction
https://serve.media/in-defence-of-the-tank-2
https://serve.media/in-defence-of-the-tank-3-the-arms-race-begins
https://serve.media/in-defence-of-the-tank-4-ww2-part-1

Video Games

https://gamers.media/design-sins-1-die-once-you-may-as-well-quit

https://gamers.media/the-history-of-video-games-part-one
https://gamers.media/the-history-of-video-games-part-2
https://gamers.media/the-history-of-video-games-3-the-sinclair-zx-spectrum-part-one
https://gamers.media/the-history-of-video-games-4-the-sinclair-zx-spectrum-part-two
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Det. Bullock

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Re: All my articles go here
Cloud gaming is basically born dead, unless they give the best fiber to everyone they are going to sell only to the population of a few big cities and even then I wouldn't discount control lag problems. Probably retrogames might be more viable because you could basically download it on your device with some DRM added on thus not really being "streaming" but at that point it would basically be Steam.
"I pity the poor shades confined to the euclidean prison that is sanity." - Grant Morrison
"People assume  that time is a strict progression of cause to effect,  but *actually*  from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more  like a big ball  of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." - The Doctor

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

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Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Cloud gaming is basically born dead, unless they give the best fiber to everyone they are going to sell only to the population of a few big cities and even then I wouldn't discount control lag problems. Probably retrogames might be more viable because you could basically download it on your device with some DRM added on thus not really being "streaming" but at that point it would basically be Steam.

Sorry for the late reply. But yep, agreed. I notice antstream is running ads on YT now. That might be worth a look one day, although I already have all the ROMs I want. (Just don't tell 'the man'  :p )
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

  

Offline Iain Baker

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Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
...aaaaand another one has gone live. I waited patiently for ages for them to publish something then two come at once  :)

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/top-5-games-based-on-books/
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Hi All!

Looks like I'm now a paid journo at two gaming sites, ‘Exclusively Games’ and now the fantastically titled ‘The Nerd Stash’.

looks like I'm going up in the world 😊 Shame the same can't be said about gaming... ☹

https://thenerdstash.com/is-gaming-in-decline-a-gen-xers-perspective/

Enjoy!


Enjoy!
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 
Re: All my articles go here
Looks like I'm now a paid journo at two gaming sites, ‘Exclusively Games’ and now the fantastically titled ‘The Nerd Stash’.

Congrats!

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Looks like I'm now a paid journo at two gaming sites, ‘Exclusively Games’ and now the fantastically titled ‘The Nerd Stash’.

Congrats!

Thank you. There will be another one early next week :-)
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Ever notice that old video arcade cabinet joysticks were left-handed?

Ever notice that joypads today appear to be as well?

Some people claim this is a holdover from a 40-year-old conspiracy designed to separate children from their pocket money. Is this tin-foil hat territory, or might they have a point? We look at the case for and against.

https://thenerdstash.com/virtual-debate-are-joypads-and-arcade-joysticks-the-wrong-way-around/
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Det. Bullock

  • 29
  • Madman in a box.
Re: All my articles go here
Weirdly enough I'm right handed and used to flightsitcks but apart from being uncoordinated in general I didn't have any problem switching to the left-handed digital stick I use for fighting games.
I guess that while the intention was originally to insure less movement coordination from most people in the end it's just  matter of habit? After all even with a right handed flightstick the left hand on a keyboard must still be coordinated enough to hit the right key combinations and that skill might help a lot with an arcade stick.
"I pity the poor shades confined to the euclidean prison that is sanity." - Grant Morrison
"People assume  that time is a strict progression of cause to effect,  but *actually*  from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more  like a big ball  of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." - The Doctor

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Weirdly enough I'm right handed and used to flightsitcks but apart from being uncoordinated in general I didn't have any problem switching to the left-handed digital stick I use for fighting games.
I guess that while the intention was originally to insure less movement coordination from most people in the end it's just  matter of habit? After all even with a right handed flightstick the left hand on a keyboard must still be coordinated enough to hit the right key combinations and that skill might help a lot with an arcade stick.

Unless you are wired up all wonky like I appear to be  :lol: I added a comment to it to explain the reason for writing it. it reads:

Hi there. You might be wondering what was the inspiration behind this article. I’m happy to share.

I remember as a kid having real difficulty in the arcades due to their left-handed joysticks, despite being semi-ambidextrous and cross dominant in the eyes. Or perhaps it was because of that???

When at home on my Atari 2600, Spectrum +3 or Amiga 500 - all of which used ambidextrous joysticks - I did great, but at the arcades - I was hopeless.

Trying to pull off hardokens and dragon punches in SF2 was an exercise in futility and embarrassment. In the end, I just stopped playing in the arcades.

This also partly explains my resistance to becoming a console gamer when I was younger. I tried using joypads on friends and relatives’ consoles, but I just couldn’t get on with them. D-pad on the left, buttons on the right? It simply felt unnatural. It may have been due to muscle memory. After all, I’m old enough that my first gaming experiences were on the Atari 2600 with its obligate right-handed joystick, immediately followed by the Spectrum with its ambidextrous joysticks.

I have managed to force myself to use joypads over the years, but they still feel ‘wrong’ in my hands, and thus playing on consoles isn’t all that enjoyable for me. This partly explains my preference for PC gaming. (That and mods. And steam sales…)

Has anyone else experienced something like this, or is it just me?

So now you probably all think I’m weird. That’s ok, I think I’m weird too 😉
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 
Re: All my articles go here
If you think about it, the importance of each side of the gamepad has also shifted to place much greater importance on the right side.

In the 6th generation(PS2, OG Xbox, Gamecube) with all 3 consoles using a dual analogue layout and the 4 face buttons made standard in the previous generation the importance of the D-pad was reduced dramatically. The rising popularity of FPS games on consoles also placed a much greater emphasis on right-stick precision than left stick precision, as movement never needs to be as precise as aiming.

Fighting games are one of the few genres where both speed and precision are required from your left thumb. 3rd person action games that don't involve aiming are also more focused on precise button combinations, something done by your right hand since it's on the face buttons. Outside of fighting games and some 2D platformers the D-pad is mostly used for secondary functions like weapon/item selection.

Even if you go back to the NES the D-pad being on the left made some sense, especially when you consider that its most popular and most famous game, Super Mario Bros, has a dedicated jump button. A trend followed by almost every other platformer since. You're performing the most important action with a face button press instead of doing it by pressing up on the D-pad like you would in a fighting game. This greatly diminishes the role of the D-pad and the dexterity required. Outside of some extreme speedrunning strats that require a perfect 1-frame release and 1-frame re-press you just don't need to do much with it. Just hold right, sometimes hold left for brief periods then hold right again. Meanwhile the action the game is built around, jumping, is handled by your right thumb.


Of course, the biggest exception here are racing games and flight games, both of which feature analogue movement as their most important mechanic and in most of them the gamepad control scheme still places that movement onto the left stick. So steering in a racing game with triggers acting as throttle and brakes and pitch+roll(or yaw) in flight games.
[19:31] <MatthTheGeek> you all high up on your mointain looking down at everyone who doesn't beam everything on insane blindfolded

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Howdy all!
If you, like me, are on lockdown for the foreseeable future, then there are a few things you can do to stop yourself going stir crazy from cabin fever. One of these is binge-watching Netflix.
Kingdom comes highly recommended - think Korean Game of Thrones with zombies 😊
Another two are gaming and reading.  Better yet, why not (sort of) combine the two? And that is my inelegant segue into letting you all know that my latest article is up on Exclusively Games “Nine MORE Games Based on Books.”

Enjoy!

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/9-more-games-based-on-books/
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Iain Baker

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Re: All my articles go here
Hi All!

The first in a thirteen-part article series about the FPS games which shaped the genre is now up on Exclusively Games. We start with Wolfenstein 3D-the first major FPS (But not the first FPS full stop, as we will see.)

Feel free to take a look

Enjoy!

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/influential-fps-games-part-1-wolfenstein-3d-1992/
Wanna check out my video games, technology and media website? If so, visit; https://www.nomadsreviews.co.uk/

Interested in hiring my freelance writing, proof-reading, editing, SEO, TTSO, Web Development or Social Media Management services? If so, please messege me at [email protected]

 

Offline Mongoose

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Re: All my articles go here
Howdy all!
If you, like me, are on lockdown for the foreseeable future, then there are a few things you can do to stop yourself going stir crazy from cabin fever. One of these is binge-watching Netflix.
Kingdom comes highly recommended - think Korean Game of Thrones with zombies 😊
Another two are gaming and reading.  Better yet, why not (sort of) combine the two? And that is my inelegant segue into letting you all know that my latest article is up on Exclusively Games “Nine MORE Games Based on Books.”

Enjoy!

https://www.exclusivelygames.com/9-more-games-based-on-books/

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth was a great experience.  Kind of clunky mechanically due to its age, but absolutely dripping with atmosphere.