CannibalisticApple's recent activity
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Comment on Women should be able to open things in ~life.women
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Comment on Is there a way to filter out everything posted by a user? in ~tildes
CannibalisticApple Link ParentWhat is anarchist moderation?What is anarchist moderation?
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Comment on Sapphire - 'Shiki No Uta' (Samurai Champloo) English cover (2016) in ~music
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAccording to a comment by her, it's accurate enough that the original singer used her English lyrics for a music video six years ago. Unfortunately uncredited, but she said she's more flattered...According to a comment by her, it's accurate enough that the original singer used her English lyrics for a music video six years ago. Unfortunately uncredited, but she said she's more flattered than anything. And I get it, her translation is now the official one. That's pretty awesome.
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Comment on ‘The Walking Dead’ renewed by Netflix in five-year, $500m co-exclusive deal with AMC Global in ~tv
CannibalisticApple Link ParentFor a while now I've wanted a sitcom in a zombie setting for similar reasons. The way most post-apocalyptic fiction involves the cast constantly moving as settlements get destroyed either due to...For a while now I've wanted a sitcom in a zombie setting for similar reasons. The way most post-apocalyptic fiction involves the cast constantly moving as settlements get destroyed either due to zombies or the leaders being evil/corrupt (usually both) gets tedious. I figure that surely SOME humans would set up a decent settlement where the leaders weren't secretly evil, and everyone just cares about surviving and has a fairly competent setup.
I figured a MASH-style sitcom would be the best way to explore it since sitcoms are generally set in one location. Survivors have made a settlement and set up a new society, and it follows the daily life as they settle into a new normal while waiting for things to die down. Still have drama as they have to maintain defenses and occasionally fend off zombies that get inside, and people do still get bit and die. Can have other survivors arrive, and possibly visit other settlements. Maybe they get radio reports of ongoing fighting and efforts to combat the apocalypse.
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Comment on Game Pass was supposed to save Xbox – instead, it’s killing the company in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentHonestly, even that sort of delay does harm. A lot of people wait to buy games because of varying reasons ranging from being too busy to waiting for launch bugs to be ironed out (which feels...Honestly, even that sort of delay does harm. A lot of people wait to buy games because of varying reasons ranging from being too busy to waiting for launch bugs to be ironed out (which feels increasingly common) to just waiting for sales. There's a whole subreddit r/patientgamers for people who wait for at least twelve months:
Whether it's price, waiting for bugs/issues to be patched, DLC to be released, don't meet the system requirements, or just haven't had the time to keep up with the latest releases.
And on that note: games are generally more expensive than movie tickets, and movie theaters are also a generally more "social" activity. There are multiple movies I've only seen because friends invited me, and wouldn't have watched on streaming. Even watching the social aspect, it's a lot easier to impulsively spend $15-$25 on a movie ticket than to drop $30-$60+ on a single-player game you won't have time to play right away.
On top of all that, there's a big difference in the experience of a movie theater versus streaming at home, but no such difference with Game Pass. So there's even LESS incentive to buy a game at full price on day one when you know you can play it in a few months.
I've honestly never understood how Game Pass was profitable and worked from an economic standpoint... And I guess that's because it really wasn't.
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Comment on Pepsiman Recompiled Webport in ~games
CannibalisticApple LinkPossibly tangential: I'm realizing how advergames may actually be one of the best options for developers to focus purely on mechanics. The aesthetic is already decided, expectations are low so...Possibly tangential: I'm realizing how advergames may actually be one of the best options for developers to focus purely on mechanics. The aesthetic is already decided, expectations are low so they don't need to think too hard on the setting (unless they REALLY want to), and they don't need to be innovative to stand out because the branding already makes it stand out. So the devs can focus on just making solid gameplay using existing mechanics. (Seriously, even without some major gimmick or exclusive mechanic, basic platforming can still vary wildly due to things like how "slippery" movement is, how precise jumps have to be, how punishing missed jumps are, etc.)
From what I hear, Dorito's Crash Course is also fondly remembered by players for being fairly solid and fun despite the short duration (may also be because it was apparently free on Xbox 360?). I also remember someone on reddit years ago saying how their friend group played some Shrek party game as a joke, but then realized it actually had good balance compared to their other party games and so it became a regular feature.
Of course, this is reliant on the developers. I expect most devs just see them as low-effort cashgrabs (which they definitely are) and aren't interested in spending too long on them. But for some, it may be a good excuse to be paid while refining their understanding of some basic mechanics or experiment a bit since... Well, advergames are mostly shovelware anyway. The main expectation for them is "doesn't break at the main menu screen and players can complete it".
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Comment on Pepsiman Recompiled Webport in ~games
CannibalisticApple Link ParentAccording to Wikipedia, the game's a bit of a cult classic due to a mix of how cheesy it is, having actually surprisingly decent gameplay for an advertisement (lots of comparisons to Crash...According to Wikipedia, the game's a bit of a cult classic due to a mix of how cheesy it is, having actually surprisingly decent gameplay for an advertisement (lots of comparisons to Crash Bandicoot), and it's also been played at Summer Games Done Quick a few times.
Also, it has 2D cut scenes by Kotaro Uchikoshi who later became famous for the Zero Escape trilogy along with some other prolific titles (AI: The Somnium Files my beloved). He's not influential enough to contribute to its cult classic status, but still sticks out to me as pretty wild given how different it is from the rest of his works.
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Comment on Shower thought: good RNG stoplights in ~talk
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI feel like being the school bus would extend your time so much. So many extra stops to drop off or pick up kids... (I know you meant "beat" but I couldn't resist.)I feel like being the school bus would extend your time so much. So many extra stops to drop off or pick up kids...
(I know you meant "beat" but I couldn't resist.)
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Comment on Avatar: Seven Havens | Official teaser in ~tv
CannibalisticApple LinkIt looks pretty interesting to me! The semi-post-apocalyptic setting seems to serve a few purposes: add a mystery for viewers about how Korra's actions supposedly led to this, create tension and...It looks pretty interesting to me! The semi-post-apocalyptic setting seems to serve a few purposes: add a mystery for viewers about how Korra's actions supposedly led to this, create tension and prejudice for the new Avatar (kinda similar to how Aang was treated as a public enemy by the Fire Nation), and also stop/slow the advancement of technology so the setting doesn't feel like "the modern world, but with bending". Because unless Korra died in her 40's, I think the tech advancement rate would be close to the modern world. (Maybe the 70's or 80's?)
Also, kinda funny to me how I can already see some parallels to the Kiyoshi novel:
MAJOR Spoiler for Kiyoshi Novels
Kiyoshi, an Earthbender, followed Kuruk the Waterbender whose personal reputation was rather poor due to seeming caught up in his vices and failing his duties. It's later revealed that Kuruk had been secretly hunting and destroying Dark Spirits, spirits that were corrupted and gained murderous intent towards humans, and who were entering the human world at record numbers. Hunting them damaged his own soul though, hence why he seemed to neglect his Avatar duties in favor of drinking and other vices.
I suspect Korra's reputation and role in whatever happened will also be revealed to be misunderstood by the public due to a lack of knowledge of some behind-the-scenes event.
One interesting note from the Youtube trailer comments is that the release date, October 9, is the same as the original date for the leaked movie. (Which, after looking it up, now releases tomorrow... On Paramount+. Still no theatrical release.) Also saw some comments suggesting leakers may have gotten their hands on some episodes...?
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Comment on Atari makes Universal movie deal for ten iconic game properties in ~movies
CannibalisticApple Link...you know, I'm still skeptical, but they have a point. Most of these games are so barebones that there's infinite possibility for crafting a story. They're (mostly) not constrained by an..."Matt Reilly and I grew up playing Atari 2600 games and have remained fans ever since," said Casady. "The best Atari games dropped you into a world and let your imagination do the rest. Carl and Matt saw an opportunity to take that same spirit and build an original, large-scale adventure around it. From the moment we read the screenplay, we believed there was a great movie here."
...you know, I'm still skeptical, but they have a point. Most of these games are so barebones that there's infinite possibility for crafting a story. They're (mostly) not constrained by an existing plot, and the simple graphics there's no pressure to make visuals that match some specific image.
The challenge is making them still recognizable and relevant to the gamez. Some are really obvious and easy (Crystal Castles just needs... Well, a crystal castle, Centipede and Millipede just need monsters to fight that match the title, and from what a quick skim of Wikipedia Yars' Revenge actually has a plot), but others... Genuinely curious how the heck they plan to make a movie about Pong and Breakout.
I do wonder if they plan to combine some IPs rather than make 10 movies. Or maybe they had to license them as a bundle for some reason.
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Comment on Reddit will require you to be logged in to use old.reddit.com in ~tech
CannibalisticApple Link ParentFor me personally: I loathe the infinite scroll of the new design on the home page and subreddit pages... Yet more annoying is that when looking at comments, only a very small handful of comments...For me personally: I loathe the infinite scroll of the new design on the home page and subreddit pages... Yet more annoying is that when looking at comments, only a very small handful of comments and replies are visible. I often change the url to old reddit when I'm looking for useful information because it's tedious to have to click "load more comments/replies" constantly. Especially if it's text that shows up in the blurb on search engines that seems actually relevant to my query. That text is almost NEVER among the initially visible comments.
Also, I have no clue if it's possible to sort comments. If the "sort by X" button exists, I can't find it. I can't find how to permalink specific comments either. Maybe it's because I'm viewing reddit as a guest, but that's annoying.
One last thing, though this memory is hazy: originally old Reddit had its own mobile version for mobile browsers, but years ago it ditched it and forced new reddit or something similar onto the mobile site. I noticed that version drained my phone's battery, and promptly found some way to swap back to old reddit even with the desktop formatting looking missized on mobile.
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Comment on We reviewed designs for the buckled Midtown high-rise. What we found raises questions. in ~engineering
CannibalisticApple LinkDavid Brand wrote two other articles I find worth sharing. First is this article about how the plans weren't peer reviewed. The article is mostly about how important and vital peer reviewing can...David Brand wrote two other articles I find worth sharing.
First is this article about how the plans weren't peer reviewed. The article is mostly about how important and vital peer reviewing can be to engineering projects, especially with older buildings due to how building codes change over decades. It does make the point though that peer reviewing may not have prevented this collapse:
The problem may have been a contractor failing to follow plans, construction workers accidentally removing a key piece of reinforcement or safety inspectors overlooking a hazard – not a miscalculation or mistake by the engineer, said Brian Falconer, managing principal and structural engineer at Severud Associates Consulting Engineers.
And that ties into this article, where the principal engineer for the engineering firm is now on record that the reinforcement was not properly installed as the plans dictated. Obviously, this is not the official finding. The investigation is still ongoing and the firm has obvious motivation to deflect blame. Multiple engineers who've examined the photos have noted they don't seem to match the drawings or look reinforced though. And even then, there will still be multiple levels and groups involved in why they ultimately weren't reinforced.
The comments are where it gets really interesting though, since people from relevant fields chime in with thoughts about which groups hold most responsibility. There's one from a user named Bisbee discussing the Special Inspection Agency that I find particularly notable, so I'll just quote it here:
IMO the DOB's special inspections process sidelines the design professionals who actually built the project during construction in favor of 'Special Inspection Agencies'. All building work in NYC must be inspected by SIAs who then provide inspection reports and certify the completed inspections with the DOB.
In my experience as a structural engineer working in NYC, I find that: 1) SIAs often send inexperienced and less expensive inspectors to the site to save costs. 2) These special inspectors don't really understand the whole structure. They are just looking to check and cross off specific details. Some I've seen can barely read drawings. 3) SIAs will send different inspectors to the same project on subsequent days for scheduling optimization, meaning there is no knowledge overlap between inspectors. 4) Special Inspections are a lucrative and often poorly understood part of the project costs, which can attract people overly focused on money and not professional responsibility. 5) In order to save costs, the Owner will often try to minimize the time the actual design professionals spend on site during construction. Why is the owner paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to a SIA with inspectors on site for hours every day, AND a structural engineer / architect?
Those points, if accurate, seem like a recipe for a disaster. Any one of the first three points could lead to overlooking critical flaws, either due to being too inexperienced to recognize more subtle signs or comprehend how different parts of the structure impact each other, being unable to recognize how something might not match the plans... Or just simply not being able to notice "hey, that thing looks a little different than yesterday and it's not supposed to change every day" because they've never been there before.
All in all, these articles and comments are definitely providing some interesting insights into the construction and engineering industries to me as a layperson. Engineering failures can make for fascinating rabbitholes (and this one is guilt-free because no one died for once).
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Comment on We reviewed designs for the buckled Midtown high-rise. What we found raises questions. in ~engineering
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI'm not so pessimistic about nothing coming of it. A skyscraper falling in such a dense city would be genuinely catastrophic, so even with the corruption and corporate deflection, there's a vested...I'm not so pessimistic about nothing coming of it. A skyscraper falling in such a dense city would be genuinely catastrophic, so even with the corruption and corporate deflection, there's a vested interest in ensuring there are no repeats. Not just from the government, most companies ALSO don't want to have the risk of their buildings collapsing and putting them on the line for millions in damages on top of losing money they'd put into the building (and a potential reputation hit). They'll try to weasel their way out of trouble when it happens, but most prefer to preemptively avoid that in the first place.
Besides that, this sort of failure typically happens due to mistakes at multiple levels. General consensus so far seems to put primary blame on the contractors, but there are other decision makers involved who likely made the call to cut corners or ignore suggested procedures in the name of costs and time savings, or else just missed hazards they should have noticed.
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Comment on We reviewed designs for the buckled Midtown high-rise. What we found raises questions. in ~engineering
CannibalisticApple LinkThe article doesn't reach a conclusive answer about whether the beams were in fact properly reinforced, it mostly just cites experts expressing skepticism. Mainly posting because this article has...City-approved plans for the Midtown building that partially collapsed last week show it was required to have steel reinforcements installed on the columns that buckled on the 21st floor, according to Gothamist's review of hundreds of structural drawings. But department of Buildings officials declined to say whether the reinforcing was properly completed.
The plans show the two columns were supposed to be reinforced for 13 stories between the building’s 9th and 21st floors in an area directly beneath a 10-story addition that widened the original structure’s higher floors. The Department of Buildings completed emergency shoring of the building floors from the 9th story to the rooftop in the aftermath of near-collapse.
The developer MetroLoft has been converting the former Pfizer headquarters on East 42nd Street into a 1,600-unit residential complex that includes adding tens of thousands of square feet to the original 33-story building, making it the largest such project in the city.
The article doesn't reach a conclusive answer about whether the beams were in fact properly reinforced, it mostly just cites experts expressing skepticism. Mainly posting because this article has the actual structural plan drawings, and while I'm not an engineer by any means, I figured some Tildonians/Tildians/Tilderoos/etc. who are would be interested to see them.
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We reviewed designs for the buckled Midtown high-rise. What we found raises questions.
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Comment on Weekly thread for casual chat and photos of pets in ~life.pets
CannibalisticApple LinkCurrently cat-sitting for my friend's brother while their family goes on vacation. First time living with a cat, and so far it's fun! I won't post pictures since he may not approve, but she's very...Currently cat-sitting for my friend's brother while their family goes on vacation. First time living with a cat, and so far it's fun! I won't post pictures since he may not approve, but she's very friendly and playful. We bought a laser pointer and have had to use it to lure her out of off-limits rooms like the garage multiple times.
We're basically treating this as a "trial run" for potentially getting a cat someday. It's definitely different from having a dog. I now really understand the origin of "curiosity killed the cat", none of our dogs were ever curious like this.
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What are some of the weirdest events and moments in comic books?
And by weird, I mean the kind of insanity that would drive normal people to their breaking point as they question reality. The kind where you question what drugs the writers were on to come up...
And by weird, I mean the kind of insanity that would drive normal people to their breaking point as they question reality. The kind where you question what drugs the writers were on to come up with that, or worry for their mental health.
Things like the Peter Parker Clone Saga. Or the scene where he is turned into a spider, somehow gets pregnant, then dies and then basically gives birth to himself by bursting from the body. Or the time Jason Todd gained the power to turn into a tentacle monster and ate a guy. Or just... Most of Supergirl's history apparently. (I have only brushed the surface, but DC's edict make Superman the last Kryptonian led to some convoluted explanations to continue using legacy Kryptonian characters. Also, her horse had a raging crush on her and is technically an ex thanks to human-transformation shenanigans.)
Mainly thinking of DC and Marvel, but I'm open to other long-running comic book universes. Because with enough time, writers have to get creative to fill in issues, and stuff gets WEIRD.
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Comment on A philosopher’s one-word theory to explain why the world feels so weird: uni-context in ~humanities
CannibalisticApple Link ParentI think uni-context isn't about spreading awareness of what is bad, but about how it doesn't account for specific background context of events when judging them. The examples you gave are and...- Exemplary
I think uni-context isn't about spreading awareness of what is bad, but about how it doesn't account for specific background context of events when judging them.
The examples you gave are and should be considered universally bad by decent people. There is no context that can justify abusing children or sexual assault as "good" things. The real challenge comes with trying to identify something that isn't clear-cut bad, and what counts as as good. Quoting the interview:
In general, goodness is more context-dependent than badness. There isn’t really anything that’s good all the time for everyone independent of context. Happiness depends on your context and who you are. There isn’t anything that will always make a person happy. But there are reliable ways to make people unhappy. There’s a set of evils that are close to universal: death, pain, illness, violence. Even if someone’s in very different circumstances from yours, if you see they’re being subjected to one of those, you can interpret it as suffering and understand it.
To summarize: "bad" is more universally defined and recognizable than "good". Something can be good for one person, but not for the next, and it can be good in some situations but not others. The definition of good varies on practically every level.
A low-stakes example: choosing a dress for weddings. In western culture, brides typically wear white, so other women wearing white is generally a major social faux pas. In India and various other South Asian cultures meanwhile, brides wear red. And from a cursory search (at least for India), whether red is a faux pas can vary by factors such as regional customs, the couple's religion(s), the specific event, and also just the family's own individual discretion. Even when getting married in a western country like the US, it's still not uncommon to choose to follow their culture's traditions and wear red. Thus, a guest wearing a white dress isn't a big social faux pas.
And yet I saw multiple tales on reddit over the years of women getting judged by friends for wearing white or off-white to one of these weddings. They completely ignore the different cultural context and wedding traditions (and in some cases even the fact that even the brides themselves approved the dress, or that other guests ALSO wore white), and judge the guest by purely western ideas of wedding etiquette.
That's a fairly benign example of how the proper background context changes how a choice is perceived. Even in a scenario where there aren't culture differences at play, the appropriateness of an outfit can vary depending on venue or event. A strapless mini-dress with a cleavage cutout could work great for a bar, but not a formal work dinner at a 5-star restaurant. Tuxedos can technically be worn everywhere, but wearing one to go hiking is ill-advised.
Some other examples that may be perceived as "good" or "bad" across various contexts: breastfeeding, how sexual regular nudity is (e.g. when people use saunas), social drinking, living with one's parents, what clothing is considered "modest" (by which I mean "is a v-neck shirt scandalous"), child discipline methods... I've seen multiple people argue that spanking or even just raising voices at children in any situation counts as full-fledged abuse. Meanwhile, many Hispanic people joke about childhood memories of mothers and grandmothers wielding and throwing chanclas at misbehaving children.
And how a story is perceived can vary by individual based on our own experiences. Countless people judge others for cutting off parents because they can't fathom parents being toxic or abusive—and likewise, many people strongly advocate for cutting off family while ignoring the emotional and financial ramifications hindering such a decision. Some family dynamics or friend groups have a lot more teasing and rough-housing that outsiders may construe as abusive or malicious. Some people get surprised at how close and affectionate a family may be because their own was more distant.
In general, we DO tailor our behavior to fit various contexts and groups. We choose the sort of language we use, what stories we share, how we dress, how we judge another person's actions... We don't completely change everything about ourselves, but we do moderate our behavior in small ways that we don't even really think about beyond standard "what's work-appropriate?" type thoughts.
All of that to say: "good" is a LOT more subjective and context-dependent than "bad". There are things that can be universally agreed as bad, but I can't think of anything universally considered good (maybe someone beating cancer...?). That's where uni-context becomes a big problem, because it sounds like it tends to strip out or lack situational context. And that makes it a LOT easier for people to see only the bad in even the most benign anecdotes. (Let me tell you, it's bewildering to have someone call your parents neglectful and say they hope you were able to seek mental help once they grew up, because they failed to notice you started avoiding an armchair entirely after finding a spider on it.)
And sure, participation is voluntary... at least, for going online. Sadly, these days using the internet is a pretty standard part of life that's not as easily avoided.
Even if you don't go on social media, uni-context still bleeds into in other ways, as explained in the "The Uni-Context Explains … Status Anxiety, Comparison, Moneyball, and the Marketization of Everything" section of the interview. The talk of numbers particularly reminds me of how companies like to apply "metrics" to evaluate employee performance, totally ignoring vital context (e.g. how many customers total a specific location gets versus another, complexity of the problems and cases employees encounter, etc.).
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Comment on How long can I go with an obsolete phone? in ~tech
CannibalisticApple LinkBased on what you say, I don't see any issues so long as it still performs the functions you want. In fact, I don't think the security risks are that significant...? I have a Samsung Galaxy S9...Based on what you say, I don't see any issues so long as it still performs the functions you want. In fact, I don't think the security risks are that significant...? I have a Samsung Galaxy S9 from 2018/2019, and I still use it normally for the most part and have had no problems. Most recently, Gmail HAS given me some pop-up about how I may need to update my OS in the nearish future to keep using the app...? But it works fine for now, so... ¯\(ツ)/¯
Though I guess this explains why it never bugged me to update the OS when my mom's phone did. I just thought it was my phone being low on memory. I had no clue that official updates ended for it until now, which should tell you how fine it continues to operate even while "obsolete".
So I think so long as Visible works, you should be fine to keep it, especially with how minimally you use it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
CannibalisticApple LinkToday I started Cottonville, which I got in the Steam sale for $1. Saw it recommended by a cozy game Youtube channel, and figured why not? It's a combo farming/fashion game where you farm crops to...Today I started Cottonville, which I got in the Steam sale for $1. Saw it recommended by a cozy game Youtube channel, and figured why not? It's a combo farming/fashion game where you farm crops to use for making clothes to sell.
As far as cozy games go, this one's definitely on the slow side and the balance is a bit off. It's kinda annoying making clothes at times because of the various needed fabrics. You need to pre-dye fabrics to use. The good news is you can make clothes while the store is open, so you can just hoard undyed fabric until you get a request and then dye and make clothes to fit the criteria.
Meanwhile, the farming is painful. As far as I can tell, there's no bulk option for planting seeds or watering them. And the watering can only holds enough to water 6 spots at a time, and as far as I can tell there's no option to upgrade the capacity... And you fan only water one square at a time... Watering is REALLY tedious.
But making money is surprisingly quick compared to some games. Like... I easily make at least $3k each day so far. And the boutique system actually isn't that bad. Customers will have three requests (style, fabric and color), and you can use a combination of items to fulfill them. You don't need to fill each one, but you do get a bonus for it. Presumably once you have more materials and clothes, you can have a lot of fun.
The game also has an in-game achievement system tracking milestones and gives you rewards (namely money, crafting materials and clothing items).
One neat thing: the character creation has limited options, but also has some hair/eye colors I don't see often. It has a couple gradient options, AND there's a vitiligo skintone! (Was so tempted to make one of my old OCs in it, even though she is definitely not the Cozy Farm type.)
It's got a cute charm to it, and the art style reminds me a good bit of Cozy Grove. But it definitely feels a bit incomplete, and it's very slow-paced. I'll keep an eye on this one and hope for updates (seriously, watering crops should NOT be this tedious).
Definitely have struggled, and I wish more lids at LEAST had ridged grooves or something to have a better grip. I never struggle with peanut butter or water bottles. At worst I'd end up using a towel or my shirt to twist stubborn caps because the ridges begin digging into my palms a bit painfully (or my hand gets sweaty), but those ridges also let the fabric grip more easily. But any glass jar with a smooth metal lid is awful.
On that note, the difficulty varies by individual jar—not brand or product, but jars. My last major struggle was trying to open a jar of pasta sauce for probably five minutes, until I decided to try another unopened jar of the exact same sauce. It popped off almost instantly, no tricks needed. Just... GAH.