Mendanbar's recent activity
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Comment on Help choosing a new linux computer? in ~tech
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Comment on Help choosing a new linux computer? in ~tech
Mendanbar LinkJust for reference, here is the prebuilt desktop I am using with Mint. I had originally intended to only use this with the Windows 11 OS that came with it, but I had an extra SSD lying around and...Just for reference, here is the prebuilt desktop I am using with Mint.
I had originally intended to only use this with the Windows 11 OS that came with it, but I had an extra SSD lying around and decided on a whim to try dual booting Linux. I tried a couple of other distros first (Bazzite and I think CachyOS?), but ultimately went with Mint because everything was super smooth even running from the live CD. It's ended up being where I spend 99% of my time. I think I have booted into my Windows partition only 3-4 times since I bought the PC in April. This PC is my primary gaming device, and thanks to Steam's Proton I have had almost no trouble running all of my favorite games.
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Comment on Help choosing a new linux computer? in ~tech
Mendanbar Link ParentThis is good general advice. Related: If you do find yourself with an Nividia card (especially a decently modern one), I would recommend giving Linux Mint a try. I ended up with an RTX 4060 and...This is good general advice. Related: If you do find yourself with an Nividia card (especially a decently modern one), I would recommend giving Linux Mint a try. I ended up with an RTX 4060 and was bracing myself for a bad Linux experience, but I have found zero issues with Mint. I can say that other distros were not as forgiving, though, so it's definitely worth considering an AMD card if you want maximum choice of OS.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentYeah I'm *checks notes* ~10hrs in, and I've only had to look up one thing (where I just missed a line of dialog) to progress. I also had to redo a single boss fight, but mainly because of my own...Yeah I'm *checks notes* ~10hrs in, and I've only had to look up one thing (where I just missed a line of dialog) to progress. I also had to redo a single boss fight, but mainly because of my own hubris. No grinding required the second time around. It's been really nice.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentIt's kind of nice in a way to put all of that out of my mind. Maybe it's just my FOMO brain, but knowing there are things I'm missing adds to the temptation to look things up. I sort of ruined the...It's kind of nice in a way to put all of that out of my mind. Maybe it's just my FOMO brain, but knowing there are things I'm missing adds to the temptation to look things up. I sort of ruined the fun of FF7 my last playthrough because I relied so heavily on guides. I'm trying to look as little as possible up for this run of CT, and so far the temptation has been pretty manageable.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentHa, I was the kid that spent the car ride home reading the manual front to back several times over. :) Also, that video of the The Last Ninja 3 blew me away. Pretty amazing that so much was packed...Ha, I was the kid that spent the car ride home reading the manual front to back several times over. :)
Also, that video of the The Last Ninja 3 blew me away. Pretty amazing that so much was packed into a game of that era.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentIt's definitely not just you. Mild spoilers for a few hours into the game I got stuck in this play-through around Medina Village. It was super unclear to me that I needed to go through the cave to...That said, narratively I've been a little bit more lost. I usually know roughly what I should probably do next, but I don't always know where (or when) to do it. And I have often also been confused about why I should do something. So, there has been quite a bit of aimless wandering around for a while, and then opening a walkthrough to check where to go next. But maybe it's just me and I'm poor at understanding the game's narrative guidance. It would be interesting to hear from others who are playing the game for the first time.
It's definitely not just you.
Mild spoilers for a few hours into the game
I got stuck in this play-through around Medina Village. It was super unclear to me that I needed to go through the cave to get back to the starting area in the same era.I experienced the same thing, and I think in hindsight it may have been why I bounced off the game a couple of times previously. This isn't anything really unique to Chrono Trigger, though. If I think hard enough I can think of similar spots in most of the JRPG's I've played. I think the original Dragon Warrior took me something like 5 years to beat. There was a progression item I couldn't find, and only was able to move forward when I happened across a guide in a bookstore (5 years later) that gave me a hint.
I think in the case of Chrono Trigger I bounced off because of life circumstances at the time. I was switching a lot between games, and switching away from an RPG for a month can be a death sentence to the run (my history with Dragon Warrior notwithstanding).
In general I think RPGs have to walk a fine line between discovery and guidance, and none of them get it right 100% of the time.
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Comment on Cory Doctorow: Tech-like apps can obfuscate what’s really going on, sloshing a coat of complexity over a business that allows its owners to claim that they’re not breaking the law in ~tech
Mendanbar LinkI liked the article, but I'm sort of surprised he didn't mention Boeing's very obvious and blatant regulatory capture as it lead to the 737-Max crashes.I liked the article, but I'm sort of surprised he didn't mention Boeing's very obvious and blatant regulatory capture as it lead to the 737-Max crashes.
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Comment on The Oatmeal: A cartoonist's review of AI art in ~comics
Mendanbar (edited )Link ParentI am in charge of some hiring at my company, and I'm increasingly concerned that AI is slowly breaking the natural junior -> senior engineer mentoring progression. I'm afraid we may not see the...I am in charge of some hiring at my company, and I'm increasingly concerned that AI is slowly breaking the natural junior -> senior engineer mentoring progression. I'm afraid we may not see the full downstream effects for many years, and by then it'll really be way too late to change course.
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Comment on Robin Williams' daughter pleads for people to stop sending her AI videos of her dad in ~tech
Mendanbar LinkThis resonated with me. I've been on the fence about AI art/videos in general, but I've been feeling this sense of unease I couldn't quite pin down. Ultimately I think it stems from the idea that..."You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross."
She concluded: "And for the love of EVERY THING, stop calling it 'the future,' AI is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be re-consumed. You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume."
This resonated with me. I've been on the fence about AI art/videos in general, but I've been feeling this sense of unease I couldn't quite pin down. Ultimately I think it stems from the idea that everything from here on out will be overtaken by some sort of averaging effect. Like all of human creativity will just be thrown in the blender perpetually from this day forward, and produce something that is "just fine". :(
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Comment on What does ChatGPT know about you? in ~tech
Mendanbar Link ParentI didn't realize there was a memory setting until today. I promptly turned mine off! Instructions on how to do it, since it's a little hard to find:I didn't realize there was a memory setting until today. I promptly turned mine off!
Instructions on how to do it, since it's a little hard to find:
To turn off ChatGPT's memory, click on your profile icon (or menu icon on mobile), go to Settings, then select Personalization, and toggle the "Memory" or "Reference saved memories" feature off.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentYeah given the context of the rest of the image, it reads to me like a parka. Chrono also appears to be decked out in winter gear. Cover art was wildly inconsistent the 80's and 90's, so I suppose...bathrobe
Yeah given the context of the rest of the image, it reads to me like a parka. Chrono also appears to be decked out in winter gear. Cover art was wildly inconsistent the 80's and 90's, so I suppose we should be glad that Square's US team made a habit of at least using the character designer's artwork.
There are definitely worse offenders. Just look at what they did to my boy!
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of September 29 in ~society
Mendanbar Link ParentI'm not sure what response that video was supposed to get, but it gave me "the part of the movie where the bad guys are winning and all hope seems lost" vibes. I don't mean that this is how we...I'm not sure what response that video was supposed to get, but it gave me "the part of the movie where the bad guys are winning and all hope seems lost" vibes. I don't mean that this is how we should feel, just that it seems like the wrong way to set up ICE as the ones to be happy about when you're trying to control the narrative. Really bizarre choice.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentI had never heard the Team Gato one. The Gato theme was always one of my least favorite tracks in the game, but I loved every second of that remix. I was especially nodding my head to that hip hop...I had never heard the Team Gato one. The Gato theme was always one of my least favorite tracks in the game, but I loved every second of that remix. I was especially nodding my head to that hip hop section near the end. OC ReMix is such a gift.
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
Mendanbar Link ParentI heard this as well, and I spent a number of years working on simulators at an airplane manufacturer. I kind of took it to mean that there are a variety of factors, and it's easier to just say...I heard this as well, and I spent a number of years working on simulators at an airplane manufacturer. I kind of took it to mean that there are a variety of factors, and it's easier to just say that phrase rather than go into all the details about the accepted flight mechanics.
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Comment on Horror games to play during October in ~games
Mendanbar (edited )Link ParentDay 17 spoilers, and rant The anti grav event nearly ended my game. I had spent so much time meticulously organizing my base, and had carefully placed the very fragile light tube gifts from the...Day 17 spoilers, and rant
The anti grav event nearly ended my game. I had spent so much time meticulously organizing my base, and had carefully placed the very fragile light tube gifts from the aliens in places so they wouldn't get broken by Kerfur. >_<I'm still playing and having fun, but I just had to vent about that.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar (edited )Link ParentI'm also a big fan of the music from Chrono Trigger. My absolute favorite track is one of the simplest: Schala's Theme. Back in the day, I used an SPC player to put this song on loop while I did...I'm also a big fan of the music from Chrono Trigger. My absolute favorite track is one of the simplest: Schala's Theme. Back in the day, I used an SPC player to put this song on loop while I did my homework. I would listen for hours without getting tired of it, and I think I could still do the same today. It's just such a calming track.
This OCRemix by Star Salzman is another favorite. It has lyrics that match with Robo's story! (might be spoilers, so be careful)
Edit: Also, the rest of Star Salzman's work is worth a listen if you are into video game music. Their Mega Man 2 Wily Theme remix is one of my favorite songs of all time, and what I think should play in the opening/closing credits if a Mega Man movie ever gets made.
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentHell yeah! I will be playing the DS version on my DS Lite. It really is so good with the video cutscenes that expand on Akira Toriyama's iconic character designs. But also I needed something...Hell yeah! I will be playing the DS version on my DS Lite. It really is so good with the video cutscenes that expand on Akira Toriyama's iconic character designs. But also I needed something portable to have even a chance of finishing in a month.
This is my most anticipated month of the CGA (with Wind Waker in Jan being a close second ) I've started Chrono Trigger a couple of times but never finished. I love everything about the game, but a combination of factors led to me not playing the game until I was older and life was more busy.
I'm planning to play as far as possible without looking anything up. I think it has been long enough since I last played that I can mostly go in fresh. No matter what, I'm going to get an ending this time! :)
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Comment on Horror games to play during October in ~games
Mendanbar Link ParentJust gotta say that I love some of the horror adjacent humor elements peppered throughout the game. Examples I've experienced so far (I'm only about 13 days in): If you go to bed hungry, there's a...Just gotta say that I love some of the horror adjacent humor elements peppered throughout the game. Examples I've experienced so far (I'm only about 13 days in):
- If you go to bed hungry, there's a good chance you'll have a dream where you have to parkour on giant chickenburgers to collect small chickenburgers. The atmosphere is spooky, but the premise is just so goofy.
- If you run too fast down the stairs you might smack into the door and fall down.
- Yesterday I was collecting signals and all of a sudden food started appearing all over the desk. I kept trying to pick it up, but it said I couldn't and the food would disappear. Then I realized I was just really hungry and hallucinating the food. :D
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Comment on Brannon Braga calls for longer Star Trek seasons in ~tv
Mendanbar Link ParentI haven't seen Picard, and haven't yet seen any of this season of SNW, but last season did have a few slower moments of introspection, and I think it contributed to my feeling that SNW is...I haven't seen Picard, and haven't yet seen any of this season of SNW, but last season did have a few slower moments of introspection, and I think it contributed to my feeling that SNW is succeeding in capturing the spirit of Star Trek better than the other New Trek shows.
Yep, I completely agree. I went with Nvidia in my case because of a combination of budget, availability, and the fact that I hadn't originally intended to install Linux as my daily driver. It was a happy accident that everything fell into place for me.