cheep_cheep'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
cheep_cheep (edited )Link ParentI actually own Pioneers of Olive Town (sent as a gift during COVID years ago) and I adore this game. I've played some of the Harvest Moon handheld titles primarily, so I've played other titles...I actually own Pioneers of Olive Town (sent as a gift during COVID years ago) and I adore this game. I've played some of the Harvest Moon handheld titles primarily, so I've played other titles before, and I vastly prefer Olive Town to Stardew.
I can't speak to what people like about the older Harvest Moon games - I have no idea, and I don't totally understand their criticisms. But I can tell you that what I like about Olive Town is that there are a lot of different farming mechanics I like (regular crops, orchards, flowers and honey, mushrooms), you can unlock permanent "season" areas where you can grow crops in that particular season, there are various unlockable animals, and there are a lot of "secondary" products you can make via makers (or just through your inventory). You gain access to more options as you skills level up. I personally find the farming, processing, and gathering mechanics to be a lot more satisfying than Stardew. Cooking is also a million times better in Olive Town, and the mission-based quest lines, too. Both games have a fishing mechanic, and I think they're roughly equal (and frustrating in their own way).
I can't say I totally understand why people love Stardew Valley so much (it seems like a NA Harvest Moon clone with pixel graphics), but relationships and storylines are probably better in Stardew. Stardew's dungeoning is definitely more complex, although there are a few in Olive Town and they're implemented well. Clemens also doesn't steal your gear for days when he's upgrading it! I have found that when using makers for processing, they can take up a lot of space, but I think the options for what you can make are a lot deeper in Olive Town. I personally prefer the cartoony graphics in Olive Town. There is a deeper modding base for Stardew, but the only mod I've really wanted lately is a time manipulator, so I can actually do all the things I want during the day! (The shipping box in Olive Town is also comically small.)
Basically, I never play Stardew anymore, but I play Olive Town regularly. It is my happy zen place. I may be the odd one out, but I want to push back on the disdain I see for modern Harvest Moon - I think the games are pretty complex and intricate, and while I have no idea what nostalgia people are chasing that causes them such unhappiness, Olive Town is one of my favourite games currently, even years after getting it. As part of the bundle, it's a great deal!
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
cheep_cheep Link ParentYou're right! That's fantastic!You're right! That's fantastic!
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
cheep_cheep Link ParentThank you for the info! I know a little bit about Latin, but virtually nothing about Greek, and so I appreciate the explanation.Thank you for the info! I know a little bit about Latin, but virtually nothing about Greek, and so I appreciate the explanation.
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Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
cheep_cheep Link ParentI appreciate what you're saying and all of the layers of bigotry that can come out of grammar judgment. I do want to give one example where "language marches on" leads to the loss of a beautiful...I appreciate what you're saying and all of the layers of bigotry that can come out of grammar judgment. I do want to give one example where "language marches on" leads to the loss of a beautiful bit of linguistics:
The plural of "clitoris".
As a dorky university student, my roommate and I looked up the plural in the dictionary and were thrilled to learn that the "correct" plural of clitoris is not "clitorises", but actually "clitorides" (which my autocorrect just "fixed" for me), I assume because the base word is Greek in origin. This is to me one of those glorious bits of linguistics that shed light on word origins and make you stop and appreciate where words come from. 20 years later, seeing that "clitorises" is now the preferred plural (probably because there's much more public discussion of them), I am genuinely sad to see that language is actively marching on, to the point where my autocorrect doesn't even recognize the "real" plural. Probably won't be appreciated by anyone but a nerd, but I do feel a little pang every time I hear someone use the colloquial plural.
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Comment on JK Rowling dismisses Emma Watson as 'ignorant' over trans rights row in ~lgbt
cheep_cheep Link ParentWhat's even more baffling is that Rowling was around when Watson was getting creeped on by scores of weirdos salivating over Hermione's underage sideboob. She should know firsthand exactly how...What's even more baffling is that Rowling was around when Watson was getting creeped on by scores of weirdos salivating over Hermione's underage sideboob. She should know firsthand exactly how being very young and famous does in fact cause you to need safe spaces, in ways that being poor and unknown does not.
Rowling's comments in this article come off as so bitter and lonely, it's wild how the author of a beloved children's series has become a blonde Maleficent. Watson is talking about how meaningful and important Rowling's support was to her while growing up, making sure she kept her safe...and all Rowling can do is rant about how stupid and selfish Watson is. Because she texted her instead of called?? Yikes. Reading this article felt like going to a high school reunion, looking at one of the kids expected to achieve a lot, and realizing instead that they ended up as a hot mess. I have been disgusted by Rowling's behaviour, but this just makes me sad for her. She's completely and utterly lost all connection to her role as a mentor, attacking the people she used to protect.
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Comment on Disney decides it hasn’t angered people enough, announces Disney+ price hikes in ~tv
cheep_cheep Link ParentNot facetious! Why isn't is just a "system" then? What about the wider infrastructure makes it specifically an "ecosystem" vs just a regular "system"? What, specifically, does "eco" mean in a...- Exemplary
Not facetious! Why isn't is just a "system" then? What about the wider infrastructure makes it specifically an "ecosystem" vs just a regular "system"? What, specifically, does "eco" mean in a business sense? When is it an "ecosystem" vs. any other system? When we want it to sound big? When we want it to sound cool?
It may seem like a triviality, but it's really not. The terms population, community, and ecosystem have specific meanings in ecology, and to me, "ecosystem" in techland is just a buzzword to mean "a system, but bigger". It detracts from discussions and understanding of actual ecosystems, and I absolutely despise the use of it as a marketing term.
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Comment on Disney decides it hasn’t angered people enough, announces Disney+ price hikes in ~tv
cheep_cheep Link ParentAs an actual ecologist, I want to provide the completely unhelpful comment that using "ecosystem" in a tech sense is almost completely nonsensical to me. What exactly is an "ecosystem effect" when...As an actual ecologist, I want to provide the completely unhelpful comment that using "ecosystem" in a tech sense is almost completely nonsensical to me. What exactly is an "ecosystem effect" when talking about streaming digital media? What about it, exactly, is "eco"? I would love an answer.
If anyone wants to talk about actual outdoor ecosystems, too, hit me up.
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Comment on ‘The Pitt’ wins Drama, ‘The Studio’ wins Comedy, and ‘Adolescence’ wins Limited Series at the 2025 Emmy’s in ~tv
cheep_cheep Link ParentAgreed, I really appreciated Tramell Tillman especially in season 2, and he did a marvelous job in a multifaceted role. Britt Lower was also so deserving, and I'm delighted that she won - while...Agreed, I really appreciated Tramell Tillman especially in season 2, and he did a marvelous job in a multifaceted role. Britt Lower was also so deserving, and I'm delighted that she won - while all of the actors playing severed employees needed to act for two, she was precise to the point where Helly and Helena even walked noticeably differently. Amazing!
I was also so happy to see Jeff Hiller win - Joel was the soul of Somebody Somewhere for me, and I'm delighted to see him (and the show) get some acknowledgement.
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Comment on Half of people on weight loss drugs quit within one year, Danish study finds – more likely to stop taking the drugs if they were younger, lived in poorer areas, or were men in ~health
cheep_cheep Link ParentThanks for saying this. I grew up with an insanely high metabolism and was probably underweight through my teens, and I didn't understand until my 30s how difficult modern food culture can be to...Thanks for saying this. I grew up with an insanely high metabolism and was probably underweight through my teens, and I didn't understand until my 30s how difficult modern food culture can be to navigate if you have a less ridiculous metabolism.
Thought experiment: consider the state of the junk food industry. Companies make billions of dollars in profit to make foods that are addictive, with food chemists on staff who can mimic the flavours of fruits so they can use various cheaper and shelf-stable chemicals, with marketers who will bombard you with images of these delicious things no matter where you are - TV, internet, or just out for a drive or on the bus. People spend their entire careers learning the best ways into tricking us into buying stuff we don't need. If you go out to a sporting event or movie, they're not selling you whole grains and vegetables - they're selling you delicious crap. The deck is really stacked against the average human, especially if you live in the States. So, I try to consider all of these things when thinking about weight and weight loss - when should we be doing more to limit advertising and the components of these foods, vs. blaming people for being physically and mentally manipulated by these ridiculous industries?
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Comment on The sunscreen scandal shocking Australia in ~health
cheep_cheep Link ParentTotally anecdotal, but I burn easily and the products in NA that I've been buying from Costco and the local grocery store do work - I still get blotchy burns that reflect where I inadequately...Totally anecdotal, but I burn easily and the products in NA that I've been buying from Costco and the local grocery store do work - I still get blotchy burns that reflect where I inadequately applied sunscreen, and I'm fine where I got good coverage. I have noticed that my lips have been burning more as I get older and I keep forgetting about sunscreen lip balms...so that's been my major issue. Still, scary to think that products are being sold that don't work.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2025) in ~health.mental
cheep_cheep Link ParentI didn't know either until now, and I didn't think it was possible to feel so many things about what I would previously have considered "the potential to be a person." But it is very, very...I didn't know either until now, and I didn't think it was possible to feel so many things about what I would previously have considered "the potential to be a person." But it is very, very different when that potential is growing in you, and is so entirely dependent on your body and choices to bring that life into being. And similarly, it feels like an equal magnitude of failure when that potential doesn't turn out, even when I did everything "right". Miscarriages happen, and especially around that point, but it doesn't make it any less devastating when you happen to be on that side of probability.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2025) in ~health.mental
cheep_cheep LinkI had a miscarriage last week. We had nearly made it out of the first trimester...but not quite. Every day is a new flavour of awful, and the thought of having to be kind and conscientious to...I had a miscarriage last week. We had nearly made it out of the first trimester...but not quite. Every day is a new flavour of awful, and the thought of having to be kind and conscientious to people outside is still utterly exhausting. I'm heartbroken and most people don't know and won't understand.
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentWe'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess!We'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess!
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link Parent...did you watch Tenet?...did you watch Tenet?
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentAgreed on all points - I have felt like I am totally out of step with pop culture because I hated this film. It felt like it had all the elements on paper of a Miyazaki film...but they didn't fit...Agreed on all points - I have felt like I am totally out of step with pop culture because I hated this film. It felt like it had all the elements on paper of a Miyazaki film...but they didn't fit together particularly well, there were parts that were bizarre and off-putting (what was up with the spirits???), and I found the protagonist really unlikable. I felt like if this didn't have Miyazaki's name on it, no one would care, and considering it might be his last film, a lot of people treated it with extra respect based on context on not on content.
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentMy biggest issues with both Scorsese and Nolan is that they primarily write "man movies" - women are either entirely non-existent, or are so paper-thin as to be primarily just window-dressing (and...My biggest issues with both Scorsese and Nolan is that they primarily write "man movies" - women are either entirely non-existent, or are so paper-thin as to be primarily just window-dressing (and good luck ever passing the Bechdel test). It's really annoying after awhile. I am intrigued by Killers of the Flower Moon, and I was surprised to remember that Interstellar is a Nolan creation (and Murph is easily the most nuanced of the female characters I've seen in his films), but generally, I just don't want to watch their films anymore. Tenet is terrible for this and it's generally a hot mess.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
cheep_cheep Link ParentCool, glad you were able to play it! I watched an LP of the game ages and ages ago, and while I thought the story was interesting, the gameplay looked so frustrating and difficult that I didn't...Cool, glad you were able to play it! I watched an LP of the game ages and ages ago, and while I thought the story was interesting, the gameplay looked so frustrating and difficult that I didn't think I would have the patience to get anywhere near the end. I believe there are a few different endings, so I'm curious to see where you end up!
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Comment on What are the standards for a good father/husband? in ~life.men
cheep_cheep Link ParentIt may feel to you like you're doing the bare minimum, but I think for a lot of parents, they may feel so tired and generally harassed that they don't necessarily have the frame of mind to use...It may feel to you like you're doing the bare minimum, but I think for a lot of parents, they may feel so tired and generally harassed that they don't necessarily have the frame of mind to use things like gas stations and shopping trips as "teachable moments", and so that is pretty cool! (And good parenting advice.)
Re Joann's: I do a lot of crafting and so I'm in craft stores frequently, and it's my personal hobby to count how many boyfriends/spouses are either hiding in the parking lot with the truck or following sadly in their partner's footsteps as she joyfully goes craft shopping. (My spouse falls in the latter category :) ). I don't know if it's a temporary reversion to childhood and being dragged along with Mom on errands, or just a screaming internal voice that tells them not to go into the "girl store", but I can tell you that men seem to just really try to avoid going into or acting normally in a craft store (and I have seen this happen in multiple countries, so it's not just a local thing). So yes, that is genuinely unusual, and yes, the bar is terribly low for reasons that I don't fully understand but frequently experience myself! Just out of curiosity, did you amuse yourself in craft stores before becoming a parent, or did the addition of a kid change your outlook at all?
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~life.men
cheep_cheep Link ParentPerhaps another dimension to think about, though, is that to many people, if a heterosexual woman is ugly, she has no chance of getting herself a man (like your alopecia example - she really is...Perhaps another dimension to think about, though, is that to many people, if a heterosexual woman is ugly, she has no chance of getting herself a man (like your alopecia example - she really is screwed to a lot of people!), whereas for a man, he has other assets that might attract someone, like his money, or his career, or his muscles. It may be equally superficial, but there is an absolute plethora of examples of unattractive men picking up all kinds of attractive women, and the reverse just isn't really true. You're allowed to get old and saggy as a man, and baldness and beer guts are commonplace after a certain age, but God help you if you're an old saggy woman going out without a full face on and hair dye!
I think traditionally there has also been much more severe criticisms via entire industries policing women's looks, often enforced by women's culture. Early American dieting fads are linked back to imperious Protestant magazines, extolling the virtues of pale, thin women who are dutiful to their husbands, whereas there isn't really that same level of toxic policing of men's bodies (also linking back to their virtuousness). I think there's certainly growing industries and manosphere articles talking about the importance of men's bodies and status, but I think it still has a long way to go to catch up with the sheer hatred that many women are taught to feel about their bodies - too thin, too fat, too booby, too flat, too hairy, too dark, too light, too muscular...and on and on and on. All enforced by the beauty industry. When men can't buy pants without also thinking about the right accompanying accessories to store their keys and wallets, I'll know we're in the same ballpark!
That's interesting, thanks for sharing. I have always found the NPCs to be pretty hit or miss in all farming sim games, and for reasons I can't quite pinpoint, I don't like the NPCs in Stardew Valley at all, they feel almost oppressive to me. Harvest Moon always seems to have a variety of quirky and tropey characters, and I didn't find this entry much different from others I've played (aside maybe from the really out there characters - there isn't anyone too odd). That probably explains a lot of the differences between your expectations and mine.
I never played the old console games, but my SIL has, and I don't think I could ever get into them myself. The mechanics look so clunky and it took her forever to do anything, and the graphics really sucked (and I still play PS1 games from the original disc - I'm not typically a graphics snob). I imagine a lot of her attachment to the games is nostalgia and comfort with the characters and setting, much like you describe, but as an outsider it is pretty baffling! I play on an older but still serviceable PC, and I appreciate the mechanics in Olive Town that let me get around quickly (moped) and visit whomever. I'll note too that in some version of the DLC (my version came with this), there are islands with villagers from other games, none of whom I know personally, but my SIL got excited about them. So that may be one bone for the nostalgia folks, though I don't know if that's a good or bad thing based on execution! Overall I found Olive Town very satisfying as a farming sim, especially because I like being the anti-social curmudgeon outside town obsessively micromanaging their turnip harvest...