Banazir's recent activity
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Comment on What are we in a golden age of? in ~talk
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Comment on What theme do you use with Tildes? in ~tildes
Banazir Link ParentIt gives me the feeling of parchment, which helps with that disconnection. I've tried all of the themes on terminals in the past, and while I've always liked Solarized Light I just couldn't stick...It gives me the feeling of parchment, which helps with that disconnection.
I've tried all of the themes on terminals in the past, and while I've always liked Solarized Light I just couldn't stick with it in the long term. Tildes is the only place I actually use it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Banazir Link ParentI can't remember if it's something an NPC mentioned or if it's just something I noticed, but a lot of the Depths terrain mirrors or reverses overworld terrain: Mountains and hills become valleys...I can't remember if it's something an NPC mentioned or if it's just something I noticed, but a lot of the Depths terrain mirrors or reverses overworld terrain:
- Mountains and hills become valleys underground and vice-versa
- Bodies of water become impassable walls
- Shrines sit directly above lightroots
- Forests (when labeled on the overworld map) become groves that often have treasure.
Since the overworld map is generally muh easier to uncover, you can get a lot of information about the Depths that way. There are still unmarked features, like the giant root-looking features that act as land bridges, but often overworld POIs become Depths POIs too.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Banazir Link ParentExploring the Depths has been great! In areas where I don't have the map unlocked, I just switch my [mini]map to the overworld and navigate using that. It helps me avoid the walls between sections...Exploring the Depths has been great! In areas where I don't have the map unlocked, I just switch my [mini]map to the overworld and navigate using that. It helps me avoid the walls between sections of the Depths and gives me a general idea of where dips and hills will be. It kind of takes me back to ALttP with the Dark World, except less frustrating so far.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Banazir LinkAfter finishing Breath of the Wild, I borrowed Tears of the Kingdom from a friend and already have probably 20-30 hours in it. My first impression is that it doesn't feel like a Zelda game. BotW...After finishing Breath of the Wild, I borrowed Tears of the Kingdom from a friend and already have probably 20-30 hours in it.
My first impression is that it doesn't feel like a Zelda game. BotW already broke from the formula, but it still felt like Zelda but with different tools. Unfortunately, they pushed Tears of the Kingdom a bit too far to me, and the beginning especially feels more like a physics simulator than the Zelda games I grew up with. That's not to say I don't enjoy it, it just isn't what I hope the mainline series looks like in the future.
Going straight from BotW to TotK means the combat and enemies are familiar, for the most part. The new weapon system took an adjustment, but I do like that weapon families are different due to specific traits rather than just raw damage numbers. Unfortunately, there's still definite tiers where some traits are nearly useless, others are situational, and a few are best in class overall. The durability/breaking system is still present and still a bit frustrating to work around, especially with the Master Sword - it doesn't even show the damage value, so I have no clue if it's better or worse to use it at any given time.
I haven't done much of the main story, just one out of four regions, as I'm holding off on those until I've geared up a bit. I'm also saving them for when a friend comes to hang out (he's mostly just getting away from home), as he's enjoyed talking through the puzzles with me. The one I did do was fun enough, although one mechanic wasn't quite as clearly explained as I had hoped so I burned time and resources figuring it out. Still, it's the least confusing water temple I've done in any Zelda game I can think of.
Overall, it's a fun game, but I'll give it an 8/10 at the moment. It's not a bad game, just not a good Zelda game in my opinion.
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Comment on Library resources megathread in ~books
Banazir LinkI recently discovered that Mango Languages gives free subscriptions with most library memberships. In my opinion it's closer to actual classroom lessons than something like DuoLingo, and I think...I recently discovered that Mango Languages gives free subscriptions with most library memberships. In my opinion it's closer to actual classroom lessons than something like DuoLingo, and I think that works better for my learning style.
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Comment on Sleep struggles: how do I get better sleep quality? in ~life
Banazir Link ParentIn a similar vein, for a while I put myself to sleep by counting the seconds per breath. A decade or two ago I read an article that talked about how breathing rates affected your sleep quality;...In a similar vein, for a while I put myself to sleep by counting the seconds per breath. A decade or two ago I read an article that talked about how breathing rates affected your sleep quality; the deepest sleepers generally had the slowest breathing rate (some were down to two breaths per minute!). I started focusing on slowing my breaths and counting how long each breath took, I think my best is roughly 4 breaths/min.
If you take a long slow inhale for 5-10 seconds, then a natural pause before exhaling for the same time, you'll develop a pattern that feels natural. Keep timing the breaths in your head and you'll knock yourself out in no time.
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Comment on Keto ice cream brand filed for Chapter 11 after a judge found it copied a Brooklyn rival's packaging in ~food
Banazir Link ParentI wanted to say something like this too, but I didn't want to imply that the whole general public is that clueless. It makes me feel like I'm being a karen to say that I feel a general lack of...while I know it's naive to expect any amount of care out of the general consumer public, if you're shopping for a particular brand you know the name of, it's really not difficult to get the right thing
I wanted to say something like this too, but I didn't want to imply that the whole general public is that clueless. It makes me feel like I'm being a karen to say that I feel a general lack of effort in so many interactions, just little things like checking what label you're grabbing when you're tired shouldn't be that hard. Just read and pay attention, it's ice cream not something time-sensitive.
Also, re: price: since Rebel is keto, it puts it in the specialty category where everything is 50% more expensive. I'd expect the cost to be the same "too high" as Van Leeuwen. Granted, I haven't seen either in the grocery stores here, but neither is going to be as cheap as Breyers.
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Comment on Keto ice cream brand filed for Chapter 11 after a judge found it copied a Brooklyn rival's packaging in ~food
Banazir LinkI'm not saying that Rebel Creamery isn't guilty, but Van Leeuwen's design is so simple it's hard to not infringe on it. A plain pastel container with the brand in cursive is hardly a unique...I'm not saying that Rebel Creamery isn't guilty, but Van Leeuwen's design is so simple it's hard to not infringe on it. A plain pastel container with the brand in cursive is hardly a unique design. Minimalism is nothing new, and it cycles in and out of trend. If this is all it takes for a ruling like this, it seems absurd, especially given that the penalty amount seems based on the idea that the majority of Rebel's sales were due to packaging mix-ups (they knocked a third off the original penalty because "some of those sales came from demand for keto ice cream rather than from the way the carton looked").
Also, some of those claims seem due to poor shelving setups. Why is the keto ice cream stocked so closely to the regular ice cream that these two brands are side by side? Nothing about Van Leeuwen tells me that they make specialty ice cream for specific diets, so I doubt that the two products should be placed exactly next to each other. Any store big enough to have keto ice cream should also be big enough to have more than one freezer door worth of ice cream.
I know I don't know all the legal reasoning behind the decision, but I hope Rebel can fight this successfully.
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Comment on Invite request spam problem - vet through other social media? in ~tildes
Banazir LinkI don't know if it's still a thing, but r/Tildes used to have regular posts set up as a request thread. That's how I got my invite. We've basically been doing what you suggest for a while now.I don't know if it's still a thing, but r/Tildes used to have regular posts set up as a request thread. That's how I got my invite. We've basically been doing what you suggest for a while now.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Banazir Link ParentI had 9 years in League when I dropped it, the best I got was Gold 4. In the last few years even playing with friends stopped being fun. I was a jungle main and keeping good mental in games with...I had 9 years in League when I dropped it, the best I got was Gold 4. In the last few years even playing with friends stopped being fun. I was a jungle main and keeping good mental in games with randoms was impossible since I felt like the team punching bag, so I didn't keep up with my friends' skill levels. That resulted in me dragging the group down when we played together, and it just overall stopped being fun.
As a result, I play almost no PvP games. Anything team-based feels too close to League with everyone blaming each other; anything solo I fall behind on because I didn't play PvP FPS games and don't have the instincts for them. My single player library is big enough anyway.
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Comment on What's happening in Kansas should alarm us all (gifted link) in ~lgbt
Banazir LinkI live in Kansas, near the KC area. One of my friends was almost affected by the drivers license law but he had just moved to the Missouri side and now has a MO license. However, the bathroom...I live in Kansas, near the KC area. One of my friends was almost affected by the drivers license law but he had just moved to the Missouri side and now has a MO license. However, the bathroom issue still concerns him whenever we go to a public pool or anything else as a group activity here. He very much passes as male (he can grow a beard better than I can, and I'm a cis male), but he still has top surgery scars so he's worried about those giving him away.
A lot of us are just so tired of fighting and forcefully losing. We at least were able to vote against an abortion ban successfully a couple years back, but things like the driver's license change and bathroom laws just get pushed on us. I've had arguments with family about not forcing Christian values on non-believers, citing their fear of Obama making us a Muslim nation as an example of what's actually happening, but I guess too many people in power view this as the "right" thing to do.
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Comment on Epic Games Store will support Linux "soon" in ~games
Banazir Link ParentAs mentioned, Linux has hit a critical mass where it's hard to ignore. Part of that is due to the Steam Deck, which means dedicated Linux hardware. The other part is Microsoft making a bunch of...As mentioned, Linux has hit a critical mass where it's hard to ignore. Part of that is due to the Steam Deck, which means dedicated Linux hardware. The other part is Microsoft making a bunch of small changes that made Windows less bearable. It wasn't any one single thing, just too many straws for the camel to bear.
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Comment on Is there any interest in building a Tildes successor? in ~tildes
Banazir Link ParentI admittedly haven't noticed because I haven't used my invites. None of my friends have asked about using Tildes (for all I know they're already here) and I don't interact with enough social media...I admittedly haven't noticed because I haven't used my invites. None of my friends have asked about using Tildes (for all I know they're already here) and I don't interact with enough social media elsewhere to see people asking to be invited. However, I have seen a few instances within the last few months of people getting more, so I don't think that creating more invites is off the table entirely. They just haven't been necessary, since Tildes isn't designed for rapid growth.
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Comment on Why normal people aren’t using AI agents in ~tech
Banazir Link ParentTheir response to you (and your answer back) feels like such a great example of the original point you were trying to make. Developers and techies (myself included) forget that not everyone wants...Their response to you (and your answer back) feels like such a great example of the original point you were trying to make. Developers and techies (myself included) forget that not everyone wants to self-host and have to keep services running so they can do the thing. I'm a sysadmin by career and I still put minimal effort into making sure my stuff works; why would someone who doesn't self-host existing applications want to write their own?
The vast majority of people don't run their own services, write code, or even have the spare computer laying around to run a simple lab. Using AI for development only sounds good if you're already writing your own software or you think you can with no idea of what good code looks like (vibecoding in a nutshell). I haven't seen a single actually useful application of generative AI outside of developer-related work, and even then the best use has been synthesizing a large doc base or multiple repos into an understandable summary with links to relevant docs. I genuinely cannot think of a good application for AI that would appeal to the majority of people outside the tech sphere right now.
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Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
Banazir Link ParentI was introduced to this idea via the Monkeysphere, which is just a meme term for Dunbar's Number. We really aren't meant to handle the immense numbers we encounter via most social media,...Somehow, communities are better when they have a human limit
I was introduced to this idea via the Monkeysphere, which is just a meme term for Dunbar's Number. We really aren't meant to handle the immense numbers we encounter via most social media, especially when you have to factor in how people will react differently to the same content.
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Comment on D6 TTRPG suggestions in ~games.tabletop
Banazir LinkMy immediate answer is Tiny Dungeon 2e, using the Tiny D6 system. Characters are basically an HP pool, a weapon proficiency, and a collection of Traits. Depending on what Heritage (their term for...My immediate answer is Tiny Dungeon 2e, using the Tiny D6 system.
Characters are basically an HP pool, a weapon proficiency, and a collection of Traits. Depending on what Heritage (their term for race/lineage) you choose, you start with a predetermined trait and 3 or 4 other traits of your choice as well as a starting max HP (goblins start with 4, treefolk start with 10, everything else falls in between). Weapons fit into three categories: light, heavy, and ranged. Light and ranged do 1 damage each, heavy does 2. A character starts with proficiency in one weapon category, and mastery of a specific weapon in that category. Magic relies on having one of two Traits (Spell-Touched, which is basically cantrips; and Spell-Reader, which allows for reading single-use scrolls with bigger effects).
A default "test" in Tiny Dungeon is a 2d6 roll. If you have disadvantage, you lose a die; if you have advantage, you gain a die. You succeed on a test if you get a 5 or 6 on any die. That means a normal test has a roughly 55% chance of success and a test with advantage has a 70% chance of success. Proficiency with a weapon category gives you a normal test, mastery of a specific weapon type gives you advantage. There is no critical failure or success by default, but there are optional rules you can add if you want.
Combat boils down to a few basic actions: move, attack, evade, focus, or do a specialized test (such as for magic). Characters get 2 actions per turn and can do any actions in any order as long as they're in range and their character is capable of said action. Magic, especially Spell-Touched, can be creative but by default works like a proficient ranged weapon in combat.
My friends love the system, so on weeks when we can't hold a regular D&D session because of missing members we'll often do a Tiny Dungeon one-shot. Because it's so rules-light, there's a lot of ad-hoc homebrew and collaboration between myself as the DM and the players. For example, my friend wanted to use Spell-Touched to immobilize a group of enemies. I gave the option of restraining one enemy or slowing an area, both instances would allow enemies to Test out of the restriction. When I have a player make an attack with magic, I ask them to describe the style of the attack, and I always get fun effects - a shadow mage who made an enemy's own shadow stab them in the back, a time mage who sapped a bandit's remaining lifespan, a classic firebolt, etc. I've also done some homebrew by stealing some ideas from games like Gloomhaven/Frosthaven regarding healing potions, poisons, and damage over time effects. Those have gotten tweaks as we see how players to them, and it's helped give them more options during sessions as well.
Tiny Dungeon is a great system if you just want to create a character in 5 minutes and play. It's also great if you want to use it as a base to build a more complex system. Outside of lacking specific trait descriptions, you can probably play it with the description I've given here. It's excellent for roleplay and storytelling, and if you're a collaborative DM I think you'll have a lot of fun with it.
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Comment on What we lost when we quit using crappy old web forums in ~tech
Banazir Link ParentThe term you're looking for is Amazon Lightsail, fyi. Personally, I think for blogs you can absolutely get away with a LAMP stack, or even less. My personal blog is running on a DigitalOcean VPS...The term you're looking for is Amazon Lightsail, fyi.
Personally, I think for blogs you can absolutely get away with a LAMP stack, or even less. My personal blog is running on a DigitalOcean VPS using AlmaLinux and Apache HTTP server, I just write markdown files and use a static site generator. I have SSL set up but there's not much for it to cover, the files are uploaded via
rsyncand there's nowhere for readers to submit anything to the server - there's not even a search box, just tags/categories that viewers can click. Prior to the current setup, it was running Wordpress (which is the poster child for LAMP) but I realized it had more features than I cared about and pared it down. Honestly, I think knowing where to upload files is the biggest barrier to this kind of setup being more common. -
Comment on Albums based on a recurring musical phrase in ~music
Banazir LinkMy first thought is Set Course for Andromeda by Sithu Aye. There's a couple of recurring leitmotifs that you'll pick up on pretty easily, and the last few pieces almost have a bit of back and...My first thought is Set Course for Andromeda by Sithu Aye. There's a couple of recurring leitmotifs that you'll pick up on pretty easily, and the last few pieces almost have a bit of back and forth to them. There is also the Homebound album that I think is supposed to be a direct "sequel", but I'm less familiar with that one. I also recommend his Senpai I, II, and III albums, although not for this prompt.
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Comment on Others that also have an aversion to onions, when is it OK? in ~food
Banazir Link ParentDo you also dislike peanuts, or just peanut butter? I assume the smell and flavor is close enough that whole peanuts would also be a problem. Shrimp makes sense, I immediately imagined the feeling...Do you also dislike peanuts, or just peanut butter? I assume the smell and flavor is close enough that whole peanuts would also be a problem.
Shrimp makes sense, I immediately imagined the feeling of biting into one and can easily see how that would be offputting. It doesn't bother me, but there's a distinct pop when you break the skin.
Interestingly, for those of us who are explicitly not interested in WH40K, it's a dark age of video games. Maybe it's because I haven't interacted with the IP directly, but it feels like the community and setting are based on one-upmanship. Sometimes it feels like I can't have a conversation about Spartans from Halo, or Ardat-Yakshi in Mass Effect, or just enhanced individuals in particular without someone butting in and saying "yeah well in Warhammer we have..." just to show how much worse that setting has it.
I get it, people are passionate about their interests. I'm just tired of hearing about 40k, and I've had to tell a couple friends that I will not engage with conversations if they bring it into the topic at this point.