Bullmaestro's recent activity
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Comment on How's everyone doing? in ~talk
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkI have sunk about 40 hours into Megabonk over the past few days. It is by far one of the most jank and poorly balanced roguelike survival games I've played. There are a lot of things I don't like...I have sunk about 40 hours into Megabonk over the past few days. It is by far one of the most jank and poorly balanced roguelike survival games I've played. There are a lot of things I don't like about it, such as the absurd difficulty, the Big Rigs-like broken English the game taunts you with when you die, the fact that some of the minibosses have really stupid names like "Scorpionussy", the other fact that the game's leaderboards are filled with people pulling off Goldiloks runs where they get meta weapons, the four mandatory tomes which are XP (level gain), Luck (better Shrine upgrades), Cursed (increased enemy amount and stats upto 600%, a.k.a. also more XP gain) and Chaos (random stat gain per level), and optimal stat/item upgrades from chests, Luck being inconsistent and not working as a stat at times. The list goes on.
Megabonk is like a car crash of straight-up bad game design choices. The Forest stage alone has at least two cheap enemy types that pose run-killing threats, including zombies that are both tankier than your average mob and move absurdly fast, and an exploding bug mob resembling Banelings from SC2 which have an explosion radius that almost matches the range of base unupgraded melee weapons, making them a bastard to kite on any melee character like Ogre or Sir Oofie.
As much as I hate this game at times, it's strangely addicting.
On a different note, I have been playing a bit of Sonic Superstars and I don't yet understand why it gets so much hate. Arzest have done a good job so far. It plays like a classic Sonic game, has a decent roster and has even tried something new with the level designs and Chaos Emerald powers.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
Bullmaestro LinkAs bad as this is going to sound: Life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not feeling suicidal in any way, but life has been a huge downer at times since I reached adulthood. The job market in my country...As bad as this is going to sound: Life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not feeling suicidal in any way, but life has been a huge downer at times since I reached adulthood. The job market in my country (England) now is absolutely dire and this is the second time I've gone into further/higher education just to end up having my job prospects obliterated. First, it was the lack of graduate jobs, then when I spend a few years in customer service, pivot towards accountancy and spend years and thousands of pounds to obtain recognised qualifications, there's now an all-time low amount of vacancies in finance and accountancy. We're one of the professions quickly being replaced with AI...
My employment prospects (or lack thereof) despite having a university degree and accountancy qualifications is just part of why life has been so depressing lately. But a decent, well-paying and permanent job can go some way towards addressing the other things going wrong in my life.
On a more specific subject, World of Warcraft
Midnight is the first expansion I haven't bought and have no real desire to go back to. I just feel incredibly weary of getting back into the game, especially given the elitism, hostility and overall toxicity of the game's community. If there was a decent solo queue option for Mythic+ dungeons and competitive raiding, I'd certainly consider buying Midnight, but as things stand, I really don't give a shit about the player housing additions.
Likewise, as much as I could pay £50 to boost a character to 58, level through TBC Classic and finally experience TBC raiding for the first time, what I stated above also applies to Classic WoW. People have found ways to gatekeep 20 year old game content.
Rav (A League of Legends content creator who has also been playing Classic TBC and Hardcore) released a video on retail WoW and his experience of joining a dungeon group, being called a dogshit healer, then being votekicked out of a Nokhud Offensive Normal group by people too dimwitted to genuinely right-click one of the three harpoon launchers surrounding the boss and interrupt the Eruption channel which otherwise does unhealable levels of damage, pretty much sums up how WoW's community is a textbook study of the Dunning-Krueger effect in action.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
Bullmaestro Link ParentSame sentiment from Britain. Fifteen years ago I would have jumped at the chance to visit or move to the USA. Now I really don't want anything to do with the country, I don't fancy the chances of...Same sentiment from Britain.
Fifteen years ago I would have jumped at the chance to visit or move to the USA. Now I really don't want anything to do with the country, I don't fancy the chances of being detained or deported because I typed some mean things about Trump, Vance or ICE online.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
Bullmaestro Link ParentI've looked more into the comments she been making on gender and trans issues and yeah, she's increasingly gone off the deep end. Rowling is part of the reason I haven't even tried Hogwarts...I've looked more into the comments she been making on gender and trans issues and yeah, she's increasingly gone off the deep end.
Rowling is part of the reason I haven't even tried Hogwarts Legacy, with the other part being the doxxing and harassment people got for even playing it, especially streamers. I remember the hate mob that Pikamee got forced her into retirement.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
Bullmaestro Link ParentLegends Arceus was the only game that I think changed up the formula. Then Game Freak regressed on the open world danger aspects with Scarlet/Violet and showed us why Legends Arceus was open-zone...Legends Arceus was the only game that I think changed up the formula. Then Game Freak regressed on the open world danger aspects with Scarlet/Violet and showed us why Legends Arceus was open-zone only, because that game had serious performance issues that only playing on the Switch 2 resolves.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
Bullmaestro Link ParentSquare Enix killed it with all the spinoff games (that are required to understand the increasingly convoluted lore) and the multi-generational wait for Kingdom Hearts III. Even KH2 felt like it...Square Enix killed it with all the spinoff games (that are required to understand the increasingly convoluted lore) and the multi-generational wait for Kingdom Hearts III.
Even KH2 felt like it was only better in terms of combat, with everything else being a straight downgrade.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
Bullmaestro Link ParentI remember when NIN released The Slip for free as a publicity stunt and it was easily the shittiest album I've ever heard. I think I stopped listening by the time I reached Letting You because...I remember when NIN released The Slip for free as a publicity stunt and it was easily the shittiest album I've ever heard. I think I stopped listening by the time I reached Letting You because that track sounds like distorted static.
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Comment on GameDate: An anonymous LFG forum for 'dead' games in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkThe interface reminds me a lot of Steam, and I mean the original ugly olive green interface from 2005 that any of the OG Valve fans would remember. That choice feels deliberate...The interface reminds me a lot of Steam, and I mean the original ugly olive green interface from 2005 that any of the OG Valve fans would remember. That choice feels deliberate...
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Comment on Motorola and GrapheneOS Foundation partnership announced in ~tech
Bullmaestro LinkMay need to upgrade my OnePlus 9 Pro eventually, which has served me well for the past 4.5 years. It's not in the worst state, a few minor cosmetic scratches on the screen that are only really...May need to upgrade my OnePlus 9 Pro eventually, which has served me well for the past 4.5 years.
It's not in the worst state, a few minor cosmetic scratches on the screen that are only really noticeable when you squint in light, a battery that spends about half the time at 1% because the OS can't properly read it, other than that it's been smooth sailing and easily the best state a phone of mine has been in.
Maybe Motorola will be my next pick. I'm not a fan of being wholly stuck to the Google ecosystem but I'm also so invested in Android that I don't particularly want an iPhone.
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Comment on Living human brain cells play DOOM on a CL1 in ~tech
Bullmaestro LinkI have serious reservations about this. Imagine being brought into this world and you're just a series of human brain cells spread on a circuit board and tasked with playing DOOM.I have serious reservations about this. Imagine being brought into this world and you're just a series of human brain cells spread on a circuit board and tasked with playing DOOM.
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Comment on Scary Movie (2026) | Official trailer in ~movies
Bullmaestro LinkJason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (two of the six writers of the original Scary Movie, who thankfully fucked off from the industry 11 years ago and aren't involved in this) kinda killed the entire...Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (two of the six writers of the original Scary Movie, who thankfully fucked off from the industry 11 years ago and aren't involved in this) kinda killed the entire parody film genre for me by releasing shitty film after shitty film.
I mean this doesn't look anywhere near as bad as Date Movie, Epic Movie, Disaster Movie, Meet the Spartans or Vampires Suck did, but I didn't find the trailer particularly funny. The reception is definitely positive on YouTube, but I think this is coming from people who are praying this will be on the same level as the first two.
My only hope for this film is that they brought the Wayans brothers back as writers. If they're confident enough in it that they've dropped the "6" and framed it as a full reboot, maybe it'll be good.
Also hoping this isn't all the "funny" moments we'll see, because they were not that good, and producers have a very bad habit of cramming all the funny moments into a trailer and leaving no surprises. The worst example of this I can think of is a parody B-movie I watched a few years ago called FDR American Badass. Don't let the trailer fool you, the movie was so bad that when I brought it over for a film night, we didn't even make it thirty minutes in before we had to switch it off...
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2026) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro Link ParentI definitely was standing up for him. It's not that I feel worried I upset his dad because I didn't (it sounds like they fell out over other things.) More worried I may have painted someone else...I definitely was standing up for him. It's not that I feel worried I upset his dad because I didn't (it sounds like they fell out over other things.) More worried I may have painted someone else we knew as a transphobe - don't particularly want to drag others into conflict.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2026) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro Link ParentUm... Canada, Ireland and Australia are not part of the UK. They used to be part of the British Empire before they became their own independent nations via their own circumstances. Ireland went...And forgive my ignorance, but would another part of the UK not feel different enough? We also briefly looked into Canada or Australia because of the lack of a language barrier, but I'm fairly sure they required a job lined up as a sort of sponsor. Much harder to just move first and figure out the details later.
Um... Canada, Ireland and Australia are not part of the UK. They used to be part of the British Empire before they became their own independent nations via their own circumstances. Ireland went independent after WW1 conscription led to a civil war and revolution. Australia and Canada went independent post-WW2 IIRC.
As for immigrating to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. They're experiencing similar problems and I think even if I moved to the Republic of Ireland (which I can under the CTA) they'd have it similarly bad.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2026) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro Link ParentHope the move to Brazil goes great. I've thought about leaving the UK, but I don't speak another language and much of the Anglosphere is even more anti immigration than we are.Hope the move to Brazil goes great. I've thought about leaving the UK, but I don't speak another language and much of the Anglosphere is even more anti immigration than we are.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2026) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro LinkNot great. Quit my job two weeks ago. Was a long time coming because a lot of things about it pissed me off. I think what has me down at the moment is someone last night at karaoke asking if I had...Not great.
Quit my job two weeks ago. Was a long time coming because a lot of things about it pissed me off.
I think what has me down at the moment is someone last night at karaoke asking if I had Asperger's, because she noticed I talk a lot like the main character in The Good Doctor. It's a show I never watched and it seems like a mix between House and Rain Man - a bit of media that pushes misinformation and stereotypes about autism by showing us as savants.
Yes, I do have Asperger's but I don't like people picking that apart about me, especially when I've spent a lot of my teenage years masking it because to my parents and brother, I was "labelled" and there's nothing wrong with me.
I also worry about a tipsy conversation I had in the car heading home. One of the people I went with isn't on good terms with his FtM trans son (I didn't know they were related but now I can sorta see the resemblance) and I maybe went into a short (maybe off topic) rant about others misgendering him and I worry I said too much. I'm the kind of guy who always refers to someone by their preferred pronouns and he's always been respectful to me.
At the moment I feel lost. Not sure what I want to do next. Stick to accountancy and potentially have my whole profession replaced by agentic AI, or go into something else. Maybe hosting karaoke, maybe art. That's why I bought a drawing tablet recently after all.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (March 2026) in ~health.mental
Bullmaestro Link ParentI quit my job recently as well. The reasons were low pay, a long 2 hour commute that effectively garnished 2.5 hours of my wages from the expense of travelling there, my dad being rather difficult...I quit my job recently as well. The reasons were low pay, a long 2 hour commute that effectively garnished 2.5 hours of my wages from the expense of travelling there, my dad being rather difficult on days where I worked from home, and just being so pissed off with Oracle Fusion.
I have a (second stage) job interview tomorrow with a defense contractor, this time with their HR team rather than the head of finance.
Would have definitely walked from that curator job in your shoes. It sounds like you worked your ass off and they punished you for it.
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Comment on First look: Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves | Announcement trailer in ~games
Bullmaestro Link ParentI might go with the Grass one. That water gecko looks freaky.I might go with the Grass one. That water gecko looks freaky.
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Comment on First look: Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves | Announcement trailer in ~games
Bullmaestro LinkThe Pokémon Presents direct itself sucked but this looks kinda nice.The Pokémon Presents direct itself sucked but this looks kinda nice.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
Bullmaestro LinkBought myself an XP-Pen drawing tablet a few days ago and decided to dabble in digital art. I don't (yet) have anything to show for it. Not sure whether I want to ultimately produce a webcomic,...Bought myself an XP-Pen drawing tablet a few days ago and decided to dabble in digital art.
I don't (yet) have anything to show for it. Not sure whether I want to ultimately produce a webcomic, social/political cartoons or just do commissions.
Still not feeling great. Caught an illness and I've had a sore throat since last night along with really itchy and watery eyes. It could be an allergy or something could have ended up stuck in my eye.
I've gone back into the process of applying for jobs but all I've had so far is radio silence. Recruiters aren't putting me forward for any roles, and as much as I don't regret quitting my last position which was in Cheltenham, it's still disheartening that I cannot find a job in Bristol. That situation may be changing though.
My former boss from several years has finally started advertising her practice on socials (they've been running for the past five years) and part of me thinks that this is a push to get more clients and potentially expand the team again. I would definitely work for her again in a heartbeat.
I have been through two interview stages and an Excel assessment (finished 3 mins late and with two wrong answers out of ten) with a security consultancy firm. If by some miracle I make it through this stage, I'll be going for an interview in-person. Working in an office-based role doesn't really bother me, I've found working from home to be an increasingly big headache because of my dad.
Other than that, I'm really concerned about a relatively close friend of mine. She has CFS/ME and her condition has been getting worse going from mild to moderate. She's also had constant headaches and has found herself getting increasingly and intensely angry at things, and is concerned that there is something seriously wrong with her, like a brain tumour.