Protected's recent activity
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Comment on Duck Game rights are returned to developer in ~games
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Comment on How do I fix my (stupid) use of excessive punctuation? in ~humanities.languages
Protected Link ParentAs a writer of fiction, I've gotten used to getting rid of most parenthesis. On tildes, since I'm writing casually and not editing my comments or anything, you can probably tell whether I'm...As a writer of fiction, I've gotten used to getting rid of most parenthesis. On tildes, since I'm writing casually and not editing my comments or anything, you can probably tell whether I'm currently writing a story or not because my parenthesis come back, along with several other bad habits.
Depending on the length and context of the parenthesized expression, these can usually (and quite easily!) become their own sentence or be replaced by emdashes. Commas are also a possiblity, though I wouldn't recommend it in mid-sentence.
Depending on the length of the parenthesized expression, these can usually--and quite easily!--become their own sentence or be replaced by emdashes.
For the OP: I don't see the use of short sentences as a bad habit. I'm not a native english speaker, or academically trained, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I think conveying cadence through writing is a good thing. It adds context (tone) to what's being said. People usually prefer reading text with mostly short sentences. Longer sentences should be used sparsely and carefully: At least in fiction, you don't want the reader's brain to snag on the words and the syntax. You want to create a smooth reading experience.
Panicked, she rushed to the hospital, but it was too late--the man was already gone.
or
Panicked, she rushed to the hospital.
But it was too late. The man was already gone.
These snippets have distinct cadences. Neither is wrong--it's about your intention as the writer.
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Comment on EA is looking at putting in-game ads in AAA games — 'We'll be very thoughtful as we move into that,' says CEO in ~games
Protected Link ParentThe AAA game publishing industry relies a lot on smoke and mirrors - not to say there aren't "good" games out there, but the industry's well-known propensity for overpromising, deceiving and using...The AAA game publishing industry relies a lot on smoke and mirrors - not to say there aren't "good" games out there, but the industry's well-known propensity for overpromising, deceiving and using straight out falsified trailers to advertise their games is well entrenched and has been going on for so long we've kind of gotten used to it being the status quo. This marketing-oriented business model relies on the shiny and the shiny is expensive to make.
But back in the day, the amount of games entering the market every year was much, much smaller. Nowadays, thousands and thousands of developers and studios big and small are competing in a far more saturated market, and it's evident to most if not all of us that you don't need a 500 million dollar budget to make a game that's fun and compelling. 500 million dollar games will always bedazzle, but will often also disappoint. A truly fun, well designed game, though, even if made on a shoestring budget? We've spent less on it, we've derived more value, we were happy with the time we spent with it. These games may be far shorter, far uglier, far less marketable, but they're still competing against the big dogs. It has been happening regularly. That's why prices can't grow out of control. It would simply become too hard for most players to justify the expense in light of how much choice they have. At some point, people have to realize (perhaps not the children, who are so much easier to manipulate, but everyone else) that instead of buying one game that may be terrible, they can buy seven or eight for the same price.
If the big publishers can't make a game profitable without being antagonistic to their players, I respectfully suggest that they should try shrinking their budgets and focusing on attracting, retaining and most of all respecting the choices of the kinds of talent that they so often seem to be lacking - game designers, writers, people who understand fun and compelling experiences. I see videogames as art (at least in potential), and you can't make good art if you hand over the reins to the bean counters and wash your hands off the whole thing.
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Comment on Bitwarden transitions from Manifest V2 to V3 in ~tech
Protected LinkI didn't remember the motivation behind this change but this sentence was enough to figure it out - and indeed, after looking it up, many accuse Google of having designed it to hobble ad blockers....Limiting how thoroughly and frequently a browser extension can intercept and interact with web requests as a user browses the internet
I didn't remember the motivation behind this change but this sentence was enough to figure it out - and indeed, after looking it up, many accuse Google of having designed it to hobble ad blockers. Not that it's Bitwarden's concern.
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Comment on Microsoft closes Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda in ~games
Protected Link ParentFair point about Tango. I meant about the other employees who had not left, who were instrumental to creating the studio's games.Fair point about Tango. I meant about the other employees who had not left, who were instrumental to creating the studio's games.
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Comment on Microsoft closes Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda in ~games
Protected Link ParentDoesn't seem correct, although just barely. I hope he and the newly terminated employees, together or independently, manage to keep creating games like Hi-Fi Rush wherever they end up going....Shinji Mikami already left by the time Hi Fi Rush came out
Doesn't seem correct, although just barely.
I hope he and the newly terminated employees, together or independently, manage to keep creating games like Hi-Fi Rush wherever they end up going. Microsoft has the money, but they have the skill and creativity, no matter who they work for.
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Comment on Can old, poorly wired electrical outlets cause a PC to freeze? in ~tech
Protected LinkI've been experiencing this issue lately and it persisted after replacing the PSU (it was a top tier, gold standard PSU before and after, and there was a UPS before and after. I also replaced the...I've been experiencing this issue lately and it persisted after replacing the PSU (it was a top tier, gold standard PSU before and after, and there was a UPS before and after. I also replaced the UPS even more recently.) I also tried the checks you tried, sfc, memory test, etc. I made sure I corrected everything logging errors in the event viewer. Nothing helped.
So, after looking it up, a few possible software issues popped up. Notably, apparently, this is something that (people assert) might be caused by issues with recent versions of Microsoft's Xbox Game Bar, what is for unfathomable reasons listed by Windows as "irremovable" system files.
I did my best to excise the thing from my Windows installation completely, which required removing the package using PowerShell, removing some services and changing some registry entries. For what it's worth, the system hasn't frozen again since (about a week ago). I have no hard evidence that this solved the problem for good.
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Comment on Any tips for Barcelona and Lisbon in June/July? in ~travel
Protected LinkRegarding the Lisbon visit: Make sure to plan ahead for your inevitable trip(s) to Sintra. Some monument visits will either require (or it's advantageous to have) a previously purchased ticket or...Regarding the Lisbon visit: Make sure to plan ahead for your inevitable trip(s) to Sintra.
- Some monument visits will either require (or it's advantageous to have) a previously purchased ticket or a reservation, or may have to be visited as part of a guided tour.
- Keep an eye on opening and closing hours and account for queues. You will not have time to see everything in one single day trip. Comfortably, you'll be able to see two attractions; three if you rush and plan well.
- Most monuments are not adjacent. You will require transportation between then. This can also take time out of your day.
- Don't underestimate the local traditional pastry shops, they're well worth a visit.
- Likewise for the local restaurants. Again, Sintra can be a somewhat dispersed municipality, so plan for transportation around the region.
- Likewise for beach visits. You can't walk (quickly) from the town to the beaches - you can take a bus, tram, taxi, etc.
- If you rent a car, keep in mind driving within the town proper is nightmarish with many foot traffic only streets or one way streets and heavy traffic in the summer. You can park at the edge of town and use other transportation in town (or walk).
- There is no night life to speak of in Sintra. If you're staying for dinner (good!) plan on something to do past monument closing hours (beach, hiking, unpaid outdoor attractions, etc.)
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Comment on Unity appoints former EA and Zynga executive Matthew Bromberg as its new CEO in ~games
Protected Link ParentHave you had a worse experience with Unity?Have you had a worse experience with Unity?
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Comment on Unity appoints former EA and Zynga executive Matthew Bromberg as its new CEO in ~games
Protected Link ParentI'm told the engine is a mess, with missing features, strange design decisions, non-major bugs taking an arbitrary amount of time to be dealt with, etc. Big teams and skilled developers love it...I'm told the engine is a mess, with missing features, strange design decisions, non-major bugs taking an arbitrary amount of time to be dealt with, etc. Big teams and skilled developers love it because it's source available and they can make all the changes they want/need and fix any bugs on their own if they have to, so they're not reliant on Epic (or anyone else).
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Comment on VR gaming is reawakening my enthusiasm for games in ~games
Protected Link ParentYou just need to get yourself a pair of Index controllers. They're really nice and the way they're designed to go all the way around your hand means you won't hurt yourself - you'll destroy your...You just need to get yourself a pair of Index controllers. They're really nice and the way they're designed to go all the way around your hand means you won't hurt yourself - you'll destroy your $150 controller instead. Oh but try not to shake them too hard - you'll destroy them. Or don't blow softly on them, as they'll be destroyed. And don't look meanly at them, as they'll fall apart in shame.
Valve provides replacements during the warranty period!
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Comment on VR gaming is reawakening my enthusiasm for games in ~games
Protected Link ParentTo be clear, this is a different game? Could be interesting. I only paid for Beat Saber once, several years ago...To be clear, this is a different game? Could be interesting.
I only paid for Beat Saber once, several years ago...
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Comment on VR gaming is reawakening my enthusiasm for games in ~games
Protected Link ParentThere's more nuance than it may seem at first when it comes to discussing VR adoption. I never expected the Apple Vision Pro to do much for VR gaming, at least not directly, since Apple themselves...There's more nuance than it may seem at first when it comes to discussing VR adoption. I never expected the Apple Vision Pro to do much for VR gaming, at least not directly, since Apple themselves have proactively discouraged people from thinking of the AVP as a gaming headset.
When it comes to affordability, though - If you think about it, consumer tier headsets are currently cheaper than a PS5 (and have been for a few years). The PS5 has also been... controversial? for its lack of exclusives, meaning ultimately many owners feel like they're not deriving that much value from that purchase. But while VR headset adoption was slow because it's nearly impossible to properly convey what VR is like to someone who never tried it and because (I think) of the phenomenon of people who couldn't or wouldn't try it trying to convince themselves and others they weren't missing out on anything, I think we're mostly past that hurdle of initial momentum on the consumer side.
So I'd say it's entirely a matter of momentum on the developer side. People are "used to" buying expensive gaming consoles even if ultimately their personal investment per individual game is enormous/nonsensical, but not "used to" doing the same for VR. But with the VR market growing as a reasonably steady pace nevertheless, developing for it can only become more attractive over time, even if there is no significant change in hardware size or cost. I feel like VR can already retain plenty of active users; to many, the value proposition is already leaps and bounds ahead of that of a modern videogame console. I see that over the years I've clocked in over 2450 hours on VRChat and Beat Saber alone - and while those are the most popular social app and rhythm game respectively, they're hardly the only ones.
In fact, my personal experience is that I just don't have enough time to do everything VR has to offer. You can't VR properly while multitasking - that's a big problem. It's more physically exhausting even if you play it sitting down, so you're not always up for it - another limitation. But ultimately limitations like those only restrict active users in a relative manner. Nothing is stopping developers from creating experiences like Alyx, compelling enough to turn an inactive user back into an active user when they already have the hardware lying around. A quick online search (I did not delve deeply into the sources) tells me that a lot of people actually do own VR headsets by this point, so that's a perfectly good untapped market right there. It's not the most profitable market for videogame development - but if that was the only concern, all of the studios we want to bring to VR would be full time creating mobile ad-supported microtransaction-laden shovelware instead!
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Comment on VR gaming is reawakening my enthusiasm for games in ~games
Protected Link ParentBeat Saber is one of those mods are essential kinds of game. If anyone is interested and would like to poke around community resources before inevitably spending a bunch of money in VR equipment:...Beat Saber is one of those mods are essential kinds of game. If anyone is interested and would like to poke around community resources before inevitably spending a bunch of money in VR equipment:
BeatLeader - Current recommended community leaderboards (loads of data!)
ScoreSaber - Older, competing community leaderboards; more historical data but fewer features and lost community trust after shenanigans involving the creator.
The community leaderboards are the only leaderboards that contain scores (and replays) from custom, unofficial maps, which comprise the vast majority of maps available for Beat Saber. You can get a good feel for how many players there are and how they play. There are countless hours of recorded replays available (we're all voluntarily recording ourselves as we play).
BeatSaver - The community custom map database. Can also be browsed from BeastSaber.
You can search for your favorite songs to see if they're available, watch faithful in-browser recreations of the map, and read user reviews. It will give you a good idea of just how vast the amount of content available for the game is.
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Comment on I made a mistake, I started using Reddit again in ~talk
Protected Link ParentI concur, I was on IRC in the 90s in the portuguese network (the "OG" one with servers provided by ISPs and universities) and it was just a couple hundred people, everyone was anonymous but there...I concur, I was on IRC in the 90s in the portuguese network (the "OG" one with servers provided by ISPs and universities) and it was just a couple hundred people, everyone was anonymous but there was this pleasant small village feel with everyone being super nice and interesting to talk to. It was also obvious that I was very young and no one was ever creepy toward me.
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Comment on I made a mistake, I started using Reddit again in ~talk
Protected Link ParentI've definitely been treated like this on both IRC and traditional web forums (fora?) among others. Surprisingly, not on Discord so far! Maybe I've been lucky there.I've definitely been treated like this on both IRC and traditional web forums (fora?) among others. Surprisingly, not on Discord so far! Maybe I've been lucky there.
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Comment on ChatGPT provides false information about people, and OpenAI can’t correct it in ~tech
Protected Link ParentWell, LLMs are good (and can be useful) at digesting text/language, but I don't think we can rely on them to solve the SEO problem (which is a much more serious problem, I'd say). People have...Well, LLMs are good (and can be useful) at digesting text/language, but I don't think we can rely on them to solve the SEO problem (which is a much more serious problem, I'd say). People have created this kind of bizarro tech dystopia in which this massive weight of financial interests has made (and continuously keeps) search results garbage across the board. Phind could use human curation, but that costs a lot more and it's still going to be difficult to make it work well for every use case.
It's difficult to reproduce search results as good as Google's used to be without the resources Google used to have - loads of cash, computing power, an international persence (network-wise) and some of the most brilliant engineers in the world. Maybe if they fire Sundar Pichai.
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Comment on ChatGPT provides false information about people, and OpenAI can’t correct it in ~tech
Protected Link ParentThat's how several domain-specific implementations work, like Phind. Funny thing is, while results are pretty good on average, there can still be hallucinations at the LLM level that result in a...That's how several domain-specific implementations work, like Phind. Funny thing is, while results are pretty good on average, there can still be hallucinations at the LLM level that result in a disconnect between what is being asserted and what actually is written in the source(s).
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Comment on ChatGPT provides false information about people, and OpenAI can’t correct it in ~tech
Protected Link ParentFrom my understanding of the technology I can see how it's' "technologically difficult" for OpenAI to solve this problem, but at the same time, dura lex sed lex. The EU is going to be slow and...From my understanding of the technology I can see how it's' "technologically difficult" for OpenAI to solve this problem, but at the same time, dura lex sed lex. The EU is going to be slow and ponderous and bureaucratic and in the end the letter of the law will prevail as long as no changes are made (and those are very slow to happen too). If OpenAI are infringing the law, they will be fined and these fines are no joke.
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Comment on Startups want to geoengineer a cooler planet. With few rules, experts see big risks. in ~enviro
Protected Link ParentI've read Termination Shock, the Neal Stephenson novel mentioned in the article. The geoengineering works, but it does not go well. It's a cautionary tale. Termination Shock spoiler. Various...I've read Termination Shock, the Neal Stephenson novel mentioned in the article. The geoengineering works, but it does not go well. It's a cautionary tale.
Termination Shock spoiler.
Various countries end up using predictive models to pump the sulfur in such a way that the resulting weather patterns benefit them and fuck up the countries they don't care about.
Normally I think the idea is that they don't want to support sales of the game anymore, since that might require paid employee or contractor time to deal with the various issues that might arise. Things like bug reports, community management (moderation), copyright and trademark issues, content reports, expectation management, expiring licenses, etc. Not to mention they might feel like these games are competing with the launch of more modern games? Especially when modern games are for the most part not going to be quite as fun to play with friends as Duck Game!