Durinthal's recent activity
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Durinthal Link ParentAlready started it and put three hours in, I've been through the intro more times than I can count so I tried poking around more and doing some things differently this time. Chapter title I just...Already started it and put three hours in, I've been through the intro more times than I can count so I tried poking around more and doing some things differently this time.
Chapter title I just got to:
The End of Time
A few arbitrary thoughts up to that point:
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I like how the stress of the soldiers in 600 AD is conveyed in the dining hall with the captain and chef sniping at each other, it's unnecessary but a nice added scene.
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I tried to go as guilty as possible in the trial but eating the old man's food was the only thing called in for evidence along with the initial run-in with Marle, guess I answered the other questions in the trial inappropriately for getting other events cited (trying to run away while waiting for her to get a snack and trying to sell the pendant to Melchior). Still 6 to 1 guilty, but I can't remember if it's even possible to get a unanimous vote one way or the other. Side note: I have no idea if the music for the trial was inspired by the trial in Pink Floyd's The Wall, but I have that mental association because they hit my life around the same time.
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This time I actually sat in the jail cell and waited until the day of the execution rather than knocking out the guard and escaping myself; it was fun to see Lucca burst in at the last second after being lead to the guillotine.
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But you're still hungry. It's an oppressive mood as you go through the ruins of the future before meeting Robo (then you get rolled), and soon after he's repaired and has a positive outlook his sibling units claim he's malfunctioning. Johnny's race is a moment of levity to break it up overall, but I love the rallying call and the main theme playing on your way out after you first learn about Lavos.
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Combat strength feels lacking up until Robo joins, but I don't know if that's just my perception because of low numbers in the early game.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Durinthal LinkOther people have already talked about the broader context of the game so I'll turn to a more personal angle as Chrono Trigger was one of my formative games in a few ways. I wasn't able to get the...Other people have already talked about the broader context of the game so I'll turn to a more personal angle as Chrono Trigger was one of my formative games in a few ways. I wasn't able to get the SNES cartridge, but was one of the first games I emulated around the turn of the millennium. I remember having fun toggling the different graphics layers in ZSNES with that giving me an idea of how it worked as a piece of software.
This game is the first piece of media I can remember that drew me into loving its characters and music so much that I wanted more and turned to fan works as a result; Lucca was one of my first fictional crushes and remains a favorite to this day, typifying a few of my favorite character tropes. Amazingly Icy Brian's RPG Page still exists and I was able to recall a specific fanfic that I loved reading nearly 25 years ago, Chrono Continuum. Stumbling upon a cover of Corridors of Time was what got me into OC ReMix and broadened my horizons for music as a whole while spending a few years hanging out in the forum there. I also burned the soundtrack to a CD and have a distinct memory of dozing in a car while it was playing during a family road trip.
At one point I downloaded a fan translation patch for Radical Dreamers since it was supposed to connect Chrono Trigger to Chrono Cross (a fun era of not having exhaustive authoritative information on games) but didn't get very far into that one and I never got to Chrono Cross as I stuck to Nintendo consoles.
If I had played the game more recently I might have turned to the Jets of Time Randomizer but for now I want to just go through it for the story again. I happened to have my DS Lite case nearby so I went looking through the games to see if it's there... nope, apparently I left it somewhere else. I do own the Steam version but I think I might emulate the SNES original for the nostalgia.
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Comment on Chris Houlihan is real in ~games
Durinthal Link ParentI watch people stream A Link to the Past randomizer races and occasionally someone will intentionally trigger a glitch to get into the room because it's a quick source of money, fun to see more of...I watch people stream A Link to the Past randomizer races and occasionally someone will intentionally trigger a glitch to get into the room because it's a quick source of money, fun to see more of the story behind it.
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Comment on CGA-2025-09 🕹️🚂 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 The Last Express in ~games
Durinthal Link ParentAbsolutely, then it's flat and fields as far as the eye can see for another day. If given the opportunity I'd like to take the Coast Starlight between Portland and Seattle again, also has great...Absolutely, then it's flat and fields as far as the eye can see for another day.
If given the opportunity I'd like to take the Coast Starlight between Portland and Seattle again, also has great scenery from what I can remember.
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Comment on CGA-2025-09 🕹️🚂 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 The Last Express in ~games
Durinthal LinkI only noticed the meta challenge last night, but this was already something I was planning on doing for a laugh as soon as I realized it lined up with my vacation schedule: playing The Last...I only noticed the meta challenge last night, but this was already something I was planning on doing for a laugh as soon as I realized it lined up with my vacation schedule: playing The Last Express while on a train, in this case while taking the Amtrak Northeast Regional from Boston to New York City so it's just a few hours.
Almost exactly a decade ago I took a cross-country rail trip from Portland, Oregon to Chicago, Illinois via Sacramento, California (Coast Starlight to a roomette on the California Zephyr) as I'm fond of trains. Didn't have any murders that I'm aware of, fortunately.
As for the game itself, I love the concept but don't have much patience to keep playing long enough to get deep into it, at least while I'm on vacation. I'm not terribly fond of how it controls on the Steam Deck and I won't be home to play it more this month. Might change my mind later and chime in again after picking it back up, will have to see.
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Comment on What is a business/org that is great and ethical in so many aspects that everyone should consider using? in ~life
Durinthal Link ParentI've been happy with their tea since it launched a year ago, also starting to switch my cleaning supplies and soap/shampoo over.I've been happy with their tea since it launched a year ago, also starting to switch my cleaning supplies and soap/shampoo over.
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Comment on Throwback Thursday: Let's talk old flash and memes! in ~talk
Durinthal Link ParentI file that one with how is prangent formed which naturally leads to their other favorite for me the Luigi board.I file that one with how is prangent formed which naturally leads to their other favorite for me the Luigi board.
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Comment on Throwback Thursday: Let's talk old flash and memes! in ~talk
Durinthal LinkI was thinking recently about how some of the memes from my earlier days of the Internet were shock images/sites disguised as links to other things and you'd always have to be ready to close the...I was thinking recently about how some of the memes from my earlier days of the Internet were shock images/sites disguised as links to other things and you'd always have to be ready to close the browser window in a hurry after a risky click. The relatively innocuous ones were merely pornographic in nature but I have to wonder how much the gore sites shaped part of a generation back then, I definitely saw a lot of things I'd rather not remember.
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Comment on iPhone 17, 17 Pro and Air announced in ~tech
Durinthal Link ParentAfter thinking about it some more, if I didn't have a laptop available then I'd probably consider a larger phone for myself to aim for the middle ground. As it is I don't mind spreading things out...After thinking about it some more, if I didn't have a laptop available then I'd probably consider a larger phone for myself to aim for the middle ground. As it is I don't mind spreading things out across a bunch of devices, particularly since Apple's made that convenient with continuity features; I can easily bring a site I had on my phone to my computer, or write some text on my laptop then paste it on my phone.
I enjoyed Pokémon Go when it launched (the public parks in Boston had spontaneous hangouts of people all playing it) but fell off from that as I found myself staring at my screen too much when walking around. I've subsequently given a few other games along those lines a try but nothing stuck, and hearing about updates from friends who are still into PoGo hasn't given me an urge to return to it.
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Comment on iPhone 17, 17 Pro and Air announced in ~tech
Durinthal Link ParentI haven't, but I can't think of a use case in my life currently where a larger screen would be beneficial and I wouldn't be able to jump to using a different device better suited for the job. When...I do understand why some people still prefer smaller phones although I'd also guess that most of them haven't tried a bigger phone for more than a few minutes?
I haven't, but I can't think of a use case in my life currently where a larger screen would be beneficial and I wouldn't be able to jump to using a different device better suited for the job.
When I'm on a commute around the city it's a benefit to be able to use my phone one-handed if I need to stand on the bus/train and hold on to something with the other. I prefer listening to podcasts rather than looking at my phone during those times so screen size is irrelevant, but I also don't have any problems reading text.
If I'm on a flight or longer train trip it's no problem to pack my aging iPad which still works fine for shows and movies and is significantly larger than any phone. If I'm stationary somewhere and want to get anything done beyond passively checking Tildes, Bluesky, or Discord, then I have my laptop open most of the day because I want a physical keyboard and better window management.
I know a lot of people essentially live on their phones these days but I'm not one of them. I don't use Tiktok or similar short-form video platforms and the only mobile game I play is the gacha hell known as Fate/Grand Order where screen size isn't meaningful.
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Comment on iPhone 17, 17 Pro and Air announced in ~tech
Durinthal Link ParentI think a non-annual new model like the SE had would be ideal for most people that want those kinds of phones, they probably aren't going to go out and swap it for the new model the next year...I think a non-annual new model like the SE had would be ideal for most people that want those kinds of phones, they probably aren't going to go out and swap it for the new model the next year (probably one reason why the 13 Mini didn't sell as well with a lot of its target audience already on the 12 Mini).
Interestingly the Air doesn't have the 17 attached to it so maybe they learned and won't refresh it as often as the base model.
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Comment on iPhone 17, 17 Pro and Air announced in ~tech
Durinthal Link ParentPlanning on sticking with my 13 Mini for at least another year, battery's starting to show its age a bit but that can be replaced. Doesn't even seem like there's a comparable Android model out...Planning on sticking with my 13 Mini for at least another year, battery's starting to show its age a bit but that can be replaced. Doesn't even seem like there's a comparable Android model out there with decent specs and a small size or I'd consider switching despite being mostly in Apple's ecosystem these days.
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Comment on What's your current PC wallpaper? in ~tech
Durinthal LinkOver on /r/anime someone regularly makes minimalist wallpapers of various anime and I have a collection of mecha ones from her that rotate daily. The current one is the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam.Over on /r/anime someone regularly makes minimalist wallpapers of various anime and I have a collection of mecha ones from her that rotate daily. The current one is the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam.
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Comment on Gamescom 2025 megathread in ~games
Durinthal LinkThe thing that got my attention the most was in the pre-show, Denshattack. Basically Hi-Fi Rush + Tony Hawk's Pro Skater + anime because you're making a train car do skateboard tricks.The thing that got my attention the most was in the pre-show, Denshattack. Basically Hi-Fi Rush + Tony Hawk's Pro Skater + anime because you're making a train car do skateboard tricks.
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Comment on The vast majority ~90% of us only consume, never post and never comment. So come on in, leave a tildes-worthy comment, and join the 10% my dear lurker in ~talk
Durinthal LinkConsidering that particular article is nearly 20 years old and before the rise of social media as we know it today, I'm curious if the ratio has shifted at all and how the design of a platform can...Considering that particular article is nearly 20 years old and before the rise of social media as we know it today, I'm curious if the ratio has shifted at all and how the design of a platform can affect it. Tildes might encourage lurking more relative to Reddit with the "post a comment" section at the bottom of the thread rather than immediately below the post, so while scrolling past other comments you may come across someone else making a similar comment so you upvote that instead of posting something similar yourself before noticing.
As something of an experiment, I stopped commenting on Reddit (and more specifically the one subreddit I've been mostly active in) at the start of July. In the past decade I've only gone about 210 calendar days without making any comments (the longest streak prior to this one being 9 days) and I've written tens of thousands in total so it wasn't a small shift to lurk more than usual but rather a forceful disconnect. I initially thought I'd want to stop visiting Reddit as much with that restriction but that hasn't really been the case; I'd already taken steps to disengage active participation in most other subreddits following the 2023 protest but I still frequently lurked in a good number of them and this just changed it to lurking everywhere.
Am I better off personally? I'm inclined to say no since I still spend close to the same amount of time there but it's probably a bit less stressful not actively being involved in arguments and there is a small amount of time I spend actively doing other things rather than writing comments now. Do I want to jump back into conversations with people I've known for years there? Sure, it's like having an itch I want to scratch. I'm a lurker in a lot of places but it feels weird to have my "home" community become another one of those.
I think one reason why I don't comment as much on Tildes is that I feel like my comments should have more effort than I frequently put into my comments on Reddit; not that I'd consider them low effort but they'd frequently be a paragraph at most. For example my comment about anime I've been watching recently would have been at least five or six comments spread out over weeks with separate ones about each show, often my first impressions and final thoughts would be split up with some minor observations in between.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Durinthal LinkBack at the start of the year I had an absurd idea to celebrate the anniversaries of a number of anime by watching the TV series tagged with romance on MyAnimeList from 1995, 2005, and 2015 that I...Back at the start of the year I had an absurd idea to celebrate the anniversaries of a number of anime by watching the TV series tagged with romance on MyAnimeList from 1995, 2005, and 2015 that I hadn't yet seen. Turns out that was nearly the perfect number to make a 7x7 bingo board and I've slowly been making my way through it since then. Here's where I am at the end of July (+X denotes previous seasons I'd need to watch in addition), and I finally got one bingo — bottom left to upper right diagonal — wrapping up an enjoyable run of shows in roughly the past week:
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Gokinjo Monogatari is a classic Ai Yazawa series before she wrote Paradise Kiss and Nana, the latter being among my favorite anime. It feels a bit stretched as many year-long shows from before 2000 do (I have no idea how it compares to the manga, things might have been drawn out or added given it was 33 chapters total) but was still a good teen drama/romance to watch overall and right in my wheelhouse with a pair of childhood friends coming to terms with their feelings for each other.
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Kaitou Saint Tail is a fun heist of the week show that I picked up after I finished Magic Kaito 1412 the month before and wanted something in a similar vein and it very much is, just tuned a little differently to put the budding romance at the center of the cat and mouse chase rather than Kaitou Kid's mind games. It's interesting to keep in mind that this was airing at the same time as the final couple of seasons of Sailor Moon and more than a year before Cardcaptor Sakura when thinking about it as a magical girl anime. I eventually need to get to Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne for another magical girl thief but that's for another time.
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Futakoi Alternative feels like more than the sum of its parts, taking characters from what I assume is a fairly standard school romance visual novel and doing something completely different with them. Here a pair of twins join the main character Rentarou in running the detective agency he inherited from his father, but he's drawn into drama from their past and a plot involving a violent squid-man. What helped make this a more interesting watch is its non-linear structure and other creative choices from Takayuki Hirao, who directed this show and later Pompo the Cinephile.
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Basilisk has been a compelling watch from the start, a team death match between ninja clans that doesn't shy away from killing off characters quickly and making it apparent that no one is safe. At its core is a Romeo and Juliet situation between the descendants of the clan leaders and I could see it ending in a number of ways with three episodes to go. I have some qualms with how the female characters are handled but aside from that it's been a great watch even as something not in my wheelhouse as I'm not generally drawn toward action shows.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
Durinthal LinkI could map a good chunk of my online history through long-gone forums. AOL had a gaming section and message boards as part of it. I ended up becoming a regular on the Zelda Ocarina of Time board...I could map a good chunk of my online history through long-gone forums.
AOL had a gaming section and message boards as part of it. I ended up becoming a regular on the Zelda Ocarina of Time board (while "Zelda Gaiden" was the name of the board for the not-yet-named Majora's Mask) and met one of my closest friends through high school as part of it when it turns out both of us played the same niche online game.
I don't remember the exact details of the higher-level situation but the people running the gaming section on AOL had a newsletter. One of the staff accidentally sent a blank email to everyone on the list, but including everyone's emails as recipients rather than BCC so people started replying to it and spamming everyone else. A small friend group formed out of that from the people that didn't ask to be removed from the list, and eventually two of them met in person and later got married.
Meanwhile I had joined a clan in Unreal Tournament and we played in competitive ladders in UT2003 (Bombing Run) and UT2004 (Onslaught) before it fell apart some months later with people going off to college and the like. The forum for the group still somehow exists online, though the last post was made in 2014 by me, some years after the person before me.
OverClocked ReMix once had an "unmoderated" forum that was my online home for a while, that particular one is gone but I still have my account on there dating back to 2002. Meanwhile the forum for xkcd itself is no longer around but that was where I ended up in the mid-aughts, as well as a forum for a site dedicated to the anime series Crest of the Stars. I kind of miss those niche fan sites.
Like many other people in early 2014 I got swept up in Twitch Plays Pokémon (and I'm still following the channel and see there's a dedicated community for it to this day) but also took a diversion to a side channel where the inputs from that channel's chat were sent to another game instead, resulting in "Twitch Plays Pokémon" Plays Tetris. There was a small IRC community for that group which I hung out in for a while, even making my own IRC bot there for fun.
One fun part to me is that journey's been going for more than 25 years and I've had the same username for every single one of those communities, through Digg and Reddit and now here.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Durinthal (edited )Link ParentGot a small VPS through Hetzner, haven't used them before either so part of the process was getting an account set up. Aside from that it was fairly straightforward to use the docker image with...Got a small VPS through Hetzner, haven't used them before either so part of the process was getting an account set up. Aside from that it was fairly straightforward to use the docker image with Traefik as a reverse proxy to handle HTTPS better too since I already had experience with it, with resulting image links like this: https://i.durinthal.net/m/FcDfprzf2.jpeg — I randomized that one but I'm in full control of the path and file name which is something I've always wanted as well.
I might make another instance for sharing files right from my home server to friends but that would be a separate project in the future.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Durinthal LinkI've been wanting to move away from Imgur as an image host for a while now and have something that's more in my control but hadn't settled on any particular service I could host myself like Picsur...I've been wanting to move away from Imgur as an image host for a while now and have something that's more in my control but hadn't settled on any particular service I could host myself like Picsur or Slink. A few days ago I came across copyparty and was impressed by it enough that I finally got around to spinning it up in a VPS. I might end up changing which software I use under the hood in the future but for now it's good enough for serving up single images which was my primary use case.
So many good tracks including that one, I don't know if I can pick a favorite because I like a lot of them for different reasons.
I knew exactly what remix that was and could hear it in my mind before I opened the link after listening to it regularly over the years, the MM2 one is great as well. I also like one of the goofier ones (by other folks), Team Gato.