gingerbeardman's recent activity
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Comment on I dream with a new mainstream handheld console that is neither an extension of a regular console experience, a smartphone, or a wine-powered Linux machine in ~games
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Comment on I dream with a new mainstream handheld console that is neither an extension of a regular console experience, a smartphone, or a wine-powered Linux machine in ~games
gingerbeardman Link ParentAppreciate you saying that, thank you. It takes a programmer to see past the veneer of visuals into the details and depth of what is really going on in a game. There is so much more happening than...Appreciate you saying that, thank you. It takes a programmer to see past the veneer of visuals into the details and depth of what is really going on in a game. There is so much more happening than there appears to be on the surface. It takes very careful scoping and a huge amount of effort and focus to execute an idea to the level I did with YOYOZO. But it was worth it. That game changed my life, in both very bad and very good ways. Good luck with your game development efforts.
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Comment on I dream with a new mainstream handheld console that is neither an extension of a regular console experience, a smartphone, or a wine-powered Linux machine in ~games
gingerbeardman Link ParentThanks for playing. Have funThanks for playing. Have fun
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Comment on I dream with a new mainstream handheld console that is neither an extension of a regular console experience, a smartphone, or a wine-powered Linux machine in ~games
gingerbeardman Link ParentYou could count the 3DS for sure because it can play DS games (albeit with stretched and blurry or small and sharp screen size). As much as enjoyed the 3DS—I still use my N3DS regularly—it's just...You could count the 3DS for sure because it can play DS games (albeit with stretched and blurry or small and sharp screen size). As much as enjoyed the 3DS—I still use my N3DS regularly—it's just an evolution not the revolution the original DS was. Plus the DS and my favourite the DS lite can play GBA cartridges. Some DS games even unlock secret bonuses if they detect a specific GBA cart in the slot. That's just the type of cool inventive stuff that we've not seen since. And that's my metric for judging best handheld: exclusive games. DS trumps all handhelds in terms of the breadth and depth of its exclusive game library, imho.
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Comment on I dream with a new mainstream handheld console that is neither an extension of a regular console experience, a smartphone, or a wine-powered Linux machine in ~games
gingerbeardman (edited )LinkIt's interesting that you pined for Nintendo DS (undoubtedly the greatest video game handheld of all time, by the way) and then later dismiss the two things that made it so great that it beat all...It's interesting that you pined for Nintendo DS (undoubtedly the greatest video game handheld of all time, by the way) and then later dismiss the two things that made it so great that it beat all competition: the dual screens and stylus/touch screen.
I'd love a return to the DS glory days, where there was so much invention and experimentation. There are so many untapped ideas still to explore. Indie games are in the same vein, but I feel that without the constraints of the dedicated, underpowered handheld they don't quite scratch the itch.
Playdate was the last attempt at a totally new handheld with limited constraints. I made a game called YOYOZO for it that was named one of the "Best Games of 2023", alongside Mario and Zelda. But the device and user base are minuscule compared any other platform—certainly not mainstream—so it depends on your point of view whether you consider it a success or not. But it fits your dream.
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How to tame a user interface using a spreadsheet
11 votes -
Comment on What game is your personal "Silksong"? in ~games
gingerbeardman LinkPang on Nintendo DS, released in 2010 (only in Europe). It arrived 21 years after the original Pang (or 27 if you count the earlier Bubble Buster), 20 years after the last home console version,...Pang on Nintendo DS, released in 2010 (only in Europe).
It arrived 21 years after the original Pang (or 27 if you count the earlier Bubble Buster), 20 years after the last home console version, and 10 years after the last arcade-only release. And it's brilliant. It takes everything that is great about Pang and dials it up to 11, across two screens.
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The unknown genre in video games
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Comment on What are your favorite casual puzzle games? in ~games
gingerbeardman (edited )LinkPolarium Advance on GBA (better than the also great DS version). One puzzle a day mode is highly recommended! Easy to emulate but there's something about playing on a real GBA Micro/SP. A cheap...Polarium Advance on GBA (better than the also great DS version). One puzzle a day mode is highly recommended! Easy to emulate but there's something about playing on a real GBA Micro/SP. A cheap emulation handheld like Miyoo Mini would also suffice. You press a button and are instantly back in the game—no faff. https://blog.gingerbeardman.com/2014/01/01/polarium-advance-daily-puzzle-challenge/
There's also a similar mode in my own Sparrow Solitaire, for Playdate.
MaBoShi (DS), Orbital/Orbient (GBA), and Magical Puzzle Popils (GG) both amazing but perhaps slightly less casual, though no worse than Chips Challenge.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
gingerbeardman LinkI've built a CD dumping app for macOS. Native, with a better* UI than all other dumping apps. The USP of my app—other than being a great native experience—is that it can dump from multiple drives...I've built a CD dumping app for macOS. Native, with a better* UI than all other dumping apps. The USP of my app—other than being a great native experience—is that it can dump from multiple drives at the same time. The UI duplicates itself in a vertical stack. So I'm calling it... Spindle.
Thread: https://bsky.app/profile/gingerbeardman.com/post/3lz4rpu4qfs2l
That makes 4 macOS apps I need to launch ASAP. The others are: a quick access bookmark tool (done), sound effects generator (done; needs a name), pixel art app (done; needs help/docs).
* I'm biased
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Comment on Dear Nintendo, please bring back the Wii Remote in ~games
gingerbeardman LinkI think technically the joycon do everything the Wii remote can do. I'm not sure how they'd solve the sensor bar issue. It was the form factor of the Wii remote that was the greatest thing about...I think technically the joycon do everything the Wii remote can do. I'm not sure how they'd solve the sensor bar issue. It was the form factor of the Wii remote that was the greatest thing about it imho.
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Comment on Give us your hot takes on the latest Nintendo Direct in ~games
gingerbeardman LinkI posted this on socials just after the Direct: Super Mario Galaxy movie LET'S-A-GO! About time I replayed Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2. New Yoshi game looks great—I’m all over that. Virtual Boy...I posted this on socials just after the Direct:
- Super Mario Galaxy movie LET'S-A-GO!
- About time I replayed Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2.
- New Yoshi game looks great—I’m all over that.
- Virtual Boy peripheral is very cool.
- Bananza DLC seems nice. Just got the main game but not started it yet.
- Lego Voyagers looks intriguing.
The rest left me cold... I'm so picky these days. I don't need any more shooters or rpgs.
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Comment on Silksong’s real final boss: The translator who broke his NDA and wrote like a dead poet in ~games
gingerbeardman LinkWild.Wild.
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Comment on Gotye – Untitled (2003) in ~music
gingerbeardman LinkShould be (2003) no idea why he's re-upped it in 2025. Such a tease!Should be (2003) no idea why he's re-upped it in 2025. Such a tease!
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Gotye – Untitled (2003)
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Comment on Sabrina Carpenter - Tears (2025) in ~music
gingerbeardman Link ParentGood Graces is rnb-pop, Juno is pure 80s. But no worries, I think we're in the weeds now of trying to pigeonhole songs into single genres which doesn't seem very useful ...and I think we're...Good Graces is rnb-pop, Juno is pure 80s. But no worries, I think we're in the weeds now of trying to pigeonhole songs into single genres which doesn't seem very useful ...and I think we're unlikely to agree. Which is fine :) glad you're enjoying it
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Comment on Sabrina Carpenter - Tears (2025) in ~music
gingerbeardman (edited )Link ParentI came to Short n' Sweet after the release of Please, Please, Please so I had no expectations other than "wow this single is really good I should pay more attention ". Taste has a Betty Davis Eyes...I came to Short n' Sweet after the release of Please, Please, Please so I had no expectations other than "wow this single is really good I should pay more attention ". Taste has a Betty Davis Eyes 80s-vibe, so I instantly loved it.
Playing them both through just now and I'd say only 4 (maybe 5) of 12 tracks are Country-ish. On both albums, which is surely no coincidence.
With MBF I was excited about Manchild with its half Country/80s thing. But a listen to the new album again just now and I am warming to it. I don't hate it, I just think it's inferior to SnS. Country-ish tracks I would say peaks far higher on We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night and Go Go Juice than anything on SnS.
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Comment on Sabrina Carpenter - Tears (2025) in ~music
gingerbeardman LinkSadly, this album doesn't do it for me. It just doesn't feel as clever, catchy, novel. On the other hand I couldn't get enough of Short n' Sweet, whose singles were super high bar. I'll go back to...Sadly, this album doesn't do it for me. It just doesn't feel as clever, catchy, novel. On the other hand I couldn't get enough of Short n' Sweet, whose singles were super high bar. I'll go back to this new album at some point, you never know.
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Comment on Twin Shadow - Awkward Backward / Dominoes (2025) in ~music
gingerbeardman (edited )LinkA: Awkward Backward B: Dominoes * imagine his song Totally Blue meets Game Boy AdvanceA: Awkward Backward
B: Dominoes* imagine his song Totally Blue meets Game Boy Advance
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Twin Shadow - Awkward Backward / Dominoes (2025)
3 votes
I played through The Italian Job and Yo-yo’s Puzzle Park (both PS1) using emulator save states. Both brilliant experiences that I simply wouldn’t have made time for without the benefit and accessibility of save states.