BeardyHat's recent activity
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Comment on Dollar General warns low-income Americans' finances are getting worse in ~finance
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Comment on USA asks Sweden for help in the egg crisis in ~food
BeardyHat Link ParentIt's variable. But often, when my kids are home we go through at least 4 eggs in a morning, sometimes more. Prior to all this, I've been buying 48 eggs for the month and we usually get through all...It's variable.
But often, when my kids are home we go through at least 4 eggs in a morning, sometimes more. Prior to all this, I've been buying 48 eggs for the month and we usually get through all of them by week 3.
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Comment on Dollar General warns low-income Americans' finances are getting worse in ~finance
BeardyHat LinkI'm no stock market genius or anything, but I am beginning to wonder if it would make sense to sell off the little I have and keep it as cash for a spell.I'm no stock market genius or anything, but I am beginning to wonder if it would make sense to sell off the little I have and keep it as cash for a spell.
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Comment on Steam Spring Sale suggestions in ~games
BeardyHat LinkI'm trying not to buy anything--though I suspect I will fail--as I have tons of stuff already and things I've bought recently that I haven't touched, though I've been better about that as of late....I'm trying not to buy anything--though I suspect I will fail--as I have tons of stuff already and things I've bought recently that I haven't touched, though I've been better about that as of late.
Anyway, just wanted to recommend Call to Arms: Gates of Hell - Ostfront for less than $4. Especially if you like World War 2 games. If you like Company of Heroes, it's not really like that at all and I prefer this series (that being Men of War) over CoH.
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Comment on Michelle Obama launches podcast with her brother Craig Robinson in ~life
BeardyHat Link ParentI don't at all disagree that no one really selected Kamala, but it's felt that way in every election I've voted in for the last 22 years. I never would have picked any of the candidates that...I don't at all disagree that no one really selected Kamala, but it's felt that way in every election I've voted in for the last 22 years. I never would have picked any of the candidates that ultimately won the primary.
I'm not a political junkie, analyst or even all that smart when it comes down to it, but it seems plain to see that both times women have run, they've had pretty sizable disadvantages amongst male voters.
Looking at some of the demos here, we can see some analysis of the ground Kamala lost from Biden.
Even here from 2016, we can see similarities, in fact Trumps share is only higher amongst Black Men in 2024
I come from a Conservative family, everyday growing up it was made apparent just how sexist and racist they are. I can't say if they're more one than the other, but needless to say, none of it surprises me. Even with Michelle potentially being an amazing candidate, I can see how she would be demonized amongst my parents and their generation.
I just don't see it happening anytime soon.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
BeardyHat Link ParentIt's still fun!! In 2024, I was playing Dragon Warrior 3 GBC (I didn't finish it, but I'll go back) and I resolved not to use the internet for it. So I found the Prima Official Stategy Guide and...It's still fun!!
In 2024, I was playing Dragon Warrior 3 GBC (I didn't finish it, but I'll go back) and I resolved not to use the internet for it. So I found the Prima Official Stategy Guide and put it on my tablet; any time I needed some help or just wanted some general strategies, I opened it up and started looking for what I needed.
It's such a satisfying way to play a retro game and I bet you can find whatever guide you need. Just give thanks to whomever scanned it and uploaded it, because in order to get a quality scan, the book needs to be completely disassembled and destroyed.
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Comment on Destruction - No Kings - No Masters (2024) in ~music
BeardyHat Link ParentFair enough. They're a formative band for me, so I suppose I judge them a little harsher. It's not that this is bad, it's just that I've heard it before and better from them, so it leaves me...Fair enough. They're a formative band for me, so I suppose I judge them a little harsher. It's not that this is bad, it's just that I've heard it before and better from them, so it leaves me somewhat unimpressed.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
BeardyHat Link ParentYeah, I wasn't amazing at P, which might have something to do with it. I did have few occasions where I got perfect blocks and even once where I did it several times in a row. But I really didn't...Yeah, I wasn't amazing at P, which might have something to do with it. I did have few occasions where I got perfect blocks and even once where I did it several times in a row.
But I really didn't like that I was obligated to parry or whatever. I liked the game, but felt forced into that play style, where in Dark Souls I can try a wide variety of different approaches, ignoring parry altogether.
But again, I know I can do it. I beat the penultimate boss and that was a very challenging fight, I just don't feel like banging my head against the wall until I have the confluence of factors to win it. Maybe it's just me getting older, I'm not sure. I'd like to finish P, I know I can do it, I just lack the motivation.
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Comment on Michelle Obama launches podcast with her brother Craig Robinson in ~life
BeardyHat Link ParentI think Michelle would be excellent. I liked Kamala as well. I know she was basically a continuation of Biden, but I was very happy and secure with the Biden Administration. Kamala seemed to have...I think Michelle would be excellent.
I liked Kamala as well. I know she was basically a continuation of Biden, but I was very happy and secure with the Biden Administration. Kamala seemed to have an energy about her and I was stoked to vote for her.
The thing is, men (of which I am), just won't vote for a woman. We've seen it twice now. I'd love to have our first woman President, but I'd rather have milquetoast white man again if it means we can assure some sanity in government.
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Comment on Michelle Obama launches podcast with her brother Craig Robinson in ~life
BeardyHat Link ParentHonestly, let's not. I like her, I've voted for a woman for President twice now, but it turns out we're more explicitly sexist than racist in this country and the general populace just doesn't...Honestly, let's not.
I like her, I've voted for a woman for President twice now, but it turns out we're more explicitly sexist than racist in this country and the general populace just doesn't seem to be ready.
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Comment on Xbox's new hardware plans begin with a gaming handheld in 2025 in ~games
BeardyHat Link ParentI've had my Deck for 3-years and if I were to do it all over again, I'd still buy the Deck again today. To my mind, the killer features of the Deck are SteamOS and the massive amount of...I've had my Deck for 3-years and if I were to do it all over again, I'd still buy the Deck again today.
To my mind, the killer features of the Deck are SteamOS and the massive amount of customization that's possible and the touchpads. I know the touchpads are out of place and whatever, but the ability to use them in a variety of ways is just icing on the cake and I refuse to buy a handheld without them. I spent hundreds of hours playing Transport Fever 2 long before they implemented gamepad support and I still prefer to play using the Deck controls as a M&KB. My right touchpad is the mouse itself, triggers are for clicks and then left touchpad is my mouse wheel.
I've played tons of hours of Vanilla World of Warcraft on it as well. Again using the right as mainly a mouse, but then having one of my buttons for a mode shift so I can then use the Right as a mouse wheel as needed. The left touchpad I've got setup as a touch menu; so touch it and it brings-up a a wheel of hotkeys to quickly choose from and again, I can mode shift and I then have access to less essential hotkeys.
It's just a great machine that gives me the options I want. Sure the hardware isn't the most amazing, but given the controls and access to Steam OS, it expands my options for games well beyond stuff that is designed exclusively for a gamepad. Plus when you have something a little less powerful, you start looking at the stuff that will run on it, rather than hoping the latest AAA stuff might; it gets you to look at your library a little differently and give a try to stuff you may not have considered in the past.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
BeardyHat Link ParentI really enjoyed this one and actually played through most of it with my wife and young children watching; for whatever reason, my kids loved the freaky looking enemies and while they got scared...I really enjoyed this one and actually played through most of it with my wife and young children watching; for whatever reason, my kids loved the freaky looking enemies and while they got scared occasionally, they were always asking me to play more.
I got 27-hours out of it by the time I reached the final boss, but I never did actually kill the final boss. I gave him about a dozen or so tries and kind of just said, "I'm good." and left it at that. Not exactly sure why, I've beaten Dark Souls multiple times, Dark Souls 3 and all DLC, played 50-hours of Elden Ring, but I just couldn't be bothered with Lies final boss.
I think it may have something to do with the crystal shards or whatever you use to summon help. I still have plenty, but I think I have this subconscious knowledge that if I fail enough times, I'm going to need to go farm for these things and that just sounds so completely unappealing to me. Then there's other idea that I know I can beat the boss, it's just how many times am I willing to bang my head against the wall to see a final cutscene that I could probably just watch on Youtube instead?
Again, I enjoyed the game, but am trying to come to terms with my interest completely falling off at the very end.
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Comment on Destruction - No Kings - No Masters (2024) in ~music
BeardyHat Link ParentYikes, making me feel ancient here! Their older stuff is pretty damn good and still worth listening to. I got to see my favorite song of theirs live back in the early-2000's at a bar they were...Yikes, making me feel ancient here!
Their older stuff is pretty damn good and still worth listening to. I got to see my favorite song of theirs live back in the early-2000's at a bar they were playing at. I'm going to indulge in a few memories from that particular show:
Standing about 2' from the band. It was a small bar and they were basically on a makeshift stage, so it just happened that you could stand so close you could smell their body odor; weird thing to say, but it was just so cool being this close to these legends. In Europe they play huge shows and festivals and then they come to the US and play in the smallest venues possible.
Pre-show, I'm standing, having a beer (I think Havok might have also been at that show. Kind of stopped following those guys, but that was before they had even released an album) and Schmier (singer/bassist) comes and stands next to me; the dude is just enormous. I'm not a small guy, I'm 6'2" and change and at the time probably around 200lbs and I felt dwarfed by him both in size and girth.
So I'm jamming out next to the stage as Destruction is playing when some dude bullies his way between me and the dude next to me. Fine, whatever, it's a show. Guy has the grossest white guy dreads I'd ever seen and starts headbanging along with the rest of the crowd. As I'm shouting and singing along, I manage to catch one of those gross dreads directly in my mouth. Still no way in hell I'm giving up my spot though...
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Skeletonwitch - From a Cloudless Sky (2013)
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Comment on Destruction - No Kings - No Masters (2024) in ~music
BeardyHat LinkBeen a long time since I've listened to much Destruction; used to be a mainstay for me 20 years ago and I do still like a lot of the stuff I listened to at that time. This is consistent, but feels...Been a long time since I've listened to much Destruction; used to be a mainstay for me 20 years ago and I do still like a lot of the stuff I listened to at that time.
This is consistent, but feels a bit boring to me and I think that might be down to the time it clocks. 5-minutes is hella long for a thrash song, this has three solos and doesn't really feel like it goes anywhere, they play pretty much the same riff for the entirety and then put three solos in in about a two minute time span.
Anyway, not trying to hate here! I notice that our Metal posts don't tend to get a lot of comments, so I just wanted to throw something down, even if it's not praise. Thanks for posting.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
BeardyHat LinkI finished my run through of Black Mesa for the first time last week. I've repeatedly played the original game since it released (having finished it again about 2 weeks ago), but only ever watched...I finished my run through of Black Mesa for the first time last week. I've repeatedly played the original game since it released (having finished it again about 2 weeks ago), but only ever watched my wife play through most of Black Mesa about 10 years ago when it was pretty much complete but didn't have Xen implemented.
I really loved it and perhaps it's apropos to say this, but Xen left a bad taste in my mouth and kind of killed the game for me. At first, it was neat, it was cool and it was beautiful (if a little paint by numbers alien world); I had a great time initially, but then it just started to drag...and drag...and drag. By the halfway mark of the final chapter, Interloper, I was all done and basically just going through the motions to actually finish the game. I was sick of the constant puzzles, the constant fights that by the time I got to Nihilanth, I made it about 90% of the way through the fight and got tired of the Save/Reload cycle, so I threw on the cheats, put God Mode on and pumped the last couple of shots into Nihilanth just to be done. Even that boss fight was tedious and drags; he has multiple phases and it essentially becomes a first person bullet hell game; Xen is all entirely too long. I was also pretty disappointed with how dramatically cut down On a Rail is, as it's my favorite section in all of the original game; I'm pretty sure it's much maligned these days, but I enjoy how maze-like and exploratory it feels.
It feels disappointing to say that, because I really loved a vast majority of Black Mesa and even loved the early bits of Interloper where we see the Vortigaunt slums and get to interact with them a little bit as slaves, it really builds on what we see in Half-Life 2. It just feels like the Devs did a great job when they were working from a template with the first 2/3rds of the game, but once they're given carte blanche, they go off the rails and don't know where they could use some editing.
I've also been mucking about with PokeMMO. I'm not really much of a Pokemon fan; I continually try the games but tend to get bored rapidly, the only one I put any appreciable time into was SoulSilver back on the DS, which I had about 140-hours in. So I don't know if I'll stick with PokeMMO, but one of my good friends is very much a big Pokemon fan, so I thought I'd try it out for a bit and then introduce him to it. So far, I've only played about 3 or so hours of it, but it's been fun enough; it's certainly got some challenge to it that other Pokemon games are lacking and it's pretty fun to see random people wandering the world, especially when they have interesting or fun customization to their character using the clothes you can buy. I also appreciate that it can be played on pretty much anything; I installed the native Linux version on my Deck via the Discovery store, I have it installed on my various Windows PC's and I also installed it on my phone and Android based handheld, so I've got lots of options when it comes to how I want to play. We'll see if I stick with it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
BeardyHat Link ParentI'm not in a guild, so this may not apply, but the nice thing about Turtle is that you can just drop it when you feel done with it and then go back and pick it up when you're ready. I've been...I'm not in a guild, so this may not apply, but the nice thing about Turtle is that you can just drop it when you feel done with it and then go back and pick it up when you're ready. I've been playing WoW since one of the betas and periodically go back to it; whenever I was still playing whatever Retail was at the time, I always agonized over the decision to spend the $15 to jump back in and then felt like I really had to maximize my dollar spent, so I have to play, you know what I mean?
At this point, I just jump onto Turtle, maybe get a bit addicted and then put it back down for a couple of months until me or my friends get the itch again. We just had a month or two where all of us were playing pretty much everyday, but we seemingly simultaneously got bored and all of us put it down without speaking a word to one another about it.
Again, I figure this is different when you're in a raiding guild, but that's also why I've never raided. I do not like feeling that obligation to play, I want to play in my own time for as long or as short as I want and be able to drop it and do other things with my life. Plus, I really just enjoy the leveling experience the most. Maybe it is time to just take a break from raiding? Drop out of doing it so often and maybe just go do quests or level another character or just play a different game entirely.
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Comment on Is anyone else frustrated with the eBay buying experience? in ~tech
BeardyHat LinkI love eBay and use it all the time as a buyer and a seller. I'm not a huge fan of the huge percentage they take from a sale, but otherwise it's been great for me to make some money off stuff I...I love eBay and use it all the time as a buyer and a seller. I'm not a huge fan of the huge percentage they take from a sale, but otherwise it's been great for me to make some money off stuff I don't want anymore.
The last thing I bought off of it was an RC car, the last thing I sold was a bunch of models for Star Wars: Legion. Otherwise, I've sold old electronics, old eGPU, books, etc bought a new video card, eGPU enclosure, laptops and electronics. I'm currently mulling over selling one of my handhelds and buying a different one.
Only bad experience I've had as a buyer was a laptop that was locked down to a corporate account, which I could do nothing about. I sent it back and got a refund, then bought the same model. As a seller, I've had one person send back one item because they weren't happy with my description after I had sold it, it sucked, but it was a fair complaint.
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Comment on Spotify down? No, your Spotify mod was just blocked—here's why it won't work anymore. in ~tech
BeardyHat Link ParentI keep all my music on my server, which is backed up. Then also "backed up" via my phone on an SD Card, so I can play anything I have locally off that. I buy a vast majority of my music on...I keep all my music on my server, which is backed up. Then also "backed up" via my phone on an SD Card, so I can play anything I have locally off that.
I buy a vast majority of my music on Bandcamp, some on Amazon, which is usually DRM-Free.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
BeardyHat Link ParentAlright, I just finished Black Mesa and I don't want to wait until next week to make a post about it. Xen was initially, very cool, I loved what I was seeing and it was a good time. But then it...Alright, I just finished Black Mesa and I don't want to wait until next week to make a post about it.
Xen was initially, very cool, I loved what I was seeing and it was a good time. But then it went on... And on... And on...
By Interloper, I was pretty all done with it. I really loved seeing the Vortigaunts, their village and their work in the factory. I loved that they weren't hostile until mind controlled, it really lines up with the Half-Life 2 story. But again, it just keeps going. Constant fights after fights, constant, tedious puzzles that end up being the exact same thing in three different rooms.
I finally made it to Nihilanth and made it 90% of the way through the fight before I got tired of saving and loading and ended up turning on God Mode. Maybe I should have stuck it out because Nihilanth only took a couple more hits before going down, but by the time I got to him, I was already frustrated and annoyed with how things were dragging, which continued on with the fight. Nihilanth had these constant phase changes and it all just felt like this attritional flight.
I'm sorry to say that it all left a sour taste in my mouth and kind of spoiled what is otherwise a pretty exceptional experience. Everything leading up to Xen was fantastic and the first 1/3rd of Xen is also really great, so 90% of the game is great, but just that last 2/3rds is very long and tedious.
This is generally how I operate, as I don't really want to think about it too much. I'm just thinking if there's potential for the market to drop, it would make sense to sell off, wait for stuff to drop and then rebuy. Easier than it sounds though, because I am one of those types that sets and forgets and I wouldn't be checking the market every day.