damonreece's recent activity
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Comment on Berkeley landlord association throws party to celebrate restarting evictions in ~life
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Comment on We're all living on r/MadeMeSmile's Internet Now in ~tech
damonreece Link ParentIt's been a long time coming. My Reddit browsing method was the front page, browsed via Apollo with heavy use of blacklists. In hindsight it was a stupid way to browse the platform, but... you...It's been a long time coming. My Reddit browsing method was the front page, browsed via Apollo with heavy use of blacklists. In hindsight it was a stupid way to browse the platform, but... you would not believe how much hate there is lurking under the surface. Whatever you think, there's a hundred times more. There is a mycelial network of thousands of hateful subreddits and they were undermining the integrity of the site for a long time before the API mess. Probably since user-created subreddits were a thing.
And, of course, Reddit Inc. never really cared beyond the level that the law compelled them to. Tech libertarians really have destroyed our public discourse.
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Comment on Berkeley landlord association throws party to celebrate restarting evictions in ~life
damonreece Link ParentDo you have class solidarity with landlords?Do you have class solidarity with landlords?
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Comment on Japanese YouTuber sentenced to two years in prison for sharing gameplay and anime videos in ~games
damonreece Link ParentYup, I had HoloLive and Nijisanji stream a game I worked on and even though we had blanket permissions for content creators explicitly laid out on their website, they still needed permission from...Yup, I had HoloLive and Nijisanji stream a game I worked on and even though we had blanket permissions for content creators explicitly laid out on their website, they still needed permission from me personally.
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Comment on Saints Row developer Volition permanently shuts down in ~games
damonreece Link ParentYes. I'm a game writer and have genuine significant trauma from working conditions in the industry. It took me 10 years to find a semi stable job where I'm also paid well and treated well.Yes. I'm a game writer and have genuine significant trauma from working conditions in the industry. It took me 10 years to find a semi stable job where I'm also paid well and treated well.
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Comment on Saints Row developer Volition permanently shuts down in ~games
damonreece LinkAs someone in the industry it's really scary to think that any studio I work for could be snapped up by a conglomerate like Embracer and then shuttered with no warning. The loss of institutional...As someone in the industry it's really scary to think that any studio I work for could be snapped up by a conglomerate like Embracer and then shuttered with no warning. The loss of institutional knowledge is unbelievable.
Embracer is not good for the industry.
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Comment on California court dismisses lawsuit over nuclear power plant in ~enviro
damonreece Link ParentDo you live near the power plant? I did. Close enough to get emergency alert text message warnings after earthquakes. Didn't particularly put me or my family at ease. Does this mean it should not...Do you live near the power plant? I did. Close enough to get emergency alert text message warnings after earthquakes. Didn't particularly put me or my family at ease.
As for the thermal problems, there are several fossil fuel power plants that use a similar cooling system that pose even larger dangers to local sea life.
Does this mean it should not be addressed?
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Comment on Apple announces the iPhone 15 launch event in ~tech
damonreece LinkThe most exciting thing about a new iPhone is the price drop on last year's models. I'm on an iPhone XR which is showing its age so I'm looking forward to upgrading.The most exciting thing about a new iPhone is the price drop on last year's models. I'm on an iPhone XR which is showing its age so I'm looking forward to upgrading.
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Comment on The end of cool small cars - The Taliban has fresher trucks than us. The Honda Fit is dead. U can’t find a sauced-out 2-door to save your life. How did we get here?? in ~transport
damonreece Link ParentIt's wild how you say this and later mention tariffs without making the connection. The chicken tax killed the light truck in America; demand had absolutely nothing to do with it. So in the end,...They died because no one bought them.
It's wild how you say this and later mention tariffs without making the connection. The chicken tax killed the light truck in America; demand had absolutely nothing to do with it. So in the end, it is because of an oppressive regime - just one closer to home.
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Comment on Tylenol: Six more years of failure in ~health
damonreece Link ParentMigraines present in a variety of ways, I would advise reading up on them instead of relying on secondhand information. I challenged someone's assumptions on them recently and they soon realized...Migraines present in a variety of ways, I would advise reading up on them instead of relying on secondhand information. I challenged someone's assumptions on them recently and they soon realized that they had essentially been dealing with an essentially 24/7 migraine for months.
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Comment on (Not) every single musical reference from The Super Mario Bros. Movie in ~movies
damonreece Link ParentThere's a whole portion of the score that they threw away to put the pop songs in, too. It's a real shame.There's a whole portion of the score that they threw away to put the pop songs in, too. It's a real shame.
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Comment on Saltwater batteries. A large scale environmentaly friendly energy storage solution? in ~enviro
damonreece LinkThis article is full of spam links...? Doesn't exactly scream trustworthy to me.This article is full of spam links...? Doesn't exactly scream trustworthy to me.
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Comment on Twitter, Elon Musk and the Indigo Blob in ~society
damonreece Link ParentTwitter is a piece of infrastructure that many rely on for emergency information - deleting it unfortunately isn't a possibility for some until that infrastructure is replaced.Twitter is a piece of infrastructure that many rely on for emergency information - deleting it unfortunately isn't a possibility for some until that infrastructure is replaced.
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Comment on Why is Elon Musk doing what he is to Twitter? in ~tech
damonreece Link ParentShe and her representatives were an extremely destructive influence on many former colonies. I think it's apt.She and her representatives were an extremely destructive influence on many former colonies. I think it's apt.
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Comment on Threads is the perfect Twitter alternative, just not for you in ~tech
damonreece Link ParentGive it six months.Give it six months.
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Comment on I want to experiment with writing for video games, can you help me find a starting place? in ~games
damonreece Link ParentI would assume 2 has the nicer modding tools. It's hard to build expertise with game writing tools since so many studios have bespoke inhouse toolkits that'll never see the light of day....Neverwinter Nights it is then! I'll pick one up, you think I should do 1 or 2? Probably could try both really.
I would assume 2 has the nicer modding tools.
Do professional writers in the industry favor in particular program for games writing? I mean, I have my own ideas of how to organize my writing for a game and what to use, but if there's already a standard then I might as well use it.
It's hard to build expertise with game writing tools since so many studios have bespoke inhouse toolkits that'll never see the light of day. Articy:draft is an exception and is used on quite a few projects, though I don't know how much it's worth learning how to use it for personal projects when you could instead be learning more general skills around node-based editors and basic scripting (variables and what have you).
Do the positions require knowledge of the company's particular engine? Will I need experience writing code and using toolsets that the devs are using if I was to pursue this professionally.
As mentioned above, most of these proprietary engines will never see the light of day, so you'll never have a chance to practice on them, but that's something companies keep in mind and specifically for game writers our work is so engine-agnostic that it's hardly ever a factor. You should learn basic scripting, though, whether that's in Twine (which I don't love) or perhaps building interactive fiction in Inform (which I love slightly more).
How large are the teams you've worked with? I know this would vary WILDLY. From indies to triple A not to mention that some games are filled with books like Skyrim while others won't have a word of text at all.
My current team is 60 people, that's by far the largest I've experienced. Majority of my teams have been 5-10 people, since opportunities beyond indie-sized productions are rare in my country.
As of now, this is just a personal passion and something I want to do for my own happiness, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love to do it professionally if I find myself any good at it.
The happiest game writers I know are the ones who don't do it as a day job. This profession can be pretty punishing, and you're liable to get treated like dirt by people who don't respect or understand the work that goes into game narrative. I'm very lucky to have found a gig that ticks all my boxes, but... it took me ten years. And those ten years weren't often very fun.
After I've written some small mods do you recommend a next step if I wanted to start taking it seriously?
Get into that feedback loop: complete small pieces, play others' mods or games, give feedback, ask for feedback on your work, make friends (don't "network"), maybe learn something like Ren'Py, participate in some game jams, get your work out there, and soon enough you'll start making things you feel are good enough to sell. They won't sell, but every completed project under your belt will get you closer to your goal.
Happy to answer any more you've got, or elaborate on anything you feel I've not gone into enough detail on.
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Comment on I want to experiment with writing for video games, can you help me find a starting place? in ~games
damonreece LinkMaking a small (yes, small) mod is a great starting point. Quite a few game writers got their careers started off of Neverwinter Nights mods. If you are able to demonstrate that you can do good...Making a small (yes, small) mod is a great starting point. Quite a few game writers got their careers started off of Neverwinter Nights mods. If you are able to demonstrate that you can do good work in a preexisting set of tools and, more importantly, within a strictly defined set of limitations, it's very attractive to employers.
I'll go against the grain, however, and say that I have not found tabletop roleplaying experience to be universally helpful for learning videogame writing, as the sets of limitations you work within are quite different.
I have a decent amount of professional experience doing this so do let me know if you have specific questions.
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Comment on Formula 1 race weekend (British GP) thread in ~sports.motorsports
damonreece LinkThat was the best race of the year, hands down.That was the best race of the year, hands down.
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Comment on Pokemon.com launches official forums in ~games
damonreece Link ParentWho could have seen this coming?Who could have seen this coming?
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Comment on Pokemon.com launches official forums in ~games
damonreece LinkUnless they have an absolute army of human moderators, this seems ill-advised...Unless they have an absolute army of human moderators, this seems ill-advised...
My guy, absolutely none of the things you mentioned are classes. Your failure to meaningfully engage with my honest (and extremely simple) question is pretty telling!