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Comment on ‘Escape From Tarkov’ fans are outraged at new $250 pay-to-win edition in ~games
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‘Escape From Tarkov’ fans are outraged at new $250 pay-to-win edition
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Comment on Better Living Through Algorithms by Naomi Kritzer in ~books
crashb LinkAn excellent and emotional read, thank you for posting! These themes really resonate with me, so I’ve written a few thoughts: Thoughts (spoilers) At first, the characters assumed the worst about...An excellent and emotional read, thank you for posting! These themes really resonate with me, so I’ve written a few thoughts:
Thoughts (spoilers)
At first, the characters assumed the worst about the app, and I shared that suspicion. The reveal that the app was truly benevolent, with no ulterior motives, was genuinely shocking.
This quote stood out:
“…people are always impressed when science tells them something that we already knew.”
It would be deeply affirming (if not “impressive”) to be told, by an impartial algorithm, that it can be good to follow your heart.
Linnea was ultimately responsible for the positive changes in her life. She just needed some gentle encouragement to overcome her mental barriers and bad habits that had calcified with time.
Linnea’s able to commit to her new lifestyle even without Abelique. Her continued commitment suggests that even though the real world has no magic apps, a better life is still possible once those mental barriers are surpassed.
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Comment on What's your favorite TTRPG system that isn't DnD or Pathfinder/Starfinder? in ~games.tabletop
crashb LinkDelta Green is my favorite system right now, and I'd recommend it to anybody who is interested in the narrative possibilities of tabletop games. I stumbled upon Delta Green last year while looking...Delta Green is my favorite system right now, and I'd recommend it to anybody who is interested in the narrative possibilities of tabletop games. I stumbled upon Delta Green last year while looking for a system to run a campaign in the SCP universe, but I ended up ditching that idea in favor of simply running Delta Green modules.
Delta Green is set in the modern era. Incomprehensible horrors lurk just beyond the veil of this reality and threaten to wreak havoc on humanity. Players are expendable "Agents" who, for their own reasons, have each taken on the thankless responsibility of neutralizing and concealing unnatural incursions. The Agents are assigned to these operations by a shadowy conspiracy.
Each Delta Green module is typically one such operation. These modules are very evocatively written; NPC characters are fleshed out, and the scenarios themselves are compelling variations on the ever-present theme of cosmic horror. I also really like the faux-"dossier" aesthetic used by the Delta Green books - overall, the presentation punches way above its weight class and is on par with D&D.
Each Agent has a Sanity score, which inevitably erodes as they are exposed to the unnatural. To preserve their Sanity, Agents have to make interesting choices that also have narrative consequences. For instance, instead of losing Sanity points, an Agent can project that damage onto a close relationship, harming that relationship but preserving their own Sanity.
Need To Know (Delta Green's equivalent to D&D's Starter Kit) is freely available here and includes a short module, "Last Things Last," which is generally viewed as the best possible introduction to the game. For an actual play of Delta Green, I'd recommend Get In The Trunk.
As someone who used to play Tarkov, the game's current predicament is pretty astounding to me, so I figured it might spark some good conversation here.
Escape from Tarkov is sold in increasingly expensive editions, with each edition providing more in-game perks than the last. These in-game perks were also accessible through game progression, but these extra bonuses were still clearly pay-to-win. It's a PvPvE game where all player progression is wiped every few months, so having a more expensive edition provides a major advantage over other players at the beginning of a wipe.
The most popular edition of the game was also the most expensive: the $140 "Edge of Darkness" edition. Tarkov is technically still in Early Access, and EoD was a way for players to support the game, since it included all future content. Well, yesterday the developers performed an extremely blatant bait-and-switch by introducing a new $250 "Unheard" edition. Unheard has a cooperative PvE gamemode locked behind it, as well as unique gear and advantages that other players will never be able to attain through regular game progression.
The Unheard edition is not the only major scandal with this game either. A year ago, a YouTuber named g0at revealed just how widespread cheating was in Tarkov in this video. g0at purchased wall-hacks, and in 60% of his matches, he was able to confirm that at least one other cheater could see him through a wall. This revelation killed many players' interest in the game, including mine.
I haven't played Tarkov for years, and I only ever purchased the lowest-tier "Standard" edition. I really enjoy extraction shooters, and I believe they will be very popular in the future, but it's been surreal watching Tarkov deteriorate.