kfwyre's recent activity

  1. Comment on Are others finding themselves spending less and less time online? in ~tech

    kfwyre
    Link Parent
    I actually toyed with changing the name away from “Screenless Day” because it’s a touch misleading, but I couldn’t come up with anything that I liked (I’m open to suggestions!). I see it as being...

    I actually toyed with changing the name away from “Screenless Day” because it’s a touch misleading, but I couldn’t come up with anything that I liked (I’m open to suggestions!).

    I see it as being more about intentionality than anything else. Use the tech; don’t let the tech use you — that sort of thing.

    Like, if queueing up music on your phone helps you focus and do what you want to, then that’s not toxic and isn’t something you need to deliberately route around for a Screenless Day.

    Or, maybe, for a Screenless Day you decide that you want to be more deliberate and focused about your music so you choose an album or two to really pay attention to and dive into, instead of shuffling songs as background for something else.

    It’s all about reflecting on your individual relationship with tech (which you’re already doing!) and trying to make it better.

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Are others finding themselves spending less and less time online? in ~tech

    kfwyre
    Link Parent
    Of course! I’m going to put up an official announcement topic on Tuesday, September 1 to spread the word and build the notification list, but I’m happy to start taking names here too as well.

    Of course!

    I’m going to put up an official announcement topic on Tuesday, September 1 to spread the word and build the notification list, but I’m happy to start taking names here too as well.

    4 votes

  3. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    kfwyre
    (edited )
    Link
    I nominated the OG NES Metroid for CGA last year, and it got eliminated in our last round of voting. So, I finally picked it up myself to try it out. I hate to say it, but it is ROUGH by modern...

    I nominated the OG NES Metroid for CGA last year, and it got eliminated in our last round of voting. So, I finally picked it up myself to try it out.

    I hate to say it, but it is ROUGH by modern standards.

    Like, the pieces of the metroidvania are there: sprawling map, powerups that let you access new areas of the map, backtracking through previously played areas with new powers, etc.

    Unfortunately, it's tough for me to look past some of the "of the time" decisions, and I say that as someone who's generally a fan of retro games and their limitations.

    The biggest issue to me is the slowdown. Seemingly any time there are multiple enemies on screen, the game crawls. It inhibits flow SEVERELY.

    Another annoyance is that, if you start a jump without any direction on the d-pad, you don't get air control. I learned to work around this, but it's another flow-inhibitor and makes an already laggy game feel even more limited.

    Add to this a lack of modern QoL features (e.g. there's no map) and very old-school game design and I found the game more frustrating than not. Enemies are constantly bothering you, and the game's very limited aiming enhances their annoyance.

    That said, I play metroidvania games for the exploration and not the combat, so after frustratedly fighting my way through parts of it, I ended up turning on an invincibility cheat so that I could sail right by the enemies and explore the world.

    This is where I learned that the game is mostly a series of samey long-linear hallways and vertical shafts. I ended up getting bored and stopping it.

    I know I'm ragging on it a lot, but that's from a "things have come so far since" perspective. If I think of it as an NES game in its original context (my first console), it's very impressive. It's high-concept and big and fits right in with the other "Nintendo hard" games of its era. I can see why it's held in high esteem and why it's half of a genre name today.

    But, playing it today with full knowledge of all the other metroidvanias we have out there now and how they've iterated on the formula was an exercise in frustration. I'm glad it tried it out, but I had no interest in seeing it all the way through to the end. I'm genuinely glad it didn't get picked up for CGA, because I think it would have ended up being a disappointment to most.

    3 votes

  4. What are we in a golden age of?

    ~talk Ask (survey)
    I don't normally give my own examples for my own questions, but for this one I think it'll help with clarity for what I'm trying to get at: I mentioned recently that we're in a golden age of N64...

    I don't normally give my own examples for my own questions, but for this one I think it'll help with clarity for what I'm trying to get at:

    I mentioned recently that we're in a golden age of N64 decompilations/recompilations with several high-profile games getting releases that make them run on modern machines with huge quality of life upgrades, and many more in the works (one for Extreme-G just came out two days ago).

    I know that, with everything going on seemingly everywhere in the world right now, it can be difficult to think of things in terms of abundance and prosperity, but I also think there's a lot of it around if we look for it, especially in niche corners.

    37 votes

  5. Comment on PS3 emulator RPCS3 now supports online trophies through its own PlayStation Network replacement in ~games

    kfwyre
    Link

    Your RPCS3 trophies are now synchronised with the network when you boot a game with RPCN enabled, our PSN network replacement.

    All RPCN account management is done through the RPCS3 emulator itself. The website contains no registration or account management features.

    To create an account, click on the RPCN button on the RPCS3’s toolbar, then click “Account” -> “Create Account”, pick an username, email, and password. Then activate your account using the token that is sent to your email.

    After you are logged into your account, you can use the “Edit Account” button to resend your token, modify your password, or delete your account if you wish to do so.

    6 votes

  7. Comment on Are others finding themselves spending less and less time online? in ~tech

    kfwyre
    Link
    Shameless plug: I will be bringing back Screenless Days this coming month! Big thanks to @monarda for requesting it! For those that weren't around for them: The simplest way to participate is to...

    Shameless plug: I will be bringing back Screenless Days this coming month!

    Big thanks to @monarda for requesting it!

    For those that weren't around for them:

    Tildes' "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.

    The simplest way to participate is to put away your phone, close the laptop, etc.

    That said, going "screenless" is not a hard rule:

    "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.

    So, if someone wants to learn to crochet, and they spend the day with YouTube tutorials and Ravelry patterns on their tablet, that still "counts" for Screenless Day.

    It's about stepping away from toxic tech rather than eradicating tech altogether.

    I'll be putting up the topics on the First Friday of each month (so we'll officially start on this coming September 4th), with the idea that people choose a day that weekend (whichever works best for them) to participate. Of course, people are not limited to that and can take a Screenless Day whenever they like. The discussion post will be up for the month.

    10 votes

  8. Comment on Webcomic of the author's experience in an abusive school that was a part of the Troubled Teens Industry in ~life

    kfwyre
    Link
    I read through this a while ago and am glad to see that it’s now available in book form. I might pick up a copy, though I honestly doubt I’ll go back and re-read it. For anyone who’s interested in...

    I read through this a while ago and am glad to see that it’s now available in book form. I might pick up a copy, though I honestly doubt I’ll go back and re-read it.

    For anyone who’s interested in this, I can also recommend the docuseries The Program which was made by a group of adults who were forced to go to a similar “school” as kids.

    8 votes

  9. Comment on Book banning: Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl in ~society

    kfwyre
    Link
    In some good news, several states have passed laws aimed at curbing book banning efforts. Massachusetts just recently passed one and it's noteworthy for "limit[ing] who can initiate a challenge to...

    In some good news, several states have passed laws aimed at curbing book banning efforts.

    Massachusetts just recently passed one and it's noteworthy for "limit[ing] who can initiate a challenge to school staff or parents, guardians, and students, who reside in the city or town where the library is located." Essentially it requires someone to have "standing" to attempt to ban the book, which cuts down on their primary tactic of having a small group of dedicated individuals push for numerous and sweeping bans across the country.

    8 votes

  10. Comment on RomM: an open source, self-hosted emulation platform in ~games

    kfwyre
    Link Parent
    I laughed, but also, honest question: am I even using "cloud" correctly here? Like, is saying "self-hosted" and "cloud" redundant? Or the opposite: does something that's "self-hosted" even qualify...

    I laughed, but also, honest question: am I even using "cloud" correctly here?

    Like, is saying "self-hosted" and "cloud" redundant? Or the opposite: does something that's "self-hosted" even qualify as "cloud"? I genuinely don't know.

    2 votes

  11. Comment on Afterplay: a cloud emulation platform in ~games

    kfwyre
    Link Parent
    Yeah, I have similar concerns. Part of me is like “that’s not allowed!” but then part of me knows you can search [game name] ROM and find dozens of longstanding websites each hosting every...

    Yeah, I have similar concerns.

    Part of me is like “that’s not allowed!” but then part of me knows you can search [game name] ROM and find dozens of longstanding websites each hosting every conceivable game you could think of and providing them for public distribution. Somehow those stay up too?

    For Afterplay, it might be one of those “it doesn’t really get enforced” situations, or they might be able to do it simply because they’re operating in a “bring your own files” capacity.

    I found an interview with the creator where he alludes to that idea:

    Afterplay doesn’t provide ROMs, but does provide cloud storage for user-uploaded ROMs. What do you think about the legal line you’re walking?

    Patrick: I’d push back gently on the idea of a line, because the pieces are all pretty well established. The emulator and the games are two separate things, and emulation itself has been legal and well understood for a long time.

    We don’t provide ROMs at all. The storage side works like any other cloud service: you upload your own files, and you’re responsible for what you put there, the same as Dropbox or Google Drive. And everything we actually sell is properly licensed, real deals with real publishers.

    One thing that does help sell me on the platform’s legitimacy is their indie game storefront. I imagine that devs and publishers wouldn’t want to touch something like this if they knew it was a legal landmine. Admittedly though, this might just be wishful thinking on my part since I’m liking the service and hope it will stick around.

    5 votes

  12. Comment on RomM: an open source, self-hosted emulation platform in ~games

    kfwyre
    Link
    I posted about Afterplay here, which is a paid rom emulation platform. Meanwhile, this one is for those that prefer an open-source DIY version of the same concept. I haven’t used it so I can’t...

    Scan, enrich, browse and play your ROM collection from one beautiful & free self-hosted app. Metadata from 10+ providers, save sync across your devices, and support for over 400 platforms.

    I posted about Afterplay here, which is a paid rom emulation platform.

    Meanwhile, this one is for those that prefer an open-source DIY version of the same concept.

    I haven’t used it so I can’t recommend it personally, but I know we have a lot of people here with the knowhow to use something like this.

    6 votes

  14. Comment on Afterplay: a cloud emulation platform in ~games

    kfwyre
    (edited )
    Link
    I just tried this out and am very impressed. I got it working on my Linux desktop, the web, my Steam Deck*, and my phone. As much as I adore my beloved RetroDECK, it being on just my Steam Deck...

    Your library and saves sync across iOS, Android, desktop, and the browser. Multiplayer with voice and video chat, a store of indie games, and 30+ consoles.

    I just tried this out and am very impressed. I got it working on my Linux desktop, the web, my Steam Deck*, and my phone.

    As much as I adore my beloved RetroDECK, it being on just my Steam Deck can be a bit limiting. Sometimes I want to play retro games on my phone or PC too! Up until now, I’ve just kept things separate.

    That said, the further I go in life, the more I appreciate the convenience of hardware-agnostic solutions. I have this with my reading setup via BookFusion and now potentially my emulation setup via Afterplay.

    I’ve only played around with it for a bit, but it’s quite feature rich. It’ll automatically match BIOSes and ROM files, putting them where they need to go and downloading their metadata and whatnot. The UX is great on mouse & keyboard, though it could use some controller-specific improvements for the Deck (though you can just use the touchscreen like a mouse and that works fine). It even supports RetroAchievements, which I love.

    Also, you don’t play the games themselves via streaming. When you launch a title it instead downloads the rom and emulator directly to your device, so they’re actually running natively (which is good for input lag).

    One thing I really like about it is that it has an official homebrew store. So, right from the app you can buy titles from indie devs who make their own games for old consoles.

    I can’t give a full endorsement since I’ve only just tried it out, but I plan to stick with it for a bit (I already plunked down the $25 for the yearly subscription). It can’t fully replace RetroDECK since there are a lot of systems I play there that aren’t available here (pretty much Dreamcast and beyond). But I do love the idea of being able to game on my phone while waiting for an appointment then pick up where I left off from my Deck (and vice versa).

    If anyone’s curious and wants me to test anything out, let me know and I’m happy to do so.

    *Steam Deck Note: The AppImage wouldn’t run for me when added to Steam directly. I had to install Gear Lever which then “installs” the AppImage itself. Once I did this, I was able to add Afterplay to Steam and have it run correctly in Game Mode.

    6 votes

  16. Comment on Easily discover partner libraries with new Libby update in ~books

    kfwyre
    (edited )
    Link
    This is awesome! I have several available to me. Now, it would be really cool if they incorporate libraries with paid non-resident cards right into the app. I used to subscribe to Houston’s and...

    This is awesome! I have several available to me.

    Now, it would be really cool if they incorporate libraries with paid non-resident cards right into the app. I used to subscribe to Houston’s and Fairfax’s libraries (and maybe Brooklyn? I can’t remember), but managing my accounts and renewing them was a pain. If I could do it right in Libby though…

    2 votes

  17. Comment on Firefox for iOS now has a native adblocker in ~tech

    kfwyre
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I was in high school at the time, and the computers in our computer science lab were easily re-imageable. It couldn’t be done by the students (as far as I knew), but our computer science teacher...

    I was in high school at the time, and the computers in our computer science lab were easily re-imageable. It couldn’t be done by the students (as far as I knew), but our computer science teacher had a reboot option that produced a fresh install. It took only a few minutes.

    With this in mind, my small advanced CS class (there were maybe 6 of us?) decided to create “spyware competitions.”

    The rules were:

    • You can only visit sites in Internet Explorer.
    • You can’t directly install anything (no downloading Bonzi Buddy!).
    • 5 minutes before the end of the period, everyone closes IE, then reopens it. Whoever has the most popups on start wins.

    Basically, it was a rush to see who could acquire the most malware simply from visiting the wrong sites (like what happened with your banner ad). For those that weren’t around back then: Internet Explorer was deeply hooked into Windows, probably as an anti-competitive measure, but this also meant that it was deeply, horrifically vulnerable. Malware and popups were RAMPANT. It wasn’t a matter of “oh I clicked the wrong download button and ran the executable.” Merely loading a site in IE was enough to get actual, full-fat adware on your machine. I don’t remember when it released, but Google released a toolbar for IE and it was noteworthy not because it made search easier but because it blocked popups, and EVERYONE wanted to have that.

    Anyway, the main strategy for our spyware competitions was to spell well-known sites incorrectly (e.g. something like gooogle.com or askjeves.com). Nearly all of these domains were parked and had massive malware payloads.

    We didn’t hold the spyware competitions daily or anything — they were much more sporadic, and really would only happen when we were all finished with everything else and had some downtime. Our teacher turned a blind eye to it in part because it was so easy to fix (she could have the computers re-imaged and ready for the next class very easily) and also because we were genuinely good students who weren’t doing it out of meanness but were, in proper CS fashion, exploring the parameters of what we could do with the technology in front of us.

    The spyware competitions were, admittedly, probably the least “instructive” thing we did, but we were always coming up with little challenges or concepts that became mini-projects in the class. We had a surprising amount of agency, and I think the teacher saw our natural curiosity and intrinsic motivations, so she, most of the time, let us go for whatever we were thinking, often giving us guidance or mini-lessons along the way. It was a really great class.

    4 votes

  18. Comment on US President Donald Trump cannot strip Obamacare protections from trans people’s healthcare, judge rules in ~lgbt

    kfwyre
    Link

    A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration rule that would have prevented some gender-affirming care from being treated as an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act.

    Senior U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton, who was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush, ruled Friday that the Department of Health and Human Services exceeded its authority when it barred insurers from treating certain forms of gender-affirming care as essential health benefits.

    A coalition of 20 states and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sued the Trump administration last year over several provisions of the rule. They argued that the changes were unlawful and would increase premiums and out-of-pocket expenses while causing people to lose health insurance. State officials cheered Gorton’s decision to grant them summary judgment on the gender-affirming care provision.

    14 votes

  20. What's something that's more challenging for you than it is for others?

    ~talk Ask (survey)
    I've enjoyed reading the What game are you terrible at? topic, and it gave me the idea of making the question a bit more general. Not "what are you bad at?" but what is something that's more...

    I've enjoyed reading the What game are you terrible at? topic, and it gave me the idea of making the question a bit more general.

    Not "what are you bad at?" but what is something that's more difficult for you specifically. Like, I'm bad at a ton of different things, but that's because I don't put effort into them or never learned them or whatnot.

    But there are certain things that I do that I find I have to put a lot more effort into to even be passable, while for other people it comes easy. That's the sort of thing I'm interested in hearing about.

    • What's something that's tougher for you than it is for others?
    • Why do you think that is?
    • How does it impact you/others?
    48 votes