Killed my Corsair M55 RGB Pro playing Genshin Impact and more

 I'm a bit tough on my mouse.  Over the years, I've settled on Logitech Trackman Marble when I want to work.  I'm always a bit short on desk space.  Besides, that first Trackman that hung on the edge of my laptop computer keyboard in 1990 was something special.  It should have been for US$159.99.

These days, I wouldn't think of spending so much.  So, when I was having trouble with my Corsair M55 RGB Pro, I looked for something different.  Corsair has a lot of complaints, for whatever reason.  The iCue software was a pain and the mouse would just not connect at times.  Pulling the plug and re-inserting would get it going.  I chose it after having a disastrous end to my Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury mouse I had that suddenly stopped working.  I got it on sale at Target and with a Team Member discount + Red Card discount, it was a decent deal.

In any case, I've been having problems with the Corsair mouse since I started playing Genshin Impact.  The more intense the battles, the less it responded.  Then, last night, the left mouse button collapsed and broke.  I got out my trusty Trackman Marble and continued.

I had just ordered another mouse from Newegg--an ASUS ROG Strix Impact III mouse that wasn't expensive.  Obviously, it was going to take longer than I had. This morning, I walked to Walmart to pick up a Steelseries Rival 3.

The Rival 3 is a decent mouse with a big light show.  It's small and light and the grip is good.  It's not only compatible with the Windows machine but with the Mac.  If I ever get a desktop setup for my Steam Deck, it might go well with that, also.  The price is right.

I can't imagine that I'd be happy spending $159.99 again and finding that my mouse was broken.   I'm sure that the expensive kind break, even if they do it less frequently.  The e-gamers certainly don't have to worry too much about spending that money once they're well known, right?

In any case, I'm back in business.  I need to remove the iCue software.  I already had the Steelseries software for one of their wireless game controllers, so it was easy to switch.  Hopefully, the Rival 3 can stand up to Genshin Impact's impact.

Update 2023.10.23: The ASUS mouse arrived and it's quite good, except that there is no application for settings.  The DPI setting uses a control on the underside of the mouse.

Since Android 14, my Pixel 6a is suddenly unusable Update: slightly better

 Apparently, Google didn't test Android 14 very well on Pixel 6a, Pixel 6, or Pixel 6 Pro.

There is a problem with multiple users on the operating system on those devices.

After a few days of Android 14, it has decided that my data is corrupt and has pushed me to do a Factory Data Reset.  Otherwise, I'm stuck watching "Pixel is starting..." forever.

Since I've been using this phone, it's been one problem after another.  The developers really didn't consider that people would use the phones because it hasn't been as smooth as other Android distributions.

Even as chaotic as OnePlus was with their Oppo-inspired mix, it was made for users.  I suppose I should just go back to my OnePlus 8T, as it was faster, smoother, and a better experience altogether.

I'm seriously disappointed that Google isn't as good as smaller companies in developing Android-based devices.

Well, I did the Factory Data Reset and started fresh.  I've got one user account and very few apps.  It's going to be a very long time until I trust it again.  Sadly, some of my data is gone forever.

I won't buy another piece of hardware from Google.  This Pixel 6a is the last, after two iterations of the Nexus 7 tablets.  One of those (with the Nvidia Tegra) was such a disaster that I returned it immediately.

I've been fighting with the Pixel 6a ever since I got it.  At US$299.99 - 10% Target team member discount - 5% Red Card discount, it was an easy choice.  However, my luck with Android has been just okay.  I didn't figure that Google's own Android release would finish off my data. 

Update 2023.10.22: Asphalt 9, which was working on Android 14 is no longer working.  It just hangs.  Oh, never mind.  It starts after a few minutes.  That's not as fast as when it started in a few seconds.  Way to go, Google!

Update 2023.11.16: I added my other account, feeling a bit more cautious, as it might be labeled corrupt and cause everything to be wiped again.

Mostly, it's fine.  Asphalt 9 was running just fine, but days later, it isn't.  Something seems seriously wrong with Android 14, or maybe, it's just Google's phone team's implementation.  I really haven't done much with the phone, as I'm not quite ready to invest time on something that may never work correctly again.

Update 2023.12.06: Android update for security apparently had more in it than something like 37 security fixes.  Asphalt 9 is running again.  Hopefully, it will stay that way.  I wanted to transfer music back to the phone but the Files app is irritatingly difficult.  It could be worse, to be certain.  It found my USB drive after a while.  There isn't as much music as there is free space but it claims that there isn't room available.  It won't transfer some of it and it's a pain to transfer folder by folder.

Maybe, their new AI can figure out how people actually use phones and computers and they can use it to generate applications that actually work for people.

Google, you damaged the trust I had that the phone would work.  You destroyed what I had and, while I continue to try to use it, there is no way I will spend more money on hardware from Google.  It isn't in my best interest.

Update 2024.02.01: I let my phone plan finish.  Since I have a 2022 iPhone SE that's my regular phone, I only had a cheap plan to try Android.  Google has shown me that they don't care and I'm not about to spend money on such a phone.

The interesting thing is that, without a 5G connection, moving from my usual spot that is a floor above the router, causes the phone not to be able to access the internet at all.  Even if it's only a few feet (a meter or two), the phone can't find an internet connection.  Isn't that pathetic?

Update 2024.02.22: I almost bought a OnePlus 12R.  It's quite a good phone with a recent processor and multiple cameras and sensors.  My credit union signaled a fraud alert, which gave me a second chance to think about it.  I doubt that it works with my Razer Kishi V2, although the Razer web site finally mentions that the OnePlus 8 Pro doesn't work with it, and I had the 8T.  Would I buy the Razer Edge, which is guaranteed to work with the Razer Kishi V2 Pro and just let my Pixel 6a and Razer Kishi V2 sit, abandoned?

Genshin Impact, from AR 6 to AR 40 in a few months, without money

 I tried Genshin Impact when it was a few months old.  People at work had been playing and I was interesting in trying it.  I was terrible at it.  I was determined not to spend money--something that my co-workers were doing--and I didn't go far.  When Honkai: Star Rail became available, I was still at AR 6 in Genshin Impact.  That's a long time.

After playing Honkai: Star Rail for a while, and getting my characters up to high levels (many are at level 80 now), I started to play with Genshin Impact while I was bored waiting for the energy to be recharged in HSR.  With level 80 characters and at game level 60+, it takes a long time to level up characters.

Now, in Genshin Impact, I'm up to AR 35 and my main character, in both accounts, is at level 60.  I need to finish the Dvalin/Stormterror quest to go further and reveal many opportunities.  I've made decent progress or I wouldn't be at AR 35, but there is much to experience.  I haven't made it to the peak of Dragonspire and I haven't be allowed to see Inazuma, although the occasionally talk about it.

I've finally got a 5-star character on both accounts: Dehya.  So far, the 4-star characters seem more reliable, but all characters seem to have incredible weakness and they fail at the wrong time.  Most weapons are 3-star varieties with lots of duplicates, so using the Refine function helps.  I've unlocked the weapons upgrade materials sites, so it's easier to do that.  Upgrading the characters is another matter.  How do you upgrade a character that isn't strong enough to fight for the materials it needs?

Well, just having made it to AR 35, I have that ascension challenge happening.  I need to get the other characters up a few levels.  However, the things I need to accomplish don't seem possible.  I guess all I can do is be patient, upgrade artifacts and weapons and keep trying.  The ascension challenge wants all characters at level 60.  The other characters are at level 40 right now, except for Dehya, who is at level 60 on one account and level 50 on the other.  Her materials are much easier to get.  I need two others at level 60, though.  My main character is now at level 70 on both accounts.

 The mechanisms in Honkai: Star Rail seem to be almost the same as Genshin Impact.  It's just in the presentation where they differ.  The fighting style is the biggest difference, of course.

Update 2023.10.09: It took a while to make it past the Ascension challenge.  One account worked quickly, but the other struggled and I finally got a team with a characters at levels 70, 50, 40, and 60 to work.  It took so long that the second account went directly from AR 35 to AR 39.  The first account to succeed went from AR 35 to AR 37 but they're both nearing AR 40 right now.

Upgrading weapons works, but upgrading 4-star weapons is more difficult, of course.  My trouble is that I have characters from Inazuma, which is not open to me yet.  You can't upgrade characters with unavailable items.

Still, I haven't spent any money on the game.  My frustration level may not be any higher than those spending money, though.

Update 2023.10.11: Make that AR 40, on both accounts.  I still have much to learn.  I really wish I had 4-star weapons on both accounts.  The mix of 4-star characters is good enough.  The Dehya character has been extremely useful, even though most rankings I've seen are not positive.  Keqing should be interesting, once I can move her past level 20.  I ended up having to use Noelle with a strong weapon to get past AR 35 on the lagging account.  My previous experience was that the character was not useful but she was enough to handle the situation to upgrade Kaeya, and will be needed again.

Update 2024.03.08: Up to AR 42, but not really making progress.  My main character is at level 80 on both accounts and the weapon is at level 70 on one and close to that on the other account.  It's interesting to have the same characters on both accounts and frustrating not to have certain characters on both.

I got into the new area with this latest release, but I still have early quests with the Adepti to finish in order to progress.  At least, I got to see the Lantern Festival around Lunar New Year.  That was the main reason I started Genshin Impact years ago.