Carrow's recent activity
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Comment on Indie Game Awards rescinds Clair Obscur's GOTY wins over use of generative AI [for now-removed background assets] in ~games
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Comment on Cato Institute - The US Government unconstitutionally labels Immigration and Customs Enforcement observers as domestic terrorists in ~society
Carrow Link ParentStopped clocks. A fast or slow clock could be right more or fewer than 2 times. 🤓Broken clocks are right twice a day and all.
Stopped clocks. A fast or slow clock could be right more or fewer than 2 times. 🤓
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Comment on The 2025 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs Dec 18 - Jan 5) in ~games
Carrow Link ParentPerhaps unsurprising to none, A Normal Lost Phone plays best on mobile -- it makes for a more immersive experience. It is already off the Play Store, but their itch io posting includes an apk....Perhaps unsurprising to none, A Normal Lost Phone plays best on mobile -- it makes for a more immersive experience. It is already off the Play Store, but their itch io posting includes an apk. They were included with the huge Racial Justice Bundle and I think the more recent Palestine Support Bundle as well.
https://dearvillagers.itch.io/a-normal-lost-phone
https://dearvillagers.itch.io/another-lost-phone-lauras-story
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of December 14 in ~games
Carrow Link ParentThe mobile freebie is Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate. It appears to be chess with a shotgun somehow? It is dated through the 25th, no mobile daily freebies.The mobile freebie is Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate. It appears to be chess with a shotgun somehow? It is dated through the 25th, no mobile daily freebies.
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Comment on Crossdressing Garbage in ~creative
Carrow Link Parent16 reminds me of when my family got followed home after a road rage incident and the guy got so mad he called my dad the n slur. We're white, he's tan from outdoor work? So similarly scary, but...16 reminds me of when my family got followed home after a road rage incident and the guy got so mad he called my dad the n slur. We're white, he's tan from outdoor work? So similarly scary, but also couldn't help but find it funny.
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Comment on When an episode isn't like the rest of the show in ~tv
Carrow Link"Do you want to live your life like season 37 of The Simpsons?" I came for sitcom analysis and got a punch in the gut. Joke's on you Paul I'm already shaking it up pretty majorly."Do you want to live your life like season 37 of The Simpsons?"
I came for sitcom analysis and got a punch in the gut. Joke's on you Paul I'm already shaking it up pretty majorly.
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Comment on Steam Replay 2025 in ~games
Carrow (edited )Link57 games played, 21 fewer than last year (what kinda crack was I on then?) 817 achievements, 4 fewer than last year (I couldn't plan that level of precision if I tried). 60% of my time was on Deck...57 games played, 21 fewer than last year (what kinda crack was I on then?)
817 achievements, 4 fewer than last year (I couldn't plan that level of precision if I tried).
60% of my time was on Deck versus desktop, but 50/50 split in terms of game count -- most games I played on both, and apparently a similar number exclusive to each. I haven't had the energy to game on my desktop this year.
Most played games include Skyrim, Kingdom Hearts, Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon's Dogma 2, Cassette Beasts, and Where Winds Meet. Many of my games were sub 20hr experiences.
Additional shout-outs for Dispatch, Straftat, Great God Grove, Dungeons of Hinterberg, HASTE, Children of Morta, Severed Steel, and Metal Bringers. CrossCode too but I mostly played that last year and just haven't gotten to the DLC. I forget if Infinity Nikki was more this year or last, that was non-steam so not counted in replay.
And of course this doesn't count the untold hours I spent playing Net Driver on my phone or chatting about it on discord or cracking its formulas or making my sites... That one probably takes the ultimate cake in 2025.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Carrow LinkI finished the main quest of Cassette Beasts and I gotta say it is a perfect 4/4, would recommend to any person that enjoys video games. It has become a favorite, I don't think I can give a...I finished the main quest of Cassette Beasts and I gotta say it is a perfect 4/4, would recommend to any person that enjoys video games. It has become a favorite, I don't think I can give a reasonable fault after 30+ hrs -- any minor gripes are addressed with mods already.
It is a creature collector like Pokemon, but has a clear and distinct identity. You've been transported to the island of New Wirral, where people can transform into beasts recorded on cassettes. There's an interesting variety in the monster design! You have a lot of freedom in creating your character and can edit at any point. Your companions are charming adults (and romance able) with their own motivations and stories.
The type interactions are neat -- water grows grass so grass gets a heal, fire melts plastic turning it into a poison type, fire makes poisons release fumes, water rusts metal and lowers defense, etc. The game explicitly describes that reasoning as a tutorial when the interaction occurs and you have a type interaction chart you can check in the middle of combat. Monsters rank up in stars but the player character and their companion are the ones with levels, making it easy to pick up a new weaker monster since your own player power boosts it. You can freely remove and place stickers (moves). And finally there is a fuse mechanic, where two characters fuse their monsters together for one stronger than the sum of its parts. All these systems make for very dynamic combat.
And that soundtrack is dynamite!! It has quickly become one of my favorite albums. Shelby Harvey's vocals elevate the tracks to another level.
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Comment on Brown University shooting leaves two dead, nine injured as police search for killer in ~news
Carrow Link ParentUnfortunately this isn't even the first I've read about students being present for multiple school shootings. This story covers a Sandy Hook survivor also at a university mass shooting a couple...Unfortunately this isn't even the first I've read about students being present for multiple school shootings. This story covers a Sandy Hook survivor also at a university mass shooting a couple years ago.
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Comment on Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options. in ~tech
Carrow Link ParentMy TV has banner ads for the input select baked in so even without connecting to the internet and using it only as a dumb TV, it can still serve you garbage. Thanks Samsung.My TV has banner ads for the input select baked in so even without connecting to the internet and using it only as a dumb TV, it can still serve you garbage. Thanks Samsung.
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Comment on I can't describe it, but I know it when I see it in ~life
Carrow LinkIn a comment you seemed to notice the issue is largely on YouTube. Have you gotten in on that PBS Kids app? It's pretty wicked. All free, no ad garbage, just brief "this episode was brought to you...In a comment you seemed to notice the issue is largely on YouTube. Have you gotten in on that PBS Kids app? It's pretty wicked. All free, no ad garbage, just brief "this episode was brought to you by X". You know it's gonna be kid appropriate no matter where they go in the app. And they may even learn something.
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Comment on The Expedition 33 and Dispatch game awards drama in ~games
Carrow LinkAlanah Pearce (credits include Dispatch VA for Malevola, writer on GoW Ragnarok) gives us a rundown of the drama surrounding two entries into The Game Awards and illuminates why it shouldn't be...Alanah Pearce (credits include Dispatch VA for Malevola, writer on GoW Ragnarok) gives us a rundown of the drama surrounding two entries into The Game Awards and illuminates why it shouldn't be taken seriously as an award show but can still be a fun celebration of games and achievements.
I just watched this yesterday, I thought TGAs came and went, but seeing the discussion post this morning made me think this would be a good companion post.
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The Expedition 33 and Dispatch game awards drama
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of December 7 in ~games
Carrow Link ParentNote you can create a Nintendo account and assign it to a region you aren't in, unless they've changed something. I've got an account for another region from when I reviewed games, didn't need a...Note you can create a Nintendo account and assign it to a region you aren't in, unless they've changed something. I've got an account for another region from when I reviewed games, didn't need a VPN or anything at the time.
Of their games, looks like I got Rekt from another Christmas Switch giveaway. It was alright, if a little bare bones, probably didn't put more than an hour or two in it.
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Comment on Netflix kills casting from phones in ~tech
Carrow Link ParentI run both. Just booted up another docker for jellyfin on the server one day, Plex and jellyfin don't conflict. Great way to ease in. My TV doesn't have an official app but instead some hacky web...I run both. Just booted up another docker for jellyfin on the server one day, Plex and jellyfin don't conflict. Great way to ease in. My TV doesn't have an official app but instead some hacky web browser access. So the Plex interface is smoother on TV. But Jellyfin has better file compatibility since I'm without Pass (no hardware transcode without it). Passing the GPU interface to Jellyfin's docker was pretty simple.
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Comment on Guild Wars: Reforged | Official launch trailer in ~games
Carrow Link ParentOh yeah I remember folks mentioning that! Playing around with that freedom is probably worth price of admission for me. I recall in its original rendition FFXIV had a similar freedom in mix and...Oh yeah I remember folks mentioning that! Playing around with that freedom is probably worth price of admission for me. I recall in its original rendition FFXIV had a similar freedom in mix and matching skills between classes, though not to GW's degree.
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Comment on Guild Wars: Reforged | Official launch trailer in ~games
Carrow Link ParentI enjoy 2, is there anything specific to 1 you like better or it simply didn't click?I enjoy 2, is there anything specific to 1 you like better or it simply didn't click?
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Comment on Guild Wars: Reforged | Official launch trailer in ~games
Carrow LinkThe first game with a "remaster" update! $20 for Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall (Eye of the North is separate, $10). I completely missed this was happening. Guild Wars site Steam pageThe first game with a "remaster" update! $20 for Prophecies, Factions, and Nightfall (Eye of the North is separate, $10). I completely missed this was happening.
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Guild Wars: Reforged | Official launch trailer
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Comment on Elite Dangerous discussion in ~games
Carrow Link ParentI've played some with my hotas! I've had fun with using that for space flight and mech games, I just haven't had the room to justify using it lately. I got a Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X off eBay...I've played some with my hotas! I've had fun with using that for space flight and mech games, I just haven't had the room to justify using it lately. I got a Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X off eBay for like $40, well worth the cost of entry to see if it is something you'd enjoy. It came a bit worn, but haven't had issues with drift or ghost inputs. I didn't play Elite Dangerous enough to run into issues of limited buttons, though I could see it happening for some games if you're more used to M+KB.
It is a hard adjustment, I was having more fun but playing worse for a fair number of hours at each new game type on the hotas vs controls I was used to.
This quote seems relevant to half our conversation here:
https://www.indiegameawards.gg/faq
Emphasis mine. I think that's the most important trait of indie and the spirit of the original "without publisher" definition. I consider Sandfall to only technically be indie on paper if we look at the traditional publishing angle their definition opens with. Just how beholden to investors are they?
But more to the point of portion I emphasized. When you have a team of hundreds (shouldn't ignore the contractors, outsourced staff, and other uncredited folks...), can you honestly say you're bringing a fully realized vision to light, and not something assembled by committee?
I can't give a dividing line number, it'd be arbitrary and quickly tested as time goes on and the environment... develops. None of this is pertinent to the gen AI point unless you consider that point as a scapegoat for trying to nix a dubiously indie game. I suppose I think they shouldn't have been left out for making a mistake, owning it, and fixing it? But I thought they shouldn't be included to begin with.