Crespyl's recent activity
-
Comment on Babylon 5 - Season 3 Discussion in ~tv
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S2E22: "The Fall of Night" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl Link Parentspoiler I like that it explains how everyone's been reacting to the glimpses we've seen various people receive, or Jack the Inquisitor. I'm very curious what Londo actually saw, if anything. Maybe...spoiler
I like that it explains how everyone's been reacting to the glimpses we've seen various people receive, or Jack the Inquisitor.
I'm very curious what Londo actually saw, if anything. Maybe his connection to the shadow-things is clouding his perception of things that are truly holy? Or perhaps his exposure/knowledge just means that the (merely alien) Vorlon psychic camoflauge/dazzle effect doesn't work on him? Maybe he's just refusing to acknowledge what he saw?
What appearance would Vorlons take for an observer if there's more than one in the same room? Would they all appear as copies of the same mythic figure? How specific were the likenesses, or did Kosh just manifest as arbitrary (angelic) instances of each species and let the observers read in their own religious/mythic interpretations?
How closely related is the "Vorlon Effect" to the "Shadow Effect" that seems to cause dread/fear in observers of the shadow-things and their spacecraft? (When they can be observed, anyway).
Lots and lots of fun questions!
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S2E22: "The Fall of Night" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkSpicy end to the season! I liked the little details around holding the rails in the low-G zone, and the rotation of that part of the station. I did get a laugh at G'Kar hiding behind the bush.Spicy end to the season!
I liked the little details around holding the rails in the low-G zone, and the rotation of that part of the station.
I did get a laugh at G'Kar hiding behind the bush.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Crespyl (edited )LinkJust started Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It runs like a dream on my Fedora desktop, streaming to my Steam Deck. Absolutely gorgeous already, and I'm invested in the premise. I've been looking...Just started Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
It runs like a dream on my Fedora desktop, streaming to my Steam Deck. Absolutely gorgeous already, and I'm invested in the premise.
I've been looking forward to it for a while but hadn't got around to it until recently.
I don't usually go for JRPG style combat, but this feels so smooth to work with, plus you have enough time to think through your moves while still getting in those parries and dodges for the action kick. I like how each enemy has at least couple of different attacks to learn timings for.
The wild world and creature design feels a little reminiscent of Ace Team's Zeno Clash art (if less outright whimsical), which is a good thing in my book.
-
Comment on 2026 United States midterm elections distractions topic in ~talk
Crespyl Link ParentPeople interested in Stellarium might also like to know about Celestia. I don't think there's a browser version though, it does need to be downloaded and installed.People interested in Stellarium might also like to know about Celestia.
I don't think there's a browser version though, it does need to be downloaded and installed.
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S2E19: "Divided Loyalties" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkAww man, I liked her! Especially in that episode with the underground railroad and the Psi Corps investigator guy. I do love a show with stakes that's not afraid to lose or change major...Aww man, I liked her! Especially in that episode with the underground railroad and the Psi Corps investigator guy.
I do love a show with stakes that's not afraid to lose or change major characters. It's also fun to see people come back from the pilot episode.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Crespyl LinkI started Echo Weaver, after a couple of podcasts referred to it as an Outer Wilds-esque "metroid-brainia". It's a platformer, where all your abilities are available straight from the start, but...I started Echo Weaver, after a couple of podcasts referred to it as an Outer Wilds-esque "metroid-brainia".
It's a platformer, where all your abilities are available straight from the start, but none are explained or revealed to you until later on in the game. There's some clever mechanics and a few pretty good "I wonder if- ooohhhhhh!" moments that I've quite enjoyed.
The actual writing isn't as good as OW, IMO, but it's serviceable. The art is ok, but nothing spectacular; the biggest strength is in the platforming and level design. Being able to piece together the story from logs scattered around as you learn how to traverse more different areas is pretty rewarding. My biggest annoyance right now is the kinda stiff/wimpy combat mechanics that feel unsatisfying to me, but I'm hoping that there'll be a mechanic reveal that makes those areas less of a pain.
I've unlocked one route to what I think would be an ending, but don't feel like I understand enough of the narrative context to pull the trigger on it yet.
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S2E15: "And Now for a Word" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkThe news report framing device was fun, and I loved the Psi Corps advertisement segment.The news report framing device was fun, and I loved the Psi Corps advertisement segment.
-
Comment on These snakes can cartwheel away from danger. Scientists just uncovered how the slithering creatures perform their acrobatic rolls. in ~science
Crespyl LinkIt absolutely delights me that this behavior was apparently only formally recorded and published as recently as 2019/2023. There's so much marvelous stuff in nature that we're still learning...It absolutely delights me that this behavior was apparently only formally recorded and published as recently as 2019/2023. There's so much marvelous stuff in nature that we're still learning about. It's easy to forget what we don't know and become sort of complacent in the overwhelming flood of information we're constantly dealing with, and to kind of assume we pretty much understand nature.
Things like this remind us that there's still weird critters out there to be documented, still strange behaviors to learn about, and interesting physics to explore.
I also love the various ocean mapping submarine live streams like EV Nautilus for this!
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S2E11: "All Alone in the Night" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkI've been keeping up with the show, but am a pretty infrequent commenter. I've enjoyed reading and (rarely) participating in the occasional discussion here, but it has been pretty quiet in here...I've been keeping up with the show, but am a pretty infrequent commenter. I've enjoyed reading and (rarely) participating in the occasional discussion here, but it has been pretty quiet in here compared to the weekly first season.
I wouldn't be opposed to bumping down to a lower/weekly cadence for threads, maybe with a comment anchor for each episode?
Thanks for keeping up with posting the threads!
edit: whoops this should've been a reply to @moocow1452
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S02E04: "A Distant Star" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkI bet Sinclair would've gone into hyperspace with the fighter crew. He had a real passion for putting his own life on the line in pursuits that should be more questionable for a man in his...I bet Sinclair would've gone into hyperspace with the fighter crew. He had a real passion for putting his own life on the line in pursuits that should be more questionable for a man in his position.
Sheridan not doing that, to me, drives home the idea that he really is his own character and not just a drop-in replacement for an actor who was no longer available.
Also, the whole hyperspace sequence gave me (very positive) Freespace 2 vibes (even if the game was like 6-7 years later).
-
Comment on The literary world’s DEI checklist in ~books
Crespyl LinkOff-topic: the NYT seems to have found some means of breaking the Firefox Reader Mode, at least on Android. Entering Reader Mode causes the page to immediately reload, which seems to boot it back...Off-topic: the NYT seems to have found some means of breaking the Firefox Reader Mode, at least on Android. Entering Reader Mode causes the page to immediately reload, which seems to boot it back to the paywall. Disabling Javascript lets me read enough of the article to realize that the rest of the article isn't going to be worth the squeeze.
On-topic: From what I read, this doesn't really seem like the sort of thing that's going to lead to a productive discussion... anywhere? It'd be nice if there were a way to flag threads the way we can flag comments; this seems primed to be one of those recurrent front-page nuisance threads that end up with lots of people getting very upset and angry.
I'll settle for ignoring it.
-
Comment on Babylon 5 S02E01: "Points of Departure" - Episode Discussion in ~tv
Crespyl LinkSad to see O'Hare leave, I really enjoyed his performance in the first season. It always takes some time to get used to new faces, and I'm excited to see how the new commander is written...Sad to see O'Hare leave, I really enjoyed his performance in the first season.
It always takes some time to get used to new faces, and I'm excited to see how the new commander is written differently from Sinclair.
Also, wow! Starting off strong with some big reveals, it'll be fun to see where it all leads.
I would like it if they went back to the one-a-week cadence for the releases, it felt a little easier to keep up with; but it's also fun to move quickly and not wait as long between episodes.
-
Comment on Babylon 5 - Season 1 discussion and check-in in ~tv
Crespyl LinkSuch a weird release process with the ClipZone edition of things, but at least now the official B5 channel has all the episodes up now. I'd certainly be interested in having some kind of thread or...Such a weird release process with the ClipZone edition of things, but at least now the official B5 channel has all the episodes up now.
I'd certainly be interested in having some kind of thread or bump-post for season 2, assuming it comes out soon in some kind of coherent manner.
I really enjoyed watching the first season with the folks here, and I've wanted to finish out the whole series for a while. Definitely looking forward to S2 and the rest.
-
Comment on Anyone have a pebble? in ~tech
Crespyl Link ParentI love Firewatch (Dynamic) on mine, the landscape changing with the weather looks so nice.I love Firewatch (Dynamic) on mine, the landscape changing with the weather looks so nice.
-
Comment on What is your "when I found out about 9/11" story? in ~talk
Crespyl Link ParentI was also living in VA at the time, in Leesburg which is pretty close to DC. I was only in third grade, and they didn't really tell us anything. The first thing that I noticed was one of my...I was also living in VA at the time, in Leesburg which is pretty close to DC. I was only in third grade, and they didn't really tell us anything.
The first thing that I noticed was one of my classmates being told their parents had come to pick them up. The teacher might've been called out for a few minutes, but there was a weird quiet air and a few minutes later another kid got called out, then another. After the third kid, we all kind of knew something was up, but nobody was telling us what was going on. Just waiting to see who gets called out next.
Eventually about half the class was gone and my own parents came to pick me up, and explained what had happened in the car, and I think we listened to the radio. I remember finally seeing the footage of the towers smoking on TV when we got home.
It wasn't long after that, a few months maybe, before my family moved back to Indiana, closer to my extended family, farther from areas that could be major targets like DC (there were other reasons for the move too, family health problems and support mostly, but I remember hearing about how Washington would be a target after the attack on the Pentagon). I think that's when it started settling in that the world had really changed and things wouldn't be the same.
The biggest standout in my memory has always been that hour or two waiting in the classroom, knowing something big was happening but not knowing what it was or who would go next. Watching classmates and friends get called out one by one, wondering when or if my turn would come.
-
Comment on That book you remember some details but can't recall the title in ~books
Crespyl Link ParentI've read Death's End (that whole trilogy is worth the read) and it's not that one, although it does go into the distant future and plays with ideas around higher dimensions. I haven't read 2312,...I've read Death's End (that whole trilogy is worth the read) and it's not that one, although it does go into the distant future and plays with ideas around higher dimensions.
I haven't read 2312, and the synopsis on Wikipedia doesn't ring any bells, so I don't think that's it, but it does look like a fun read. I haven't read much KSR, I ought to fix that.
Thanks for the suggestion!
-
Comment on That book you remember some details but can't recall the title in ~books
Crespyl LinkI recall reading a science fiction book, probably in the early to mid 00's, possibly as late as the early 2010s. It featured some pretty high-concept/distant future science fiction ideas, I...I recall reading a science fiction book, probably in the early to mid 00's, possibly as late as the early 2010s.
It featured some pretty high-concept/distant future science fiction ideas, I specifically remember a kind of rotating space elevator that would flip end over end to pick things up and fling them into orbit. There was, I think, a fairly young human woman who was the main character/viewpoint, but most of Earth and its inhabitants had evolved or otherwise progressed into near-unrecognizable forms. I think there was something about a higher-dimensional super intelligence that was messing about, and a gigantic living space-whale/spaceship captained by a swarm of bees.
I think there was a villianous entity that may have been called Manifold or possibly Malign, or maybe those were two different things?
It's been so long and sounds like a fever dream when I try to tell anyone about it, but I'm sure it must be out there.
I'm pretty sure it's not Baxter's Manifold trilogy, but that's all that comes up when I search the keywords I remember.
-
Comment on What are your "how on earth did I not learn this sooner" tech moments? in ~tech
Crespyl Link ParentIt's been a while, so it's possible that the upstream default changed in the last few years, or maybe your distribution has tweaked the default config for their users.It's been a while, so it's possible that the upstream default changed in the last few years, or maybe your distribution has tweaked the default config for their users.
-
Comment on What are your "how on earth did I not learn this sooner" tech moments? in ~tech
Crespyl Link ParentThis is actually not something that my current shell of choice (fish) supports by default, but it's easy to add to your ~/.config/fish/config.fish: I think the fish fuzzy history search mostly...!!This is actually not something that my current shell of choice (
fish) supports by default, but it's easy to add to your~/.config/fish/config.fish:# define !! to expand to the last history item
function last_history_item; echo $history[1]; end
abbr -a !! --position anywhere --function last_history_itemI think the fish fuzzy history search mostly obviates the need for the other
!features, but!!is so ingrained in my muscle memory that it's nice to have in fish too.
spoiler
"If it bleeds, we can kill it"
The first time the mysterious unstoppable force gets wounded/killed is always so satisfying/exciting!
This show brings back so many memories of playing Freespace I/II as a kid. Killing the first Shivan fighter was such a rush. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I remember seeing some B5 mods for fs2open, maybe I should make some time to check them out, after the series finishes.