EXPECTO PATRONUM! | My 2nd Harry Potter Studio Tour visit

Apologies for the delay with this! On the 6th of October 2018, myself and my husband visited the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio tour for our second visit. We had previously gone a couple years before, and he proposed to me there! We then returned to mark our 1st wedding anniversary.

Below, you can check out the YouTube video I put together of all of the photos and videos I took while we were visiting. If you cannot hear any sound, the video seems to be having some technical issues, but the music should be added to it shortly (hurry up, YouTube). 

This is definitely a place that is worth visiting, so if you are a Harry Potter fan...go and check it out!

My July 2016 Paris Trip

I uploaded these videos to my sister blog, Geek Mash a few months ago, but as 8-Bit Girl now incorporates everything I'm into, I thought I'd share them with you here, too! 

In July, myself and my Fiancé had a 4 day break to Paris. During this time, we did the usual touristy things (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, etc), but the highlight for me was our day at Disneyland Paris.

Check out the two videos we filmed and edited below!

The Legend of Zelda: Nintendo Store Unboxing

This month, my The Legend of Zelda Nintendo Store crate turned up! I was a little disappointed with it to be honest, but the mug was my favourite.

Check it out in my YouTube video below:

Subscribe to me on YouTube here.

Couple Play: LEGO DIMENSIONS - PORTAL

I am back on YouTube! The past few months have gone past in a blur of two moves, a career change and lots of unpacking. Now that I am settled in my new flat, it is time to get back into the whole blogging and streaming thing. 

Myself and my boyfriend Casey played through the main story of Lego Dimensions recently, and both of us loved it. Therefore, we have decided to stream each level pack on my channel, starting last night with the Portal pack.

AQUA KITTY - Milk Mine Defender DX: Level 1

After a short absence on YouTube due to a start of my new employment, a move etc, my YouTube had fallen quiet. However, I am back, and plan to start properly streaming again really soon. 

Thursday night I streamed the first level of Aqua Kitty Milk Mine Defender on my PS4. It's a brief clip, but it's something to watch in the meantime. Enjoy!

Follow me on YouTube for more gaming videos!

Happy New Year from 8-Bit Girl!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year to you all! 2015 was a year of many changes for me. Along with 8 of some of my closest friends, we founded Geek Mash, a blog that provided a space for us all to write about our geeky interests. We also started a YouTube channel that I have been a part of.

As part of 8-Bit Girl, I have been trying to blog here and there when I get a chance, and launched my YouTube channel. This year marks the first year I tried streaming my gameplay! 

2016 brings more of a focus on 8-Bit Girl again whilst I pursue my freelance writing career. I also intend to update my YouTube channel a bit more.

So, thank you for all the support, and happy new year! I wish you all the best, and I'll see you for another round of 8-Bit Girl...and more!

Love,

8-Bit Girl / Kayleigh xx

What I've Been Playing Lately...

So I have been busy as of late with a mountain of weekly freelance writing work as well as my full time job. I'm also in the process of packing for a move (one of two in the coming months!), so gaming has been on the back burner a little, as has my streaming over on my YouTube channel.

However, last night I realised that it is about time I have a bit of free time to myself among all of this, so I got in some gaming. Sadly I haven't got Fallout 4 yet and haven't got an Xbox One for Rise of the Tomb Raider (*sobs*), but I will be playing them thanks to my boyfriend and fellow Geek Mash member Casey who has both (woo!).

So, here's what I've been playing in the meantime.

BTTF Day: Rocket League with Geek Mash

It's Back To The Future Day!

On the 21st October 2015, Marty and Doc travelled into the future. Well, we have officially caught up with them now! A lot of their future findings have not rung true nowadays, but it's a fantastic film.

As myself and my friends from Geek Mash love the Back To The Future trilogy, we decided to play a bit of Rocket League tonight in the DeLorean cars available as DLC.

Here's what the car looks like in game:

8-Bit Girl Plays: Rocket League

Tonight I jumped on Rocket League briefly for a few games that I decided to stream on my Twitch account. 

The video is now up on my YouTube channel. Please give it a view! My apologies for the lag, had some internet trouble whilst I was streaming. Typical!

Further Rocket League videos are also available on my channel, so if you like this one, check out the game recorded with my friends from Geek Mash!

Tales From The Borderlands, Episode 1 Stream!

I decided to get working on my YouTube lately, so my first full series I am streaming is Tales From The Borderlands by Telltale Games. 

Yesterday and today I played through the entirety of Episode 1, which is now uploaded to YouTube ready for viewing. 

Please click through to the Tales From The Borderlands playlist to view all 14 parts of Episode 1 (along with a highlight clip). I shall be playing through Episode 2 soon!

Keep an eye on my YouTube channel to see my latest streams and other gaming related videos!

8-Bit Girl

Wooing Pigeons in Hatoful Boyfriend

Last night myself and my friend Jason played through one of the scenarios in Hatoful Boyfriend on Twitch. This bizarre pigeon dating sim (complete with bird puns!) made me laugh quite a lot. In part, this was down to Jason's decision to add some voice acting on top for each bird. Take a look at the YouTube video below to hear it for yourself!

8-Bit Girl: YouTube & Twitch Updates!

This week, I finally started off my own Twitch account, and I added some new gameplay stream videos to my YouTube. 

Both are in their early days, and I plan to be streaming much more, especially when I get hold of a PS4 camera. 

Please follow both accounts to keep up to date with my gameplay. I look forward to uploading more soon!

Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/8bitgirl_/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/8BitGirlVideos

Super Mario Busters!

I love a good mash-up, especially when the two subject matters being combined are two of my favourite things.

In this short from youtuber James Farr, Super Mario crosses over with 80's classic Ghostbusters. Give the video a watch below, and see if you can spot the references to Ghostbusters throughout. I especially like Spengler-Luigi!


James has since followed this with the sequel, that you can also view below.

View more of James' videos on his YouTube Channel. 

What's your favourite out of the two? Post your comments below!

Samsung Chromebook: Quick & Easy Internet Browsing

On first glance, Google and Samsung’s Chromebook may seem like an odd choice of laptop. It is devoid of the handy Microsoft programmes, and prevents you from downloading any programmes onto its system that are not supported in the Google App store. However, give it a try, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

Ultra-thin and light (weighing under 1.1kg approximately) and with a 11.6” LED HD screen, this has been built for ease of use whilst on the move, and can be easily slotted into a bag or transported around the house. 

Pros:
Long Battery Life
The Chromebook has an impressive 6.5 hours (or more, depending on how you are using it) of battery life before a charge is required. This means that it can easily be taken out of the house on a full charge for business trips, etc, without needing to find a plug source. 

Light and compact
With hardly any extra baggage included inside the hardware, the Chromebook is incredibly light and compact. This means it is a great alternative to lugging around a laptop, MacBook or other sizeable technology. The Chromebook will easily fit into your bag, and hardly adds anything to your luggage weight if you need to take it on a flight. Also, for the safety conscious, it is impossible to tell from the outside of a bag that you are actually carrying a laptop. 

Built-in Virus Protection
One of my main concerns when I loaded up the Chromebook was how it would remain safe and stable without the ability to download a virus and malware protection software. Thankfully, the Chromebook already includes built-in 

Quick Loading
The Chromebook boots up in under 10 seconds, which is significantly much faster than most laptops. That’s great news for people wanting to quickly load up a web page to show others something, and for general quick access to apps and webpages. 

Simple to Use
For the typical internet user, the Chromebook cannot be any easier to use. No software is required on start-up, so you do not have to worry about going through the initial installation phase of a new laptop. First time use can be completed within a mere two minutes. It simply asks for your Google ID and language preferences amongst other simple options, and then voila-you’re away!

After this, there is no worrying about initiating scheduled virus scans, updating your internet browser and programmes-Google takes care of that automatically, meaning you are left to simply browse the internet and try out the Apps. 

Great Sound and Picture Quality
Featuring a 11.6” LED HD screen and in-built speakers on the underside, the Chromebook contains an impressive high definition display and great sound that thankfully, unlike a lot of smaller laptops, does not sound “tinny”. Not bad for a small device!

Excellent for Internet Browsing
As previously stated, the Chromebook loads pages and apps incredibly quick. Therefore, as an internet browsing laptop, this is definitely worth considering. 

Chromebook & charger are included in the box.

Cons:
Google App Only
For someone who requires a laptop purely for internet browsing and the use of Google’s utility services, such as Gmail and Google Drive, this is not an issue. However, although there are hundreds of Google Apps to download, it may seem a little redundant if you are actually after outside programmes, such as Skype. 

Therefore, it does make the Chromebook a little limited, and well, basic. 

Requires Constant Internet
As each Google service included on the laptop requires the internet, the Chromebook requires constant internet access. Therefore, those with unstable internet connections or require a laptop for use when internet access is not available will find this somewhat frustrating. 

Google Is Always Watching
After looking around online and asking friends opinions, I noticed that not everyone likes Google’s “always signed in” service. So for those who oppose this, unfortunately the Chromebook may not be for you. The laptop can only be used if a Google ID is signed into at the start up. This in turn signs you in to all the Google services you use, such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Drive. 

In a creepy perspective, this means that Google is always watching, in a way. Signing in means that your history, bookmarks and viewing habits are logged for you to come back to when you need to. For example, being signed in to YouTube means that the video streaming service will remember what you viewed, adding it, rather embarrassingly at times, to your recently viewed section on your YouTube account, as well as recommending similar videos to you. Sometimes, YouTube calls for anonymous viewing-whether it be viewing a guilty pleasure song you’re too embarrassed to admit to liking, or for other, ahem, personal reasons. 

However, signing out of your Google ID on the Chromebook locks you out of the device itself, so you are required to be online. Signing out of one signs you out of all the other Google services at the same time, and this can be frustrating. 

The Mouse Is A Little…Odd
Whilst the touchpad itself works fine for navigating apps and webpages, the Chromebook’s right click function is a little frustrating. Whilst it may seem like I am nit-picking, the mouse only allows for right clicking whilst the alt key is pressed at the same time. 

Does Not Play All Files
When experimenting with software, I plugged in a USB stick with a selection of MKV files on it. However, Chromebook could not open these files, and I could not find any programmes in the app section to download in order to use them. 

Therefore, those of you who are looking to plug in USB’s filled with your TV shows or other videos may find it a bit of a problem. I will continue to look into this to see if there is a solution, or if streaming on websites such as YouTube is the alternative.

Specifications: 

• Ultra-thin and light (weighs  under 1.1kg)
• USB 3.0 (two ports)
• 11.6” LED HD screen
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB hard drive
• Wi-fi and Bluetooth enabled
• More than 6.5 hours of battery life
• Plug-in charger included
• In-built HD webcam
• SD Card port, HDMI port
• Stereo speaker
• Intel HD graphics
• Headphone/mic jack
• Silver design

The keyboard contains slight variations from the usual laptop keyboard.

Visiting 8-Bit Girl on the Chromebook!

Summary
Whilst the Chromebook will not fully replace your need for a fully functioning laptop (all that runs on this are the Google programmes already found on the system and the approved apps on the Google App page), it is definitely a handy alternative to lugging around your weightier system around the house or on trips to other Wi-Fi enabled establishments. 

Perfect for internet browsing, fast and simple to use, the Chromebook received from Argos can prove to be a useful and well-used compact laptop, time and time again. 

My cat Jessie seemed interested in the Chromebook. Turns out, all she was after was the box!

RPG OKC: 8-Bit Online Dating!

Written and animated by Emily Carmichael with original music from Chris Thomas, RPG OKC is a short film about two 8-bit characters who try their luck at online dating. 

Designed to look like an 8-bit video game, RPG OKC is an entertaining short that is available to watch on YouTube now. Check out Parts 1 and 2 below.

Find more at MadAtoms. 

Beetlejuice-A Minecraft Rollercoaster!

Minecraft's Creative Mode often shows the huge amount of time and effort that players are prepared to put in to their creations.

This Beetlejuice Rollercoaster is by far one of the most epic I've ever seen.

Created on the Xbox 360's version of Creative Mode, this project spanned several months, and was completed by two gamers/YouTubers-RiverGrl21 and Nuropsych1.

Check out the video below:

Barack Obama Sings the Pokemon Theme Song

I've knocked together this quick post just to share with you all this little gem of a YouTube video...President Barack Obama singing the Pokemon Theme Song. Enjoy!

Music Monday: The Netherworld (Folklore)

Today's Music Monday track comes from Folklore. 

Folklore is an action roleplaying game on the Playstation 3. Released in 2007, the game focuses on Ellen and Keats, two characters seek memories of the dead to unravel the mystery that the village of Doolin hides.

Check out "The Netherworld" from the game below. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Music Monday: Nate's Theme 3.0 (Uncharted)

Today's Music Monday track is from Uncharted: Drake's Deception).

Released in 2011 by Naughty Dog for the PS3, Uncharted: Drake's Deception once again sees protagonist Nathan Drake on a series of daring adventures.

Check out "Nates Theme 3.0" below. As always, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Music Monday: The Reapers' Line of Sight (Kid Icarus: Uprising)

Today's Music Monday track appears in Nintendo 3DS game Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Kid Icarus: Uprising was the first Kid Icarus title in an age, and presented updated graphics, 3D capabilities for the 3DS, and plenty of new exciting action gameplay.

Check out "The Reapers' Line of Sight" below. As always, let me know what you think in the comments below!