• Activity
  • Votes
  • Comments
  • New
  • All activity
  • Showing only topics with the tag "ask". Back to normal view
    1. 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!

      4 votes
    2. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      12 votes
    3. What did you do this weekend?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their weekend. Did you make any plans? Take a trip? Do nothing at...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their weekend. Did you make any plans? Take a trip? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      5 votes
    4. Gratitude: One Year Later

      It's been one year since I asked Tildes users what they're thankful for. 2020 has been an insane year, but even among the despair and uncertainty, I still think there are things to be grateful for...

      It's been one year since I asked Tildes users what they're thankful for.

      2020 has been an insane year, but even among the despair and uncertainty, I still think there are things to be grateful for and things to be hopeful for.

      So, what are you all thankful for to have had in 2020, and what are you looking forward to?

      15 votes
    5. TV Tuesdays Free Talk

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here. Please just try to provide fair warning of...

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

      Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

      8 votes
    6. What did you do this week?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      8 votes
    7. What sustainability-focused companies/brands do you recommend?

      It's honestly hard to separate out companies who are genuinely making a decent effort to not be completely terrible versus those that are just green- or ethical-washing their practices as a...

      It's honestly hard to separate out companies who are genuinely making a decent effort to not be completely terrible versus those that are just green- or ethical-washing their practices as a marketing tactic. Furthermore, I realize that reducing consumption itself is the most sustainable choice one can make, so I'm asking this more as a "when I do need to buy something, what's a good place to turn to?"

      Feel free to give recommendations for any areas, but in particular I'd love to hear about recommendations in the areas of clothes, linens/bedding, and coffee beans, as those are things that I'm currently on the market for. Also, if there are any good resources that aggregate reliable information about sustainable companies, let me know too.

      16 votes
    8. Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of November 9

      This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the...

      This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

      11 votes
    9. What is some noteworthy music that is quarantine/COVID-specific?

      I'm curious to know what music is out there that: is explicitly about the world's current COVID-related situations, or had its recording/production significantly influenced by those situations....

      I'm curious to know what music is out there that:

      • is explicitly about the world's current COVID-related situations, or
      • had its recording/production significantly influenced by those situations.

      Examples of the former would be Koffee's "Lockdown" or Chromeo's Quarantine Casanova, which have their influences right there on the label.

      An example of the latter would be Charli XCX's How I'm Feeling Now (mildly NSFW album art), which was created in self-isolation while collaborating over Zoom with producers and fans.

      I'm interested in seeing what's out there, not necessarily getting specific recommendations for music, so you don't have to consider anything you post an endorsement.

      13 votes
    10. What music have you grown out of? What music has remained resonant across the years?

      Two parts to this topic: What music have you grown out of? (This is music you used to love but that you now find it very hard to enjoy) What, if anything, caused/spurred the separation? What music...

      Two parts to this topic:


      • What music have you grown out of? (This is music you used to love but that you now find it very hard to enjoy)

      • What, if anything, caused/spurred the separation?


      • What music has remained resonant throughout the years? (This is music that still speaks to you like it did when you first listened to it, years or even decades earlier).

      • What do you think gives it such staying power?


      "Music" can refer to specific songs, albums, artists, labels, genres, etc. -- whatever best fits the questions and your musical preferences.

      13 votes
    11. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      9 votes
    12. How have you changed over the course of your life?

      Asked mainly out of curiosity and because, personally, most of the changes I've been through (well, that I remember, with I don't do nearly as well as I'd like) as a person are basically the...

      Asked mainly out of curiosity and because, personally, most of the changes I've been through (well, that I remember, with I don't do nearly as well as I'd like) as a person are basically the implications of autism often getting weaker with age and just getting hormones like most people instead of anything deliberate or conscious, with the exception of this.

      16 votes
    13. How do you think we should deal with multiple videos on the same topic?

      So what I'm talking about is stuff like this 10-video playlist or this 3 video playlist (Emp never actually made it a playlist unfortunately). So how should we deal with multiple videos from the...

      So what I'm talking about is stuff like this 10-video playlist or this 3 video playlist (Emp never actually made it a playlist unfortunately).

      So how should we deal with multiple videos from the same person on the same subject?

      Should the ability to make 10 link posts and wrap them under a single topic so people can comment on each video individually be a new feature (and if so should we be able to upvote the whole thing or each link individually?)

      Should we upload a playlist of all the videos like this?

      Should we make a text post with all the video links, like this but with videos instead of chapters?

      Or should we do something else?

      5 votes
    14. What creative projects have you been working on?

      This topic is part of a series. It is meant to be a place for users to discuss creative projects they have been working on. Projects can be personal, professional, physical, digital, or even just...

      This topic is part of a series. It is meant to be a place for users to discuss creative projects they have been working on.

      Projects can be personal, professional, physical, digital, or even just ideas.

      If you have any creative projects that you have been working on or want to eventually work on, this is a place for discussing those.

      7 votes
    15. 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?

      5 votes
    16. If bringing/migrating r/askbiblescholars to Tildes turns out well, what other subreddits/subreddit groups would you like to see here?

      I've heard many people here like truereddit and the depthhub network and so would probably pop up a lot here but I wonder what other suggestions we might have. I'd probably like r/imaginarymaps...

      I've heard many people here like truereddit and the depthhub network and so would probably pop up a lot here but I wonder what other suggestions we might have.

      I'd probably like r/imaginarymaps and a lot of related fantasy subreddits. It would probably also be interesting to call more hobby/social/'extravert' subreddits (or, odds are, any subreddit about anything that requires going outside, physical effort/tools or requires multiple people.)

      It would probably also be interesting to bring some subreddits for minority/discriminated against groups like r/ainbow, r/TwoXchromosomes or r/transgender.

      Lastly, there are namesake subreddits like r/hobbies.

      24 votes
    17. 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!

      4 votes
    18. Privacy is a lonely bastion. Anyone know how to meet friends online these days?

      At some point we recognized the signs of desperation. My wife and I had been running to the window like puppies for a glimpse of any unusual traffic. We caught ourselves bingeing on news articles,...

      At some point we recognized the signs of desperation. My wife and I had been running to the window like puppies for a glimpse of any unusual traffic. We caught ourselves bingeing on news articles, as if saturating ourselves with reporting could somehow make us relevant to a world that saw less and less of us. We even resorted to calling my mother. After listening to 90 uninterrupted minutes of narration regarding her most recent routine doctor’s visit, we broke down. We resolved to end the isolation that was slowly killing us. Then the pandemic hit.

      Our biggest stumbling block is figuring out how can we make friends online using only privacy-respecting platforms and software? We would like to see some friendly faces in real time without being simultaneously, you know, mined. Could anyone in the know share suggestions?

      Edit: I'm grateful people are considering this. Thank you! I find it helps to ask people what their ideal solution would be, no matter how far-fetched. So, in response to that: My dream platform/venue/project would meld aspects of Lunchclub with The Human Library. I have stories to tell. I would love to video chat with fully-clothed individuals drawn from all over the world, chosen based on their stories and ambitions. It would work the way a good host does. You know, "Greta once had the job of getting sweat stains out of Bruce Springsteen's guitar strap. You two should swap cleaning stories, since you work at that drycleaner's, right, Butchie? Is it true it's a front for the mob? Oh, excuse me, I have to disinfect the pizza guy. I'll leave you to it." Maybe I should flesh this out more.

      36 votes
    19. What did you do this weekend?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their weekend. Did you make any plans? Take a trip? Do nothing at...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their weekend. Did you make any plans? Take a trip? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      7 votes
    20. Tilderinoo Gamers and Game Night

      Dear Tilderinoos I believe in doing fun things with strangers (that sounds dirtier than what was intended). How are you boys/girls/All/none feeling about gaming or Game Nights as events together?...

      Dear Tilderinoos I believe in doing fun things with strangers (that sounds dirtier than what was intended).

      How are you boys/girls/All/none feeling about gaming or Game Nights as events together? Games like Among Us, Minecraft, CSGO?
      Or Pen and Paper RPG's via Matrix/Discord/Telegram?

      I am kinda drunk right now and in that lovey-dovey level of drunkedness so this may be just a random optimistic kind of post... but what do y'all think? Would it be fun? How can it be done?

      29 votes
    21. 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?

      8 votes
    22. 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!

      9 votes
    23. What book(s) would you recommend to someone who doesn't read, and why?

      If a friend who never reads came to you and asked for book recommendations that'll grab them, what would you recommend? Furthermore, what makes those ideal choices for a habitual non-reader? I'm...

      If a friend who never reads came to you and asked for book recommendations that'll grab them, what would you recommend? Furthermore, what makes those ideal choices for a habitual non-reader?

      I'm not asking because I'm trying to convince someone to read something -- I'm just curious to see what some of the suggestions and reasoning will be.

      17 votes
    24. What movie (or series) really speaks to you, but which most people don't seem to "get"

      ... and, if you know ... why? ETA: I'm honestly not looking for movie recommendations here. Oftentimes, a "regular" movie for the masses, just happens to hit the perfect note for one or a few...

      ... and, if you know ... why?

      ETA: I'm honestly not looking for movie recommendations here. Oftentimes, a "regular" movie for the masses, just happens to hit the perfect note for one or a few people. I'm interested in those "it's special for me, because..." stories.

      We have a dozen different "what's the best ___", but I haven't seen this discussion here in awhile.

      My first pick here would have to be Mystery Men, which—for me—ranks as one of the best comic book / superhero movies of all time, right up there with the first X-Men and Ironman. However, broad critical concensus, as well as everyone I've ever shown it to, seems to be, "meh, that was cute; what else ya got?"

      I honestly have no idea why this movie resonates so strongly with me, and not with the gen pop. My best guess is that I tend to identify more than average with the whole "well-meaning underdog screw-ups prevail" theme, and this movie is that, times seven.


      My other pick is Grosse Pointe Blank, an old John Cusack thing which does have broadly positive reviews, and which most people truly like ... but my life history is enough of an outlier from societal norms, that I feel a very personal connection with the lead character, and his feelings of alienation from society.

      20 votes
    25. Looking for albums/artists with a rough, imperfect production style

      Here's a couple of examples of what I mean from The Voidz' 2014 album Tyranny: Father Electricity Take Me In Your Army Mainly looking for electronic and rock, but any genre from any century is...

      Here's a couple of examples of what I mean from The Voidz' 2014 album Tyranny:
      Father Electricity
      Take Me In Your Army

      Mainly looking for electronic and rock, but any genre from any century is welcome.

      13 votes
    26. Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of November 2

      This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the...

      This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

      12 votes
    27. 2020 US Presidential Election Results - Discussion Thread

      This will be a noisy thread. Please use the ignore feature if you do not want to see it in your feed. This is a continuation of the original thread from election day, which was here. These threads...

      This will be a noisy thread. Please use the ignore feature if you do not want to see it in your feed.


      This is a continuation of the original thread from election day, which was here.

      These threads are intended as more conversational spaces to process the day and results. Consider this an open forum for your own thoughts and feelings.


      There is also a thread here in ~news that's more focused on articles and events.

      30 votes
    28. What did you do this week?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      9 votes
    29. What have you been listening to this week?

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as...

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as well, we'd love to see your hauls :)

      Feel free to give recs or discuss anything about each others' listening habits.

      You can make a chart if you use last.fm:

      http://www.tapmusic.net/lastfm/

      Remember that linking directly to your image will update with your future listening, make sure to reupload to somewhere like imgur if you'd like it to remain what you have at the time of posting.

      5 votes
    30. Complete an emotional inventory of your music library/experiences

      This is not so much an ask thread as it is a task one. The idea is simple: for any/all of the categories below, identify music from your library or experiences that fits the bill, and explain a...

      This is not so much an ask thread as it is a task one. The idea is simple: for any/all of the categories below, identify music from your library or experiences that fits the bill, and explain a bit about why.

      You can choose any from the list, or do all if you like, but please do NOT just list items with no explanation! Your thoughts are the exciting parts of this exercise, not just the music itself, so please share!

      For the purposes of this inventory, "music" can refer to a specific lyric, a song, an album, an artist, or even a concert or event -- really anything that you think fits the bill. If you want to go into multiples per category, that's fine too -- just remember to explain them!


      Inventory Items

      Tell me about music that:

      • Is an instant mood lift
      • Is emotionally devastating
      • You've cried to
      • Reminds you of someone you love
      • Reminds you of someone you used to love
      • Brings you back to a specific memorable moment/time in your life
      • Helps you relax
      • Amps you up
      • Makes you feel safe
      • Could put you to sleep (in a good way)
      • Makes you feel like you're on an adventure
      • Reminds you that there is beauty in this world
      • Impresses you
      • Makes you smile
      • Makes you laugh

      You don't have to do all of them -- only the ones you feel strongly about or that have interesting stories behind them. Also, feel free to add on new categories in the comments that people can also respond to.

      21 votes
    31. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      8 votes
    32. TV Tuesdays Free Talk

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here. Please just try to provide fair warning of...

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

      Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

      7 votes
    33. Seeking good programs for digitizing all our addresses

      What's your preferred program for typing up lots and lots of addresses? My mum's got multiple address books and they'll have to be typed up eventually, a block at a time. I don't really want to go...

      What's your preferred program for typing up lots and lots of addresses? My mum's got multiple address books and they'll have to be typed up eventually, a block at a time. I don't really want to go with the contacts function of Outlook/Hotmail/Live, because it requires signing in and the password could be misplaced. I also would like to use something that could ideally export the addresses to another Outlook/Hotmail/Live or Gmail account.

      7 votes
    34. What did you do this weekend?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their weekend. Did you make any plans? Take a trip? Do nothing at...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their weekend. Did you make any plans? Take a trip? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      8 votes
    35. What are your favorite mods?

      Note that this question is touched upon here, but only for very large, expansive mods. Also, I don't play a lot of games and have never installed a mod (and most mobile games don't allow it anyway...

      Note that this question is touched upon here, but only for very large, expansive mods.

      Also, I don't play a lot of games and have never installed a mod (and most mobile games don't allow it anyway and none on console) so this is mostly based on how much I like the concept of the mod and the footage I've seen of it, which is obviously to be taken with a grain of salt and is gonna be a lot different from a list from someone who actually plays the game with the mod. This list will also be biased towards well known mods and won't be expansive for the same reason.


      KSP

      Principia

      Kerbal space program simplifies gravity by only doing calculations for one body generating gravity, meaning Lagrange points don't exist and orbits are generally simplified. This mod changes that, and not just for your ship, it does for the planets too.

      RSS (Real Solar System) mod

      Title. Basically it recreates the real solar system in Kerbal space program since KSP has it's own system with it's own planets. Usually followed by Realism Overhaul (a mod with includes real rockets because the KSP system is 10 times smaller for playability) and Realistic progression (a mod that makes all those rockets disponible in the game's tech tree and would probably be high on this list.)

      Outer planets mod

      Basically a mod that adds Saturn, Uranus and Neptune analogues to the game, and some of their associated satellites, while still being relatively original. (note that they do add a pluto analogue but the stock game already has a pluto analogue. It's turned into an Enceladus analogue around the Saturn analogue.)

      Honorable mentions:

      10x Kerbol system, because it scales up all the celestial bodies in the game to a realistic size without needing to change the rest of the game.

      Tilt' em!, for adding axial tilt into the game, something that is moderately important to orbital mechanics (if your planet is inclined relative to the rest of the solar system, your orbit might need to align with the solar system instead of the planet to reduce inclination in interplanetary space.

      16 votes
    36. A discussion of Glenn Greenwald's departure from The Intercept

      Glenn Greenwald resigned from from The Intercept_ an online publication he helped start after the Edward Snowden Leaks. In that letter Glenn Greenwald goes into detail for the reason for his...

      Glenn Greenwald resigned from from The Intercept_ an online publication he helped start after the Edward Snowden Leaks. In that letter Glenn Greenwald goes into detail for the reason for his resignation.

      The final, precipitating cause is that The Intercept’s editors, in violation of my contractual right of editorial freedom, censored an article I wrote this week, refusing to publish it unless I remove all sections critical of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the candidate vehemently supported by all New-York-based Intercept editors involved in this effort at suppression.

      Editor-in-Chief of The Intercept's response with a heavy critique of Glenn Greenwald work as a Journalist.

      it is important to make clear that our goal in editing his work was to ensure that it would be accurate and fair. While he accuses us of political bias, it was he who was attempting to recycle the dubious claims of a political campaign — the Trump campaign — and launder them as journalism.

      Glenn Greenwald post the unedited article w/ typos and and all that The Intercept refused to publish.

      Glenn has also posted the email exchange between himself and other editors at The Intercept.

      26 votes
    37. What tips or tricks do you use when researching a topic to find actually useful information?

      Stop me if you've heard this one before: You get an idea for something you'd like to learn more about. (Maybe you have a question, maybe you want to explore a new hobby, or maybe you want to make...

      Stop me if you've heard this one before:

      • You get an idea for something you'd like to learn more about. (Maybe you have a question, maybe you want to explore a new hobby, or maybe you want to make a more informed decision.)
      • You type something into a search engine.
      • You click a result, only to realize that what you're reading is poorly written. It seems rushed, surface-level, and ill-informed. "This doesn't answer my question at all!" you think to yourself.
      • You go back, and try another one, and another one, only to give up and put the idea back in your head.

      I don't think these webpages are written to be useful in the first place. They seem to be written to attract attention to the website for other reasons (ad revenue, affiliate links, to draw attention to a product or service). Regardless of why it's happening, though, I want to find a better way to search.

      The sort of content I'm looking for is written by someone who really cares about the topic. I want to learn from dorks and nerds and passionate people. Once I stumbled across this blog about extra virgin olive oil. The website isn't pretty, and it goes way more in depth than I'll ever need, but I trust the author, and there are some really interesting nuggets of insight on these pages. (e.g. "Another myth debunked: Heating EVOO makes it ‘toxic’")

      Do you have any tips or tricks to more reliably find these sorts of sources (whether online or in-person)?

      15 votes
    38. Apple Arcade recommendations?

      I upgraded to Apple One because it was only $3 more a month for TV and Arcade split between my family plan members. So why not? Looking for recommendations of what's fun to play in the Arcade....

      I upgraded to Apple One because it was only $3 more a month for TV and Arcade split between my family plan members. So why not?

      Looking for recommendations of what's fun to play in the Arcade. I'll take anything, but if you're looking for what I like the last games I really enjoyed playing were: Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Disco Elysium, Persona 5 Royal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. As you can tell, I really don't play mobile games much.

      Thank in advance.

      9 votes
    39. Developer Resume Review

      I am currently a junior in college and in search of summer internship for next year. I am not seeing much response and starting to wonder if it is an issue with my resume. Is there any chance one...

      I am currently a junior in college and in search of summer internship for next year. I am not seeing much response and starting to wonder if it is an issue with my resume. Is there any chance one of you would be willing to take a look at it? Open to any and all feedback.

      Thank you for your time.

      Resume

      12 votes
    40. Strange idea to fix RPG gaming online - shit or lit / feedback chat

      It's Covid days and I am sure all of us who play Pen and Paper RPG's (watup, nerds) have found the experience incredibly lacking. The way we communicate via Discord etc, has to be incredibly...

      It's Covid days and I am sure all of us who play Pen and Paper RPG's (watup, nerds) have found the experience incredibly lacking.
      The way we communicate via Discord etc, has to be incredibly different from IRL conversations. Its frustrating when the core element of RPG's is the conversations, the chat, the small talk, the adlib and the silly jokes.
      The way we talk IRL is so different because we can discern the different sources, we can listen more or less to different people, we can interrupt and add things. Conversations via Discord is more like listening to a speech, and then replying. IRL gaming and the conversations that crop up are more like actual human chatting - taking a joke, building on it, having it taken from you etc etc. (the way me and my friend talk is so natural, we know each other well enough to be able to discern the relevant from the irrelevant - the bits we can tag on to, and the bits we need to leave alone)

      What I was thinking was to see HOW we talk in gaming, and how that could be mimicked SOMEWHAT in Discord etc.

      My idea was to create a set of icons/low quality videos arranged around a table placement, that you can then focus on. Like a mouse controlled object that indicates what part of the table you focus on and how much. Just like a human would by turning her head this way or that to focus on one person talking in a group, or leaning in towards that source to indicate how much she listens to that unique source. By having a physical placement you can focus on an edge of "the table" and then lean in towards one source - and lean out to listen to all.

      All other listeners can see your focus, the way you turn towards a source and be able to change their communication to fit.

      So imaging having your "icon"/video at the bottom, the table sorted in a half circle shape above and your "focus" in the middle. If you pull it to its "lagrange point" (a snapping midpoint so its easy to find) you are listening to all. By dragging it towards one end you are focusing more on that person and the people around it, as a circle. You can see others focus, by coloured lines focusing more or less on an end or another.

      My idea is to abuse the already available 3D audio effects existing and use that to put your focus towards one end or another, muting and muffling audio as your focus move across the table to be able to somewhat mimic the way we as human listen.

      The social order of an RPG session, with the DM being the natural focus at times means that that focus can happen naturally either through focus, or simply silence. With it you can find the focus of others as an indicator of whether you are committing a faux pas or not, just like in real life when people pointedly may look directly towards another source.

      7 votes