Adarain's recent activity
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Comment on How do you feel about your PTO? in ~life
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Comment on An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations in ~talk
Adarain Link ParentFunny you say that, since the spacetime in that book is euclidean (unlike our own, which is only pseudo-euclidean – the time direction behaves differently from the space ones in our world)...I am hooked with this. I've said it a handful of times, but I am an absolute sucker for non-Euclidean space
Funny you say that, since the spacetime in that book is euclidean (unlike our own, which is only pseudo-euclidean – the time direction behaves differently from the space ones in our world)
(ignoring the effects gravity has on spacetime here, i.e. only special relativity. Swap out “euclidean” for “riemannian” in the general case)
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Comment on Jet Lag: Schengen Showdown | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentThanks for that description, that is very clear now and definitely not the impression I got from watching the episode.Thanks for that description, that is very clear now and definitely not the impression I got from watching the episode.
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Comment on Jet Lag: Schengen Showdown | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentEpisode 1 spoilers In that case I'm baffled why they didn't continue to Aachen. It would've been a very close race since they both got to Germany around the same time; I think Sam&Tom could've...Episode 1 spoilers
In that case I'm baffled why they didn't continue to Aachen. It would've been a very close race since they both got to Germany around the same time; I think Sam&Tom could've even started a challenge first, and locking the netherlands didn't seem like a high priority at the moment anyway, as this early on, just grabbing as many countries as possible has got to be ideal, and they wanted to go to Germany anyway to fly to Vienna
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Comment on Jet Lag: Schengen Showdown | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentSo to make sure I got this right, let’s do a fictional example: Start of the game, the country is unclaimed. Team A sets foot in it and claims it, giving them a tentative +1 point. Now I can think...So to make sure I got this right, let’s do a fictional example:
Start of the game, the country is unclaimed. Team A sets foot in it and claims it, giving them a tentative +1 point. Now I can think of several scenarios:
- Team A does not attempt the challenge and moves on. Later, team B also travels through the country. They do not automatically claim it for themselves, but they may attempt the challenge. If they succeed, they flip and lock the country. If they fail, team A has the country guaranteed.
- Team A attempts the challenge, either immediately or at some later point. If they succeed, the country is locked and no one can steal it anymore. If they fail, it’s like in the first situation, except they no longer have the option to try the challenge anymore.
Then there are some edge cases, notably, how does it work when both are in the country at the same time? Can they race to do the challenge and whoever gets it first gets the country? Or does one team get to try first uncontested, and if so, is it the one who first claimed it, or the one who first opened the envelope?
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Comment on Jet Lag: Schengen Showdown | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentThat doesn't sound right. I saw an interview where they mentioned that if someone just tried to travel quickly across many countries, the other team could just tail them and flip everything right...That doesn't sound right. I saw an interview where they mentioned that if someone just tried to travel quickly across many countries, the other team could just tail them and flip everything right back.
It did sound like that perhaps once you've tried (and failed) the challenge it becomes like that? Time will surely tell but as pretty much every time I wished they gave just a bit clearer rule explanations, I always feel like I can't properly follow along with their strategizing as I don't understand the rules well enough...
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Comment on Jet Lag: Schengen Showdown | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain LinkHalfway through episode 1 Perhaps this gets explained later, but I'm not sure I understand the mechanics of claiming countries. Ben&Adam briefly passed through Germany, but then went back into...Halfway through episode 1
Perhaps this gets explained later, but I'm not sure I understand the mechanics of claiming countries. Ben&Adam briefly passed through Germany, but then went back into Switzerland. Sam&Tom abandoned their plans to go to Aachen, but if they had kept going and got there before B&A made it out of Schaffhausen, could they have immediately flipped the country and started the challenge themselves? Can both race to do the challenge at the same time? And what happens when one team enters the country while the other is still there in general?
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Comment on Waiting for a book in paperback? Good luck. Publishers increasingly give nonfiction authors one shot at print stardom, ditching paperbacks as priorities shift. in ~books
Adarain Link ParentIt depends on a few factors for me: Do I want to display the book on my bookshelf? That favors hardcovers, as I think they’re generally prettier Is this a book I’m going to read once and then put...It depends on a few factors for me:
- Do I want to display the book on my bookshelf? That favors hardcovers, as I think they’re generally prettier
- Is this a book I’m going to read once and then put away, or something I’ll carry around and reference often? The latter favors paperbacks, as they’re lighter and more flexible
There’s two more things that will dissuade me from a specific format but require holding the book in my hands: If it’s a paperback and the spine is really stiff (so that the book requires force to stop from closing), I’ll go for hardcover or ebook. If it’s a hardcover but the binding is just shoddily glued on and will probably literally fall out if the book gets abused a bit… I might still buy it but I won’t be happy about it.
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Comment on Waiting for a book in paperback? Good luck. Publishers increasingly give nonfiction authors one shot at print stardom, ditching paperbacks as priorities shift. in ~books
Adarain Link ParentI think it’s kinda funny, paperbacks always felt more sturdy to me than hardcovers. That’s probably not true for very high quality ones, but your generic major publisher hardcover seems to have...I think it’s kinda funny, paperbacks always felt more sturdy to me than hardcovers. That’s probably not true for very high quality ones, but your generic major publisher hardcover seems to have rather flimsy bindings that can just (partially) fall off the cover, making the book wobbly. They also just seem to age worse, a beat up paperback feels “loved” to me while a beat up hardcover feels “damaged”. Also dust jackets my beloathed. The main advantage they have to me is that paperbacks often require more force to hold open than hardcovers.
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Comment on You can change ONE thing about a game. What do you change? in ~games
Adarain Link ParentI hated it in BotW because you never knew when you’d find a new cool replacement weapon again. In TotK on the other hand I feel like it made the fuse system more fun for me because it encouraged...I hated it in BotW because you never knew when you’d find a new cool replacement weapon again. In TotK on the other hand I feel like it made the fuse system more fun for me because it encouraged me to actually experiment with other things rather than just finding something that worked and never changing off it.
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Comment on Jet Lag: Hide + Seek Japan | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentFinal episode spoilers Well Sam messed this one up quite a bit in at least two ways. First of all, he had five hours between drawing that move card and actually using it to make a plan... and just...Final episode spoilers
Well Sam messed this one up quite a bit in at least two ways. First of all, he had five hours between drawing that move card and actually using it to make a plan... and just didn't? And then he didn't use that Veto card on anything. He could've used it on the photo of a tallest building (which he repeatedly complained was so bad for him) or any of the questions that really narrowed it down, such as a tentacles question.People in the YT comments also pointed out that at one point he drew the curse that can stop them from entering buildings and trains, which would've combo'd really well with the curse that forced them out of train stations to ask questions. Now, I didn't spot that interaction, so I don't blame him for not seing it either, but it could've made a huge difference.
All in all, I think he must have been tired and probably wanted the game to be over. Ben and Adam complained about being exhausted after six days of travel, and I bet he was feeling similarly. This makes me wonder if perhaps the format could use a change for a potential season 3. Consider this: Each hider starts from the same spot at the beginning of a day, but gets more time to run before being frozen. They take a break day between each run, but each player only gets one run. (I assume budget would not allow two runs each with the extra buffer times and longer runs). Also buff curses a bit - in the first season they were too scared to ask questions, in the second season there seemed to be barely no incentive against just asking as many as possible
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Comment on Jet Lag: Hide + Seek Japan | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link Parente6 So basically they won’t start a new run after the six days are over, but will keep going with the last round into a 7th day (and theoretically even more) if need be?e6
So basically they won’t start a new run after the six days are over, but will keep going with the last round into a 7th day (and theoretically even more) if need be? -
Comment on Jet Lag: Hide + Seek Japan | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentWell, I’d probably play it in a smaller area (just a city & surroundings) where all of my friends already have public transit subscriptions anyway. I’m not sure how well the game they designed...Well, I’d probably play it in a smaller area (just a city & surroundings) where all of my friends already have public transit subscriptions anyway. I’m not sure how well the game they designed even scales down to that area, probably not very well at all.
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Comment on Jet Lag: Hide + Seek Japan | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentInteresting idea, but I think I'll pass, I'm considering making my own instead. Even without shipping it's a bit much for what'll probably be a one time gameInteresting idea, but I think I'll pass, I'm considering making my own instead. Even without shipping it's a bit much for what'll probably be a one time game
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Comment on Jet Lag: Hide + Seek Japan | Trailer in ~hobbies
Adarain Link ParentShipping to anywhere outside the US seems to be ridiculous from what I’ve gathered. Switzerland is 60 dollars, similar prices to anywhere else in Europe. If they can’t figure out more affordable...Shipping to anywhere outside the US seems to be ridiculous from what I’ve gathered. Switzerland is 60 dollars, similar prices to anywhere else in Europe. If they can’t figure out more affordable logistics I think they should consider offering a print and play version.
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Comment on Where does your username come from? (Following up on last year's thread) in ~tildes
Adarain LinkMany years ago I briefly participated in an elder scrolls themed forum rpg. I played an ashlander, so I took a random ashlander NPC’s name as my character’s first name. I liked that name a bunch,...Many years ago I briefly participated in an elder scrolls themed forum rpg. I played an ashlander, so I took a random ashlander NPC’s name as my character’s first name. I liked that name a bunch, so I kept using it when I needed a random name somewhere. Except at some point, I got something mixed up and the vowels got slightly shuffled around. So there we are.
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Comment on US election distractions thread in ~talk
Adarain Link ParentJust finished 12 Word Searches. It was fun! Massive spoilers for the whole game I must say however, I was kinda expecting another layer at the end with how much you hyped it up. Perhaps I simply...Just finished 12 Word Searches. It was fun!
Massive spoilers for the whole game
I must say however, I was kinda expecting another layer at the end with how much you hyped it up. Perhaps I simply caught onto the leftovers messages too quickly (basically immediately after finishing the first puzzle). The only big thing I hadn’t realized was that of course half of them would be reversed, so for a long time it was just very ominous snippets, especially “puzzle remains do not”. Seing the message assemble itself in the end was very cool, but the ending fell a tad flat for me as I was just incredibly stupid and couldn’t figure out the last sentence for the longest time (of course it’s self-referential! what else would it be?), while already being able to tell that the hidden message in the last puzzle ends with “you have won”. My other complaint was that the cookie category needed more hints. I’ve never even heard of half these things (not american) and it seemed much less tightly selected than the other categories, where for the most part there wasn’t just a theme but also an order to it. But even so, I had a really great time and will be telling friends to play it. -
Comment on Morrowind doesn't have any rivers in ~games
Adarain Link ParentSpecifically, the way water is implemented in Morrowind is that there’s a global water level. Everything that goes below that is covered by water (interior cells work the same, though many of them...The rivers don't flow because Bethesda didn't have the tech at the time to make them do so.
Specifically, the way water is implemented in Morrowind is that there’s a global water level. Everything that goes below that is covered by water (interior cells work the same, though many of them have water turned off entirely)
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Comment on Forever ✱ Notes — A simple and scalable digital note-taking method for Apple Notes in ~tech
Adarain Link ParentYou definitely have more trust in yourself to name files in a way that’ll let you find them again in the future than I do. Another thing I’ve found quite appealing is that it would transfer well...You definitely have more trust in yourself to name files in a way that’ll let you find them again in the future than I do. Another thing I’ve found quite appealing is that it would transfer well onto storage spaces other than my file system – e.g. categorizing emails, or physical paper documents. I’ve read through the documentation yesterday and have now been considering implementing it. My major roadblock is honestly just that I’m a bit of a perfectionist and would be perpetually annoyed if I forgot about something important that then had to live with a clunky high ID (or a lot of renaming work). They do offer a template for a lil bit of money, but just looking at the preview I can tell it makes at least some assumptions that don’t apply to me.
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Comment on Choosing a TTRPG system in ~games.tabletop
Adarain Link ParentMy first thought was to go with something in the OSR space - Sparks I happen to know you know Dolmenwood, it's things in that vein. D&D-esque resolution mechanics but generally much simpler...My first thought was to go with something in the OSR space - Sparks I happen to know you know Dolmenwood, it's things in that vein. D&D-esque resolution mechanics but generally much simpler systems stripped down to their essentials.
Old School Essentials for something setting-neutral and well polished but much easier to pick up than 5e and with a bunch of published adventures to boot.
(Europe) Well, I’m a teacher, so I don’t get any, but have a lot of holidays and don’t actually have to go to work every day of the week either. Calling in sick is a non-issue, but I should provide tasks for my students while I’m off. It’s nice.