Venko's recent activity
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Comment on Humble Choice - October 2025 in ~games
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Comment on Humble Choice - October 2025 in ~games
Venko LinkI have no experience with any of these games. But after the bundle was unveiled I watched trailers and gameplay videos for every single game here. Wow - what a great looking selection this month....I have no experience with any of these games. But after the bundle was unveiled I watched trailers and gameplay videos for every single game here. Wow - what a great looking selection this month. I'm usually either indecisive or quick to skip a month but this is month a clear yes from me.
Based on Steam reviews the only game that I'd give a clear miss to trying out is Hotel Renovator because of the number of game-breaking bugs reported. I note that Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town isn't playable for the Linux gamers but I doubt that it comes close to Stardew Valley anyway.
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Comment on First-time competitor from Norway has stirred up success by claiming the coveted title of world porridge making champion in Scotland in ~food
Venko LinkIt doesn't seem that unusual for international competitors to win one of the two prizes. They have two categories: traditional porridge (oats, water and salt only) specialty porridge (other...It doesn't seem that unusual for international competitors to win one of the two prizes. They have two categories:
- traditional porridge (oats, water and salt only)
- specialty porridge (other ingredients welcome)
This year an Australian won the speciality porridge prize. In 2021 the specialty porridge prize was worn by a Dutch vegan food blogger. In 2016 an American won the traditional prize.
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Comment on Google details Android developer certification requirement, and it’s as bad as we feared in ~tech
Venko LinkSurely this means the end of Signal messaging on Android or at least secure use of it. Google could replace the binary with a compromised one for specific users at the direction of governments and...Surely this means the end of Signal messaging on Android or at least secure use of it. Google could replace the binary with a compromised one for specific users at the direction of governments and surely will be compelled to in secret courts.
Which makes me wonder how do Google's signing rules compare with that of Apple?
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Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Chrono Trigger in ~games
Venko LinkIn my opinion the best version of this game is the enhanced Nintendo DS release of Chrono Trigger but getting your hands on it and the hardware to play it is tricky. My New 3DS XL's cartridge...In my opinion the best version of this game is the enhanced Nintendo DS release of Chrono Trigger but getting your hands on it and the hardware to play it is tricky. My New 3DS XL's cartridge reader has started to fail so I picked up the Steam release of the game.
The Steam release's user interface isn't as good as the DS release. For example: on the DS version's equipment screen the increase or decrease in a stat from equipping an item is shown whereas on the Steam release only the new stat and a colour to indicate if it's an upgrade or downgrade is shown.
Here are a few tips for new players:
- The Steam release let's you change the battle speed. Increasing battle-speed increases the speed that the enemies take actions but your reaction times to select things are still the same. So for new players I recommend playing with the default battle speed until you get comfortable.
- Under settings on the DS release, Steam release and presumably the mobile releases you can change the ATB mode to wait. This means that if you open the techniques submenu in battle player and enemy ATB gauges will temporarily pause. It does not pause ATB modes otherwise. This makes the game easier and I recommend it.
- The position of enemies is pretty important. Your characters will learn techniques that target an area or direction which allows you to effectively take out multiple enemies at once.
- Talk to NPCs every-time you enter a new area. They'll share valuable insight including enemy weaknesses that you can then exploit later.
- At a certain point in the story you'll unlock one more character than you can keep in your party. If you keep the party member with healing techniques in your party then you'll potentially save a lot of money on potions at this point in the game.
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Comment on imgur.com geoblocks the UK in ~tech
Venko Link ParentReddit only blocks VPNs for unauthenticated access to the site. You can create a Reddit account whilst using a VPN and then log in.Reddit only blocks VPNs for unauthenticated access to the site. You can create a Reddit account whilst using a VPN and then log in.
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Comment on CGA-2025-09 🕹️🚂 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ The Last Express in ~games
Venko Link ParentIt looks like this sale was now extended until 6th October on Steam. Which should work nicely for anyone that needs to pick it up once the dedicated topic lands.It looks like this sale was now extended until 6th October on Steam. Which should work nicely for anyone that needs to pick it up once the dedicated topic lands.
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Comment on Deimos Loading Screens mod for Fallout: New Vegas in ~games
Venko Link ParentThe guide and mod-list for A Tale of Two Wastelands is far smaller so you're sacrificing a lot of the new vegas extras. However I did notice that there's a second guide which builds upon the first...The guide and mod-list for A Tale of Two Wastelands is far smaller so you're sacrificing a lot of the new vegas extras.
However I did notice that there's a second guide which builds upon the first one although I think this isn't from the same team. I have no experience with this so if you try it then please share your experience.
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Comment on Deimos Loading Screens mod for Fallout: New Vegas in ~games
Venko Link ParentIt's a guide and mod-list for Fallout: New Vegas with very high technical standards. It's widely considered to be the way to setup New Vegas nowadays.It's a guide and mod-list for Fallout: New Vegas with very high technical standards. It's widely considered to be the way to setup New Vegas nowadays.
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Comment on Deimos Loading Screens mod for Fallout: New Vegas in ~games
Venko LinkThese look absolutely fantastic. The only problem is that New Vegas loads too quickly after following the Viva New Vegas guide so you won't get to enjoy these.These look absolutely fantastic. The only problem is that New Vegas loads too quickly after following the Viva New Vegas guide so you won't get to enjoy these.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Venko LinkFinal Fantasy IX: Trance Seek I finished disc 1 and am around half-way through disc 2. It's a lot of fun but because of the increased difficulty and depth to batles there's only so much that I can...Final Fantasy IX: Trance Seek
I finished disc 1 and am around half-way through disc 2. It's a lot of fun but because of the increased difficulty and depth to batles there's only so much that I can run-through the game at a time. I'll return to play some more later.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice for All
I'm half-way through the third case. It's a lot of fun but I've played the previous game straight before this so I'm taking a break: too much of a good thing can tire it out.
Rayman Legends
On a discussion of Hollow Knight: Silksong I said that I realise that it's an intentional design decision to make people play more carefully but I strongly disagree with death runs as a mechanic in modern video games. I think that the modern Rayman games did this best: difficulty that feels amazing when you perfect it and the regular deaths putting you straight back into the action.
After talking about it I couldn't resist jumping back into Rayman. Although I've played it before I started again and have finished the first two worlds.
WoW: ChromieCraft
Following on from the news of two private servers being hit with lawsuits/C&Ds (Turtle and Epoch) I felt that itch to play some WoW. I noticed that there's a new progression Cataclysm server that just launched but, after what's just happened, it doesn't seem sensible to support servers that unethically keep their changes to AGPL3 server emulators to themselves. When they eventually get shut-down all of their improvements are lost.
ChromieCraft is a progression Wrath of the Lich King server that follows the open source licensing correctly. I'm reasonably sure that the people running it are regular contributors to the AzerothCore project. It's currently on the Wrath prepatch with Death Knights added but Northrend closed.
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Comment on Denmark places record order for European air defence systems instead of American – Scandinavian country's relationship with the Donald Trump administration has come under strain over Greenland in ~society
Venko LinkYou'd have to be extremely foolish to buy arms from a country that is making threats, however idle they may be, to take over part of your kingdom. At a bare minimum you need to consider that: arms...You'd have to be extremely foolish to buy arms from a country that is making threats, however idle they may be, to take over part of your kingdom.
At a bare minimum you need to consider that:
- arms deliveries may not happen (the USA has a history of this: during WW2 they sat on arms, the UK had already paid for, to fight the Nazis)
- backdoors may be hidden that can disable the systems at the whim of the vendor (in the age of sophisticated microchips this could be hidden)
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Comment on Sweden's health minister has urged the EU to push ahead with social media restrictions for kids while insisting it be treated as a pressing matter in ~tech
Venko LinkAlthough I'm squeamish about photo ID I strongly support banning so-called "social media" for children. A lot of parents are completely aware of how destructive these things are for their children...Although I'm squeamish about photo ID I strongly support banning so-called "social media" for children.
A lot of parents are completely aware of how destructive these things are for their children but if they do the responsible thing, refusing to let their child have a smart phone, then they're ostracised from their school friends. This peer pressure ultimately means that anything other than government intervention is insufficient.
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Comment on Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 getting rerelease on Nintendo Switch, bundle for $70 or standalone for $40 each in ~games
Venko LinkIn typical Switch tax fashion Nintendo have doubled the price on these games. These are part of the Nintendo Selects programme so they retailed for $20 US each.In typical Switch tax fashion Nintendo have doubled the price on these games. These are part of the Nintendo Selects programme so they retailed for $20 US each.
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Comment on Bluesky will comply with age verification laws in South Dakota and Wyoming after exiting Mississippi in ~tech
Venko Link ParentI'm going to assume that data brokers are either already harvesting enormous amounts of information from these "age checks" or will be soon. Tying someone's identity to their web fingerprint will...I'm going to assume that data brokers are either already harvesting enormous amounts of information from these "age checks" or will be soon. Tying someone's identity to their web fingerprint will be financially lucrative.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Venko Link ParentI realise that it's an intentional design decision to make people play more carefully but I strongly disagree with death runs as a mechanic in modern video games. I think that the modern Rayman...I realise that it's an intentional design decision to make people play more carefully but I strongly disagree with death runs as a mechanic in modern video games.
I think that the modern Rayman games did this best: difficulty that feels amazing when you perfect it and the regular deaths putting you straight back into the action.
But video games are an artistic expression and it's up to the creators if they want to make design decisions to make their art accessible to a wider audience. It simply means that I won't play the game but we're blessed with so many other games nowadays.
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Comment on iPhone 17, 17 Pro and Air announced in ~tech
Venko LinkI was considering replacing my 12 Pro this year but looking at the price (£1340 for the base 17 Pro with AppleCare with theft coverage for 2 years) I think I'll run my 12 Pro until it dies.I was considering replacing my 12 Pro this year but looking at the price (£1340 for the base 17 Pro with AppleCare with theft coverage for 2 years) I think I'll run my 12 Pro until it dies.
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Comment on What is a business/org that's so terrible no one should use if possible? in ~life
Venko Link ParentI noticed that you said a business account. May I ask which bank you use for a UK business account now and how you'd rate them?I noticed that you said a business account. May I ask which bank you use for a UK business account now and how you'd rate them?
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Venko LinkI noticed that the Phoenix Wright trilogy was £4.50 as part of the first tier of a capcom bundle on Humble Bundle. That's the first three Ace Attorney games. So I couldn't resist picking them up...I noticed that the Phoenix Wright trilogy was £4.50 as part of the first tier of a capcom bundle on Humble Bundle. That's the first three Ace Attorney games. So I couldn't resist picking them up at that price.
I ended up (temporarily, I promise) parking my Final Fantasy IX: Trance Seek and my modded Stardew Valley playthroughs to binge through the first Phoenix Wright game in the trilogy.
Oh wow. I played through this game 18 years ago so I remember the rough case structure and most of the murderers but I have been having so much fun. I'm starting the second game now.
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Comment on Humble Choice - September 2025 in ~games
Venko LinkThere's nothing here that interests me this month. But if you are interested in these games then these are pretty cheap. For example WWE 2K25's previous all-time low is £21 alone.There's nothing here that interests me this month. But if you are interested in these games then these are pretty cheap. For example WWE 2K25's previous all-time low is £21 alone.
I remember deeply concentrating for thirty minutes every month editing a markdown table and cycling through browser tabs checking all of the source websites.
In case @kfwyre hasn't said it to you enough: @talklittle this browser extension is so, so brilliant!