kfwyre's recent activity
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Comment on Screenless Day discussion topic: September 2026 in ~life
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Comment on Screenless Day discussion topic: September 2026 in ~life
kfwyre Link ParentOh do I ever. Movie gets a little boring? Check my email. Book is starting to slog? Pull up the news and half-read both things at the same time. Game has a cutscene? Play with my dog for the whole...Oh do I ever.
Movie gets a little boring? Check my email.
Book is starting to slog? Pull up the news and half-read both things at the same time.
Game has a cutscene? Play with my dog for the whole duration. -
Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )Link ParentYou're absolutely right! I went back to the Dreamcast version, and it's simply better in every way. The issue I was having initially was that, for some reason, the Flycast core absolutely chugs on...You're absolutely right!
I went back to the Dreamcast version, and it's simply better in every way. The issue I was having initially was that, for some reason, the Flycast core absolutely chugs on the level goals screen. I didn't really solve the problem, but since the game runs fine the rest of the time (including for the gameplay, where it really matters), I've just learned to live with it.
The draw distance difference is the biggest upgrade, IMO. It isn't super noticeable in The Hangar since it's so small, but the moment you unlock School II, it's night and day. For anyone curious, you can see the difference in this video (if the timestamp link doesn't work, the level starts at 4:06).
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThis isn't a high score screenshot, but I still think it's worth posting. I managed to finish a level mere milliseconds before disaster.This isn't a high score screenshot, but I still think it's worth posting.
I managed to finish a level mere milliseconds before disaster.
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Comment on Screenless Day discussion topic: September 2026 in ~life
kfwyre (edited )LinkI'll be taking my Screenless Day tomorrow. It should be a pretty simple setup: I've got an IRL book club meetup on Sunday to discuss a ~130,000 word novel that I have only just started. I've...I'll be taking my Screenless Day tomorrow.
It should be a pretty simple setup: I've got an IRL book club meetup on Sunday to discuss a ~130,000 word novel that I have only just started. I've estimated my reading speed before and think it's roughly in the ballpark of 17K words per hour. So, my day is going to include lots of couch, bed, and/or hammock time (weather permitting) with my ereader for the 7+ hours of reading I'll need to finish the book.
I have a bad habit of idly opening my phone even when I'm reading, so I'm planning on putting my phone somewhere else for the day, with maybe a few designated breaks to check texts and whatnot (I'm thinking mealtimes?).
In thinking about this month's discussion question, I think, if I really hone in on what's an issue for me, it's novelty-seeking. I'll pull out my phone and open Google News not because something might have happened in the last hour (or, worse, minutes) since I did it before, but because when I do I at least get something new to look at. The same goes for like, video game and ebook deals. I have enough of those to last me for more than a lifetime already, but I like the idea of seeing sales happen even if I don't intend to buy anything. Why? Because they happen ALL the time which means there's always something new there when I look.
Even Tildes, for all the great things about it, scratches this unfortunate itch for me. I'll open the app and refresh the feed not because I'm planning on reading the comments or articles, but just to see if something new has been posted.
It's like my brain wants a constant dripfeed of freshness, and it's satisfied by the mere existence of something new rather than whether that new thing carries any sort of meaning or relevance.
The worst part of this is that I think it makes my appreciation of things even shallower. I'll start to watch a movie or read a book, and I'll get legitimately into it. Like, I'll want to keep going with it because it has genuinely hooked me. But for some reason, that also starts an itch to jump to a different book or a different movie. It's like, once I'm in the middle of it I get too familiar with it, and my brain needs the "new" and starts telling me I should jump ship (even though I know it'll be more satisfying to see whatever I'm currently in the middle of all the way through).
Long-term, I'd love to reduce the noise of that novelty seeking compulsion. It would be nice to be able to appreciate things more meaningfully and feel connected to them for longer periods of time.
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Comment on Screenless Day discussion topic: September 2026 in ~life
kfwyre (edited )LinkScreenless Day Notification: We have officially rebooted the series! I have started this new notification list with the people who mentioned interest in prior discussions. Anyone who comments in...Screenless Day Notification: We have officially rebooted the series! I have started this new notification list with the people who mentioned interest in prior discussions.
Anyone who comments in this topic will automatically be added to this list for future notifications. If you do NOT want to be added to the list, simply let me know in your comment.
Notification List
Note: I had originally intended to post an announcement topic for this earlier in the week but it got away from me (beginning of the school year and all that). So, I figured we’d just do it live instead!
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Screenless Day discussion topic: September 2026
The Reboot! I used to run a series of "Screenless Day" monthly posts that were aimed at nudging people to put a short pause on the toxic aspects of tech in their life. They never got much...
The Reboot!
I used to run a series of "Screenless Day" monthly posts that were aimed at nudging people to put a short pause on the toxic aspects of tech in their life. They never got much traction, but it was also hard to tell if people were participating because they wouldn't necessarily be here commenting on it and would instead be, you know, off doing other things.
There has been some renewed interest in the idea recently, so I decided to reboot the series and see how it goes now (especially because the wider tech landscape is arguably worse than it was back when I first started them).
The spirit of Screenless Day remains the same as it always has been:
a simple event aimed at encouraging people to take a temporary step away from toxic or consuming aspects of technology and spend their time and energies elsewhere
Anyone can choose to take a Screenless Day at any time, but the idea is to nudge people towards doing it over the first weekend of the month. Each new discussion topic will go live on the first Friday of the month, and it will remain open for the duration of the month.
It is strongly encouraged that you talk about your Screenless Day here, as part of the fun of the event is that, even though you might be doing something independently, your actions fit into a larger community picture of other people here sharing the same values.
Also, to promote both reflection and discussion on the goals of Screenless Day, each month I will be including a new discussion question to provide people the opportunity to reflect on their relationship with technology and keep the topic more “alive” and visible.
This Month
In addition to the once again regularly scheduled Screenless Day, there are a couple of housekeeping things for our first month back:
- Building a notification list.
I will be building a notification list to be pinged each time a monthly Screenless Day topic goes up. Anyone commenting in this topic will be included by default. If you do NOT want to be included in the list, please let me know in your comment.
- Changing the name?
"Screenless Day" can be a bit misleading (see the FAQ below), so I'm open to other name ideas. Everything I can come up with tends to sound negative however (e.g. "Pause Toxic Tech" day or something), and I want the name to be a simple but positive one.
Monthly Discussion
Use this topic to:
- Talk about your plans for an upcoming Screenless Day.
- Tell everyone what you chose to do for your Screenless Day, and how it went.
- Reflect on your relationship with technology.
This month's discussion question:
- Of all the tech you use in your life, what platform/app/device/etc do you feel has the most overall negative impact on you? Why do you think that is?
FAQ
What is a Screenless Day?
A "Screenless Day" is a simple event aimed at encouraging people to take a temporary step away from toxic or consuming aspects of technology and spend their time and energies elsewhere.
When is it?
A new discussion topic will go up on the first Friday of each month, with participants encouraged to make one of their days that weekend a "Screenless Day."
The topic remains open for the whole month, so people can choose to take Screenless Days whenever they like and talk about them in that month's discussion.
Does it have to be truly "screenless"?
"Screenless" is an ideal, not a mandate.
The spirit of the day is to deliberately step away from toxic or consuming aspects of technology, and what that means is different for each person. Thus, it is up to each participant to determine what "screenless" means to them. Some might only choose to not use social media for a day; some might choose to eliminate all "screens" but still use their ereader; some may maintain some screen use but only for necessity (e.g. work; classes; GPS; etc.). Some might get rid of screens entirely, or go fully "unplugged" for the day.
How do I participate?
You do not have to do anything formal at all to participate -- simply make your Screenless Day happen in whatever way is best for you!
If you’d like to, use this thread to share plans for your upcoming Screenless Day or summaries/reflections about it once it’s over.
Can I chat in this thread if I'm not doing a Screenless Day myself?
Yes! The more, the merrier! Discussion from anyone, participant or non-participant alike, is welcome. Though, do understand that it might take a bit longer than normal for some people to respond. :)
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
kfwyre LinkNOPE (2022) I normally like a slow-burn buildup, but this one was a touch too slow, IMO. It felt like it tried to have the heft and pacing of a serious drama which detracted from its sci-fi/horror...NOPE (2022)
I normally like a slow-burn buildup, but this one was a touch too slow, IMO. It felt like it tried to have the heft and pacing of a serious drama which detracted from its sci-fi/horror elements. I think if it had been trimmed down a bit it would have gone from good to great for me.
Also, based on the (excellent) visuals and sound, I think this is one that was probably much better to experience in theaters than at home.
Mass (2021)
Speaking of slow-burns, this one is exceptional.
It’s about two sets of parents who meet up in a church after a tragedy to discuss it. The bulk of the film is simply them talking in a single room.
It takes a while to get going, but once it does it’s impossible to look away from. All of the actors do an exceptional job.
Given the spartan setup, I assumed this was a movie adaptation of a play, so I was surprised to learn that it was made for the screen. I think would do well on the stage too. The script is very strong.
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Comment on 1Password wades into a right-wing mess after funding a Linux project in ~tech
kfwyre (edited )Link ParentSame boat here too. I basically dragged my family on to 1Password by giving them the extremely good deal of “I will pay for it if you will use it.” As such, I’ve been shelling out for a family...Same boat here too. I basically dragged my family on to 1Password by giving them the extremely good deal of “I will pay for it if you will use it.” As such, I’ve been shelling out for a family account for years now that includes my parents, siblings, and their partners.
It took a lot of time and effort to get them on and used to it, especially because a few of them had never even used a password manager before.
Changing over simply isn’t going to happen for us, so I’m stuck with 1Password no matter what they decide to do. Instead, all I can do is cheer on the employees who are pushing back on this from the inside.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkI kicked this off today! I first tried the Dreamcast version via RetroDECK but it was stuttering really badly in menus for some reason, so I swapped over to the PlayStation version via Afterplay....I kicked this off today! I first tried the Dreamcast version via RetroDECK but it was stuttering really badly in menus for some reason, so I swapped over to the PlayStation version via Afterplay.
It was kind of wild to me that my fingers knew EXACTLY what to do. For example: the double tap up to get a Boneless for more air. If you had asked me directly about that prior to playing it just now, I wouldn’t have known what you were talking about. Nevertheless, it just automatically happened the moment I hit that first ramp over the halfpipe in the opening hangar level (and was naturally part of my tricking grammar as I played further).
Also, I had completely forgotten about
Extremely minor spoilers, if you can call them that
grinding the helicopter to have it take off and open up the outside area. Same for grinding the propeller in the half pipe to get to the wind tunnel area.
I’d genuinely forgotten that the levels had secret areas that you could unlock by tricking in the right places. I cannot understate HOW COOL THIS WAS to kid me. Genuinely mindblowing at the time!
I do plan on trying to get the Dreamcast one up and running by playing around with different settings/cores though, because going back to the PSX version is… shall we say… unflattering.
It’s so much chunkier than I remember. The polygons and textures do that PSX jittery/swimming thing constantly. The draw distance is very poor. It’s genuinely amazing to me because I do remember being blown away how how good the game looked back in the day. Maybe a CRT-filter would hide some of its more glaring eyesores to my modern, awakened eyes?
That said, it’s not a problem per-se. The game still plays well, and I actually have a fondness for early 3D chunkiness and jank, but I’m hoping the Dreamcast can give me those same vibes but smoother and with more visibility.
Also, I’ve had clipping’s “Dominator” on heavy rotation recently. I genuinely didn’t realize its first line (“Once again back, it’s the incredible”) was actually a reference until I heard it pop up in the game (via Public Enemy’s “Bring the Noise”). This was quite a serendipitous discovery.
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Comment on What made that wedding that you attended particularly memorable? in ~life
kfwyre (edited )LinkMy husband and I didn’t want to do wedding favors because they felt like a colossal waste of money for kitschy stuff that’s most likely going to end up as either forgotten clutter or trash....My husband and I didn’t want to do wedding favors because they felt like a colossal waste of money for kitschy stuff that’s most likely going to end up as either forgotten clutter or trash.
Instead, my husband came up with a brilliant alternative.
We placed a little heart token at each seat at the reception. On one of the side tables we placed three jars, each with a big sign of a charity we support (we did the Special Olympics, a local LGBTQ youth organization, and the adoption agency through which we got our dog).
Guests were instructed that, in lieu of a party favor, they could deposit their heart into the charity of their choosing, and we would make a donation to each charity based on the amount in the jar (we set the value of each heart to $8, as we had been together for 8 years at the time). We had little table tents explaining the process, and also had the DJ announce it.
This was SUCH a hit. People LOVED it. It essentially felt like they were donating their wedding favor to charity (which they did more than willingly), and the fact that they had to choose between them sparked a lot of really good discussions and made their choices meaningful. We genuinely got a ton of compliments about the idea. I’m really proud of my husband for coming up with it, and I think it speaks wonders to the kindness of his heart.
In the post-wedding, post-honeymoon blur, we sat down together, counted out the hearts, and then made large donations to each organization. This felt really good because we had just spent a lot of money on ourselves for the wedding+honeymoon and also received a lot of money in gifts. With all the focus on us, it was really satisfying to do something significant for others and share our goodwill. It made our wedding feel like it fit into a bigger, more meaningful picture. It made us feel more connected with the world.
Now, this charity idea was memorable on its own, but what really made it stick is that some of the people in attendance at our wedding also chose to do it for theirs afterwards. We’ve been to two weddings since where the same setup was used (and know of more who did but we weren’t there).
For the first one we went to, I actually cried when I saw their setup mirroring ours. The wedding was mere days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and I ended up crying again when I went to spend my token later in the evening and saw that the jar for Ukrainian aid had gotten almost every single one. Some people even put in additional cash. The hurt everyone was feeling was undoubtedly fresh, but the want to help was also urgent and powerful. It was genuinely beautiful to see such strong, unequivocal support from so many different people.
At the second wedding, the bride and groom, during their announcement about the charity tokens, had my husband and I stand up and let everyone know that they got the idea from us. It was quite an honor.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI think a little friendly competition could be fun for me because I’m going to absolutely smoke everyone. 😂 People can simply note which version they’re playing in their screenshots so that others...I think a little friendly competition could be fun for me because I’m going to absolutely smoke everyone. 😂
People can simply note which version they’re playing in their screenshots so that others can try to beat them if they like. We don’t have to keep a tally or anything out of fairness’s sake, and it can all just be for the love of the game and bragging rights.
Editor’s Note: kfwyre is not actually going to smoke anyone in this competition. His hands are old and clumsy now.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentThe cutscenes are giving old-school silent film where the dialogue is displayed in text on separate title cards between shots.The cutscenes are giving old-school silent film where the dialogue is displayed in text on separate title cards between shots.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre LinkI was a fan of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. It was fresh and exciting and I had a really good time with it. But when THPS 2 came out, I fell fully in love. It was everything the first one was, but...I was a fan of Tony Hawk’s
Pro-SkaterPro Skater. It was fresh and exciting and I had a really good time with it.But when THPS 2 came out, I fell fully in love.
It was everything the first one was, but better. Adding manuals unlocked an entire new frontier of tricking. If I’m remembering correctly, they also added the ability to put points into your characters, building their stats over time. I got so much mileage out of that, playing things over and over again to max out each of the characters, then deleting my save so I could do it all over again (I did the same with Jet Grind/Set Radio and SSX Tricky by the way — amazing that I used to have so much time that I would play the same game on repeat for months!).
I bought and played the modern remaster some years back, and while I thought they did a good job, something about it felt off. Like, the gamefeel didn’t match my muscle memory. I have no idea if that’s the fault of the game or, far more likely, the fault of time and age taking their toll on me.
It wasn’t just the gamefeel though — for some reason I remember hating the menus and unlocks. It’s been long enough since I played that the specifics of the complaint are lost to me, but I remember feeling like they unnecessarily muddied what was, in the original, a very clear and satisfying sense of progression.
As such, I’ll be returning to the original game this time.
I played it exclusively on the PSX back in the day, but I’m also a Dreamcast forever fan and am tempted to play that version just because I like whittling down the list of DC games I haven’t played.
Does anyone know if there’s a material difference in the game in only having one set of shoulder buttons versus two? If so, that might determine where I land.
Also, I’m almost certainly going to try out the GBC version, cutscenes and all.
Will I stick with it? Doubtful.
But will I do it so that I can genuinely say “I’ve played THPS 2 on the Game Boy Color!” to other likeminded millennial nerds when we have our nerdy millennial get-togethers? Of course I will.
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What workplace absurdity are you forced to live with?
Bureaucratic nonsense; a glaring inefficiency; “that’s just how we do things here”; etc. Whatever it is, it’s absurd, but you’re also powerless to do anything about it and just have to live with...
Bureaucratic nonsense; a glaring inefficiency; “that’s just how we do things here”; etc.
Whatever it is, it’s absurd, but you’re also powerless to do anything about it and just have to live with it.
Tell us all about it.
Note: “workplace” can refer to career, school, home — wherever you do work in the face of absurdity
54 votes -
Comment on Recommendations for noise cancelling, over ear headphones in ~tech
kfwyre Link ParentMy siblings and I got these as a father's day gift for my dad. We took turns putting them on and trying to make out what other people were saying, and it was impossible (and hilarious). The noise...Sony wh-1000xm6
My siblings and I got these as a father's day gift for my dad.
We took turns putting them on and trying to make out what other people were saying, and it was impossible (and hilarious). The noise cancelling is VERY good.
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre LinkIf we have any RetroAchievements fans in the house, there are full achievement sets for each of the retro versions of the game (sans Windows): PlayStation Nintendo 64 Dreamcast Game Boy Color Game...If we have any RetroAchievements fans in the house, there are full achievement sets for each of the retro versions of the game (sans Windows):
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Comment on CGA-2026-09 🕹️🙎♂️🛹 INSERT CARTRIDGE 🟢 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkOkay, I'm not saying we need to have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores, but, well: We now have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores. Show off below! Also, Friendly...Okay, I'm not saying we need to have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores, but, well:
We now have a thread for posting screenshots of our high scores.
Show off below!
Also, Friendly Competition is available to anyone who wants it! Note which version of the game you’re playing, and play fair (e.g. no cheats/save states/changing the speed of the game, etc.). Highest score for a particular level+platform wins that category. Prizes are bragging rights
and some M&Ms from a bag I found behind the couch.For anyone who DOES want to use cheats/save states/whatnot, have no fear! It’s also fun to see people break the game completely with some Balatro-worthy scores. Just note that you did use those in your post so they don’t stomp on anyone’s organic, grassfed scores.
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Comment on Humble Choice - September 2026 in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkI hate to be a downer, but both Voidtrain and Ballionaire didn't do anything for me. Here's my quick review on Voidtrain: I don't have a writeup for Ballionaire but it seemed like something I...I hate to be a downer, but both Voidtrain and Ballionaire didn't do anything for me.
Here's my quick review on Voidtrain:
My indecisive multiplayer group chose this, as we really loved Raft and the two games are very similar.
Sadly, Voidtrain is a subpar version of Raft in pretty much every way.
It's got some cool ideas and a cool setting that are mostly squandered by interminable repetition and asset reuse. Like, every station you stop at has a fire fight with the same enemies in the same arena. There are little sidequests you can do where you have to grapple away from your train and follow a chain of rocks, which seems really cool initially, but they always take you to the same place. where you do the same thing.
It feels like they had the skeleton of a decent game and just polished that up to a 1.0 release rather than fully developing something more robust.
We're having fun with it because it's fun to play games with your friends, but it's unfortunately not the Raft-alike we were hoping for.
I don't have a writeup for Ballionaire but it seemed like something I should love as a huge Peggle fan and mild incremental-game enjoyer. For some reason it just didn't click for me.
To make things more positive, I wrote a poem:
Poetry is my passion
Please Re-release One of the most Transformative cOnsoles of all time, the Nokia n-gage Innovation. Simplicity. May All of us Game agaIn on our taCo phones -
Humble Choice - September 2026
September 2026's Humble Choice is now available with the following eight Steam games. Steam Page OpenCritic Steam Recent/All Operating Systems Steam Deck ProtonDB Frostpunk 2 85 71 / 78 Win, Mac 🟨...
September 2026's Humble Choice is now available with the following eight Steam games.
Steam Page OpenCritic Steam Recent/All Operating Systems Steam Deck ProtonDB Frostpunk 2 85 71 / 78 Win, Mac 🟨 Playable 🟨 Gold SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS 80 92 / 96 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum Voidtrain 79 65 / 71 Win 🟨 Playable 🟨 Gold Ballionaire 74 81 / 85 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum GUNTOUCHABLES -- -- / 75 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum Urban Jungle -- 90 / 90 Win 🟨 Playable 🕙 Awaiting Reports Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum -- 92 / 92 Win ✅ Verified 🎖️ Platinum Keylocker - Turn Based Cyberpunk Action 81 -- / 84 Win 🟨 Playable 🎖️ Platinum Does anyone have experience with any of the games and, if so, would you recommend them? Is there anything in here that you're particularly excited to play?
14 votes
I didn't intend it to come across that way, but now that you've pointed it out I can't see it any other way. XD
Thanks for the supportive brainwaves!