Froswald's recent activity

  1. Comment on Global Capslock key in ~comp

    Froswald
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    WhAT A DELIGHTFUL LITTLE TOOL. I ENJOY SOFTWAre toYS LIke ThiS; it MAKeS ME FEEL LIKE IT'S IN THE SAME VEIN AS YTMND, MYSPACE PAGES OR GEOCITIES PAGES. IT'S NOT PROGRAMMING, BUT IT STILL HAS THAT...

    WhAT A DELIGHTFUL LITTLE TOOL. I ENJOY SOFTWAre toYS LIke ThiS; it MAKeS ME FEEL LIKE IT'S IN THE SAME VEIN AS YTMND, MYSPACE PAGES OR GEOCITIES PAGES. IT'S NOT PROGRAMMING, BUT IT STILL HAS THAT SAME SPIRIT OF CREATIO--hEY CAN WE TURN OFF THE CAPSLOCK IT SEEMS LIKE I'M JUST SHOUTING NOW. I KNOW CAPS LoCK IS CruISE CONTroL FOR COoL BUT SOmeTIMEs IT'S pOSSIBLE TO BE TOO COOL GUYS

    2 votes
  2. Comment on What video game mods do you play, or have played in the past? in ~games

    Froswald
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    My all-time favorite mod is for original Mount&Blade. It's a total conversion called Solid&Shade, developed by N0ught. If it's classic gothic literature, it's probably referenced in this mod....

    My all-time favorite mod is for original Mount&Blade. It's a total conversion called Solid&Shade, developed by N0ught. If it's classic gothic literature, it's probably referenced in this mod. Greek mythology and general folklore, as well. The premise is that it's the same base setting, but much more dire. The seas are stilling, the crops are failing--the land is dying, frankly. Undead are roaming the countryside, and the source of it all is a forgotten village with a dark secret.

    The fun part is you can either fight these dark forces or join them. There's not much in the way of a narrative, but there's plenty of roleplay opportunities and genuine horror expression. The graphics are quite dated by modern standards, but it doesn't detract from immersion at all IMO. I also think the game's structure makes for a genuinely haunting experience. Plus, if you're a fan of necromancy like me there are few games that let you have a genuine army of undead to unleash as you see fit.

    On the polar opposite, my favorite behind-the-scenes gameplay enhancement mod I've ever played is Advanced Tactics for Dragon Age: Origins. It adds so many conditional options for the in-game tactics system (basically player-editable if/then NPC companion AI. If you're familiar with FFXII Gambits, it's a similar system) that you can set your companions up to never need human input, even on harder difficulties. I'm one of the weird ones that adores DA:O's gameplay wholesale, so a mod like this is a dream come true for me.

    I'd also recommend the SSSSiyan trainer for Devil May Cry 5, as it allows you to modify so many elements of the gameplay. Combat speed, animation speed, damage values, even gravity, enemy spawns and movesets can be adjusted via options within it. It's not a true mod in that sense, but you can have an entirely different experience each session if you so choose.

    4 votes
  3. Comment on What game intended for multiplayer did you enjoy playing solo? in ~games

    Froswald
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    V Rising is very grindy solo, but I found the gameplay loop fantastic. Especially the bosses; I loved having to figure out how to approach some almost like I was playing Diablo 3 early on. I also...

    V Rising is very grindy solo, but I found the gameplay loop fantastic. Especially the bosses; I loved having to figure out how to approach some almost like I was playing Diablo 3 early on. I also dig the vampire aesthetic so that definitely pushed me towards liking it, but the bosses were a lot of fun to figure out. Especially the winery one!

    4 votes
  4. Comment on What game intended for multiplayer did you enjoy playing solo? in ~games

    Froswald
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    I've only done Sith Inquisitor (my fave) and Imperial Agent, but agreed. They've really made it be a serviceable single-player RPG; it won't hold up in depth compared to a proper ground-up solo...

    I've only done Sith Inquisitor (my fave) and Imperial Agent, but agreed. They've really made it be a serviceable single-player RPG; it won't hold up in depth compared to a proper ground-up solo experience, but that's just mechanics. The story's there and I personally enjoy the fact that if I do want to hook up with other players, I don't have to play another game for that. In a sense, that to me is what an MMO is all about--a game that offers a world you can engage with in the company of other players if you so choose, but even if you go solo, they're still around.

    2 votes
  5. Comment on What game intended for multiplayer did you enjoy playing solo? in ~games

    Froswald
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    Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is this to a tee for me. To clarify: I think it's even better with multiple players, but the playerbase has (mostly) dried up. A lot of the time I just wanted to play,...

    Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is this to a tee for me. To clarify: I think it's even better with multiple players, but the playerbase has (mostly) dried up. A lot of the time I just wanted to play, so I eased in on the easiest difficulty and took it slow.

    ME3MP is essentially a squad-based horde mode, with ten total waves and one 'extraction' wave. Solo turns it into a survival mode, and with the games' offering of classes you have a lot of different approaches. An invisibility cloak sniper who runs across the map to keep herding enemies into kill zones? A powerful biotic (wizard) who can take on entire groups with the right ambush, but if done wrong is one of the squishest classes? Or my favorite, a nigh-unstoppable juggernaut who kills slowly, but can walk through hellfire and keep standing (as long as you keep your shields and buffs up.)

    I still fire it up from time to time. I wish the remaster EA put out had MP; that game mode deserves a bigger resurgence than it got. I genuinely think if it was standalone it'd have an evergreen playerbase, but a Geth Spitfire toting Geth Juggernaut never gets old solo.

    6 votes
  6. Comment on What's a song that you initially didn't enjoy, but it grew on you over time and is now a favorite? in ~music

    Froswald
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    Her and Flavor Flav are similar in that regard from what I can tell: talented musicians (Flav's a multi-instrumentalist) who drifted to a musical style that's very much not the traditional sounds...

    Her and Flavor Flav are similar in that regard from what I can tell: talented musicians (Flav's a multi-instrumentalist) who drifted to a musical style that's very much not the traditional sounds they likely started their music journey on. I suppose that's why Lady Gaga's acoustic tracks work so well--she understands the fundamentals so well she can afford to be experimental and successful. Also, enthusiastically is a word!

    1 vote
  7. Comment on What's a song that you initially didn't enjoy, but it grew on you over time and is now a favorite? in ~music

    Froswald
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    Turn Down For What I'm not a fan of whatever genre it is typically, but the music video helped me actually sit through the whole song. It's loud, abrasive and at times just an -apparent-...

    Turn Down For What

    I'm not a fan of whatever genre it is typically, but the music video helped me actually sit through the whole song. It's loud, abrasive and at times just an -apparent- mess...but it works together. It's the same feeling I get when listening to early jungle--spastic clashes of sound that when put together, really jives.

    1 vote
  8. Comment on How would you rate adulthood? in ~life

    Froswald
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    I have difficulty relating to kids when I do speak with them. I know it's all in my own head, but I end up so stiffly awkward trying to talk that I either start stuttering/mumbling or default to...

    I have difficulty relating to kids when I do speak with them. I know it's all in my own head, but I end up so stiffly awkward trying to talk that I either start stuttering/mumbling or default to my 'work personality' and talk to them about the weather.

    4 votes
  9. Comment on How would you rate adulthood? in ~life

    Froswald
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    I'm much the same way, although in a masochistic way I enjoyed the all-nighters I pulled in my major's building. Technically only grad students were allowed access after-hours but I stayed around...

    I'm much the same way, although in a masochistic way I enjoyed the all-nighters I pulled in my major's building. Technically only grad students were allowed access after-hours but I stayed around until they locked up, kept quiet and was nose-deep in my computer so no one batted an eye. I've been missing the feeling of everyone around you trying to better themself in some way (be it academically, socially or simple connections); it's a great environment for someone like me who tends to adopt my surroundings. Though I'll take more than subsistence income and the freedom to engage in loose pseudo-academia on my own time any day.

    5 votes
  10. Comment on What are your favourite TV shows of all time? in ~tv

    Froswald
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    Overall: The West Wing In more recent years the high-minded ideals being listened to sting more than I care to admit, but even when all the political themes are stripped away, it has rapier wit,...

    Overall: The West Wing

    • In more recent years the high-minded ideals being listened to sting more than I care to admit, but even when all the political themes are stripped away, it has rapier wit, charming characters and an earnestness that's a genuine balm for me. I rewatch it around once a year.

    Honorable Mentions:

    • Red Dwarf: My absolute favorite style of comedy. Silly in circumstance, with absurd characters who act as seriously as their various dysfunctions allow them. Plus, there's a few dramatic episodes that felt right at home.
    • Spaced: I feel like I'm pigeonholing myself putting two British sitcoms up here, but I can't not mention it. Only 14 episodes, but the raw creativity and wonderful absurdism of circumstance coupled with Edgar Wright's cinematography make it endlessly rewatchable. Also, stellar soundtrack.
    • Parks and Recreation: You know, just read my previous two entries for my reasons why. It seems like I love characters who are the dysfunctional mirrors of normal archetypes.

    Black Books, Father Ted, and House MD are up there as well. I'm sticking just to live-action; if I included other mediums then Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 and Ed, Edd n' Eddy would be strong contenders.

    2 votes
  11. Comment on Any real AI recommendations from the community? in ~tech

    Froswald
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    Ever since I found out that it's possible to run local AI models, I've been hooked. I mostly do image generation for personal/experimental purposes, but I've started branching out into text-based...

    Ever since I found out that it's possible to run local AI models, I've been hooked. I mostly do image generation for personal/experimental purposes, but I've started branching out into text-based tasks as well as using it to sort of 'trial and error' learn my way into Python. It's a significant factor as to why I bought a (for me) beefy GPU for my recent PC build. Right now I'm interested in seeing if I can get a voice-based assistant running, like Cortana except entirely local (and realistically, slower/poorer sounding.) I really enjoyed having access to both Cortana and Alexa when I was still naive to how much data was being stored and parsed for advertising purposes, so if I could at least get a rudimentary assistant, that itch would finally be re-scratched.

    5 votes
  12. Comment on The queer fantasy of playersexuality in ~games

    Froswald
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    FYI: Spoilers for DAII in case of very patient gamers I think tone's important when making this call; it's one thing to enjoy discussing matters of great interest but little importance, but it's...

    FYI: Spoilers for DAII in case of very patient gamers

    I think tone's important when making this call; it's one thing to enjoy discussing matters of great interest but little importance, but it's something else to become genuinely bothered by said unimportant matters. This article feels more like an exploration of the topic as opposed to an articulate rant.

    With that said, since I love talking about matters of great interest but little importance: I personally consider concerns about playersexuality a meta issue that should be ignored for immersion's sake. Each playthrough is its own universe. They're not linked, meta knowledge isn't held in-universe (unless it's written in, such as Starfield's multiverse mechanic). In Dragon Age II, you won't know anything about Anders starting off--you referring to the version of Hawke being played. When I replay DA:O, I know full well that going to Redcliffe first will result in certain outcomes that could be prevented if I went to the Circle Tower first. But my characters don't know that.

    The same goes for sexuality. I as Hawke have no idea Anders even exists when I'm fending off Darkspawn in Lothering, let alone his sexuality. In that playthrough-universe he might be gay, straight or bisexual. Hell, if not for his dialogue having a portion where he initiates flirting, he could even be asexual.

    If anything, I genuinely believe that an inability to ignore metaknowledge is what's a persistent problem with RPGs, specifically their players, than playersexuality. With that said, I do acknowledge it can water down dialogue since you won't know the gender of the character's romantic interested. Personally, I'm somewhat against playersexuality, but it's hardly a strong viewpoint. I'm more against unwarranted flirting unless it's done in an appropriate moment, i.e. not after my character's mother was just hacked apart and sewn into a Frankenstein's monster-bride.

    2 votes
  13. Comment on What does your computer setup look like? in ~tech

    Froswald
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    I recently upgraded thanks to getting a new job; this is my first time having a proper PC build/workstation since the mid-2010s I believe. PC: Win10 IoT LTSC | Intel i7-12700K | 64GB RAM | 4TB...

    I recently upgraded thanks to getting a new job; this is my first time having a proper PC build/workstation since the mid-2010s I believe.

    PC: Win10 IoT LTSC | Intel i7-12700K | 64GB RAM | 4TB NVMe | RTX 4060 Ti
    Monitors: 27" 1080p curved x2 (One a Samsung I got for free, the other an Asus)
    Keyboard: Unicomp New Model M
    Mouse: Logitech M575 Trackball Mouse
    Sound: $30 Soundbar

    I have a big wooden table that I situated a rotating recliner in front of. The desktop tower's on the far end of the table, followed by my two monitors. The soundbar's suspended from a shelf I keep above the table, and I have an old breakfast-in-bed table I place the keyboard/mouse on when I'm using them; otherwise they're kept on the main table. My work laptop's off to the opposite end; I have a USB switcher so I can use the same keyboard for both computers as needed. The work laptop is just a 15.6 inch Chromebook on a stand, so I turned up the magnification so I don't have eyestrain on it.

    The recliner's definitely unorthodox, but I have an irrational fear of using hydraulic single-pole office chairs and didn't want to spend more than $300. So far, it's actually not been a bad arrangement. I also keep one of those footpedal under-desk exercise bikes, which it turns out is the perfect height to accompany the recliner when it's not actively reclining.

    Overall, my use-case for my personal PC is 40% Gaming/25% Gen AI experimentation/35% Creative (writing and image editing mostly.) Most games I like would run just fine on my old-old GTX770, but the beefy GPU is futureproofing as well as so I can run local AI models.

    I also have a 'travel laptop' which is a Dell Latitude 5400 I've put Q4OS (Debian-derivative distro meant to emulate the 'spirit' of Windows XP) on, and a project laptop that's an old Dell Latitude D620 I want to hollow out and upgrade to modern specs. It runs alright right now for what it is (I upgraded the CPU to a 64-bit model for software compatability and increased the RAM by half a gig, but it's hard limited by the motherboard), but I -adore- the form factor of the D620 and love how durable it is.

  14. Comment on Shinichiro Watanabe and the two-shot dynamic in ~anime

    Froswald
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    One of my favorite episodes in Champloo is up there in sadness--the one with the cutpurse/pickpocket who was voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch in the dub. Spoilers just in case anyone hasn't seen...

    One of my favorite episodes in Champloo is up there in sadness--the one with the cutpurse/pickpocket who was voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch in the dub.

    Spoilers just in case anyone hasn't seen Champloo So many little things made it impactful, be it he and Fuu's growing bond, his stupid mistake that at the same time is totally understandable, and the helplessness Fuu felt when trying to visit his mother afterwards. Using 'Mystline' as the song for that scene took it to a whole other level, but yeah. Champloo brings some tearjerkers with it, even if they're more somber/stoic ones like Jin and the woman forced into prostitution. God I could go on about this series for ages. It might be my favorite Watanabe production, even above Bebop.
    3 votes
  15. Comment on Someone is wrong on the internet (AGI Doom edition) in ~tech

    Froswald
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    I feel like asking 'what are those many things?' would result with me having more questions than answers--or necessitate a response longer than the comment allows. I'm a layperson and hobbyist...

    I feel like asking 'what are those many things?' would result with me having more questions than answers--or necessitate a response longer than the comment allows. I'm a layperson and hobbyist generative AI user at best who does want to at least comprehend the whole current/future AI dynamic; do you have any books or places to recommend for someone like me to start understanding what even rudimentary AGI might take in terms of technology?

    2 votes
  16. Comment on Funny, crazy and silly mods in ~games

    Froswald
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    One of the simplest mods I've come across for what it does (it's a change of a single variable in an .ini IIRC) is Carmageddon for GTAIV. It adjusts the friction for vehicles to a negative value...

    One of the simplest mods I've come across for what it does (it's a change of a single variable in an .ini IIRC) is Carmageddon for GTAIV. It adjusts the friction for vehicles to a negative value instead of positive, which means that instead of cars being affected by a constant value of deacceleration on a surface, they get that same value of acceleration. It's great

    5 votes
  17. Comment on 'Spaceballs 2' in the works at Amazon with Josh Gad starring in ~movies

    Froswald
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    I'll probably watch it out of morbid curiosity. If nothing else, Spaceballs 2 (The Search for More Money) is the one from his repertoire to make a cash-grab sequel to.

    I'll probably watch it out of morbid curiosity. If nothing else, Spaceballs 2 (The Search for More Money) is the one from his repertoire to make a cash-grab sequel to.

    12 votes
  18. Comment on Games where the campaign serves as the tutorial? in ~games

    Froswald
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    As a former hater, I have to admit when DMC5 was announced my disdain for the reboot practically evaporated. Hell, I even played it again the other year (in the Spanish dub) and it held up...

    As a former hater, I have to admit when DMC5 was announced my disdain for the reboot practically evaporated. Hell, I even played it again the other year (in the Spanish dub) and it held up alright--I think a lot of us just got upset with the notion that the reboot was the final DMC. At this point? I'd be happy with even an alternating release schedule of a main DMC game and a reboot sequel/some re-imagining done by an outside studio. 'More options can't hurt' is my mantra.

    With DMC5, it's definitely one of those games that only gets better on subsequent playthroughs. Nero in particular can do some absolutely crazy things when he's got his full kit at his disposal

    2 votes
  19. Comment on Games where the campaign serves as the tutorial? in ~games

    Froswald
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    Devil May Cry (particularly DMC3 onwards) is more or less designed like this. Your first playthrough consists of you unlocking new abilities and weapons, sometimes near the end of the game. One...

    Devil May Cry (particularly DMC3 onwards) is more or less designed like this. Your first playthrough consists of you unlocking new abilities and weapons, sometimes near the end of the game. One character in DMC5 doesn't even unlock a huge portion of their kit until the very last fight of the entire campaign. The 'purpose' of the series is honestly similar to a game like Tony Hawk, like another commenter said. Learn the ropes on your first playthrough, and then your subsequent ones enable you to use your full scope of abilities to go nuts on increasingly powerful/numerous enemies.

    4 votes
  20. Comment on What video games have had you taking real-life notes? in ~games

    Froswald
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    Not a physical pen and paper as my handwriting is atrocious, but I created and kept an extensive commodities spreadsheet for WoW: Classic Vanilla. Primarily focused on herb and fish prices at...

    Not a physical pen and paper as my handwriting is atrocious, but I created and kept an extensive commodities spreadsheet for WoW: Classic Vanilla. Primarily focused on herb and fish prices at first, but it grew until I was tracking most every item used for or produced by crafting in the game. I tracked daily prices, fluctuations from the previous day's price in absolute value and percentages, a weekly price history as well as an aggregate average, and a few other elements I forget off the top of my head. It had about six sheets to it and a ton of basic but overlaid conditional formatting to make it as plug and play as I could get at the time with my skill in Excel/Calc, but I had a ton of fun making incremental gains in the latter stages of the game cycle. I've not gone as hard on market tracking since, largely due to me discovering other avenues of moneymaking--but that was a ton of fun to do. I even set my bank alt that I did the lion's share of my financial work on up as an in-character fiduciary.

    1 vote