somewaffles's recent activity
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Comment on AJJ x Kool Keith x Kimya Dawson - Best Of All Possible Worlds (2024) in ~music
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Comment on An FDA-approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus in ~health
somewaffles Link ParentI honestly don't have much reference, but I was mostly kidding. My tinnitus is relatively mild compared to some people, who live hellishly because of it, so it's great news.I honestly don't have much reference, but I was mostly kidding. My tinnitus is relatively mild compared to some people, who live hellishly because of it, so it's great news.
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Comment on An FDA-approved device offers a new treatment for tinnitus in ~health
somewaffles Link ParentVery cool to see they are getting somewhere with something I previously thought was incurable, but sounds like I'm going to continue living with the ringing for now.$4,000
Very cool to see they are getting somewhere with something I previously thought was incurable, but sounds like I'm going to continue living with the ringing for now.
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Comment on How do you feel about student loan forgiveness? in ~life
somewaffles LinkHonestly, I think it's a band-aid for a MUCH more complex issue with the higher educational industrial complex, that I think is (at least partly) being applied for political gain. That being said,...Honestly, I think it's a band-aid for a MUCH more complex issue with the higher educational industrial complex, that I think is (at least partly) being applied for political gain.
That being said, I have no idea where an actual solution could come from, nor do I see anyone in government trying to solve the actual issue. It's absurd how expensive it's become to further your education, so I'm totally in support for people having their loans forgiven, at least until someone can figure out how to make it not expensive in the first place.
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Comment on Interview with the creators of the AI generated short film 'Air Head' in ~tech
somewaffles Link ParentI fortunately haven't experienced this at work, no one seems interested in using AI in any meaningful way for our websites (yet). I'm not against it in anyway, but it feels like blockchain on...I fortunately haven't experienced this at work, no one seems interested in using AI in any meaningful way for our websites (yet). I'm not against it in anyway, but it feels like blockchain on steroids, and is being misapplied everywhere.
The dread I've been experiencing is from every other facet of my life. I, almost literally, can't go 30 minutes without AI being shoved in my face, usually in the form of misinformation about the technology, lazy art, or some combination of the two. I've found myself seeing pictures or videos and thinking "this is probably AI generated" even when it might not be. I'm not losing my mind over it, but it is really cheapening my experience on the internet, and super quick. The good news is my screen time has fallen below the 3 hour mark in the past few months, which is probably healthy.
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Comment on Why do some people posting ChatGPT answer to the discussion/debate/question? in ~tech
somewaffles Link ParentIs that /r/gameideas, by any chance? (feel free to not respond to this if you don't want. Just curious because that subreddit can FEEL like the game ideas are AI generated half the time.) I've...Is that /r/gameideas, by any chance? (feel free to not respond to this if you don't want. Just curious because that subreddit can FEEL like the game ideas are AI generated half the time.)
I've tried using AI to generate game ideas and mechanics, and so far I've found that it's kind of trash at it. It's possible I'm just bad at prompting, but it seems like AI tends to provide very vauge / derivitive ideas. Imo, fun in games comes from the details built into the main game loop. It tends to have the same issues that humans on those sorts of subreddits have, where the idea being posed could just as well be a book or a movie. Even when it does provide game-ified ideas, they are so vauge, its nothing I couldn't have come up with in 30 seconds (ie "It's pong but you control both paddles!")
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Comment on Hobo Johnson & The LoveMakers - Dad's Bed (2024) in ~music
somewaffles LinkI remember Hobo Johnson getting a lot of hate when he started getting traction, but I really appreciate he's still doing his own thing. I might just not be in the mood for what he does right now,...I remember Hobo Johnson getting a lot of hate when he started getting traction, but I really appreciate he's still doing his own thing. I might just not be in the mood for what he does right now, his brand of melancholy over hopeful beats just isn't clicking with me anymore. Regardless of my feelings, still a decent song, and good to see he's still pumping out music.
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Comment on Folks in those $100k+ jobs, corporate types, office workers... What would you say you actually do? in ~life
somewaffles LinkI'm a web/software developer for a medium sized company, which seems to be pretty common here, so I don't need to explain much there. I think its almost criminal how low teachers get paid for the...I'm a web/software developer for a medium sized company, which seems to be pretty common here, so I don't need to explain much there.
I think its almost criminal how low teachers get paid for the amount of work you do and value you provide. Why I was paid so much more than some of my friends who went into education always confused me. I don't think it 100% justifies the inequality, teachers NEED to be paid more, but as far as those "office jobs" go, employees generally aren't compensated well because of the amount of work being done, but the amount of knowledge the person has and brings to a company. I noticed most people in this thread have a specialized skillsets, are familiar with a specific software/language, or something like that, so I think it holds true that companies just tend to pay well for that sort of stuff.
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Comment on Elon Musk on racism, bailing out Donald Trump, hate speech, and more - The Don Lemon Show (full interview) in ~tech
somewaffles LinkThe conversation around the 33 minute mark is insane. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm an expert on moderation or running a major social media website, but he shows such a lack of..."Moderation is a propaganda word for censorship."
The conversation around the 33 minute mark is insane. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm an expert on moderation or running a major social media website, but he shows such a lack of understanding of how online communities and discourse work, I'm baffled.
I know it is next to impossible to remove all hate speech from their platform, but he (Musk) goes back and forth between admitting their content policy claims to forbid hate speech and then in the same sentence claiming he's against all forms of censorship and doesn't think it's their responsibility to remove it.
I know the guy is probably knowledgeable in certain things (I also know this is very up for debate, I don't follow him super closely) but he 100% should not be in charge of the worlds most used "news website". For someone who shitposts so much, you'd think he would be more familiar with the more edgy places on the internet, but its extremely apparent he doesn't understand how abysmal unmoderated spaces can become.
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Comment on Teaching coding to an eight year old with Scratch? in ~tech
somewaffles LinkI can't comment on Scratch much, it does seem like a great tool to learn coding concepts. What I will say though, is that you should help make sure they have actual projects to work on. I was very...I can't comment on Scratch much, it does seem like a great tool to learn coding concepts.
What I will say though, is that you should help make sure they have actual projects to work on. I was very simliar at that age, and would get programming books from the library all the time. I remember it being fun for a little while, but the books never had "fun" projects to work on, and I would get lost and ultimately lose interest.
This was a long time ago in the early/mid 2000's and there are now obviously tons of resources / tutorials out there. At this point, the issue would be inversed, where the number of resources/tutorials is so large, it's extremely overwhelming. I'd definitely help sift through and find some projects where there is a final product they can visualize.
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Comment on Game recommendations, specifically (round 2) in ~games
somewaffles Link ParentSpiritfarer may fit your criteria. It can get a little emotional at certain points, but def a cozy experience.Spiritfarer may fit your criteria. It can get a little emotional at certain points, but def a cozy experience.
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Comment on What is the "bible" of your hobby or activity? in ~hobbies
somewaffles LinkI'm just a hobbyist in recording/mixing music, but reading Bobby Owsinskis' "The Mixing Engineer's Handbook" was when things really started to click with me, after a year of a lot of uncertainty...I'm just a hobbyist in recording/mixing music, but reading Bobby Owsinskis' "The Mixing Engineer's Handbook" was when things really started to click with me, after a year of a lot of uncertainty with my mixes. I read through it during the lockdowns and while my mixes are still inconsistent, I was finally able to hear and understand EQ/compression changes, which were two huge things that I couldn't wrap my head around. I see that book recommended the most frequently, and from what I understand hasn't changed that drastically from edition to edition.
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Comment on Game Development Career Advice in ~comp
somewaffles Link ParentYeah I figured as much, I was just suprised to see Vira say they got a role at a studio with their experience, but per their comment below, sounds like they just happened to find a role that was a...Yeah I figured as much, I was just suprised to see Vira say they got a role at a studio with their experience, but per their comment below, sounds like they just happened to find a role that was a perfect for their skillset already.
My interest is more geared towards gameplay/systems, which is outside my current professional skillset, so I'm building up a portfolio of smaller games that show off my actual game-deving, because yeah, I wouldn't want to apply for a role without showing I have actually developed games haha thank you for the info!!
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Comment on Game Development Career Advice in ~comp
somewaffles LinkI'm in a very simliar position as you, although I'm more at the point of "wow that would be neat if i could make it happen" rather than seriously considering it, because I'm worried about a major...One of my specific questions is about the types of games I should focus on creating. Specifically, I've heard differing opinions on whether it's more advantageous to develop a series of small games with advertisements for mobile platforms or to invest in larger, premium games for platforms like Steam. Can anyone share their insights or experiences regarding this dilemma? Is there a clear advantage to one approach over the other?
I'm in a very simliar position as you, although I'm more at the point of "wow that would be neat if i could make it happen" rather than seriously considering it, because I'm worried about a major paycut. That being said, from what I've seen, a lot of people put together a 3-5 minute video portfolio of small games they have made that show off unique mechanics / systems they've built.
I don't think it has as much to do with the "type" of games you make as much as it is just releasing products that showcase your abilities as a developer, in the space you want to get into. "Game Development" is sort of a nebulous term, and I think you need to decide exactly what aspect of development you want to focus on. Game designer != game programmer, etc.
The main advice I see is "Just make games", which has become my personal goal. You can't really be a game developer if you don't make games haha
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Comment on Game Development Career Advice in ~comp
somewaffles Link ParentWhat part of development are you working on specifically, if you don't mind me asking? I know there are different roles you could take on like gameplay/physics/systems/UI/etc programming. I'm a...Even now when the big companies are shedding people in layoffs (to my disgust), engineering is still in demand.
What part of development are you working on specifically, if you don't mind me asking? I know there are different roles you could take on like gameplay/physics/systems/UI/etc programming. I'm a senior full stack dev working in the webdev space, and do games as a hobby. My assumption was my "normal" software development experience doesn't really do much for me in the game space.
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Comment on Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children in North American theatres in ~games
somewaffles Link ParentI loved FF7 when I was a kid, beat it multiple times, and still had no idea what was going on in the movie. I just remember watching multiple times on my sisters portable DVD player and thinking...I loved FF7 when I was a kid, beat it multiple times, and still had no idea what was going on in the movie. I just remember watching multiple times on my sisters portable DVD player and thinking it was cool to see the characters / world in full 3D.
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Comment on ‘Succession’ wins Outstanding Drama Series, 'The Bear' wins Outstanding Comedy Series, 'Beef' wins Outstanding Limited Series at the Emmy's in ~tv
somewaffles Link ParentI think Succession is a lot about generational trauma and how each of the main characters deal with it. The show is definitely a lot of spoiled rich kids being shitty to eachother, but you get...I think Succession is a lot about generational trauma and how each of the main characters deal with it. The show is definitely a lot of spoiled rich kids being shitty to eachother, but you get glimpses into how they were raised and how they became who they are in the present time of the show. It can be viewed as a little character study and can be really funny at times if you let yourself get immersed in the excessivness of their lives. It took me about 3 rewatches of the first couple episodes before it clicked, but I'm also a masocist when it comes to entertainment, so who knows it might just not be for you.
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Advice on when to call a service for repairs?
Hey all, Bought a house 2 years ago, and have had a handful of issues where I had to call someone out to take a look. Whether its plumbing/HVAC/whatever, sometimes they are clearly things I...
Hey all,
Bought a house 2 years ago, and have had a handful of issues where I had to call someone out to take a look. Whether its plumbing/HVAC/whatever, sometimes they are clearly things I couldn't do myself, but other times, it feels like something I could probably do if I put aside the time.
Most recently, our sump failed resulting in some flooding and we had to get it replaced, which ended up costing $700 USD. I know pumps only cost around $300 and generally understand what work needs to go into replacing it, but was worried I may miss something crucial, especially when replacing the piping and screw the whole thing up. On the flip side, I've had a lot issues with our furnace, so the last time an issue came up, I spent an hour on Youtube and just figured it out myself.
Sometimes it just feels silly spending a bunch of money on labor, when its something you could spend an afternoon doing yourself. It just feels hard to gauge when its worth investing the time to figure it out myself or not. I also never know what to do in the situation when the person who took the time to come out gives me a price, it feels like your essentially trapped at that point.
Anyone with more home ownership experience have any advice?
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
somewaffles Link ParentIt's too bad first-person games get you feeling dizzy, I was going to recommend the Outer Wilds if you enjoyed Subnautica. No building mechanics, but the sense of discovery I got from both games...It's too bad first-person games get you feeling dizzy, I was going to recommend the Outer Wilds if you enjoyed Subnautica. No building mechanics, but the sense of discovery I got from both games are experiences I haven't had in many other games. Unfortunately, it involves flying a space ship and can be extremely dizzying even for someone who doesn't get motion sickness normally.
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Comment on How to find new music in ~music
somewaffles Link ParentI haven't used Pandora in a couple years, but previously that was my main streaming service. I use Spotify now mostly, which can be okay but inconsistent with its recommendations. It builds out...I haven't used Pandora in a couple years, but previously that was my main streaming service. I use Spotify now mostly, which can be okay but inconsistent with its recommendations. It builds out weekly radios/playlists based on your personal taste, but I can go weeks without it really giving me anything I like or haven't heard before, even if I'm consistently seeking out new stuff. They have artist radios/playlists similiar to Pandora. These can also be pretty good, but don't seem to change much, so once you've browsed an artists radio a few times, you're familiar with most of what spotify is going to recommend.
The past few years Spotify has also built out an end-of-year "tastebreaker" playlist, which has actually always been insanely good, filled with stuff I've never heard and loved, but they only do it once a year for some reason. I have a feeling they have a lot of good data on your music listening habits, but don't surface them as much as they could.
I can also say as an artist, when I've worked to distribute my music, Pandora was by far the most picky, compared to all the other major streaming services. I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing for listeners, but they seem to curate their music a little more strictly.
I'd say Pandora is pretty great compared to Spotify at least, I don't have much experience with Apple Music, etc. I didn't have a good reason to stop using Pandora other than I don't listen to music at work as much now that I WFH, unfortunately.
This is surprisingly great.