SloMoMonday's recent activity
-
Comment on The strangest encounter in ~talk
-
Comment on Post something from your notes app in ~talk
SloMoMonday LinkMy notes app is mostly work memos and my kid messing around with the drawing tools. But I did find some old notes from a game I was working on through lockdown. Here's one of the random events we...My notes app is mostly work memos and my kid messing around with the drawing tools. But I did find some old notes from a game I was working on through lockdown. Here's one of the random events we were plotting out
4.c- event: Grave Robbing (Location: -4,5,-4)
Triggers:- Camp within 2 tiles. "An anomaly was spotted not far from camp"
- Traverse within 1 tile. "The company passes by a strange natural formation"
- Traverse/camp within 4 tile + SLY in company + SLY.quirk.wander check (40). "SLY team wandered off again. (4 hours) SLY team seems to have found something interesting"
PART 1
The narrow canyon opens into an unusually wide clearing. You notice dozens of unnatural formations littering the area, as well as deep gashes carved into every surface. A quick scan reveals these formations to be ancient downed crafts caked in centuries of dust. However, there's no clear sign why they are all concentrated in one place. A thorough investigation would take several hours.
PLAYER.salvage (30): It is unlikely that you can recover any useful salvage from the ancient wreckage.
PLAYER.empathy (20): You also hear murmurings of bad omens amongst the company.
PLAYER.integration (40): But you feel drawn to something in this clearing.Consult:
KING - "Don't know about this commander. If something here took down old tech, do we really want to see if it's still around."
BOOK - "So we getting paid for this little adventure or are we getting back to work."
SLY - Sounds like SLY crew are arguing on how to split the salvage.
HIVE - No response
SEER - "Rot. Leave"Options:
C0. Leave - "We're too exposed out here and can't spare the energy on treasure hunts."
-> morale: + 2
-> stats: ?
-> standing: KING+2, BOOK+1. SLY-2, HIVE =, SEER+4
-> END EVENTC1. Quick check - "We've got half a shift to dig up what we can around here."
-> time: +3-> TEAM.salvage(65): PASS
--> stats: ?
--> munitions: +5, materials: +3, gear.old_tech x 2 common
--> standing: KING+1, BOOK=. SLY+3, HIVE +1, SEER-2
--> morale: +3
--> END EVENT-> TEAM.salvage(65): FAIL
--> standing: KING-1, BOOK-1. SLY-2, HIVE =, SEER-3
--> morale: -1
--> TO PART 2C2. Quick check - "If everyone came here for something, then we probably want it too. Prep for excavation."
-> time: + 6
-> morale: -3
-> standing: KING-1, BOOK-3. SLY-2, HIVE =, SEER-3
-> stats: ?
--> TO PART 2PART2
After a fruitless sweep of the surface, you move to begin excavation. The minute a constructor drone breaks ground in the center of the clearing, a giant spike falls from the sky and impales the autonomous machine. You watch as giant, bipedal machine slowly descend from the sky and effortlessly extract its crude weapon from the drones carcass. It faces you with cold indifference on it's blank face.Options:
C0. Flee - "Full retreat. We're not messing with whatever the hell this is."
-> time: +2
-> morale: -3
-> standing: KING-2, BOOK-4. SLY+1, HIVE+2, SEER-2
-> stats: ?
-> END EVENTC1. Fight - Guardian elite combat. Ambush.
-> VICTORY
--> gear.old_tech x 1 rare + 2 common
--> standing: KING+3, BOOK+1. SLY+5, HIVE +3, SEER-3
--> morale: +5
--> stats: ?
--> TO EVENT 4.d-> RETREAT
--> standing: KING+1, BOOK-3. SLY-2, HIVE+2, SEER+2
--> morale: -8
--> stats: ?
--> END EVENT -
Comment on For-profit (creative) software in ~creative
SloMoMonday LinkThis will be a bit more technical and aimed at people in the 3D modelling space. But if you can push through it, the author does a good job of unpacking the unique problems of making objects in...This will be a bit more technical and aimed at people in the 3D modelling space. But if you can push through it, the author does a good job of unpacking the unique problems of making objects in virtual spaces.
So this was a difficult watch, simply because its a stark reminder on all the tools I've wasted considerable chunks of my life to learn, only for it to suddenly become "unsustainable" for whatever megacorp decided to acquire it. I still can't bring myself to learn blender or godot after the whole mess with Unity and not being able to afford Maya after uni. Hell, I can't even open a TTRPG after the OGL shitshow because it feels like I wasted so much of my time creating for DnD.
My issues aside, I think its an important watch for anyone getting started in creative/technical spaces because most commercial software is a waiting game of when dependency will be leveraged against you, rather than if. A lot of people didn't have this foresight. I had plenty of well meaning people give me horrible advice on where I should have put my focus, because they trusted their tools. Sometimes the world just moves beyond those tools but most of the time, the mix of apathy for customers, homogeneous business strategy and pure greed killed unique methods of creating things.
You can argue that centralized and standardized tools allow for greater efficiency and streamlines skills development and transfer. But in my view, it only serves to make everyone expendable and dependent, while locking out people who find those specific workflows counter-intuitive. It's bad for creators for all the reasons mentioned in the vid. Its bad for the studios using the tools because they will not get alternative tools or any meaningful innovations/improvements over time. And it's bad for the company because they are priming yourself for a user revolt and the second an open-source alternative is viable.
-
For-profit (creative) software
6 votes -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SloMoMonday LinkI've been in a bit of a gaming rut. Been hopping around my backlog and noting is really clicking. Tried Wanderstop but I'm not exactly in the right headspace for that right now. Wanted to play the...I've been in a bit of a gaming rut. Been hopping around my backlog and noting is really clicking.
Tried Wanderstop but I'm not exactly in the right headspace for that right now. Wanted to play the Ion Fury DLC and Echopoint Nova for faster shooters but it just turned out tedious. Slowed down with Railway Empire 2 and Airborne Empire but I got frustrated really quickly. Went back to my no-death Sifu run but the Artist is just maddeningly inconsistent. Got desperate enough to try a single round of Overwatch and its not any better than a few months ago.
There was a little luck with the most recent update to Sulfur. It's a very slow mix of rouge-like and extraction shooter with a fair share of immersive sim elements. It's more Tarkov than Doom and good runs become intense games of inventory juggling, risk management, optimal cooking techniques and situational awareness.
Unfortunately, I had a string of bad games that burnt a big hole in my gear stash and I decided to step away for a bit.
Think I'm just going to not game for a while and try something else for a few weeks.
-
Comment on The future is Niri in ~comp
SloMoMonday LinkI've been fiddling with Hyprland for a while and never getting it to just click for the way I work. Tiling windows stop me getting side tracked when in an ideal situation like one or two window...I've been fiddling with Hyprland for a while and never getting it to just click for the way I work. Tiling windows stop me getting side tracked when in an ideal situation like one or two window tasks. But I just can't seem to scale it to a complex workflow. Always ended up with the same issue of juggling a dozen workspaces, getting frustrated and jumping back to Plasma or MATE.
Seeing that scrolling screen just feels right and I might just give it a shot. -
Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? (trial giveaway: round #2) in ~tech
SloMoMonday LinkWould like to give it a try if there's a code to spare.Would like to give it a try if there's a code to spare.
-
Comment on Michelle Obama launches podcast with her brother Craig Robinson in ~life
SloMoMonday Link ParentI thought about it a bit more and looking into Michelle Obama's history and media company, people are probably right about her lack of presidential aspirations. She's a great host and...I thought about it a bit more and looking into Michelle Obama's history and media company, people are probably right about her lack of presidential aspirations. She's a great host and conversationalist and she'd probably have had a popular weekly radio show back in the day. But the US is currently a place where opinions on basic biological facts is the single issue for some voters and the president is shilling cars people don't want; so the barometer for what is political is pretty messed up. And after the election there were pundits rabid about the fact that Harris did not do the podcast rounds and that the Democrats didn't have their own Rogan to platform them. With the proximity to that Gavin Newsom podcast and the statements made on it, it starts hinting at a stupid trend. And I was cynical about the whole thing because I don't think establishment Democrats really get new media. Especially after the overpriced, milk-toast Call Her Daddy/Harris interview and some of the strategies leading up to the election.
Based on how I've seen corporate marketing go, I was assuming a campaign that has a strong white guy work to make inroads with the "traditional white-guy crowd" and Newsom seemed primed after the LA fires. Then you have Michelle tasked to win over woman and every minority group. And a few Limousine Liberal influencers use leftist rhetoric to nudge younger people to the democrats, appeasing them with bare minimum socialist policies that doesn't step on too many donors toes.
But looking at the Obama's media company, I don't think that's the case. While not everything there is strictly "political", its clear that they care about social issues and communicate that in the works they produce. And in spite of the many flaws of the Obama administration, they do seem to have the best interests of Americans in mind and would prefer to conduct themselves in a respectable way. The company is literally called Higher Ground Productions. You can really see this philosophy it in their last big movie, Leave the World Behind. Its overtly political about how the country is set to blow and very evocative in presenting an assault on US infrastructure. They're even open about valid reasons people have to doubt the government. But they can't stand to actually call any specific thing out.
Regardless, there's still a ton of weirdness happening around this production. Makes me sure that this is a play around Joe Rogan's podcast dominance. Rogan is practically the unofficial Press Secretary at this point with a direct line to the president and driving of a lot of extremist, conspiratorial and scam misinformation. No one even remotely tied to politics is "just starting a podcast" right now.
There's also the fact that this is Spotify exclusive which is interesting given that platform exclusivity seemed to be dead in the last few years. Almost all the old exclusives are back to full spectrum broadcasting and focusing on production/financing agreements for added revenue, so it's strange to see a deal like this. With the way the administration is going it's clear Trump and his circle are radioactive, Rogan especially. Maybe Spotify is trying to distract from the fact that they gave him a big bag of money and biggest platform on earth to do his thing. And a respectable, wholesome and non-problematic voice could come across as balancing the scales. -
Comment on Michelle Obama launches podcast with her brother Craig Robinson in ~life
SloMoMonday Link ParentTo look at it in a more cynical way: I think she's trying to fill that role of "Joe Rogan for the left". Isn't there another Democratic politican thats doing their own podcast too and I'm sure...To look at it in a more cynical way: I think she's trying to fill that role of "Joe Rogan for the left". Isn't there another Democratic politican thats doing their own podcast too and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before 90% of podcast platforms are just stand-up comics and politicians.
But my fear is that a lot of these shows will skip the part that made Joe Rogan (and podcasting in general) popular to begin with. The time when it was truly independent and free to make whatever they wanted. Right now there is a palpable profit and political incentive to sell crap products and crap ideas that don't help anyone.
And I'm sure Mrs Obama will put on a good program, what changes when it hits its stride and the show becomes a profit center. Will the production properly vet sponsors or resist the allure of marketing trash products for insane cash amounts.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SloMoMonday (edited )LinkI spent most of my week finishing off On Your Tail with my kid. She's 4 and I'm trying to play games with narrative and endings so we can move on and not get trapped into the endless Slime Rancher...- Exemplary
I spent most of my week finishing off On Your Tail with my kid. She's 4 and I'm trying to play games with narrative and endings so we can move on and not get trapped into the endless Slime Rancher grind again.
But what started as a little side game to play with the kid turned into an experience I actually got lost in. It's far from perfect with plenty of bugs, half baked ideas and narrative issues. But it's one of those games that has a ton of heart baked into it.
Its a pretty simple puzzle/mystery game set in a lovely Italian location and starring a cast of eccentric anthro suspects. And beyond the main story, its crammed full of minigames, character interactions and side content. It feels like the origins of a great mystery series protagonist and I hope the studio does well enough to carry on. Would love to see this formula in the Alps or a cruise ship setting.
Its a narrative driven game where you play as Diana, a student writer and the story starts with her being told that her writing looks AI generated and that she needs to get out more. After that brutality she gets a bonus of overhearing her parents doubting her choice to become a writer.
I know it's weird to harp on about something like this, but the first ten minutes of this game is an excellent exercise in characterization. We know Diana is cognatively gifted given her ability to use a full on mind palace but she is drawn to creative pursuits. She loves mysteries and has a stong sense of justice since her mom is a detective but her dad is a writer, explaining her love of literature and fiction. She also likes board games and TTRPGs if you check her shelf. Her grandma was an explorer and she inherited some of that adventurous spirit. She is a very emotive, stubborn and impulsive person, not afraid of wearing her heart on her sleeve and venting pent up frustrations. The house blackboard hints at a close knit family and dispite being angry, Diana still leaves a message before storming off.
This is important to me because throughout the story, Diana is an incredibly proactive detective and I can't think of any of her choices being contrived or out of character. I hate mystery's where the case happens to the detective so it's fun to watch Diana be a battering ram through this mystery over being shepherded around. She's actually portrayed as a goat which is a nice touch. Even silly little details like how you recreate a crime scene as a little tabletop map, complete with minis. Or how every detail and clue is like a TCG card that needs to be collected and played at the right time.
Anyway after the opening, Diana storms out the house and heads to a seaside town her grandma liked to clear her head and she arrives just in time to witness a masked burglar flee a break-in. And from there Diana is driven to figure out this mystery, in spite of a lot of opposition. But since she left home without her phone and wallet, you get to do a bunch of cozy life sim games to pay your way. And after a tutorial day and getting your bearings, you are let loose on coastal Italy. And theres a baffling amount to do with not all of it hitting the mark (I still have no idea how the ice cream shop works). Luckily not a lot is strictly necessary but you'll have to engage for the side content and to pursue a relationship with an NPC. (Chea is best girl/cat/chaos gremlin).
And on the topic of NPCs, they somehow populated near very house in the city. Unfortunately only a dozen could be modeled and animated so the streets are fairly empty. But when if you choose to deliver mail, you can get a little window into everyone's lives in this town. And it also meant that I needed to make up and remember 70 different voices when reading to the kid so that was fun.
Like I mentioned above, the game is fairly buggy and some ideas could have used a few more iterations. Also the story is excellent, until tbe very end where it goes a little off the rails. Granted it did make for an interesting final puzzle and elements were hinted at throughout; but it just throws a massive wrench in the worldbuilding and any future stories.
In terms of recommending it, it's interesting. It's clearly gunning for a cozy narrative focused audience. The vacation, life sim is a fun little fantasy and the world is this charming mix of storybook fantasy and cartoon nostalgia. Puzzles are fairly easy (save for the ice cream one) and there's no real fail state to worry about so you get a nice low-stakes game to enjoy over 20 hours.
-
Comment on Mark Carney elected as leader of Liberal Party, becoming Prime Minister-designate of Canada in ~society
SloMoMonday Link ParentIf there is one silver lining, it's that Trump is in so many peoples pockets that he's a liability to conservatives, at least outside the US. Like it was always the strategy of certain forces to...If there is one silver lining, it's that Trump is in so many peoples pockets that he's a liability to conservatives, at least outside the US. Like it was always the strategy of certain forces to divide nato/EU by appealing to nationalism and cultural purity with a very MAGA rhetoric. And a lot of it was drumming up anti-American/isolationist sentiment.
But now you have Trump very publicly dismantling the government (tech oligarchy), sowing absolute chaos with hyper conservative incompetence (project 2025), pointlessly strong-arming other nations (MAGA), while throwing economic attacks at NATO/EU members (Russians) and very publicly offering "assistance" to conservative politicians (everyone).
He's gone far past any logical distate that I hope people just see him for the political timeshare that his is. And they carry that same suspicion to people that emulate him.
-
Comment on Living off Microsoft Copilot - risks and threats of Copilot in ~tech
SloMoMonday LinkI'm no security expert, but I think anyone with even passing knowledge on software and internet safety understands the inherent risks posed by Microsoft's current obsession. And I'm sure this is...I'm no security expert, but I think anyone with even passing knowledge on software and internet safety understands the inherent risks posed by Microsoft's current obsession. And I'm sure this is only scraping the surface.
My biggest concern is the many potential unknowns and how these same vulnerabilities possibly exist in Recall as well as the many other data modeling integrations shoehorned into other software.
The conspiratorial part of me thinks that most of these glaring security omissions are by design so the MS can cleanly scrape as much user data as possible. But thats pure speculation.
-
Living off Microsoft Copilot - risks and threats of Copilot
7 votes -
Comment on Is there any web-media player or service that allows you to create interactive videos? in ~comp
SloMoMonday Link ParentThanks for the suggestion. We're exploring 2 Godot options. Most likely we embed the videos in a Godot game and make it a dynamic player with all the features we need. Managed to make a chapter...Thanks for the suggestion. We're exploring 2 Godot options. Most likely we embed the videos in a Godot game and make it a dynamic player with all the features we need.
Managed to make a chapter select in a video that loops through a few seconds at the end of the playback and the overlay buttons jump you to the right timestamp.But we also found a few libraries that allows an HTML webview in Godot and maybe we can make something interesting with that.
-
Comment on Is there any web-media player or service that allows you to create interactive videos? in ~comp
SloMoMonday Link ParentThanks for the suggestion. Whipped up a prototype in H5P and managed to meet some of the project requirements. Namely branching off to different videos, dynamic text based on choices and writing...Thanks for the suggestion. Whipped up a prototype in H5P and managed to meet some of the project requirements. Namely branching off to different videos, dynamic text based on choices and writing results to a cookie.
Unfortunately people don't particularly like the look and feel of the player and interface. And some videos came out a little choppy, even off localhost. And we're leaning more to Godot to since it'll be a bit better in terms of custom interfaces. Will probably come back to it if I ever need to make enablement material again though. Pretty easy to set up a workflow and it'd be nice to embed this content in a wiki or quickstart document.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SloMoMonday (edited )LinkI've not had a lot of time lately and I saw someone mention a bite sized FPS called Hole. Its a mix of Japanese absurdisim with Lynchian elements, all in an extraction shooter wrapper. Like you...I've not had a lot of time lately and I saw someone mention a bite sized FPS called Hole.
Its a mix of Japanese absurdisim with Lynchian elements, all in an extraction shooter wrapper. Like you start the game in a storm drain. You pick up a pistol. Get a tutorial on how to reload, chaber a round and clear jams. You then lean that your extraction point is a magical floating microwave stuffed with potatoes that opens a portal in the ground when the timer runs out. And then you are dropped into some incredibly brutal gunplay set in liminal mazes.
The game was clearly ment to be played in small chunks. It's PvEvE where you are caught in the middle of a war between the red, blue and yellow teams. Maps start completely abandoned with difficulty ramping up with time. After 30 sec theres a few pistol goons, and within minutes you are surrounded by gunfights. Around lv.5 things get weird and you're put up against demons and juggernauts where you are expected to fail and get frustrated.
And just as I was thinking I should quit, it hit me. There's no harm in loosing. Like it sucks to see 5k currency lost, but you don't loose objective progress, ammo is unlimited and it takes about 20 min to earn that much back. And so you go nuts and the game really shines. You're going towards the gun fight sounds. You pick up the insane map layouts and work with it. You recognize the different chatter sounds for each enemy type and plan accordingly. And next thing you know, you're racking up wins and finishing all the missions the faceless nurse gives you.
And then you unlock the next map. You hit a skill cliff. And you get to do it all over again.
Its not a perfect game, but I really like it. I just don't know who to recommend it to. Extraction Shooters have their whole niche and audience. Groundered tactical shooters have everything from Ready or Not to R6. It's not horror or proper power fantasy. No idea who would want to play this.
-
Comment on Is there any web-media player or service that allows you to create interactive videos? in ~comp
SloMoMonday Link ParentIn terms of development, anyone that touches front end stuff is a wizard in my eyes. But I have been drafting a way to set the timings and commands in a companion csv file for each video and the...In terms of development, anyone that touches front end stuff is a wizard in my eyes.
But I have been drafting a way to set the timings and commands in a companion csv file for each video and the canvas will listen for timstamp triggers to draw accordingly. If there isnt an out-of-box solution, ideal case is for editors to add the values in a spreadsheet and upload the vid and file to a test environment for review.
-
Comment on Is there any web-media player or service that allows you to create interactive videos? in ~comp
SloMoMonday Link ParentThanks. Looks like a nice tool to plot out the text content of the site since wed like for it to appear in reaction to what video is played and there isn't a strict order. Also started checking in...Thanks.
Looks like a nice tool to plot out the text content of the site since wed like for it to appear in reaction to what video is played and there isn't a strict order.Also started checking in ARG and Unfiction communities because they really get up to interesting things.
Curious if you found any interesting stories or games during your search?
-
Is there any web-media player or service that allows you to create interactive videos?
I remember way back in the day when YouTube was still in a Flash Player, you had the ability to dynamically overlay link buttons and clickable areas over videos at specific times/area and it was a...
I remember way back in the day when YouTube was still in a Flash Player, you had the ability to dynamically overlay link buttons and clickable areas over videos at specific times/area and it was a lesser used but nice feature. There were a couple of videos that used it to sneak links to unlisted bonus content but it mostly helped when something was highlighted and clicking it would take you to relevant info. Think you could also use it for spesific playback controls.
I'm scoping out a small project and think it'd be cool to have a video with simmilar basic interactions and even fire off some scripts at different parts of the playback.
Since Flash died, I can't think of any web player that let's you create this sort of dynamic overlay/interface or implement logic to the media playback. I know Adobe Encore can be used to make this sort of stuff for DVD menus and I used to make training videos with old software that did similar things. But I don't believe those files are easily web compatible without Flash.
I'm sure a front-end wizard can layer a transparrent canvas and player and script their way to the same functionality and more. Or maybe use a web game engine and build a UI over video playback. But I'm curious if there's any service or library that does it already and saves me from another abandoned side-quest.
Unless I missed something obvisous, the only similiar functionality I've found in the common player libraries are overlaying adverts at set points in the display and you just set the scale and frequency.
12 votes -
Comment on WANDERSTOP | PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S launch trailer in ~games
SloMoMonday Link ParentTo grossly oversimplify from memory: AP Owner was fairly hands off and paid some talented people to publish high quality, niche games. There was a disagreement in leadership and one key member...To grossly oversimplify from memory:
- AP Owner was fairly hands off and paid some talented people to publish high quality, niche games.
- There was a disagreement in leadership and one key member leaves.
- When the post-COVID bubble is at its peak, owner pops into the office. Says they need to become a AAA scale publisher.
- AP team knows that's stupid. Makes it known. Lots of drama.
- AP team and Owner start negotiating a split into separate indie and AAA companies.
- Owner is playing hardball and lots more drama.
- Owner secretly hires the guy that left in point 2 and he is negotiating AAA scale contracts without AP team knowing.
- AP team figure its a bad faith negotiation and leaves to do their own thing.
- Devs were sort of left hanging.
- Owner has bonkers money and goes on a hiring spree because there's a lot of floating talent.
My hope is that the owner probably got a bit of a reality check with not just the walk out, but the entire AAA space ripping at the seams. She is likely going back to being hands off again. And the people who left have a hell of a resume but the industry is pretty broken at this point. Anyone with an inde division would be lucky to have or fund them.
As for the company, I do think they're in a better direction based on this showcase. Granted its likely the last of what the old team worked on so that can quickly change. My biggest complaint about them was that they very much overshadowed the devs and emphasized the Annapurna brand. I genuinely thought that they were the developers of Outer Wilds for a while.
Judging by the presentation, looks like they putting a bit more emphasis on the creatives and devs. And while I inherently distrust billionaires, that fact that it's an individual and not shareholders gives me a bit more faith that there can be meaningful change.
My guess is that you were talking about his band and so jumping to "then we'll meet again" came across as " i should see you play some time". Good chance he's also beating himself up about that interaction and no one is at their best at 2am after a long day. Maybe just set things straight when you cross paths again.
As for noise, I'm just glad it was a civil confrontation. I was mostly in places where we would post noise complaints about people arguing over the noise or have two watch parties going to war over a game. But the worst is when you literally can't complain.
Like when my wife and I got our first place together, we figured we were lucky because the old landlady lived above and all the college students would keep in down. And first night we moved in, 10pm on the dot her washing machine turns on and sounds like a wobbling jet engine. But no worries, she was sure to drown out the sound with religious music. Took about a month before I broke down to complain and she was surprisingly wholesome about it. She just started doing laundry in the day and even baked us apology cookies.
Right now I'm just happy to be in my own place and the neighborhood (except one person) is accommodating about noise and street parking.