PetitPrince's recent activity
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Comment on AI was eroding trust in my classroom — so I got rid of typed papers and bought my students notebooks instead in ~life
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Comment on The ethics of buying, playing military, war or games inspired by them? in ~games
PetitPrince (edited )Link ParentThere's this saying by cinema director François Truffaut that says that there's no such thing as anti-war movie cause even showing by showing it you are glorifying it. And that's acutely the case...The PS2 generation of Ace Combat games are blatantly anti-war
There's this saying by cinema director François Truffaut that says that there's no such thing as anti-war movie cause even showing by showing it you are glorifying it. And that's acutely the case because the Ace Combat series is without question games about Cool Planes(tm).
However... There's this title of the youtuber Timmm for his retrospective about the series that kept with me: "Ace Combat is a simulator, but not of reality". He argue that the whole point of view of the AC series is the one of a kid that comes up with crazy stories to feature their favorite cool planes. And indeed if/when you have a look at the golden trinity, you'll find tons of melodrama (and even in 7, Mihaly's story is bonkers).
And so yes you are licensing planes from the industrial military complex, but this is only in an effort of verisimilitude (because this is Cool) and not so much propaganda. I don't think the series (and that I includes PW) is so much anti-war as they are more fantasy featuring cool planes for me. We only see the point of view of a plane, so showcasing the horrors of war is somewhat surface level (this is not This War of Mine), and the coolness factor somewhat dilute any message that would come from it. Yes nuking is bad, but when you have 99 missiles and doing manoeuver that would normally centrifuge you to death, what would be a tragedy is transformed into a cool backdrop for an air duel. The story could be about knights and monster ; and indeed there's tons of chivalry/mythology motif in the games (even inventing their own with the Razgriz).So yeah it's probably bad, but not as bad as other war games that have more overt propaganda in it. AC8 is still #1 in my wishlist.
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Comment on The ethics of buying, playing military, war or games inspired by them? in ~games
PetitPrince (edited )Link ParentI second /u/Hollow recommendations in playing 4, 5, 0 (six I haven't played yet because of emulation). Then afterwards play Project Wingman; it's feel like a natural evolution of the series from a...I second /u/Hollow recommendations in playing 4, 5, 0 (six I haven't played yet because of emulation).
Then afterwards play Project Wingman; it's feel like a natural evolution of the series from a gameplay perspective (even moreso than AC7). It's also very peculiar in that's it was almost a solo dev. And in a true Ace Combat fashion the soundtrack is awesome.
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Comment on What are you no longer a fan of? in ~talk
PetitPrince Link ParentNah, all the experience you acquired (your taste if you will) is valuable, and as the rest of the post shows it still informs many of your decision. I have the feeling it's just the novelty of it...I feel it’s not a good thing
Nah, all the experience you acquired (your taste if you will) is valuable, and as the rest of the post shows it still informs many of your decision. I have the feeling it's just the novelty of it that wore off and you transformed "having a device" from a hobby to an utility. I think I had the same arc with Windows customization and 3D printing.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: February 2026 Voting Topic in ~games
PetitPrince Link ParentSounds good ! (for the record, I voted for the game I'd like to play; but I tend to be slow reacting with social media)Sounds good !
(for the record, I voted for the game I'd like to play; but I tend to be slow reacting with social media)
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: February 2026 Voting Topic in ~games
PetitPrince (edited )LinkTetris (5) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (5) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (5) Space Rogue (4) Descent (1)Tetris (5)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (5)
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (5)
Space Rogue (4)
Descent (1) -
Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: February 2026 Lobbying Topic in ~games
PetitPrince LinkI would like to petition a change so that the Tetris entry is converted to to an Arcade Special titled "A Tetris Tetralogy". If that doesn't work, consider this as my lobbying to Tetris in...I would like to petition a change so that the Tetris entry is converted to to an Arcade Special titled "A Tetris Tetralogy". If that doesn't work, consider this as my lobbying to Tetris in general.
The games in that series would be :
Those title were chosen for historical reason (and because when you say "original Tetris" you can say you played the actual original Tetris #pet_peeve #technically_correct), and because they are representative of the existing competitive scenes, and because of personal taste/nostalgie (my teenage years were spent with Tetris DS, and this was my first foray into competitive Tetris).
Tetris is an fractal-like in its complexity, but to guide you to some interesting part of those game I could introduce some community challenge such as:
- Just running the Electronica60 version (I haven't tried it yet, but from what I heard seems you first need to install a pdp11 emulator, then install some Russian font)
- NES: Use the TetrisGYM romhack to experience the speed top players routinely experience, and experiment with the "DAS" and "rolling" technique.
- Tetris DS: try to get some t-spins double or triple triple against the CPU, or practice some of the various openers.
- Tetris the Grand Master : activate the instant gravity cheat code and try to survive as long as possible, or even try to get the coveted Gm grade (ok I don't think it's possible to get it in under a month without unhealthy dedication or prior Tetris experience; but still if I can hook someone to the series that would make me very happy).
Of course if someone reaaally like to talk about other variant of Tetris or games that uses Tetris as a basis for something else (Drop Duchy ? Tetrachroma ? Soft body Tetris ?) I wouldn't mind; but me being biaised toward high level Tetris I think this is a good selection (while still being retro).
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Comment on A rant about how devices handle users with language backgrounds other than English in ~tech
PetitPrince (edited )LinkThere's a slight positive on this, is that most advertisement I receive is in German, the majority language of my country. I don't speak nor read German or any of the dialect, so online ad has...There's a slight positive on this, is that most advertisement I receive is in German, the majority language of my country. I don't speak nor read German or any of the dialect, so online ad has less chance of even subliminally affect me.
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The best and worst Swiss trains
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Comment on I'm back in ~talk
PetitPrince LinkIt's still less of a Reddit competitor with better mechanics (where smaller communities bubble up more interesting topics with voting) and more of a small/medium sized message board with voting...It's still less of a Reddit competitor with better mechanics (where smaller communities bubble up more interesting topics with voting) and more of a small/medium sized message board with voting mechanics. But that doesn't bother me.
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Comment on You are being misled about renewable energy technology in ~enviro
PetitPrince Link ParentNo, and I don't think it's the main point of the video.Since the video is this long, I have to ask: does he talk about the issue with the fact that pretty much all solar panels are made in China? (are they still? is there any movement to change that?)
No, and I don't think it's the main point of the video.
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Comment on You are being misled about renewable energy technology in ~enviro
PetitPrince Link Parent*in the USA (European countries have figures around 50%; in Switzerland I'm pretty sure we have 95% electric trains)99.9% of all commercial/public transportation,
*in the USA (European countries have figures around 50%; in Switzerland I'm pretty sure we have 95% electric trains)
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Comment on You are being misled about renewable energy technology in ~enviro
PetitPrince Link ParentOn part that stayed with me is that even thought batteries (and panels) needs material to be extracted from the earth, once it's done and if there's a will we can be very good to keep using them....Onto the batteries, yes they can contain some nasty chemicals and hard to get materials, but the chemicals are contained and can be recovered and reused. This also covers the materials used, so even though the mining process of the materials can be extensive, when the battery life is at it's end, which can be up to 15 years or more, we can recover all the materials in those to make new batteries.
On part that stayed with me is that even thought batteries (and panels) needs material to be extracted from the earth, once it's done and if there's a will we can be very good to keep using them. As an example he takes the lead acid batteries which are nowadays made of... 99% old lead acid batteries (Wikipedia says 99 recycled, I don't know if it's a shortcut or not).
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Comment on Why academic competition >> athletic competition in ~humanities
PetitPrince Link ParentI went to the Swiss biology olympiads and volunteered (as staff) for the international biology olympiads. For Switzerland it was mostly additional courses and the reward was some text books (that...I went to the Swiss biology olympiads and volunteered (as staff) for the international biology olympiads.
For Switzerland it was mostly additional courses and the reward was some text books (that you probably already have), but I know for other countries a good ranking would equal a free scholarship.
Not that it's insignificant thought; participating in that steered my whole choice of study toward biology and bioengineering (before I was more into chemistry thanks to my wonderful teacher).
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Comment on Youtube channel recommendations 2026 in ~tech
PetitPrince Link ParentFrom the man himself:I consider him a bit like old Tom Scott with much higher effort camera work and editing, and often more in-depth/sciency topics.
From the man himself:
This week's guest video is from a channel based around explaining interesting things, on location, with a style that sometimes feels like a BBC documentary from the early 2000s. So, introducing someone who is going to have my job in a few years, James, from Atomic Frontier [...]
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Comment on Food place recommendations in Paris? in ~travel
PetitPrince Link ParentGault & Millau can also be trusted; they're a direct competitor to Michelin.Gault & Millau can also be trusted; they're a direct competitor to Michelin.
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Comment on Food place recommendations in Paris? in ~travel
PetitPrince LinkKodawari Ramen have some mighty good ramen. They have a love, care and respect of the product that's as good as any high-end restaurant. It's also very popular (and not that expensive; it's ramen...Kodawari Ramen have some mighty good ramen. They have a love, care and respect of the product that's as good as any high-end restaurant. It's also very popular (and not that expensive; it's ramen after all), so much so that they've set up theme park style virtual waiting line.
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Comment on No knives, only cook knives in ~hobbies
PetitPrince Link ParentAnd that's what I said "diminishing returns" because I don't think those gaudy watches with more gems than mechanism have a better movement than a more restrain watch. But they're not going to...But that's why I said more specific tools
And that's what I said "diminishing returns" because I don't think those gaudy watches with more gems than mechanism have a better movement than a more restrain watch. But they're not going to have a cheap clone either.
(I do have some nice knives so I know where you're coming from :) )
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Comment on No knives, only cook knives in ~hobbies
PetitPrince Link ParentTo add to what you said, there's kitchen knife the tool, and kitchen knife the artisanal product. As a tool you look for a durable object that's easily serviceable and ergonomic enough. Quality go...I guess the moral of the story is that the quality of the knife matters, but not nearly as much as the price tag can suggest.
To add to what you said, there's kitchen knife the tool, and kitchen knife the artisanal product. As a tool you look for a durable object that's easily serviceable and ergonomic enough. Quality go with price but you quickly hit diminishing return.
As an artisanal product you look for a pretty appearance and/or the knowledge that some person spent a lot of time making it.See also: watches and luxury watches.
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Comment on What's a culture shock that you experienced? in ~talk
PetitPrince Link ParentLa bise and its confusing number is precisely what launched the career of humorist Paul Taylor with this sketch. Fear not, it's confusing for everyone !La bise and its confusing number is precisely what launched the career of humorist Paul Taylor with this sketch. Fear not, it's confusing for everyone !
As other comment in this thread noted, I think this is a feature not a bug.
But I do understand my frustration : my writing style is messy and iterative ; there is a cost in writing stuff down over and over again.