SpecialtyCoffeeDad's recent activity
-
Comment on New Zealand banned phones in schools twelve months ago. Here’s what happened. in ~tech
-
Comment on Anyone interested in trying out Kagi? (trial giveaway: round #2) in ~tech
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkI'd be interested in trying it out, if anyone has a code to spare.I'd be interested in trying it out, if anyone has a code to spare.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentThanks for the tip! I'll reserve judgment on the open world mechanics for now. But I'm going to put that as a mark against the game design. You can't plop someone in an open world and expect them...Thanks for the tip! I'll reserve judgment on the open world mechanics for now. But I'm going to put that as a mark against the game design. You can't plop someone in an open world and expect them to go straight to the first quest marker -- not when there's ruins and windmills to check out.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentAlso recently started playing Rebirth. I've only just made it out of Kalm, so very early yet. It's a bit too early to comment on the gameplay, but I've had a bunch of stray thoughts I thought I'd...Also recently started playing Rebirth. I've only just made it out of Kalm, so very early yet.
It's a bit too early to comment on the gameplay, but I've had a bunch of stray thoughts I thought I'd share anyway. I was a massive FFVII fanboy once upon a time, so this I have a lot of opinions on mostly inconsequential aspects of the game. There will be early game spoilers, in case you're wanting to go into the game blind like I did.
Firstly -- I can't think of anything that would have sold teenage me more on a game than the opportunity to play as Sephiroth with Kingdom Hearts-esque gameplay. And I think the flashback sequence would have come so close to delivering for me here, but I am a bit disappointed that he wasn't one-shotting those random monsters on the way up Mt Nibel, the way he did in the original. It's an excessively fanboy-ish complaint, I know, but the original game did some a great job of mythologising him, and they've continually demonstrated they don't understand what about him was so impactful.
Also -- they make him look a bit too evil. He has this undead pallor about him. It makes it harder to see him as the hero Cloud initially does. Although all his menacing appearances in Remake would probably make that moot anyway.
Otherwise, the flashback sequence was great. Nibel felt appropriate in scale, and there were lots of great nods to -- and fullbody recreations of -- the original, which had me positively tickled.
The scale of Kalm, though -- it felt a lot bigger and more lively than I imagined. I thought it was a far smaller town, closer to Nibel. But it did make a nice contrast to Midgar, and I can appreciate what they were going for there.
I wasn't sold on the innkeeper helping smuggle the gang out of Kalm. He made me think of Rick from Casablanca somehow, which isn't a bad thing in itself, but it just felt very trope-y and derivative. I'm often put off by the random original characters they've added in, though, so it could just be my bias against change.
I've just emerged into the open world, and it looks luscious. I am suitably impressed. All the random locations make the world feel more lived in, which I appreciate. I will say that, coming out of Kalm where everyone you walk past is chatting about something -- walking past random groups huddled around, standing still and not talking feels a bit weird.
Also, I'm not yet convinced that the movement mechanics are best suited to an open world. I've had a couple of instances where I've been trying to climb up somewhere, and inadvertently dropped down, which is a tad annoying.
And you can't jump, so you feel clipped to the ground, which takes some some of the joy out of exploring the world. But maybe I just need to adjust to the mechanics. Or maybe it will begin to make more sense mechanically when you get chocobos. Either way I'm prepared to be won over.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkI've just started Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but prior to starting, I figured I'd play through the Yuffie content in Remake. After finishing the main story, I wasn't able to conjure the enthusiasm...I've just started Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but prior to starting, I figured I'd play through the Yuffie content in Remake. After finishing the main story, I wasn't able to conjure the enthusiasm to play it, but felt obligated to play it before getting into Rebirth.
It was all right.
Gameplay wise, being able to spam elemental attacks made most encounters pretty easy -- and a maybe little samey. But it was still a satisfying, visceral experience for the most part.
The Fort Condor minigame seemed okay, but I didn't stick with it long enough to actually figure out the mechanics properly. If I wasn't impatient to get into Rebirth, and my game time not so limited, I feel like I would have given it a bit more of a shot.
Ultimately, the overall experience just wasn't as compelling without the nostalgia baiting. It was a new story, with new characters, and without being able to nod and wink all that much toward the original game, it struggled to gain my interest.
They didn't nail the execution in Remake -- Sephiroth was way too prominent, the dialogue was cringe, I could go on. But I shudder to think how many hours I spent playing and replaying the original as a teen. Seeing key settings and moments play out in a modern engine does things for me, and that's the thing that suckers me in.
About 2 hours into Rebirth and I'm hooked. Can't wait to get back to it.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad (edited )LinkYellow Taxi Goes Vroom feels like a cross pollination of Mario 64 and the more bizarre cartoons of the 90s, like Cow and Chicken or Rocko's Modern Life. You play as the titular Yellow Taxi, who...Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom feels like a cross pollination of Mario 64 and the more bizarre cartoons of the 90s, like Cow and Chicken or Rocko's Modern Life.
You play as the titular Yellow Taxi, who was created by Morio to take on the the evil Tosla Corporation, and its founder Alien Mosk. To do this you must collect gears from various worlds, including one where you give taxi rides for pizza people to get to job interviews where it's pretty clear they'll be sold and eaten?
The mechanics are as unhinged as its setting. It's a collectathon platformer, where you play as a car, and even driving around the map, your movement is a bit floaty. And there's not really a jump button, so the platforming mostly involves flinging yourself yourself against whatever incline you find, and trying to control your journey through the air.
It's rather unintuitive. And then the game will also drip feed you other advanced mechanics, which you were always capable of doing, but are baffling and, of course, unintuitive to perform.
But the experience of pushing through the unintuitiveness and mastering the mechanics feels exhilarating. Succeeding in the game feels like breaking the game, and that just feels fun.
It's loud, colorful and obnoxious, but ultimately a competent, challenging and fun platformer. After trying the demo, I initially wrote it off as a bit too silly, but I kept coming back to it, until I finally bought it, and I have no regrets.
-
Comment on Lego announced Thursday that six Bluey sets will be released in 2025 – sets haven't been revealed yet, that will happen in the spring in ~tv
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkI feel like the amount of merchandising for Bluey kills the magic of it somehow. The TV show in isolation is brilliant, and I cannot fault it. But it's like it takes on another life in the...I feel like the amount of merchandising for Bluey kills the magic of it somehow.
The TV show in isolation is brilliant, and I cannot fault it. But it's like it takes on another life in the mountains of licensed toys, toothbrushes and ultraprocessed snacks available now.
Bluey is becoming an icon of mass consumerism and, at least in my eyes, it taints the wholesome messages of the show.
-
Comment on 2024 Spotify Wrapped thread in ~music
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkMeta question -- did anyone have artists or songs they found through the Tildes playlist make it in? I discovered Random Rules by Silver Jews through the playlist, and that song made it to number...Meta question -- did anyone have artists or songs they found through the Tildes playlist make it in?
I discovered Random Rules by Silver Jews through the playlist, and that song made it to number 5. Honestly surprised they as a band didn't make my top 5 at this point, because I have had them in high rotation for the past couple of months.
-
Comment on Haka interrupts vote on New Zealand Treaty Principles Bill in ~society
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentI'd clarify that she didn't do this during a speech. Debate had concluded on the first reading, and each party was announcing which way their party was voting. Each other party had announced their...- Exemplary
I'd clarify that she didn't do this during a speech. Debate had concluded on the first reading, and each party was announcing which way their party was voting. Each other party had announced their votes, having all voted as expected, then instead of announcing their votes, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke of Te Pāti Māori (the Māori Party, a political party which focuses on Māori issues) initiated a haka.
This briefly stalled the vote, but the vote was started again and passed before long.
It was pure theatrics. And it was almost definitely orchestrated in advance -- the public gallery was packed out with Te Pāti Māori supporters, who added their voices to the haka. Even the perfect tearing of the paper suggests she probably folded and weakened the paper in advance. But it's clearly cut through. I'm still seeing Hana-Rawhiti all over my feed on other social media sites.
There's been a lot of protest about the bill. There's a hikoi (literally walk, but this is more like a convoy with stops to demonstrate along the way) coming down the North Island to Wellington, which will arrive on Tuesday.
Actually, another great barb from the debate was a co-leader of Te Pāti Māori, Rawiri Waititi (guy with the face tattoos and cowboy hat) telling the sponsor of the bill he will "see you next Tuesday" as he concluded his speech. But I digress.
People have been protesting a lot of this government's actions, but this looks to be the biggest protest so far.
In fact, the Government has stated that this Bill won't pass. As part of a coalition agreement with the sponsor's party, the other coalition parties agreed to support it to first reading, but it needs to go through 3 readings to pass. The leaders of the other parties have said outright they won't support it past this point.
I think what upsets people is that it's inviting debate on something that shouldn't be debated. The Treaty was signed between the Crown and Māori, and then Māori almost immediately cheated out of their rights per the Treaty.
Now a representative of the Crown thinks the best solution is to reinterpret the meaning of that Treaty, so it's about equal rights for everyone, instead of protecting specific rights of Māori. Meanwhile, Māori have undeniably poorer outcomes than other population groups in New Zealand. And many distrust the system, which is understandable given the generations of injustice they've experienced through the system. The Treaty remains an important tool to help fix things for Māori, and this Bill would neuter that ability.
So it won't pass, but the Government is still platforming the debate around it. Some New Zealanders will see something they like in the Bill -- the sponsor frames it as equal rights for all and no special rights based on race. It's an instinctive appealing notion.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick had a good line during the debate: "When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." I think that illustrates why the Bill might still find public support. Some people -- and this is not a uniquely New Zealand problem -- don't realise how privileged they are, and that that privilege comes at the expense of other groups. So when you try to course correct, and try to combat the systemic problems that have come from people's unconscious (or possibly conscious) bias, people get upset. And there's no easy way to explain it without coming across as a bit harsh.
So the Bill will fail, but the debate will likely continue, with just that bit more legitimacy because a bill made it past its first reading.
But a simple act of defiance like doing a haka in Parliament is proving a great rallying tool for the Bill's detractors. Everybody loves a bit of theatre. Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke ripping that bill in 2 is instantly iconic -- she'll be on protest signs and t-shirts for years to come.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkI got on to talking to my kids about PSX and PS2 era demo discs, and they were pretty impressed with the concept. I remembered seeing Next Fest ads on Steam recently, so we scrolled through to see...I got on to talking to my kids about PSX and PS2 era demo discs, and they were pretty impressed with the concept. I remembered seeing Next Fest ads on Steam recently, so we scrolled through to see if any interesting kid friendly games were still available.
We found Popucom.
Popucom is a cooperative 3D puzzle platformer with match-3 inspired mechanics, alongside other gizmos which give each level a unique twist.
My 7 and 8 year old played it together, while I watched and filled in for the 7 year old when they struggled with the controls.
It's joyful little game so far. Defeating enemies by shooting colour blobs at them is incredibly safisfying.
It makes a really good kid-parent co-op experience if you can accept your kids are going to take a bit longer to grapple with some of the mechanics. Be warned there are some difficulty spikes too, but we worked through them, and had some hard earned high fives afterwards.
There are some mechanics in the game that are a bit trying. There's a device which sends out a cat in a flying machine that can lift things up, and having to coordinate the kids to carry one object together, and not fly in opposing directions, was unduely challenging.
There's also some design choices I hope they iron out. Each player can swap between 2 colours, and will need to change colours to solve certain puzzles. The colours changed between each level, and were sometimes hard to distinguish between -- like light blue and teal. I have to assume they want you to be able to tell the colours apart, and they don't want you to have your character repeatedly get eviscerated by lazers because you weren't sure if they were red or orange.
But on the whole, I'm keen for more, and will definitely be purchasing the full game when it's available. It looks like the demo is still available on Steam until 5 November.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentThe first palace boss did something like this. They didn't throw out the mechanics as such, but they introduced some ad hoc mechanics, and it didn't sit well with me. I couldn't remember if this...There are however 2 boss battles in memory that throw out all the mechanics the game has taught you and were immensely frustrating and nearly drove me to quit.
The first palace boss did something like this. They didn't throw out the mechanics as such, but they introduced some ad hoc mechanics, and it didn't sit well with me. I couldn't remember if this was something they did throughout the game, so didn't comment on it.
It irks me when games have an established pattern of gameplay, but they veer away from it for boss fights. Boss fights should be a test of the skills you've learned through the game, not some completely unrelated challenge.
Points to SMTV for committing to its core mechanics, while still having challenging bosses.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkI recently finished Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance, and am now moving on to Persona 5 Royal. I'd played the original release of Persona 5 a few years ago, but decided to pick it up in a recent...I recently finished Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance, and am now moving on to Persona 5 Royal. I'd played the original release of Persona 5 a few years ago, but decided to pick it up in a recent Steam sale, and keep going with this SMT kick I'm evidently now on.
I like both of these games for their own reasons, but it's hard not to compare them, especially playing them side by side. I'm probably going to jump around between them as I just stream-of-conscious my thoughts out.
I played SMTV through twice -- once to experience the original story, and once to experience the new story. The original wasn't received that well, so they introduced a new storyline for the re-release. I figured I'd appreciate the changes more being more familiar with the original but, I think I would have enjoyed the experience a bit more skipping the original story.
The biggest issue with the original story line is that the human characters have almost no personality. They expanded on characters, and made them a lot more interesting, as well as introducing some new ones, which generally worked well.
Being a bit time poor, I decided to do new game plus and carry over my abilities and demons, and steamrolled through the game the second time. I feel like I robbed myself a bit of experiencing the new bosses, though, and it probably messed with the pacing a bit.
I really enjoyed the level of strategy required in the game. If you don't know the games, it's a bit like Pokémon. You fight demons, and can recruit them to your team, then fuse then into more powerful demons.
It's similar in Persona, but there are a lot more metagame elements to juggle. SMTV is much more focussed on combat, and I feel like there's more depth of strategy. It feels like there's more levers you need to play with to succeed, and the sense of achievement even for beating story bosses is much higher for me.
And while the new story is somewhat more fleshed out, it still doesn't feel like it gets in the way at all. You're battling and recruiting demons within 30 minutes.
By comparison the start of P5R really drags out, as it slowly trots out its various mechanics over the course of hours.
But once it gets going, it is really fun. Balancing your social connections, developing your personality stats, and exploring the metaverse and palaces sounds like it could be tedious, but the way it all fits together is incredibly satisfying.
And the stylised world of P5R is a lot easier on the eyes than SMTV. SMTV has some great demon designs, but the world feels a bit bland and repetitive at times. I like in principle that it's a more open world, but exploring is difficult because parts of the world just look a bit samey. The small, distinct sections of P5R are a lot more memorable. And the visual style is stunning, and gives it a timeless charm.
-
Comment on International Talk Like A Pirate Day 2024 in ~talk
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkBeing in a timezone where you're roughly a day ahead of most English speaking countries, you would think, should be pretty cool. We're basically living in the future. But pretty regularly I only...Being in a timezone where you're roughly a day ahead of most English speaking countries, you would think, should be pretty cool. We're basically living in the future.
But pretty regularly I only find out about things like this after they've sailed me by.
I could be making my kids giggle with my, I think, pretty good pirate voice. But instead I'm seething knowing I can't in good faith talk like a pirate. That ship has sailed, and now pirate adjacent idioms are the only way I can float my boat.
My message to the rest of you: Don't squander this opportunity. The view from the future if you do is pretty grim.
-
Comment on The new Māori Queen: Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, 27, to succeed her father Kiingi Tuheitia as Māori monarch in ~news
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkThis article about the Kuini is a good read if you're interested in little insight into Māori culture and language. It's an interview with a Māori community leader and academic, who shared his...This article about the Kuini is a good read if you're interested in little insight into Māori culture and language. It's an interview with a Māori community leader and academic, who shared his optimism about Nga wai hono i te po as the new Kuini.
https://e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-analysis/nga-wai-hono-i-te-po-is-the-right-woman-for-the-job/
I watched her coronation, and it was really very beautiful to see. I look forward to seeing how she grows into her role, and grows the role into herself.
I'll just clarify, the position doesn't hold any constitutional power. It's also not necessarily recognised by all Māoridom. But it's still a position with a lot of mana -- strength and dignity -- and influence.
The Kiingitanga -- the Māori monarch movement -- is very vocal politically. They've been in the spotlight recently calling for unity among Māori to stand against the anti-Māori policies of the current right-wing Government.
The New Zealand left loves a strong young female voice, so the coronation of Nga wai hono i te po will no doubt be a massive signal boost for Kiingitanga. We're all just waiting now to see what she does with it.
-
Comment on A coffee insider explains how celebrity coffee brands really work in ~food
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentAh, sorry team. I really thought it was the same guy for some reason. Well, he does a good job I think, and could certainly carry the mantle.Ah, sorry team. I really thought it was the same guy for some reason. Well, he does a good job I think, and could certainly carry the mantle.
-
Comment on A coffee insider explains how celebrity coffee brands really work in ~food
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentHe started a new channel https://youtube.com/@hoffmanncomethHe started a new channel
-
Comment on Let's build a playlist! in ~music
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentFull Moon Full Life came on, and I was briefly dismissive when I realised it was from Persona 3 Reload, but quickly realised it actually freakin' rules. I played P3P a few years back, and am...Full Moon Full Life came on, and I was briefly dismissive when I realised it was from Persona 3 Reload, but quickly realised it actually freakin' rules. I played P3P a few years back, and am currently playing through SMTV, and while I'm enjoying it, the music has nothing on the Persona games.
-
Comment on Let's build a playlist! in ~music
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkGrandaddy - The group who couldn't say Tall Dwarfs - Nothing's going to happen Connan Mockasin - I'm the man, that will find you Ginger Root - Loretta Joy Division - Dead Souls- Grandaddy - The group who couldn't say
- Tall Dwarfs - Nothing's going to happen
- Connan Mockasin - I'm the man, that will find you
- Ginger Root - Loretta
- Joy Division - Dead Souls
-
Comment on Why Donald Glover is saying goodbye to Childish Gambino in ~music
SpecialtyCoffeeDad LinkThanks for sharing, and for clarifying there's a bit more to it than the clickbaity title. His album 'Because the Internet' occupies that nostalgic space he alluded to for me -- thinking of those...Thanks for sharing, and for clarifying there's a bit more to it than the clickbaity title.
His album 'Because the Internet' occupies that nostalgic space he alluded to for me -- thinking of those songs makes me remember how it felt to hang out with my now-wife circa 2013.
I haven't really paid much attention to him since then -- if I'm being honest it's probably just the hipster in me feeling like he got too popular. But reading this article reminds me what a charming dude he is. Will give the album a crack.
-
Comment on Donald Trump whisked off stage in Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd in ~society
SpecialtyCoffeeDad Link ParentThat photo may have just won him the presidency. It's so iconic it makes me feel ill. An incredibly powerful photo of one of the worst people I could possibly imagine. I really hope no one else...That photo may have just won him the presidency. It's so iconic it makes me feel ill. An incredibly powerful photo of one of the worst people I could possibly imagine.
I really hope no one else was hurt. But in a lot of ways, I have a strong suspicion this is going to hurt America.
I feel compelled to clarify that it wasn't schools who decided this, it was politicians. It was a policy put in place by an incoming government to signal a tough love approach to improving grades.