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38 votes
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The Oatmeal: A cartoonist's review of AI art
39 votes -
What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them?
What have you been playing lately? Discussion about video games and board games are both welcome. Please don't just make a list of titles, give some thoughts about the game(s) as well.
15 votes -
What's a product or service that you use but don't want to pay for and why?
I started this in ~life even though my own response is a tech service, to enable more diverse conversation. For example, this could be something people normally pay for but you'd rather DIY, or a...
I started this in ~life even though my own response is a tech service, to enable more diverse conversation.
For example, this could be something people normally pay for but you'd rather DIY, or a subscription service you use but don't see the point in paying for.
30 votes -
Robin Williams' daughter pleads for people to stop sending AI videos of her dad
25 votes -
Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account
36 votes -
Timasomo 2025: Week 1 Updates
Update us on your progress so far! What did/didn't you get done this week? Anything go according to plan? Anything go off the rails? Any successes or struggles to share? Do you need feedback or...
Update us on your progress so far!
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What did/didn't you get done this week?
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Anything go according to plan?
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Anything go off the rails?
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Any successes or struggles to share?
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Do you need feedback or help on anything?
This is your topic to share anything and everything you want about what you’ve made so far.
9 votes -
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2025 Nobel Prize – This year's Nobel Prize announcements will take place between 6th - 13th October 2025
20 votes -
2025 Physics Nobel awarded to three scientists for work on quantum computing (in the 1980s)
6 votes -
Travel essentials: eight items to pack for your next trip – and what to leave at home
25 votes -
What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up?
A debunked myth, a frequently misused word, a lie that seemingly everyone believes… What’s a common misunderstanding, and what should people really know instead?
60 votes -
Midweek Movie Free Talk
Warning: this post may contain spoilers
Have you watched any movies recently you want to discuss? Any films 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.
3 votes -
TV Tuesdays Free Talk
Warning: this post may contain spoilers
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.
4 votes -
AI slop is killing our channel
13 votes -
‘Heat 2’ is on: Michael Mann crime drama moves from Warner Bros. to United Artists; Jerry Bruckheimer, Scott Stuber producing
9 votes -
Humble Choice - October 2025
October 2025's Humble Choice is now available with the following eight Steam games. Steam Page OpenCritic Steam Recent/All Operating Systems Steam Deck ProtonDB Atomic Heart 74 72 / 78 Win ✅...
October 2025's Humble Choice is now available with the following eight Steam games.
Steam Page OpenCritic Steam Recent/All Operating Systems Steam Deck ProtonDB Atomic Heart 74 72 / 78 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum V Rising 83 85 / 89 Win ✅ Verified 🟨 Gold System Shock 77 80 / 91 Win 🟨 Playable 🎖️ Platinum STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town 71 63 / 83 Win ❌ Unsupported 🟨 Gold Cryptmaster 76 93 / 95 Win 🟨 Playable 🎖️ Platinum Shogun Showdown 87 97 / 97 Win ✅ Verified ✅ Native Hotel Renovator 70 82 / 77 Win 🟨 Playable 🟫 Bronze Caravan SandWitch 72 67 / 89 Win ✅ Verified 🟨 Gold Does anyone have experience with any of the games and, if so, would you recommend them? Is there anything in here that you're particularly excited to play?
10 votes -
High pollen count: The last straw effect on suicide risk
17 votes -
What does ChatGPT know about you?
Yesterday I discovered that you can ask ChatGPT what it knows and It will tell you. I’m curious about what it says for other people. Obviously, don’t post anything you’re unwilling to share...
Yesterday I discovered that you can ask ChatGPT what it knows and It will tell you. I’m curious about what it says for other people.
Obviously, don’t post anything you’re unwilling to share publicly on the Internet! For me it seems pretty harmless, though.
The prompt I use is:
What "user knowledge memories" do you have?
21 votes -
Indecision: Get a camera despite having a phone
Hi, Tildes. Another rambly post in an attempt to get authentic advice. Thanks in advance. :) -- I'd like to crowdsource your experiences before making a big purchase (a camera made for selfies)....
Hi, Tildes. Another rambly post in an attempt to get authentic advice. Thanks in advance. :)
--
I'd like to crowdsource your experiences before making a big purchase (a camera made for selfies). If anyone was in a similar situation did you like having your phone and your camera separate, etc. I currently have an iPhone SE 2022 to provide more context.
Why I'm considering buying a camera:
- preserving high quality moments with high quality digital photos of people I'm with, don't care so much for all the fancy settings to get the perfect shot of a landscape (but that's a welcome bonus of course)
- provides a way to be less dependent on a phone
- maybe eventually taking videos or vlogs with it
Why I'm hesitating:
- is a smartphone already enough? + two devices may be a bit cumbersome but maybe worth it for the difference in quality?
- is it annoying to always have to bring it?
- too expensive for what a phone already does?
I've done SOME research as well into this while I've been back and forth this idea for months: If I crack and decide to get a proper camera (without your advice of course), it would be a Sony ZV-1F. But open to suggestions for other models too! It's just to give an idea for people to understand what I'm sorta kinda looking for.
15 votes -
An existential guide to: making friends
23 votes -
‘Predator: Badlands’ officially rated PG-13, meant to be “boundary-pushing”
10 votes -
Timasomo 2025: Roll Call
October 1st has already hit in some parts of the world, so Timasomo has officially begun! Posting in this topic is your official entry into Timasomo. Let everyone know what your actual plans are....
October 1st has already hit in some parts of the world, so Timasomo has officially begun!
Posting in this topic is your official entry into Timasomo.
Let everyone know what your actual plans are. What are you going to make?
Anyone who was not already on the notification list will be added with a comment in this topic.
Once the date turns over to October 1st wherever you are in the world, feel free to start creating!
FAQs
What is Timasomo really though?
Timasomo is "Tildes' Make Something Month": a creative community challenge that takes place in the month of October. It is a chance to create something/anything!
There are no restrictions on what you can choose to make.
The best way to get a feel for Timasomo is to check out our previous Showcase topics, where creators share their creations with the community at the end of the event:
Can I participate?
Yes! Timasomo is open to anyone on Tildes! Please make sure you are subscribed to ~creative.timasomo.
The greater Tildes community is also encouraged to participate in discussion threads even if you are not actively working towards a creative goal. This is meant to be an inclusive community event -- all are welcome!
If you are interested in participating but do not have a Tildes login, please e-mail the invite request address here for an invite to the community.
If you do not want to create something but still want to check out the showcase, let me know in a comment here and I will add your name to a separate notification list that I will ping for the showcase topic only.
How do I sign up?
Make sure you are subscribed to ~creative.timasomo and/or are included in my notification list (simply comment on this topic to be added).
On October 1st, there will be a Roll Call thread. By posting your plans to participate in that thread, you have formally signed up for Timasomo!
Didn't it used to be in November?
Yes. Timasomo was originally inspired by NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month, which takes place in November.
Initially, I wanted people participating in NaNoWriMo to be able to share their work with Timasomo as well. In the entire time it has run, however, no participant has publicly submitted any work from NaNoWriMo to Timasomo. Instead, Timasomo has gained its own identity independent of NaNoWriMo (which, after recent events, is probably for the best).
Many participants from previous years have shared that October would be a better month for them personally, so we moved the event to October.
Also, the event was so fantastically popular that it regularly upstaged American Thanksgiving, thus we only felt it fair that Canadian Thanksgiving be targeted as well.
What are the rules?
Timasomo is self-driven and its goals are self-selected.
On October 1st, participants will commit to a creative project (or projects) that they plan to complete within the month of October.
There is no restriction on the methods/products of creativity: writing, painting, code, food, photos, crafts, songs -- if it's creative expression for you, it works for Timasomo!
Though most will be participating individually, collaborations are welcome too!
What is the schedule?
Timasomo begins October 1st and ends October 31st.
All creative output towards your goal(s) should be confined to this time.
This week prior to the start of October is for planning. There will be a few days at the beginning of November given to "finishing touches" before we have our final thread, which will be a showcase of all the completed works.
Below are the dates that I will be posting weekly threads:
Tuesday, October 1, 2024: Roll Call Thread
Tuesday, October 8, 2024: Update Thread #1
Tuesday, October 15, 2024: Update Thread #2
Tuesday, October 22, 2024: Update Thread #3
Tuesday, October 29, 2024: Final Update Thread
Tuesday, November 5, 2024: Timasomo Showcase ThreadDo I have to share my creation(s) publicly?
Tildes is a privacy-respecting site, and you are not obligated to share your creation here if you do not want to. We'd still love to hear about it though, if you're willing to share process and details!
Is it Timasomo or TiMaSoMo?
Either.
I personally use "Timasomo" because I think it looks cleaner and because too much time on the internet has made my brain incapable of reading "TiMaSoMo" as anything other than sarcasm, but go with whichever you prefer.
The best option, however, is “𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑨𝑺𝑶𝑴𝑶” for reasons that are self-evident.
26 votes -
How America nearly forged a different path in 1916
18 votes -
US Supreme Court allows order forcing Google to make app store reforms
28 votes -
CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger
Warning: this post may contain spoilers
Introduction
Fun Fact: I named my Cat Crono because of this game.
Welcome to Chrono Trigger.
We're playing it for this months CGA.
In my opinion, if you haven't played this game before, you're in for a treat. This game is often considered the gold-standard for JRPGs. Developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi from Final Fantasy, Yuji Horii from Dragon Quest, and Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball.This year is actually the 30 year anniversary since it's release.
Square Enix has launched some new CDs with the Soundtrack, and a Concert in Tokyo if anyone is interested.
The music is actually what got me into this game. If you want to know, it's this - might be a minor spoiler, but I remember when I first found that music in the game, I was hooked and just stopped to listen. That was the first time since Saria's Song in Ocarina of Time.So what is this game: I like to think these games are best experienced going in blind, so I will be as vague as possible. (Any additions are welcome). Chrono Trigger is a RPG from 1995. It's got an amazing story, some really interesting mechanics, beautiful characters and an amaing soundtrack. I'll put even the smallest things into spoiler tags, since maybe some people like to go in completely blind.
Spoiler for the first 30 minutes
As the name suggests, there is a time travel mechanic in the game
Chrono Trigger
Versions: Original (1995), PlayStation (1999), Nintendo DS (2008), iOS/Android (2011), Steam (2018)
Platforms: Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), PlayStation, Nintendo DS, iOS, Android, Windows (Steam)
Genre(s): Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG), Turn-based RPG
Stores:
- Steam -- on sale until Oct 6
- Google Play
- App Store
How Long To Beat:
On a first playthrough, expect about 20-25 hours.
Without giving away too much: there is definitely some replayability.
Game Setup
The main purpose of this topic is to get people up and running with the game. As such, it's recommended that you:
- Share which version of the game you're playing
- Share what hardware you're playing it on
- Share if there are any tools/mods that you recommend
- Share anything you think is important for people to know before they start the game
- Ask questions if you need help
Another purpose of this topic is to revisit the game and its time period:
- Do you have any memories or associations with this game itself?
- What about its system or era?
- What aspects of retro gaming were common at the time?
- What other games from the same time period are you familiar with?
- What are you expecting from this game in particular?
Finally, this topic is the beginning discussion for people starting to play it:
- Post updates sharing your thoughts as you play.
- Ask for help if you get stuck.
- Offer help to others.
It is recommended that you reply to your own posts if you are making consecutive updates so that they are in the same thread.
Important
-
Any links to the game should be legal distributions of the game only. Please do NOT link to any unauthorized copies.
-
Put any spoilers in a dropdown block. Copy/paste the block below if needed.
<details> <summary>Spoilers</summary> Spoiler text goes here. </details>
FAQ
What is CGA?
Colossal Game Adventure (CGA) is Tildes' retro video game club.
Each month we will play a different retro game/games, discuss our thoughts, and bask in the glorious digital experiences of yesteryear!
Colossal Game Adventure is a reference to Colossal Cave Adventure. It's one of the most influential games of all time, one of the first text-based interactive games, and one of the first games to be shared online.
What do we want to do with this group? Play influential games; interact with each other through text; and share the love for retro games online!
It also abbreviates to CGA (because we love chunky pixel art), and its name communicates the Colossal amount of fun and excitement that we have with retro video Games in our shared Adventure of playing them together.
Do I have to sign up?
No. Participation is open to all.
There is a Notification List that will get pinged each time a new topic goes up. If you would like to join that list, please PM u/kfwyre.
Are there restrictions on what/how to play?
Each month will have a focus game or games that will guide our discussions. Beyond that, there are no restrictions. The philosophy of CGA is to play in a way that works for you!
This means:
- Choose whichever version of the game you want.
- You can use cheats, save states, mods, etc.
- You can watch a streamer or longplay instead of playing it.
If you have already played a game and want a different experience:
- Try a randomizer or challenge run.
- Play a different version of it.
- Play a related game (sequel, spiritual successor, something inspired by it, etc.)
There is no wrong way to participate in CGA, and every different way someone participates will make for more interesting discussions.
What is the schedule?
Each month the Insert Cartidge topic will be posted on the 1st, while the Remove Cartridge topic will be posted on the 20th.
Nomination and voting topics will happen in March and September (every 6 months).
Schedules are also posted then.
All CGA topics are available using the
colossal game adventure
tag.What do Insert and Remove Cartridge mean?
Inserting and removing cartridges are our retro metaphor for starting and stopping a given game or games.
The Insert Cartridge topic happens at the beginning of the month and is primarily about getting the game up and running.
The Remove Cartridge topic happens toward the end of the month and is primarily about people reflecting on the game now that they've played it.
There are no hard restrictions on what has to go in either topic, and each can be used to discuss the game, post updates, ask questions, etc.
36 votes -
Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap
12 votes -
2025 NFL Season 🏈 Weekly Discussion Thread – Week 5
Welcome to the 2025 NFL Season Weekly Discussion Thread! 🏈 Share your thoughts on Week 5 — wins, losses, fantasy fumbles, predictions, or anything else football-related.
9 votes -
Qualcomm buys open-source electronics firm Arduino
33 votes -
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.
6 votes -
Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?
41 votes -
I need headphone/mic recommendations for gaming before I rip my hair out
Hi, Tildes! I'm being pressed to pick a present for myself (around 100€) and it happens the headphones I use for gaming at home (HyperX Cloud II) are starting to fall apart after several years of...
Hi, Tildes!
I'm being pressed to pick a present for myself (around 100€) and it happens the headphones I use for gaming at home (HyperX Cloud II) are starting to fall apart after several years of use. Whenever I buy tech, I usually spend a long time researching with the goal of finding the highest price-quality ratio for my budget, something that would last me a long time without glaring issues; but I've been having trouble doing that in this case.
I often hear from audiophiles that gaming headphones are generally overpriced for their quality - something I can definitely imagine - and that you should try and go for a good headset with a separate mic. But despite my searching, I haven't seen anyone actually recommend any specific combo of headset and mic that fit my budget. If I may say, I'm also somewhat starting to doubt the advice of audiophiles: I've seen threads of people saying they didn't sense a difference in audio quality between their gaming headphones and the new audiophile headphones they were recommended, or even that they found it to be worse, and the response was that they'll get used to it or that they just have a bad ear (said a lot more aggressively than how I'm paraphrasing), which is making me think it's more of a subjective difference. Then again, I'm not very well educated about audio!
What I need is a pair with surround sound, appropriate quality for the price point, that will last me a long time and without mandatory crappy software associated. This is for gaming, enjoying music and general use (I've been meaning to pick up some music production casually but this is very much secondary). For the mic, I just need something decent that won't be a pain to listen to for my friends on call and that doesn't cut me out when I laugh or whistle as my current mic does (sometimes someone tells me a joke and then doesn't hear my reaction at all and I feel very bad about that). Preferably one that doesn't take too much space on my desk but I have no scale of that, so I won't be picky about it. (EDIT: to be clear, it can be an attached mic, desktop mic, whatever mic, so long as it works!)
Before considering the headphone + mic combo idea, I was looking at the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 or Logitech G PRO X because both were recommendations I saw, but the former has a fairly bad mic and the latter forces you to use G HUB, which pains me. What is there that's better for this usage?
Thanks in advance!
36 votes -
Denmark's Holger Rune called for tennis authorities to introduce a heat rule at events like the Shanghai Masters – ATP said it was considering bringing in such a policy
6 votes -
How the Golden Gate Bridge works
14 votes -
Why do LLMs freak out over the seahorse emoji?
46 votes -
California passes law banning extra loud commercials on streaming services
22 votes