granfdad's recent activity

  1. Comment on Introductions | March 2025 in ~talk

    granfdad
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    Hello party people, I am granfdad! General consensus is to follow the suggested topics, so I will too: How long have you been on Tildes? How did you find out about us? Made my account on June 10,...

    Hello party people, I am granfdad! General consensus is to follow the suggested topics, so I will too:

    How long have you been on Tildes? How did you find out about us?

    Made my account on June 10, 2023 (right around the last introductions thread! I don't think I participated though) as part of that big Reddit API exodus. Found the site through a "Reddit Alternatives" thread on... Reddit. Never looked back, really.

    How did you choose your username?

    Had a running gag with a friend about misspelling words, and I thought granfdad (from "grandad") was funny. Wanted to replace my childhood gamertag so I stuck with it. I do not have grandchildren or children.

    What are your interests?

    I'm interested is basically all things design. Graphic, UX, industrial, game, etc. If it's been designed, I'm always down to hear about it. More on this later!

    My music taste can (unfortunately) be effectively be summed up as "any music that has been generally mocked by the public". Dubstep (riddim, brostep, not so much 'true dubstep'), hyperpop, vaporwave. I don't know a single person IRL who shares my music taste, but I will keep searching! I actually have a post about Dubstep drafted, so you may see me pop up again soon if you frequent 'new'.

    I enjoy tabletop and video games, particularly Skyrim. If you've seen someone discuss Skyrim on the site before, I'm probably somewhere in that thread.

    I've got a vague and uninformed interest in privacy, FOSS, and tech in general. I'm not a programmer or engineer by any means, so a lot of it goes over my head. I have a less vague and slightly more informed interest in digital minimalism, Tildes is one of my last remaining social media platforms.

    A/S/L (age/(gender|pronouns|identifier)/location)

    19 years old (though this will be outdated within the week), male (He/Him), and I'm Australian, Melburnian to be specific.

    What do you do? This could be in your spare time, for work, your passions.

    I'm currently studying a bachelor of graphic design, which I'm loving. I also produce some Riddim of my own.

    Do you want other users to PM/DM you from this thread?

    Sure! I check the site at least once a day, so my responses should (hopefully) be timely. Also, send me music recommendations!

    Give us a fun fact (or a link!)!

    Since I asked for music recommendations, I'll drop the song that's been stuck in my head for months: Double Arcade by Infekt

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Playing DOS and Windows 98 games on a retro PC (real hardware) in ~games

    granfdad
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    I've been tempted to pick up a CRT for retro emulation - mainly pixel stuff - they're cheap, but every time I seriously look around for them I'm reminded of how convenient flatscreens are. My TV...

    I've been tempted to pick up a CRT for retro emulation - mainly pixel stuff - they're cheap, but every time I seriously look around for them I'm reminded of how convenient flatscreens are. My TV is nothing special, midrange LDC from 2018 with some pretty poor contrast but I realise I really take the size, weight and connectors for granted.

    2 votes

  3. Comment on What are everyone’s favourite pens and stationery items? in ~creative

    granfdad
    Link
    My answer is simple, a black Paper Mate Kilometrico. Cheap, comfortable enough, and reliable enough. Stationery is one of those things that I won't get into 'collecting' because I think the words...

    My answer is simple, a black Paper Mate Kilometrico. Cheap, comfortable enough, and reliable enough. Stationery is one of those things that I won't get into 'collecting' because I think the words written down are more important than the tools with which they're written. I also have yet to find an expensive pen that is notable more comfortable to use than a cheap one.

    1 vote

  4. Comment on What game intended for multiplayer did you enjoy playing solo? in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    This would be my answer, but I struggle to get into all the MMO elements (think crafting, housing, etc.) and the movement/combat. Got any tips for either playstyle or mindset changes that make the...

    This would be my answer, but I struggle to get into all the MMO elements (think crafting, housing, etc.) and the movement/combat. Got any tips for either playstyle or mindset changes that make the game more fun solo?

  5. Comment on An update from Nintendo (Nintendo Switch 2 announcement) in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    There's a pretty good chance that BG3 comes out on switch 2, and maybe the next Larian game too. But CRPGs aren't actually that common I don't think. Disco Elysium and Baldurs Gate 1&2 come to...

    There's a pretty good chance that BG3 comes out on switch 2, and maybe the next Larian game too. But CRPGs aren't actually that common I don't think. Disco Elysium and Baldurs Gate 1&2 come to mind as the only CRPGs I know are on the switch. If you like JRPGs there are plenty, though.

    3 votes

  6. Comment on An update from Nintendo (Nintendo Switch 2 announcement) in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    Didn't know this, that's pretty good considering I feel like I don't know anything about the ps5 library.

    Didn't know this, that's pretty good considering I feel like I don't know anything about the ps5 library.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on An update from Nintendo (Nintendo Switch 2 announcement) in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    When you say you like RPGs, what are some examples? the switch 2 will likely be backwards compatible with the majority of switch games (minus ones that require controller accessories that wont...

    When you say you like RPGs, what are some examples? the switch 2 will likely be backwards compatible with the majority of switch games (minus ones that require controller accessories that wont work with the new controllers), so you could also come from the angle that you do already have 7 years of the switch's library to choose from.

    4 votes

  8. Comment on An update from Nintendo (Nintendo Switch 2 announcement) in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    Nintendo consoles are usually prime for RPGs and platformers, though the power (and thus graphics/FPS) comparisons between the switch 2 and ps5 will likely be night and day in favour of the ps5....

    Nintendo consoles are usually prime for RPGs and platformers, though the power (and thus graphics/FPS) comparisons between the switch 2 and ps5 will likely be night and day in favour of the ps5. The big thing at the moment is we don't know what games will be on the switch 2, but the ps5 has 5 years of library for you to use to inform your decision.

    6 votes

  9. Comment on An update from Nintendo (Nintendo Switch 2 announcement) in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    The video is just a render, so any info on the screen will have to come later I think. No OLED would be a pretty huge step back, but maybe they release 2 price points?

    The video is just a render, so any info on the screen will have to come later I think. No OLED would be a pretty huge step back, but maybe they release 2 price points?

    16 votes

  10. Comment on An update from Nintendo (Nintendo Switch 2 announcement) in ~games

    granfdad
    Link
    Unsurprising that all the cross-referenced leaks have turned out to be true, very happy that they're just doing "more of the same" hardware-wise because Nintendo has always been more about games,...

    Unsurprising that all the cross-referenced leaks have turned out to be true, very happy that they're just doing "more of the same" hardware-wise because Nintendo has always been more about games, and I love the switch form-factor. I don't like the new design compared to the old one, but I'm sure it will grow on me the more non-renders we get to see.

    The announcement also doubles as a teaser for a new Mario Kart game, which sucks because I love Mario Kart, to the point where I've gone from "I might get it once there's a big library" to "shit, I'm gonna get it immediately, aren't I?" - still waiting on a price announcement to actually make a decision.

    11 votes

  12. Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    I just re-listened to californication (the song, not the whole album) and, holy shit, you're right about that clipping, "fucked" is a perfectly good way to describe the chorus. I don't think I...

    I just re-listened to californication (the song, not the whole album) and, holy shit, you're right about that clipping, "fucked" is a perfectly good way to describe the chorus. I don't think I agree about the reduced low end or overall "energy", it sounds good to me. I can't make out that much of a problem in comparing the two slayer examples - Repentless has more low end juice for sure, but I don't think that takes it out of "that's just how the album sounds" territory.

    My understanding of the loudness wars comes from dubstep (brostep and riddim, if you're being specific about genre), where it seems the consensus is that mastering loud is part of the sound design process, so everyone just stopped caring. The difference in a clipped, mastered track and an unmastered one is pretty huge, and we've basically reached peak dynamic crushery at this point. If a track is totally fucked then it mostly gets criticized as "bad mixing" at this point because time has shown that there's definitely a way to get a super loud track sounding good.

    On a broader note about distortion, it seems like crazy distortion is becoming more and more widespread, even in popular music where it wouldn't usually be the case. I'm not talking about loudness war distortion from trying to push the volume, I'm talking tracks being crushed in a way that could never happen accidentally. I noticed it in more fringe genres like hyperpop initially, but that makes sense because the musical decisions are often counter cultural (I quite like the linked track, for instance). Stuff like phonk and jersey club making rounds through tiktok and other social media seems to be pushing distortion way harder than before, or at least in a way I haven't heard be popular. I'm tempted to make a new thread about this, because it's not really fit for a technical projects thread.

    To return to the original point, I was reminded of this video, which takes it to a whole new level. I was completely wrong about RHCP though, that's brutal.

    EDIT: By the way, I'd love to hear your remastered versions of the tracks you mentioned, for the sake of comparison/

    2 votes

  13. Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    As someone who listens to and produces a lot of EDM, the idea that the loudness wars are still something people complain about is very funny to me. I’ve come to love heavy clipping in music, and...

    As someone who listens to and produces a lot of EDM, the idea that the loudness wars are still something people complain about is very funny to me. I’ve come to love heavy clipping in music, and the examples you listed seem nowhere near loud enough to warrant any “fixing”, that’s just how the albums sound. I do appreciate that you’re trying to make a free alternative declipper, some audio software is prohibitively expensive.

    3 votes

  14. Comment on Dungeons & Dragons shows that modish guff doesn’t serve diversity and inclusion in ~games.tabletop

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    "Ancestry" is a word that seems to be prevailing in new RPGs, I think it fits well.

    "Ancestry" is a word that seems to be prevailing in new RPGs, I think it fits well.

    6 votes

  15. Comment on The Scoville levels on the Hot Ones sauces are misleading in ~food

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    I'm glad that Sean is cool with adressing it, it seems fair enough that they wouldn't want to completely wreck their guest just before the promo spot. Hot Ones is barely about the hot-sauce anyway...

    I'm glad that Sean is cool with adressing it, it seems fair enough that they wouldn't want to completely wreck their guest just before the promo spot. Hot Ones is barely about the hot-sauce anyway at this point, the main draw for me is how good Sean and his writers are at doing interviews.

    18 votes

  16. Comment on Deception, lies, and Valve - Valve's role in CS gambling in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    That's all fair enough, and I agree that the actual program is pretty terrible. I usually just add icons to my start menu once I've installed a game, so I don't spend that much time interfacing...

    That's all fair enough, and I agree that the actual program is pretty terrible. I usually just add icons to my start menu once I've installed a game, so I don't spend that much time interfacing with the launcher.

  17. Comment on Deception, lies, and Valve - Valve's role in CS gambling in ~games

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    This is one that always baffled me. It’s a store, who cares? I remember that (a probably tiny, but very loud group of) people were freaking out about World of Goo 2 only being available on Epic,...

    talk about how EGS is fine

    This is one that always baffled me. It’s a store, who cares? I remember that (a probably tiny, but very loud group of) people were freaking out about World of Goo 2 only being available on Epic, despite it having a DRM-free purchase option as well, direct from the devs.

    6 votes

  18. Comment on Deception, lies, and Valve - Valve's role in CS gambling in ~games

    granfdad
    (edited )
    Link
    This isn’t new information, here’s the People Make Games video on this topic from 2 years ago, I can’t see Valve taking action on this unless they’re forced to. Seeing that - apart from this...

    This isn’t new information, here’s the People Make Games video on this topic from 2 years ago, I can’t see Valve taking action on this unless they’re forced to. Seeing that - apart from this massive exception - Valve is relatively pro consumer, I do wonder if this is essentially their safety net for their more risky endeavors like the index, deck, or arch investments.

    12 votes

  19. Comment on Tildes Demographics Survey, year… uh, it’s 2024? in ~tildes

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    This is correct - the general connection between right-wing politics and homo/trans/etc. phobia is independent (or more likely, deliberately ignorant) of the fact that everyone does have a...

    This is correct - the general connection between right-wing politics and homo/trans/etc. phobia is independent (or more likely, deliberately ignorant) of the fact that everyone does have a gender/sexual/romantic identity. I'm not making the claim that those things are political, but certainly that the hatred of groups related to them is.

    8 votes

  20. Comment on Tildes Demographics Survey, year… uh, it’s 2024? in ~tildes

    granfdad
    Link Parent
    Firstly, LMAO Secondly, this is one thing I did think about when I saw that question; does including questions about topics that certain political ideologies (in this case, questions about gender...

    Tildes's leftism is absurd when it gets to the point where you felt the need to include a question for fake DID self-diagnosers.

    Firstly, LMAO

    Secondly, this is one thing I did think about when I saw that question; does including questions about topics that certain political ideologies (in this case, questions about gender identity, romantic orientation, etc.) vehemently disagree with skew the responses in the opposite direction, because those people simply refuse to answer the survey? I can imagine someone with right wing politics thinking “what is this lefty bullshit?” and closing the tab, thus not counting them in the politics questions.

    I don’t know how you solve this problem, you can’t say “well we don’t want them to answer” because it’s a demographics survey, but appeasing that group of people by omitting those questions also makes the survey incomplete/uninteresting…

    14 votes