kfwyre's recent activity
-
Comment on KOReader: custom reader software for eink devices in ~books
-
Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎‍♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )Link ParentThis is poetry. Also, genuinely: tricks are actually hard to do at the beginning of the game because your character's stats for them aren't great (no matter who you choose). I'm a THPS veteran and...The manual tells me that some buttons do ollies and others do nollies but I feel all I manage are rollies, hollies and follies. Oh gollies.
This is poetry.
Also, genuinely: tricks are actually hard to do at the beginning of the game because your character's stats for them aren't great (no matter who you choose).
I'm a THPS veteran and tried to muscle-memory a bunch of complicated stuff right off the bat at the beginning, only to have it completely fail because my character simply wasn't built for the big stuff yet.
So, don't feel bad! You're experiencing the game as intended.
Completely unsolicited advice
IF AND ONLY IF you're looking for tips:
The easiest way to get big scores early on is vert tricks/grabs -- that is, circle + direction while you're in the air. Pop in the halfpipe in The Hangar and just go back and forth up the sides, trying to get the feel for starting/stopping a vert trick while you're in the air.
Once you're comfortable with that, you try spinning with the shoulder buttons. Get a feel for doing a 180, 360, 540 (your beginning stats probably won't let you get a 720).
Once that feels good, try combining the two: spinning while doing a vert trick. This gives you more score, but it's also harder to land -- especially for tricks that twist/move the board, as it won't necessarily be clear if you've under/over-rotated. Eventually you'll get a "feel" for how to land the different tricks, but that takes a decent amount of repetition. It wasn't until I was late-game in my most recent playthrough that I felt that I could really nail most landings without thinking about them.
Anyway, following that, if you're feeling spicy, you can add a street trick beforehand. That is, launch into the air, hit square+direction, followed by circle+direction. Your character will do something like a kickflip, followed by the grab.
Feeling even spicier? Street trick + vert trick WHILE spinning. Now you're starting to look at some tasty big score combos.
The final piece of this strategy (and this part is certainly not necessary but can help get you to those Sick Score threshholds) is adding a Boneless beforehand -- that is, double tapping up before you release X to jump when going up the side of the halfpipe. A successful Boneless gives you more height, as well as an additional trick for the combo, which increases both your points and multiplier.
So, an ideal big point vert trick looks like: Boneless > Spinning Street Trick > Spinning Vert Trick
(Well, a truly ideal one also includes a gap, but I'll spare you the details on that since I'm already at the point where I'm doing WAY too much and basically writing an entire GameFAQs guide despite not being asked for any of it in the first place).
Anyway, as you complete objectives and get money, put the points into these stats: Air, Hang Time, Speed, Spin, Landing. Once those get up a bit more, you'll have more room to breathe while you're in the air and it'll be a lot easier to execute and successfully land higher point tricks. Also worth noting that, if you're going this route, it's best you choose a Vert skater (e.g. Tony Hawk) and not an All-Around (e.g. Bob Burnquist) or Street (e.g. Kareem Campbell) one.
Anyway, learning how to do solid vert tricks will get you through a LOT of the game with nary a manual nor nollie in sight. Chaining street tricks and grinds with manuals is genuinely a ton of fun, but it's way easier to mess up and way harder to get right. Nearly every level has a half-pipe like spot where you can just do vert tricks back and forth and rack up a pretty sizable score for it.
-
Comment on I'm addicted to Slay the Spire and am looking for a new game in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentSeconding this. Cobalt Core is excellent, and it features enough familiar mechanics to scratch the StS itch while having its own unique identity and spin on things that makes it feel fresh.Seconding this. Cobalt Core is excellent, and it features enough familiar mechanics to scratch the StS itch while having its own unique identity and spin on things that makes it feel fresh.
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI think it makes the most sense to keep the votes intact. People wanted to play Maniac Mansion last time, and they still get the opportunity to do so, only now it comes with two bonus games too!...I think it makes the most sense to keep the votes intact. People wanted to play Maniac Mansion last time, and they still get the opportunity to do so, only now it comes with two bonus games too!
So, the 4 points for Maniac Mansion will simply become 4 points for Spooky Mansion Adventures.
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentCGA Announcement: I forgot to give everyone a 24 hour warning on the Nominations Topic, so here's a 4 hour warning instead. Please get your boosts/nominations in soon! After the close of...CGA Announcement: I forgot to give everyone a 24 hour warning on the Nominations Topic, so here's a 4 hour warning instead. Please get your boosts/nominations in soon!
After the close of nominations, I will post a new Lobbying Topic where you can argue for/against certain games and try to sway other people's votes.
Following the close of that, I will post a new Voting Topic where we will decide on the next six months of games.
(Also, because I whiffed the 24-hour warning, I will accept late submissions here for the next 24 hours -- just know that they'll lose some lobbying time.)
Notification List
@1338
@Akir
@ali
@arctanh
@AriMaeda
@atomicshoreline
@avirse
@balooga
@BeardyHat
@Boojum
@Bwerf
@CannibalisticApple
@chocobean
@clayh
@datavoid
@Debook
@DistractionRectangle
@dotsforeyes
@dozens
@Dr_Amazing
@endymiion
@Gourd
@granfdad
@Gummy
@hamstergeddon
@IsildursBane
@J-Chiptunator
@JCPhoenix
@joshbuddy
@kaiomai
@Kawa
@kej
@kfwyre
@kingofsnake
@Kirisame
@Lapbunny
@mayonuki
@Mendanbar
@mysterylevel
@PancakeCats
@Pavouk106
@PetitPrince
@Plattypus
@polle
@preposterous
@psi
@rosco
@rubix
@Rudism
@SloMoMonday
@Sodliddesu
@Soggy
@sotix
@Spore_Prince
@SpruceWillis
@squidwiz
@talklittle
@ThatMartinFellow
@tomorrow-never-knows
@Trobador
@Venko
@vili
@Weldawadyathink
@Wes
@xk3
@zod000If you would like to be added or removed from the Notification List, please PM u/kfwyre.
-
Comment on I'm addicted to Slay the Spire and am looking for a new game in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentAgreed on the co-op, but I also had a ton of fun (arguably even more?) playing it solo.Agreed on the co-op, but I also had a ton of fun (arguably even more?) playing it solo.
-
Comment on KOReader: custom reader software for eink devices in ~books
kfwyre (edited )LinkI just set this up on my Kobo Clara and Forma (both from 2018). I'm very happy with it so far! For anyone that wants details: The installation was super easy. I used the semi-automated method...KOReader is a document viewer for E Ink devices. Supported fileformats include EPUB, PDF, DjVu, XPS, CBT, CBZ, FB2, PDB, TXT, HTML, RTF, CHM, DOC, MOBI and ZIP files. It’s available for Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Android and desktop Linux.
I just set this up on my Kobo Clara and Forma (both from 2018). I'm very happy with it so far!
For anyone that wants details:
The installation was super easy. I used the semi-automated method detailed here which basically has you download a specific zip file, plug in the device to your computer, and then run a script which sets everything up. Took like, maybe two minutes per device?
I also have an old 2011 4th gen Kindle that Amazon has officially disavowed. I was going to try KOReader out on it just to see how it would work, but I got to the significantly more complicated Kindle install instructions and decided against it (I wouldn't actually use it anyway as the device's battery is shot).
Anyway, once installed, the Kobo will still boot into its regular interface, but there's an extra button at the bottom that can get you into KOReader. Once you're in KOReader it stays there even between sleeps, going back to the Kobo menu only if you reboot. KOReader can control your WiFi and backlight and whatnot directly, and it automatically rotated the screen when I flipped my Forma, so it's easy to just "live" in KOReader mode nearly all of the time on the device. I don't feel limited by it at all.
The zip file used for the automated install method that I did is a little out of date, so once it's up and running, you have to tell KOReader to update itself. The hiccup here is that it kept saying that it couldn't reach the server despite my WiFi being on and active, but there's an option to change the download server so I did that and it went through without a hitch.
Vanilla KOReader follows the Calibre method of doing things in that it's very powerful, very customizable and extensible, but not especially pretty or user friendly. After using vanilla for a bit, I installed the SimpleUI plugin which does exactly what I want and makes the device look better.
I also didn't love the built-in dictionary choices you can use (and they were also giving me download errors), so I grabbed the English one from here and simply loaded it on via USB. The site makes it look like you have to pay, but that's only for language-to-language dictionaries. Single language dictionaries are free. Just make sure you download the StarDict version, not the Kobo one, as StarDict is what KOReader uses.
It's also worth noting that KOReader won't de-DRM books for you, so it can't read the books you download from Kobo directly. Instead, you have to sideload them. This is easily doable via USB, though it's also supported by a lot of the self-hosted libraries out there (e.g. BookOrbit, Grimmory, Kavita). I personally use BookFusion which is paid, closed-source, and not self-hosted, but it still works great. Only downside is that browsing my library isn't done natively via KOReader but via a pop-up from a menu option, but I honestly don't really browse my library on an ereader much anyway and instead simply use it for reading.
For that, KOReader works flawlessly, and the plugin keeps everything synced so I can pick up a book right where I left off on any device.
I'm excited that I resurrected my two old ereaders, because now with three total, each one can live in its own specific place around my house where I'm likely to read (couch, desk, bed). This is going to sound super lazy of me, but I'm genuinely going to get more reading done because there are times that I'll park it someplace intending to read, realize I don't have my ereader with me, and just like, do something else instead rather than getting up and grabbing it.
Also, sometimes my dog parks it on top of/beside me before my lack-of-ereader realization occurs, and I can't ask him to move -- not when he's already so cozy and comfortable. So, having a device already chilling in the places I spend my time will be a nice quality of life improvement.
Anyway, if anyone else uses KOReader, I'd love to hear your experiences as well as any tips and tricks. I'm only just dipping my toe in the water right now, but the KOReader lake clearly goes much, much deeper. I'm also curious as to how it fares on a Kindle versus a Kobo, since I know Amazon locks those down a lot more.
-
KOReader: custom reader software for eink devices
7 votes -
Comment on I'm addicted to Slay the Spire and am looking for a new game in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentGive Inkbound a look if you liked Monster Train (it’s by the same devs). It takes the StS/MT formula and gives it an ARPG-style twist. Combat is still turn-based, and you still have full...Give Inkbound a look if you liked Monster Train (it’s by the same devs).
It takes the StS/MT formula and gives it an ARPG-style twist. Combat is still turn-based, and you still have full information on what’s going to happen each turn so you can plan accordingly.
I loved it.
-
Comment on I'm addicted to Slay the Spire and am looking for a new game in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentMy husband’s gaming hot take is that Monster Train is better than Slay the Spire. He bought the first game three different times (Switch, Steam, mobile) and 100%ed it on each. He also thinks the...My husband’s gaming hot take is that Monster Train is better than Slay the Spire.
He bought the first game three different times (Switch, Steam, mobile) and 100%ed it on each. He also thinks the sequel is even better than the first and has put untold hours into it.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI thoroughly enjoyed Xanthiom Zero and thought it was a solid hidden gem, so thanks for putting the dev's other games on my radar! I'll definitely be picking these up and playing them at some point.I thoroughly enjoyed Xanthiom Zero and thought it was a solid hidden gem, so thanks for putting the dev's other games on my radar! I'll definitely be picking these up and playing them at some point.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI'm an Outer Worlds apologist as well. I think it's WAY better than everyone else says it is! I'm honestly kind of glad that everybody kept repeating the talking point that it was mid ad nauseam....I'm an Outer Worlds apologist as well. I think it's WAY better than everyone else says it is!
I'm honestly kind of glad that everybody kept repeating the talking point that it was mid ad nauseam. That meant I went in with low expectations and was thrilled when the game far exceeded them. It has its flaws, but, like you, I think there's a really solid game there with lots to offer.
-
Comment on What is your "when I found out about 9/11" story? in ~talk
kfwyre (edited )LinkI was in high school. Even though we were thousands of miles away, we went on lockdown. There was so much uncertainty at the time. Eventually they let us change classes and go back to our normal...I was in high school.
Even though we were thousands of miles away, we went on lockdown. There was so much uncertainty at the time.
Eventually they let us change classes and go back to our normal schedule. None of my teachers attempted to teach anything that day. Some explicitly said they were NOT turning on the TV and just let us talk and play games. Some did turn on the news, and we all just kind of silently watched it for the period. As a teacher now, I’m not sure which choice was the “right” one (if any).
I got home and my parents had the news on and left it playing through the afternoon. This was completely unlike them — they were pretty big on limiting TV time, especially the news, because they didn’t want us kids exposed to dark headliners like murders, assaults, etc.
I remember asking my mom if we could turn it off.
She said no, we needed to keep it on so we could know what was happening.
I then distinctly remember saying “they don’t have to keep showing the people jumping though.” The TV stations had been looping the footage.
She said I was right and turned it off.
The images of people falling are seared into me. They’re my reflexive mental association for the event, moreso than the planes or smoke or towers or their collapse.
A few years later I read Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and the ending absolutely devastated me. Even thinking about it right now gets me crying.
If anyone ever has the opportunity to go to the 9/11 Memorial in NYC, it is genuinely excellent. My favorite part (if you can even call it that) was a display from an artist who asked people to paint the color of the sky that day. Each one is on a square, and they collected one per person who died that day. The squares are on display on a big wall, creating a simple yet devastating composite. It is humbling to stand in front of.
There is also a wing of artwork from children who lost family members. It was genuinely hard for me to get through because I found it so affecting. I literally could not breathe for parts of it.
Also, I cannot recommend the documentary 102 Minutes That Changed America enough. It is entirely primary source footage in chronological order — no talking heads, no commentary.
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI was looking through old horror titles to see if I could find anything else, and I learned that the late great Tim Curry starred in a 90s FMV adventure game: Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the...I was looking through old horror titles to see if I could find anything else, and I learned that the late great Tim Curry starred in a 90s FMV adventure game: Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster.
I'm not necessarily suggesting we play it, as its availability is quite low. It was released only on PC, Mac, and Sega Saturn, and has fallen fully into abandonware status. Nevertheless, I thought I'd mention it here simply because I'm surprised I'd never heard of this before (especially as someone with a decent pulse on 90s adventure games).
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentDitto for Realms of the Haunting.Ditto for Realms of the Haunting.
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre LinkNomination: Donkey Kong 64 I've never played it but always wanted to. It's also no secret that I love a good recompilation, and one was just released for this that makes it more accessible with...Nomination: Donkey Kong 64
I've never played it but always wanted to. It's also no secret that I love a good recompilation, and one was just released for this that makes it more accessible with modern quality of life features all while staying true to the original game.
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI love the enthusiasm, but please pick only one to boost.I love the enthusiasm, but please pick only one to boost.
-
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic in ~games
kfwyre LinkCGA Announcement: It's time to nominate titles for our next round of games! Nominations are open for the next 96 hours (4 days). You may either BOOST a game that's on the list from last time, or...CGA Announcement: It's time to nominate titles for our next round of games! Nominations are open for the next 96 hours (4 days).
You may either BOOST a game that's on the list from last time, or you may NOMINATE a new game. Please see topic text for full directions.
Notification List
@1338
@Akir
@ali
@arctanh
@AriMaeda
@atomicshoreline
@avirse
@balooga
@BeardyHat
@Boojum
@Bwerf
@CannibalisticApple
@chocobean
@clayh
@datavoid
@Debook
@DistractionRectangle
@dotsforeyes
@dozens
@Dr_Amazing
@endymiion
@Gourd
@granfdad
@Gummy
@hamstergeddon
@IsildursBane
@J-Chiptunator
@JCPhoenix
@joshbuddy
@kaiomai
@Kawa
@kej
@kfwyre
@kingofsnake
@Kirisame
@Lapbunny
@mayonuki
@Mendanbar
@mysterylevel
@PancakeCats
@Pavouk106
@PetitPrince
@Plattypus
@polle
@preposterous
@psi
@rosco
@rubix
@Rudism
@SloMoMonday
@Sodliddesu
@Soggy
@sotix
@Spore_Prince
@SpruceWillis
@squidwiz
@talklittle
@ThatMartinFellow
@tomorrow-never-knows
@Trobador
@Venko
@vili
@Weldawadyathink
@Wes
@xk3
@zod000If you would like to be added or removed from the Notification List, please PM u/kfwyre.
-
Colossal Game Adventure: September 2026 nominations topic
We are up for another round of nominations for Colossal Game Adventure, Tildes' very own retro video game club! These nominations will form the ballot for the next round of voting, in which will...
We are up for another round of nominations for Colossal Game Adventure, Tildes' very own retro video game club!
These nominations will form the ballot for the next round of voting, in which will we choose the next SIX games to play after we finish Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 this month.
Nominations for CGA do not start fresh each time. We rollover the top 50% of nominations from the previous round, and we decay their vote totals by 70%. So, many of the previously nominated games are still eligible to win in the upcoming voting.
Procedural Details
-
Nominations will be open for 96 hours (4 days) from the time of this posting.
-
Anyone can nominate. You do not have to have previously taken part in CGA in order to participate.
-
Anyone nominating in this topic will be added to the CGA notification list if they're not already on there (unless you request otherwise).
-
There is no hard definition for "retro." Choose whatever you feel fits that label.
-
Games that have been nominated in the past but were cut are still eligible for nomination again. They do not get "locked out" of CGA.
Nomination Process
Everyone has the ability to take one (and ONLY one) official action for the nominations topic.
EITHER: Boost a rolled-over title.
- This will add 3 points to the title's rollover points from the previous round.
- You will also be able to add points to the game during the voting round.
- The purpose of this is to limit new nominations if there are games already in the list that strongly interest you.
OR: Nominate a new title.
- This will add a new game/arcade special to the ballot.
- An Arcade Special is a group of shorter/smaller games meant to be played together.
- Any new title starts at 0 points.
Nomination Formatting
Please do the following:
Bold your action (boosting/nominating).
If nominating, please link to your title on MobyGames. (You do not need to do this for boosting since the links are already in the list.)
Examples:
Boosting a game:
- Boost: Lode Runner
Nominating a game:
- Nomination: Portal 2
Nominating an Arcade Special:
- Nomination: Windows in the 90s
Minesweeper
Chip's Challenge
JezzBall
It is recommended (but not required) that you share why you are nominating/boosting a particular game as well.
Rollover Titles
Game Rollover Votes Arcade Special: The Grue That Binds
Border Zone
Twisted!
Zork7 Another World 6 Arcade Special: Back in a Flash
Bloons Tower Defense
Line Rider
Motherload
QWOP
Stick RPG5 Tetris 5 Mother 3 5 Arcade Special: The Genesis of Treasure
Gunstar Heroes
McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure
Dynamite Headdy
Alien Soldier
Light Crusader5 Descent 5 Resident Evil (REmake) 5 Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist 5 Beneath a Steel Sky 4 Crystalis 4 Maniac Mansion 4 17 votes -
-
Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of September 6 in ~games
kfwyre LinkFanatical Build Your Own Killer Bundle Fanatical does seasonal "Bundlefests" and they always have a "Killer" bundle as their headliner. This one kicks off their Fall Bundlefest. It's got a broad...Fanatical Build Your Own Killer Bundle
Fanatical does seasonal "Bundlefests" and they always have a "Killer" bundle as their headliner. This one kicks off their Fall Bundlefest.
It's got a broad selection of games (30 different available titles) and a low cost (starts at 5 games for $6 USD). Fanatical's bundle quality can vary pretty wildly, but this one looks really solid with some good stuff on offer.
If you're in the Kobo ecosystem and happy with it, then KOReader doesn't really have anything to offer. In fact, unless you've already de-DRMed your library, it won't do anything but add friction.
Personally, I never liked the fact that my DRM-free ebooks from places like Project Gutenberg and Humble Bundle weren't ever going to be integrated in my library the same way as stuff I'd bought through Kobo. I also read on a variety of different devices in different settings, so cloud syncing them was essential for me, but Kobo will only do that for the books they sell.
As such, as my library grew, and there were more and more books that I'd bought from places other than Kobo, I ended up seeking out a platform (the aforementioned BookFusion) that let me upload all of my books and have them live under one roof.
The only downside was that I couldn't access BookFusion on my Kobo devices directly. KOReader is what lets me do that now. It's "worth it" in the sense that I swapped out the Kobo ecosystem for BookFusion.
So, its utility is really only for people who manage their own library of books.
Ironically, I still buy a lot of books through Kobo, so my workflow now looks like:
Buy book from Kobo > de-DRM it > upload it to BookFusion > download it back to my Kobo through KOReader. Full circle!
Roundabout and complicated? Yes. Worth it because I can do that just as easily for a book I bought as one I got off of Standard Ebooks? Absolutely. The special sauce is having my ENTIRE library under one roof getting all the perks and features, rather than only some of the books.
I should also add that, with any bring-your-own-media setup like KOReader, there's a huge but mostly unspoken understory that the service is usually excellent for people who pirate their media. Something like KOReader will never advertise this, and a lot of the people who do use it that way won't necessarily say that openly, but it's the truth of the matter. I think that's a big thing that makes it "worth it" for a lot of people as well.