CannibalisticApple's recent activity
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Comment on Creative short story writing contest—prize for winner! (2025-03-07) in ~creative
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Comment on ‘Legend of Zelda’ film sets March 2027 theatrical release from Sony Pictures in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link ParentMight be more accurate to say it's made for all ages rather than kids, and I feel like that distinction would cause a LOT of creative clashes if they worked on an animated film. Western animated...Might be more accurate to say it's made for all ages rather than kids, and I feel like that distinction would cause a LOT of creative clashes if they worked on an animated film. Western animated films unfortunately tend to aim at kids by focusing a LOT more on in-your-face humor than Zelda does, along with adding in some big, heartfelt moral climax with some grand personal epiphany.
All reports I've seen indicates they want this adaptation to be on the serious side. Zelda's got the right visuals to work in live-action and potentially look incredible, and a universe with a lot of room for narrative flexibility without countering canon lore. I think the success of a video game adaptation hinges heavily on care for the source material over trying to make easy profits, and I have general high expectations with Nintendo's direct involvement.
Side-tangent: Minecraft is just a weird choice for a live action movie. Of all the games in the world, that's the one where the defining trait isn't any characters or story, but distinctly stylized graphics that can't translate into real life. Looks like it's more an animated film with live action actors inserted into it, which... why even bother??
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Comment on ‘Legend of Zelda’ film sets March 2027 theatrical release from Sony Pictures in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link ParentProbably because animated films tend to be more goofy and silly? At least in the west. The Legend of Zelda is overall pretty serious compared to Mario. Animated films can be serious and mature,...Probably because animated films tend to be more goofy and silly? At least in the west. The Legend of Zelda is overall pretty serious compared to Mario. Animated films can be serious and mature, but... Well, a live action film will honestly draw in more viewers with the tone they're aiming for. Especially since Zelda's character and world designs lean more towards realism than Mario.
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Comment on Religious switching into and out of Islam in ~humanities
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI was wondering the same. Islam also feels very cultural compared to Catholicism (and I say that as someone raised Catholic). On that note, I myself would probably still identify as a lapsed...I was wondering the same. Islam also feels very cultural compared to Catholicism (and I say that as someone raised Catholic). On that note, I myself would probably still identify as a lapsed Catholic or Christian on surveys even though I'm more agnostic. My feelings towards religion are more ambivalent than outright hostile like some who leave, and I imagine the same is true for many others.
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Comment on ‘Legend of Zelda’ film sets March 2027 theatrical release from Sony Pictures in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link ParentZelda is probably the Nintendo IP with the best chance of working live-action though. The designs for the protagonists and many other characters stick to the base human shape unlike Mario, so the...Zelda is probably the Nintendo IP with the best chance of working live-action though. The designs for the protagonists and many other characters stick to the base human shape unlike Mario, so the visuals aren't as much of a problem. As for the story and setting, it's ultimately a high fantasy story. Plenty of successful films have been made with that sort of setting.
The nature of the franchise also means it's easy to have an original story that still follows or features a bunch of the lore. A lot of adaptations are bad because they try to adapt a specific game's story with major changes, or pay minimal attention to the source material and try to shoehorn in unnecessary tropes/changes for "mass appeal" instead. Zelda is one of the few franchises where that's not really a concern, and Nintendo has enough influence and power to keep it from deviating too much.
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Comment on Stoop coffee: How a simple idea transformed my neighborhood in ~life
CannibalisticApple LinkThis is a fantastic article! I'm also a bit bummed by the lack of community in a lot of America. I feel like I lucked out with my neighborhood. We're good friends with three families on our...This is a fantastic article! I'm also a bit bummed by the lack of community in a lot of America. I feel like I lucked out with my neighborhood. We're good friends with three families on our street, to the point I've joked for years that if we moved we'd need to find four houses for sale on the same street. And now we're actually moving away, and I'm just sad at the loss of even this tiny community. We're only moving like five minutes away, but it's not the same as walking across the street to hang out for a few hours.
Funnily enough, the pandemic brought our street closer together though. People started having weekly get-togethers in driveways with folding chairs to socialize at safe distances, so we got to know even more of our neighbors. It was basically the same as "stoop coffee" but without the coffee. It never escalated to full-blown events like the pancake party, but we do have a few more parties now compared to before.
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Comment on Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy under fire at Warner Bros. amid box office flops: ‘We didn’t want to fail’ David Zaslav in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link ParentScreen testing actually do help improve movies. They don't usually lead to total overhauls, the examples I know of mainly involve the endings. Endings tend to be the make-or-break moment for any...Screen testing actually do help improve movies. They don't usually lead to total overhauls, the examples I know of mainly involve the endings. Endings tend to be the make-or-break moment for any story, a bad ending can ruin something that's otherwise a masterpiece. Sometimes the original cuts have very bleak endings that just ruin the fun, or the audiences want more catharsis or excitement from the climax.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
CannibalisticApple LinkI finally started playing Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, which I got for my Switch for Christmas in 2023. It's made by the team behind Danganronpa, and it has a very similar atmosphere with...I finally started playing Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, which I got for my Switch for Christmas in 2023. It's made by the team behind Danganronpa, and it has a very similar atmosphere with the investigations. I really love the overall aesthetic, it's set in a futuristic city that's always raining so it's just really Neo-Noir. So far I've played through two chapters (Chapters 0 and 1) and I'm hooked.
I really like the characters, none of them feel particularly obnoxious so far and they all have great designs. (I also keep zooming in on people's eyes because almost everyone has some cool little extra design in their eyes, like one guy has a yen symbol.) Surprisingly not all characters get names (the Chapter 1 case has only two living characters who are named, and one of them is still called "Boy" in the files), but even then their designs and personalities still stand out.
A key part of the game are Mystery Labyrinths, which honestly just give me big Persona vibes. There aren't random enemy encounters or even really a maze-like aspect though. They're like a more game-y version of the trials in Danganronpa.
I mention them because my biggest gripe so far is with the "continuous attacks" in them. They require very fast reactions to choose the correct option, so fast that I barely have time to read the options as they pop up. If I couldn't pause the game during those segments, I'd need even more tries to get it. And they're so far the one aspect that doesn't have some ability you can unlock to make simpler...
As a final amusing side-note (and spoiler for Chapter 0): turns out I started playing on one of the characters' birthdays! And that character also died that day. Sorry for the bad birthday.
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Comment on inZOI has been officially released in Early Access in ~games
CannibalisticApple LinkI'm one of those glad that The Sims finally has competition. There is literally no other game that fills that niche and gameplay, so some competition is VERY good. An important note for anyone who...I'm one of those glad that The Sims finally has competition. There is literally no other game that fills that niche and gameplay, so some competition is VERY good.
An important note for anyone who wants to try it though is that the game is VERY taxing on computers. The recommended specs from the developer are pretty high for even the minimum recommendation, and require 60-75 GB of file space. This is probably one of the biggest hurdles InZoi faces for success. Sims players tend to be pretty heavily on the casual or cozy side of the gamer spectrum, and those sorts of games usually don't call for super high-end computers. So a big chunk of their target market won't have devices capable of playing it.
Sadly, I'm not surprised. I think I've mentioned before on past discussions that it's harder than ever for a new competitor to break into The Sims' market due to how much graphics and game technology have advanced since the original. There's not just a ton of work needed to make a brand new game on the same level as The Sims 4, but the execution is also more demanding due to all the features.
I'm not sure how much InZoi can be optimized once it's finished. Especially since I heard one of the devs apparently claimed he expects to need ten years to achieve his vision for the game, so... Yeah.
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Comment on What kind of game is FBC: Firebreak? Preview for the first-person co-op sci-fi horror shooter from Remedy Entertainment. in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentWhat's the bug? Or was it a series of different bugs?What's the bug? Or was it a series of different bugs?
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Comment on The Donald Trump US administration accidentally texted me its war plans (gifted link) in ~society
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAgain, not sure how that would impact it since whether intentional or an accident, a journalist got access to a chat with war plans on a commercial messaging app not meant to host classified or...Again, not sure how that would impact it since whether intentional or an accident, a journalist got access to a chat with war plans on a commercial messaging app not meant to host classified or sensitive information. The how/why it happened doesn't change that truth, which is the part that really matters. It's a conspiracy that depends on this chat and its content being real. So long as people discuss about why it happened, they'll also be cognizant that it happened.
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Comment on The Donald Trump US administration accidentally texted me its war plans (gifted link) in ~society
CannibalisticApple Link ParentWe'll have to agree to disagree then. I don't see how that would impede or intersect with the actual investigation, since again, whether it was intentional or not ultimately doesn't matter. The...We'll have to agree to disagree then. I don't see how that would impede or intersect with the actual investigation, since again, whether it was intentional or not ultimately doesn't matter. The benefit of the debate is just making sure the public doesn't forget this happened.
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Comment on The Donald Trump US administration accidentally texted me its war plans (gifted link) in ~society
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI don't think it's that conspiratorial. It feels like Occam's razor can go either way here: it being a genuine mistake is highly likely. But the fact it went to one of the most ideal people to be...I don't think it's that conspiratorial. It feels like Occam's razor can go either way here: it being a genuine mistake is highly likely. But the fact it went to one of the most ideal people to be on the receiving end of such a leak, someone with the power to reveal the breach, is also a huge, very fortunate coincidence. Such a big and lucky coincidence that it being intentional feels more likely. I'm not sure how many better choices exist for this scenario.
Ultimately, it's not that convoluted: he added a major journalist to a chat that would exist no matter what, and just let him observe the chat unfold naturally. The most thought needed would be choosing which journalist to add for maximum impact. It's a simple, low-stakes move with a potential for high returns. At worst, the other Trump admins notice before it really kicks off and he claims it was a mistake, and no article is written and business continues as usual.
Unlikely as it is, it's not impossible. Even Goldberg himself seems uncertain on whether it's intentional or not, based on the wording he uses in the article (he literally describes his addition as "presumably by mistake" while highlighting the severity of the leak). Because this is such a big mistake, even with every other big display of incompetence, it's just... A whole new level of absurd.
And also hilarious if it IS intentional, because that means he weaponized the rest of the admin's incompetence as the perfect cover.It also ultimately doesn't matter so much as the fact the leak happened at all. This is genuinely one of the better outcomes for this scenario. If it was an accident, we're lucky it didn't go to someone with malicious intent.
...Also, it just occurred to me that this debate over whether it's intentional or not is even better because it can keep active discourse going for years among conspiracy theorists. That means even after the media inevitably moves onto the next story, this will hang around rather than fading to the background of public consciousness. Definitely unintentional, but hey, I'll take any good thing we can get.
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Comment on “I don’t see how we can save it.” in ~life
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI was going to suggest going to the media too, and social media. Local politicians hate bad publicity, and sadly that tends to be more effective than going through the proper legal channels.I was going to suggest going to the media too, and social media. Local politicians hate bad publicity, and sadly that tends to be more effective than going through the proper legal channels.
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Comment on The Donald Trump US administration accidentally texted me its war plans (gifted link) in ~society
CannibalisticApple Link ParentIf this was intentional, I think Waltz went into this with full expectations of coming out of this as one of the bad guys. Just behave business as usual, and do everything he'd do if there wasn't...If this was intentional, I think Waltz went into this with full expectations of coming out of this as one of the bad guys. Just behave business as usual, and do everything he'd do if there wasn't a spy he invited, including setting some messages to auto-delete. Hell, he could have done that to make sure Goldberg, and by extension the public, knew that was a possibility. Unlikely, but not impossible.
To that end, it makes sense to me he wouldn't respond to Goldberg even afterwards. This leak reminds me of nature documentaries in a way: it's a key tenet to never interfere with the subjects as that can influence their behavior. If he did add Goldberg intentionally, Waltz wanted him to see the chat for what it was and build his own unbiased perspective. So, answering those emails would need to be done very carefully. It's easier and better to stay silent while the others try to do legitimate damage control, thus keeping all reporting genuine.
This was definitely a gamble if he did it intentionally, since as you said, he had no way of knowing how Goldberg would react. But as far as gambles go, I'd say this was a good one: journalists are naturally curious, and only a fool would ignore a potential story like this. Also, like you said, the Trump admin seem to be largely bad at technology. If someone did notice the extra user "JG" Waltz could easily play it as an accident and kick him or dissolve the chat. Even that alone could give Goldberg potential material for a story.
It's just fascinating to piece apart the potential logic. A genuine mistake is highly likely, but again, this is the best case scenario for such a mistake. It got leaked to the editor-in-chief of a major political magazine, and one who has enough integrity to NOT reveal major secrets that would endanger lives. Or worse yet, someone who would sell that information to foreign agents.
Instead it's exposed a MAJOR security breach in a way that can't be covered up, and can (hopefully) lead to action to prevent it from happening again. Again, even the fact it went to the editor-in-chief is a major boon since he'd likely have to look at the chat anyway to verify it was real, so that's one less pair of eyes on sensitive information.
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Comment on The Donald Trump US administration accidentally texted me its war plans (gifted link) in ~society
CannibalisticApple Link ParentHe added Goldberg just two days before starting the chat. That timing is just too perfect to me. That, and this is a level of incompetence that just genuinely beggars disbelief, even with how...He added Goldberg just two days before starting the chat. That timing is just too perfect to me. That, and this is a level of incompetence that just genuinely beggars disbelief, even with how insane and incompetent this administration has been.
What strikes me though is that this feels like the most strategic option if it was intentional. Adding a highly influential journalist to the Signal chat from the start was probably the single most effective approach. As the editor-in-chief, Goldberg would have full control over writing and publishing the story, while also minimizing the number of eyes needed on the chat to verify its veracity and expediting publication.
By going this route and making it a leak, that makes this situation active, ongoing news that merits active reporting and scrutiny. The rest of the administration can't try to twist it as him lying or making stuff up, Goldberg directly saw it happen in real time. There are multiple people who can attest to its existence so they had to confirm it, and as active news, it's too salacious for media to ignore or bury to stay on the Trump admin's good side. It's far more effective than if he just quit and wrote a tell-all book or article. Those are a dime a dozen and haven't really done anything so far.
If it was intentional, this is probably the best move Waltz could make. The way I see it, this Signal chat would exist no matter what given the motives are almost certainly to keep the discussions off official records. If he didn't create it, someone else would have. If he does disagree with them, then exposing the chat like this may be the only move he could actually make that would have any impact at all.
That said, it could be a genuine mistake, especially given the general overall incompetence we've seen. I don't think we'll ever know for sure unless it was intentional and Waltz confirms it. And right now, it's smarter to say nothing since this would be treason, and the rest of the Trump admin almost certainly suspects him and are watching him closely. Hilariously, their general incompetence gives him a perfect cover though.
Side-note: I'm not trying to give Waltz absolution or claim he's a good person. I have no idea what kind of man he is, I've been trying to avoid politics lately because it gives me genuine homicidal rage. I just have this compulsion to understand why people do stuff, and why things unfold the way they do. It's something to do with my flavor of neurodivergence. So this isn't me being hopeful that there's a "sheep in wolf's clothing" in the Trump admin, just me picking apart the potential motives and thought processes. If it is an accident, it's one of the most perfect coincidences in history, and I find it hilarious that both options are equally viable.
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Comment on The Donald Trump US administration accidentally texted me its war plans (gifted link) in ~society
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI'm wondering the same thing, because this seems like a pretty massive oversight. I've never used Signal, but how easy would it be to accidentally add someone to a group?I'm wondering the same thing, because this seems like a pretty massive oversight. I've never used Signal, but how easy would it be to accidentally add someone to a group?
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Comment on Why Maui still hasn’t recovered in ~society
CannibalisticApple LinkThere's something bizarre and sad about how the biggest roadblock to recovery is bureaucracy. Just, of all things to cause problems and hinder rebuilding, it's a totally manmade institution and...There's something bizarre and sad about how the biggest roadblock to recovery is bureaucracy. Just, of all things to cause problems and hinder rebuilding, it's a totally manmade institution and concept rather than something tangible like a lack of resources or manpower or even money.
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Comment on Conspiracy in ~misc
CannibalisticApple LinkPsst, you misspelled "donal trump" on the tags. Feel free to mark as noise.Psst, you misspelled "donal trump" on the tags. Feel free to mark as noise.
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Comment on Creative short story writing contest—prize for winner! (2025-03-07) in ~creative
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAww. The contests have been fun, this month just ended up being too busy for me, and the deadline snuck up on me. While the contests may be over, it'd be fun to at least have some sort of monthly...Aww. The contests have been fun, this month just ended up being too busy for me, and the deadline snuck up on me.
and I posed myself the extra challenge "write a story my grandmother will like" which made it even harderWhile the contests may be over, it'd be fun to at least have some sort of monthly prompt with no contest. It really is a fun way to get motivation to move past block. Maybe extend the deadline a bit, too.
So while the contests may be over, it seems like there might be interest in a monthly writing prompt instead. Seems like several people this time were just too busy or possibly found this prompt a bit tricky to work with (myself included).
So, if Meerkat has no objections and people are interested, I'd be open to starting a monthly prompt. No prizes, just an excuse to write and share your writing. I already have a prompt or two in mind. Who knows? If there's enough interest maybe we can start up the contests again.