Fog's recent activity

  1. Comment on I made s'mores from cats and dogs in Lucid Blocks, a version of Minecraft held together by dream logic in ~games

    Fog
    Link

    For clarity, dogblocks and catblocks are blocks with dog and cat faces, while S'mores are a kind of marshmallow and chocolate sandwich. You don't eat s'mores in Lucid Blocks. You build with them and, if you have to, beat sheep to death with them. Things you can eat in Lucid Blocks include fuzzy stuffed clownfish, pleasingly rendered from photography of actual soft toys. They're not called clownfish here, mind. As far as I can remember (I forgot to jot the combination down in the notebook, which offers a choice of scratchy pens and inks to scribble with) the "clownfish" are alchemised from druidic stone and chunks of mutton.

    You might also dismiss Lucid Blocks as a Weird Minecraft map pack that doesn't need to be a standalone game, because Minecraft already admits of all the weirdness humanity has to offer. But the free-associative element feels transformative in a way that also counters the argument about this being just another "WTF game" for the streamers to boggle at between triple-A releases.

    Towards the end of my very brief opening run, I spent a pleasant few moments on the shore of a blinding silver sea, trying to turn my s'mores into one of the equipment items mentioned on the Steam page - "grappling hooks, bee gliders, bombs, ball wands, blades, haze hands, and cute accessories". I created mushrooms and grassblocks instead. Then I burrowed into the wall behind and a faceless pink manikin emerged and murdered me. "Despondent vermin," the game told me sympathetically, as I drifted among creampuff clouds. "May your death bring forth new life."

    Liminal Blocks is a looker, for sure. My starting map consisted of bare, crenellated monoliths emerging from a pea-soup sky. It felt enchanted but also treacherous and unforgiving, which is how I like my fantasy worlds. Other possible spaces include "cities of plastic" and what look like looping warehouse chasms. The use of physical props (including what I assume are the developer's own hands) for items and animations is an immediate delight. It reminds me of Eclipsium, but it doesn't make me wince quite as hard.

    3 votes

  3. Comment on Releasing 2026: ZA/UM - Zero Parades: For Dead Spies in ~games

    Fog
    Link Parent
    I share your reservations. There have now been two documentaries chronicling Disco Elysium's development and we (as fans of the game) still cannot be certain the whole story has been revealed....

    I share your reservations. There have now been two documentaries chronicling Disco Elysium's development and we (as fans of the game) still cannot be certain the whole story has been revealed. What has come to light has painted a fittingly ironic story of corporate greed, internal politics, and abuses of worker's rights. The original developers of the game, ousted during an ugly power grab by the game's investors, are even now prevented from revealing crucial details regarding ZA/UM's restructuring--the OG devs are currently in a legal battle over the rights of the original IP itself.

    This is why Zero Parades For Dead Spies will be so interesting to watch. Are there enough passionate game developers left at ZA/UM who are genuinely invested in making a great RPG? Or will their work be overshadowed by executives interested in capitalizing on the success of lightning-in-a-bottle, as you described it? I will advocate for any reading this to not support ZA/UM, as it is in its current iteration, and instead consider pirating the game if it piques your interest.

    11 votes

  4. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Fog
    Link Parent
    Yes, and invite codes are easy to come by since it's free. Poke around the Deadlock steam community forums there are threads explaining more

    Yes, and invite codes are easy to come by since it's free. Poke around the Deadlock steam community forums there are threads explaining more

  5. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Fog
    Link
    I have been sinking some decent hours into Valve's Deadlock lately and enjoying it! Fair warning as I've found it has a steep learning curve. It combines the strategy and resource management of...

    I have been sinking some decent hours into Valve's Deadlock lately and enjoying it! Fair warning as I've found it has a steep learning curve. It combines the strategy and resource management of MOBAs with the breakneck action and gameplay mechanics + pacing swings of arena shooters. I'm playing on a setup that barely squeaks out enough FPS, but still... when the game clicks, it clicks.

    The art style is refreshing and fun and stands out amongst it's peers in a landscape of hopeful-futuristic or gritty modern realism. The sound design and music is at once eerie and upbeat, not to mention engrossing. What really keeps me coming back, however, is the sheer breadth of variety in playstyles:

    Want to play a healer with damage? There's a flying gargoyle in Ivy who heals with vines and can burst folks down with a rapid fire machine gun. How about a slower methodical angle? There's Venator, a trap-slinging Van Helsing-esque priest who fires off fiery grenades, fends off close-range attacks with a knockback shotgun shot, and finishes off foes with pleasurable thunks of his crossbow bolts. And for those fighting game fans, there's Apollo, my current favorite. He weaves in and out of the action with ease and can parry most any ability, ultimate, magic (yes, even bullets!) in the game with skillful timing.

    6 votes

  7. Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games

    Fog
    Link Parent
    I would like to request The Long Dark, if still available. A holiday story: As a child, I burned my report card in my back yard before visiting my grandparents for Christmas. I found myself...

    I would like to request The Long Dark, if still available.

    A holiday story: As a child, I burned my report card in my back yard before visiting my grandparents for Christmas. I found myself struggling with undiagnosed mental health disorders during the school year, but now I see I was practicing a form of dishonesty that damaged my trust in my family and in myself. Since that moment I had allowed my fear of sharing the truth to taint the Christmas season, since it was likely I would be sharing (or hiding, as was more often the case) bad news about school performance around the holidays.

    It has taken years of therapy, difficult conversations, and self-accountability since then but I'm happy to share with the Tildes community I've worked to rebuild trust! and I no longer view the holiday season as one to be dreaded!

    Happy Holidays to all.

    3 votes

  8. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Fog
    Link
    One game I want to recommend to my fellow Tilde gamers is Blippo. It's a lovingly crafted homage to late-night channel surfing with funny, quirky, and thought-provoking skits about what our human...

    One game I want to recommend to my fellow Tilde gamers is Blippo. It's a lovingly crafted homage to late-night channel surfing with funny, quirky, and thought-provoking skits about what our human culture would look like from a parallel world. If any of this interests you, give it a try! I plan on writing a more detailed post about it later for the community.

    Another game I can recommend for fans of The Binding of Isaac, Nuclear Throne, Enter the Gungeon etc. is Morsels. The presentation, music, and game feel has me coming back for more and more and more.

    3 votes

  9. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Fog
    Link Parent
    I'm on my way to completing Hades 2 as well! There was a distinct week in October where the soundtrack to fighting Hecate seemed to be playing on repeat in my head. Not to mention every time I...

    I'm on my way to completing Hades 2 as well! There was a distinct week in October where the soundtrack to fighting Hecate seemed to be playing on repeat in my head. Not to mention every time I


    defeat Typhon

    it feels like I've overcome an insurmountable obstacle!

    Question for you—Ive yet to unlock three keepsakes on the bottom row and the


    remaining hidden weapon aspects of the axe, twin flames, night cloak, and skull

    — when should I expect to start seeing progress there? Is it later in the story?
    1 vote

  10. Comment on Disasterpeace - The Flameling Exodus (2014) in ~music

    Fog
    (edited )
    Link
    I enjoyed the Hyper Light Drifter album from Disasterpeace. I can recommend the artist oneohtrix point never, notable for being an early progenitor of vaporwave and experimental electronica...

    I enjoyed the Hyper Light Drifter album from Disasterpeace. I can recommend the artist oneohtrix point never, notable for being an early progenitor of vaporwave and experimental electronica boundary-pusher, for anyone looking for another itch to scratch

    2 votes

  11. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    Fog
    Link Parent
    Your positive attitude and joy in inspiring others made for a wonderful read. Kudos, and best of luck to you on your fitness journey -‿-

    Your positive attitude and joy in inspiring others made for a wonderful read. Kudos, and best of luck to you on your fitness journey -⁠‿-

    1 vote

  12. Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech

    Fog
    Link Parent
    Good comparison! Be Right Back was the name of the episode. Excellent acting by Domhall Gleeson. I can recommend anyone interested to give it a try; the themes are spookily prescient.

    Good comparison! Be Right Back was the name of the episode.

    Excellent acting by Domhall Gleeson. I can recommend anyone interested to give it a try; the themes are spookily prescient.

    4 votes

  13. Comment on Locke & Key | WEBTOON in ~comics

    Fog
    Link Parent
    If the format bothers you, I can recommend trying a copy from your local library. I enjoyed reading a physical copy of the series quite a bit. The characters are for the most part well written,...

    If the format bothers you, I can recommend trying a copy from your local library. I enjoyed reading a physical copy of the series quite a bit. The characters are for the most part well written, the spooky scenes well drawn, and the magical keys brought me back to a fun time of childhood where I imagined special powers or abilities.

    As the series progressed, I realized the ethical implications of these power-granting keys would cause serious harm to people in the real world. A fun subversion of the typical power fantasy.

    3 votes

  14. Comment on A fun animation the creator made "so that when people watch the show twenty years later, it feels exactly like 1999 in New York" in ~creative

    Fog
    Link
    Flashing lights warning for those who are sensitive. I found it to be less of a documentary and more of an exercise in creativity, symbolism, and finding joy in animating natural dialogue.

    Flashing lights warning for those who are sensitive. I found it to be less of a documentary and more of an exercise in creativity, symbolism, and finding joy in animating natural dialogue.

    4 votes

  16. Comment on <5 minute watch | well-worth it for the terminally online | nostalgia_bongrip.exe in ~arts

    Fog
    Link
    I hope everyone has a good weekend!

    I hope everyone has a good weekend!

    2 votes

  18. Comment on Would you like to be a part of my music/sound art project? in ~creative

    Fog
    Link
    What an inspiring idea! Send me your email and I'll send you a recording of a bird and some old roommates

    What an inspiring idea! Send me your email and I'll send you a recording of a bird and some old roommates

    2 votes

  19. Comment on Inside Brazil's Belo Horizonte’s food scene (Anthony Bourdain) in ~food

    Fog
    Link Parent
    If it's not too much trouble, will you reply to this comment with your thoughts? I'm also curious on how these two shows of his differ

    If it's not too much trouble, will you reply to this comment with your thoughts? I'm also curious on how these two shows of his differ

    2 votes

  20. Comment on What we know about the Tufts University PhD student detained by US federal agents in ~society

    Fog
    Link
    Users of Tildes, I encourage you to watch the video before forming your own opinions on the matter. I'm including a link to the op-ed in question which caused this student to be targeted.

    Users of Tildes, I encourage you to watch the video before forming your own opinions on the matter.

    I'm including a link to the op-ed in question which caused this student to be targeted.

    18 votes