Lonan's recent activity
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Comment on What is your opinion on Dan Brown novels? in ~books
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Comment on Save Point: A game deal roundup for the week of May 12 in ~games
Lonan Link ParentThat's such a clever marketing technique, because usually people say "I'll wait for a sale", but by having a sale right away they are playing on people's FOMO. I'm going to skip it too, because...That's such a clever marketing technique, because usually people say "I'll wait for a sale", but by having a sale right away they are playing on people's FOMO.
I'm going to skip it too, because everyone raving about Animal Well has caused me to not like it, because I'm secretly a bit of a gaming hipster.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentI wrote notes and I have one from Portoga that says "blue guy says to sail south first" so the game doesn't totally abandon that style and still gives some clues. And doing that you reach a place...I wrote notes and I have one from Portoga that says "blue guy says to sail south first" so the game doesn't totally abandon that style and still gives some clues. And doing that you reach a place pretty quickly and from there it goes fairly clue-driven again. Just saying, in case you ever return to it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentAnd Tunic too. I'm really tempted to try Animal Well but I have soooo many games I feel guilty buying anything new. There was a dude on a podcast that said the Layer 3 stuff required cooperation...And Tunic too. I'm really tempted to try Animal Well but I have soooo many games I feel guilty buying anything new. There was a dude on a podcast that said the Layer 3 stuff required cooperation on-line because different instances of the game had different parts of the puzzle. Sounds like the kind of stuff that in a couple of years will be spoiled on a wiki somewhere so I don't have to interact with anyone :-P
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentDid you not get sub-classes in DQ3? I thought that was just before the boat-getting moment, in the area past the "Hobbit", near where you get the pepper for the king (is that what it is? I'm going...Did you not get sub-classes in DQ3? I thought that was just before the boat-getting moment, in the area past the "Hobbit", near where you get the pepper for the king (is that what it is? I'm going from memory here). That opened things up in terms of battles because you can have a healing-fighter or whatever. If you've had enough though, then that's understandable. It's quite a grindy repetitive game, and it doesn't get any better really. I imagine getting that boat was like "OMG, now I have to go everwhere, this is too much!" :-)
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Comment on Some observations about some of the conversations here in ~tildes
Lonan LinkDude, you've posted on threads about Trump and Palestine. What were you expecting there? They're like honey pots for internet rage. If you are sick of reading contrarian opinions, stay out...Dude, you've posted on threads about Trump and Palestine. What were you expecting there? They're like honey pots for internet rage. If you are sick of reading contrarian opinions, stay out conflict-attracting topics on the internet.
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Comment on Looking for recipes or advice for making a Spanish omelette/Spanish tortilla in ~food
Lonan Link ParentI expected that recipe to be an abomination, but my wife's Spanish, we live in Spain, and that recipe looks pretty authentic to me. In fact, my Mrs compromises and partially cooks the thin-sliced...I expected that recipe to be an abomination, but my wife's Spanish, we live in Spain, and that recipe looks pretty authentic to me. In fact, my Mrs compromises and partially cooks the thin-sliced potatoes in the microwave, then adds them to the oil with the already-cooked onions (so you save a lot on oil for frying the spuds) just to get a bit of fried edges and oil into them. The flipping section is also spot on. We have a special thicker dinner plate that's the right size to just fit in the frying pan to flip the tortilla. That part is pretty messy, because you put the plate onto the squishy raw top part, turn the pan over trying not to spill anything, then slide the whole thing back into the pan raw-side down. Also, when flipping, I've seen it all go horribly wrong for her, but don't give up! She just puts it all back in the pan and has another go a couple of minutes later, or if the whole thing is undercooked, it goes back into the bowl, stir a bit and start over. Failure is usually from lack of oil, even with non-stick (aging non-stick I suppose) the "crust" can grab on to the pan a bit if it isn't oiled up enough.
Getting the outside nice and cooked while keeping the inside the right amount of moist that you want is down to trial and error. Some people prefer a fully set center, whereas others like a runny middle. But it's like cooking a steak rare or well done, it's pretty much down to knowing your own cooking utensils, how hot the pans get, and experience of getting it wrong a few times.
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Comment on My not so nice thoughts on Battlestar Galactica in ~tv
Lonan Link ParentIs that when they are on the mud world? I stopped watching there. It was so depressing. Or maybe just after that, when they're putting traitors out of airlocks. It was like, what are we doing...Is that when they are on the mud world? I stopped watching there. It was so depressing. Or maybe just after that, when they're putting traitors out of airlocks. It was like, what are we doing here?
I remember the end of season 1, the surprise moment when someone shoots someone else, I was drinking a cup of tea and the shock of the shooting caused me to spill tea all over myself. Season 1 and 2 were okay iirc.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentYeah it's around now when the game opens up more. I think you are about to discover some pretty cool things. And you're right in that there's a lot to go (I didn't actually finish the game, maybe...Yeah it's around now when the game opens up more. I think you are about to discover some pretty cool things. And you're right in that there's a lot to go (I didn't actually finish the game, maybe one day... but I'm on a JRPG-free diet this year). After the next couple of quests is when I got really stuck, stupidly. I had a clue that said to search a for a particular geographical feature, and I got obsessed looking at the wrong part of the map for the wrong thing! I just couldn't fathom that I was looking in totally the wrong place for it, so had to peek at a guide there. If I could have just have someone say "look somewhere else, doofus, it isn't there" it would have helped haha. Also around this point is where I was thinking, "WTF was it we are supposed to be doing again?!" It seems like your original quest is mostly forgotten as you stumble from one weird request to the next, and yet they all lead you to exploring further.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentThat Murdle game is pretty good! Once I discovered the note book feature it all made sense, otherwise it seemed impossible.That Murdle game is pretty good! Once I discovered the note book feature it all made sense, otherwise it seemed impossible.
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Comment on Game Boy games that did the impossible in ~games
Lonan LinkI really like the original Game Boy, it has so many great games considering how underpowered it is, plus it was the only console I owned as a kid in the 90s. The video shows a backlit modified...I really like the original Game Boy, it has so many great games considering how underpowered it is, plus it was the only console I owned as a kid in the 90s. The video shows a backlit modified original Game Boy for most of it or fancy capture card renderings, no original model console is going to look like that, heh.
Here's my summary of most of the video. It starts with Super Mario Land and Super Mario Land 2.
Talks about games with "big scope":
- Zelda: Link's Awakening (this game really is fantastic)
- Contra 3 The Alien Wars
Fancy scrolling:
- V-Rally
- Darius 2 / Sagaia
3D games:
- Faceball 2000
- Race Driving (I'd never seen this before)
- X (wireframe 3D)
Rare:
- Donkey Kong Land 3
- Killer Instinct
Audio design / soundtracks:
- RoboCop
- Crash Dummies
- Metal Masters
The video ends with a plug for building your own games: GB Studio, GBDK. Then talks about Nintendo Switch Online, and trying out emulator and roms. I've recently been playing a lot of GB games thanks to modifying my 3DS to run Retro Arch and earning those sweet sweet Retro Achievements.
For GB-studio games, I recommend a rogue-like called Deep Dungeon that was made with GB Studio. It pushes what type of game you can make to its limits with semi-randomized levels and RPG-lite tropes like different classes, equipment and magic spells. I really want to try my hand at making something with GB Studio, but I am really crap at drawing pixel art, and making anything at all takes ages and ages, so hats off to anyone that makes something with it.
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Comment on HowLongToBeat: The Game in ~games
Lonan Link ParentI've never finished SM64, even the regular story. I played it on the Switch again a couple of years ago and must have played for longer than 12 hours. I got stuck on the clock IIRC and gave up. 6...I've never finished SM64, even the regular story. I played it on the Switch again a couple of years ago and must have played for longer than 12 hours. I got stuck on the clock IIRC and gave up. 6 hours is nothing, I'd still be pulling Mario's face around on the title screen.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Meta discussion - Should we read nonfiction as well as fiction and with what frequency? in ~books
Lonan Link ParentMaybe have a length limit for the club? Or take it into account somehow. Even for fiction nobody wants a slog :-)Maybe have a length limit for the club? Or take it into account somehow. Even for fiction nobody wants a slog :-)
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Meta discussion - Should we read nonfiction as well as fiction and with what frequency? in ~books
Lonan Link ParentIf non-fiction are nominated and voted up sufficiently, then maybe they could be included. I don't think there should be a forced "one in X" quota, nor a blanket ban. There are fiction books...If non-fiction are nominated and voted up sufficiently, then maybe they could be included. I don't think there should be a forced "one in X" quota, nor a blanket ban. There are fiction books nominated that I would not want to read, so an interesting non-fiction, eh, who knows.
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Comment on HowLongToBeat: The Game in ~games
Lonan Link ParentI missed the April Fools round luckily*, and so still do guessthe.game. At least they finally got rid of the Christmas snow effect. It has a modern games bias so I have not heard of half of them...I missed the April Fools round luckily*, and so still do guessthe.game. At least they finally got rid of the Christmas snow effect. It has a modern games bias so I have not heard of half of them (I see "PS3 exclusive, FPS, 70% metacritic" and go skip, skip, skip, never heard of it). But IMO modern is anything after Dreamcast/PS2 :-P This one's different enough to do them both though. Here you have to guess the hours and rating of 3 games and get a score out of 300, so even if you have no idea you can make an educated guess. I got 52/300 today, so, erm, yeah. I'd only heard of the Mario game and haven't played any of them.
I do tradle, guessthe.game, where taken world and where taken USA daily. I tried stopping but my son is like "have you done the 'les games today?!? I got where taken world in one!". At least with the world ones I feel like I'm maybe learning some geography.
* does anybody still like April Fool's? they did one on Retro Achievements and it annoyed half the users too.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - Piranesi in ~books
Lonan Link ParentThe other story I would like to read is the same thing told from Sarah Raphael's point of view. Tracking down what happened to MRS, then discovering the other world, the difficulty of convincing...The other story I would like to read is the same thing told from Sarah Raphael's point of view. Tracking down what happened to MRS, then discovering the other world, the difficulty of convincing MRS to leave, etc, etc. And while we're on a wish list, some indie game developer needs to make a Piranesi-inspired Animal Crossing-style video game, where you live in The House and catch fish, talk to the birds, observe them to find out vital clues, calculate the tides, discover interesting statues, and map out the vestibules. All while gradually discovering the truth, or perhaps deliberately forgetting it.
By not knowing anything about The House or what it meant, it reminded me vaguely of Solaris. In that story the alien planet is not understood by the scientists, they can only describe and catalogue what they observe. Like in Piranesi, the world's strangeness apparently turns some people mad, although it maybe isn't madness because the reader doesn't have all the facts. In another parallel, parts of Solaris use epistolary techniques - reports from old expeditions, news clippings, articles from research books - to reveal information. In Piranesi the missing information comes from MRS's journals. Piranesi's ending is far more satisfying than Solaris though, which stays true to the nature of the story and has a disappointing conclusion that doesn't answer any of its mysteries.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - Piranesi in ~books
Lonan Link ParentYes, agreed. I liked the way he changed the tone subtly for The Other. The cold dismissive "oh, not this again" and so on, compared to Piranesi's wide-eyed and joyous voice. He even did a passable...Yes, agreed. I liked the way he changed the tone subtly for The Other. The cold dismissive "oh, not this again" and so on, compared to Piranesi's wide-eyed and joyous voice. He even did a passable Yorkshire accent near the end for the detective.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentYour exact issue was also the problem the host of "Tales from the Backlog" podcast had (episode 63). So much so, that either it's a common problem, or you are the host of said podcast :) I can't...Your exact issue was also the problem the host of "Tales from the Backlog" podcast had (episode 63). So much so, that either it's a common problem, or you are the host of said podcast :) I can't believe you (both?) brute forced it as far as you did without doing the thing. Given what I missed and how easy it is once you know, it makes sense that you missed it, but the difficulty must have been off the charts. My own frustration came later on, when I couldn't find a thing, which is obvious in hindsight...
this thing I missed
In the end-game, at night, I didn't know how to get back to the mine area once the sludge took out the bridge. I didn't find, or ignored, the route north from the mine in the day-time part, into the mountains, so I completely missed the shortcut that is a few steps past the door to the mountain. Once you know, there's even a blatant clue on the relevant manual page! I remained a ghost for ages, trying all sorts of stupid random crap (I was solving end-game fairy and statue puzzles thinking it might help, not realizing I was not getting any closer to what I actually had to do)In the end, in utter frustration I had to look up the solution, and as you say, once a certain level of frustration is reached it does sour the rest of the enjoyment. And looking it up really made me feel like a chump for having missed it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Lonan Link ParentYeah, I really enjoyed Tunic. I particularly liked that 2nd puzzle you mention in the spoiler! I didn't realize what it was for ages: vague spoiler for a puzzle, but not really It took me seeing...Yeah, I really enjoyed Tunic. I particularly liked that 2nd puzzle you mention in the spoiler! I didn't realize what it was for ages:
vague spoiler for a puzzle, but not really
It took me seeing several similar pieces before it clicked. I took screenshots, and then drew the solution out on paper. It was pretty great environmental puzzle design IMO. I like it when a game has me taking notes.Discovering the first of those types of end-game puzzles, seeing the solution hidden but at the same time out in the open, was a bittersweet moment. I was torn between "yes!! I know what the big secret is!" but also, "damn, it's such a stupid thing to have to do!".
Anyway, I avoided Tunic for a long while after it was released because people said it was "too difficult", but I thought it was OK. Lock on targeting makes it fair and fun to play. The hardest parts, in terms of time spent trying to beat them, were the later puzzles.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - Piranesi in ~books
Lonan Link ParentBut to Piranesi it wasn't a horrible place, he knew the danger of staying there now, but still liked the House for its beauty etc etc. When the policewoman said they were "just statues" when...But to Piranesi it wasn't a horrible place, he knew the danger of staying there now, but still liked the House for its beauty etc etc. When the policewoman said they were "just statues" when compared to the real things, he got annoyed by that. I felt like he was only visiting our world for the sake of the people that knew Matthew RS, and eventually would return permanently to the House. Also, having the best of both worlds in the epilogue made for a nicer ending :-)
Digital Fortress, Brown's "first" book (see note below) was covered on the 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back podcast, which is a humor podcast that discusses bad books. The name comes from the length of Ready Player One, the first book they covered. Some tropes / comedy they found in DF include:
In the book's defense, Dan Brown was onto the whole NSA / cryptology stuff over a decade before it made headline news with Snowden. Although since it is written with the NSA cryptologists as the good guys, it takes a stance that may seem quite shocking or even naive if you read it nowadays: that the Electronic Frontier Foundation are the bad guys for not wanting the US Govt to put back doors in cryptographic systems. The pace of the book is great. It zooms along, swapping between events in Spain and the NSA HQ in America. There are some twists, cinematic-style set-pieces, and interesting characters, even if they are a bit cliché. I enjoyed reading along with the podcast, both in terms of the unforced-errors silliness and the story overall.
I've also read Da Vinci Code, but it was years ago when that was in fashion, and can't remember much about it. I remember reading it quite quickly, so I must have been into it at the time. We have a copy of that and the sequel (Angels&Demons) kicking about the flat somewhere, but I can't remember the sequel at all, so it must have been pretty forgettable. The Da Vinci Code movie is worth watching just to wonder WTF they were thinking when they did Tom Hanks's hair / wig like that.
Note: his actual first was written under the name "Danielle Brown" 187 Men to Avoid: A Survival Guide for the Romantically Frustrated Woman.