We had plenty of time in Vientiane, so we explored not just the main tourist attractions but also some lesser-known spots on the outskirts of the city. One of our favourite discoveries was a small, independent art gallery showcasing contemporary work by local artists.
Bok McDonagh
I am Bok, a British-born expat living in China. I was born in Lancashire but identify as a 'plassie-Scouser'. I spent my youth growing up in Cumbria. Here I developed a great taste for exploration, climbing mountains and camping in the wilderness - a taste for travel that has defined my life.
Switching Cars, Switching Lanes
Switchcars is an incredibly fast-paced rogue-lite that, while simple on the surface, is full of incredible depth and detail. Easy to pick up but brutally hard to master, Switchcars is the kind of game that digs its hooks in and doesn’t let go.
Porting to 1.21.4: Stage 3
I’ve been porting Bok’s Banging Butterflies to Minecraft 1.21.4. The code compiled – great! The game loaded to the title screen – even better! But I still wasn’t done. Because now, the real test began: could I create a new Minecraft world.
I Didn’t Enjoy A Minecraft Movie
A Minecraft Movie was released last week, and as a longtime Minecraft enthusiast, I had to go see it. My expectations were low after watching the trailers, but I still wanted to give it a chance. And, as it turns out, it wasn’t a movie made for me.
Bridge of Many Encounters
As they seek out the Iron Throne’s hidden mine in the Cloakwood, the Troupe joins Coran in his love for hunting wyverns. They also make an unlikely ally within the Shadow Druid order, as they want to shut down the mine that has scarred their sacred ground.
Vientiane COPE Visitor Centre
After spending some time in Vang Vieng, we took an eight-hour bus ride to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. One of the first places we visited was near our homestay: the COPE Visitor Centre, where we would learn about Laos’ UXO crisis and the ongoing efforts to address it.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown Review
One of my favourite games of all time was UFO: Enemy Unknown, known as X-COM: UFO Defense in North America. If there’s one game I played more than Baldur’s Gate, it was this. So when I heard a remake was on the way, I was hesitantly excited.
Porting to 1.21.4: Stage 2
Last week I talked about how I got the mod compiling for version 1.21.4. I was optimistic but, as most developers will know, this is only the first step. The next step in the process would be to get the game to actually run.
The Schoolboy Hid Under His Bed
I’ve been wanting to get into creative writing lately, so this week I decided to finally bring a concept to life that’s been sitting in my mind for a while. This is my first real attempt at a short story, and the first time I’m sharing one publicly.
Finding Peter of the North
On their second journey into the Cloakwood, Aegon and the troupe find the bears more aggressive than before, forcing them to fight our way through to the Shadow Druid Grove. There, they met an unexpected ally.