Xuande's recent activity
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Comment on Firefox for iOS now has a native adblocker in ~tech
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Comment on Firefox for iOS now has a native adblocker in ~tech
Xuande Link ParentStill not long enough ago. Roughly 25 years ago, I recall getting a school PC infected by an ad banner that never got clicked, that ran malicious code just for existing. It was at the bottom of a...Still not long enough ago. Roughly 25 years ago, I recall getting a school PC infected by an ad banner that never got clicked, that ran malicious code just for existing. It was at the bottom of a page for a browser game a few of us played, Utopia I think? Some kingdom management game where groups of ~20 players would face off against others.
Luckily, thanks to a combination of know-how and figuring out that admin access could be granted by the login "1" and password "1" (as well as a bunch of similar combos), I was able to clean up that mess without getting noticed.
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Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
Xuande Link ParentExcuse me for rambling, as I'm going to reply in the order that the thoughts came to me: On a base level, this makes sense. It doesn't gel with how I would expect or want it roles reversed - if...Excuse me for rambling, as I'm going to reply in the order that the thoughts came to me:
On a base level, this makes sense. It doesn't gel with how I would expect or want it roles reversed - if I'm having a bad experience I am either looking for advice or using my talking as a coping mechanism, as opposed to looking for emotional support or empathy. So I struggle to see things from that angle because its a type of caring that I've barely been exposed to in my life (long story, not a pleasant one) and thus don't expect from or know how to react to it when it does happen.
Point 3 is key though, and is the thing I most find myself trying to remember in the moment. Asking for clarity when the other person thinks their perspective is already clear helps head off the confusion I often run into. Of course, its hard to ask when I think they're being clear from my pov (when actually I've got it wrong), but it does work.
Often times with Point 1, I struggle with common "small talk" situations because they are reminiscent of a trauma I've experienced, and my brain defaults to self-defense mode trying to summarize or tune out details. Then later I'll find there was an important detail I needed to catch and couldn't/didn't because I was trying to avoid the alternative, which in my case can lead to gag reflex->hyperventilation (panic attack).
I do appreciate the effort you put into both probing and replying in-depth here. My prior experiences in exploring issues like these online is that people tend to jump to incorrect assumptions/conclusions from their very different experience, and it ends up making one or both parties look like they're acting in bad faith.
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Comment on Invite request spam problem - vet through other social media? in ~tildes
Xuande (edited )Link ParentThis, I went a step further and claimed a referral posted openly since I don't have any sort of social media networking going on. It was easier than trying to put an email together to Deimos that...This, I went a step further and claimed a referral posted openly since I don't have any sort of social media networking going on. It was easier than trying to put an email together to Deimos that might or might not be read, especially given the alternative of lurking Tildes since there's no paywall here, unlike certain other forums and Discord are to those without an account.
Also for those who aren't aware, newer users don't
seem to get invitesget invites until a new set are sent out, so its only the users who have been here in a non-lurking capacity who may have codes to give out. -
Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
Xuande Link ParentI've read this book actually, probably still have a digital copy sitting around on an older phone somewhere, because that's one of the first things that gets suggested to me when I bring the topic...I've read this book actually, probably still have a digital copy sitting around on an older phone somewhere, because that's one of the first things that gets suggested to me when I bring the topic up. I'd have to reread it to remember why exactly it didn't work for me though.
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Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
Xuande Link ParentWhile its a difficult topic for me, I mention it in the event it might be helpful to others and/or myself. So whatever you want to share here, in private message, or otherwise is fine - the worst...While its a difficult topic for me, I mention it in the event it might be helpful to others and/or myself. So whatever you want to share here, in private message, or otherwise is fine - the worst I would do is politely decline further conversation, or break from the conversation if I'm unable to cope with it. If I ever delete messages on Tildes or elsewhere, this is usually why, and I mean nothing personally by it.
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Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
Xuande Link ParentIf it is applicable from the perspective of someone who is autistic (among other things) and doesn't involve masking or trying to project a fake kind of emotional support, then sure. But I imagine...If it is applicable from the perspective of someone who is autistic (among other things) and doesn't involve masking or trying to project a fake kind of emotional support, then sure. But I imagine that rules out most otherwise helpful suggestions?
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Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official
Xuande Link ParentSo, I do this behavior a lot in an attempt to relate to the person expressing a difficulty, and it does often come off as you describe it despite that not being my intent. But thanks to my unique...So, I do this behavior a lot in an attempt to relate to the person expressing a difficulty, and it does often come off as you describe it despite that not being my intent.
But thanks to my unique mixture of lived trauma and mental disabilities, I've never figured out how to properly improve on this, and I'm intentionally socially isolated enough that its unlikely to improve. I've had it described as having "sympathy, not empathy" but I don't experience emotions on a level that most neurotypical people seem to, and so the closest I can come to engaging in a conversation short of passive listening is to try to relate what I'm being told to my own lived experiences.
And it really sucks! But whenever I attempt to come out of my shell a little more, it inevitably backfires.
I guess what I'm trying to say here is that its easy to misread intent, especially in a world where there are a lot of people operating on bad faith. It often feels like I'm speaking in a different language, unable to properly understand or communicate to the other party.
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Comment on GOG confirm they are working towards GOG Galaxy on Linux in ~games
Xuande Link ParentFor anyone who would want to learn more: Elecom mouse via Amazon I believe this is the model that I've been using for several years now, frequently goes on sale though I think its worth full price...For anyone who would want to learn more:
I believe this is the model that I've been using for several years now, frequently goes on sale though I think its worth full price to the right user. Works well in either hand, and is lightweight without being too fragile or too imprecise. I'd say the main weakness is a lack of signal strength outside of short distances (~15 feet with line of sight, ~5 without) on the 2.4 ghz model. I'd also prefer if the mouse click buttons were a tad closer to the rest of the device, since it can be uncomfortable to hold in the same hand for longer sessions.
I've yet to find a better hand-controlled device for when my hands are unable to use a conventional or vertical mouse, though don't expect precision/speed on the level of those.
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Comment on GOG confirm they are working towards GOG Galaxy on Linux in ~games
Xuande Link ParentIts not a move I plan on making in the short term - my thought was that eventually Steam Frame would release, I'd get one when it was in stock (relapsed VR user from the original Vive, but decent...Its not a move I plan on making in the short term - my thought was that eventually Steam Frame would release, I'd get one when it was in stock (relapsed VR user from the original Vive, but decent chance I can't afford it at launch), and use that as a means of getting used to operating in Linux again and go from there. I have a little experience using VMs, but for the most part I haven't touched Linux based PC OS in the last 20 years.
I'll pass on listing out everything, but to give some examples, I use several programs to help me with accessibility. I use a combination of DisplayFusion and Keymapper to have custom keyboard hotkeys for functions like mouse inputs, f.lux and built in Windows color changing features to help with colorblindness and light sensitivity, various niche mouse firmware (Elecom handheld trackball mouse, an air mouse, and a Logi vertical mouse who's software glitches out frequently on Windows), and so on.
I also have an extensive Steam and non-Steam game library that I'd have to vet. I'm mostly not doing online/multiplayer stuff affected by kernel level anti-cheat that won't run on Linux, but I do have some that would be dealbreakers if they didn't work, like the RPG Maker series of products that already run into performance bottlenecks on Windows (due to half-baked mobile support restricting it to single-core processor use.) I've also heard that Linux and Nvidia generally don't get along, and due to the pandemic I've been stuck with a prebuilt using a 3070, which meets my current needs well enough that I don't want to replace it anytime soon.
Basically, thanks for the offer, but I'm too early in the process to benefit from listing out everything. I also need to do due diligence in deciding what flavor of Linux to research.
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Comment on GOG confirm they are working towards GOG Galaxy on Linux in ~games
Xuande LinkWhen GOG Galaxy first became a thing, I assumed it was to get certain publishers on board with their platform, specifically publishers who require the DRM it could provide for their online or...When GOG Galaxy first became a thing, I assumed it was to get certain publishers on board with their platform, specifically publishers who require the DRM it could provide for their online or games-as-a-service product. As such, I've never used GOG Galaxy because the main upside I see from GOG is having DRM-free games without the need to bypass anything. Steam doesn't require DRM, and by default offers DRM that isn't terribly restrictive and could be bypassed in the event it collapses as a platform somehow.
So for those of you excited about this news, what's the consumer reason to like GOG Galaxy over either not using a launcher (which is what I do when I used to buy games there) or using a third-party alternative launcher?
I'd love to make the jump to Linux one day when life is stable enough for me to deal with all the routine-breaking leaving Windows would cause, but I also use a lot of niche software and have long ingrained habits that will be difficult to break or relearn.
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Comment on What pre-NES games do you still recommend today? in ~games
Xuande Link ParentCorrect, it was out first. Rather than name more contemporary comparisons (ShellShock Live, Gunbound come to mind), I thought I'd name the older title in Scorched Earth that's probably best known...Correct, it was out first. Rather than name more contemporary comparisons (ShellShock Live, Gunbound come to mind), I thought I'd name the older title in Scorched Earth that's probably best known for pushing the genre forward.
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Comment on What pre-NES games do you still recommend today? in ~games
Xuande LinkI don't have strong opinions here unless you'd count Famicom as "pre-NES" which it technically is, but probably not what you meant. Much of my early learning about programming was from messing...I don't have strong opinions here unless you'd count Famicom as "pre-NES" which it technically is, but probably not what you meant. Much of my early learning about programming was from messing around with a PC that had Q-BASIC support along with open source code for Gorillas (banana throwing game in the mold of Scorched Earth) and Nibbles (snake), both of which were competent games for their time.
What I'll offer instead is a Youtube channel that's under the radar and does a great job of covering mostly Japanese-exclusive games from the early eras, including some from the very early days like Epoch's attempts at a console: https://www.youtube.com/@RndStranger/
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of July 12 in ~games
Xuande Link ParentThere are absolutely stat-based mechanics, but they're of the "Do you have X amount of Y aptitude? Then you can make this choice. Is your relationship with this person X or higher? Then you can...There are absolutely stat-based mechanics, but they're of the "Do you have X amount of Y aptitude? Then you can make this choice. Is your relationship with this person X or higher? Then you can make this alternative choice. Is neither true? Well, there's this less desirable third choice you can make!" variety. Basically it needs to be believable that your Brante would be able to make the choice that you the player want to make.
It is possible to die, but there is a "lesser death" mechanic explained by the plot that allows the player to play on through most types of "lesser death". There are of course ways to permanently die before the ending, or to run out of "lesser death" opportunities and be forced to die for real, or to die in the ending itself...but these deaths make sense within the plot and aren't the level of cruelty of a typical CYOA death from choosing the wrong side of go left/go right.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of July 12 in ~games
Xuande Link ParentI have played it, and its extremely good at what it sets out to do, which is to set up a story of flawed ideals where the player character can't succeed at everything - and trying to be everything...I have played it, and its extremely good at what it sets out to do, which is to set up a story of flawed ideals where the player character can't succeed at everything - and trying to be everything results in ending with nothing. There's hard moral decisions to make, and three main branching storylines (Noble/Commoner/Priest lots) with enough to see to at least justify those three playthroughs, with several more needed if you want to see everything.
After the first two chapters where you learn about the world and set up your character's set of relationships and aptitudes, the rest of the game is about making those tough decisions, being locked out of choices you'd like to make but can't because you didn't raise your Brante to be capable of making them, and ultimately having to live with what you can accomplish.
Note that there are no skill rolls or any luck-based mechanics here like a Disco Elysium type game, so you will either be able or not be able to take certain actions as they are offered, and this did upset some players. Their second game looks to improve upon this by adding extra limited resources (Sanity, lineage-based power) that the player could use to bypass these locks at a heavy cost.
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June 2026 in ~games
Xuande Link ParentI would suggest making this clearer in future threads then, because its possible to interpret your intent differently, as I apparently did despite reading the original post multiple times. Maybe...I would suggest making this clearer in future threads then, because its possible to interpret your intent differently, as I apparently did despite reading the original post multiple times. Maybe that's my fault for not reading the history of previous linked threads before deciding to contribute?
Because I probably wouldn't have posted at all had I understood this intent beforehand, as someone with significant anxiety when it comes to anything social. When I do decide to post at Tildes (rarely), its because I feel like I have a unique insight, or in this case because it was a chance to make someone else's day at little cost to myself.
Regardless, intent noted for the future and sorry for bringing up a dispute in an otherwise positive thread.
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June 2026 in ~games
Xuande Link ParentAssuming these are US region codes, I'll put in a request for Gal*Gun Returns because it'll help make a future purchase cheaper - I'm hoping to eventually get a Steam Frame to get back into VR and...Assuming these are US region codes, I'll put in a request for Gal*Gun Returns because it'll help make a future purchase cheaper - I'm hoping to eventually get a Steam Frame to get back into VR and I hear one of the GG games is decent in VR, if one can get over the admittedly bad theming.
I'm also going to post these older, US region Steam codes publicly because I'm not sure about whether they're valid at this point, so feel free to try to claim any or all of them, by removing the "7" from each code:Nevermind, noticed after posting that the TC doesn't want public codes posted. Incidentally, why is this a thing? I'd rather see codes go to use regardless of the claimant, and its easier on me not to have to monitor for replies/DMs.
I have possibly expired codes for Iratus, Astrea, and Embr. Can't promise they'll work or that I'll give a timely reply, but feel free to ask.
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Comment on What are your favorite custom games? in ~games
Xuande Link ParentIf you want to name drop, I went by "lunar2" in the Wesnoth community, the mods that credit that alias are referring to my contributions back then or are projects I made solo. Not active there...If you want to name drop, I went by "lunar2" in the Wesnoth community, the mods that credit that alias are referring to my contributions back then or are projects I made solo. Not active there anymore and haven't looked around in several years at this point, but I know when I last checked that the modding scene is still thriving.
Certainly, there's a lot of things I'd still want to mod! And I have the time for it, but a few things get in the way that I don't have easy answers to. Most games these days are built on an engine like Unity/Godot/UE/etc and my programming knowledge is essentially self-taught/high school level. I've also got issues related to my health, such as having to limit my hand use due to carpal tunnel + de quervains.
There's a ton more I could say, but to keep it shorter I'll give two examples of more recent modding:
The live/asynchronous multiplayer auto battler genre as a whole. I've really wanted one to exist that has the depth I want, without the accessibility issues (fast timers, colorblind) and without being ran by scummy elements I don't want to support. Instead of modding, I made my own. And while the current result of that is a game that I find quite fun, its also one limited by my own limitations - I don't know where to begin to make it functional online (its local multiplayer + AI currently), I can't afford nor draw my own art (and free assets I've found so far are limiting for a game with >600 cards, meaning I have the unenviable choice between no art at all, genned art, or art that barely matches what the card says), and so on. Since I have essentially no networking in any sense of the word, I feel stuck, and tend to revisit it a couple of times a year when I get an idea that I am capable of implementing.
Games like Slay the Spire 2, Brotato, etc that offer open modding. In this case, the simple answer is that others are capable of adding content a lot faster than I am, so I don't bother. I looked at StS2's documentation recently and figured I could make it happen given enough time, but then I look over at Steam Workshop and see that others have already done so much, so instead I wait for their projects to finish and save myself the trouble.
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Comment on What are your favorite custom games? in ~games
Xuande LinkI miss those days, but age, disability, and an obsolete skill set combine to make me mostly retired from modding in custom games into games that allowed for it. While I've got a lifetime of making...I miss those days, but age, disability, and an obsolete skill set combine to make me mostly retired from modding in custom games into games that allowed for it. While I've got a lifetime of making my own hobbyist games that never go anywhere, its better for me when I can take an existing framework and prototype ideas quicker.
Focusing specifically on projects people might have heard of, I did a lot of dabbling with Unreal Tournament (1999), most notably my own fork of the SiegeUT mod that was about constructing buildings to defend a base or to supply teammates to attack enemy bases. I implemented basic AI support so it would engage with making and using buildings itself, and added more things to build, more weapons, etc. Only much later did I find out that there were other, better known forks of the mod, but it was still a good learning experience.
But the thing that's likely most enduring today is Battle for Wesnoth. I wrote a lot of standalone mods back in the pre 1.0 days (~2004-2006), some of which still endure today (Great Race, possibly others) many versions later thanks to others porting them for me, without me even requesting it. I also took part in the first DotA-like custom game developed there (DotW) as the main person gathering playtesters and making balance adjustments based on feedback and my own play experience. Wesnoth helped me get through a tough time in life where everything was falling apart, and some of my experimental ideas carried through to other players' Wesnoth projects, like the wave survival genre.
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Comment on What internet discussion sites remain? in ~tech
Xuande Link ParentFor reference, Tildes is as close as I get to participating in social media these days, though I've been a longtime user of message boards who has tapered off as I get older and less tolerant of...For reference, Tildes is as close as I get to participating in social media these days, though I've been a longtime user of message boards who has tapered off as I get older and less tolerant of aggressive posters.
Back when I tried posting at ResetEra, I got ran off the site by having nasty accusations like having "blood on my hands" because I chose to share my personal experience with mental health as someone who has and is living with several conditions myself, and I find that those who don't have and don't spend time with those who do can have a warped view of what's going on. Suffice it to say that I stopped going and have a rather negative opinion of moderation there. Others also had issues with moderation and went on to places like MetaCouncil, which seems fine enough but is noticeably less active.
I haven't really found a proper outlet for open discussion myself, Reddit->Discord seems to have cannibalized most of the desire for message boards, and I've deleted my accounts at both places. Reddit is too hiveminded and Discord too fast/FOMO. Tildes is fine, though I find that the culture here varies greatly by topic, and the lack of an ignore user feature keeps me posting less than I might otherwise.
Meanwhile, the worst we did was write programs to spam files into the project submission folders of classmates, which got to the point that the folders couldn't even be opened anymore.
Really though, much of the time was spent LAN gaming, at least while that was acceptable. That's when I got some of my early modding experience with games such as UT99, when up to that point I had only been writing my own Q-BASIC or TI-XX games from scratch or modding old stuff like Nibbles. I'd write forks of existing mods and test them out in class.
I still write gaming stuff via middleware such as RPG Maker today, but given my limited resources I don't get to share my stuff with a larger audience. Lacking a complete skill set to make a marketable product is probably why I enjoyed modding so much back then, since I could borrow from existing infrastructure and player base. Making a good UI is beyond me, and I have neither the physical function to become an artist, the funds to pay artists (haven't yet found free/cheap options that meet my existing needs), or the desire to market AI generated art.