kru's recent activity
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
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Comment on What is your dream game? in ~games
kru Link ParentThe hallmark of an amazing quest is the very non-obvious 'best of all worlds' solution that becomes available to players who put in the extra effort, or have a good blend of stats, or made some...The hallmark of an amazing quest is the very non-obvious 'best of all worlds' solution that becomes available to players who put in the extra effort, or have a good blend of stats, or made some other gameplay decisions that enable it.
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Comment on What is your dream game? in ~games
kru LinkArcanum, remade in the divinity engine (or a similarly physics-oriented engine) and designed/written by the OG Troika team. I'd also want to recreate the original (abandonware) Albion game as a...Arcanum, remade in the divinity engine (or a similarly physics-oriented engine) and designed/written by the OG Troika team.
I'd also want to recreate the original (abandonware) Albion game as a first person skyrim-like.
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Comment on VR questions, recommendations, tips, and tricks in ~games
kru LinkMy advice for anyone who wants to use VR for more than 30 mins at a time: Get a halo headstrap. For the quest 3, the best one I've played with is the Bobo S3 Pro (although I've tried cheaper ones...My advice for anyone who wants to use VR for more than 30 mins at a time: Get a halo headstrap. For the quest 3, the best one I've played with is the Bobo S3 Pro (although I've tried cheaper ones which are pretty good, too!).
The thing is, the default straps for the quest (and it looks like the steam frame as well) keep the device held in place by pressing it against your face. This is fine for awhile, perhaps even an hour or so of comfortable use. But during long sessions, or after many sessions over weeks, this constant pressure gets very uncomfortable. The halo strap instead is secured across your forehead and skull using less sensitive pressure points along your forehead and back the head. The device just sits gently in front of your face. And a good halo strap will counterweight the device by providing a small battery unit in the back of the head.
Why do the devices ship with simple, uncomfortable straps? Because it's cheap.
I'd also avoid straps that just add a top-strap, like meta's "elite strap" or the frame's "ergonomic kit" offers. These are a little bit better than the default face-squishing strap, but they're still not as good as a real halo strap.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
kru Link ParentHow's your take on the time as a resource mechanic? Have you ever spent time on something and been disappointed at the result?How's your take on the time as a resource mechanic? Have you ever spent time on something and been disappointed at the result?
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Comment on Nexon pursues ‘StarCraft’ sequel development rights from Blizzard in ~games
kru LinkThe top brass at Nexon have been fascinated by StarCraft for a long time. Personally, I'd love a starcraft sequel. I'd also love if they made a sequel to Shattered Galaxy but with the StarCraft IP.The top brass at Nexon have been fascinated by StarCraft for a long time.
Personally, I'd love a starcraft sequel. I'd also love if they made a sequel to Shattered Galaxy but with the StarCraft IP.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
kru LinkI picked up Magical Princess because it was highly reviewed and the top review said to go in blind. I'm a sucker for something interesting or unexpected will take place. This game is a perfectly...I picked up Magical Princess because it was highly reviewed and the top review said to go in blind. I'm a sucker for something interesting or unexpected will take place. This game is a perfectly fine princess maker, its live2d puppets give it top-notch presentation. It's initially a deep time management game, but the optimal path will become apparent very quickly, I think. The optimal path is so far ahead of any other that all guides agree to get skill X first, Y second, etc. When that happens, it doesn't matter how deep or complex the mechanics of the game are, the balance just isn't there. It was fun, competent and worth the ~12 hours I put in.
I've been slogging through Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew by the guys who made Shadow Tactics and the (excellent) Desperados 3. I love that Mimimi did the trifecta: ninjas, then cowboys, and now pirates. But, for some reason that I haven't fully grasped, this latest game failed to hook me the same way the first games did. I loved Shadow Tactics and Desperados. Amazing games. I'm going to keep pushing through Shadow Gambit until I can figure out what it is lacking, why it doesn't have the same soul that the others do.
Prior to that I played Until Then which is a VN with a great kinetic pixel art aesthetic. The presentation is solid, and the initial mystery certainly served to draw me in and get me wondering what's going on. Unfortunately, after about 18 hours to get through it, I can say that I felt the payoff was severely lacking. Also, the designers made some very questionable choices. If you're making a VN, please do not introduce an entirely new mechanic as part of the Act 1 denouement. The story was that the character had been practicing and training for months, making slow, incremental progress towards the goal. Then, during the actual event, a new (quite difficult) minigame mechanic is introduced and not only am I not able to enjoy the majesty of that character's achievements to get to the point, I'm instead being made to feel like a failure because I am unskilled at a never-before-seen minigame that takes place during the event. What is worst of all is that the whole thing is pointless. Failing the minigame has no bearing on the outcome at all. It's pure stupid. And it's not the only instance of this type of thing in the game. I do not recommend the game.
Lastly, I picked up Sandustry which is a 2d pixel-world factory builder. Imagine Satisfactory in a Noita-like environment. It's currently in EA so I only got about 17 hours before running out of content. I enjoyed my time with it. It's super cozy. It's focused on conveyors and converting materials to different forms. It has the same relaxed vibe that Satisfactory does.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
kru Link ParentWe need wreckfest and snowrunner together. Slide down that hill and watch your jeep get banged up, slowly deteriorating until it limps back to basecamp.We need wreckfest and snowrunner together. Slide down that hill and watch your jeep get banged up, slowly deteriorating until it limps back to basecamp.
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Comment on Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003) in ~movies
kru LinkThis film taught me how to properly rank and order beetles.This film taught me how to properly rank and order beetles.
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Comment on What is the oldest file you still have? in ~tech
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Comment on AI text watermarking is free and good in ~comp
kru Link ParentI use blast radius frequently when discussing the, well, blast radius of a feature or fix. It's a good term and useful shorthand for the connectivity of a system. I'll stop using it when I'm dead...I use blast radius frequently when discussing the, well, blast radius of a feature or fix. It's a good term and useful shorthand for the connectivity of a system. I'll stop using it when I'm dead or retired.
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Comment on Dictatorship in ~society
kru LinkHow much of this is top-down directed and how much is self-directed borne out of a culture of compliance and yea-men, I wonder. In other words, from whence did the decision originate? Did someone...How much of this is top-down directed and how much is self-directed borne out of a culture of compliance and yea-men, I wonder. In other words, from whence did the decision originate? Did someone high up order ways to get Yabloko off the ballot via legal means, and cronies executed, or did the cronies decide that attacking Yabloko was part of a strategy to curry favor and reap rewards?
Because I think a small cadre of powerful people directing subordinates to be evil is ultimately more manageable and recoervable than a culture where a majority of people are actively seeking ways to be evil in the hopes of reward.
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Comment on Bethesda, id Software reportedly hit hard by Microsoft layoffs in ~games
kru Link ParentObsidian got hit to the tune of around 25%. I doubt any studio escaped completely unscathed.Obsidian got hit to the tune of around 25%. I doubt any studio escaped completely unscathed.
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Comment on Does generative AI have a natural limit without a major innovation? in ~comp
kru Link ParentMost of the gains over the past cycle have come from better tooling. I think this is widely recognized. But it's a tit-for-tat thing. Tools get made. Models get better at generic tool use. Tools...Most of the gains over the past cycle have come from better tooling. I think this is widely recognized. But it's a tit-for-tat thing. Tools get made. Models get better at generic tool use. Tools get better/standardized. Models get better at using those tools. Rinse. Repeat.
I liken it to the development of software for creatives. Back in the days of yore, if you wanted to edit a digital photograph (not that those were easy to come by in the 80s/90s, heh), you were doing direct pixel manipulation. Then photoshop (and similar) came out and there was suite of nifty editing tools - but you had to learn how best to use them. Then those tools got better/more advanced and you learned the new usages. Then the tools got even better, and you learned more to keep up. Then the tools started being able to use themselves and here we are.
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Comment on Any fellow software engineers using paid GitHub copilot? in ~comp
kru Link ParentEnterprise pays per seat and per token. (https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11526368-how-am-i-billed-for-my-enterprise-plan)Enterprise pays per seat and per token.
(https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11526368-how-am-i-billed-for-my-enterprise-plan)
Enterprise plan billing has two parts: a fixed seat fee and separate usage charges. The seat fee covers platform access. Usage is billed on top of that, based on what your team actually consumes.
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Comment on Humble Choice - June 2026 in ~games
kru LinkRiftbreaker is the sleeper hit. That game is an underrated gem. It's not as deep as factorio or satisfactory, but it's a wicked fun romp. I haven't tried coop. I did have a blast running through...Riftbreaker is the sleeper hit. That game is an underrated gem. It's not as deep as factorio or satisfactory, but it's a wicked fun romp. I haven't tried coop. I did have a blast running through the main story (no dlcs). I got about 30 hours out of it.
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Comment on Valve raises Steam Deck OLED prices by up to $300 in ~games
kru Link ParentYell abuse all you like with my blessings, but avoid spitting, unless you're willing to suffer a battery charge.Yell abuse all you like with my blessings, but avoid spitting, unless you're willing to suffer a battery charge.
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Comment on Dice Tower West 2026 in ~games.tabletop
kru LinkI figure the intersection of people who visit Tildes and people who attend Dice Tower West is exactly me. But just in case it's not, send me a message if you're attending and want to grab a game...I figure the intersection of people who visit Tildes and people who attend Dice Tower West is exactly me. But just in case it's not, send me a message if you're attending and want to grab a game or two.
The Dice Tower convention is a huge gathering of board gamers who just play board games nonstop for days on end. It's great fun, if you enjoy board games. It's not as big as spiel or gen con, but it's 100% focused on playing board games.
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Dice Tower West 2026
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Comment on The future of AI in ~tech
kru Link ParentWe've got to find a better way to bring people back to reality, or make it socially acceptable to admit to being bamboozled, or something to that effect. I don't have an answer. I just know that a...What is anyone supposed to do about that level of dissociation from reality?
We've got to find a better way to bring people back to reality, or make it socially acceptable to admit to being bamboozled, or something to that effect. I don't have an answer. I just know that a big part of the problem is that people often get angrier at the person who is showing them they've been bamboozled than they get at the person who bamboozled them in the first place.
Are you attempting something akin to what C2PA is doing?