Initial Thoughts on DC Universe Streaming / Subscription Service

Couple weeks ago, IT launched. Mid-month strikes me as on odd time to kickoff a monthly streaming/subscription service yet DC decided it was the perfect time to officially launch its new DC Universe. Haven't binged any movies or television shows. Didn't chat all things on DC using the forums. Can't say I've spent hours reading any of the comics offered online. What I did do was sample enough of everything (except the forums) to get an initial first impression of DC Universe. Since October is literally a day way, now makes a good a day as any to give my two cents. If I waited until October, I may as well as wait until I've done all the above, right?


Forums: Pretty much stated in my opener, I never used them. Honestly, I don't really plan to. Unless of course actual folks on DC visit the forums. Then, I will participate gleefully. Interacting with creators is tremendous fun indeed.


Television: While none of the Arrowverse shows are available on DC Universe, there are plenty of gems. The cancelled-before-its-time Constantine is here. Birds of Prey. Heck, the live-action Superboy, which was among my wishlist when I was 'deciding', is among the shows offered. There's animated shows such as the classic Superfriends as well as Bat-man: the Animated Series. Initially, I thought only the first season was available for each show. Thought it was very strange that multiple seasons were mentioned until I noticed a dropdown box wherein the user can select a specific season.


The quality of the video is top-notch. Matches quality offered by the likes of Netflix and Hulu. Speaking of Hulu, fast-forwarding through an episode of Batman:TAS did NOT trigger any breaks for advertisements. Leads me to believe, there are no commercials! Another neat feature is one's progress on an episode is saved so you pick up right where left off. You can also add a series to your favorites.


Movies: Among the initial offerings are the Christopher Reeve Superman films along with the animated movies of which DC recently released a tenth anniversary collection. As a recent purchaser of said collection, only a small handful of them are available for streaming on DC Universe upon initial launch. So I don't feel foolish along that front... Did feel the movie selection was a bit low; but it is the initial launch. Other than that I haven't streamed any of the movies yet so that awaits further comment.


Comics: Initial selection is quite extensive.  Most recent comics offered digitally, ala Marvel Digital Comics - digital issues aren't available for purchase at the moment, stop at Rebirth issue 1s. That said, there's samplings of New 52, post-Crisis, and in-between. Dark Knight Returns is available to be read digitally online. Personally, I am pumped Johns/Eaglesham's Justice Society of America's first eleven issues are offered. Looking to become familiar with Captain Marvel/Shazam before the upcoming Shazam! movie? Well, Ordway's Power of Shazam! awaits your perusal.


I've read a smattering of comics online via several platforms from Nook Digital Comics to Dark Horse Digital to Marvel Digital Unlimited on my PC. Have to say DC Universe perfectly aligns the page with screen! Art and lettering is perfectly readable. No shrinking nor enlarging is required. Don't have to toggle from panel to panel nor toggle from panel readout to full page layout. Like television shows, DC Universe saves your progress on a given comic. Plus, titles can be added to a favorites list.


The two cons I see with the digital comics is there is much duplication among titles (which is rather odd) and I haven't noticed a search option yet. If offerings rotate, the bloated list is fine. Otherwise, searching through the comics library will become a hassle once it expands.


Overall, my initial impression of DC Universe is very favorable. A heavy user might worry about the size of the initial content. If this is your only streaming service and your first foray into digital comics, I could see one binging through the library within maybe six months. On the other hand, I don't forsee myself exhausting the initial launch within twelve months of my subscription. Maybe by the fifteenth month. However, the original programming such as Titans and Doom Patrol will have debuted by then. Quality-wise, I am quite pleased as well. We'll see how my opinion changes once what's new is well-acquainted.


Periodic updates to come.


Next time!

Five Take Aways from Shadowrun Missions on 9/25/18

Huzzah! After months passing without playing my Shadowrun Missions character Nox, tonight on Tuesday Night Game sessions at my FLGCS we finally did so. We were a little rusty especially with a couple of relatively new players. Yet, not as rusty as we've been after past the hiatus or two. The eighth and final season of the Chicago arc is definitely heating up. If the next mod or two were to begin In Media Res (start with action), I wouldn't be surprised. Learned the hard way that not preparing for any eventuality leaves my character at a disadvantage. Well, I am kind of exaggerating there as only my play style was impacted...


If you read yesterday blog entry, I did use reagents quite a bit this session. My combat mage did attempt to bind a couple elementals spending a Middle lifestyle's worth to do so. The one elemental played a pivotal role... Boosting spell limits with reagents had a moderate effect. Nothing too earth-shaking; but the original limit imposed by the spell's force was exceeded on both occasions.


Now the follow-up to yesterday's blog entry is out of the way AND the focus is off me, here's five take-aways from tonight's session of Shadowrun (5E) Missions.


Never leave home without grenades or an ambulance-rigged with autodoc - If you ever saw the series Firefly/movie Serenity, there's a scene involving Reavers when Jayne says to Mal 'Don't you wish I brought some grenades!' Shadow runs involve discrete missions. Setting-wise, grenades are a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. However, once again, without one of PCs carrying grenades (and a lot of C4!) we wouldn't have gotten far in the module. A different PC's character drives a converted ambulance equipped with autodoc (a device that's kind of like bacta tank from Star Wars), which helped quite a bit and could've helped more.


So if I attack an opponent while moving past, my opponent can't attempt to strike me and halt my movement?! - As D&D 5E rules, we're well aware of opportunity attacks when opponents moves by. Furthermore, some abilities grant the ability to halt movement. Shadowrun has an interrupt action called Intercept whereby a character can spend a portion of initiative to melee strike the moving character and potentially halt their progress. We've used that to great effect against NPCs as have NPCs done so to PCs. Well, there's a loophole to that rule. Very first sentence states that if a moving character doesn't attack them then... Major revelation.


If a blow knocks me prone, my wounds can prevent me from standing?! - Speaking of another rule we discovered tonight, we learned the potential difficulty inherent in standing prone when injured. After a PC was knocked prone by a sniper's bullet, we learned not only is it an action to stand but an attribute test modified by wound penalties is required to stand! Really affected the tempo of the scene...


A one-two combo of spending then later burning the same point of Edge leads to a heroic feat - One of the new PCs had to spend a point of Edge in order to carry a downed NPC out of a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, due to the Intercept interrupt action, said PC was placed subjected to a potential attack which would have impeded his progress with the hapless NPC. The player burnt the PC's spent Edge point to NOT be hit by the attack. By the game mechanics, the PC would not have evaded the attack otherwise. Very cool indeed.


Narration is a great way to speed our progress through the module - Its hard to tell if our rust and/or experience is what slows our progress through modules. Coupled with increasing epic scope of Season 8 Chicago modules, our table simply won't complete a module within a four hour time limit. The GM bypassed many encounters by narrating the outcomes based on input given by us. We'd easily spend multiple sessions if we played out every last scene. Not an option for us.


Once I actually blog my game reports, I did something new. Using my smartphone, I took photos of some of the combat scenes as we weren't using theater of the mind. Really should have snapped pictures sooner as describing the action can be a pain otherwise.


That's all.


Happy Gaming!


Next time.

SR5: Drams of Reagents Are Deceptively Expensive

If everything goes to plan, I will play Shadowrun Missions for the first time in months tomorrow. What better way to prepare than by updating my PC, Nox the Combat Mage, right? Yeah, I should've had Nox updated sooner but it beats updating the character tomorrow. How does that relate to tonight's topic?


Part of updating a character is spending nuyen. I've long come to the conclusion that magicians really should use reagents in Shadowrun, fifth edition.


Reagents are magical components by the way, which enhance magic or are required for specific magical skills such as spirit binding.


Normally, a mana-slinger won't need a ton of reagents to bolster spells or aid in summoning spirits. Improving the Force in drams on reagents won't drain the credstick. They're like pocket change, chummer. Spend more nuyen getting dirt from a contact.


Binding spirits, on the other hand, cost double digits per Force of the spirit bound. A magician's credstick won't be worth drek if multiple high force spirits are bound. A Force 6 spirit costs more than a low lifestyle in credits!


The summoner/binder magicians with multiple bound spirits can easily spend a High lifestyle worth of credits in reagents.


Mighty costly considering one dram is 20 nuyen.


Certainly explains why there aren't more than two bound spirits encountered at any given time too.


Definitely won't happen in Missions. Nox can afford it because the PC has been low cost maintenance.


So I have a new appreciation for the value of reagents and bound spirits.


Happy Gaming!


Next time.