firedoll's recent activity
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Comment on Thoughts on a Democratic postmortem in ~society
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Comment on YouTube Premium is getting a big price hike internationally in ~tech
firedoll Link ParentI try to avoid YouTube, but it was recently reported that they've started displaying ads when a video is paused. While I haven't seen that, I have seen some terrible implementations of it in other...I try to avoid YouTube, but it was recently reported that they've started displaying ads when a video is paused. While I haven't seen that, I have seen some terrible implementations of it in other streaming apps.
There are functional requirements around pausing. Some content is even designed to be paused, with backgrounds that are filled up with points of interest. When I was using YouTube regularly, I found the UI and features to already have several issues (search comes to mind,) but it sounds like they're at a point where they're willing to actively destroy core functionality in hopes that people jump on these higher priced ad plans?
Maybe I'm being a little paranoid, but with the way things are going at YouTube and other streaming companies, I honestly wouldn't trust them to resist putting some kind of ads in premium at some point.
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Comment on Nintendo and The Pokemon Company file lawsuit against Pocketpair for Palworld in ~games
firedoll Link ParentAlthough I don't know which specific patent this is in regards to, I think people who are against this type of behavior should be aware of this post from the EFF the other day regarding pieces of...Although I don't know which specific patent this is in regards to, I think people who are against this type of behavior should be aware of this post from the EFF the other day regarding pieces of legislation working their way through Congress:
The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA, S. 2140) would overturn Alice, enabling patent trolls to extort small business owners and even hobbyists, just for using common software systems to express themselves or run their businesses. PERA would also overturn another 2013 Supreme Court case that prevents most kinds of patenting of human genes.
...the PREVAIL Act (S. 2220) seeks to severely limit how the public can challenge bad patents at the patent office. Challenges like these are one of the most effective ways to throw out patents that never should have been granted in the first place.
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Comment on Getting over that game making hump? in ~games
firedoll (edited )LinkApologies if you've heard some of this before. I have a background in software engineering, not games, but I often get struck with game ideas that I can't stop thinking about. I know pursuing...Apologies if you've heard some of this before. I have a background in software engineering, not games, but I often get struck with game ideas that I can't stop thinking about.
I know pursuing these ideas isn't a good use of my time right now—maybe someday. I realize my ideas are too ambitious, there's intense competition, most indie games don't succeed, and it would require a strict schedule and lots of learning to achieve financial success.
To calm my mind and focus on other things, I write a design document to capture all my ideas about mechanics, the world, etc. You can find examples of design documents for large (but older) titles at the internet archive and more more general information on this design doc site. These documents can vary in structure, and some teams (E.g. Bethesda/Starfield iirc) may choose not to use them at all.
For me, capturing my thoughts in a design doc allows me to shelve the idea, revisit it later if inspiration strikes, or pick it up with fresh eyes when I have the resources. Plus, if I lack the energy to write out my ideas, I'm doubtful about committing to the potential multi-year process of building a game. (Oh, a design doc doesn't seem to suffer from code rot as easily either, where I could have trouble leveraging prototype code I built years earlier.)
I don't want to discourage you, though. If you decide to build a game, the design doc will be a valuable asset, helping you record decisions and avoid some trial-and-error while coding. However, keep in mind that prototyping, iteration, and flexibility are still important. My thought is that since you're concerned about skills, consider starting small. Build small games or break your idea into phases starting with a minimal viable game that you can enhance later. Shipping small projects can help you stay motivated and learn important lessons before tackling a bigger, costlier projects.
Edit: This is one approach. I don't want to downplay others. Some people will say things like, "don't dwell too much on an engine. just pick one and get started. Don't waste your time over planning." That can be valid too.
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Comment on Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news in ~news
firedoll Link2 in custody after attempting to scam Colorado resident by putting worms inside roof (YouTube) I'm not sure if video is allowed, but this one caught me off guard this morning and I don't think...2 in custody after attempting to scam Colorado resident by putting worms inside roof (YouTube)
I'm not sure if video is allowed, but this one caught me off guard this morning and I don't think it's particularly normal behavior: Irish nationals were allegedly sneaking on people's roofs, putting worms under shingles, and telling owners the worms were maggots. They were eventually caught trying to flee the country.
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Comment on I am sick of "providing feedback" in ~life
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Comment on Thoughts on the current state of discoverability and search in ~tech
firedoll Link ParentIn regards to the quality of results, it's worth pointing out that a lot of content that would have appeared on small sites has migrated into walled gardens like TikTok, Discord, Facebook, etc....In regards to the quality of results, it's worth pointing out that a lot of content that would have appeared on small sites has migrated into walled gardens like TikTok, Discord, Facebook, etc. Things feel more fractured and when I'm searching for something now, it's become a matter of having to fan my efforts out across multiple networks.
That said, there's the issue of identifying the right groups or creators, but when I do the answers can be much higher quality than what blogspam or AI.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
firedoll Link ParentThe Botherhood are jerks, so it can hard to get behind them at times, but I find Maximus particularly aggravating. He doesn't come across as a good person or little guy who's in a bad system, he's...The Botherhood are jerks, so it can hard to get behind them at times, but I find Maximus particularly aggravating. He doesn't come across as a good person or little guy who's in a bad system, he's just a hypocrite and lair who takes every opportunity to put himself before others. Maybe that's fair for the Wasteland or it's part of his arc, but I don't think the way it's structured makes for a particularly compelling watch. The actor portrays him as overwhelmingly sniveling at times, which is also agitating.
I'm not really sure where they're going with his arc or themes. Maybe it's going to be some kind of Anakin Skywalker good guy becomes evil ruler thing, but he's not that good a guy to begin with. The most charitable take I've heard is that he represents the new player who just wants to get to the power armor.
While I think the show is good overall and enjoyed it, I find Maximus and the Brotherhood to be an instance where the writing falls apart a bit. Case in point: a friend unfamiliar with the lore was under the impression the power armor was a robot through the first episodes.
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Comment on Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of Canadian college students in ~tech
firedoll Link ParentI agree. "Gamification" in particular is a pet peeve of mine, as I think it's often a messy system with no benefit that's tacked on after the fact for marketing purposes. It's funny you mention...I agree. "Gamification" in particular is a pet peeve of mine, as I think it's often a messy system with no benefit that's tacked on after the fact for marketing purposes. It's funny you mention slot machines though, as some Japanese vending machines also already randomly dispense an extra drink or gift after vending your purchase.
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Comment on Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of Canadian college students in ~tech
firedoll Link ParentI've poked my head into vending a little bit in the past, so I took a look and found a PDF for a smart vending machine from one of the vendors listed in the article, Invenda. I don't get the...I've poked my head into vending a little bit in the past, so I took a look and found a PDF for a smart vending machine from one of the vendors listed in the article, Invenda.
I don't get the impression it's power saving. The PDF says one of the reports available is "demographics," which reminds me of machines I saw for Japan that could detect the gender of the customer and highlight specific products. The PDF goes on to specifically call out some specific metrics: "foot traffic" and "gender/age/etc"
They also mention AI, because of course they do.
Do away with the limitations of traditional machines. Increase sales thanks to a multi-product basket and numerous upselling features: combo deals, promotions, animations*, enhanced imagery, AI product recommendations, gamification, cross-selling and sampling.
The machine could be using AI to do image processing and categorization of customers, then just storing the anonymized data and sending that to the cloud for reporting.
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Comment on How much does a creator's worldview influence whether you use their tech or consume their media? in ~talk
firedoll Link ParentI've been a DDG user for years and I'm generally pretty satisfied with a good portion of searches. If I'm just looking for a recipe or whatever, it does the job fine. There were occasional times I...I've been a DDG user for years and I'm generally pretty satisfied with a good portion of searches. If I'm just looking for a recipe or whatever, it does the job fine.
There were occasional times I would bail to Google when struggling with DDG, especially for more technical things, but I'm realizing that I don't do that much anymore. I think Google has buried so many organic results in favor of whatever they're pushing that I subconsciously stopped believing I had a good chance of finding things there.
That said, it feels like recently a lot of the long, AI generated spam that infected Google results has started to impact DDG as well and I'm struggling a little more to find things. I still prefer DDG though, since it feels like I'm more in control, my data is more private, and there's less litter along the side of the road.
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Comment on The work of online volunteers - Moderators’ work on Reddit and Facebook is crucial but not paid. We should be creative in how we compensate them. in ~tech
firedoll Link ParentI've branched out into using multiple content aggregation sites, especially since Reddit's debacles six months ago. Some of Reffit's users still seem to have a chip on their shoulder about the...I've branched out into using multiple content aggregation sites, especially since Reddit's debacles six months ago. Some of Reffit's users still seem to have a chip on their shoulder about the whole thing. New user growth on Reddit has potentially offset some of the blowback they received, but in the case that Reddit decides to burn goodwill again, I get the sense there's now competition users can flee to. Their market position feels weaker and moat smaller in that regard.
I also ended up on Reddit over a decade ago, in my case as an alternative to other communities that disintegrated. I think my view of Reddit is slightly less romantic: businesses and communities don't necessarily last forever, even if they have a big presence in our lives at the moment.
Administrating communities is hard work and if Reddit can't figure out how to make things more equitable for moderators and users, hopefully one of the newcomers can. Personally, I like the idea the idea of "donating" my contributions to more open spaces like the Fediverse. Or, I at least want to share the love a little more, rather than creating content for a single "rich internet company."
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Comment on The bizarre story behind Shinzo Abe’s assassination in ~humanities
firedoll Link ParentThanks. The situation is obviously evolving, and while I was aware of Yasukuni's history along with some of the other controversies/issues, this helps better flush out and connect the individual...Thanks. The situation is obviously evolving, and while I was aware of Yasukuni's history along with some of the other controversies/issues, this helps better flush out and connect the individual things in my head.
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Comment on The bizarre story behind Shinzo Abe’s assassination in ~humanities
firedoll Link ParentAgreed, it twists around into a couple very interesting angles. Including the ties to the potential ties to th Korean Central Intelligence Agency. I've been worried about Shinzo's sympathies...Agreed, it twists around into a couple very interesting angles. Including the ties to the potential ties to th Korean Central Intelligence Agency.
I've been worried about Shinzo's sympathies toward Japan's imperial and militarist past for a long time. But, I didn't realize his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, was a suspected war criminal or linked to Manchuria.
The degree to which the Unification Church/Moonies/Family Federation for World Peace and Unification have ended up being linked to the government, and how much clout they had, is also wild. Considering Moon's comments, their right wing leanings, and the outreach tactics laid out in the article...
[The founder, Sun Myung Moon’s] own homophobia went far beyond the LDP’s; he once described gay people as “dirty, dung-eating dogs.”
...it really makes you question how much the "church" may have shaped current Japanese society and norms.
I suspect this hurt them quite a bit, and more-so when combined with other factors like their candidates being relatively unknown. At the very least, the last moment tag-out was the focus of narratives around being undemocratic. But at the time, the limited primaries and swap came across to me as some as party elites prescribing what's best to their members or callously believing (again) that they could just put anybody against Trump and automatically win.
Several businesses fail because they don't validate their product, and this whole aspect reeks of the same thing to me. It doesn't appear that the DNC made a good faith effort to validate who and what ideas resonated most with voters.
(Edit: I could also be totally off base here. Only a fraction of people turn up for the primaries, so it's not a sure thing that they represent the larger voting population. But, that doesn't automatically mean the process can be ignored or glossed over and it still seems like an important data point.)