kfwyre's recent activity
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Comment on Humble Comics Bundle: Fifty essential Fantagraphics titles in ~comics
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of September 20 in ~games
kfwyre LinkMechabellum and Astrea: Six Sided Oracles are this week's freebies on the Epic Game Store. I know nothing of Astrea, but I have a friend who loves strategy games and has put hundreds of hours into...Mechabellum and Astrea: Six Sided Oracles are this week's freebies on the Epic Game Store.
I know nothing of Astrea, but I have a friend who loves strategy games and has put hundreds of hours into Mechabellum. He highly recommends it.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of September 20 in ~games
kfwyre LinkOri and the Will of the Wisps is 90% off on Steam. It is genuinely excellent. If you liked the first one, it's safe to say you'll like this one. If you haven't played the first one, it's available...Ori and the Will of the Wisps is 90% off on Steam.
It is genuinely excellent. If you liked the first one, it's safe to say you'll like this one. If you haven't played the first one, it's available for 75% discount on its own, but you can get both of them for 84% off.
The games are gorgeous, thoughtful metroidvanias. Movement is a genuine joy, with Ori's "bash" move being an innovative highlight (it lets you get another jump off of enemy projectiles at the same time as redirecting them).
I have played through both games multiple times. They feel like a childrens' book come to life. Both are lovely and surprisingly affecting. Will of the Wisps is a worthy successor on its own -- which is high praise, because I consider the original to be nearly flawless.
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Humble Bundle: current sci-fi/fantasy author bundles
Humble has put out a bunch of single-author bundles recently, and I figured I'd link them all here. They're listed in order of how long they have left, from least time to most time. Elizabeth Moon...
Humble has put out a bunch of single-author bundles recently, and I figured I'd link them all here. They're listed in order of how long they have left, from least time to most time.
If anyone has any specific recommendations for any of the authors in general or specific works of theirs, let us know. There's a lot on offer here!
Also, as always, make sure you adjust the sliders to your liking before purchasing any of these.
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Comment on Humble Comics Bundle: Fifty essential Fantagraphics titles in ~comics
kfwyre Link ParentBoth of these were excellent videos. I knew nothing of either author and had simply read their works in isolation. Learning what Oesterheld went through makes me feel bad that I even slightly...Both of these were excellent videos.
I knew nothing of either author and had simply read their works in isolation. Learning what Oesterheld went through makes me feel bad that I even slightly criticized his work. Meanwhile, I already thought Ferris's artwork was stunning, and that was before I learned that her distinct style was a product of partial paralysis. Genuinely amazing. Thanks for the links.
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What do you listen to while you’re reading?
Music, rain sounds, white noise, nothing, etc. Do you do anything specific with sound to create your own reading environment? If so, what, and why?
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Comment on Humble Comics Bundle: Fifty essential Fantagraphics titles in ~comics
kfwyre LinkAs always, adjust the sliders to your liking before buying. In my opinion, this bundle is worth it alone for Safe Area Goražde, The Eternaut, and the two volumes of My Favorite Thing Is Monsters....As always, adjust the sliders to your liking before buying.
In my opinion, this bundle is worth it alone for Safe Area Goražde, The Eternaut, and the two volumes of My Favorite Thing Is Monsters.
Goražde is really compelling non-fiction about Bosnia in the 90s, while Monsters has staggeringly good artwork.
The Eternaut is a little clunkier than those two, but it's also genuinely historically significant, being a full serialized narrative comic written in the 1950s. Judging it by modern standards, after the medium has had so much more time to develop, is unfair -- it was the first one out of the gate! Also, there is SO much it does right even in spite of the aforementioned clunkiness.
If anyone has any other recommendations from the batch, let us know. There's a LOT in here.
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Humble Comics Bundle: Fifty essential Fantagraphics titles
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: October 2026 - April 2027 schedule in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentCGA Announcement: This is an open call for a host for Mother 3 in November. Let me know if you're interested. Notification List @1338 @Akir @ali @arctanh @AriMaeda @atomicshoreline @avirse...CGA Announcement: This is an open call for a host for Mother 3 in November.
Let me know if you're interested.
Notification List
@1338
@Akir
@ali
@arctanh
@AriMaeda
@atomicshoreline
@avirse
@balooga
@BeardyHat
@Boojum
@Bwerf
@CannibalisticApple
@chocobean
@clayh
@datavoid
@Debook
@DistractionRectangle
@dotsforeyes
@dozens
@Dr_Amazing
@endymiion
@Gourd
@granfdad
@Gummy
@hamstergeddon
@IsildursBane
@J-Chiptunator
@JCPhoenix
@joshbuddy
@kaiomai
@Kawa
@kej
@kfwyre
@kingofsnake
@Kirisame
@Lapbunny
@mayonuki
@Mendanbar
@mysterylevel
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@Pavouk106
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@Plattypus
@polle
@preposterous
@psi
@rosco
@rubix
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@SloMoMonday
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@Soggy
@sotix
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@SpruceWillis
@squidwiz
@talklittle
@ThatMartinFellow
@tomorrow-never-knows
@Trobador
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@Weldawadyathink
@Wes
@xk3
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Comment on Who gets the Steam Frame? Did Valve pick you for the first wave? in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI just realized I never responded to you, sorry! Reading what other people have said, I am not sure if I should publicly admit to this, but I've never actually like, wash washed my face gasket. I...I just realized I never responded to you, sorry!
Reading what other people have said, I am not sure if I should publicly admit to this, but I've never actually like, wash washed my face gasket. I just wipe it down sometimes.
I did buy a washable wrap that goes around the back of my headset, and that I actually do throw in with my clothes sometimes. Because it's porous fabric, I'm not sure how much it actually keeps sweat off the rest of the device, but I figure at the very least it's not hurting.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: October 2026 - April 2027 schedule in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI've never had a Mac and have never gamed on one, but a book-length rundown of an underexplored corner of gaming is SO appealing to me. Glad it gets your endorsement as someone who has explored...I've never had a Mac and have never gamed on one, but a book-length rundown of an underexplored corner of gaming is SO appealing to me. Glad it gets your endorsement as someone who has explored it. Also, Bitmap Books are just killing it in general, IMO. Their stuff is seriously great.
Also, feel free to bias the month as much as you like! Border Zone and Zork already have their own Wikipedia pages, so really, they don't need the fanfare like Twisted! does. You'd really just be leveling the playing field. :)
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: October 2026 - April 2027 schedule in ~games
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Comment on The next chapter for Bungie in ~games
kfwyre (edited )LinkI am so hoping that the unvaulting makes D2 accessible to new players. I tried it out for the first time recently and was floored by how opaque it was. I ended up stopping it, despite REALLY...I am so hoping that the unvaulting makes D2 accessible to new players. I tried it out for the first time recently and was floored by how opaque it was. I ended up stopping it, despite REALLY liking the moment-to-moment gameplay and stunning settings the game offers, because it just didn't make any sense to me.
If they made onboarding better, I would love to pick it up for real.
Also, can anyone here speak to Marathon's PVE mode? I have zero interest in any PVP, but my multiplayer group loves a good PVE game and would be interested in this if that could be our sole focus.Nevermind, it's not out yet. -
What's something that now looks very different to you in hindsight?
It can be something personal to your life, or something public/newsworthy. Your change on it can be anything -- from negative to positive or vice versa, or simply a different perspective or...
It can be something personal to your life, or something public/newsworthy.
Your change on it can be anything -- from negative to positive or vice versa, or simply a different perspective or understanding.
Tell us what it was, what changed, and, if possible, why you think that change came about.
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Comment on VR questions, recommendations, tips, and tricks in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentCan't speak to any of the games specifically, but I'll say that VR bundles and discounts are far less common than they are for pancake games, so I make it a point to buy them when they come around...Can't speak to any of the games specifically, but I'll say that VR bundles and discounts are far less common than they are for pancake games, so I make it a point to buy them when they come around if I'm even remotely interested in what's on offer.
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: October 2026 - April 2027 schedule in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentI've got you slotted for hosting Grue for now, though I love the idea of co-hosts sharing that month if your co-nominators are interested. Also, it's 100% on me for putting an apparently non-text...I've got you slotted for hosting Grue for now, though I love the idea of co-hosts sharing that month if your co-nominators are interested.
Also, it's 100% on me for putting an apparently non-text adventure into that group, but also, like, it was hard to find good information on the game? There's not a lot out there.
I was excited to find out that it's mentioned in The Secret History of Mac Gaming which I bought recently but haven't cracked open yet, so I'll have to dive into that before/once March rolls around.
It’s funny, I just introduced my kiddo to the first Sonic Adventure (on Dreamcast!) and they’ve been having a blast with it.
RAISED 👏 RIGHT 👏 😆
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Comment on Colossal Game Adventure: October 2026 - April 2027 schedule in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentYeah, I feel like this is a really solid lineup! Also I swapped Crystalis and Mother 3, so I penciled you in for hosting for April if that works for you.Yeah, I feel like this is a really solid lineup!
Also I swapped Crystalis and Mother 3, so I penciled you in for hosting for April if that works for you.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Future in ~books
kfwyre LinkEchoing the common sentiments of "I like our book club" and also "life is busy and I can't always keep up." I always have the best of intentions when it comes to reading the book each month, but...Echoing the common sentiments of "I like our book club" and also "life is busy and I can't always keep up." I always have the best of intentions when it comes to reading the book each month, but more often than not I don't follow through.
I'd love to see the club continue, but I also think adjusting its cadence might be necessary.
Also, rotating hosts has worked really well for CGA, so I think it could work well here too.
On the other hand, given the number of people saying that they're already busy, I can also see the utility of just having some pre-determined questions that apply to any book that we put in the topic text, that way each month becomes a copy/paste (or even potentially automated) job. It's already a big ask for many of us to even read the book in the first place, so maybe reducing the hosting workload as much as possible is a good optimization?
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Comment on VR questions, recommendations, tips, and tricks in ~games
kfwyre LinkNot sure how common knowledge this is, but in case it's not well-known: keep your VR lenses out of direct sunlight. They can focus the light and permanently damage the internal screen (think:...Not sure how common knowledge this is, but in case it's not well-known: keep your VR lenses out of direct sunlight. They can focus the light and permanently damage the internal screen (think: burning something with a magnifying glass).
If you store yours in a room that regularly has direct sunlight in it, make sure you store it where the sun won't hit it, put it inside a case, or put some sort of blocker over the lenses. If you plan on using it outside (not recommended), make sure the lenses aren't ever exposed directly to the sun.
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of September 20 in ~games
kfwyre Link ParentMy personal rule for Ubisoft games is: only ever buy the complete version, and only when it’s on steep (ha!) discount. It’s just not worth it to me trying to do it any other way because then it...My personal rule for Ubisoft games is: only ever buy the complete version, and only when it’s on steep (ha!) discount. It’s just not worth it to me trying to do it any other way because then it feels like homework.
What’s funny is that the games are SO big that I almost never end up finishing them, much less tackling any DLC content. I could just buy the base version and save a lot of money, but buying an incomplete game doesn’t spark joy for me.
Also I used to be Steam or bust but Heroic is so good now that I’m comfortable buying on Steam, GOG, or Epic. For Ubisoft stuff though? Definitely Steam. Trying to get their games running on Linux otherwise is a huge pain.
I definitely get that. Just from those two videos I was thinking of buying Mort Cinder and Monsters Vol. 2. I’ve read all of Monsters and know the digital copy is in this bundle, but it would be nice to have a physical copy on my shelves to go with the first.
Also he mentions that The Eternaut is now out of print and a collector’s item, showing an eBay listing at above $400(!). I actually owned a physical copy of that too, but I gave it to my friend (as a gift, not a loan) after the Netflix show came out and she and her boyfriend wanted to read it. I had no idea it was a collector’s item!
I wonder if they still have it or if they sold it off for profit. If they did I wouldn’t even be mad. I hope they get that bag! It’ll let them buy so many more comics. 😆