Protected's recent activity
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Comment on The 2025 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs Dec 18 - Jan 5) in ~games
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games
Protected Link ParentFine. How many times have I been ill this year? Four! In fact, added together with some excruciatingly painful root canal troubles, I've been down for a good four months out of the whole year. And...Fine. How many times have I been ill this year? Four! In fact, added together with some excruciatingly painful root canal troubles, I've been down for a good four months out of the whole year. And things had been so good health-wise in 2023-2024... I'm currently willing my digestive track to please resume functioning before christmas, but I suspect it looks like a nuclear bomb went off in there.
Is this where number 4 will finally bring good luck to someone? Good thing I'm a westerner!
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games
Protected Link ParentOh wow, someone else who remembers Atom Zombie Smasher. That game was so addictive!Oh wow, someone else who remembers Atom Zombie Smasher. That game was so addictive!
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games
Protected Link ParentI'd love Sable! Call of the Sea is my backup pick. Game I'm looking forward to playing: A gift exchange santas gave me Constance, so that one. Memorable holiday season game: Last year I was...I'd love Sable! Call of the Sea is my backup pick.
Game I'm looking forward to playing: A gift exchange santas gave me Constance, so that one.
Memorable holiday season game: Last year I was playing Dungeons of Hinterberg. It was definitely a memorable game, despite a few design weaknesses!
Unexpected gaming gift: When my internet friends gave me my first VR headset, the HTC Vive. I'd never have expected anything like that.
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games
Protected Link ParentI just toss game names into a txt file and check if they're out once in a while. For that sort of game, I'd say probably... one of the less mainstream showcases from the "E3"/Summer Game Fest week?I just toss game names into a txt file and check if they're out once in a while. For that sort of game, I'd say probably... one of the less mainstream showcases from the "E3"/Summer Game Fest week?
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: Holiday 2025 in ~games
Protected LinkAs usual I will be giving away at least one copy of a game I played and enjoyed this year, not including Lingo (which was already given away in the summer). I've also excluded Catherine since it...- Exemplary
As usual I will be giving away at least one copy of a game I played and enjoyed this year, not including Lingo (which was already given away in the summer). I've also excluded Catherine since it was given to me in the first place.
I'm going to make things slightly more annoying this time! Below is a list of words related to the games on offer. If you'd like to join, please select between one and three of the following lines and reply to this comment, referencing your choices either by number or by copying the entire line into your reply.
- Cloud, Ducklings, Trash
- Wolf, Darkness, Wolf
- Girl, Homunculus, City
- Mouse, Ostrich, Kangaroo
- Water, Fire, Shell
- Magnets, Ships, Beasts
- Run, Good, Perfect
- Grids, Paintings, Cave
- Fox, Throw, Rabbit
- Piano, Friends, Catastrophe
- Rake, Melons, Moon
- City, Mountains, Paradise
- Haunt, Madness, Death
- Plans, Keys, Letters
- Kami, Yokai, Tsuchinoko
Here's a list of every popular user tag on Steam from every game in the list. They are sorted by frequency, from most to least frequent. You can use it to help you decide if you want to participate in the first place. "Singleplayer" was excluded - all these games are playable by a single player.
Tags
Adventure
Exploration
2D
Puzzle
Atmospheric
Story Rich
Emotional
Metroidvania
Roguelite
Cute
Funny
Indie
Pixel Graphics
Platformer
RPG
2.5D
3D
Action RPG
Anime
Base Building
Card Battler
Choices Matter
Dark Fantasy
Deckbuilding
Difficult
Fast-Paced
Female Protagonist
Hand-drawn
Horror
Investigation
Mystery
Narrative
Nature
Nonlinear
Parkour
Replay Value
Top-Down
Visual Novel
Walking SimulatorThere are plenty of good games in there, so choose carefully! If there are two or more winners, we will also have a swap round during which participants can put their prize on offer for another winner to swap with (in case you already have it).
Q: I recognize one or more of the games above, is it cheating if I participate and choose those games?
A: No.Q: Is it cheating if I research the games beforehand, for example on Steam, or simply by reading your posts on Tildes?
A: No. In fact, I think most of these are pretty easy to figure out.If you have a specific game in mind, feel free to target it. Otherwise, if you'd rather be surprised, just pick whatever sounds good!
Note: For some games, it might be necessary to temporarily friend me on Steam if we aren't friends yet.
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Comment on Jet Lag Season 16: Hide + Seek United Kingdom | Trailer in ~hobbies
Protected LinkJust noticed the trailer for this on nebula (haven't had much time to watch nebula recently, I still haven't watched most of scav yet) and I just want to say I'm glad they recognize their Hide and...Just noticed the trailer for this on nebula (haven't had much time to watch nebula recently, I still haven't watched most of scav yet) and I just want to say I'm glad they recognize their Hide and Seek is a winning formula. I don't mind them experimenting with various designs but seeing how some are pretty weak from a gameplay perspective, It's good to have them regularly return to some of the better ones.
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Comment on Reading my first Stephen King novel - What are your favorites? in ~books
Protected Link ParentOh, absolutely, I quite enjoyed it. King is still writing very well. People who only know his older work (which had much longer to become widely known) should definitely look into some of his more...Oh, absolutely, I quite enjoyed it. King is still writing very well. People who only know his older work (which had much longer to become widely known) should definitely look into some of his more recent stuff.
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Comment on Reading my first Stephen King novel - What are your favorites? in ~books
Protected Link ParentI thought it was pretty consistent with the themes and structure of the story. Liked the famous ending, too. There's , uh, grosser stuff that did a much better job of putting me off (not enough to...I thought it was pretty consistent with the themes and structure of the story. Liked the famous ending, too.
There's , uh, grosser stuff that did a much better job of putting me off (not enough to make me quit though).
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Comment on Reading my first Stephen King novel - What are your favorites? in ~books
Protected Link ParentFor (non-meta) reasons I will absolutely not discuss before the unspoiled, I consider The Gunslinger to be more of a parallel (perpendicular?) thing. Still should be read though.For (non-meta) reasons I will absolutely not discuss before the unspoiled, I consider The Gunslinger to be more of a parallel (perpendicular?) thing. Still should be read though.
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Comment on Reading my first Stephen King novel - What are your favorites? in ~books
Protected Link ParentFairy Tale is part of King's most recent writing category, coincidentally debuted in his elder years: Kindly And Upright Teens Patiently Look After Grumpy Elderly People ;)Fairy Tale is part of King's most recent writing category, coincidentally debuted in his elder years: Kindly And Upright Teens Patiently Look After Grumpy Elderly People ;)
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Comment on Bagels and shrinkflation in ~food
Protected Link ParentSetting aside the specifics of bagels, here in Portugal supermarket profiteering through shrinkflation, markups, fraudolent "discounts" and more are pretty extreme across the board. More and more...Setting aside the specifics of bagels, here in Portugal supermarket profiteering through shrinkflation, markups, fraudolent "discounts" and more are pretty extreme across the board. More and more I just want to buy basic ingredients and learn to make things at home.
It has been a while but a friend once gave me a kit for curing bacon at home and I remember the result was really good.
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Comment on Paramount launches a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery in ~movies
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Comment on Without looking, do you have a vague idea of your coordinates? in ~talk
Protected Link ParentAh, yes, Myst Island. As someone living in the UTC timezone, and also Portuguese (São Tomé and Principe, the island country nearest to Null Island, was a Portuguese colony, discussed in school) I...Ah, yes, Myst Island.
As someone living in the UTC timezone, and also Portuguese (São Tomé and Principe, the island country nearest to Null Island, was a Portuguese colony, discussed in school) I was previously aware of the location.
But amusingly, I have no idea what my own coordinates are. Not anywhere near a good idea of the latitude, especially.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Protected LinkA couple additional remarks about Bittersweet Birthday. The game had a total of three chapters (you go back to the main menu after each of them). The first two were fine. The third one was...A couple additional remarks about Bittersweet Birthday.
The game had a total of three chapters (you go back to the main menu after each of them). The first two were fine. The third one was painful. Gameplay almost completely gives way to an on-rails series of cutscenes that last a good four hours (if you speed through the dialogue). The characters go on and on about the world building/"magic system" of the game, in a conversational, high friction, endlessly repetitive manner. Someone is listed in the credits as "editor"; they needed a better editor. It was by far the most masturbatory video game writing I've seen in a long time.
It's not like the ideas in the game were bad, or anything. It was a fine game with a fine foundation. But I'd gotten it by then. I'd gotten it when the game gave me a notebook that neatly explains all the concepts - life comes from and goes to another dimension, there's a horizon between them, people are being made immortal by coating them in psychic shrinkwrap that keeps life from escaping, this means everybody else will keel over and die, end of the world, cool. I don't want to read about it for another four damn hours. I want to play a game!
I wish they'd focused more on the combat portions and on adding more locations.
So, here's a riddle. In what game can you flood a desert, ride a menagerie of aquatic mammals, do skateboard tricks, surf up a mountain and bitchslap a giant serpent lava god? Why, it's Sword of the Sea, which I played this week. Thanks, Secret Santa!
This is the newest game by Giant Squid, the studio founded by Journey art director Matt Nava, released earlier this year. Previously, they released Abzu, a beautiful game that takes place under the waters of the ocean, and which features a massive variety of aquatic life. Then they released The Pathless, a vast "open world" adventure game featuring archery, puzzle solving and cinematic boss fights. Sword of the Sea feels like it brings all of these games together - Nava has publicly confirmed they take place in the same world! Even Journey is alluded to by scarves and pennants, and the rolling, sandy dunes of the desert.
Some reviewers mention Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, which I found amusing. Tony Hawk's Pro Journey? The Wraith you control doesn't walk, but rather surfs on his giant sword. He can glide on anything, though most of the time you'll be on sand, snow, water or (try not to linger) lava. There are button combinations for doing "tricks", and rewards for doing combos. Level design even includes half-pipes here and there! Even without that, movement is really satisfying. Minor movement-related abilities are unlocked gradually during your playthrough - SotS is largely an exploration game.
The world of Sword of the Sea is gorgeous in a vaguely surreal way. You are attempting to bring "the ocean" back to the world of the surface after mean lava god Tor Namun fought ocean gods the Dolphin and the Shark to a standstill, a story told in free verse through small monuments found throughout the game. You can never quite tell if you're on land or on the ocean, though - sandy dunes will undulate like the high seas, and water will cover the hilltops without flowing downslope. Fish and aquatic mammals will swim freely through the skies. It all works, somehow! The musical atmosphere of the game is, in my humble opinion, top tier. One of the best I've ever heard in a videogame, and it deserves more mainstream recognition (though the game has won a whole bunch of awards already!)
The game is a bit more narrow in scope than The Pathless, a bit more focused and less gameplay-oriented. There is an achievement for finishing in 2 hours, which you can take as a reference for a speedrun. A normal run might take you 6 hours or so, while a thorough run (there are collectibles, some of which are very well hidden) might exceed 10 hours. I loved this game and am looking forward to playing more games by this studio!
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Comment on “Tomato” versus “#FF6347”—the tragicomic history of CSS color names in ~comp
Protected Link ParentThere are so many better names for that color! Like "magenta", or "texture missing" :D Was it on tildes that I once saw an article about how that color is extra imaginary since our brains render...There are so many better names for that color! Like "magenta", or "texture missing" :D
Was it on tildes that I once saw an article about how that color is extra imaginary since our brains render it from a composite of two fairly distinct wavelength intervals?
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Comment on “Tomato” versus “#FF6347”—the tragicomic history of CSS color names in ~comp
Protected Link ParentWhile limes can be a fairly vivid green, they're often yellowish on the outside and always on the inside. That is fine. This is just wrong! I looked into it and apparently the incorrect color...While limes can be a fairly vivid green, they're often yellowish on the outside and always on the inside. That is fine.
I looked into it and apparently the incorrect color balance of "lime" originated from the use of the term in early 16 color systems to refer to pure vivid green 00FF00, as a shorthand for telling it apart from "dark" green. Admittedly, if you're approximating colors to only 16 stops, it might be the closest one... depending on the lime?
The moniker then likely made it into HTML and CSS from X11 as described in the article.
Here it is in an early draft of CSS3 (this makes it all the way to the modern spec but it's fun to see the old version of it). Lime green is then a color between "lime" and "green" which is consistent with how other composite names were derived for CSS.
So the real answer is that this has never had anything to do with the fruit other than for how it inspired the use of "lime" for pure vivid green in old systems. If "limegreen" actually was consistent with expectations it would be far less confusing.
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Comment on “Tomato” versus “#FF6347”—the tragicomic history of CSS color names in ~comp
Protected (edited )LinkLime green has always bothered me. What kind of lime is that color? Should have been called ninetiescartoonradioactivegloop. EDIT: Lime green. Fortunately redwall_hp replied to the color I meant :DLime green has always bothered me. What kind of lime is that color? Should have been called ninetiescartoonradioactivegloop.
EDIT: Lime green. Fortunately redwall_hp replied to the color I meant :D
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Comment on Ireland among countries boycotting Eurovision after Israel allowed to compete in ~music
Protected Link ParentActually, I first learned of that perspective from cheep_cheep's comment and found that an interesting and valid reason for keeping Israel in. What I don't like about Israel's participation is how...Actually, I first learned of that perspective from cheep_cheep's comment and found that an interesting and valid reason for keeping Israel in.
What I don't like about Israel's participation is how they use underhanded tactics (ie aggressive ad campaigns) to make up for their (currently) poor international reputation. They are undermining the contest for everyone. So the question is - what exactly do we want the ESC to be about? We've spent years clamoring for it to be less political, but if it's merely a political tool we might as well go back to everyone just voting for their neighboring country. If it's an actual song contest, then Israel is acting in bad faith - and so are countries like Germany by making this a political issue in the first place.
Hammerwatch with my group was a lot of fun; If you play Heroes of Hammerwatch, please let me know how it goes!