CptBluebear's recent activity
-
Comment on Divinity | World premiere trailer from The Game Awards 2025 in ~games
-
Comment on You're not crazy. The bugs are disappearing. in ~enviro
CptBluebear LinkWas this not the case in the US? Insect collapse has been ongoing for years and it's not much of a secret. Fewer bugs splats on cars, not as many wasps, flies, mosquitos, and whatever else. I have...Was this not the case in the US? Insect collapse has been ongoing for years and it's not much of a secret.
Fewer bugs splats on cars, not as many wasps, flies, mosquitos, and whatever else.
I have plenty of memories of my younger self trapping wasps because they were endlessly swarming any sweet stuff left in the open. I'm (un)lucky if I get even one to bother me.
-
Comment on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 becomes first indie game to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards in ~games
CptBluebear Link ParentIs that throughout its entire lifecycle or before launch? Because I'm only slightly exaggerating when I say they make that amount in a month. Gacha games pull cash like no other.Is that throughout its entire lifecycle or before launch? Because I'm only slightly exaggerating when I say they make that amount in a month. Gacha games pull cash like no other.
-
Comment on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 becomes first indie game to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards in ~games
CptBluebear Link ParentI'd agree with you if it wasn't about the US owned and operated TGA. Well sort of... Geoff is Canadian but you get my point. US centrism can be an issue on the internet but I think this one falls...I'd agree with you if it wasn't about the US owned and operated TGA.
Well sort of... Geoff is Canadian but you get my point.US centrism can be an issue on the internet but I think this one falls short of being problematic.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
CptBluebear Link ParentI can understand feeling annoyed so no worries there. You're more than welcome to share your thoughts about the game and I hope I didn't put you off of posting about your experience. When...I can understand feeling annoyed so no worries there. You're more than welcome to share your thoughts about the game and I hope I didn't put you off of posting about your experience.
When preempting the post earlier I did it because I knew that I was going to talk about your emotional response and that can be frustrating and feel diminishing. My hope was to spark a conversation about the qualities of the game despite the dislike of said qualities, not sidelining your experience.
No matter, I hope you have found something to cleanse the bad experience.
-
Comment on Without looking, do you have a vague idea of your coordinates? in ~talk
CptBluebear Link ParentI'm fairly certain that nuclear bombs do not explode unless explicitly told to do so. If an altitude for detonation is not set it will just crash into the ground and do nothing. This is meant to...I'm fairly certain that nuclear bombs do not explode unless explicitly told to do so. If an altitude for detonation is not set it will just crash into the ground and do nothing. This is meant to be a failsafe for accidental detonation.
In other words, I think you may want to retrace your line of thinking 😉
And if I'm wrong we have nukeman to (potentially) set me straight.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
CptBluebear Link ParentI'm not saying there aren't legitimate gripes with the game. I found it becoming rather bland at some point. What struck me is the sentence at the end, basically calling it over hyped because they...I'm not saying there aren't legitimate gripes with the game. I found it becoming rather bland at some point. What struck me is the sentence at the end, basically calling it over hyped because they don't like French accordion or couldn't remember who's who.
It's fine not to like things, but it's not difficult to see that the game is good at what it's trying to do... even if it's not your cup of tea.
I don't particularly agree with your point about the turn based system, but that's neither here nor there. The specific terminology of the combat system is not the point of contention I responded to.
-
Comment on Millions of Americans mess up their taxes. A new law will help. in ~society
CptBluebear Link ParentThe why is because Intuit/Turbo Tax is making it so. No other reason than having seized and monopolized tax returns. You can still do free tax returns of course, though the method remains archaic...The why is because Intuit/Turbo Tax is making it so. No other reason than having seized and monopolized tax returns.
You can still do free tax returns of course, though the method remains archaic because not enough people use it, Turbo Tax likes it that way, and like @skybrian mentioned, a change was killed.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
CptBluebear (edited )Link ParentNot to be rude, but it sounds like it just may not be for you and I think it's a bit unfair to others to claim it's therefore bad. The combat system is an evolution of the turn based systems, the...Not to be rude, but it sounds like it just may not be for you and I think it's a bit unfair to others to claim it's therefore bad.
The combat system is an evolution of the turn based systems, the score is superbly composed with full jazzy tracks like these, levels have been crafted with a very distinct and evocative style, and voice acting is turned up to 11.
It was a surprise entry from an unknown studio that changed the way people look at turn based games, and deserves an honorable mention at least. And that's from someone that dropped it halfway.
-
Comment on Without looking, do you have a vague idea of your coordinates? in ~talk
CptBluebear Link ParentNukes explode above ground level for better dispersion. If you hit the ground before exploding you'll direct a lot of force back up instead of around due to the aforementioned ground.Nukes explode above ground level for better dispersion. If you hit the ground before exploding you'll direct a lot of force back up instead of around due to the aforementioned ground.
-
Comment on Games: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~games
CptBluebear (edited )Link ParentWith how much of the game is tied into the PvE aspect I'm sure they wanted to nudge people in that direction but to what extent we'll never know. What we do know is that it's more PvE than...With how much of the game is tied into the PvE aspect I'm sure they wanted to nudge people in that direction but to what extent we'll never know. What we do know is that it's more PvE than veterans of this genre expected.
-
Comment on The stories we're not telling - Liberal Democracy is in danger, we need the stories of those who rescued it in ~society
CptBluebear (edited )Link ParentI don't often bookmark articles but this one got me fired up because I agree with his position and had to save it so I could read it again. So, to start, thanks for sharing. I have to ruminate...I don't often bookmark articles but this one got me fired up because I agree with his position and had to save it so I could read it again. So, to start, thanks for sharing.
I have to ruminate some more on the contents and possibly respond to others (that often helps me put things into words I otherwise can't find) before I can discuss this at length.
Though one thing of note (ha) I'd like to already comment on is that I understand entirely what he intends to convey about the depictions on the Euro, but disagree that it wasn't necessary.
The author clearly understands what a monumental diplomatic leap forward a common currency actually is, so from there it isn't too much a leap of logic to realise that a safeguard had to be in place to prevent people from undermining this effort and enabling people to tear it apart by stoking the flames of nationalism between member states in the precarious early stages of the common currency. To this day I occasionally hear older people convert the Euro into what it would have cost in Guldens. And while it took a backseat in the last couple of election cycles, it really wasn't that long ago that we had some political parties clamour for the return to the Gulden and exit the Eurozone.I do think he has a point about the Canadian passport and I hope that the Eurozone reaches a point where we can also have a collective historical pride.
Celebrating collective human advancement is something we should take pride in, whether that's bridges or people such as Spaak. -
Comment on Games: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~games
CptBluebear Link ParentThere are plenty of opportunities to have PvE fights and even cooperative PvE happen naturally. But you will get shot by another player and you will lose an entire run worth of inventory and it...There are plenty of opportunities to have PvE fights and even cooperative PvE happen naturally.
But you will get shot by another player and you will lose an entire run worth of inventory and it will happen again. People will snipe you, people will betray your kindness, and people camp extraction sites.
I've seen a lot of people get angry at being shot at, both in game and offline and it always strikes me as odd. It's part and parcel of the extraction shooter genre that you will meet demise at the hands of other players, it's to be expected.
Arc Raiders did manage to create a sufficiently hostile PvE environment with enough loot opportunities for players that it's more common you'll have multiple runs in a row you cooperate with strangers to take down the big bad robot instead. You can absolutely engage this game in a PvE fashion and get out unscathed more often than not. And I mean that literally, I can end 5 out of 6 runs without any shootouts.
My point boils down to knowing what you're getting into. PvP is inherent, though not pervasive. And unlike other games in the genre it's less likely to happen, but it will happen.
-
Comment on Swiss reject millionaire inheritance tax in ~society
CptBluebear Link ParentAs an aside, thank you for keeping up with the conversation and even though I expect it from Tildes, it's always nice to realise we're having a normal back and forth. If at any moment I have...As an aside, thank you for keeping up with the conversation and even though I expect it from Tildes, it's always nice to realise we're having a normal back and forth.
If at any moment I have sounded hostile or inflammatory towards you I can assure you that was unintended.
-
Comment on Prime Video pulls eerily emotionless AI-generated anime dubs after complaints in ~anime
CptBluebear Link ParentOf course. This is a classic try and try again until there are no more complaints. As far as I can tell, those anime aren't the biggest crowd pullers, maybe they thought they could fly under the...Of course. This is a classic try and try again until there are no more complaints. As far as I can tell, those anime aren't the biggest crowd pullers, maybe they thought they could fly under the radar and quietly poll audience response. At least, that's what the cynic in me assumes.
-
Comment on Swiss reject millionaire inheritance tax in ~society
CptBluebear Link ParentI'm not looking to rob anyone. I don't think differences in wealth between people is inherently bad but I feel there's an excess to the point it's detrimental. Specifically inheritance and other...I'm not looking to rob anyone. I don't think differences in wealth between people is inherently bad but I feel there's an excess to the point it's detrimental.
Specifically inheritance and other wealth taxes are of interest to me because I think you do not materially change the life of people that have that kind of money in the first place. Y'know, tax wealth not labour.
Even then, most of the ultra rich have their wealth in equity or other business ventures they can use as collateral to start new businesses.
Those are not the taxes we're talking about.
And even then even then you don't have a single billionaire starting a business with their own entire capital net worth, they'll likely do funding rounds elsewhere.I don't think just because they start businesses they should be wholly protected against paying into society in other ways. A stronger middle class will also start more companies, likely more in both numbers and product diversity. If there's any chance at reducing wealth disparity, something so incredibly out of whack at record levels, we likely gain so much else from it.
-
Opportunity cost is still a thing. I will have fewer chances of upward mobility with a lower cash flow.
-
Sort of, but it doesn't really matter. I used the example to illustrate that people do vote against their material interests for the overall health of society.
-
-
Comment on Swiss reject millionaire inheritance tax in ~society
CptBluebear (edited )Link ParentAre you part of the 0.03%? Edit to add: Excuse me, I was whisked away on some work thing before I could say more. I'm not saying to delete all wealth, I'm just very unopposed to increasing tax on...Are you part of the 0.03%?
Edit to add:
Excuse me, I was whisked away on some work thing before I could say more. I'm not saying to delete all wealth, I'm just very unopposed to increasing tax on 3000 people that have the money to spare (and then some). So unless you're part of that 0.03% wealth bracket I'm not going to argue that you need to lower your quality of life.
There is a marked difference between moving within the US between states and national wealth flight world wide. The latter is almost non-existent.
-
Comment on Swiss reject millionaire inheritance tax in ~society
CptBluebear Link ParentYour life wouldn't be any different if you'd have 900 million instead of 2 billion. Beyond that point, I would even argue you'd live in absolute comfort until the end of your days with 90 million....Your life wouldn't be any different if you'd have 900 million instead of 2 billion.
Beyond that point, I would even argue you'd live in absolute comfort until the end of your days with 90 million.
But hey, none of that is actually what this topic is about. It's about inheritance tax doing absolutely nothing at all to your quality of life until you need to gift more than 50 million francs.
And no we don't all do that. Quick example: Hybrid cars were taxed at a lower rate in this country and I voted against my "best interests" to get that increased even though it would cost me personally. Because what's in my best interest is the prosperity of all and not just the lucky few.
Principles mean something to me and I find them sorely lacking in people too worried about their neverending balance sheet. -
Comment on 2025 Spotify Wrapped is now out in ~music
CptBluebear Link ParentMy wife often has Spotify running on the TV on a Saturday or Sunday and it's connected to my account so my Wrapped is both my own and our music. Combined with how Wrapped is trying to connect...There is the "music I listen to alone" and "music I listen to when driving with my wife". These are very different, but the algorithm does not know this.
My wife often has Spotify running on the TV on a Saturday or Sunday and it's connected to my account so my Wrapped is both my own and our music.
Combined with how Wrapped is trying to connect listening to artists or albums to specific dates, something I absolutely do not remember, and it all feels a bit nebulous.
-
Comment on Tips for FL Studio in ~music
CptBluebear Link ParentSynthet isn't just boppy, he's genuinely good at condensing and dispensing information about music theory. He shot up in popularity real quick and it's very clear why. Definitely one to check out...Synthet isn't just boppy, he's genuinely good at condensing and dispensing information about music theory. He shot up in popularity real quick and it's very clear why. Definitely one to check out for a couple of 2-5 minute FL Studio music theory classes
Sven has been very outspoken against triple A overreach and is firmly on the side of fun first, monetization second. That, combined with their approach to and clout from DOS and BG3, makes the direction of the company worthwhile to follow. You can safely assume they will create a game that doesn't squeeze you with cash shops and battle passes.
The danger, if you can call it that, is blindly believing this will result in a good game. They haven't really missed so far (though I have some areas of improvement I could talk about) but there's no guarantee either. And that's where I think you are correct, with such a large pool of employees you can't guarantee they'll perform as well as they have.
That said, they have earned enough goodwill a flop will not likely mean major reputational damage.