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    1. Nostalgic for Empire and other early daily turn based games

      Recently I've been really nostalgic for really simple, daily turn-based games. Not sure how many people here may have played Empire, but this is what I'm talking about. I very fondly remember...

      Recently I've been really nostalgic for really simple, daily turn-based games. Not sure how many people here may have played Empire, but this is what I'm talking about. I very fondly remember dialing in (with a modem) to 4-5 different Unix based BBSes just to play Empire every day. Each day your turn may take 10 minutes. This is the key thing I am nostalgic about...really low time investment every single day, but in a game with lot's of other players.

      Other games that I really enjoyed back then were the BBS "door games" like Tradewars. Tradewars can still be played via telnetting into various BBSes that people are keeping up and running.

      So, now that I've set the scene, what are the really simple games out there that you may play that are daily turn-based?

      Second question, what would people think about a web based version of Empire? I'm thinking of building it, if I don't find the existence of it somewhere already. I think it would be really cool to have someone drop by the web site, click play, and have them thrown into a map with other players (up to 30 per a map or so).

      16 votes
    2. Target buy two get one free

      Buy 2 get 1 free right now in stores and online until the 11th. Anyone pick up anything from here? I got these with 2 free. Lost ruins of arnak Parks Sheriff of Nottingham Wingspan Horrified Greek...

      Buy 2 get 1 free right now in stores and online until the 11th. Anyone pick up anything from here? I got these with 2 free.

      • Lost ruins of arnak
      • Parks
      • Sheriff of Nottingham
      • Wingspan
      • Horrified Greek Monster edition
      • Quacks of Quedlinburg
      11 votes
    3. How do you keep your keyboards non-sticky?

      Hi. I work from my tiny studio and I only have one table for eating and for the computer. Might be a very silly question but: I'm usually too lazy to put the external keyboard away when I'm having...

      Hi. I work from my tiny studio and I only have one table for eating and for the computer.

      Might be a very silly question but: I'm usually too lazy to put the external keyboard away when I'm having lunch and so the keys eventually get sticky with oil from the food and whatnot. Is there some way to clean them? Is there a type of keyboard that would be easier to clean?

      The spacebar and the ctrl / shift keys in particular are the ones to get sticky first.

      I understand that one solution would be to just put it away while eating -- and maybe that's the best solution? But maybe there are alternatives?

      Thanks in advance.

      Edit: Thank you again to everyone for taking the time helping me with my silly problem. Especially to the ones who tried their best not to be judgmental. :)

      15 votes
    4. Tildes' 2023 Backlog Burner: The blaze has ignited!

      The event has officially begun! Let's Burn through these backlogs! Use this thread to post about the games that you play. Thread etiquette: It is fine to make multiple top-level posts throughout...

      The event has officially begun! Let's Burn through these backlogs!


      Use this thread to post about the games that you play.

      Thread etiquette:

      • It is fine to make multiple top-level posts throughout the week if you play multiple games.

      • It is fine to respond to yourself with updates if you're continuing a single game and walk to talk more about it as you go.

      • If you are playing Backlog Bingo, feel free to make a top-level post with your card that you edit as you go, while making new posts underneath that to talk about the games as you play them.

      Gameplay guidelines:

      • Goals for this event (if any) are entirely individual and self-determined.

      • You do NOT need to finish games unless you want to. The point is to try out games and have fun, not force ourselves to play things we're not interested in.


      Backlog Bingo

      Thanks to the amazing efforts of our very own @Wes, we are debuting Backlog Bingo! This is a completely optional way to participate in the month.

      You can generate a unique Backlog Bingo card from a collection of 73 different categories. Choose the ones you want in your batch, and then use Wes's custom-made online tool to automatically create your own individualized bingo card.

      Wes's tool automatically assembles the markdown for your table, so it will paste beautifully into comments here on Tildes. For example:

      Bingo Card Example
      Bingo!
      Not super popular (e.g. <50 user reviews on Metacritic) Is one of the oldest games you own Arcade game Has DLC You own on physical media
      You have to tinker in order to get it running You got from a bundle You wanted to play it when you were younger but never did Owned for more than five years Has cute, feel-good vibes
      Co-op game or campaign From now-defunct dev studio Has a non-human player character Owned for more than one year
      Not found on any distribution service You can save/pet/care for animals Begins with one of your initials You paid full price for it Solo-dev project
      Has an animal player character From a series you have played Has number somewhere in the title Owned for more than three years Came out more than 5 years ago

      Play games throughout the month to check off categories in the Bingo card. The ★ in the middle of every card is a free space -- there are no requirements for that square and any game you play fits there!

      The most basic win condition is five-in-a-row, but, if you're feeling really wild, you might go for a win pattern that's a little more involved. Your choice!

      Here's an example of someone "winning" the card above:

      Winning Bingo Card
      Bingo!
      Not super popular (e.g. <50 user reviews on Metacritic) Is one of the oldest games you own
      Terminal Velocity (1995)
      Arcade game Has DLC You own on physical media
      You have to tinker in order to get it running You got from a bundle
      World of Goo
      You wanted to play it when you were younger but never did Owned for more than five years Has cute, feel-good vibes
      Co-op game or campaign From now-defunct dev studio
      Blur
      Has a non-human player character Owned for more than one year
      Not found on any distribution service You can save/pet/care for animals
      Super Metroid
      Begins with one of your initials You paid full price for it Solo-dev project
      Has an animal player character From a series you have played
      Rise of the Tomb Raider
      Has number somewhere in the title Owned for more than three years Came out more than 5 years ago

      Bingo Golfing (thanks @Wes and @aphoenix!) is also an option: trying to clear a pattern by counting multiple categories for a single game, thus “winning” with as few games as possible.

      Step 3 of Wes's tool includes instructions for checking off games, which has to be done manually. If you need an in-thread guide, you can use the following example below:

      Filling in a Square

      This markdown:

      ||
      |:-:|
      | ✅ ~~Struckthrough Example Category~~ <br> **Bolded Game Title** |
      

      Gives this completed square: (ignore the header row that markdown requires for its tables)

      Struckthrough Example Category
      Bolded Game Title

      If you can't figure out how to check off categories or you break the Markdown for your table, feel free to ask for help in the comments or PM me and I can help you out!


      FAQs

      What is this?

      Your "backlog" is all those games you've been meaning to play or get around to, but never have yet. This event is an attempt to get us to collectively dig into that treasure trove of experiences!

      How do I participate?

      Choose a game (or several) from your backlog and play it/them. Then tell us about your experiences in the discussion thread for the week! If you're not sure what you might write, take a look at our 2022 or 2020 events to get an idea.

      Do I need to finish the games I play?

      Nope! Not at all. There aren't really any requirements for the event so much as this is an incentive to get us to play games we've been avoiding starting up, for whatever reason. Play as much or as little as you like of a given game. Try out dozens for ten minutes each or dive into one for 40 hours. There's no wrong way to participate!

      What's the timeline?

      I will post an update thread weekly, each Wednesday, all through November. At the end of the month, I think it would be neat to tally how many collective games we all removed from our backlogs, as well as what the best finds were from our collective digging into our libraries. I expect we'll turn up some good hidden gems, as well as interesting insights.

      Do I need to sign up?

      You don't have to do anything to officially join or participate in the event other than post in these threads! Participate in whatever way works for you.

      But November has `Big Name Release` coming out. Why *this* month when people will be focused on that new game?

      I'm doing the best that I can! A "problem" with 2023 is that it has been an absolutely stacked year for gaming releases. There simply hasn't been a "slow" month. With limited time left, I figured November was at least better than December. Think of this as an opportunity to cut down on your backlog before all the end-of-the-year sales hit.

      43 votes
    5. D&D video game without mature content?

      I've been trying, without success, to find a good video game that is in the D&D/Pathfinder type genre, but without mature content. Some very light profanity would be OK. I really want to avoid...

      I've been trying, without success, to find a good video game that is in the D&D/Pathfinder type genre, but without mature content. Some very light profanity would be OK. I really want to avoid games that objectify females, which, unfortunately, a lot of games in this genre does. Preferably something that can be played solo, even if that's in a multi-player environment. I'm good with new games, old games, indy games, high priced games, whatever. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

      14 votes
    6. How to use the YouTube website?

      Youtube has become rather broken of late. The nagware popup complaining about my ad blocker can no longer be removed. I don't want ads and I certainly aren't going to pay. So far, I download the...

      Youtube has become rather broken of late. The nagware popup complaining about my ad blocker can no longer be removed. I don't want ads and I certainly aren't going to pay. So far, I download the videos via Jdownloader. Is there a less bothersome way? How do you go about it?

      25 votes
    7. Fitness Weekly Discussion

      What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started...

      What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started a new diet or have a new recipe you want to share? Anything else health and wellness related?

      3 votes
    8. Weekly megathread for news/updates/discussion of Russian invasion of Ukraine - November 2

      This thread is posted weekly on Thursday - please try to post relevant content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Especially significant updates may warrant a separate topic,...

      This thread is posted weekly on Thursday - please try to post relevant content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Especially significant updates may warrant a separate topic, but most should be posted here.

      If you'd like to help support Ukraine, please visit the official site at https://help.gov.ua/ - an official portal for those who want to provide humanitarian or financial assistance to people of Ukraine, businesses or the government at the times of resistance against the Russian aggression.

      20 votes
    9. Why does some songs begins with the notes C-F ?

      Merrily abusing my piano with my horrifying lack of skill, I keep noticing songs beginning with the notes C-F: Moonlight Shadows Auld Lang Syne Es hatt ein Bauer ein junges Weib Der sad to katte...

      Merrily abusing my piano with my horrifying lack of skill, I keep noticing songs beginning with the notes C-F:

      • Moonlight Shadows
      • Auld Lang Syne
      • Es hatt ein Bauer ein junges Weib
      • Der sad to katte på et bord
      • Forest Green

      It sorta feels like the melody exists in the area around F, while C is used as kind of special effect. Are there some connection or tradition behind those C-F openings, or is it just me seeing patterns where there is none?

      15 votes
    10. Three Cheers for Tildes (Android version) is open for alpha testing on the Google Play Store

      Play Store link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.talklittle.android.tildes Alternatively, opt-in to testing via web:...

      Play Store link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.talklittle.android.tildes

      Alternatively, opt-in to testing via web: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.talklittle.android.tildes

      Three Cheers for Tildes is an unofficial mobile app for Tildes, originally announced on Tildes' 5th birthday. The original announcement answers some basic questions about the app.

      It is still missing tons of features—hence "alpha"—but I felt it would be better to release something instead of waiting too long. Alpha version 0.5 is currently good enough for light use, to help check on Tildes once or twice a day. You can log in, vote, and comment.

      Notable missing features as of v0.5: Submitting topics; Markdown editor; In-app notifications; Comment labels; Sort options.


      The iOS version is underway and I am aiming to have it done by the October deadline achieved during our June fundraiser.

      Other iOS apps are already in beta testing: Backtick by @wababa and Surfboard by @earlsweatshirt.


      I'll try to keep this post updated with changelogs and known bugs.

      I don't have a public issue tracker for feature requests; feel free to leave requests in comments here. Thanks my Tildren!

      552 votes
    11. What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

      What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was...

      What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was cool, something that was bad, ask for recommendations, or anything else you can think of.

      If you want to, feel free to find the thing you're talking about and link to its pages on Anilist, MAL, or any other database you use!

      7 votes