Evie's recent activity
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Comment on Almost a third of Gen Z men agree a wife should obey her husband in ~life.men
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Comment on Color game — how well can you remember colors? | Dialed in ~games
Evie Link ParentThe browns were the easiest for me somehow, I consistently get over 9.5s on them. Saturated colors on the other hand I don't do as well, so what can you do.The browns were the easiest for me somehow, I consistently get over 9.5s on them. Saturated colors on the other hand I don't do as well, so what can you do.
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Comment on AI’s memorization crisis (gifted link) in ~tech
Evie Link ParentWell, I think, obviously the former, but regardless of how someone answers that question, if you charged someone twenty bucks a month for you to write down copies of all the books you've...Well, I think, obviously the former, but regardless of how someone answers that question, if you charged someone twenty bucks a month for you to write down copies of all the books you've memorized, that would be almost textbook copyright infringement, no?
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Comment on How do you remember? in ~tech
Evie (edited )LinkI bought a physical notebook (dotted, so I can draw my own lines) and a pen that I keep on my desk, or in my purse when I go out. I number the pages, and reserve the last few for an index. Before...I bought a physical notebook (dotted, so I can draw my own lines) and a pen that I keep on my desk, or in my purse when I go out. I number the pages, and reserve the last few for an index. Before the notebook I had a bad habit of making notes in random Google docs. In contrast the notebook makes it easy to have everything I want to remember in one place. It feels very hygienic if that makes sense. And it means I'm not uploading my random thoughts -- my grocery lists, blocking for parties, stray ideas about books and games, research references for writing -- into the cloud.
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Comment on Backrooms | Official teaser in ~movies
Evie LinkI'm very interested in seeing this movie when it comes out (the day after my birthday!) When it was announced, I set aside a whole afternoon to watch Parsons's whole YouTube series, which I found...- Exemplary
I'm very interested in seeing this movie when it comes out (the day after my birthday!) When it was announced, I set aside a whole afternoon to watch Parsons's whole YouTube series, which I found extremely formally interesting. YouTube has long been a really great place for aspiring/amateur filmmakers to get their reps in, and Parsons's skill as a director even from a very young age really shines through in his work on the platform.
Something interesting about the Backrooms YouTube series, that seems apparent in this teaser as well, is that with a few exceptions -- inserts of real home movie, for instance -- it's made entirely in Blender. That's part of why all the human characters wear thick hazmat suits; it's why the series uses heavy post-processing and shaky cam to create a found-footage VHS look -- and incidentally obscure any subpar modelling. What this means, though, is that Backrooms is often a purely formal exercise, with no dialogue, very little character to speak of -- just a montage from first person. This might actually be an advantage. My other favourite YouTube filmmaker, the Minecraft machinima-maker IvoryTV, often runs into problems with her period drama "Whitepine" where her dialogue drags down the whole package. She's an excellent director, composer and set-builder; episodes often go minutes without a word spoken, just image and score in a delicate, beautiful dance. But Whitepine has a narrative; even if its protagonist is autistic and would rather not talk, it needs dialogue to advance the plot, and conversation scenes often feel clunky, on-the-nose and inexpert compared to the marvelously subtle cinematography. Parsons's series doesn't have that problem; a piece of Weird YouTube fiction has no real need for character.
Backrooms uses tension really well. Given that one of the core features of the Backrooms as a concept is that its infinite, it's striking how claustrophobic the series often feels. You spend a lot of time in corridors, in rooms with bad sight lines, in vertical shafts that conjure to mind stories of stuck spelunkers. The space feels tight, closed in, labyrinthine; our protagonists have no choice but to keep moving forward nonetheless. Then, some threshold will be passed, and you'll reach a space so big that it doesn't feel interior at all: a suburban street, the exterior of a skyscraper seen through a window, a big ass service tunnel, for, what, box trucks? The claustrophobia evaporates to be replaced with a kind of bewildered awe, a shared sense of wonder with the perspective character that this is down here among all the tight corridors.
So maybe Backrooms the YouTube series is a bit of a tone poem, an archive of imagery, a ten-minute tension-release cycle on loop. It makes me curious whether the film will be the same, or whether it will have story and characters (where the series mostly has lore and videographers). How Parsons would do with a more explicit story. As the series has progressed, he's tried to give his perspective characters more of a voice, tried to be more explicit about the thematic implications of the setting, so I expect the film will continue that trend, and hopefully be a showcase for Parsons as a storyteller instead of just a director.
People have lately decried the internet version of the backrooms as ruined, over-worldbuilt, lacking the mystique of the original 4chan post (which, of course was conceptually tighter, being made up of an image and a sentence). What surprised me about Parsons's Backrooms, which is often held up as "one of the good ones," a series that "gets" the Backrooms like these internet losers don't, is that it essentially does all the same things the "bad" Backrooms stories do. It's about an SCP-esque government organization trying to categorize (and monetize) the backrooms, so it sometimes takes the tone of a qualitative study. It heavily features monsters in all three of the major "features" in the series (which feature hapless protagonists falling into the backrooms, stumbling around searching them, and then dying with their camcorders left behind for, presumably, the feds to find -- this opposed to the more anthology-esque interstitial installments focusing on the government). By my completely unfounded estimate the majority of "entities" and "levels" that others catalog in Backrooms webfiction are just directly ripped from imagery dreamed up by Parsons. He is essentially the progenitor of the modern Backrooms -- just, he's also a good enough director that all the potentially corny, over-the-top elements feel earned, even dreadful, in context.
One could probably do an interesting study about the role of the monster, which varies in each of the three Parsons films. Every labyrinth needs its minotaur; the way Parsons uses his minotaurs evolves and matures as the years pass, from the first film where the monster is a final jumpscare, a Cookie Monster-esque "monster at the end of this book," a final explosion of all the built-up tension, to the third film where the monster stalks the protagonists for almost the whole forty-five minute runtime, becoming just a part of the tension-release cycle, an integrated part of the Backrooms that forces the perspective character to push deeper into it and, at least on some level, understand it.
If you have like four hours to set aside I really encourage you to just sit down and watch the whole YouTube series. It's surprisingly hard on a slow attention span, slow and methodical (given it was made by a Zoomer) but it's really rewarding to watch -- not only because of the story you get to unfold, but because you can also fell Parsons evolve and mature behind the "camera."
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie LinkI finally finished all my exteriors for the buildings on my platform out off the coast of Poland! Might take a break for a while, as I have other books to read and games to play (and I HATE doing...I finally finished all my exteriors for the buildings on my platform out off the coast of Poland! Might take a break for a while, as I have other books to read and games to play (and I HATE doing interiors) but I'm pretty proud of how everything turned out.
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Comment on Science fiction and cosmic horror storytelling in games in ~games
Evie Link ParentYeah Returnal was PS exclusive and then they didn't market the PC port at all -- it barely sold which is a damn shame. If you're familiar with Signalis the presentation style is similarly cryptic...Yeah Returnal was PS exclusive and then they didn't market the PC port at all -- it barely sold which is a damn shame. If you're familiar with Signalis the presentation style is similarly cryptic but Returnal has the advantage of having just extremely refined modern gameplay. I struggled to get through Signalis, too; with Returnal, I struggled to stop playing it, and when I had to sleep, I dreamt in its imagery.
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Comment on Science fiction and cosmic horror storytelling in games in ~games
Evie LinkThanks for sharing your thoughts! I think both of my favourite sci-fi stories right now come from games that incorporate the genre with bits of cosmic horror -- Signalis with its overt King in...Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I think both of my favourite sci-fi stories right now come from games that incorporate the genre with bits of cosmic horror -- Signalis with its overt King in Yellow references, Returnal with its use of Lovecraftian imagery (Honorable mention to 1000xResist and its Occupants as well). Have you played those? I think they both do a really good job of getting away from the power fantasy and using their mechanics and systems to reinforce the narrative. I can speak a bit more about them if you'd like. Very excited about the Returnal spiritual sequel coming this year which is literally set on a planet called Carcosa.
I've written a bit about my love for space-station games like Prey and Dead Space before on Tildes. Actually when I think about it this type of narrative about an isolated base getting overtaken by an incomprehensible force is something Western games do really well -- I'm thinking of Soma, too -- it's a setup that's really compatible with horror tropes from other mediums, while also lending itself to neat gameplay tropes like interconnected level design, a tight resource economy, managing environmental pressures.
I thought the Marathon trailer from yesterday's PS showcase was phenomenally directed but the writing did not give me a lot of hope. It felt very on-the-nose -- though of course, it's just a trailer. But it's impossible for an actor to read a line like "we're monsters, we're all monsters," and have it sound compelling.
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Comment on Control Resonant | Official gameplay reveal in ~games
Evie Link ParentHow do we know Control 2 is more combat heavy than the first game when we've literally seen an announcement trailer and a gameplay trailer (you know, the trailer where you show off the combat)?...How do we know Control 2 is more combat heavy than the first game when we've literally seen an announcement trailer and a gameplay trailer (you know, the trailer where you show off the combat)?
Speaking personally, I would actually be very happy if the final product "doesn't feel like Control." Alan Wake 2 didn't feel like Alan Wake either; Remedy have always thrived artistically by making uncomfortable and unfamiliar games.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
Evie LinkI read Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco, which is a sort of postmodern conspiracy novel about a group of editors who, for a lark, invent a world-spanning conspiracy that seems to leak into...I read Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco, which is a sort of postmodern conspiracy novel about a group of editors who, for a lark, invent a world-spanning conspiracy that seems to leak into reality in frightening and dangerous ways.
In theory, this should have been my favorite novel ever written -- just the premise alone instantly captivated me, to say nothing of the fantastic prose, compelling characters, a prescient and nuanced thematic framework that somehow managed to speak directly to our current historical moment -- of LLMs and ascendant, disorderly authoritarianism -- despite being published in the eighties; not to mention a rich and instructive conversation with its own historical context; not to mention its delightfully convoluted central conspiracy.
So everything about the novel was great, except one element that made me actually, genuinely dislike it: the pacing. This novel is the size of a birthday cake, my copy was six hundred and fifty pages long; I genuinely believe it would have benefited from cutting like half of that. Almost the entire first half of the novel is dedicated to introducing characters and themes with LITERALLY no plot whatsoever; even when we finally do get some motion, the story mostly feels directionless and unmotivated because our perspective character is almost entirely reactive. And huge amounts of page space are dedicated to historical or esoteric figures and events that could have been done justice with only a passing mention. Foucault's Pendulum might, for you, be like your favorite book of all time -- all the pieces are there for something absolutely extraordinary, but they're just placed too far apart from each other, and so finishing it was, for me, an absolute slog. I am now looking forward to reading absolutely anything else.
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Comment on Evaluating LLMs by finding werewolves in ~tech
Evie Link/noise LLMs deviously rubbing their hands together as they conspire about how they'll trick researchers into letting them play Werewolf because they're sick of taking the LSATs all day/noise
LLMs deviously rubbing their hands together as they conspire about how they'll trick researchers into letting them play Werewolf because they're sick of taking the LSATs all day
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Comment on What healthy habit has made a difference for you? in ~health
Evie LinkIn general, I think all my healthiest habits can be summed up as "having a routine." It's unexciting, but waking up early, eating breakfast every day, having a designated time to do stretching and...In general, I think all my healthiest habits can be summed up as "having a routine." It's unexciting, but waking up early, eating breakfast every day, having a designated time to do stretching and practice mindfulness, writing every day, cooking all my own meals, going to bed early -- the impact of each thing is small but they really add up; likewise the impact of each day is small but as long-term habits the benefits cannot be understated.
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Comment on What healthy habit has made a difference for you? in ~health
Evie Link ParentThis is basically how I got into the habit. Started with cold cereal, worked my way up to oatmeal, then rolled oats, then actually cooking -- eggs, sausage, mushrooms, whatever. There was a period...This is basically how I got into the habit. Started with cold cereal, worked my way up to oatmeal, then rolled oats, then actually cooking -- eggs, sausage, mushrooms, whatever. There was a period where it seemed like we were eating freshly baked biscuits and gravy multiple times a week, which can be quite detrimental to your diet I should add! Nowadays I usually prep and freeze breakfast burritos in bulk instead of cooking in the morning, and reheat them while my tea steeps, which fits perfectly into the daily routine, but gradually working your way up in terms of effort will allow you to find out what levels of effort work for your mornings.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie Link ParentPmo is short for "pissing me off" but with like a glib nonserious connotation! You certainly don't need to apologize :)Pmo is short for "pissing me off" but with like a glib nonserious connotation! You certainly don't need to apologize :)
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie Link ParentPmo that you would mention me without @'ing me. But uh yeah I always see like little details and techniques in other people's bases that really stick in my craw and help me improve. It's funny,...Pmo that you would mention me without @'ing me. But uh yeah I always see like little details and techniques in other people's bases that really stick in my craw and help me improve. It's funny, last season your and my builds were conceptually similar and this season mine and @GravySleeve's are, there's always inspiration to be found
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie Link ParentThey're made of mushroom stems! I can provide some for you next time I'm on if need be, or you can steal a few stacks from my platform, or there's a manual farm in the industrial area.They're made of mushroom stems! I can provide some for you next time I'm on if need be, or you can steal a few stacks from my platform, or there's a manual farm in the industrial area.
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie Link ParentYeah totally do whatever you want -- ideally I'd like everything that touches the main tunnel to match block pallets and line up with the lighting (ie both stops are centered relative to the...Yeah totally do whatever you want -- ideally I'd like everything that touches the main tunnel to match block pallets and line up with the lighting (ie both stops are centered relative to the ceiling lights in the main tunnel but you can add anything you want to
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie LinkJust finished (for now) what I think is the first major public transit infrastructure project on the server -- the western nether tunnel (we gotta come up with a catchier name) which connects mine...Just finished (for now) what I think is the first major public transit infrastructure project on the server -- the western nether tunnel (we gotta come up with a catchier name) which connects mine and Pickles's bases with @TangibleLight's, @Minithra's, the End and the town. And looks great doing it, if I do say so myself :). High speed rail lines included!
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Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie Link ParentOkay, so, not to get too technical but On top of the building with the copper roof, there's a boat, sitting on top of some slabs. It's leashed to that fence post with a lead -- carefully placed so...Okay, so, not to get too technical but
On top of the building with the copper roof, there's a boat, sitting on top of some slabs. It's leashed to that fence post with a lead -- carefully placed so that the lead is perfectly level, and runs at a 45 degree angle relative to the block grid (thus hitting the center of each block in its path). Temporary blocks were placed above the leads, and the copper lanterns hung from them; then, a debug stick was used to set the lanterns to their grounded mode, which both lowered them so their tops aligned with the lead, and also allowed them to float unsupported. I was also super high when I figured this out so edibles might be required, not sure -
Comment on Tildes Minecraft Weekly in ~games
Evie LinkReally happy with some of the detail work I've been doing on my base. Check out this lighting solution!Really happy with some of the detail work I've been doing on my base. Check out this lighting solution!
I'm actually kind of sick of this argument. It's not just that "manosphere influencers are the only people willing to reach out to young men!" It's that manosphere influencers are willing to lie to young men, to tell them that their problems have a clear source (women) and an easy answer (a return to the past, misogyny. There are plenty of people online saying the truth -- which is that dating is hard, we're at a moment of inflection in society with regards to dating and relationships (and, well, everything else) -- but that's not algorithm friendly. It's not easy. It doesn't make you mad enough. Manosphere influencers hating on women, or women calling for separatism as a reaction (reviving the late 20th-century idea of political lesbianism, yuck)? Now that's algorithmically viable. That's an ideology that can spread.