st3ph3n's recent activity
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Comment on What happened to your first car? in ~transport
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Comment on What is your criteria for what counts as a "retro" video game? in ~games
st3ph3n LinkI think anything roughly 20 years old or more counts as retro. Even looking at many PS3/Xbox 360 games now, they feel very different to modern games. There were certainly standout games on those...I think anything roughly 20 years old or more counts as retro. Even looking at many PS3/Xbox 360 games now, they feel very different to modern games. There were certainly standout games on those platforms that advanced the medium towards what we have now, but the vast majority of games were not like that.
A few months ago I played through a bunch of old PC FPS games from roughly that time period - on also fairly period-correct hardware and software - and the differences were stark. Most of those games felt old (like Medal of Honor: Allied Assault), but some, like Call of Duty 2 genuinely still felt quite modern and were leaps and bounds ahead of many of their competitors of the time.
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Comment on iOS26 "Liquid Glass" - is it really such a big deal? in ~tech
st3ph3n LinkI don't get the big deal either. Also it just reminds me of Aero Glass from Windows 7, lol. I've always found MKBHD a bit light on actual technical detail and heavier on hype.I don't get the big deal either. Also it just reminds me of Aero Glass from Windows 7, lol.
I've always found MKBHD a bit light on actual technical detail and heavier on hype. -
Comment on Working on a ~2008 dream gaming computer running Vista (in an old server) in ~comp
st3ph3n Link ParentLegacy Update is the shit. I built a dream Windows 7 system and was stuck in driver signature hell (thanks AMD for not re-signing your old drivers) until I used LU to fix that and several other...Legacy Update is the shit. I built a dream Windows 7 system and was stuck in driver signature hell (thanks AMD for not re-signing your old drivers) until I used LU to fix that and several other problems.
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Comment on US Senate passes Donald Trump’s megabill after pulling all-nighter in ~society
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
st3ph3n Link ParentMinimap is the feature I wanted most in Expedition 33! I kept finding myself getting turned around after finishing fights, then getting lost going the wrong way.Minimap is the feature I wanted most in Expedition 33! I kept finding myself getting turned around after finishing fights, then getting lost going the wrong way.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
st3ph3n LinkI finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a few days ago. It was fantastic. I played it on story difficulty, which was good because I lack skills to get the parry timing down. I'm very much looking...I finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a few days ago. It was fantastic. I played it on story difficulty, which was good because I lack skills to get the parry timing down. I'm very much looking forward to whatever Sandfall does next.
I then started playing Metaphor ReFantazio. I played Personas 3, 4, and 5 over the past year, so I kinda know what to expect from an Atlus game. This is a bit different though, not the least because it doesn't revolve around a Japanese high school, instead taking more of a traditional fantasy-setting. I'm only about three hours in, but enjoying it a lot so far.
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Comment on Most US exhibition execs think traditional moviegoing has less than twenty years as ‘viable business model,’ according to new survey in ~movies
st3ph3n Link ParentMany theaters have embraced this now, becoming full on restaurant-like experiences. Like Alamo Draft House, Studio Movie Grill, and I'm sure plenty of others. I think I feel less like I'm getting...Many theaters have embraced this now, becoming full on restaurant-like experiences. Like Alamo Draft House, Studio Movie Grill, and I'm sure plenty of others. I think I feel less like I'm getting fucked over when I pay $20 for some hot food and a drink than when I pay $20 for popcorn and a coke...
These places usually have nicer seating and stuff too.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
st3ph3n (edited )LinkI'm still deep into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and loving it. I'm in Act III now, doing side stuff before I go on to fight the big bad at the end. The side stuff itself is interesting and worth...I'm still deep into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and loving it. I'm in Act III now, doing side stuff before I go on to fight the big bad at the end. The side stuff itself is interesting and worth doing even if you don't need a useful way to level up before the big fight.
They recently patched the game to loosen parry timings and damage and stuff for the 'story' difficulty level, which has really enhanced my enjoyment of it, as I am a low-skill scrub and was having a hard time getting parries right.
I also made a conversation choice at camp that pretty much killed any further relationship progression with one of the characters, which I wasn't aware was a thing in this game until it happened. Oops.
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Comment on The "standard" car charger is usually overkill in ~transport
st3ph3n Link ParentAt the construction phase you don't need to go to the expense of buying an actual EVSE/charger. Just get the higher capacity circuit installed in the garage at that time. It's way cheaper to do...At the construction phase you don't need to go to the expense of buying an actual EVSE/charger. Just get the higher capacity circuit installed in the garage at that time. It's way cheaper to do when the walls and stuff aren't already up than coming back later and tearing them up.
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Comment on Layman's escapades with Linux for personal use in ~comp
st3ph3n LinkTry Fedora 42 next. It was very much an it-just-worked experience for me, although I don't have an nvidia GPU. I had similar success with Mint before that.Try Fedora 42 next. It was very much an it-just-worked experience for me, although I don't have an nvidia GPU. I had similar success with Mint before that.
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Comment on Digg’s founders explain how they’re building a site for humans in the AI era in ~tech
st3ph3n Link ParentUh, I have some bad news for you on that front...Uh, I have some bad news for you on that front...
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
st3ph3n Link ParentI'm deep into this game too, and enjoying it very much. I think I'm approaching the end of Act II right now. I have to say I'm not a fan of the dodge/parry mechanics myself, and I think that if...I'm deep into this game too, and enjoying it very much. I think I'm approaching the end of Act II right now. I have to say I'm not a fan of the dodge/parry mechanics myself, and I think that if the 'story' difficulty option was not available I probably would have ragequit by now. I seem to have a very hard time getting the timing right for parries, and for some of the tougher bosses it is basically a necessity to beat them.
Besides all that, though, I love it. Such a well-realized world, and they are not afraid to do big, impactful things with the story.
The systems in the game can get very complex, especially the character builds, but like you said there's no need to minmax to progress, and I largely have just been sticking with what I've got until I unlock something new that's compelling enough to make me dive into the menus and start tweaking.
I say all this as someone who recently played through Personas 3, 4, and 5 and liked them, especially P5 Royal. I can see the appeal of the dodge/parry system and the QTEs, as it makes the combat somewhat more engaging. I just wish there were some accessibility options to tweak how tight those windows are.
Overall, awesome game and you should play it. Also it is on Gamepass if you happen to have that.
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Comment on How Counter-Strike took over my life in ~games
st3ph3n Link ParentWhat really made CS2 accessible to me, an adult with a job who can't spend 40 hours a week to get good, was the availability of the arms race and deathmatch game modes. Those just allow me to run...What really made CS2 accessible to me, an adult with a job who can't spend 40 hours a week to get good, was the availability of the arms race and deathmatch game modes. Those just allow me to run and gun like the good old days, and I instantly respawn rather than waiting for a round to end. After all these years, the gunplay in CS is still top notch.
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Comment on Rumors of new tiers/prices for Game Pass, next Xbox(es) will be Windows based, will include Steam/Epic + full Xbox library emulation and backwards compatibility in ~games
st3ph3n Link ParentBack before Rockstar finally released Red Dead Redemption 1 on PC, I used Xenia to do a full playthrough of it using files pulled from my original 360 discs. Since it is such a high-profile title...Back before Rockstar finally released Red Dead Redemption 1 on PC, I used Xenia to do a full playthrough of it using files pulled from my original 360 discs. Since it is such a high-profile title I think that caused the emulator to get enough development specifically for that game to run very well, including features like increased framerates and resolution upscaling. That was on my previous PC built on ~2020-era hardware too.
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Comment on Are gas stations beginning to shut down yet, as part of the broader shift to EVs? in ~transport
st3ph3n Link ParentKia EVs have access to Tesla superchargers as of about last week. You can either buy Kia's adapter or get a third-party one, although Kia claims you should only use their one.Kia EVs have access to Tesla superchargers as of about last week. You can either buy Kia's adapter or get a third-party one, although Kia claims you should only use their one.
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Comment on Are gas stations beginning to shut down yet, as part of the broader shift to EVs? in ~transport
st3ph3n LinkSeveral new gas stations have been recently constructed in my area (Suburban Chicagoland), although some of them have EV chargers included as well as the gas pumps, but usually in much lower...Several new gas stations have been recently constructed in my area (Suburban Chicagoland), although some of them have EV chargers included as well as the gas pumps, but usually in much lower numbers. EV adoption has been pretty good around here too. While I don't have statistics, I see plenty of EVs on the road every day here, and I drive one myself.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
st3ph3n LinkI'm currently about 32 hours into Avowed on Xbox Series X. I'm not terribly fond of fantasy/swords and spells type settings, but this one has sucked me in. I do tend to enjoy Obsidian stuff,...I'm currently about 32 hours into Avowed on Xbox Series X. I'm not terribly fond of fantasy/swords and spells type settings, but this one has sucked me in. I do tend to enjoy Obsidian stuff, having played The Outer Worlds to completion a few years ago, and dipped my toes into Pentiment (a very different type of game) and, of course, Fallout New Vegas. I haven't played any other Pillars of Eternity games before, so I went into Avowed totally blind.
I'm really enjoying it. I'm now approaching completion of the main story part of the third major map zone that you get to play in, and my gear is evolving towards the top of the quality scale, with significant stuff happening in the story, so I can only assume I'm fairly far along. I haven't done any research to find out how long the story is. I do find myself doing as many of the side quests and stuff as possible before moving the main story on, and that's OK as the side quests are generally of high quality and give you some good rewards for doing them.
I'm playing the game via GamePass, but I would recommend it even at full price. I do like how it has implemented some very player-friendly systems. Like, when you are encumbered from carrying too much stuff, you can just hit a button to store it back at camp rather than having to waste your time slogging it over there manually. Instead of the usual lame lock-picking minigame that RPGs tend to have, you just consume a number of lockpicks depending on how tough the lock you're trying to pick is. You can re-spec your character without having to jump through hoops too. Stuff like that.
I'm playing as a melee-focused fighter type guy, although I have also been equipping a bow in my secondary loadout, which really helps to soften up mobs before they get within stabbin' range.
I do also enjoy the companions that you end up partying up with in this game. One of them is voiced by the guy who voiced Garrus in Mass Effect, so that really pleased my ears.
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Comment on Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 – 4.2.2025 in ~games
st3ph3n LinkNo word about them addressing joycon drift or what the actual hardware inside the thing is.No word about them addressing joycon drift or what the actual hardware inside the thing is.
I suspect my first chariot has long since been recycled into coke cans or something by now. It was starting to fall apart and I traded it in against the next one back in like 2005.