If you’re a Charter WiFi user, you need to keep your network secure. Changing your WiFi password is a simple and effective way to add an additional layer of security to your network. This guide covers the best ways to manage your Charter Spectrum Network password.
Table of Contents
1 – Change Wifi Password
You can change the Charter WiFi password using a browser. First, connect to the network. If you’re not sure what the WiFi password is, then use our guide to help you locate your network security key. Alternatively, you can use an ethernet cable to connect directly to your router.
Open a browser window and go to this address: http://192.168.0.1
Log in to your router with the admin username and password.
Look through the menu options for an option to edit your WiFi network. The name of the network may be labeled with SSID, Gateway name, or Wireless Network.
The password field will probably be labeled WPA Pre-Shared Key. Once you find it, create a new WiFi password and save the changes.
2 – View current WiFi information
You can view your WiFi network name and password using the official Charter Spectrum website. There are two ways to access the information.
You can locate the default network login information on your Charter Spectrum WiFi router. Look underneath for a sticker containing your network name and key. Sometimes a technician will give you a separate note with the default Wi-Fi information.
There are a few reasons you might want to update or reset your WiFi password: making your network more secure, and making your password easier to remember and type. Improved network security You can add an extra layer of security to your network by changing the WiFi password. As long as your new password is
Board games may not be the first thing on your mind when you think of collectibles, and yet there is a deep and not-so-hidden world of board game hoarding, collecting, and trading as complex as that found within any other area of interest — perhaps deeper! There is a huge range of wonderful old games out there, limited edition runs, classics, and hidden gems that are worth their weight in gold to the right collector.
There are many factors that make a board game especially sought-after by collectors, from how many copies of the game were first made, to how many are known to exist, and how unique or artistically superior the artwork and aesthetic happen to be. As with any other genre of collectibles, the condition of the board games is a major factor in terms of their financial worth, though this is certainly a secondary aspect of what makes a collection valuable for many collectors. After all, certain games might exist in such a small supply that even a poorer-quality copy is going to be highly sought after.
But don’t mistake me: recent games can become collectibles as well, not just those dusty with history. Any limited edition run, even the alpha builds of now-popular games, can become collectible items. This can also happen with games that have special editions released for some purpose (perhaps an anniversary edition, or an edition released to coincide with some historical event). The genre of game can also have a major impact, with war games being one of the classic categories that draw in collectors.
Plenty of collectors will even go so far as to purchase copies of games that they think might be collectibles in the future, and then store them, waiting to see if their hunch pans out a decade or two down the road.
Board game collecting terminology
Now, I’m not going to go too deep into the world of collectibles, but it’s important to know a couple of common terms before continuing forward.
OOP: Stands for “Out of Print”. Games that are OOP are generally considered collectible in their own right, since (at least for a time) new editions of the game are not being printed. Sometimes, as with the board game Dune, games will find a renewed life with fresh print runs years or decades after they originally went OOP, but even so, copies from the original runs are likely to be highly prized (if they’re in good condition).
P / UP (Punched or Unpunched): Traditionally used in reference to items being hung on retail pegs but for board games, it refers to whether or not the pieces of the game have been detached from their original cardboard sheets. This makes them valuable to both collectors and people looking to buy a used copy of the game who wish to ensure that all the original pieces are included (since it’s easy to see if there are any missing (“punched out”) from the sheets.
Mint: A bit more commonplace, this refers to games that are still shrink-wrapped. However, be aware that plenty of unscrupulous sellers exist. “Mint” alone is not enough to clarify the new and unopened state of the game, so look for clarifications. The abbreviations MISB (Mint in Sealed Box), or MIB/MIP (Mint in Box/Mint in Package) are better indicators for the condition.
NRFB (Never Removed From Box): this is a handy way for a seller to indicate that the item comes in original condition in all aspects save that it is no longer shrink-wrapped. It would have all its parts in their original unpunched condition, and all pieces in their original baggies or containers.
These are not by any means the only terms you’ll come across, but they are a couple of the more common as you begin your deep dive into the world of collectibles.
1 – Bloc by Bloc
Estimated market value: $75-$100
Designer: R. D. Lee, T.L. Simons
Artist: T.L. Simons
Publisher: Out of Order Games
A smashing Kickstarter success story, Bloc by Bloc: The Insurrection Game is a semi-cooperative game of social unrest and resistance inspired by the real-world uprisings of the Occupy and post-Occupy era. This one is actually looking at its 3rd edition release planned for spring of 2022, so it’s certainly not a discontinued or impossible to find game. But the limited run nature of the first edition definitely qualifies this one as a collector’s item, with a low enough price tag to appeal to novice collectors.
Bloc by Bloc also happens to be a really fun game, where the principal mechanic is area control: players try to hold back the riot cops and take control of the city by occupying specific sections of the city before the military arrives and quashes the rebellion. This one is a total favorite for me, with the historical linkage to real modern events, but without a specific tie to any single historical event — it explores the nature of rebellion in a really interesting way, and the frankly adorable artwork does a great job of creating a unified aesthetic.
Artist: Peter Dennis, Paul Kidby, Ian Mitchell, Bernard Pearson
Publisher: Treefrog Games
If you are not yet aware of the sheer and incalculable brilliance that is Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, stop reading this review right now, go down to your local bookstore or library, and grab yourself every darned book in the series.
No. Seriously. Do it.
Discworld is easily one of my top-five book series ever, and for a good gosh-darned reason: Sir Terry Pratchett’s genius at storytelling was only rivaled by his genius at wit. The satirical humor of his books has had me cracking up more times than I could ever count, and so I naturally gravitated toward other avenues of connecting with this most beloved universe. Enter Discworld: Ankh-Morpork which, most sadly, is OOP now and rather difficult to find.
This is one game that I would happily shell out the $200 for simply because the design itself is drop-dead gorgeous. The artwork throughout the game is so totally and perfectly Discworld that it feels like it’s got a line straight to my imagination. But the fact that there will likely never be another run of this incredible game is a tough pill to swallow.
The game concentrates on the city of Ankh-Morpork where the city’s ruler, Lord Vetinari, has vanished. In his absence, the players take on the roles of the various factions vying for control. It’s a simple enough card-based game with rules that just about anyone can pick up in no time at all, so it’s just a matter of actually finding a copy and shelling out those hard-earned Morpork dollars to add it to the collection.
3 – Chaos in The Old World (2009)
Estimated market value: $200
Designer: Eric M. Lang
Artist: Tim Arney-O’Neil, Kevin Childress, Andrew Navaro, Brian Schomburg, WiL Springer
Publisher: Fantasy Flight Games
Chaos game players had three ways to reshape the world to suit their twisted visions as they vied for dominance as one of the four gods from the Realm of Chaos. Players could kill, infest, change, and seduce their way to victory, unleashing hoards of demons and defending against not just the machinations of their fellow chaos gods, but also against those mortal denizens of the old world intent on forever banishing them back to the Realm of Chaos.
Okay, so this made a lot of waves in its early days but it eventually fell out of favor and many of the mechanics that were experimented with in Chaos were perfected later in other games such as Blood Rage. All that said, it’s still worth playing, but if a good playing experience is all you’re looking for there are other options around. No, what you want this game for is collecting purposes.
As a collectible, Chaos is not an impossible find, but getting a good quality copy (that isn’t in German) can be.
4 – Dark Tower (1981)
Estimated market value: $450
Designer: Roger Burten, Alan Coleman, Vincent A. A. J. Erato
Artist: Bob Pepper
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Easily one of the most delightfully ’80s games imaginable, Dark Tower combined “cutting edge” computer technology and a really nifty game design to provide players with a superb adventuring experience. Taking on the role of a knight, players led groups of warriors on an attack against the evil Dark Tower, moving and gathering gold, hiring troops, finding special items, and recruiting special characters along the way (while also encountering random events and enemy troops).
The Dark Tower itself sat in the middle of the game board and, via a digital number screen and several rotating slides, created the gaming experience. Players would push different button combinations on the tower to program the different moves they were making and to see what they would encounter along the way. There were a whole host of possible outcomes, each of which was accompanied by a uniquely ’80s special effect.
The game is one of those clear classics that just cannot be underestimated. Not only fun but innovative, combining early simple computing effects with an excellent aesthetic design. It’s a blast to play (luckily, you can find emulators that recreate the various conditions of the game without actually owning the original tower itself). As expected of something this unique and also fun, it’s extremely rare, with complete copies (opened and used, mind) going for nearly $500.
5 – Fireball Island (1986)
Estimated market value: $250
Designer: Chuck Kennedy, Bruce Lund
Artist: N/A
Publisher: Milton Bradley
I had a copy of this as a kid and by golly, I wish I’d held onto it. Alas, one move too many occurred and it vanished into the nether world (and probably the private collection of some overjoyed collector).
For such a simple game, Fireball Island was a massive amount of fun. The premise of reaching the top of the island, grabbing the ruby, and getting away to your waiting escape boat felt like being literally inside an Indiana Jones film.
Comprised of an awesome and massive 3D board game, where the outcome of the game got decided by the actual spewing of lava-centered fireballs! Or, well, red marbles anyway. Players worked their way up the sides of a 3D island map, ducking into caves, searching for shortcuts, and hoping not to have their explorer figurine dashed asunder by the sudden and unexpected release of one of the marbles from Vul-Kar’s maw.
There is a 2018 re-release of this game that’s apparently a blast to play, so anyone who’s excited by this doesn’t have to miss out. But if you have an old copy hanging around, especially one that still has all its parts, be aware that you’re holding one heck of a sought-after gem (and we’re not talking about Vul-Kar’s jewel).
6 – Trafalgar (1973)
Estimated market value: $200
Designer: Tom Waterman
Artist: Auguste Étienne François Mayer
Publisher: Action Games and Toys Ltd
An action war games classic, Trafalgar features exciting naval combat with a huge range (ha!) of tactical maneuvering that can take place between the opposing fleets that fought in the actual battle of Trafalgar in 1805. You could do everything with this game, including simulate hits to your ship’s masts by removing the functional mast from the ship model!
There are newer editions, and prettier editions, than the original, so there’s no reason why modern players who find themselves interested in this can’t go out and get some great naval combat on, but for the collector, this is the one to grab. Of course, it’s in notoriously short supply. It’s not in as high demand as some other collectible games, so it might be possible to find a copy under $100, but usually, the price hangs out at around double that (assuming a copy is available at all).
7 – Capes & Cowls: The Superhero Board Game (2006)
Estimated market value: $230
Designer: Robin Spriggs
Artist: Kelly O’Neal, Robin Spriggs
Publisher: Wyrd House
Robin Spriggs is a fascinating guy, an actor and writer of horror-themed short fiction, and Kelly O’Neal, also an actor did some amazing work on this game. The design of the game is superb, providing a silver-age comic feel. This was an indie game but the design and production quality were extraordinarily high-quality, and the game features an entire mythos and in-game world experience. The scenarios and rulebook are both designed like comics, and the characters themselves all feel extremely unique.
Gameplay-wise, Capes & Cowls concentrates on tactical combat, doing away with much of the random factor often inherent in such games by highlighting the importance of placement on the game board. Different squares on the board provide different bonuses representing terrain differences, there are line-of-sight rules, and the various special abilities that the super-powered characters have creates dramatically unique play experiences.
8 – Star Wars: The Queen’s Gambit (2000)
Estimated market value: $600
Designer: Rob Daviau, Alan Roach, Craig Van Ness
Artist: Clark Mitchell (I)
Publisher: Avalon Hill Games, Inc., Hasbro
Whether you like or hate The Phantom Menace there were some undoubtedly epic scenes in that film, like the final chapter featuring the huge battles in space and on land, and the epic final light-saber battle between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul (some great choreography there). And that’s the part of the film that The Queen’s Gambit attempts to recreate. The goal for the light-side folks is to capture the Viceroys, destroy all the battle droids, and kill Maul.
But to understand this game you really have to see how massive it is — it even recreates the palace of Theed in an epic three-story construct. With over a hundred and fifty plastic miniature, this game is not kidding around about giving you an epic Star Wars battle experience.
Artist: Charles Kibler, George I. Parrish, Jr., Regina De Simone
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
Twenty-five years ago an absolutely brilliant little space game called Merchant of Venus, an epic space economy control game where players compete as space traders for total economic superiority in the galaxy by delivering cargo and discovering new worlds open to trade.
The basic move mechanic is pretty simple, but the complication comes from which items can be traded and purchased in different systems and what sort of upgrades can be made to the player’s ship. It reminds me a bit of the Firefly board game in this regard, actually, though the mechanics in Merchant of Venus are more complex.
Now, there was a 2012 2nd edition that featured almost an identical system of play, and I would love to be able to send excited players off to buy it… but, sadly, it too appears to be OOP, and nearly as expensive as the original in the few places I could find online. I guess this one really has become a permanent collector’s item!
10 – Advanced Civilization (1991)
Estimated market value: $300
Designer: Lauren Banerd, Jim Eliason, Jeff Groteboer, Bruce Harper
Artist: Rodger B. MacGowan
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
An expansion for the original 1980 game Civilization, Advanced Civilizations provides players of the original game with a large number of enhancements for furthering play, like expanding the technology tree and a few convenient rule changes including some major alterations to victory conditions.
The whole point of the Civilization game is to develop an ancient culture from around 8000 B.C.E. to the middle of the 3rd century B.C.E., vying with other players to carve out a permanent niche for your unique ancient world culture. Still considered one of the best games of this type, the base game is actually still pretty easy to find at cheap prices and mostly intact. The expansion, however, of Advanced Civilization is a very different matter with the limited-run making this a very difficult and expensive game to find.
11 – Dune (1979)
Estimated market value: $200
Designer: Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Peter Olotka
Artist: Jean Baer, Linda Bound, Fabrice Lamy, Mick Uhl
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co.
So this is a bit like the great grandfather of the strategy game world. It is EPIC, and I really do mean that, but it’s also utterly unforgiving and incredibly intense. Players take control of one of the Great Houses of the Dune universe and attempt to exploit the heck out of Arrakis, with the Emperor presiding over everything but only gaining power from the acquiescence of the whole… I mean, there are just so many delightful and potent mechanics at work, building up a massively complex political network and an intense military mechanic where a military campaign can be made or broken by a sandstorm.
But this one is a bit of a doozy because, due to the forthcoming Dune film franchise reboot, there’s a whole new release of the game. That makes it great for people who want to just play it and have a great time, but really, really lousy for people who want to try and sift through to find a collectible copy (especially if you’re newer at the collecting game, or aren’t interesting in collecting for its own sake but just really want some collectible Dune memorabilia).
12 – Titan (1980)
Estimated market value: $150-$900
Designer: Jason B. McAllister, David A. Trampier
Artist: Mike Doyle (I), Kurt Miller, Kenn Nishiuye, David A. Trampier, Chris White (I)
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
Titan is an absolute treat and happens to be such a great game, with so much dynamic range in the tactical approaches possible, that it maintains a dedicated player base even today, over forty years after its release.
More of a wargame than a fantasy adventuring game, Titan is all about… Titans. Players control a mythical Titan, recruit armies, and send those armies into battle against other players and their Titan avatars. The last Titan left standing (and, boy, are they hard to kill), is the winner.
There are a bunch of elements to Titan that I really love, like how players who have fewer points than others can win — because it’s last Titan standing rather than a score-based victory condition. The way the game is played, too, spread between two different map types (the master board and the battle boards) is excellent, and the battle boards vary depending on the location a fight begins on the master board, creating some great tactical range.
There was actually a re-release of the game by Valley Games in 2008, but it is now also an OOP collectible. Expect versions of the 1980 version to go from anywhere between $400-$900 depending on condition, while the 2008 version can be found in okay condition to MIB for $100-$250. Anyone who wants to play the game for fun and owns an iPad, however, can grab Titan from the iPad app store.
Artist: Mike Atkinson, Jared Blando, Charles Kibler, James Talbot, Mark Zug
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
Take on the role of the villains of capitalist America’s 1800s in 1830, where the goal is to amass the greatest fortune by buying and selling the stocks of 19th-century companies in the Eastern United States. Maximize profits through private railways and vie for the greatest hoard while risking bankruptcy every step of the way.
An important entrant in the 18XX series of games, Railways & Robber Barons is still one of the most beloved games from the line, made especially interesting for its chanceless mechanics which, like with a game of chess, offers the same outcome for any move during any game — meaning that playing the same moves across different games will result in the same outcomes.
There have been a few different editions of this game, all of which now appear to be OOP, and all of which are worth a fair penny — depending on condition and edition.
14 – Up Front (1983)
Estimated market value: $200
Designer: Courtney F. Allen
Artist: Charles Kibler, Rodger B. MacGowan
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
One of the most famous and playable wargames around, Up Front offered an innovative card-based gaming mechanic that completely eschewed the use of a game mat in favor of “terrain cards” which provided the sense of being in the world, and “range chits” which did an incredible job of creative relative ranges between opposing sides without a single hexagon in sight.
I’m not often a fan of straight-up wargames on the tabletop, largely because of the massive amount of set-up time they can take and the relatively slow rate of play. Board games with wargame components, sure, but I’m more likely to go for Twilight Imperium than I am some of the others (TI being a game where trying to go the full military route isn’t likely to end well).
But Up Front changed all of that. The card system is ingenious, allowing set-up and play to take place in about the space of a lunch hour, but with campaigns and scenarios that can extend gameplay out to as much as a week. There’s even an international league of Up Front players that hold tournaments.
There have been a few different editions, but the Avalon Hill Game Co edition from 1983 will run a collector anywhere from $150-$250 depending on the condition.
15 – Here I Stand (2006)
Estimated market value: $100
Designer: Ed Beach
Artist: Rodger B. MacGowan, Mark Simonitch
Publisher: GMT Games
The game designers went out of their way on this one to create a system that could capture all the political intrigue and backstabbing machinations of the 16th century during the period of the Protestant Reformation… and they did a really fine job.
A point-to-point game, Here I Stand utilizes point values on cards to undertake actions, and various events provide a sense of narrative progression through the time period. It’s complex enough to give even hard-core players a run for their money, but the underlying mechanic is simple enough to allow for deep and engaging play once that initial learning curve has been overcome.
This is one of the games that integrate some classical wargame components with a truly detailed historical setting, placing diplomacy, finance, and political maneuvering just as high (if not higher) on the list than the ability to field troops.
There are a bunch of different editions floating around but the first edition of Here I Stand will look good on any collector’s shelf.
Princes of the Renaissance (2003)
Estimated market value: $75
Designer: Martin Wallace
Artist: Michael Christopher, Peter Dennis, Richard Hanuschek
Publisher: Warfrog Games, Mercury Games
The Renaissance provides a great thematic background for game designers, given its inherent elements of war, intrigue, and economic and political upheaval. Players in Princes of the Renaissance enter this world as one of several rival condottieres (leaders) who are fighting to control the most stakes in a number of Italian cities and dominate the world.
The game is heavily biased toward the auction mechanic, and both money and influence are used to bid for different outcomes in the game. This combines with the intrigue mechanics to make for some great elements of political maneuvering.
There have been a couple of re-releases since the game’s initial 2003 release, so it’s possible to pick up a copy to play for fun relatively easily, but copies of the first edition are absolutely a collector’s item now. The price is low enough on both editions to make this a great introductory purchase for a collector just looking to start out.
17 – Robert the Bruce (1978)
Estimated market value: $150
Designer: Kenneth Clark
Artist: N/A
Publisher: Fusilier Games
A hex-grid-based wargame, Robert the Bruce is thematically centered in the late middle ages during the Scots Wars of Independence. A seriously classic game that drove straight at its battle-mechanics point, Robert the Bruce offered straightforward rules, quick and deadly combat, and some neat extras along for the ride like “The Fuzileer” an in-box accompanying magazine that provided additional historical information on the period.
It’s not easy to find copies of this little beauty around anymore, and there is no information on how many were produced in the first place. That said, used and even unpunched copies do emerge from time to time, always drifting back and forth between collectors (or at estate sales).
There are better wargames to play from modern designers that feature the same theme, so go elsewhere if you’re looking just for gameplay, but if you love the historical material or are a true collector then this is a good find.
18 – The Longest Day (1979)
Estimated market value: $$200-$400
Designer: Randall C. Reed
Artist: Rodger B. MacGowan, Randall C. Reed
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
Here is another war game for our list, and an absolutely massive one at that. The Longest Day depicts the first three months of the invasion of Normandy and provides two modes of play: a set of scenarios that are partially intended as primers to the rules and gameplay, and a campaign mode that can literally take months to play.
This is probably one of the largest games and most complex games ever produced by Avalon Hill, and it did a great job of capturing the total feel of the Normandy invasion and the slog that the allies had to grind through. It’s not the rarest of games, but copies in high condition can fetch a really solid price. However, considering that it has over 2,600 game pieces, finding a copy in good condition is probably not the easiest thing.
Risk is one of the first games I played seriously as a kid and easily one of my favorites to this day, providing players with an immensely satisfying strategic war game experience simplified down to the bare basics. I remember being so totally addicted to this one that I’m certain I annoyed the heck out of all my friends with repeated arguments for spending the whole day playing it (while they were more interested in playing Battlefront II).
The game itself didn’t change for this one: the 40th edition of Risk is simply a special collector’s edition release, made intentionally in limited number and accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. You could certainly play with one of these sets, and considering the incredible quality of the redrawn board and the die-cast minis, it would be easy to want to, but for the price of just one of these you could probably buy ten copies of a more basic version.
20 – Case Blue (2007)
Estimated market value: $600
Designer: Dean Essig
Artist: Nicolás Eskubi, Dean Essig
Publisher: The Gamers, Multi-Man Publishing
Wargamers tend to think of this one as one of the big blockbusters of the genre, with enough complexity to be considered almost a simulation game more than a wargame. The content here is seriously massive and the basic rules are… well… complex and equally as massive as the game itself. We’re talking a combined rule book of over 60 pages, over a hundred pages of scenario booklets, and well over 3,000 counters.
The sort of game that gets set up in the basement (I mean… “command center”) and can last players many months, Case Blue takes the Nazi invasion of Russia to a whole new level of intricacy, allowing players to simulate the strategic level of the historical events to an unprecedented degree.
You can find copies of this game floating around, sure, but it was already expensive when released. Grabbing a full copy for anything less than $500 is a total miracle.
21 – Age of Renaissance (1996)
Estimated market value: $100
Designer: Don Greenwood, Jared Scarborough
Artist: Stephen Langmead, Kurt Miller
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co, Descartes Editeur
Age of Renaissance follows the same compelling concept as the Civilization game, with lots of trading, research, and territory control. Players encounter events, leaders, and various reward cards in a deck of cards, and the order of draw determines a massive amount of how the game plays.
One of the main reasons why the game likely never took off in the more mainstream range of play is due to the tracking complexity of the various component elements of gameplay. It’s not as easy a game to pick up and play as Civilization in other words, even if it does run off of some of the same themes.
Despite all that, it does have a dedicated following and there are certainly still plenty of playable copies in circulation. Copies that are in MIB condition, especially if still shrink-wrapped, can fetch a higher price, however, and it seems likely that picking one up now will lead to a real collector’s item in a couple of decades once fewer remaining copies are floating around.
22 – On to Richmond! (1998)
Estimated market value: $250
Designer: Joseph M. Balkoski, Ed Beach
Artist: Charles Kibler, Keith Rocco
Publisher: The Avalon Hill Game Co
An operational war game, On to Richmond! covers the 1862 Peninsular Campaign from the American Civil War. It’s the 6th in the Great Campaigns of the American Civil War series, each of which concentrates on a different important operation from the Civil War.
The game does try to simulate the historical conflict accurately, while still allowing players to make new decisions and tackle the scenarios in innovative ways. This is pretty common with war games, where players are often looking for simulation-level material from real-world conflicts, but the Great Campaigns series overall does a good job of it.
It’s very possible to still find copies of this game that run only around $150, so it’s worthwhile even just for players who are looking for something from the era to play. But it’s also drifting into solid collectibles territory now as well.
23 – Operation Typhoon: The German Assault on Moscow, 1941 (1978)
Yet another war game, this time one simulating a specific action from WWII — the Nazi attempt to take Moscow in 1941. There’s a lot of game to unpack here, and it’s rightly considered a “monster” game due to its sheer physical size, and it also happens to be the first game using this system to include variable unit strength based on size, moral, and fog of war.
This one never seemed to make it into the high-demand arena of some of the other war games from the late 1970s, but that makes it a good buy for collectors who love war games, or for anyone who really just wants to play a war game using this system since relatively intact copies aren’t liable to run out the wallet.
Do note that there’s a 2009 game of the same name floating around as well, and that one is absolutely not the same game (though it’s also OOP, so maybe not a bad purchase either).
A monster wargame, War in Europe is now firmly in the realm of collectibles, unlike a fair few other similar games. This is partly because updated versions exist (many of which are themselves collectibles) and that other games concentrating on the same time period and concept have been designed. Still, this one could absorb players for days at a time as they dived deep into the initial conflict of the Second World War.
Finding the game in really good condition will run a collector around $200, with a mostly unheard of MIB copy possibly going for double that.
25 – Union Pacific (1999)
Estimated market value: $50
Designer: Alan R. Moon
Artist: Franz Vohwinkel
Publisher: AMIGO
I like trains and I’ve written a bit before about why trains are so cool, it’s likely not a surprise to anyone who reads my work that I’m also a fan of a board game centered on trains. There’s also a reason why the later version of this game (which ran essentially the same rules and re-implemented the theme as airlines did little to arouse my attention).
Union Pacific is a very simple money collection game, where players attempt to increase stock market shares in their train company and the winner is the one with the most money at the end of the game.
Decidedly OOP but with plenty of copies still floating around, UP is a great game for someone who likes train-related games and wants to find a copy to play, or for the discerning collector with an eye toward the future when fewer of these little gems are still intact and on the market.
26 – Abtei der wandernden Bücher (1993)
Estimated market value: $1000-$2000
Designer: Thomas Fackler
Artist: Thomas Fackler
Publisher: Thomas Fackler
What a game, boy-howdy! Not an ordinary game by any means, Abtei der wandernden Bücher is a work of brilliant art, designed and personally created by the German visual artist Thomas Fackler. The premise of the game, where the abbot of a monastery hides the pieces of a word throughout many books, and the other players (the monks) have to hunt down the books and figure out the complete word. If they can’t, the player playing the abbot wins the game.
I love the idea of a word game married with a logistics enterprise. The books the players need to read can be blocked by the abbot, or only accessed at specific points in the game day, and there are additional elements that further complicate the game. This is one I’d personally love to own since the art is absolutely incredible, but auctions for it are very rare and the price is no poor man’s entry.
27 – HeroQuest (1989)
Estimated market value: $100-$800
Designer: Stephen Baker
Artist: Gary Chalk, Max Dunbar, Les Edwards
Publisher: Games Workshop Ltd., Milton Bradley
This has to be one of the most elementally classic board games around, taking the Dungeons and Dragons experience and implementing it on the board in a delightfully iconic and fun way. I love RPG games and games that are heavily themed, so this one is an absolute favorite of mine. I also contend that it remains highly playable despite all the modern alternatives, and since I’m also a sucker for nostalgia I think this wins out on some of its more modern and complex inheritors.
Now, this is a good example of a collectible game that can confuse early collectors, largely because there are so many different expansions and the difference between an open and used copy and one that’s MIB is pretty huge in terms of price.
It’s absolutely possible to pick up a copy in relatively good condition with all the parts for around $100, maybe even cheaper if you’re thrifting. An NRFB copy will run somewhere around $250 from what I’ve seen, and a MIB copy could run for double that. Start adding the expansion in and the price will just keep climbing.
28 – Hotel Life (1989)
Estimated market value: $100
Designer: Urs Hostettler, Hermann Wieland
Artist: N/A
Publisher: Fata Morgana Spiele, Schweizer Hotelier-Verein
Hotel Life has become something of a cult game among collectors. It’s a funny game, a surprising game, and a well-crafted game, though, so it makes sense that it would endear itself to players.
In the game, players take on the operation of different hotels, trying to sate the needs of their guests while dealing with increasingly complex interrelationships between those guests and the ever-present danger of a war breaking out someplace and creating cause for the army to billet its troops in your hotel rooms. Players need to maintain amenities and guest satisfaction in several ways.
Wonderfully complex, Hotel Life is a series of extended chain reactions set off by the arrival of new guests and can be a bit of a long play, but it remains a very fun and surprising game as well with both a theme and a quality of gameplay that a really surprisingly wide range of player personality types are sure to enjoy.
29 – Big Boss (1994)
Estimated market value: $200
Designer: Wolfgang Kramer
Artist: Wolfgang Kramer, Franz Vohwinkel
Publisher: KOSMOS
A game of financial oneupmanship, Big Boss is all about investing and building – literally – a corporate dominion. One of the coolest aspects of the game is that, as a player invests more and more into their company, the skyline literally grows upward on the three-dimensional board, making the experience of winning a decidedly visceral one.
Big Boss is really easy to learn and play (players who aren’t as fast with maths as others can use a calculator when the deep game emerges), but the game also unfolds in a very similar way each play-through despite the limited randomization factors built in. Because of that and the fact that it’s hard to pick up a copy with all the pieces for a non-collector price, this one is pretty firmly in the collectibles-only category.
I have seen people do some pretty cool things though, like create their own boards and pieces, so if you’re really excited by the premise and have a 3D printer handy maybe Big Boss isn’t out of your reach.
30 – War of the Ring: Collector’s Edition (2010)
Estimated market value: $1,500
Designer: Roberto Di Meglio, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello
Artist: Paolo Ciurli, John Howe, Matteo Macchi, Fabio Maiorana, Bob Naismith
Publisher: Nexus Editrice
A different take on the classic wargame, War of the Ring offers players the opportunity to take part in the grand and sprawling battlefield challenges presented by the Lord of the Rings canon… and it does this very, very well. War of the Ring is probably one of the best-known fantasy wargames for a reason: it excels at recreating the strategic experience that every Lord of the Rings fan has imagined.
That said, the game itself can be picked up for around $100 and is still in print (and the $100 is pretty good considering the literally massive size of the game). Here we are considering the special Collector’s Edition of the game, which ups the presentation and quality of the game to a really lovely artistic level.
Really this just highlights how the artificial scarcity of something works: you don’t need this edition to have blast playing War of the Ring so it only makes sense to keep an eye out for this if you are a massive collector who just totally loves Lord of the Rings. Otherwise, go pick it up from your local gaming store and make the store’s owner very happy with their daily sales goals.
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The 30 Best Card Games of All Time
Old classics and new giants collide in this list of 30 of the best card games!
I grew up playing games like Cribbage with my dad. Despite a dive into D&D in his 20s, he never really went deep with the variety of board games that would eventually become such a passion for me, but his love of the classics was strong. My Mom, too, loved card games, and I have
There are thousands of games on Steam at any moment! In 2020 alone, over 10,000 new games were released on Steam, which got us wondering what the worst of the worst are. So we dived into the extremely long list of every game on Steam to find which games people hated the most.
We learned a few things in this tedious and math filled journey. First, a lot of simulation games seem to be made solely for the cash grab, regardless how well they’re made. Secondly, publishers and developers of bad games, just can’t help but keep making bad games. As you’ll notice in this list, there are quite a few developers and publishers who’ve released low quality games. Which begs the question: do they care more about developing games or making quick money?
And finally, the games that are listed here as the worst were also games that people were looking forward to. Which had us hopeful, because players aren’t just review bombing as a trend, they genuinely were excited about a game’s release. But it also had us disappointed at how the developer or publisher just didn’t live up to their promises before a game’s release.
How subjective is a Steam rating?
We’d be remiss if we didn’t comment on the internet phenomenon that is “review bombing”. Some games have such a bad release that users bombard Steam with negative reviews. A most recent example would be Battlefield 2042. However, as with every form of digital media, the reviews can change or improve over time. So while our scoring is objective to the numbers, and not our opinions, the numbers themselves could still be subject to the majority opinions of the internet subculture.
How did we rank by Steam rating?
The steam rating used data directly from Steam’s website and their own listing of every game available, sorted by user reviews. We used two inputs: the number of positive reviews and the total number of reviews. In a basic math formula, we calculate the percentage of a positive Steam rating: positive reviews ÷ total reviews X 100.
The games were then ordered based on the number of reviews in total. For example, two games may have zero positive reviews, yet the one with the most total reviews would be considered “worse” since there was more community engagement.
Table of Contents
30 – Nuclear Power Station Creator
Tap by Tap
Another poor release by Tap by Tap! Nuclear Power Station Creator is a strategy game focused on developing and improving a nuclear power plant. Very quickly into starting the game, players can no longer progress, with little to no tutorial on how to actually play.
There are much better sports strategy games than Front Page Sports Football. Not only are some game rules just wrong, but it lacks customization, quality graphics of any kind, and next to none tutorial. As one review wrote, “The only reason I still own this is because Steam refunds didn’t exist back then.”
Considering how poor this game rates, you’d think it’d be one of its kind. You’d be wrong! The Secret Files is one of five Art of Murder games made by City Interactive S.A. Players struggled to get through this game mainly because of how poor the gameplay mechanics were. There is no real story to the game, seeming to be more like a bunch of puzzles put together without voice acting. There are much better titles than this in the hidden object genre.
The hand drawn art makes this platformer seem like it’d be finished and enjoyable. To the contrary, Eternity’s Child has bad control mechanics and levels that seemed to not have been playtested. The game’s ending is satisfying, leaving things open-ended with no conclusion in sight since it’s been abandoned by developers.
Cyber Team Manager is an esports team simulator. We’d say consider it a discount version of other (better) games of its kind, but that’d be generous. For $5 you can own a game that isn’t close to completion, has no tutorial, or even sound options. Even the developer stated this on the Steam page, “Don’t recommend to buy the game in current stance. Buy only if you want to support the dev process.”
The most interesting thing about Jurassic Island: The Dinosaur Zoo is the reviews. One review says, “This game makes me want to jump off a burning building into a lake filled with radioactive alligators with buzz saws for teeth.” There’s no explanation of game mechanics, money is lost too quickly, and overall it just doesn’t work.
What could have been a decent low-price horror game, turned into a constant reminder of early access game scams. The developer Narrow Monolith is seemingly known in the Steam community for creating a new game, remaking it, and repeating the cycle without supporting any of their games. With a broken saving menu and generally poor gameplay and plot, The Tower is not worth even the $0.99 price point.
Upon first glance, World Of Leaders reminds us of a Windows 95 PC game. However, it was released over a decade after the OS became obsolete. Ignoring the poor photo ratios, misspellings, and possibly copyrighted graphics, World of Leader has tons of lag, annoying AI assistant, and poor plot. Surprisingly, this resource management-type game required an online server in order to run, which is no longer available. However, the developer has continued to make similar games, though the price point is outrageous for the mediocre games they make.
Vigil is a puzzle RPG adventure that has a unique gothic horror style, but it doesn’t make up for the lack of gameplay and technical prowess. In order to even play the game, you have to first download the demo for it to register that you own a license for the full game. Once you get into the game, it’s filled with glitches, inconvenient camera angles, and cutscenes that refuse to play on more modern PCs.
While no longer available for sale, it’s still important to put on this list. Whether Patterns failed because of unattainable goals, or just because of poor developers, remains to be seen. IGN speculated that Patterns could be the new Minecraft, but just after release (or possibly before) the developers stopped supporting the game. At least they had the courtesy to remove the game from Steam rather than leaving it up for profit only.
NEW LIFE is a multiplayer simulation game where players can take on any role they want to make money and survive. It’s fraught with glitches and just generally feels like an unfinished game. Most reviews say that the game has big potential, but the developers just seemed to have released too soon and have little intention of improving upon it.
For simulation lovers, Pro Gamer Manager 2 would normally fulfill the niche. However, it fell flat when it comes to actually being a game. Filled with bugs, it seems almost pointless in trying to even progress in the game.
Price
$19.99
Release Date
Oct 5, 2017
Developer
Millenway
Publisher
Millenway
18 – Professional Farmer 2017
United Independent Entertainment GmbH
Professional Farmer 2017 has one thing that modern gamers don’t want to deal with: loading screens. With minimal things to actually do in the game, adding in loading screens for each area only makes players more frustrated. The UI is difficult for players to grasp, not to mention if they even manage to play the game, considering how frequently it lags and crashes.
Rather than debate the reasoning as to why sports management games do so poorly, we’ll just tell you not to buy World Basketball Tycoon. The UI is unintuitive, causing players to become frustrated with having to constantly switch to a different window. Many reviews claim that the game feels more like an idler because of how much they have to wait around for progress.
As the name implies, Age of Survival is about surviving while stranded on an island. The developers have openly admitted that the game was forced out and unplayable. Which is backed up by the many reviews that mention bugs, glitches, and poor quality.
In theory, a ship driving simulation game sounds cool and relaxing. World Ship Simulator is anything but. While the graphics are barely passable on the ocean, don’t even bother trying to enter the harbor building. The game becomes unplayable and slows to a crawl, unfixable by changing any of the graphical settings. This is the tip of the Titanic sized iceberg of issues with this game.
Race To Mars did so poorly upon early release that the developers have all but scrapped the name from their history of development. In fact, if you follow the red string of this game you’ll see that developer INTERMARUM essentially reskinned the game under another name while the publisher, One More Level, has abandoned it.
Historical Farming is a farming simulator with a very specific time niche: 1950 to 1970. There was an attempt on the developer’s part to make a game, however, players struggled with even starting the game without a crash. Overall, we found that the reviews were more enjoyable than the actual game.
Ah, yes…our old friends United Independent Entertainment GmbH! In their long line of simulation games, Towtruck Simulator 2015 fits in perfectly. Much as how we all should be towards UIEG games, this simulator just refuses. What does it refuse? Everything! Players will get stuck with a car on their truck that the game doesn’t register it. Sometimes physics will reject logic and your truck will suddenly flip upside down! Overall, don’t both putting money towards a publisher that doesn’t want to make a game people enjoy, they’re just here for the profit.
Much like one of its in-game contracts, Construction Machines 2014 is missing a lot. Poor optimization results in no control options, jerky handling, and sometimes screen hard locks. Also, forget about being able to navigate properly due to the terrible cameras.
A medieval RTS, Citadels copies what other real time strategy games do, but fails to implement them properly. There’s really no thought needed when playing, as spamming the basic military unit down will get the trick down in battle. The main campaign is unfinished, and the whole game is filled with bugs or flaws.
This construction simulator game promises a lot and fails to fulfill any of it. There’s very little going for Skyscraper Simulator in both content and quality. As Steam reviewer Petrus Romanus states, this game is “shallower than the Instagram feed of a self-described ‘influencer’.”
We’ll preface this by telling you to just go play the mobile version of Godus Wars. The biggest issue with this god simulator, is that they didn’t succeed in carrying over the touch mechanics of the mobile game onto PC. While it should be a relaxing simulation game, instead players are frustrated by crashes, lag, and general poor gameplay.
A game about making games that just made us sigh deeply. Not only is the game unresponsive, but it somehow causes PCs to lock up and users had to restart their computers. If they were able to play the game (or work their computer), players had to suffer through inefficient menus and locations. Rather than spend your money on Game Tycoon 1.5, check out a superior version like Game Dev Tycoon.
A remake of the original XIII developed in 2003 by Ubisoft, this version has better graphics but worse gameplay. Audio cuts in and out, characters glitched around, and general unpredictable controls. The story and graphics of the game can’t make up for the cons in this case. Our recommendation is to just buy and play [the original game for only $5.99](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170760/XIII__Classic/.
As on brand with UIEG’s published games, Airport Simulator 2014 isn’t worth the time and money. With no tutorial, repetitive gameplay with no payoff, and a lot of waiting around, you’d probably find more fun in an actual airport.
Perhaps the saddest part about Kinetic Void is its untapped potential. The mission system doesn’t work, everything feels unfinished, and trade and inventory management is too complex. What could have been a great spaceship building game became an empty void of disappointment.
The third game in the racing franchise Flatout had players racing to refund the game. Flatout 3 is a mess of weird textures, screen resolution, and non-responsive gameplay. Perhaps the only thing going for it? Reviewer therealFloridaMan posted, “Still better than Fast and Furious Crossroads.”
Spacebase DF-9 is a base building game set in space (obviously). We won’t go into much depth with a description, since the developers decided not to do that with their own game. While many fans of the base-building genre could learn to somewhat enjoy this game, most would rather play a game with better mechanics and storyline.
When you see a game published by Konami, you expect a decent and playable experience. However, eFootball 2022 doesn’t fulfill those expectations. Players found this simulator to be slow, glitchy, and just unenjoyable for PC players. While the graphics look as good as FIFA, it just doesn’t score as well. Which is a shame, since they had a chance to make a better and free competitor to the FIFA franchise.
Along with a golden apple, the potion of regeneration can be invaluable while playing Bed Wars or just exploring caves. A potion of regeneration does as its name implies, it restores health by one half-heart every 1.2 to 2.5 seconds. Here’s an easy guide to brewing a potion of regeneration in Minecraft! 1 – Craft a Glass Bottle
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words.
With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
The variety of Minecraft blocks and ways to build with them is incredibly vast. As an avid Minecraft player, I’ve recently become obsessed with Fabric mods that add new blocks or items to the base game.
This guide will go through mods available for Minecraft Fabric that either improve or add new items and blocks to the game. This can be anything from decorations to storage to creating custom blocks. There are mods for nearly any aesthetic or style, so whether you’re hosting a survival multiplayer server or playing alone, you’ll find something below for any type of Minecraft player!
Inspired by Quark, Charm is a lightweight mod that adds some much-needed fixes and blocks to the game. There are wood variants for bookshelves, barrels, chests, and boats. It also adds some tweaks like campfires no longer damaging mobs, editable signs, and various new recipes.
This delightful mod adds in various furniture and decoration blocks like chairs, sofas, drawers, and even kitchen counters! Adorn is also compatible with biome mods and includes their block variants.
This mod aims to make exploration more rewarding by adding a variety of powerful items which cannot be crafted. While some look silly, they each hold a purpose and unique effect for the player. Artifacts also adds a mimic mob, which spawn underground and look just like chests and drop artifacts when killed. Personally, I think they’re one of the scariest mobs I’ve encountered in a modded world.
This is another fantastic building blocks mod for servers. Block Diversity adds 16 new colors to go with a handful of new block types. Some examples are plates, quarter slabs, pillars, carpeted stairs, and switches!
If you’re hosting a PVP server or competition, Gate of Babylon mod is perfect. It adds not only new armor and weapons, but also tools! A few new items to expect are yo-yos, spears, boomerangs, and broadswords!
Glass blocks are one of the most used blocks in Minecraft, however, they do lack variation. The Mo Glass mod adds slabs and stairs made of clear and stained-glass! It also has working transparency, meaning when you look through one block, you can see an unobstructed view through another.
Mo’ Colors mod adds a painter tool which players can then use to paint any wool, glass, concrete, slime, or bricks with a hex color code! Even slabs and stairs can be painted!
This mod upgrades chests with vanilla Minecraft metals to add more storage. Expanded Storage a must need for servers with many resources to gather, and even allows for chests to connect vertically or horizontally!
This mod expands the base game paintings with some custom-made pixel art just for Dark Paintings! They’re obtained the same way as standard paintings, so it’s a nice lightweight mod for servers.
More Paintings! mod is another that adds new paintings to Minecraft. They’re a variety of styles and sizes, while still maintaining a light load on game performance.
Blockus is a mod that adds a variety of new blocks to the game. Some naturally generate, while others require a stone cutter to acquire. Some examples are beveled glass, patterned wool, small hedges, and even rainbow blocks!
This is a themed mod that adds camping blocks and items into the game. It includes lawn chairs, sleeping bags, tents, and even howling wolves! Keep in mind that this mod is not compatible with Sodium or OptiFine!
This is a Fabric version of the original Chisel mod which adds custom blocks! It adds a variety of decorative blocks using one tool, an iron chisel. Instead of having to come up with a block design yourself, it has premade block variations.
For those tired of the same elytra as everyone else, Winged is the mod for you. It adds over 60 wings for players to craft and wear. Keep in mind that once on, they don’t come off easily and even stay on after death.
Glassential adds some much-needed variety of glass blocks to the game. Some give off light, others aren’t solid to mobs, while emit a redstone signal. It’s a handy mod to add into a server with endless possibilities.
This is a lightweight mod that adds additional variations for purpur and end stone blocks. Addendum is a simple mod that fills a missing hole in the End’s void.
Add some individuality to elytra with the Customizable Elytra mod. This makes elytra dyable just as leather items, and you can even add banners to them to make them really stand out!
If you’re tired of the limitations of vanilla metal bars, Additional Bars is a great mod to add to a server or modpack. It has various vertical and horizontal bars in a variety of metals, styles, and woods.
Players can find collectible hats in dungeon chests throughout the world with the Give Me Hats! mod. There are over 20 hats available, most of which have unique abilities.
Whether you’re building a modern city or just don’t have the space for stairs, this elevator block is a perfect addition. There are two different types of blocks that have different teleport distances by default, which can be changed in the configuration file or in Mod Menu.
Iron Furnaces is a great quality of life improvement for servers. It adds nine upgrades for standard furnaces with vanilla metals and ores to increase smelting speeds.
If you’d like to keep a server close to vanilla, then at least consider adding Vanilla Hammers. It adds, as you can assume, hammers using vanilla materials that mine out a 3×3 area. It’s incredibly useful for strip mining and has more durability than a pickaxe.
If your server is filled with PVP or competitions, this mod makes a great addition. Trap Expansion adds various blocks and tools to trap and kill your targets including spike traps, slippery stone, and fans.
The longer you play Minecraft, the more you realize that early-game tools just won’t cut it. Exploring the enchantment feature of Minecraft can be exciting, but also intimidating. Rather than worry about researching enchantments, below are the best enchantments in Minecraft! To learn how to enchant items, check out this guide! In this guide, you’ll see
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words. With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
Chances are, if you’re reading this, then you’ve played Minecraft long enough to realize that there are some features that are lacking from the vanilla game. This guide will go through quality of life mods available for Minecraft Forge that either improve or add new features and tweaks. They each will make gameplay smoother and more enjoyable! So whether you’re hosting a survival multiplayer server or you’re playing alone, you’ll find something below for any type of Minecraft player!
Note that the game versions available may change since the time of publishing. Most photos were taken using BSL Shaders and Optifine in 1.16.5.
Depending on what type of server you have, chances are there will be a handful of mods that come with in-game books, also known as documentation. Akashic Tome provides a one-stop shop for all documentation by transforming itself into the mod book you select. This will help players who like to explore different mods without having to leave the game!
The quintessential tool for a modded server. Not only does it display a directory of items in the world, it also shows how to craft those items. You can search by item or mod name (or both together), plus you can exclude search terms!
The downside to having mods on a server is the key binds. Save yourself and your players the time and use Controlling which adds a search bar for key binds and allows you to find conflicting key.
While JEI is fantastic, it does lack the ability to show where dropped items come from. That’s where Just Enough Resources (JER) comes into play. It will show you where to find dropped items from entities like plants, mobs, dungeons, and even ore generation!
The All Stone to Tools mod solves that pesky problem when you’re stuck with random blocks of stone, but need to make a pickaxe. Worry no longer, as this mod enables all types of stone blocks to be able to be used to make a pickaxe (and it gives a use to avoid having stacks of unused stone in your inventory). The mod developer also has created similar handy mods as well!
This mod is very non-intrusive compared to others. It doesn’t change anything visible to players, but it does make changes for things otherwise hard-coded into Minecraft. Patches include higher connection read timeout, changing the maximum player speeds, boat buoyancy, and allows mobs to cross rails.
If you’ve tired of the same sounds of Minecraft, get ready for a complete overhaul with Dynamic Surroundings. This mod alters the player’s visual and audible experience in the Minecraft world. It adds ambient sounds that changes not only the player’s surroundings, but even changes based on what block the player walks on. Wood creaks, water sloshes, and animal sounds vary based on the time of day. Plus, it is completely configurable inside the game, so players can customize how they want to hear the world.
For those readers who know Minecraft mods well, you might be questioning why I’m choosing to list Jade over its alternatives HWYLA or Waila. That’s because Jade takes all the solutions of its predecessors and puts it into one mod. Jade shows in game tooltips such as breaking progress, horse stats, entity growth, and accurate mod names!
Toast Control helps get rid of intrusive popups in the top corner of the screen. You can customize what toasts are disabled and how they look, but it makes for a more enjoyable experience for players.
This mod is perfect for those of us who aren’t familiar with enchantments. Enchantment Descriptions enables players to see a description of any enchanted book. Pair it with JEI to enable players to see any enchantment description they want!
The Cosmetic Armor Reworked mod enables players to have more than one set of armor on. One set is for functional use while the other is purely cosmetic. It also allows you to hide your armor while still maintaining their effects.
KleeSlabs fixes a common problem when building with slabs by enabling players to break only half of a double slab. While it works with all vanilla slabs, it also integrates with many other mods that adds slabs.
The Polymorph mod is absolutely essential for a modded server. With multiple mods, there’s a higher chance of duplicate items, so Polymorph adds a UI button that lets you pick which recipe you’d like to craft from. It applies to crafting and smelting, and you can even run a command that will list out all the conflicting recipes.
Mouse Tweaks is a simple mod that improves and tweaks the mouse capabilities in Minecraft. The right mouse button allows you to drag and add items multiple times in a slot, the left mouse button lets you drag and pick up multiple of the same type of item or block, and there’s a few more tweaks to make gameplay easier!
When you add mods with new armor, you need a mod to also customize the armor bar in the player HUD. Overloaded Armor Bar mod allows armor values over 20 to be displayed, and you can customize the coloring in the configuration file.
The annoying part about having elytra in the vanilla game is that it takes up your chestplate slot. With this mod, however, that problem disappears! This adds a back slot to the player inventory just for the elytra to be placed!
This is a necessary mod for servers. It allows for the middle mouse button to sort inventory with one click, plus it auto refills blocks to your hand from your inventory. It’s a small mod that makes playing the game much more enjoyable!
Another mod that adds a much-needed feature to Minecraft! Torch Slabs Mod lets you place torches and lanterns on top and the side of slabs and stair blocks. You can also place lanterns on the side of fences and regular solid blocks! There are a couple other features as well, which makes this mod essential to server modpacks.
Curious Shulker Boxes makes players capable to carry a shulker box on a player’s back and connect with their inventory. They can even set a key bind to access the inventory directly!
22 – OptiForge
Featuring a biome from Oh The Biomes You’ll Go mod!
An essential mod for a server, OptiForge enables the use of Optifine for players. Without it, no one will be able to use shaders and have those beautiful screenshots to share!
This mod does just as the name implies. It blends together the biome blocks to make the world seem more connected, rather than chunks just put together. It has little effect on game performance, so don’t be afraid to add it to a server’s modpack!
One of the most annoying resources gathered in Minecraft is rotten flesh. You can’t do anything useful with it, but instead of tossing it out or letting it take up storage, add this handy mod! Using a furnace, smelt that rotten flesh into useful leather!
Seasoned Minecraft players usually have lava pits near their builds to discard items. This mod makes things a little less dangerous with various types of trash cans to get rid of liquids, items, and even energy. It’s a mod that just makes things a little more authentic and safe for those who had too many items.
The longer you play Minecraft, the more you realize that early-game tools just won’t cut it. Exploring the enchantment feature of Minecraft can be exciting, but also intimidating. Rather than worry about researching enchantments, below are the best enchantments in Minecraft! To learn how to enchant items, check out this guide! In this guide, you’ll see
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words. With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
Changing your Wi-Fi network name has never been easier. From web interfaces to mobile support, Verizon has prepared its users with many options for network security. This guide covers the network tools you need to change your Wi-Fi network name on your Verizon FiOS Router.
1 – Change Wi-Fi name via router (192.168.1.1)
To begin, open a browser window to access your FiOS router web interface. FiOS routers can typically be accessed using the following IP address: 192.168.1.1 For authentication help, visit our guide on how to log into a Verizon FiOS router.
How to Log into a Verizon FiOS Router
Log in to your FiOS router
Choose Wireless Settings
Select Basic Security Settings
Change the SSID to reflect your new desired Wi-Fi network name
Save the changes
Some routers have a different menu structure. Your web interface may not match the instructions above. If that’s the case, Verizon has a list of official FiOS routers on their website. Use this list to find your FiOS router manual for further instructions.
2 – Change Wi-Fi name via My FiOS app
Updating the Wi-Fi network name can be done through the My FiOS app. Users can download the mobile app and make critical changes to their network settings at the touch of a button.
Open the My Fios app
Select Internet
Choose your wireless network under My Networks
Select Edit
Set a new Wi-Fi network name
Save the changes
3 – Change Wi-Fi name via My Verizon
You can find a variety of tools within the My Verizon app to make changes to your FiOS network. To change the Wi-Fi network name, you will need to install the My Verizon app.
Log in to your My Verizon account
Select Internet
Choose your wireless network under My Networks
Select Manage
Set a new Wi-Fi network name
Save the changes
4 – Test the Wi-Fi network name change
Congratulations! You should be able to detect your FiOS Wi-Fi with the new network name. Testing is as easy as searching for a wireless network. If you’re unable to find your network under the new name, double-check the new information is entered correctly in both the router settings and wireless device.
For official support, visit the official documentation provided by Verizon on how to change your FiOS network name.
While you’re changing the network name, you may want to take a moment to change your Verizon FiOS WiFi Password, as well.NEXT UP
Call forwarding is the process of directing phone calls from one number to another. Verizon allows its customers to enable call forwarding at no additional charge. Your typical call rates will still apply. This process works for all Verizon customers regardless of your carrier—including Samsung, Apple, LG, Lenovo, and more. Note: International numbers can not
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words.
With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
If you’re a Charter WiFi user, you need to keep your network secure. Changing your WiFi password is a simple and effective way to add an additional layer of security to your network. This guide covers the best ways to manage your Charter Spectrum Network password.
1 – Change Wifi Password
You can change the Charter WiFi password using a browser. First, connect to the network. If you’re not sure what the WiFi password is, then use our guide to help you locate your network security key. Alternatively, you can use an ethernet cable to connect directly to your router.
Open a browser window and go to this address: http://192.168.0.1
Log in to your router with the admin username and password.
Look through the menu options for an option to edit your WiFi network. The name of the network may be labeled with SSID, Gateway name, or Wireless Network.
The password field will probably be labeled WPA Pre-Shared Key. Once you find it, create a new WiFi password and save the changes.
2 – View current WiFi information
You can view your WiFi network name and password using the official Charter Spectrum website. There are two ways to access the information.
You can locate the default network login information on your Charter Spectrum WiFi router. Look underneath for a sticker containing your network name and key. Sometimes a technician will give you a separate note with the default Wi-Fi information.
There are a few reasons you might want to update or reset your WiFi password: making your network more secure, and making your password easier to remember and type. Improved network security You can add an extra layer of security to your network by changing the WiFi password. As long as your new password is
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words.
With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
1 – Apply cap full of bleach to top of the trash can
This will only keep the raccoons away from the trash can for several hours. However if you know when the garbage men are coming, you only need an hour or so.
2 – Reapply
Reapply the bleach as needed. You can use larger amounts when your trash can will be out for a longer period of time—like weekends or holidays where there’s a trash-pickup delay.
3 – You’re done!
Raccoons should be repelled by the bleach and leave your garbage alone.
NEXT UP
How to Properly Dispose of a Worn or Damaged American Flag
Since our country was conceived, the U.S. Flag has been a symbol of our country’s freedom. Our country’s Flag Code provides specific guidelines for how to “retire” a damaged or worn-out American flag. When should my American flag be retired? The US Flag Code (4 USC Sec 8 Para (k) Amended 7 July 1976) dictates that a flag
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words.
With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
I love Plex, the self-hosting solution for movies, TV shows, music, and even audiobooks (though this last is still only partly supported). I usually try to go more towards the FOSS (or at least Open Source) end of the market, but, while Jellyfin and Kodi are friggen awesome, their development lags way behind Plex and even Emby.
I have a massive media library that I’ve built over the years, and I wanted to be able to access it quickly and easily without having to pay out monthly fees. The one-time $100 fee to become a lifetime PlexPass member was absolutely worth it in terms of how many services I was able to compress into a single app.
In the last couple of years, PlexAmp (Plex’s music-centered app that plays content stored in your Plex server) has become known as one of the go-to music clients out there, offering a modern and powerful app for your music collection needs. But, as with any app, it still needs work, and Plex’s development has always been a little laggy in odd ways. The largest lag I’ve encountered with PlexAmp is the inability to easily create playlists from within the app. Sure, you can create a playlist by manually clicking on each song and choosing “add to playlist”, but if you’re like me and have playlists featuring hundreds of songs that are already curated, then this feature just doesn’t make sense.
The other problem is that because PlexAmp is just a client app, it doesn’t let you create playlists from inside the app that anyone with access to your server can see! If you want to share your cool music collection with your family, therefore, what are you supposed to do?
The answer is surprisingly simple and comes about by setting things up in the main Plex web-app. By setting things up directly inside your server, you can not only create customized playlists from your music with ease, you can set up collections that everyone with server access will be able to create their own playlists from in just two clicks, offering massive library customization for all of your server members.
1 – Using Plex to create collections for music in PlexAmp
Using Plex to create collections for music in PlexAmp
The first thing you’ll want to do is set up a collection from inside the main Plex web-app.
Navigate to music library and change the search view to “albums”
You could also change it to “tracks”, just don’t leave it on “Artists” or, when you create collections, it will create links to artist profiles in your library instead of their actual media, and that will mess up how Plex transfers music to PlexAmp
2 – Add an album to a collection in Plex
Add an album to a collection in Plex
Select the album you want to move to a collection
Click the vertical ellipsis (or “kebab” menu icon)
Select “add to”
Select “add to collection”
Set the name of your collection if creating a new one, or add to an existing one!
3 – Add multiple albums to music collections in Plex
Add an album to a collection in Plex
This also makes adding multiple items to a collection really easy. Just click the little transparent circle in the upper right of the album artwork to mark it with an orange check mark. Then continue for as many albums as you would like! The top of the screen will now display how many items you have selected and provide the controls for adding to a collection.
4 – Add multiple songs to a collection in Plex for PlexAmp
Add an album to a collection in Plex
It’s really easy to add multiple songs from an album to a collection as well, by selecting the transparent circle next to a song’s name, check marking it, and then using the menu that appears at the top of the screen to add them wherever you want.
5 – Find your new music collection in the Plex collections tab
Find your new music collection in the Plex collections tab
You’ll see your new collection in the Plex collections tab, and you can continue to add music to it however you wish! The best part about collections in Plex is that they can be accessible to users across the server, not just a single user. This means that anyone who has access to your server cans see the collections you have created. However, collections will not show up in PlexAmp. For that, you need playlists that are curated to individual user accounts.
6 – Create your first Plex playlist
Create your first Plex playlist
Now that you have a collection created in which you have your cool music stored, you need to turn it into a playlist. Luckily, this is really simple.
Select your playlist
Click on the vertical ellipses (kebab menu)
Select “Add to”
Select “Add to Playlist”
You can either create a new playlist (the name will automatically fill in the name of the collection that you’re adding), or add to an existing playlist.
7 – Profit in PlexAmp with your new Plex-created Playlist!
Profit in PlexAmp with your new Plex-created Playlist!
As soon as you launch PlexAmp you’ll see your new playlist that you created over in Plex appear in the “Recent Playlists” tab of the home screen.
8 – Finding your playlists in PlexAmp
Finding your playlists in PlexAmp
If you don’t just want to see the latest playlist but actually find all your created playlists, just click on the library tab.
Once on the library window, tap playlists
Note: there’s sometimes an error regarding how PlexAmp sees playlists, and it may read your library as having an incorrect number of playlists (in this image, zero). If you’ve followed the previous steps, ignore it and click through anyway, you’ll see them all there!
9 – Your new Plex Playlist is now added to PlexAmp’s Playlists section
Your new Plex Playlist is now added to PlexAmp’s Playlists section
And, just like that, your new playlist is visible in your PlexAmp application! This makes curating your music really easy in Plex, since PlexAmp itself doesn’t really have any features for managing the library (only for playing from the server).
10 – Sharing your Plex music playlists with other server members for PlexAmp?
Sharing your Plex music playlists with other server members for PlexAmp?
Collections are shared across your Plex server, but playlists are not! If you create collections, anyone can view them, making it easy to share your cool music playlists, but it’s up to each individual member to go through the trouble of adding those collections to their own playlists and therefore being able to then view the playlist inside PlexAmp. This allows each server member to curate their own content as they see fit, even going so far as to add or remove their own tracks and albums from a specific playlist without affecting the main collection and any other member’s listening experience.
NEXT UP
The 30 Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time (2021)
Did you know that the number of views on the most-viewed YouTube video is higher than the number of people on the entire globe?! Yup. We’re talking in the billions…and then some. While YouTube formed YouTube Music, due to music videos and music playlists’ popularity, people still tend to head over to YouTube to listen
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words.
With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
Are you struggling to see the pixels on your Game Boy?
Why bother with ambient light fixtures when you could install your very own backlight? That’s right! In 2018, we no longer need the burden of a carefully placed lamp to make or break our gaming experience.
With the power of a Game Boy backlight kit from Hand-Held Legend, you can take your Game Boy DMG experiences into the night!
Today I’ll be installing a green backlight in my Gameboy. To get started, we will need a few things…
1 – Examine the Game Boy
First we’ll need to turn the Game Boy off for a physical examination.
The Game Boy is held together with 6 screws—take note of any that may be missing. Most Game Boys use tri-wing screws to hold the outer shell. Occasionally you’ll find an older model held together with Phillips screws.
Identify the best screwdriver to use and remove the screws from the back of the Game Boy. The battery cover and batteries will need to be removed to expose the final 2 screws. You will need to account for 6 screws total.
Gently separate the halves. There will be a delicate ribbon cable connecting the two halves together. We need to unplug this cable from the back motherboard. This ribbon cable is very sensitive and bending the wires may render the screen irreparable. Be extra cautious when disconnecting this ribbon cable.
3 – Remove the front motherboard
The front motherboard needs to be removed with a Phillips number 1 screwdriver. You will need to account for 10 screws total.
Without using too much force, remove the motherboard from the front shell. There will be several components to account for.
A Button
B Button
A/B Buttons Silicone Pad
D-Pad Button
D-Pad Button Silicone Pad
Start/Select Buttons (One Piece)
4 – Unscrew the LCD
Using a Phillips screwdriver number 0, remove the two screws below the LCD screen.
5 – Carefully remove the polarizing film
This step is very critical and can damage the Game Boy screen permanently. Exercise extreme caution!
The Game Boy screen uses a polarizing film which needs to be removed. It will be replaced with a new polarizing film from the backlight kit.
Lift the screen from the board. The polarizing film is under a reflective layer. Both need to be removed. Using an x-acto knife, start peeling the corner of the polarizing film. Be sure you have both layers peeling, not just the reflective layer.
Carefully work with the film to remove it from the screen. Be mindful of how you are holding the screen.
DO NOT APPLY PRESSURE to the screen.
DO NOT SQUEEZE the screen.
DO NOT USE EXCESS FORCE to remove the polarizing film.
You may need to clean remaining glue using an alcohol soaked cotton swab.
6 – Prepare the new polarizing film
Open the new kit to retrieve the replacement polarizing film.
Place the new film behind the Game Boy screen. The polarizing film will appear darker or lighter when rotated 90°. We will need to choose the right orientation for our backlight mod.
If the Game Boy will be using a bivert chip, the polarizing screen needs to be tilted 90° until it appears dark.
If you will not be installing a bivert chip, the polarizing screen needs to be tilted 90° until it appears clear.
Be aware of the two protective stickers covering each side of the polarizing film. It’s best to leave these in place until the backlight is slid into place.
7 – Solder the wires to the backlight
The backlight comes with two wires. They will need to be soldered to the backlight.
Using a soldering iron, carefully solder the wires to the backlight terminal. One wire will need to be soldered to the positive side, the other negative. In my example, I’ve soldered the red wire to the positive terminal. Keep track of which color you’re using for each terminal!
8 – Place the backlight
This is the best opportunity to clear the screen of potential debris. Using a microfiber cloth, clean every side of each new layer. This includes the LCD, the polarizing film, and backlight.
You may need to pry the screen up using an x-acto knife. Be careful not to chip the screen. There is a small groove above the display that should give a little bit of leverage.
Remove the two white foam rectangles from behind the screen and discard them. Place the new backlight behind the LCD screen. Now is the best time to remove the protective stickers from the polarizing film. Holding the sides of the polarizing film, carefully place it between the backlight and LCD. Be mindful of the orientation you need from step 7.
You may choose to use a piece of kapton tape to prevent the backlight from falling out during installation, as seen in the example.
9 – Install the resistor (if applicable)
Older backlight kits require a resistor to properly regulate voltage in the Game Boy. Your kit may not have a resistor, in which case you can skip ahead to the next step.
Holding the LCD in place, flip the motherboard over. The resistor will need to be trimmed and soldered to the positive leg of the capacitor circled above.
10 – Solder the backlight
Feed the wires through the hole shown above. These wires can easily work themselves under the buttons if not properly managed.
Once the wires are tucked away, solder the positive wire to the resistor.
Solder the negative wire to the negative leg of the capacitor.
For a professional finish, apply flux before soldering and seal your new connections with liquid electrical tape.
11 – Screw the LCD into place
Using a Phillips screwdriver number 0, screw the tiny LCD screws into place.
12 – Quick test
Before you sew up your 8-bit patient, it’s best to pop in a few batteries and test out the operation.
Reconnect the motherboards by carefully plugging the ribbon cable into place. Insert 4 AA batteries and power it up! If everything worked, you should see magnificent glow of an LED screen gleaming behind your pixels.
NOTE: If the backlight is not illuminated, double check the Game Boy is receiving power. If it is, turn off the Game Boy and remove the batteries. You will need to revisit your soldering connections to ensure the backlight is properly installed. Vertical lines may appear and are often repairable with a soldering iron.
If you used a piece of kapton tape to hold the screen in place, now is the time to remove it. Place the buttons, silicone button pads, speaker, and motherboard into the front shell. Each component will be guided into place with a small notch.
You may need to feed the backlight wires through the hole further to make room for the buttons. Make sure the wires are not blocking any crucial screw holes.
Using a Phillips number 1 screwdriver, screw the front motherboard into place. There will be 10 screws used for this step.
14 – Seal the Game Boy together
Carefully place both halves together. Using an appropriate screwdriver, screw the shell together. There will be 6 screws used for this step.
15 – Final test run
It’s time to give it one more test to make sure everything works.
Congratulations! You should now have a working, backlit Game Boy on your hands.
Next: The backlight mod can sometimes cause your speaker to generate a whining noise. If you have that issue, read my guide on fixing this speaker noise.
The orientation of the polarizing film in your new backlight Game Boy can adversely affect its pixel quality; it’s common practice to install a bivert chip to essentially invert the screen twice, improving display quality drastically. 🙂 Check out my guide on this!
You’ve put so much work into setting up RetroPie or EmulationStation. You load it up with legally obtained ROMs only to find that custom theme you installed—you remember, the one from my RetroPie themes guide—has a big blank spot for box art! The Best RetroPie Themes (And How to Install Them)You deserve some personal flair! RetroPie: Build Your
Introducing Howchoo, an enigmatic author whose unique pen name reflects their boundless curiosity and limitless creativity. Mysterious and multifaceted, Howchoo has emerged as a captivating storyteller, leaving readers mesmerized by the uncharted realms they craft with their words.
With an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a love for exploration, Howchoo’s writing transcends conventional genres, blurring the lines between fantasy, science fiction, and the surreal. Their narratives are a kaleidoscope of ideas, weaving together intricate plots, unforgettable characters, and thought-provoking themes that challenge the boundaries of imagination.
