Froswald's recent activity
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Comment on Does Shawarma Law give a more definitive answer on whether or not a Hot Dog is a sandwich? in ~food
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Comment on What's your favorite action scene? in ~talk
Froswald Link ParentFor me, it's the pairing of audio, visual style, and composition. A good action scene has to have music that isn't just good, but also suited in both tone and instrumentals (and lyrics too if...For me, it's the pairing of audio, visual style, and composition. A good action scene has to have music that isn't just good, but also suited in both tone and instrumentals (and lyrics too if applicable). It's got to almost feel like a music video...OR on the other hand, it needs to be minimalist, stripped down of anything but the reality of two fighting. No music, no action cuts, just the struggle. The latter works best for grittier, more realistic movies where there's strong narrative reasons for such a fight to occur, like say something out of a samurai flick. The former's just an indulgence of cinematic skill primarily, but there's ample crossover.
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Comment on What's your favorite action scene? in ~talk
Froswald Link ParentME2's Suicide Mission is the one part of any game I truly wish I could forget happened, just so I can do it again without foreknowledge guiding me to make the perfect choice. I had a bit of it...ME2's Suicide Mission is the one part of any game I truly wish I could forget happened, just so I can do it again without foreknowledge guiding me to make the perfect choice. I had a bit of it recently by chance; I knew what the right choices to make were but I told myself if I wasn't sure, I can't look it up. For the second fireteam I wasn't sure, so I used my judgment based on who I had left. Grunt would work, right? Big krogan leading the charge?
He led it alright. That was one of the most painful no-reloads I've had in an RPG since I knew the kind of relationship he can build with Shepard as the rest of the story went on.
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Comment on What's your favorite action scene? in ~talk
Froswald Link ParentOoh, this one might be my overall animated movie favorite now that I see it mentioned. I first saw the sequence in the form of an AMV set to Nena - 99 Luft Balloons and that's stuck with me for...Ooh, this one might be my overall animated movie favorite now that I see it mentioned. I first saw the sequence in the form of an AMV set to Nena - 99 Luft Balloons and that's stuck with me for almost twenty years now. The animation itself is simultaneously so smooth but weighty, and framed so perfectly. Misato is overall my favorite character from the series I think, but I can't think of a single scene from Evangelion except maybe the first time Lilith is revealed on the cross that's as visually impressive in my eyes.
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Comment on What's your favorite action scene? in ~talk
Froswald (edited )LinkMovie (Live Action): The club scene in the first John Wick. I know it's recent and that glosses over a lot of incredible scenes in other films (a very close three-way tie is the church scene from...Movie (Live Action): The club scene in the first John Wick. I know it's recent and that glosses over a lot of incredible scenes in other films (a very close three-way tie is the church scene from the first Kingsman movie, The Bride vs. The Crazy 88's from Kill Bill vol. 1, or the minigun scene from Dredd) but the pairing of the music with the shots and how dispassionate, predatory and efficient Wick is in that whole sequence is sublime.
Movie (Animated): I'm realizing I don't have a lot of animated action flicks in my cinematic history. Redline's 'Yellow Line' sequence is my top pick, followed closely by the Bebop movie's dogfight. But I feel like if I had a wider selection then this list would change. I picked Redline simply because it's animated perfection in execution best summed up in a YouTube comment: 'damn you can spread this animation on toast.' The music just keeps the adrenaline pumping like a coke rush.
TV Show (Live Action): I have to actually have a tie here, since they're two excellent scenes (in the same show, I know) for different reasons. Eddard vs. Jaime has some narrative build-up and feigned payoff propping it up, but just seeing how coldly resolute Eddard is while Jaime's increasingly enjoying a proper challenge he didn't expect makes what'd otherwise be a fairly rote fight stand out. But on the other hand, Brienne vs. The Hound is just raw, brutal combat. Neither of them end up fighting in any sort of propriety except to just survive and beat the other one, while the started out as the knight and the knight's total antithesis. It's one of the reasons why I like(d) Game of Thrones, where you'd have chivalric ideals be genuinely proppped up by characters in a world where the unspeakable's happening next door, or even right in front of them.
TV Show (Animated): I'm just going to mention one because my runners-up are probably numbered over a dozen. Samurai Champloo would be the show that's the overall winner, simply because it has: Jin and Mugen versus Kariya, the Hand of God; a hyper-tense non action 'action' scene in Mugen vs. boyfriend-of-childhood-friend, and so many other excellent scenes. But the top scene? It's got to be Mugen vs. Ukon. Two who live for combat, who find thrill in their art and seek to master it completely. Mugen's outmatched but scrappy and adaptable like a prey animal that's seen its share of fights, while Ukon's simply unrelenting. But for all the showy dueling, the fight's simply decided by sleight of hand and a hidden trick. I love this series so much. (I lied, I have to mention one other very brief scene if only because of how well the music pairs: Alucard vs. Anderson in the original Hellsing TV series. It's minutes of build-up that leads to a fight which lasts all of eight seconds, but it stands in my head even years later. If you enjoy the music in this scene, then do yourself a favor and check out the entire OST of the Hellsing TV series. I've never found music that quite hits the itch of rough, garage-y jazz-inspired...whatever it is but it's the juice.)
Video Game: Dante exploring the potential of his Devil Trigger, Devil May Cry 3. It's indulgent, it's childishly delightful and 'cool' in that aughts way, and it's such a wonderful reward after Vergil showed you who is the boss in the previous mission. Devil May Cry in general is a series that lets you, once you understand the mechanics of the game well enough, essentially write your own action scenes. This YouTube channel is someone who has completely mastered the ability to not just win a boss fight flawlessly, but make it look genuinely compelling while doing so. An absolute favorite.
To sum up a very long and self-indulgent post: Where the action is tight, the music is incredible and complementary, and with a dash of stylistic polish to make even an individual shot feel larger than life.
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Comment on myNoise - adjustable soundscapes in ~life
Froswald Link ParentI got turned onto it a little over a year ago, and while I was initially a bit put off by having to donate to get full access on web and mobile, it's been more than worth it. Just to say in...I got turned onto it a little over a year ago, and while I was initially a bit put off by having to donate to get full access on web and mobile, it's been more than worth it. Just to say in general for anyone else reading: there's so many soundscapes, more than you'd expect and in niches you may not even know exist.
My personal favorite is a tie between the 'Singing Bowls' page (it's sublime for relaxation and meditation in general) as well as the '88 Keys' piano preset. You can really feel the personal attention to detail Stéphane takes to each of these soundscapes, and the site itself. It feels like one of those 'legacy websites' where it's a person's vision, their goal whatever it may be, just a personalized presentation of what they want, how they want it. Just a nice bonus atop an already wonderful website.
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Comment on Electronic Arts to cut 400 jobs, shut down BioWare in ~games
Froswald LinkI can't say that I had too high hopes for the next Mass Effect, let alone anything further in Dragon Age. But BioWare the failing is definitely the fault of EA management more than it is their own...I can't say that I had too high hopes for the next Mass Effect, let alone anything further in Dragon Age. But BioWare the failing is definitely the fault of EA management more than it is their own hubris (although I will always remember 'Lots of speculation for everyone!' Hudson)
Hopefully the devs find work elsewhere if they're not staying with EA, more fulfilling work ideally. I have to imagine morale was absolutely terrible even before the slew of layoffs last year and now this.
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Comment on Grand Theft Auto VI | Launch trailer in ~games
Froswald Link ParentIs this a personal project, or something public facing? I mostly ask since I'm trying to visualize how much storage you need for something like that. It seems like it'd balloon in the mid-to-late...Is this a personal project, or something public facing? I mostly ask since I'm trying to visualize how much storage you need for something like that. It seems like it'd balloon in the mid-to-late 00s. Are you at the petabyte level for storage yet, or just terabytes?
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Comment on I deliberately bet like a problem gambler. DraftKings made me a VIP. in ~tech
Froswald Link ParentAgreed, but I feel like the underlying catalyst for the mafia's greyer-than-black nature was necessity. The mafia operated within communities, like physically. (I say this for pretext of my point,...Agreed, but I feel like the underlying catalyst for the mafia's greyer-than-black nature was necessity. The mafia operated within communities, like physically. (I say this for pretext of my point, not that you don't already know this obviously.) They used the community as both shield and shade, hiding within and utilizing people, places and organizations within to make money and move about. For that you need the community's consent, and said community could easily take some bats and beat the mafia's brains out if they ever decided it wasn't worth it. But, with enough bones thrown (even if the mafia still wins out in what they gain versus the community) suddenly no one saw anything and no one knows anything.
Basically, if the tech billionaires and their ilk had to live next to Shifty Larry who loves bashing things with his bat and make their money through Grandma Jane's shop, they'd play ball with both. At least that's my running theory on why things were and possibly, what would be needed to have things be as they were--in spirit, at least.
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Comment on An interesting take on Reddit about why the art direction of World of Warcraft Forever misses the mark in ~games
Froswald LinkI think that person has the right idea about why the Skyborne don't feel like they completely fit (and this is coming from someone who is both interested in their lore and is an overall fan of...I think that person has the right idea about why the Skyborne don't feel like they completely fit (and this is coming from someone who is both interested in their lore and is an overall fan of Retail WoW). For all we WoW players love to dunk on Metzen (and to a lesser extent, Didier's) quirks, their wealth of inspiration was extreme. Comics to pulp art to a surprising amount of middle/far eastern cultural elements make a world that feels both cohesive and expansive. But as is the case of media in a medium that had meteoric popularity (anime in particular comes to mind), modern creators were inspired by the old media and so they ape elements of it like the creators of the old media aped their own inspiration. The creative source grows narrower, more clearly defined, and by extension limits the creative expression of the modern media.
That's my sole biggest issue with Forever (and to a somewhat lesser extent, Retail) in terms of art style. There needs to be a broader spectrum of inspiration taken by the art team in general. But I also think part of the dilemma is the battle between texture detail and 3D fidelity. They pointed out the Forsaken paladin mount, and I think it looks fantastic--straight out of the aesthetic of a Deathcharger with a tattered-holy flair. But were it made in 2004, a lot of its armor plating would not be a distinct model. The cloth wouldn't have several layers of flat planes, it'd be just one. They wouldn't have as much 3D fidelity, so they'd have to compensate with higher detail textures. Every pixel becomes valuable, and it's why a lot of Vanilla armor has such staying power.
I wouldn't say that having greater 3D fidelity has made texture artists lazy, but it's simply easier to make a decent result if you can rely on dynamic lighting and shaders to impact an armor piece, or for a simple texture to look 'textured' when applied to a complex 3D object. Maybe the answer is for Forever to simply not have HD models, or for the HD textures backported to be re-created as if they were going to be applied to a 2004-era model in terms of polygon count (itself far from an easy process.)
My dream is for them to re-create the HD models and have them be more in-tune with the original appearance of character races, which they could even apply to Retail so there's no 'wasted dev time.' But I still chafe at how the HD models simply looked better at the Blizzcon announcing them versus when they were implemented (especially the human ethnicity additions) so time will tell if the art team is able or even willing to revisit their design ethos.
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Comment on What is the oldest file you still have? in ~tech
Froswald LinkIt's a tie between either my high school assignment work or a copy of a fanmade music video for Lateralus by TOOL. (both circa 2012-ish.) I count that one even though I downloaded it more recently...It's a tie between either my high school assignment work or a copy of a fanmade music video for Lateralus by TOOL. (both circa 2012-ish.) I count that one even though I downloaded it more recently since the video upload date was further back (and as a bonus, said video is near-impossible to find since TOOL's label went -hard- against copyright for a time.) I was always a data hoarder, but my hardware and choice of software backups didn't always agree with me.
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Comment on Are others finding themselves spending less and less time online? in ~tech
Froswald LinkIt just really feels like information overload, and with the advent of GenAI the information can't even be counted as useful. I never used much of the 'big name' social media even in its infancy,...It just really feels like information overload, and with the advent of GenAI the information can't even be counted as useful. I never used much of the 'big name' social media even in its infancy, but these days?
- Tildes
- 4chan (the slower blue boards themed around creative/productive hobbies aren't so bad if you filter out the acerbic trolling)
- YouTube for specific channels only
- AO3
- A few other niche single-purpose websites
That's it. Aside from banking and other important tasks, I just don't browse around unless it's something someone made with a purpose or expression behind it. I adore personal webpages, but those are by inherent design not meant to be consumed for hours on end, without end. In an age of being able to drown in endless content on a dime, I find I actually appreciate being able to 'run out of internet' after awhile.
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Comment on New worlds, and what was your "Future Shock" moment? in ~life
Froswald LinkI still marvel at the internet and many of its associated technologies. Like for example, I've recently been playing a World of Warcraft private server that, among other changes, added...I still marvel at the internet and many of its associated technologies. Like for example, I've recently been playing a World of Warcraft private server that, among other changes, added proximity-based voice chat to the game. So there I was, in a digital world as I logged in from the American Deep South. I was hearing Indians, Danes, Finns, Russians, I'm pretty sure a few Czechians, and several Chinese people over the first few hours, all saying 'hallo!' and just chatting like it's any other day. Real-time, barely a second of lag despite the server itself being based in west-central Russia if my guess is right.
The very fact that I can send practically instantaneous real-time communication data, or high-rate transfer of most any other kind of data across the entire world for fractions of pennies if you break down budget internet fees in terms of daily use is nothing short of incredible if I step back to think about just what we have at our disposal. I genuinely think the only technology on the horizon as significant as the internet may be mRNA-based medical research, or possibly GLP-1 drugs if they get more widespread adoption. Even then, it's a tight race.
Of course, this means that when I see what's happening to the Surface Web (which for all intents and purposes is 'the internet' to most people) it's agony. Walling off, flattening any quirks or unique elements, increasing presence of restrictions with, charitably speaking, good intentions but middling outcomes...there's better ways to sculpt the evolving web, but unfortunately it doesn't seem like those ways will be pursued by a majority of major websites--who themselves are trendsetters for the rest of the Surface Web.
Oh, and here's an honorable mention to both VR/AR. VR, for when I discovered photogrammetry and 360 taxi videos and was able to very convincingly immerse myself in a taxi ride through Istanbul, or stand on the cliffs of Ireland once more--albeit this time in a frozen moment without that gloriously crisp wind whipping at my face. AR, for being a part of a college project where my state was presented as a 3D topographical real-time map showing possible flood zones that adjusted 3D pillars based on the severity of the flood. It felt like something out of science fiction to have that kind of data in such a format.
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Comment on What game are you terrible at? in ~games
Froswald LinkAny and all RTSes (except maybe Kenshi, but that's not actually an RTS--just a sandbox RPG with a few borrowed elements.) I have beaten Red Alert 3 (on the easiest of easy mode) with some...Any and all RTSes (except maybe Kenshi, but that's not actually an RTS--just a sandbox RPG with a few borrowed elements.) I have beaten Red Alert 3 (on the easiest of easy mode) with some struggle, but I just cannot handle it. At all. Civ? I'm decent at my worst and reasonably competent at my best, and I love the scope of information to consider. At my own pace. Sometimes for several minutes before hitting 'End Turn' if I'm vs. AI. Devil May Cry and other stylish action games? When I have my Steam Controller 1.0 fixed up I'm almost pro-tier, and I'm not too shabby at shooters.
But freakin' RTSes destroy me, which is a real shame because several I very much enjoy the story or feeling of (shout-out to Warcraft III, my favorite schlocky fantasy that I must admire from afar). Now if we're talking individual games? Try as I might, I'm just not good at Guilty Gear--any of them. I really want to learn fighting games in general, but Guilty Gear tops the list. Testament is such a cool look, and I really dig the thematic of the weird mutant doctor character, but I might as well be the proverbial little bro with the unplugged controller at the moment.
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Comment on Pepsiman recompiled webport in ~games
Froswald Link ParentI can't speak to their reasoning, but the repetitive song and the inherent silliness of a soft drink video game that's actually a challenge is enough for me to want to play. Though, this edit of...I can't speak to their reasoning, but the repetitive song and the inherent silliness of a soft drink video game that's actually a challenge is enough for me to want to play. Though, this edit of MGR definitely kicks it up a notch for me
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Comment on To my fellow Americans: Happy 4th of July, I hope you end the day with the same number of fingers you started with! in ~talk
Froswald Link ParentThose videos, specifically the ones relating to the Acadian exile were what led me to reignite my interest in my own Acadian roots (and go on a fun jaunt down genealogy to see if I'm a Canadian...Those videos, specifically the ones relating to the Acadian exile were what led me to reignite my interest in my own Acadian roots (and go on a fun jaunt down genealogy to see if I'm a Canadian citizen now). It's been a delight getting to know the minutiae of my family history, and it's a rare case where bite-size content is (in my own subjective opinion) a net positive. I'm in agreement that I'm not very proud of the US, let alone what it--we've--done recently, but it's not over yet. It may be, but there's still opportunities left to turn the course back and strive towards what we like to believe we could be, one day.
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Comment on Jamie Hyneman on MythBusters fame and why he and Adam Savage never socialized in ~tv
Froswald Link ParentAs I've grown older I appreciate their dynamic even more than if they were friends, if that makes sense. A lot of people simply do not get along in a personal level, and that's fine. In life we...As I've grown older I appreciate their dynamic even more than if they were friends, if that makes sense. A lot of people simply do not get along in a personal level, and that's fine. In life we meet people like that and we usually have to work with them, so these guys being an example of how to work with someone you do not wish to spend personal time with successfully while remaining civil is unintentionally an excellent dynamic to represent. As if they could be better role models, hah.
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Comment on Do you cook with cast iron? Is it the hassle everyone says it is? in ~food
Froswald LinkI'm a fairly lazy chef in that I like cooking but hate maintenance, so I've settled on stainless steel. Aluminum with a coating is great, but I'm bad about noticing if the coating is starting to...I'm a fairly lazy chef in that I like cooking but hate maintenance, so I've settled on stainless steel. Aluminum with a coating is great, but I'm bad about noticing if the coating is starting to peel (so that knocks Teflon and likely copper out as well.) Cast iron gets in the way of leaving dishes in the sink for a day or more, so I've settled on what works best in the moment. I'd probably use cast iron if I only had to wash dishes I couldn't put in a dishwasher, however.
I'd really love a dishwasher so I could stop hand washing, but space/money concerns interfere. Still, I find stainless steel to work well in lieu of cast iron. I get a nice sear, when I properly lube the pan it doesn't char onto the pan, and I can do braising in the oven with no fuss.
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Comment on Tildes Survey #10: How often do you visit/read Tildes? (Results) in ~talk
Froswald Link ParentI only come a few times a week give or take, and comment even less--but I feel the same way. It's like Tildes being slow enough to feel fine not constantly refreshing is what keeps me coming back,...I only come a few times a week give or take, and comment even less--but I feel the same way. It's like Tildes being slow enough to feel fine not constantly refreshing is what keeps me coming back, if that makes sense. That and the sincerity-factor versus irony/noise is pretty sweet compared to the larger social media sites, at least in my own read.
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Comment on What's a game you're dying to play that doesn't exist? in ~games
Froswald LinkDevil May Cry LAEWM (Literally Any Entry With Multiplayer.) The cameo feature in DMC5 proved it was possible, Mission 13 confirmed it could be fun. Mods sort of make this possible, but I'd -kill-...Devil May Cry LAEWM (Literally Any Entry With Multiplayer.) The cameo feature in DMC5 proved it was possible, Mission 13 confirmed it could be fun. Mods sort of make this possible, but I'd -kill- for that kind of gameplay and co-op modes.
Though I would settle for another genre: No Man's Sky but with a mix of human and alien NPCs and a less fantastical art-style. Starfield has the visuals I crave (and I think it's shaping up to be decent at this point) but No Man's Sky has the gameplay loop of roaming space to scavenge just enough to keep on truckin' that I once only dreamt about.
Well whatever the Greek/Lebanese place near me serves, it's both delicious and refreshing. But I think it's better to define items by their core components and not 'if X is added it's not Y anymore' barring something like loading a pile of PB&J sandwiches atop a pizza and calling it PB&J pizza. That's more of my very broad attempt to futilely try and bring order to the chaos wrought by the existence of hot dogs. God I love Chicago dogs so much.