Wes's recent activity
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Comment on o3 - wow in ~tech
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Comment on Tildes Book Club 2024 retrospective in ~books
Wes LinkSo far, I've enjoyed almost everything I've read. There's been some really solid suggestions from folks here, and it's already turned me on to multiple new authors I've enjoyed. I also got some...So far, I've enjoyed almost everything I've read. There's been some really solid suggestions from folks here, and it's already turned me on to multiple new authors I've enjoyed. I also got some great auxiliary recommendations for new titles to add to my backlog.
Starting towards the beginning, Piranesi was a joy to read. The writing felt whimsical and charming. Kindred, in contrast, was honest and eye-opening. It felt like an important read, despite being uncomfortable in places. I enjoyed both for completely different reasons.
I think my favourite, though, has to be The Dispossessed. It remains one of the most enriching books I've ever read, and I still think about it from time to time. Not because I'm specifically interested in anarchy, but because it examined the political systems that I've always sort of taken for granted. It helped me realize that these systems are not natural law, but are human constructs that require constant review and maintenance.
I went on to read The Left Hand of Darkness, also by Le Guin, and I'm now looking forward to A Wizard of Earthsea. She was an extraordinarily talented writer, and I'm thankful to have been introduced to her work through the club.
I didn't participate in every discussion, though I've tried to join as many as I can. I'm still trying to figure out the right balance between participating in Book Club while also getting through my own reading list.
Happy holidays, all. Until next year.
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Tildes Book Club 2024 retrospective
Hey folks, Since we're not reading a book this month, I thought it might be nice to have a short retrospective of the last year instead. As some of you may know, the book club originally started...
Hey folks,
Since we're not reading a book this month, I thought it might be nice to have a short retrospective of the last year instead.
As some of you may know, the book club originally started back in 2023 with a "pop-up event" hosted by @cfabbro. We read Roadside Picnic after a few users expressed interest in the title. The discussion had some great comments, and that helped lay the groundwork for making the book club a regular feature.
A few months later, @boxer_dogs_dance kicked the book club off proper in January 2024 with the first nomination thread. Cloud Atlas was selected based on voter interest and ideal library wait times. Despite being a difficult first book, participation was still high and has remained so for each month thereafter.
Boxer has since organized numerous nomination and voting threads, helped establish our format and rules, and has created many discussion prompts for each book. Huge thanks to you for the efforts, @boxer_dogs_dance!
Onto some stats for 2024:
- Books Read: 9
- Total Pages: 3,277 (average of 364 per book)
- Unique Contributors: 59 (or 140 total, when counting returning participants)
- Total Comments: 476 (across 121 top-level threads)
- Nominations Submitted: 102
- Votes Cast: 508
- Repeat Nominations: 11 titles were nominated twice, and 6 were eventually chosen. Perseverance pays off!
The list of past discussions can be found here:
- March: Cloud Atlas
- April: Piranesi
- May: The Dispossessed
- June: Project Hail Mary
- July: Ocean at the End of the Lane
- Aug: Small Gods
- Sep: This is How You Lose the Time War
- Oct: Kindred
- Nov: The City We Became
A big thank you to all who have participated, helped organize, commented, or quietly read along! You folks are what make the Tildes community so great.
So just to be clear, this isn't a nomination thread or an official post. I just thought it might be nice to look back, recap our progress, and maybe touch on some of the best picks from the last year.
What were your favourite reads from this past year? What are you looking forward to most in 2025?
See you all in January when we kick off 2025 with Kim Stanley Robinson's Ministry for the Future!
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Comment on Tell me about your favorite Minecraft mods! in ~games
Wes LinkThere's lots of great and popular mods (Create, Thaumcraft, Botania, etc), but I'll try highlight some of my favourite, lesser-known mods, across all versions. Electroblob's Wizardry: Some of the...There's lots of great and popular mods (Create, Thaumcraft, Botania, etc), but I'll try highlight some of my favourite, lesser-known mods, across all versions.
- Electroblob's Wizardry: Some of the most fun in Minecraft I've had. Unlike most magic mods, there's no tech trees or research system. You aren't toiling away in your base, crafting things together and navigating UIs. Instead, you find spells simply by exploring the world. Discover new elements, artifacts, and spell types to use. Each spell is unknown to you when you first find it, so it's a lot of fun to blindly try them out to see what they do. Sometimes you just end up lighting yourself on fire, but others times you discover chain lightning, or some other wicked ability.
- RotaryCraft: The first truly realistic tech mod I played. This one pulls no punches. You're expected to know how to set up a production line, balance torque and speed, and even lubricate the machinery. While it expects a lot of the player, it doesn't feel tedious to me, and each step of progression rewards useful tools and utilities. That said, it's also possible to blow things up if you're not careful. I love that this mod primarily uses iron in its recipes, without polluting the world with dozens of random ores. I think of RotaryCraft as an earlier, less-polished, and yet in some ways still more charming version of Create.
- Mahou Tsukai: This mod is pure power fantasy. It's not balanced against anything else, be it vanilla or common mods, nor does it try to be. There lots of clever ideas for weapons and spells inside, offering utilities I've rarely seen featured in a Minecraft mod. One ritual allows remote viewing of an entity, great for creeping out friends. Or you can discover the invisible ley lines in the world, which can be surfed on using elytra. The mod is visually stunning, and really unique in its presentation.
- TerraFirmaCraft: An old favourite of mine. TFC is practically a modpack in of itself. It's a low-tech survival experience that adds new survival features (temperature, thirst), mining mechanics (giant ore clusters, prospecting), it revamps farming and seasons, introduces damage types to weapons, and much more. The world is absolutely gorgeous. It also adds a nutrition system which I enjoyed enough to rewrite as a standalone mod a few years ago.
Honestly, I could have made this list much longer. I've played dozens of modpacks and hundreds of mods over the last 15 years or so, and many of them stick out. There's exciting new mods almost every month, and it's difficult to even keep up with. It's such a rich community.
The Minecraft modded ecosystem is also fantastic for embracing open-source and compatibility. The vast majority of mods are written in MIT or other permissive licenses, and it enables modpacks to utilize them to their fullest to create compelling experiences. There could be a completely separate topic on interesting modpacks, with all their variants of skyblocks, exploration packs, combat/survival packs, expert packs, and general kitchen sink packs.
Even after all these years, I still love the game. Minecraft was the best €10 I ever spent.
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Comment on Inline image support in ~tildes
Wes LinkI don't expect that inline image support is coming, as that seems quite antithetical to the discussion-focused goal of Tildes. Unfortunately, inline images have been disastrous for both reddit and...I don't expect that inline image support is coming, as that seems quite antithetical to the discussion-focused goal of Tildes. Unfortunately, inline images have been disastrous for both reddit and Twitter, where they're used almost entirely for "reaction" images, and not substantive content.
Even though Tildes does offer a higher calibre of discussion than other platforms, I fear that offering an easy-to-abuse tool like that would be detrimental to the site's overall quality.
I understand that links may be inconvenient at times, but they seem much preferable to the alternative.
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Comment on She didn’t get an apartment because of an AI-generated score – and sued to help others avoid the same fate in ~life
Wes Link ParentI agree. If the algorithm did not factor in housing vouchers, then it wasn't a very good algorithm. An unfair algorithm is really no better than a biased person making a decision, and it's...I agree. If the algorithm did not factor in housing vouchers, then it wasn't a very good algorithm. An unfair algorithm is really no better than a biased person making a decision, and it's sometimes worse as it gives them the ability to deflect responsibility.
I don't know enough about this space to say if housing vouchers would have been enough to offset the credit card debt or not. However, the ability to override such a decision should always be present. Though arguably that falls to the landlord, and not to the scoring company.
It sounds like SafeRent has decided to stop offering a score at all when vouchers are involved. While I think it would be better to improve their product, if at all possible, they may have preferred to sidestep the legal concern altogether and simply say "unscorable". I wonder if that will help or harm those in a similar position in the future.
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Comment on She didn’t get an apartment because of an AI-generated score – and sued to help others avoid the same fate in ~life
Wes LinkI don't want to sound unsympathetic, but falling behind on credit card bills is a strong marker for a risky tennant. I can understand a landlord feeling uneasy about that. Having a strong..."But the AI doesn’t know my behavior – it knew I fell behind on paying my credit card but it didn’t know I always pay my rent."
I don't want to sound unsympathetic, but falling behind on credit card bills is a strong marker for a risky tennant. I can understand a landlord feeling uneasy about that. Having a strong reference may help, but these problems often compound, especially when CC debt is concerned.
It mentions her son having a high credit score, but that doesn't really matter unless his name is on the lease, too. Cosigning would likely have increased their chances of being approved. People with poor credit scores often need a cosigner to convince a lender/landlord that they're lower risk.
It's not an easy circumstance, and I don't especially like the concept of credit scores or other risk-based algorithms being used at all. I don't really judge landlords for wanting to use them either though, since accepting a tenant that can't pay is an extremely difficult situation to get out of. This was especially true during the pandemic, when these events took place.
As a side note, this story really doesn't seem to have anything to do with AI at all. SafeRent used an in-house algorithm which rejected her based on her low credit score. Their product page doesn't mention AI anywhere, and there's no indication they use machine learning or other AI technologies in their score. If publications continue to arbitrarily insert the term AI for clicks, it's just going to mislead people about what artificial intelligence even is and what it can do.
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Comment on Borderlands 4 | Official first look in ~games
Wes (edited )Link ParentIf you wanted to wait another five days, the Steam Winter sale will be on. It's quite likely that some of those items will be individually discounted, which may also bring down the total price of...If you wanted to wait another five days, the Steam Winter sale will be on. It's quite likely that some of those items will be individually discounted, which may also bring down the total price of the bundle for you.
edit: Hey @Gummy, just thought I'd edit with a ping in hopes of giving you a reminder of this. The Steam sale is live now. I was happy to snag both Tales from the Borderlands games for just $3, since I own everything else.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - The City We Became by N K Jemisin in ~books
Wes Link ParentTo be clear, I'm definitely not trying to defend Walmart or capitalism itself as a form of progress. I don't believe they are! I do think there are certain realities of scaling a population up to...To be clear, I'm definitely not trying to defend Walmart or capitalism itself as a form of progress. I don't believe they are! I do think there are certain realities of scaling a population up to larger numbers, where it becomes increasingly more difficult to house, feed, and clothe everybody with limited resources. In that case there are economies of scale that benefit condominiums or shopping centres, even if they feel hollow, corporate, and ugly compared to brownstones or bodegas.
With that said, I'm not actually convinced that large cities are in fact the optimal organizational structure for humans, but that's an entirely separate discussion. :)
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Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - The City We Became by N K Jemisin in ~books
Wes Link ParentOkay, I've finished now! To be completely honest, I had a hard time getting through this one. Usually I reach a point in a book where I feel completely invested and my pace picks up, but that...Okay, I've finished now!
To be completely honest, I had a hard time getting through this one. Usually I reach a point in a book where I feel completely invested and my pace picks up, but that never happened here. The story just didn't sink its hooks into me. Or perhaps I should say that it never placed its tendrils on me. When returning this one to the library, I saw I had just 20 minutes left on my return deadline. Cutting it very close!
I wrote earlier that this story feels very abstract, and one that leans heavily on metaphor. I still feel there is metaphor lying just beneath the surface, but it seemed to give way to the foreground story more in the second half. The vague descriptions and illusions solidified into more concrete explanations and mechanical breakdowns. This made things easier to digest, though it also became more clear that the narrative being told just didn't jibe much with me.
At its heart, this does feel like a book written for New Yorkers. Despite the author making some efforts to explain things, it's difficult to communicate the significance of a certain bridge or building if you aren't already familiar. It felt like great import was placed even on random roads like "the FDR", despite meaning nothing to me. As a non-New Yorker, or maybe as a non-American, I wasn't able to come in with the full context that this book seems to expect of the reader.
There were still themes I could pick up on. Some were very blunt, like the anti-racism messaging. Others were a little more subtle, like being willing to offer forgiveness (as in the case of Brooklyn's offensive song lyrics). Some messaging though felt almost contradictory, and I'm not sure where exactly the author was going with it.
As one example, our heroes make comments throughout their adventure about specific ways in which cities can grow and change. Gentrification, condos, and Starbucks are typically vilified (at one point quite literally). Older culture though is revered: beautiful brownstone homes, smaller shops and bodegas, and anything quintessentially "New York".
At other points in the story though, the author talks about growth being a critical feature of cities. The merging together of cultures, ideas, even culinary techniques. That we learn best from each other. That is ostensibly where cities derive their power, and the ability to awaken.
It all sounds nice and agreeable in isolation, but it's hard not to see these as contradictory views. Where are people meant to live if there are no condos? How can a city grow without affordable housing, or shopping centres that can accomodate more people? It isn't practical for every individual to have their own lovely brownstone (or two, in Brooklyn's case).
These ideas feel at odds to me, and I don't see that it's possible to grow a city without also changing its culture. Sure, you can try to manage things carefully: slow growth and new developments, maintain historic landmarks, use strict zoning laws to avoid redevelopment, or enact rent control to reduce gentrification. These will have some effect, but they're just stopgap measures.
Change is inevitable, and that's true of any community. Adding a person to a friend group changes its dynamic. Adding a Walmart to a town changes its dynamic. Adding jet planes and wireless communication to an entire planet changes its dynamic. When you bring people together in any form, they change and grow. This process is a weakening of the culture that was, but the strengthening of a new, shared culture. It isn't good or bad, it just is.
So while I don't find it strange to celebrate individual cultures and heritages, I do see it as somewhat contradicting the idea of growth as a universal good. In practice I think we just need to find and maintain a balance as best we can. We should make improvements to communities if possible, without it turning into full-blown gentrification. We should preserve historic sights and important structures, while still building new developments to house people. We can acknowledge NIMBY complaints, while searching for solutions that inconvenience the fewest people.
I see that some have already touched on the Lovecraftian influence, and I felt that was important, too. I actually missed the significance of R'lyeh's name, though did feel there were some strong connections, especially with the often-aquatic references to the other world of the woman in white.
Lovecraft was also name dropped directly at least once or twice, as well as some of his works (like Innsmouth, which was dismissed as "rambly"). At first I thought the author was simply invoking Lovecraft to more easily describe the otherworldly creatures, but over time it began to feel more like a refutation of the man himself. Here was a city of very different people coming together to vanquish the evil monsters, and their openly racist allies.
On that note, I'm a little disappointed with Aislyn's character. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually glad her story arc had her turn on the others in the end. It was more interesting than the usual "terrible person is shown kindness then sees the error of their ways" redemption arc we normally see. However, I did feel that there wasn't enough time devoted to actually justifying her actions in the end. Some time was spent explaining her father's terrible parenting, but I still found that she came off as rather petulant and dull throughout her perspectives. I guess I'd have preferred a "victim of her environment" story more than what we got, which is hard to read as anything other than "Staten Island just kind of sucks".
Most of the characters I did like. Bronca especially felt like she had great growth, especially towards the end. Some of the art discussions were also enjoyable, and it made me genuinely curious if people can really look at a piece and see what it represents so clearly. Brooklyn felt like a well-rounded character, with some slightly-too-convenient at times hookups.
I expected Padmini to be a little more helpful. She used "math" once in her introduction to hop through a wall, then basically became useless for the rest of the adventure. Her bravery in saving the kids established her as a strong character, but she basically just tagged along thereafter. Even Veneza played a larger role than she did (though it later became more obvious as to why).
Manny is a curious one. I mentioned that I saw him as a stand-in for the audience. That got a little awkward when he started acting more violently, and then became infatuated with the Primary. I enjoyed his earlier chapters during his introduction to the city though, and his attempts at understanding all the strangeness happening around him.
I felt the ending was a little lackluster. They all basically held hands and then the evil was vanquished. No more fighting using abstract concepts like in the prologue. It would have been nice to see the boroughs working together to undo the damage once they'd finally reunited.
I liked the reveal with Veneza. I enjoyed her as a character, and found her writing more believable than most of the others. She also helped balance out the stronger personality of Bronca. The epilogue at the beach was also a nice way to close things out.
So overall, I didn't love the book. I found the symbolism a bit uneven, the moralizing too on-the-nose, and the conclusion not very satisfying. I was also unhappy with the audiobook version I listened to, since it abused reverb and echo effects to the point of unpleasantness.
With that said, I don't regret the read. I'm always happy to try books outside of my usual wheelhouse to better learn what I do and don't enjoy. They can't all be winners, and I'm still happy to be able to participate in these discussions. I'm sorry I wasn't around to participate sooner! I do still plan to read Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy, which I'm hoping will be a little more my speed.
But until next time, it's been a slice, folks. I'm looking forward to resuming the book club in January.
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Comment on What’s your “I didn’t know I needed that” item? in ~life
Wes Link ParentCitric acid would likely work just as well. However, I don't find vinegar smell to be a problem with this method. The kettle surfaces should be smooth, and easy to fully remove any residue from....Citric acid would likely work just as well. However, I don't find vinegar smell to be a problem with this method. The kettle surfaces should be smooth, and easy to fully remove any residue from. I've never found there to be a lingering vinegar smell afterwards. Though I suppose others may have a more sensitive nose.
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Comment on What’s your “I didn’t know I needed that” item? in ~life
Wes Link ParentMaybe your is too far gone, but I find that boiling a solution of water (3 parts) and white vinegar (1 part) is really effective for breaking up calcium buildup in kettles. Let it hold a boil if...Maybe your is too far gone, but I find that boiling a solution of water (3 parts) and white vinegar (1 part) is really effective for breaking up calcium buildup in kettles. Let it hold a boil if it can for a minute, then empty it while leaving a small amount of water remaining. You might need to let it cool for a few minutes, but use the remaining water to wipe the stain away with a paper towel. It should come off.
Do a thorough cleaning afterwards with water to remove the vinegar, and one or two boils just to make sure you've fully cleaned it. It should be good to go afterwards.
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Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Conclusion and Recap in ~games
Wes Link ParentI really liked how @JCPhoenix included some stats alongside his submissions. Date released, date purchased, bingo category, and time played. I think I'd have trouble tracking down some of the...I really liked how @JCPhoenix included some stats alongside his submissions. Date released, date purchased, bingo category, and time played. I think I'd have trouble tracking down some of the purchase dates - especially because I've purchased so many games through bundles - but it's a great way of showing all that information at a glance.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club Discussion - The City We Became by N K Jemisin in ~books
Wes LinkWell, I suppose it's time to face the music. I'm still only about 45% of the way through this one. I started late last month and just couldn't find the time to put aside for it. So I'm going to...Well, I suppose it's time to face the music. I'm still only about 45% of the way through this one. I started late last month and just couldn't find the time to put aside for it. So I'm going to skip reading the discussion prompts and other comments for right now, and I'll revisit them once I've finished the book in a week or two (hopefully).
I will share some early thoughts, though to be completely honest I still have little understanding of this story at this point.
It's pretty clear to me that the manifestations of the city into avatars are meant to be a metaphor. What they represent, I'm not entirely sure. At first I thought it was as simple as distilling the stereotypes and culture of these microcosms into something more tangible to be able to make commentary with. Manny's violent past, Bronca's creativity. That seems to be what the author is telling us, at least.
Somehow though, that feels a little too shallow. So I began to wonder if the author was making the opposite point, that you can't distill something as complex as a city or borough into a single personality, and everybody is an individual. Maybe these are examples of why it simply doesn't work to generalize in this way, because you only create caricatures in your mind. You end up with characters like Aislyn, who seem to be defined entirely through sheltered bigotry.
Or, maybe it's an argument for taking action. A belief that a city holds power in its people, and so action of course must come from the individuals within. A reminder that any of us can act to affect change, if we really want to, and that's what defines the city (and not the other way around).
Honestly, I don't know. I probably just need to read further to refine these ideas, because I'm working on incomplete data.
I feel I may also be missing a little context as a non-American, because I really don't know much about New York or its culture. I've needed occasional reminders as to what the different boroughs are all about. Thankfully, the story recognizes this and gives us Manny the amnesiac, a blank slate to stand-in for the audience. We learn as he learns, and other characters begrudgingly explain things to him as he goes along. It's an old trope, but a welcome one here. And it's a little amusing to me that Manny is acting as an avatar for both Manhattan and the reader.
Anyway, I'm finally through the character introductions and the book is starting to pick up for me now. It's still very abstract in its ideas, and I'm a bit more of a literal thinker, so I'm trying not to focus too much on the details. The antagonist is just "the evil lady" so far. Why is she evil? I don't know, and it may not matter. She may just be playing a necessarily role in this story to put the events into motion. I'd like to see things like the multiverse plotline explained, but again that may just be the backdrop, and unimportant to the real story being told.
I hope that by the end I'll better understand. Or that some of you fine folks will be able to explain it to me in simple terms. :)
Sorry for coming up a little short; I feel like I'm handing in incomplete homework. But I wanted to get something in at least. I hope everyone else has enjoyed the read, and has a wonderful break during December!
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Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Conclusion and Recap in ~games
Wes LinkAnother Backlog successfully Burned. Thanks to all who participated! As always when ending these events, I feel both a sense of accomplishment, and a little worn out. It does take some mental...Another Backlog successfully Burned. Thanks to all who participated!
As always when ending these events, I feel both a sense of accomplishment, and a little worn out. It does take some mental energy to start something new, and that's probably why it's so easy to put these games in the backlog in the first place. But it feels great to finally make some backlog progress, to find some hidden gems in our own libraries, and to do it as part of a larger community event. I hope everyone has been enjoying playing their games and reading others' write-ups as much as I have.
I was blown away by the number of contributions this time around, and learned about tons of interesting new games through your write-ups. Reading about game histories, your own backstories, and other fun tidbits made it all the more interesting.
As always, a huge thanks to @kfwyre for creating the original Backlog Burner event, and for allowing me to be a part of it. Also fantastic work on the new Flow categories which proved to be a hit!
This time around, I set the goal for playing fewer but longer games. I don't think I quite pulled that off, since I had 3-4 full length titles on the shortlist that never got their start. I did make it through at least two with Praey for the Gods and Another Crab's Treasure, though. I also finished a couple shorter titles like Golf Club Nostalgia and Portal with RTX. So, not bad!
I also put more of a focus on multiplayer than I was expecting. I'm still working through Remnant II and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light with others. And though it's not technically multiplayer, I've been streaming Super Mario Eclipse for friends, so it's become a bit of a shared experience.
My final card is the same as from Week 5(ish), but I'll include it here as a final send-off.
Bingo Card (Custom Golf/Flux) - 20/25 Filled, 12 Played Total
Mode: Custom Winning Bingo! Finished 20/25 A modded game
✅ Half-Life 2: VR ModUses procedural generation
✅ Remnant IIFocuses on relationships An updated version (remake, re-release) of an older game
✅ Portal with RTXHas a moral choice system Focuses on exploration
✅ Remnant IIPart of a trilogy
✅ Mandragora, Otherskin, MH: WildsHas multiple playable characters
✅ Lara Croft and the Guardian of LightRandomness determines your fate
✅ Remnant IIHas a skill tree
✅ Another Crab's TreasureIt’s already installed
✅ Super Mario EclipseFeatures a mystery
✅ Praey for the GodsHas both combat and puzzles
✅ Remnant IIHas a top-down perspective
✅ Lara Croft and the Guardian of LightKnown for its difficulty
✅ Another Crab's TreasureYou can complete it in only a few hours
✅ Golf Club NostalgiaFrom now-defunct dev studio You have to tinker to get it running
✅ Super Mario EclipseYou wanted it when you were younger
✅ Star CitizenMakes you think
✅ Golf Club NostalgiaHas a lives system A romhack or total conversion mod
✅ Super Mario EclipseHas a time limit
✅ Praey for the GodsFrom a studio you haven't heard of before
✅ Golf Club NostalgiaHas cards -
Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentI know the internet went crazy for a little while after Metroid Dread was officially announced, but I wasn't familiar with the full backstory of it. That explains a lot. In some ways, the looming...I know the internet went crazy for a little while after Metroid Dread was officially announced, but I wasn't familiar with the full backstory of it. That explains a lot.
In some ways, the looming threat and stress of Dread feels like a very unusual design for modern Nintendo. These days they're always adding assist modes, do-overs, and shorter respawn points. I don't begrudge them for that - I think it suits more player's palettes and they're aiming for accessibility. But the fact that this game feels so different might be a testament to how much of the original design survived. It almost seems closer to early 2000's titles like Majora's Mask, which used time pressure to motivate and threaten players.
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Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentI'm glad you enjoyed the event! Thanks for participating and doing so many write-ups. Sorry to hear about the stupid lungs. I guess it wasn't the best week to play Synth Riders anyway then. Let us...I'm glad you enjoyed the event! Thanks for participating and doing so many write-ups.
Sorry to hear about the stupid lungs. I guess it wasn't the best week to play Synth Riders anyway then. Let us know what you think after you've recovered some and get a chance to try it!
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Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentI've not played Last Epoch, but your description perfectly mirrors my own recent playthrough of Diablo 4, which was my first Diablo game. I similarly chose the necromancer class, and quickly...I've not played Last Epoch, but your description perfectly mirrors my own recent playthrough of Diablo 4, which was my first Diablo game. I similarly chose the necromancer class, and quickly bulldozed my way through the campaign without any deaths, playing on the highest-available difficulty. It was fun at first but not very engaging. If everything dies in one hit, there's not much incentive to upgrade your gear or try new builds, I think.
Of course, I know a lot of players skip straight to the end-game, whereas I'm the weirdo that actually plays ARPGs for the story. And honestly, D4's wasn't bad. Some parts were a little silly but the cinematics were top notch. It had solid voice acting and music throughout as well. Just the gameplay felt a bit flat.
I'll probably check out Last Epoch when its story is fully completed. It seems to offer a little more complexity over D4, and I like that it includes an offline mode right out of the gate. I also think a Chrono Trigger-esque story full of timey-wimey shenanigans could work in this genre, since it allows for a variety of environments and enemies while maintaining the same basic gameplay loop. But we'll have to see if they pull it off in the end.
I'm also interested in the upcoming Path of Exile 2. They're finally adding WASD controls, which is huge for me, and the new witch (necromancer) gameplay looks really fun. You can capture specific enemies to use as your summons, rather than having generic zombies. Hopefully it matches up to the hype.
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Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentI'm digging all the platformers, as they're sort of my "comfort genre". I played a lot of them when I was younger, and still enjoy them today. Though like you, I tend to prefer precision...I'm digging all the platformers, as they're sort of my "comfort genre". I played a lot of them when I was younger, and still enjoy them today. Though like you, I tend to prefer precision platformers. Too much momentum or bouncy physics and I start to have trouble controlling my character.
I only did a little better this time around then 10-yr-old me
This is very relatable. I finally bought the first Mortal Kombat from GOG this week since it's on sale. This is of course the original arcade game, not the 2023 title called Mortal Kombat 1. Why do publishers do this? Anyway, I was terrible at the game as a kid, and only ever beat it after discovering a combo for Sonya which I spammed to victory. Even then, it felt like a pyrrhic victory.
So I dusted the game off earlier this week, assuming that my big adult brain would let me quickly figure out how to use punches and kicks effectively without button spamming. Oh my god I'm worse than I was at 10 years old. Every time I think I'm getting it, the AI turns around and absolutely clobbers me. It's embarrassing!
I don't know if I'll press on to MK2 and 3. DosBox is tough to bind gamepad inputs to, and I think my ego has taken enough blows for one week.
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Comment on November 2024 Backlog Burner: Week 5(ish) Discussion in ~games
Wes Link ParentWell done on getting a bingo! I'm glad the random number gods favoured you on this day. Sniper: Ghost Warrior always seemed like a bit of a lesser version of Sniper Elite to me. A bit more of a...Well done on getting a bingo! I'm glad the random number gods favoured you on this day.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior always seemed like a bit of a lesser version of Sniper Elite to me. A bit more of a standard military shooter, whereas Sniper Elite feels more impactful, and takes itself a bit less seriously. Though I do see Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 has some more positive ratings, so maybe it's an improvement over the original.
I'm happy to see somebody mention the fireworks. Those were a fun addition. :)
AI Explained is always a good source for keeping up with the latest in this field. His videos are well-researched and clear.
It's incredible how these models keep leapfrogging each other. Every time it seems like progress is slowing, we see new techniques emerge like mixture of experts, multimodality training, and now chain of thought. The capabilities continue to improve, and benchmarks are being quickly obsoleted.
This is the first model to show serious adaption of training data to new material, which is closer to rational thinking than we've seen before. It seems we really are getting to the point of needing to consider what AGI really means.
I look forward to seeing new quantization and optimization techniques explored for chain of thought reasoning. It should be possible to reduce inference costs to more reasonable levels, even on weaker hardware. Like MoE, it would just need to run serially, and not in parallel.