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?

I've been working on an ocean life repository website for work, and I found myself randomly rambling about sharks because they've always been such a fascinating example to me of how evolution can keep a very recognizable blueprint while splitting into a ridiculous range of lifestyles.

A whale shark, a thresher shark, an angelshark, a tiger shark, a goblin shark, and a reef shark all still read instantly as "shark", and yet they're doing such different things that it almost feels wrong. Filter-feeding giants, ambush predators, open-water hunters, deep-sea weirdos, tail-whip specialists. All while still sticking to this unmistakable shark... ness?

I've been trying to pin down what I even mean by that "blueprint". Not just body shape exactly, but some deeper structural identity that survives a lot of diversification. Other groups feel a bit like this too. Felines, canines, birds… they can branch into very different niches, sizes, and behaviors while still feeling strongly constrained by a common template. A tiger, a lynx, and a house cat are all very clearly "cat". Wolves, foxes, and chihuahuas are very clearly "dog". Canaries, hawks, parrots, and hummingbirds are all still "bird".

It fascinates me how common this is in evolution: nature finding one robust structure and then radiating outward in very different directions without losing the core design. Not the most morphologically extreme variation possible, maybe, but variation under a very conserved plan.

Sharks just feel like one of the wildest examples of that.

So: what's everyone's favourite shark, and why?

Mine is probably either the lemon shark or the thresher shark because of how smart they are. Lemon sharks are fascinating for their social behavior and learning, then threshers are incredible both for that absurd tail and for feeling like such a weirdly specialized, clever branch of the shark blueprint.

switches to an emotional ending music

Once upon a time, in the sun-dappled realm of Millefeuille, a tale of courage, folly, and friendship came to a close. After enduring countless trials born of pride and greed, our gallant yet hapless Prince of Sablé has reached the end of his journey.

It all began when the Prince learned that the radiant Princess Tiramisu had vanished, spirited away just after his umpteenth defeat in a duel against the ever-boastful Prince Richard. Barred from sailing beside his rival, our humble hero took to the road alone, his purse light and his hopes heavy. What he lacked in fortune, he made up for in heart (and the occasional odd purchase).

Along the way, he fell for a trickster's promise, a ludicrously-expensive potion said to restore his human form "at any time", though bound by more strings than a puppet show. In his kindness, he even repaid the damages wrought upon Saltwater Town, tossing a mountain of Nuts to a boy whose gratitude shone brighter than gold.

Though tempted by greed and misled by pride, the Prince of Sablé's heart remained pure. Through tangled mazes and fierce foes he pressed on, never losing sight of his mission to rescue Tiramisu. By the end, even the proud Richard bowed his head, moved by the Prince's resolve to fight without malice and spare his old rival from needless harm in their final duel.

Yet behind every fairytale lies a clever twist. For while our Prince was chasing glory, he unwittingly became a key piece in the grand design of Polnareff's scheme to save Millefeuille from the sly serpent Delarin. His bravery, fuelled more by sincerity than wisdom, turned the tide at last.

And where was the Princess, you ask? Why, she was by his side all along! In disguise as the wise witch Mandola, Tiramisu guided her beloved Prince more times than he ever realized. Perhaps he should have noticed the resemblance in their mannerisms a bit sooner.

And as our story fades to its final act, the air fills not with solemn silence but with the rhythm of celebration, a raucous DJ's beat spun by a mad scientist in his whirring metal giant. A strange ending, perhaps, but a joyous one all the same.

So then, dear travellers, as the curtain falls on this comical and heartfelt adventure, let us gather 'round and share our thoughts on the tale of The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls, a story where even the smallest frog may leap into legend. I'll start.

The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls feels less like a traditional video game and more like an interactive storybook, something remarkably ahead of its time for the early '90s. The combat, platforming, and puzzle segments are kept simple on purpose, serving as stepping stones for the charming storytelling that carries the whole adventure.

Battles play out automatically when you bump into an enemy strong enough to challenge you, with the outcome depending on your stats like HP, attack, defense, and speed (plus whatever items you might have on hand). It's a good idea to keep your health up and hunt for stat-boosting items if you want to make steady progress.

A sprinkle of puzzles and light platforming keeps things fresh, and the ability to switch between forms adds some fun variety, the strong human, the amphibious and nimble frog who can breathe underwater, and the slinky snake who can turn some foes into stepping blocks.

Sure, none of these mechanics are deep by modern standards, but their simplicity works in the game's favor. It keeps the spotlight on the story, one that explores how kindness, greed, and good intentions can intertwine in unexpected ways. It's funny, heartfelt, and often downright ridiculous in the best way possible.

While I might not revisit this one as often as other Nintendo classics, I'm glad I played it. Not only is it interesting to see where Link's Awakening borrowed a few ideas (and a certain prince!), but it's also worth it for the humor alone.

As I make more progress in Cure Dolly's Japanese lessons, I might even try the original version one more time someday. Who knows what little translation quirks or cultural touches I've missed?

That about wraps it up for this month's game. Our time in the whimsical world of the Millefeuille Kingdom may be over, but the adventure continues.

Next time, u/vili takes us on a trip to outer space aboard an overly complicated spaceship, hopefully with fewer spacetime mishaps... but no promises.

Until then, jot down your thoughts and memories; no moment of gaming glory deserves to be forgotten!

THE END

(sorry for my rookie attempt at photographing this screen in real life!)

Tildes is a very serious site, where we discuss very serious matters like hiring, sora and three cheers. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone was bemused.

But one of my favourite tags happens to be offbeat! Taking its original inspiration from Sir Nils Olav III, this thread is looking for any far-fetched offbeat stories lurking in the newspapers. It may not deserve its own post, but it deserves a wider audience!

Hey folks,

My apologies but you've rolled a nat 1 on your stealth check (the D&D kind...) as today you have disadvantage.

If you are trans, including all sorts of folks under the broader umbrella, please, if you choose, take this moment to be visible, share something that brings you joy, gender euphoria or just small happinesses.

You are valid and loved even when this world does not feel validating or loving

(⁠⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

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!

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.

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.

hey there tildes. i’m moving out of texas in august no matter what and am trying to decide between chicago and portland. i was wondering if anyone here has lived in either (or both) locations and could help me decide by sharing their experiences.

i’m currently in texas and by the time i move, i will have only been here 1 year but this was always supposed to be a temporary stop for a job (that is very much not working out due to the owner of the company — i’ve posted about it a few months ago and struggle with it in my mind to this day).

i’ve moved around a bit, both in the same cities and across several states, over the past 5 years. im tired of moving and starting over, so im really going to focus on making the next place work for at least 5 years. the world is too chaotic for me to pretend to see farther out than that.

i had been reading and watching a lot of videos about chicago over the past month or two and now wondering if i should give it a try? i just assumed i would move back to portland by default because i liked it well enough and now im not sure if i should fall back to something familiar or try again somewhere else.

just want to say that i know moving wont magically make my life great and i know i will have to put in a lot of work to make everything work regardless. greener grass and all that.

portland

i’ve lived in portland before (2 years) and visited many, many times in the 7 years before moving there. i liked it for the most part.

things i didn’t like (mostly my opinion/experience)

• PNW gray, dreary weather for many months. im prone to bouts of severe depression and it’s a lot of work to keep healthy during the dark months. was in for seattle for 7 years prior to living in portland so i was maxed out with the gray perhaps.
• cost of living is kind of high for the size of city and offerings
• it’s a very slow, sleepy city that feels more like a very big town than a small city. sometimes i liked this about the city (less traffic, crowds) and sometimes i didnt (less “things going on”, especially later at night)
• the sheer amount of unsheltered people and seemingly no solution or even progress. when i lived there, it was really, really bad (2021-2023) and i’ve read that it’s actually gotten worse since ive left. it’s heartbreaking.

things i did like

• green year round, even if it’s gray and winter. beautiful outdoors/hiking, swimming in the river
• proximity to seattle (i have friends there)
• much more agreeable politics for me (Leftists everywhere)
• great food options, fun bars, interesting shops
• very bike friendly (newly into biking, was not when i lived there)
• decent public transit
• relatively friendly people though i did struggle with making deeper connections
• very positive towards folks who are queer or generally nontraditional. that’s important to me
• seems like a lot of creative folk live here

chicago

i’ve never been to chicago. i’ll visit in june to check it out. i also don’t know anyone there. this isn’t a huge deal since i have done this kind of move (only visiting right before moving and not knowing anyone) i guess 3 times now.

reasons i think i will like it

• liberal city
• great public transit
• big, dense city
• diversity
• seemingly decent cost of living
• people say midwesterners are friendly (?)
• job opportunities just by the fact that it’s such a huge city

things that are/may be negative

• brutal winters. i am not used to real winters. seattle/portland had very mild winters and even denver’s were honestly not bad at all. i hear lots of talk about chicago winters.
• crime. no, i don’t think i will be regularly mugged or killed like the US media makes it sometimes seem, but compared to everywhere i’ve lived before, it’s has a higher violent crime rate.
• friends/community. i’m in my mid 30s and it’s harder to make friends the old i get and that’s sort of my number one goal each time i move to a new city. also never really had “community” and would really like to have that in my life.
• politics. i know that portland is generally much more left and chicago is more generic democrat. this isn’t the end of the world and i don’t expect everyone to be as far left as i am but i want to be able to live in the same reality as my community.

huge wall of text, i know, so thanks for those that read it. i’m not great at organizing my thoughts in these posts, but i’m just tryin’ to figure stuff out!

if anyone has anything they want to share based on my likes/dislikes and your experience, please do! i really enjoy reading what the folks here have to say about things.