hungariantoast's recent activity
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Comment on What are some ideas and experiences that are underexplored in gaming? in ~games
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Comment on What are some ideas and experiences that are underexplored in gaming? in ~games
hungariantoast Link I feel weird giving this as my answer, perhaps because it's not that it is "underexplored" as much as I feel like it is "underexecuted," but I'd have to say "experiencing the horrors of war."...I feel weird giving this as my answer, perhaps because it's not that it is "underexplored" as much as I feel like it is "underexecuted," but I'd have to say "experiencing the horrors of war."
"Experiencing the horrors of war" is definitely something that has been tried before, but for a lot of reasons, I don't think it's actually ever been executed in a great way. The biggest hurdle to this, in my opinion, is that war is miserable, but games are typically meant to be fun. I simply think it's (especially currently) impossible for any large studio to make a game that accurately captures what makes war the thing it is, while still expecting the product to be profitable, as it wouldn't (and shouldn't) be something people want to play. It would hardly even fit the definition of "game" at all. Then again, maybe the allure of a "game" that's designed to exhaust and break you in the abject conditions of the total break down of human nature might just be enough to draw in a naive, yet profitable customer base.
I'm already dangerously close to breaking out of the realm of reality with this idea, so I'll wrap this up by mentioning that there are obvious moral issues with even building a product like this. I'm sure some people would see it as a way to "glorify warfare" and to an extent they might be right. There is also the issue of technology. I have no idea how you could manage to immerse a "player" into a "game" like this so deeply that they actually come out of the experience never wanting to go through it again. I can only brainstorm ridiculously futuristic ideas like artificially intelligent companions in the "game" that are engineered to manipulate the "player's" feelings, or even stimulating experiences that give physical consequences to being harmed. Permadeath, forcing the "player" to start the experience over from the beginning, seems like it would be necessary to force the player to grind, exhaust, and break themselves down in an attempt to just beat the "game." Alright, that's enough. At this point, I might as well be talking about Westworld.
Overall, as we are now, I think people and video games are way too immature to explore an idea like this, but it does make for an interesting discussion on morality and philosophy. "The horrors of war available as off the shelf entertainment."
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Comment on Antergos Linux Project Ends in ~tech
hungariantoast (edited ) Link Parent EDIT: I did originally say "If you are a new user" and what I meant was "If you've never tried Arch before" and I didn't realize I worded it that way when I originally wrote this, so that's my bad...That may be so, but installing Arch the way it is supposed to be installed is also the best way to completely turn someone new to the environment off Linux entirely IMO.
EDIT: I did originally say "If you are a new user" and what I meant was "If you've never tried Arch before" and I didn't realize I worded it that way when I originally wrote this, so that's my bad and I get why you mentioned this now.
It's common knowledge that Arch isn't a good choice for people new to Linux. Therefore, for multiple reasons, Arch based alternatives are not good options for new users either. They're bastardizations of the philosophy that has earned the distribution the place it currently resides in the Linux world.
Fundamentally, this comes down to a debate of ease of use versus understanding the system. In my opinion, understanding the system wins out. Either way, I would be hesitant to recommend a beginner hinge their future with Linux on installing Arch and I never said people new to Linux should start with Arch.
Even after several days of intense fiddling I still couldn’t get my multi-monitor, multi-keyboard+mouse setup working properly in Arch, despite the Arch Wiki and various help forums. Whereas everything worked right away using Manjaro.
I'm glad Manjaro worked out for you here, but in this case you should have dropped Arch based distributions and just gone to Debian, Fedora, or even OpenSUSE, in my opinion.
You said that you could not figure out how to configure your setup on Arch, but that it just worked with Manjaro. That's nice, but the real question is, did you ever learn how Manjaro made it work? Will you know how to make it work in the future?
I also want to point out that, this isn't even just me being an evangelical or anything, I'm just repeating the opinions and guidelines of the people who actually build the distribution.
The bottom line is, there are a handful of correct ways to install and use Arch Linux that will minimize the issues you encounter in the future, and then there are a plethora of wrong ways built on the back of convenience. I disagree entirely with sacrificing understanding for convenience in this situation. I'm not saying we should toil in blood and sweat, I'm saying that the developers of Arch are saying that if you can't or don't want to install Arch the right way, you should use another distribution, because you'll have a better, easier time.
Another surefire way to ensure nobody new adopts Linux.
I already addressed this, but I'll add:
As far as compiling software goes, I find it incredible that people wish to immerse themselves in environments built on open source code, but wouldn't want to understand how to actually build and run that code on their own. It just doesn't compute. I'm not saying people need to clone git repos and build everything manually, but again, just like with not following the official installation procedures, you're shooting yourself in the foot if you refuse to learn how to interact with source code in what is almost exclusively an open source system.
Ultimately though, my reasons for recommending such an extreme approach for the minuscule amount of software found in the Manjaro repos and not the Arch repos or AUR, is that the Manjaro repos (and their maintainers) have a much worse track record than those of the official distribution. It's a practical and serious concern, to the point where I think the difficulty of manually compiling software outweighs the convenience of using third party repositories.
Don't even get me started on PPAs.
Disagree. Convenience, ease of use, and things “just working” without hours of frustrating troubleshooting is important to me (and many others). I value my time way more than the impossible ideal of perfect security and knowing all the minute intricacies of my software and OS.
I understand where you're coming from, I really do, but I'm gonna tell you, because it's the truth, you shouldn't be using Arch Linux if these things are your paramount values. If you aren't willing to read, configure, and learn the system, Arch and its alternatives are not the best choice for you. Again, Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, Fedora, OpenSUSE, and others are all great alternatives.
I know at the top of this comment I said I considered this a fundamental debate of understanding versus ease of use, but I'm actually retracting that statement. This is simply a matter of people correctly understanding and following the philosophies that make Arch the distribution it is, or ignoring those things and using incorrect alternatives for whatever reason. I believe, and it has been shown in the past, that using these alternatives is actually worse and more frustrating in the long term than the required understanding that the official distribution requires to install and use.
So that's why I don't recommend Arch Linux alternatives or installation scripts, because you either need to install the distribution the correct way and learn the process, or use another distribution. That defaults Manjaro, Antergos, and all the other alternatives into the "incorrect" category.
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Comment on Antergos Linux Project Ends in ~tech
hungariantoast (edited ) Link Parent Archboot and ArcoLinux are other alternatives, but no one should be using them, Antergos, Manjaro, Anarchy Linux, or any other Arch based alternatives, except for perhaps Parabola. If you are...Archboot and ArcoLinux are other alternatives, but no one should be using them, Antergos, Manjaro, Anarchy Linux, or any other Arch based alternatives, except for perhaps Parabola.
If you are interested in using Arch Linux, you're shooting yourself in the foot by not installing Arch Linux the way it is meant to be installed and it will come back to haunt you in the future. Doing the install manually is the recommended way for a reason.
Also, if you are an experienced Arch user I would argue that you should still avoid these alternative distributions and installation scripts and instead write your own installation script for repeatable configurations, which will help you learn even more about how these things work.
On top of that, Anarchy Linux, Manjaro, and Antergos offer their own, custom repositories for their users to acquire software from. Do not use these repositories unless you absolutely must, and even then, you should learn how to compile the software yourself without relying on third party repos. These have been demonstrated to be not as up-to-date, less secure, and more volatile than even the regular Arch User Repository that everyone has access to.
In short, stop wasting your time with third party installers for Arch Linux and just install the damn thing the way you're meant to. You gain nothing from doing it any other way.
Note: By "Archboot" I mean this not this.
EDIT: Changed some wording to better explain what I mean, because what I originally wrote did mislead my meaning.
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Comment on DEDSA - Lighter Click in ~music
hungariantoast Link I don't really have anything else to add, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing this. I've been listening to this multiple times a day since you posted it.I don't really have anything else to add, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing this. I've been listening to this multiple times a day since you posted it.
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Comment on Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 6 Discussion in ~tv
hungariantoast (edited ) Link EDIT: Wait, is Bran immortal? If so, then nevermind. I honestly didn't know what to write when I posted this topic and I'm still not entirely sure what to say about the finale, but I did enjoy it...EDIT: Wait, is Bran immortal? If so, then nevermind.
I honestly didn't know what to write when I posted this topic and I'm still not entirely sure what to say about the finale, but I did enjoy it more than some of the other episodes. I don't think this is an especially bad way to wrap up the show.
I have to say though, I want so badly to read a sequel to this series based around the death of Bran or one of his successors. Assuming the books end in a similar way with the king's successor being chosen. I think GRRM could write an amazing story about the struggles of Westeros as this new institution grows old and the lords and ladies of Westeros forget why they established this system of governance in the first place. There's also the question of what happens with Meereen and Slaver's Bay, and there's so much of the world that's ripe for exploring.
Sadly, I doubt we'll ever get to explore the intricacies of this world further.
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Comment on Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 6 Discussion in ~tv
hungariantoast Link Parent I think it's pretty safe to say that this butterfly business isn't part of the show's cannon. I don't recall the lethality of the butterflies of Naath being mentioned a single time in the show....I think it's pretty safe to say that this butterfly business isn't part of the show's cannon. I don't recall the lethality of the butterflies of Naath being mentioned a single time in the show. (The butterflies were mentioned, but not, as far as I remember, the disease(s) they carry.)
Also yeah, the Unsullied sailed off to go die in paradise, but Dorne and the Iron Islands still exist. Allowing Jon to get away with murdering the queen that those two kingdoms (and Jon!) pledged their loyalty to isn't the best way to ensure stability for the realm. Combine that with the fact that Sansa just won't drop the North's hard on for independence and suddenly peace and unity doesn't look so tenable.
The show did Jon dirty, but I think the decision makes sense, especially considering the alternative is, at best, four united kingdoms squished between Dorne and the North.
Finally, there's the possible idea that Jon might have actually desired and conspired for the throne had he not been sent to Castle Black.
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Comment on What are you doing this weekend? in ~talk
hungariantoast Link Parent I still don't have any Ansible stuff to show off, mostly because I got caught up with changing how I manage to-do tasks and learning Taskwarrior, but I will share my work with Ansible once I have...I still don't have any Ansible stuff to show off, mostly because I got caught up with changing how I manage to-do tasks and learning Taskwarrior, but I will share my work with Ansible once I have a working setup.
I did want to say congratulations with the preliminary exam and good luck with admission.
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32 votes
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Comment on What are you doing this weekend? in ~talk
hungariantoast Link Parent I hope I understand this correctly, because it sounds like an easy choice if you ask me. Stay. Hard pass on that new position. Twenty extra minutes on your commute is awful, $3.50 extra doesn't...I hope I understand this correctly, because it sounds like an easy choice if you ask me. Stay. Hard pass on that new position. Twenty extra minutes on your commute is awful, $3.50 extra doesn't actually go that far, and you're guaranteed to be out of a job in six months.
Stick with stable employment. Never abandon a job you can hold indefinitely for one you know will only last a few months, unless you're going to earn enough money to never work another day in your life.
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Comment on What are you doing this weekend? in ~talk
hungariantoast Link Parent If you want screenshots, you'll have to turn to search engines. The game uses interchangeable tilesets for graphics, so there's quite a bit of variation in how the game looks, depending on the...Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is a turn-based survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Struggle to survive in a harsh, persistent, procedurally generated world. Scavenge the remnants of a dead civilization for food, equipment, or, if you are lucky, a vehicle with a full tank of gas to get you the hell out of Dodge. Fight to defeat or escape from a wide variety of powerful monstrosities, from zombies to giant insects to killer robots and things far stranger and deadlier, and against the others like yourself, that want what you have…
If you want screenshots, you'll have to turn to search engines. The game uses interchangeable tilesets for graphics, so there's quite a bit of variation in how the game looks, depending on the tileset you choose.
I also explained a bit about Cataclysm in this topic:
Also, Wikipedia page.
Interesting reads about the game:
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5 votes
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Comment on What are you doing this weekend? in ~talk
hungariantoast Link Parent Thanks. I try to do something every weekend, but it can feel pretty overwhelming at times. It would take years for a dozen of me to map Greater Houston in maximum detail. Just focusing on whatever...Thanks. I try to do something every weekend, but it can feel pretty overwhelming at times. It would take years for a dozen of me to map Greater Houston in maximum detail. Just focusing on whatever holds my interest that weekend helps keep me motivated to map on.
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Comment on What are you doing this weekend? in ~talk
hungariantoast (edited ) Link Last Thursday, my 1995 Mazda Miata was inundated with water. I didn't realize it until two or three days after the flash flooding, but there was a distinct water line almost halfway up the...Last Thursday, my 1995 Mazda Miata was inundated with water. I didn't realize it until two or three days after the flash flooding, but there was a distinct water line almost halfway up the passenger door, telling exactly how high the water was when I rescued the car.
Basically, I'm happy to report that, with only a few days worth of work, the car is running perfectly again. I was especially happy to see, despite knowing that water made its way into the engine, that the engine's oil, as well as the transmission and differential oil, showed no evidence of being contaminated.
Also, two or three weeks ago I went to a wedding in Louisiana. Tomorrow I'll be going to a cookout where I get to meet most of the groom's family, which is what I love, meeting dozens of new people...Turns out there was recently a death in the groom's family and the cookout has been called off for a week now, but no one told me until today.
On to more interesting things though. For those of you who don't know, Blender 2.8 is going to release soonish. It has been in beta for some time now and you can download and use it already, so I'll be playing around with it, refamiliarizing my novice self with some of the new features and changes. I'd like to eventually stop dabbling with 3D modeling and actually do something with it.
Another thing I'll be playing around with this weekend is a voxel editor. I love making pixel art, but I've never given voxel art a fair shake. I have no idea what programs I should start with, but if anyone has a recommendation I'd be happy to hear it.
That's about it really. I'd like to play around with Ansible for helping automate my Arch Linux installation and configuration on new machines, but I don't know if I'll have time. I've also taken an interest in Nix and Guix and might play around with those as well.
Finally, as usual, I'll be doing something on OpenStreetMap. In some areas I have micromapped, I have neglected to add things like trees, street lamps, landuse, or landcover features. I'll probably revisit those areas and see what else can be done. I really need to start working on sidewalks, curbs, and crosswalks (for bicycle routing, mostly) but tagging and configuring these features can be kind of confusing, so I have been putting it off.
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Even if you don't have any plans for the weekend, and just want to talk about how you are doing, this is a good place to do that too. You can find last week's topic here. So, Tildassins, what (or...
Even if you don't have any plans for the weekend, and just want to talk about how you are doing, this is a good place to do that too.
You can find last week's topic here.
So, Tildassins, what (or how) are you doing this weekend?
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Comment on Can Car-Crazy Dallas Learn to Love Bikes? in ~life
hungariantoast Link Had this article replaced every occurrence of "Dallas" with "Houston" I probably would not have noticed. I do not want to doxx myself, so I will not give exact distances, but my round trip from...Had this article replaced every occurrence of "Dallas" with "Houston" I probably would not have noticed.
I do not want to doxx myself, so I will not give exact distances, but my round trip from home to school is going to be single digits. I could ride my bike there and back for the four days I will be attending each week.
Except there is no infrastructure.
If I were to ride my bike to school, I would either have to compete with cars on Houston roads (not fun), or I will have to take an elongated route that follows a public trail through some sketchy, isolated areas.
On top of that, I am extremely lucky to live close enough to my school to do that. Most students do not have any options in how they commute to school. They are usually stuck with having to drive.
Or my father, who commutes less than five miles to work and back home every single day. Right now he only owns one vehicle, a relatively new Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD. It is a great truck, he definitely does things in his spare time that requires its use, but it is so unbelievably wasteful to use it as a daily commuter. He is currently looking into getting a small car to alleviate this.
Still, he could ride a bicycle to work every day. He would be traveling less distance than I would be when I go to school. Except, again, there is no infrastructure. He'd be stuck cycling on a roadway with a forty-five-mile per hour speed limit, train tracks, and multiple intersections. It is completely ridiculous and dangerous.
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Comment on What should be done about synonymous tags? in ~tildes
hungariantoast Link Parent You're right, there should be no pressure to post topics and add tags to it. At worst, just don't tag the topic if you have no clue what to add, but trying to add something is always a good idea....You're right, there should be no pressure to post topics and add tags to it. At worst, just don't tag the topic if you have no clue what to add, but trying to add something is always a good idea.
And, if one of the tags you added gets removed or changed or a new tag gets added to your topic then, if you notice these changes being made by a moderator, just pay attention and remember them the next time you post something.
It's not like users should be deathly afraid of getting things wrong. It isn't the users' responsibility or burden to make sure tags are perfect, it's the moderators.
So don't go wild and obviously tag things incorrectly, but don't feel like you need to be perfect about it either.
Unfortunately, because of how tags relate to searching and how they'll eventually relate to subgroup hierarchies, they're going to be an integral part of how Tildes works, which means they are important (and powerful) and there will need to be some guidelines on how to use them, including in specific cases. Ideally though, these guidelines won't introduce complications, but rather, they'll solve them.
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7 votes
I'm pretty sure I bought, played, and beat Spec Ops: The Line on its day of release and haven't played it since. I own it on Steam and should revisit it at some point. Never played This War of Mine, but I have heard of it. Spec Ops is probably, out of the games I have played, the one that comes closest to the idea of my comment, which unfortunately is less of a "game idea" and more of me rambling about the (possible) potential of future tech, because I got carried away. I'll probably pick up This War of Mine during the next sale and try it out, thanks.