Durinthal's recent activity
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Comment on What randomizers have you tried and what interesting runs have you had? in ~games
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Comment on The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants in ~talk
Durinthal Link ParentI'm with you there. I've gotten progressively more grumpy about all the marketing extending earlier into the year and then after the flash of December 25th it's swept away, rather than it starting...I'm with you there. I've gotten progressively more grumpy about all the marketing extending earlier into the year and then after the flash of December 25th it's swept away, rather than it starting in late December and continuing through the dreary months where the cheer's needed.
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Comment on What's an opportunity that you missed? in ~talk
Durinthal LinkI remember looking into Bitcoin in either 2011 or 2012 and trying a bit of mining before giving up, considering it a waste of CPU cycles and largely forgetting about it for a while. I still don't...I remember looking into Bitcoin in either 2011 or 2012 and trying a bit of mining before giving up, considering it a waste of CPU cycles and largely forgetting about it for a while. I still don't buy into cryptocurrency in general these days but that would have been a tidy profit if I bought some back then and cashed out some years later.
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Comment on Important 2025 Plex updates in ~tv
Durinthal LinkDiscussion thread on /r/plex for reference. I have a lifetime pass from 2013 (that $75 is looking better every year) so my situation isn't changing now, but at least any other people using my...Discussion thread on /r/plex for reference.
I have a lifetime pass from 2013 (that $75 is looking better every year) so my situation isn't changing now, but at least any other people using my server won't need to pay the one-time fee for mobile app use that had been in place.
Even so, I've been wanting to take a look at Jellyfin for a while so maybe this is a good time to give it a test run.
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Comment on If you could go into hibernation and wake up in the future, would you? in ~talk
Durinthal Link ParentIn terms of technical skills you might be out of luck, but depending on how many others did the same thing (and how widespread the knowledge of the hibernation is) you could possibly turn being a...In terms of technical skills you might be out of luck, but depending on how many others did the same thing (and how widespread the knowledge of the hibernation is) you could possibly turn being a living relic into a celebrity career. I imagine historians would love to be able to interview a primary source about details of your original time period; even if there's an incredible deluge of information recorded now asking someone directly for context around all that data would help.
Those 16th century skills could maybe turn into a boutique shop in the current day with the original techniques being a selling point compared to modern manufacturing, though sometimes they wouldn't be able to directly transfer for good reason (e.g. no more lead in everyday items because it's a health hazard).
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Comment on Have you ever witnessed the Butterfly Effect? in ~life
Durinthal Link ParentI agree that there are a good number of smaller moments like that which aren't necessarily obvious unless you examine them in retrospect. My instance is something along those lines and it's still...I agree that there are a good number of smaller moments like that which aren't necessarily obvious unless you examine them in retrospect.
You decide to go to a party one day in college which is where you end up meeting the person who becomes your spouse.
My instance is something along those lines and it's still a "what if..." I ponder from time to time. While in college I agreed to assist one friend who was volunteering at a local high school one Friday evening — a one-off thing and I had some other connections to the school, so I figured it would be nice to help. As a result I had to turn down another friend's later invitation to go on a trip with them that same weekend. I now believe that weekend would have been the catalyst for dating and likely eventually marrying either of them as that is exactly what happened with the one I stayed with; at the time I had been flirting with both of them and considering long-term relationships so I see it as a diverging path with that decision determining a large part of my life to follow.
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Comment on Looking for lighthearted action anime in ~anime
Durinthal LinkMore along the lines of Spy x Family but still not all that close, I always appreciate a chance to recommend Mahoujin Guru Guru, a loving parody of classic JRPGs. Originally a manga that started...More along the lines of Spy x Family but still not all that close, I always appreciate a chance to recommend Mahoujin Guru Guru, a loving parody of classic JRPGs. Originally a manga that started in the early '90s right in the middle of the boom, there's both a '90s anime and a new adaptation from 2017. I've only seen the latter but it's a fun "save the world from evil" kind of adventure.
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Comment on Best "complete" anime you'd recommend? in ~anime
Durinthal Link ParentI didn't mention them given how I interpreted the question but Cross Game and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu are two of my favorites and I'd recommend them both as well. I just finished H2's anime...I didn't mention them given how I interpreted the question but Cross Game and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu are two of my favorites and I'd recommend them both as well.
I just finished H2's anime recently, another adaptation of a Mitsuru Adachi manga, and it's made me want to rewatch Cross Game at some point relatively soon.
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Comment on Best "complete" anime you'd recommend? in ~anime
Durinthal (edited )Link ParentIt's not perfect but /r/anime has a list of streaming sites. You can also find where specific shows are streaming on livechart.me or JustWatch though at least the former's manually maintained so...It's not perfect but /r/anime has a list of streaming sites. You can also find where specific shows are streaming on livechart.me or JustWatch though at least the former's manually maintained so if something is removed from a service it might not be immediately updated.
In general it depends on where you live, but in the US at least Crunchyroll's the big player for anime-specific platforms. HIDIVE is a smaller operation but they have a few exclusive things. Retrocrush has a decent number of older anime, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu/Disney+ have a good number of things but not necessarily a ton of exclusives. A few things might be officially on Youtube as well, e.g. Nozomi Entertainment's channel before they were bought by Crunchyroll.
Unfortunately most of the larger libraries do require another subscription these days; Crunchyroll and Funimation in particular used to have fairly large free libraries when they were competing with each other but that ended after their merger a few years ago (and they've stopped renewing licenses for many older shows so the overall legal availability of anime has gone down since then).
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Comment on Best "complete" anime you'd recommend? in ~anime
Durinthal Link ParentFor the Gundam franchise a lot of it comes down to personal preference and I don't think there's any series that's universally loved among the main shows; both Iron-Blooded Orphans and Witch from...For the Gundam franchise a lot of it comes down to personal preference and I don't think there's any series that's universally loved among the main shows; both Iron-Blooded Orphans and Witch from Mercury have their strengths and weaknesses and take inspiration from different areas. One of the major influences for the latter is Revolutionary Girl Utena which is another complete series worth watching in its own right and could be the subject of an entire academic course dissecting it much like Neon Genesis Evangelion.
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Comment on Best "complete" anime you'd recommend? in ~anime
Durinthal LinkIn general original anime will usually give you what you're looking for and I have a few listed below. I'm more of a romantic drama fan and those tend to not have an "end on a bang" kind of climax...In general original anime will usually give you what you're looking for and I have a few listed below. I'm more of a romantic drama fan and those tend to not have an "end on a bang" kind of climax assuming you're generally seeking more action-focused series, but a few things in different genres that come to mind:
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Odd Taxi — A taxi driver gets involved in a series of interweaving events.
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Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans — Child soldiers and slaves try to find freedom and forge their own path from a colonized Mars.
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The Tatami Galaxy — A stylish pursuit of the perfect college experience.
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Puella Magi Madoka Magica — Make a wish and fight to protect the world, what would you wish for? (Note: there is more content beyond this with another movie coming in the future but it was a complete standalone work when it first came out.)
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Run with the Wind — Bonding through striving for the top university relay marathon in Japan.
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Shirobako — Five friends dream of making an anime together with a view of how the modern anime industry works.
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Ping Pong the Animation — The struggles to reach the peaks of a sport, with a unique visual presentation.
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A Place Further Than the Universe — The trip of a lifetime from Japan to Antarctica.
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Comment on How often do you replace your phone? in ~tech
Durinthal LinkI had two of the HTC Evo models in 2010 and 2012 then switched to the iPhone 6 in 2014, 8 in 2018, and 13 Mini in 2022 (all bought outright) so currently looking at four years between them after...I had two of the HTC Evo models in 2010 and 2012 then switched to the iPhone 6 in 2014, 8 in 2018, and 13 Mini in 2022 (all bought outright) so currently looking at four years between them after the earlier days.
Or simply, how do you choose your phone?
I mostly change once my current one starts to show its age, usually with decreasing battery life and some lag but still before the support cycle ends; so far I've been able to hold off until the new thing is announced then decide if I want that based on its features or something already out there (thus I got the 13 Mini when the 14 was announced without a smaller version). Size matters and I want something small, which is why as I mentioned in the iPhone 16e thread I'm not sure what I'll do when I need to replace my current one. I've been deep in the Apple ecosystem for a decade and so far haven't had a problem finding something that fits me well but I'm still considering switching if there's a good Android model that isn't massive to me.
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Comment on Apple debuts iPhone 16e in ~tech
Durinthal Link ParentThe floor's been raised quite a bit for a new iPhone considering the model this is replacing (third-generation iPhone SE) was $429 for the base version. Yes, the hardware's improved and the base...The floor's been raised quite a bit for a new iPhone considering the model this is replacing (third-generation iPhone SE) was $429 for the base version. Yes, the hardware's improved and the base storage is doubled, but for some people those extras putting it closer to the current "regular" iPhone aren't necessary.
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Comment on Apple debuts iPhone 16e in ~tech
Durinthal Link ParentI was wary of switching from TouchID to FaceID but it's about the same in my experience, there were some situations where one is better than the other so it was trading minor inconveniences in the...I was wary of switching from TouchID to FaceID but it's about the same in my experience, there were some situations where one is better than the other so it was trading minor inconveniences in the end. I know it'll vary from person to person though, FaceID is generally good to me even with glasses and a beard though if I'm wearing a hat and mask it's missing more often than not.
I am concerned about phone sizes though. I'm going to hold on to my iPhone 13 Mini for as long as I can but I don't know if there will even be a comparable Android model with a reasonable size in a few years.
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Comment on A baseball discussion thread, 2025 spring training edition in ~sports.baseball
Durinthal (edited )Link ParentI'll chime in here as an admittedly fair-weather fan of the Guardians so it's funny to me to be yet another AL Central team mentioned. I followed Cleveland sports a lot more in the '90s growing up...I'll chime in here as an admittedly fair-weather fan of the Guardians so it's funny to me to be yet another AL Central team mentioned. I followed Cleveland sports a lot more in the '90s growing up and mostly fell off later as I found other hobbies, but the at-the-time Indians were my favorite of the
threetwothree major teams and they're the ones I still check in on from time to time including through the end of last season.I've been considering trying to make them a more regular part of my summer this year as a sidebar to some other activity like video games, at least partially since I prefer the radio broadcast team and have no problem just listening to them.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Durinthal Link ParentUX annoyances off the top of my head: A lot of things don't correctly update in the city UI once you take an action until you close and reopen it, e.g. you can only buy one unit per turn but they...UX annoyances off the top of my head:
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A lot of things don't correctly update in the city UI once you take an action until you close and reopen it, e.g. you can only buy one unit per turn but they remain listed after doing so and clicking on a second one doesn't do anything. Similarly repairing a damaged improvement isn't removed from the list after you've done it for all available targets.
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There isn't a list of currently active trade routes so you have to select a merchant you haven't used to create one yet to see what routes are/aren't available and then the cities that aren't even listed are the active ones. Along those lines there's no way to see where you've placed specialists in a city unless you're in the middle of placing another one/growing the city.
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Resources are unsorted so picking out multiples of the same kind (e.g. for factories that require specialization into a single resource) is more difficult. It's also not clear when a city can't take any resources because it's not connected to your trade network, you just fail to place a resource into it when trying.
As for other major changes, workers don't exist anymore and cities automatically build improvements when growing into a tile.
The era change has a lot more to it than changing which civilization you lead next, it feels like you're starting a new game on top of previous map in a lot of ways. Relations with other leaders are reset though they have a "previous age" modifier reflecting your previous state, wars and alliances automatically end and any existing city-states are replaced with new ones that you have to befriend again. All units get wiped outside of a small handful that stay in cities unless you have enough military commanders to slot them in (and trade routes are wiped entirely as a result).
Individual units don't have levels and gain experience anymore, just the commanders which can give bonuses to adjacent units and persist. There are also up to three tiers of military units per type/era and when the era changes they all turn into tier 1 units of the new era, so for example a slinger (antiquity tier 1 ranged) would turn into a heavy archer (exploration tier 1 ranged) if you kept them. So you'll no longer end up with a spearman fighting a tank in wildly unbalanced scenarios.
Buildings function in a similar manner and lose their adjacency bonus in the next age, and there's a new mechanic of "overbuilding" which replaces one of the two buildings per tile with a new one. There are a few "ageless" buildings which tend to give bonuses to rural tiles the city's grown into, and any buildings placed turn a rural tile into an urban one if they were already being used by the city.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Durinthal LinkFinished my second game of Civilization VII over the weekend and I'm now at about 38 hours of play time. Given the history of Firaxis with prior entries in the series I expect it to eventually be...Finished my second game of Civilization VII over the weekend and I'm now at about 38 hours of play time. Given the history of Firaxis with prior entries in the series I expect it to eventually be polished into something great but it very much feels like it was rushed out the door to meet a deadline and many corners were cut to get something functional enough to ship. Given those shortcuts I think I'm good shelving it for now and I'll return to it after it's gotten more updates.
I more readily adjusted to the new mechanics of VII in comparison to V and VI where I immediately bounced off of them and went back to the previous entry for a few years before eventually loving the new game as well and putting hundreds of hours in, but there are enough small annoyances and issues with the UX of this one that I'm tired of working around.
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Comment on Grammar errors that actually matter, or: the thread where we all become prescriptivists in ~humanities.languages
Durinthal Link ParentI've known about "alot" for a while and have seen "atleast" pop up now and then, but I haven't noticed much use of "aswell" as of yet myself. That reminds me of "awhile" which I'm guessing had a... -
Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Durinthal Link ParentOh right, I forgot that everything about Windermere was just dropped in without much explanation at the start of Delta. From what I remember that's eventually covered but it certainly took its...Oh right, I forgot that everything about Windermere was just dropped in without much explanation at the start of Delta. From what I remember that's eventually covered but it certainly took its time and left viewers wondering for a while; whether or not the mystery was intentional I can't recall.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
Durinthal Link ParentMacross 7 really liked to use a few songs a lot but I agree that they're a jam. I don't think the reverb was ever an issue for me, but I'm not surprised as I tend to miss a lot of things about...Macross 7 really liked to use a few songs a lot but I agree that they're a jam. I don't think the reverb was ever an issue for me, but I'm not surprised as I tend to miss a lot of things about sound production.
I think Delta's the worst in the franchise with not explaining things for no other reason than it's building on everything that came before it without being a direct sequel so it transforms earlier elements just to be different, maybe?
I haven't played one myself but going by the FAQ it shuffles all items between all games. So one person playing Pokémon could pick up the hookshot in one location that usually has a TM. Once they do that the other person playing Zelda now has it (through both games communicating with a server), and they can open a chest which has the Cut HM that first person needs in their game.
Looking at the surprisingly long list of games I'm tempted to do something silly like Civilization VI and A Link to the Past so I can research a heart piece and find the Economics technology after defeating a boss.