#I might edit this a bit and leave it as a review for the devs
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October Check-In
September passed wayyyy too fast again, and almost all my efforts went into completing the DOL-OS remaster.
And finishing strong by catching the FLU :D /s
You know the drill... long post ahead:
Recap of last month's progress
Recap of last week's stuff
Other IF stuff done or in the works
Other IF events
Plan for October
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September progress
The plan for last month was to:
continue to play and review games ✅ (just a few tho...)
finish the DOL-OS remaster ✅✅✅ just in time! also needed one more week from the planned date to finish it properly
continue a WIP or fix another semi-completed game: 😐 (see this week's progress)
add another block to the SugarCube Guide: ❌ (was planning to, but the illness)
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Last Week's progress
I pulled myself to the finish line by the hair at the end buuuut...
DOL-OS - THE REMASTERED VERSION IS NOW OUT!
It's now beautiful, bug free (i hope), with new content, and translated into English!
First completed in a month, remastered almost within a month too!
If you liked it, consider leaving a little rating? or a comment?
Even if you don't care to play it, at least open the game once to check out the loading page :P
Also I have:
redone the intro post (if you could share it around, that'd be lovely)
wrote the extensive dev log
updated the Projects Status page
added the OG Comp Version of the source code on my GitHub
uploaded the OG Comp Version on the IFArchive (processing)
Unless there are raised bugs, this game is also going into the SHELF!
As mentioned in last Sunday's check in, I've gotten the new draft from MelS. It's over 20k words...
So I'm back to editing the file, going through the text and leaving comments. I was about 1/4 through before the illness arrived.
And MelS is continuing making progress on the final chapter in the meantime.
We've also been discussing the future release(s) and potential need for rewrite of the first chapters. MelS style had changed a bit, and he is worried the first chapters are too drastically different from the later ones. We might even get a few beta readers before the final release...
In my plan for September, I mentioned La Petite Mort to be probably the next remaster project I tackle on, with a potential translation release for the EctoComp.
I checked with the rules: translations are considered new works. 🥳
So we are looking at an EctoComp deadline, which is in a month.
So this week, I've gone through the code and:
mapped out the new map of the game (which will include more rooms)
listed the characters/NPC (a few new ones)
listed the different mechanics to (re-)code (esp the inventory)
listed the endings available (currently about 7, 2 are early endings)
listed the beats and actions for each room (more animal petting!)
The plan is to, in order:
Correct the current French writing
Add the new content (in French - about double what there is rn)
Re-code the game (+ accessibility settings)
Upload the French Remaster
Translate the Game into English
Add the translation inside the code
Submit to the EctoComp (depending on how long this takes, maybe I can achieve the La Petite Mort category again :P)
I'll also need to:
update the itch page of the game (right now it's too bland)
update the intro post of the game
Unsure yet:
add sound effect and background music...
Most importantly, the game is rated PG and will stay PG. It has some horror-y element, but more of the Hocus Pocus/Terry Pratchett kind than say... Saw or any Halloween slasher.
I will be taking down the itch page of the game closer to the reupload to check everything is in order.
With the IFComp starting soon, expect review over at @manonamora-if-reviews. Last year I managed about 30 before I tapped out (and I had submitted something). Let's see how I do this year!
I would like to try to knock a InkJam + Bare-Boned Jam + EctoComp (mini) entry at the end of October, since the theme of the Ink Jam is revealed at the start of the jam (23rd). One stone, two three birds and all that.
And maybe revisit a short story I wrote when I was younger as a base... 🤔
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IF Events!!
October is filled with IF events, so this will be quite a list:
the voting period of the IFComp starts on October 1st until mid November. I think there are expecting over 50 games? I recommend waiting one-two days before voting, as there are often 1st day bug fixes (speaking from experience).
the Bare-Bones Jam organised by @neointeractives starts on October 1st and runs until the end of the month! It is unranked.
the EctoComp, the spooky IF ranked jam, starts on October 1st and ends on the 28th. There are two categories, and you can also submit in French or Spanish!
the InkJam is a 3-day ranked jam at the end of October, with a theme!
You'll be able to vote for the Spooktober entries in a few hours.
SeedComp! has started again, see @seedcomp-if (we've updated/cleared up some rules)
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The PLAN tm for October
Play and review more IF games: this one is kinda done before it started because of the IFComp. Also, someone submitted a few games. And there are a bunch on my To Play list both on the IFDB, itch, and the MOIKI Social Club.
finish the La Petite Mort remaster: I think I should be ok? The original LPM was done in 4h (in chunks over a week or so). I plan to essentially double the content, and fix coding issue. I don't really have to worry about the UI at all with this one.
either continue a WIP or fix another semi-completed game: that will be a check mark if MelS and I can make some good progress on the editing.
maybe try to add another block to the SugarCube Guide? I still have a list I could check down... Same with a template. It will heavily depend on the time I have.
(and maybe do an extra French entry for the EctoComp)
Taking the list of August...
To-Do not require much of new stuff:
translate Escape Goncharov! into French. ✅
fix the bugs in EDOC + overall the French version to match
fix the bugs of TRNT + find a way to add the missing pieces (mayyyybe translate into French?)
fix the formatting of DOL-OS + translate into English ✅
update LPM with the missing content + translate into English ✅ (ongoing)
The rest of the To-Do pile:
Finish The Rye in the Dark City (and maybe translate?)
Finish P-Rix - Space Trucker (and try to translate)
Finish Exquisite Cadaver (translation unlikely, current gameplay too complex to port for French)
Add a chapter to CRWL + fix/reopen the blog
Re-working TTTT to its originally planned state (lol, not likety)
Re-working SPS Iron Hammer (samesies)
Coding TTATEH (MelS dependent - shooting for end of year)
Emptying my inboxes
(I am pretty sure the focus for the rest of the year will be to finish the first list. With the addition of a few more small jam entries.)
And that about covers it!
#progress#update#checkin#dev log#dolos#ttateh#lpm#im sick as a dog#it's gotten worse#play my stuff to make me feel better?
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From one Jewish person and HP fan to another: What do you think of the Hogwarts Legacy controversy when it comes to the anti semitic accusations? For me, I have to bite my tongue and roll my eyes at the goblins issue because imo, goblins and antisemitism have been embedded within each other for literal centuries. I highly doubt that Rowling even thought about that when she was writing the books.
But there are other things that give me pause. Things like the symbol on the floor of Gringotts in the movies looking like the Star of David and the unsettling implications of the main plot of the video game do leave me doing a double take. Those are design choices from Warner Brothers and writing choices from the devs at Legacy Games, and I feel the latter in particular should be investigated.
At the same time, the whole thing makes me want to fold inside myself with agony because the this game is just truly wonderful eye candy for writers and roleplayers. I don't have the money to buy the game since I don't have the money for a PS5, but will I watch someone stream it so I can ogle the landscape? Probably.
What are your thoughts on the matter? If you've spoken about it and I haven't seen it, feel free to point me to where you have. If you don't feel comfortable talking about it, that's also ok.
P.S. If you haven't posted your AU with Sirius's son yet, I look forward to when you do :). It's rare for me to find Sirius's offspring AUs that don't have me rolling my eyes from cliches and bad writing, and what you've shown via tumblr so far is lovely.
I think the accusations are a bit... reaching. And, to be honest, I don't really see the accusations. Goblins have been a thing for centuries, long before Jews, and the goblins of folklore didn't really have an anti-Jewish bent until the days of racial antisemitism in the 19th century. Where European antisemites looked at goblins, twisted them to fit their own hatreds, and painted us as nasty little creatures as a way to dehumanize us. Goblins have been rooted in Scandinavian and Celtic folklore for centuries — magical beings not dissimilar from the Aos Si/Knockers. Depictions range from post-Christian type like Tolkien had, to sort of hobgoblin/brownies "helpful creatures" types.
But the goblins in HP look to be inspired by Germanic/Scandinavian goblins with an interest in mining, crafting, treasure. And JKR likely looked at how Tolkien wrote the dwarves (interest in mining, warriors, make really cool magical weapons) and imbued her goblins with that.
The star that you're talking about was in Australia House, and it was supposed to be a star representing the States of Australia. Is it unfortunate? Sure. But it's not a gotcha moment. It's an unfortunate coincidence.
If people want to condemn antisemitism, there's a fuckton of antisemitism to fight. Antisemitism on the right, on the left, not if some fucking goblin is secretly Jewish coded. Like how, only a few years ago, people rode in cars and trucks through the middle of a Jewish neighborhood in London shouting "fuck the Jews, rape their daughters!". Only last week, a man was arrested for shooting two Jewish men in Los Angeles (he has since be charged with federal hate crimes charges). The "Goyim Defense League" spread neo-Nazi propaganda across several states. Kanye inspired at least 30 antisemitic acts since October.
I want to play Hogwarts Legacy. I do. The only reason I'm not is because I don't have a system on which to play it (my current laptop is a MacBook Air and that's woefully unsuited to gaming). So I feel your pain, anon. I'm trying to save up to buy a good prebuilt gaming PC (or I might just try and build my own).
--
And thank you! I haven't posted my "Sirius has a son" fic, at least not yet. I want to get maybe a dozen or so chapters written and edited so all I have to do is just post it — plus my beta reader is busy with real life so I don't have anyone to review it. With my other two (now deleted) fanfics, I would publish a chapter and then spend time writing the next chapter in between a full-time job. That was just... putting me in a stressful situation so this time, I just want to have the chapter ready — just plop it into AO3, make whatever last minute edits, and then post.
And feel free to ask whatever you want about Blackborne (the "Sirius has a son" fic) and my other WBWL!Neville fic Living A Nightmare :)
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Palia controversies…
Oh boy….these past couple weeks have been a lot for Palia.
I’ve been following the Palia subreddit for a bit now and it was mostly empty until the closed beta released. Now EVERYONE has their opinion about the game and they are literally all over the place. Some hate it, some love it, some like it but have concerns. Some see it’s incredible potential but ultimately won’t play it.
Here’s MY two cents, and my opinion is still evolving on the whole thing.
Right now from what information I have, this is pretty much the game that the devs wanted to (or had to) make.
If it’s true that not much has changed since the first alpha 1-2 years ago, then either they ran out of money to implement more feedback, or they are about satisfied with the game and is just ignoring more feedback that they don’t want to implement.
Now, I think we need to keep giving feedback and don’t stop, because at least if we don’t hear anything back then that’s on the devs and not us.
For me personally, I like the game so far. It doesn’t seem like an MMO, but the last MMO I played would I guess be club penguin lol but that might not even qualify. But in any case, it’s not bad! I’m only a few real hours into the game so maybe that will change. There’s also the fact that I LIKE playing slowly, that I don’t like to grind hardcore for anything and everything in the game. I like playing at my own pace for 1-2 hours a couple times a week.
This isn’t an official review of Palia, but I’m just addressing the controversy surrounding it. There’s also the thing where the devs were lying about their prices for their cosmetic items, and how they silence everybody that disagrees with them.
I will say the devs way of communicating is not my favorite. I’m sure they’re amazing people. But they either reply to really dumb troll comments or they don’t reply at all, and it doesn’t seem to be consistent. Just make official statements on your website, make time to answer some questions on social media occasionally and leave it at that!
Im not going to spend any money until I know the devs can implement feedback and that the game WILL improve over time. I did say I like the game now but I can tell it might get old a little quickly. So I will keep at it for the next couple months and see what happens!
Edit: apparently they just released an update. I will say that they also need to give some free stuff away along with the cash shop updates.
Look at Disney Dreamlight Valley. Their devs actually listened to their fan base and made it easier to get free in-game currency so we don’t have to use real money as often. The Palia devs actually made it harder…
You can like a game and want it to be better. You can continue to play a problematic game. It’s my life, my opinions, my choices. Everyone’s different. People are allowed to be obsessed with the game just as they’re allowed to hate the game, and everything in between. And they’re allowed to voice those opinions on the internet. All these posts I’m seeing of people complaining or people trying to defend the game, shouldn’t be meant to sway people in a particular direction. I feel like most people made up their mind. The devs should be the ones dealing with it.
It sucks that I wanted to be part of a new gaming community but everyone is arguing, but there’s nothing I can do. I just suck it up and deal with it. I’ll wait it out until either something happens or I simply stop playing.
In the end, it’s a game. My life’s going to move forward to matter what I do with the game, and I have way more important things going on lol. See you for the official review.
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Random thoughts after finishing “Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger.”
1: Taylor and Albert are such cool looking characters. The art in this game is so good and I love how both the official art and the pixel art gives both of them so much personality. Taylor’s shocked face is the best thing; all they do is widen their eyes with this incredulous “is this really happening?” look on their face and it’s hilarious. Albert is amazing too; I saw his art and was instantly smitten ahaha. The music is very good too; there isn’t much of it, but it’s very atmospheric and catchy, and is used to very good effect. I love how the creepy guitar sound is implied to be diegetic; I wonder where it’s coming from? There are so many cool mysteries to solve and think about in this game!
2: It was SO HARD to purposely get the math problems wrong because Albert praising me for getting them right was such a huge ego boost adfshjkasasfdsa... thank you for making me feel smart, Albert.
3: The dread I felt during the “trust” task was so strong. I went through without opening my eyes the first time, but it was so hard to not do it and I was so scared that I’d get killed. For the final ending, when I had to open my eyes, I was so scared every time, and boy did I get freaked out for those last two sections. Albert giving the explanation that he “got really excited by my answers” was really funny though, as was Taylor’s nonchalance.
4: “I’ll have you know that I’m a qualified professional. I have a PhD in Marine Biology.” I laughed so much adsfkjha... even though this game was very scary, there were a lot of really fun moments that made me smile.
5: I loved the little dialogue changes and how Taylor gradually grew more and more aware and learned from the repeated runthroughs! The part that stood out most for me was the “cups and balls” game, where Albert switched what he called it between runthrough 1 and 2, and where Taylor immediately knew what the game was on runthrough 3.
6: I really loved the video in run 1, and the corrupted video in run 2 scared me so much. The video in run 3 was the best, though; after watching run 1 and 2′s videos, I was expecting something really scary. The dancing skeletons video was so different from what I expected that I wanted to laugh with relief, but I was afraid to because I thought something scary was going to happen! I could only laugh after the video was done. I love how it played with my expectations!
7: I love how mysterious and intriguing the world is! The story is small and self-contained, but there are so many hints at a bigger world. I want to know more about Albert’s college days, Taylor’s siblings, and who on earth William is and why he needs to be told to not put someone’s arm in the oven. This makes me really excited to play Vincent’s game and learn about him! I also really want to know more about Albert’s corporation and what they are really planning.
8: I love the true ending. It was really heartwarming. I really like how Taylor, in the end, was the true therapist. Albert may have been going through therapy tasks with Taylor, but Taylor was the one who listened to Albert, acknowledged his feelings, and dug a little beneath the surface to help him see what he truly needed to be happy. Even if Albert’s got some... nefarious tendencies, I really do want to see he and Taylor be friends, and it was really nice seeing him reach out to Vincent.
#64personal#therapy with dr. albert krueger#I might edit this a bit and leave it as a review for the devs#I absolutely loved this game#I'm so excited that there's more to that world#twdak#after I play vincent's game I might want to write something for twdak#I need more albert and taylor being awkward friends ugh...
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so, as we all know, the HEARTBEAT dev turned out to be like, huge transphobes. and as someone who had bought the game when it came out (and had been very excited), i felt kind of bummed out. and, after checking over the reviews and not seeing one, i decided to leave a review on my own
rather to the point, and maybe a bit blunt, but hey. nothing here is untrue!
anyway, i then went on my way, feeling rather happy with myself, because now, at the very least, if someone didn’t know about the Controversy, this might help them learn about it! nice
and then like, a few days later, i got some. comments
after the first influx of them, i was like. ‘well i can’t just let them think i’m crying about this’, edited my review to include this
and then went on my merry-way, occasionally laughing about the comments to my friends. and then today, my review got banned. (i got a comment letting me know this, which was very nice of the terf)
so, obviously i’m kinda suspect about this, and when i went looking in the rules, i didn’t really find anything i felt like i violated?
like, maybe the very first one, but considering the comments, i don’t really feel like that’s the case? lol? though, okay, fair if that is!
so i contacted steam
and am now waiting for their answer. stay tuned for whatever is gonna happen next
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Starting note, ubuntu users going back in time below. ""Please use x32bit for ubuntu and forks"" ""Can not stress this enough, for compatability issues"" ""Video, wine, and software repositories, older computers"" ""12.04 13.10 14.04 16.04"" Bunsen labs linux [Stretch debian fork from japan 2019] "Testing Beta" Bunsen labs linux [bl-Helium_amd64+build2.iso] Debian 9 Stretch "2018" Bunsen labs linux [bl-Hydrogen-amd64.iso] Debian 8 jessie "2019" (Version jessie of unsen labs unstable) Zorin OS [12 Ultimate edition; a ubuntu ireland fork 2018] Mageia Linux ver6 [Mageia is 2018 france redhat fork of mandriva] (Mandriva Linux Based on: Independent (forked from Red Hat) I hope mageia continues to update, it is getting better. Mangaka cho [Live-dvd "Testing" (Managaka is from austria europe, with multiple versions based on ubuntu, has multiple themes of anime flavors, One,Chu,Moe,Nyu,Koe,Mou,Cho (live)) Cho is good live distro, hopefully mangaka produces more in future, very fun version of ubuntu. FatDog Linux [Based on: LFS (formerly based on Puppy as usa fork] (Testing version 6/12/2016: is more applications and for x64bit ver puppy linux) Fat dog in current state would not say get yet, till gets more stable. Zorin OS Ver8 and Ver9 [2014-01-27 release] "Testing" (Unstable, good for testing) Zorin in 8 and 9 have crashing and glitches, not so great at moment, is comming along, a lot of these new forks are currently unstable. Mangaka koe is running ubuntu 14.04 "stable" I would suggest using with caution as it is a unstable fork in testing ubuntu, runs well at the begining, will crash if you do things you would normally do in ubuntu "Proceed with caution" as this is good for testing as many listed above. Visually is good OS from mangaka, fun, educational. Angel linux Ver3 [Angel is based on puppy linux] Not much to say, runs slim, speedy, as of testing have no problems so far, producer is on sourceforge. Commodore OS linux [Not much info; is a indie fork of ubuntu] (If you happen to search hard, far online threw search engines, you can locate and find commodore OS vision linux, it mostly a beta you burn to two dvds, one disc is needed for the OS. You will need a second disc for extra data files which are required to run commodore os properly. PS: you might want to try bittorrent will looking as well. Commodore os was a great OS wile it was up in the late 2000s in years, after writing this log, hope some this info helps.Linux lite [This is another attempt at ubuntu fork from newzealand] (This is a beta I tested 5/31/2014) Not much to say is lite version of ubuntu, made ver well in unstable at the moment as most of these forks of ubuntu comming out, like most forks, lite is no diffrent needs more time to develope or become stable. Speed "yes" Works "Yes" DaytoDay usable "Not yet" Give these forks time, lubuntu, peppermint, etc they need time for development . Somehow In the future 2020 and beyond, they will become good as for now it is 2014 . | | A lot of these operating systems above and below are no longer on distrowatch any longer (So please do not come looking to me as to where they (OS/devs) went today, i'd assume the projects are left off to die, or the developers got bored) | | Lubuntu 2014 [This is another fork of ubuntu ver 14.04] (Lubuntu is made with developers in taiwan ROC, and france europe, this one has been my most favorite ubuntu fork, been comming back on and on to it for a wile now, not much has chnaged with this one, just more bloated software has been injected into the interface, and revamped desktop changes, feel that they should have left lubuntu desktop alone, some of the software needs more to get it to run in the gaming and repository side of things, such as the PS1 emu. "Please bring back the speed" "That is what lubuntu was about" Meh!! moving on`````` #Rants Ubuntu studio [Version fork 13.10 of ubuntu] Ubuntu studio os well . . . Ubuntu this one is marketed as ubuntu with "The supposid more kick and apps" "Kick as in oomph, or push" Ehhhhh! . . . 13.10 versions of ubuntu was not its best days, even with studio ubuntu has its core problems, bugs, crashing, unstable, with this version of studio is no diffrent at the time. Giving the interface, and that it is studio I would say at the time is was good for testing like most on this time zone. Not much I can say except it was in fact made with more apps, programs, software already built into it. ""My sciore for this ubuntu is medium not so bad and not so good either"" Like most in the beginning of good ole forks, give it time to grow, stay with stable versions, if you figure out whiuch version of the fork it is. Lubuntu Ver 12.04 (Version 12.04 of lbuntu , ubuntu fork) Warning: Use x32bit only (For video and wine software) Warning: Use x32bit only (For video and wine software) Warning: Use x32bit only (For video and wine software) This version of lubuntu was my favorite of all the lubuntu betas why!? you may ask ? It was very GOOD! at the time of release. Yes there where crashes at the end use (Still scratching head on this one) ""I left a note: use for older computers"" why leave such a note!?because at this time version 12.04 lubuntu was the fastest ubuntu fork at this point and time, it indeed had lxde desktop injected, before being bloated with all the ubuntu full core at versions 14.04 and 16.04 in fact still keep a copy on DVD and ISO for ole machines. . . . My only fault with this version is it had strange random crashing bugs at random times, which would tick (Anger anyone with a brain"Good train of thought) Everything ran perfectly, speed, program, software, etc . . . ""I mean SUPER FAST SPEED!"" anyways this log is done. ""Test rating Very good Crash rating: AHHHHH! Not so good"" Use with caution after installing. Mageia linux [2013 version 3] Of all the betas to test on a red hat fork, at this time era, it was good visually, and thats about it, very buggy, programming failed very much on megia 3. Puppy linux [Puppy linux is a australian OS by barry] Puppy in general is programmed well for laptops, not so much desktops, what i mean by this is in the past they have had hardware compatability problems ((This is more for someone who wants light weight slapped on a laptop)) stopped testing around version 2012 on day 5 of may . The last version i tested 5/5/2012 slacko build Saluki linux [This a a fork of puppy linux for older computers made in USA] Sulukie ran on three releases that was it game over. (NOT!) Version three was made very well actually, best version of puppy linux i'v tried. Compatability wise anyways, no flaky compatability issues as most puppies have had in the past. I would suggest trying it out if you can find it. ""Test review: VERY GOOD"" ""Crashes: Only if you abuse the code"" ""Stability: good, till the end"" (Runs much as lubuntu 12.04 in that manor of stability) Knoppix [Ver 7.2.0 2013 ,Germany europe] Knoppix is now a live-DVD with a installer at this release but' oh boy ""BE shure to fork out MUCH! RAM!"" not much i can say other than the "BLOATED RAM ISSUES"" x64bit was the version I used, visually, graphically, yes it ran, very pretty effects, screen saver, the only part that took the piss out of me was the ram, holly hell man! Slower than sluge goo! Have also a copy of Ver:7.04 even then results are the same in testing in 2012. | | A lot of these operating systems above and below are no longer on distrowatch any longer (So please do not come looking to me as to where they (OS/devs) went today, i'd assume the projects are left off to die, or the developers got bored) || Artist-X Ver:1.5 [Opertating system from 2013 italy, for artists, is a fork of ubuntu] Testing this was fun, for most ubuntu forks at the time, this one topped ubuntu studio, it is loaded with many software programs up the the brim ""OF a neck choking"" there was that bloated ubuntu'ness in the visuallity again' "Ubuntu" they are harked for the fat, slow, bloating load times. The only fault was the internet it was not there at all. Has many visual editors, art editors, video, graphics, the whole nine yards, and a bag of cheese fries (Kidding) but seriously no internet!? and then after a few years of waiting, no more OS updates ? ? ? will artistX come back ? ? ? We hope your team dose ""For the love"" one of the best ubuntu forks without any doubt in creativity of a operating system fork. ((Please for that side note ""Internet MAN"" ""Put it in"")) Lubuntu vers: 12 and 13 [x64bit versions of ol' lubuntu] For the love of HELL! NO! the x64it versions of lubuntu 12./13./ are living compatability hells of a cutting board I repeat please run to the closet and lock it and just stay there, till it leaves. Jokes aside: yes it ran on x64bit am i making it bad for simply that no, it is not that lubuntu or lubuntu x64 bit versions where bad, it was just at thet time. The compatability issues where around, and holy-hell! where the compatability issues not taken whol heartedly or seriously. The videos played in blue, even with all the codecs installed. Software had multiple crashes, upgrade problems, compatabily issues , ""Please just hide your face in shame, in your hands, breath for few minutes"" ""AHHHH!"" ""HELP!"" not only this if you just got off the ban wagon from windows, wine was a rape fest, as even today on any ubuntu, the demand for backwards to x32bit wine even threw x64bit was a crashing hell spawn from the depths of coding terminals. Miko gnyo Linux [This is a fork from japan of ubuntu; not well known] Miko gnyo linux was around for short lived time, it is ubuntu slapped with japanese/english bi-lingual packages, has a quaint cute women drawn in a kimono dress. ((THAT IS ALL, NO SERIOUSLY THAT IS ALL)) it is ubuntu, and that is it, just install your language. DreamStudio Linux [This is a ubuntu for from canada] DreamStudio 12.04.3 was a short lived, ubuntu graphical fork, it was belted up to look as a midnight graphical visual front, had many ubuntu-studio forks inside the guts, have not tested it long, as it was not around very long, it had a dark personality in pretty purple-blue sort of way when you think of pretty-violet colours. Basically take ubuntu studio and slap the visual splash screen and effects, background for prettying up in a canadian fasion. ""Crahses: No"" ""Stability: good"" ""Ubuntu: Yes"" Greenie linux [Greenie linux slovakia europe, Ver:10Q] 2012 was the year tested this, it is yet, another ubuntu fork, at the time gnomeclassic. At the time worked with installer, after that, language, compatability was a task, not a nightmare, but a task, getting it to run. This version had many glitches with software and updates. Kahel linux [This is a philippines arch linux for attempt] Philippines is know for attempts of making stable linuxsin the past. Kahel linux (Arch linux port) ran with good installer, after the install, it would eith crash, or programs would simply hault the Operating system. Restarting Kahel linux simplay caved in, gave crashing. They (Kahel linux) might stsill have their facebook up, is only place to contact the team ? Not shure any more. ""At the time arch was not very good in porting"" ""Arch ports where known for flakeyness"" Anti-X linux [Ver 13.2 from greece europe] this is a debian fork for minimalists or as the english description on distrowatch noted. Tried anti-X with good intentions hoping for stability which it is in this beta, of fork forkery. ""Face palm"" I wish they had wifi or DSL internet as most forks back then, internet and wifi was till comming out to new linuxs. (My advice is to chase after a .DEB package and other .DEB packages before install or virtual box, mostly chase after ""WI-CD Wired and wireless network manager for Linux) Vine linux Ver:6.2 [Independent, Japan, i686, powerpc, x86_64] Vine linux is a japan OS with a stable, bilingual installer, you can choose full blown enlglish or japanese text writing. Is using a very ol' gnome desktop, (Before classic) with the visual feel and look of windows tamplets from 98-XP it is mostly for business amd office, has a V-chip in the early versions for web browser or kids. If your looking for NSFW type of OS and business i'd suggest vine linux. There has not been many updates on vine linux sense 2013 and is a great OS for the development time. Hope to see this one stay active and grow, flavor of linux is great for a japan only operating system. There is version 6.0 of vine linux, probably good for the laptop, or ol' machines is the most stable so far of vine linux, for minimalist or closed minds business. Puppy linux: ver:5.5 [A autralian OS by Barry] This version of puppy I found most compatable with the desktop, and internet of frisbee software. it is stable at times, and also not at times. Small, fast, after a few updates though, it seems to have major BUGS then the internet flops, gets goofy. All and all a good test and nothing more. WattOS: R7.5 [This is a economy minimalist fork strip of ubuntu] There was not much to test on watt-OS Ver:R7.5 because after install and update it imediatly crashed, however, will test more versions in the future (Sad really) Blag-Linux-OS 140 | Year 2012 [Blag-OS is a England,UK fork of fedora] Ver:140 had a ball with this one, loved the splash screen,it is another OS at the time without much internet compatability, from this version 140 it was spactacular fork. The visuals good, the software good, programs good, desktop interface. Hope to see BLAG continue or come back in the future, one of the good ones that was left alone in the dark for some time still. Free BSD Ver: 9.0 [Berkley software dis' Flying tosters] BSD 9.0 did not get it to run on computers in this log, as BSD is not compatable with many (Hardware, parts) computer in the beginning, wish it ran, had a interface at the time. Otakux linux [Otakux is a short lived malasian asia OS ubuntu fork] Otakux OS linux, ran as a anime port of ubuntu, it was before the mangaka untunu clones came to existance from austria europe. Runs fine, just as long as you do not update is much, because otakux will not update at all after the fist attempt. This version is version VER:2.Alpha of ubuntu 11.10 | You need to type in some bizzare code to install it | CODE: $ sudo ubiquity $ | ___________________ Now here is my first linux I tested ever below (No not ubuntu or arch) It was actually, Mandiva linux [2011 32 and 64 bit] Origin: France Architecture: i586, x86_64 Desktop: AfterStep, Blackbox, Fluxbox, GNOME, IceWM, KDE, LXDE, Openbox, WMaker, Xfce Category: Desktop, Live Medium, Server Status: Discontinued (defined) Popularity: Not ranked _ Mandriva was short lived, did not last long, with repositories from slow loading russia. Yes, strange, HUH!? french on the outside russian on the software inside (Wrap head around it for a good chuckle) _ Mandriva was a fork of redhat and like most redhats this one died, after mandriva death came ports of it, such as two french ports and a russian port. _ Russia port: ROSA OS Linux French port: Mageia linux French port2: OpenMandriva Branded LX today. (All three are the new, mandriva and mandrake)Hope this helps you finding mandriva future. _ As for redhat, look for a OS called cent-OS / or scientific-linux in 2019 and beyond years for as all five of these are free listed above. _ UPDATE FUTURE TESTS _ Still have some laftovers to test i'v not got around to. ""Small list below"" 1. Sorcerer linux 2013 2. Neptune linux (Deb fork) Ver:3.3 germany 3. Oz unity Ver 3.5 (Ubuntu fork) australia 4. Kanotix: Hell fire Ver: 2012 5. Open Mamba: Snake (Italy) 2012 6. Blank On Ver 8.0 from indonesia asia. _ Have some new updates I will list later in future logging 2019-2020 Thank you for reading, more soon. ~Alexander, florida, 2019
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(Hopefully) Finishing this situation
Alright, lies have been spread, people are being harassed; so hold my ducking iced tea!
This is what I have to say about what happened while I was sleeping. I'll try to cover everything I want to say in the most organized way I can.
First of all, regardless of what I think about Yomi's public answer, I don't think it was right to set it up as a "democracy" asking your followers to decide if you indeed should credit me or not.
It needs to be YOUR own decision, and you must take the responsability.
I don't want to review and comment on everything you said there unless I am forced to after this, which I'd rather not since I want this to end. I want to finish this whole ordeal, so yes, please to credit me, Riicu and the clothing blog.
To all of you guys who are still not sure if I designed Mira or not, I'm here to answer you, since Yomi DIDN'T provide a truthful answer to that, and now people seem to think that I simply copied an outfit, instead of doing creative work design.
To start this off, I wanted to answer this anon.
On the anon's first statement:
To answer you, anon, you clearly didn't read my previous post carefully, and you seem really annoyed and agitated, so let's examine it together calmly, shall we?
Also please be more courteous next time, as I never lacked respect to any of the people envolved in this.
In my last post, I said:
"I did those things in such a short amout of time, and even though it started fun, it progressively started kind of sucking my energy and I felt for the first time
what it was like to overwork myself.
(...)
And did I tell him it was tiring me? I didn’t have the guts to, until I left. I felt guilty if I took more than two days off because of the things he said.
(...)
He reffered to the things I did as “assignments”. He would tell me that “maybe you’re not up for the task” “Are you turning down an assignment?” if I showed myself a bit relunctant and now I realize how innapropriate those comments were…and how dumb I was to not step out sooner."
I did art for him, expecting help on my game. It was not supposed to be "free" art.
I didn't tell him sooner because of his comments, as I mentioned, since they made me uncomfortable and I was way too naíve. That's why I didn't stand up for myself sooner, I felt guilty if I wasn't capable of working with him, as he would throw those comments to my face.
I was manipulated, that's why I said " and how dumb I was to not step out sooner". It's up to each of you to decide if that was enough of a reason.
I DID tell him how I felt when I was leaving, so it wasn't through my post that he saw my feelings for the first time.
Now.
Concerning Mira... Lies have been spread, and I'm here to tell you guys the whole truth about it, since Yomi WASN'T truthful regarding this topic in his answer.
Yomi, you know lies have short legs.
First of all you denied, you swore with your feet together that you didn't acknowledge me as the designer of Mira, but would still credit me, since “ she did put up through all of the extremely pressuring work I’ve put her through “
And you did something so low...
Yomi, you convinced people that I straight up just copied the design of a random lolita outfit. Thanks to that, people are starting to think that I didn't do any creative work design, but that is a complete LIE. And I'm here to prove that and clean those dishes.
In your autoproclamed first "apology" you got quite a lot of comments, one of which caught my attention.
and your answer was
However you did not provide proof in your second “apology”, like you said you would so I did step in for you and asked you to edit the post
which, as I expected, Yomi didn't.
The shoes were based on this last one!
These are all the refferences I have on discord. Yomi did delete quite a few, but I DID a mix between them. I can't find them all, but I did find recently one on the lolita clothes blog that might have been probably the one that inspired the design the most:
[Link]
As you can see, the top part was inspired by this one outfit, but everything else is quite different, and I took all the creative liberty I could to design the rest of the outfit.
For example, I added poofy shorts, and the dress became a long shirt, and the shoes have stripped socks behind them, as well as the lovely choker that I always love to put in all my characters ahaha
The crown/halo was inspired by a character that Yomi had in a game, if I am not mistaken. You can see the refference for that in my previous post.
Though, now that I think about it, you really SHOULD credit, not only myself, but also Riicu, the original artist of the previous design. And perhaps this lolita clothes' blog too.
You're welcome, for me going to search for the refferences for you. Though perhaps you couldn't even find them because you deleted your account.
Still, I commented them on your post for you, and you pretended not to see it, so, what else can I say? A cheesy "how would you feel, as an artist, if you were in my place"?
It's up to you, reader, to see for yourself and take your oppinion on weather or not I made the design distinct enough. I think I did, and I personally love the design.
Artists should get all the help they can when it comes to exposure, just like every other creator. Not only that, but it’s also an amazing thing to add to a portfolio. I don't think you understand that Yomi, and honestly I'm not expecting you to, anymore. I lost all my hope I had for you to make the right decision the moment you straight up lied publicly and played victim.
If this doesn't prove that I designed Mira, along side with Riicu and with the assistance of this blog's amazing clothes, then I don't know what else to tell you guys.
That's what I wanted to clarify.
Now, last thing I want to mention, is about something that has been bugging me. I read nearly all the posts from everyone, so this part refferences a bit of everything that was said.
Okay...so
You, reading this. You read my post? You read all the other posts? From all the devs? And from Yomi? And from Lulluria?
I think you need to read absolutely everything to have a completely formed opinion on this whole mess. Check the comments, check the reblogs and read everything with plenty of attention before forming an opinion.
We all have different values, so it's completely understandable if people are divided. However, sending hate messages to people is NOT okay. No matter who you agree with.
Though, I'll still defend what I believe is right, just like Lulluria (by the way, I admire your art a ton! It saddens me that we are on opposite ends of the situation, and I personally don't think you should insult people so agressively,
since we are all trying to stay calm here. Just wanted to quickly address this.), the other devs, Yomi, and the people who have oppinions to share.
Please answer these in your mind: have I been rude to anyone, in any way, shape or form? If I did insult anyone, did I offer a plausible explanation for it? Have any of the other devs been rude to anyone? How many, from so many of the ones who spoke? Have Yomi or Lulluria been rude to anyone? Was there name calling involved in both parties?
If you've read my post, you can conclude I wasn't rude/bullying anyone. I openly expressed my reasoning, my goals with the post and said nothing but the truth.
Is is toxic to stand up for ourselves and hope to be credited and end such a cycle? That is up for you to decide.
A lot of us are being guilt tripped into believing this is all our fault. That we are ruining Yomi's "reputation". And honestly? Just check my first post. I clearly stated what I wasn't working towards.
Yomi is digging his own grave, in my point of view. We gave him the benefit of the doubt and we wanted him to do the right thing. That’s all we wanted. Now we want this to be over more than anything, and just like I take responsability for starting it out, I hope Yomi takes responsability for hiding behind Lulluria's words too.
I don't agree with the whole toxic story about the discord group, as I have mentioned before. But even if I did, it is not relevant to this discussion, since most of the devs affected aren't even active there, let alone a bunch that aren't even there.
We are not talking about a community only. We are talking about individual people.
I think that focusing on trashing a community doesn't help the argument, it even leads to missing the point, and leads to misconceptions about the individuals.
It doesn't help solve anything either. Finish, over, end. Though, It’s not like I am entitled to stop it.
Just because you had experiences in the past and got an impression of a group of people, it doesn't mean that all of the people that fit into that category are like that. It's just childish to keep that mindset.
And I speak from experience, as I used to hate girls in general when I was younger. But thankfully...I grew out of it and met amazing people.
This is also the first time I'm involved in some kind of drama, hopefully it will be the last too.
Alright, done.
With the best of intentions, I want credit for my work, which I can't understand why Yomi is denying himself to do it so hard. I've already proven more than once, that I designed it. It would also be super nice to credit Riicu and the lolita clothing blog!
I hope no more lies are spread, and for this to be over.
I think we all need a fresh breath of air, and to calm down.
Thank you so much for the attention and support.
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The above is Page 4 of the ongoing Trinity Continuum: Aberrant web comic You Are Not Alone that we started last week after a teasing build up of the cover. Long-time fans will recognize the character who comes together from vines and plant tendrils as Antaeus, who was one of the most powerful members of Team Tomorrow – at least in the first edition.
He may still be all that, or maybe not, but that’s why we’re doing the web comic as we are – to let everyone get acquainted with the world and characters of Trinity Continuum: Aberrant.
I have followed a few web comics these past few years (although right now I’m only following Stand Still, Stay Silent; a beautifully illustrated Scandinavian post-apocalyptic exploration epic – google it, it’s fantastic), and I think there’s a lot of value to them as a creator, so this very specific use as a lead-in to the new TC: Aberrant and its Kickstarter is really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we could do with the format.
For now though, we’re really interested in hearing how merging the sequential story with a sequential release set-up that will start to run at the same time as the Kickstarter will work for folks. We think the web comic format is excellent (especially with veteran writer Paul Jenkins nailing the feeling of the setting, and with the multi-talented Doug Stambaugh doing the art), but most importantly, do you?
Tell us what you think as the story develops – it doesn’t matter if you never checked out Aberrant before, or if you already know who Dr. Duke Rollo is – please let us know here or in the comments of the web comic!
And who knows? If this Trinity Continuum: Aberrant web-comic works out, maybe we’ll use the format to create more sequential storytelling projects – a new Exalted 3rd comic series of short comics like from 2nd Edition, or new “Tribebook style” werewolf comics, or something for Scion or Pugmire like nothing we’ve ever done before.
There are a lot of possibilities to explore!
V5 Chicago By Night art by Felipe Gaona
Now, you might have noticed that buried up there was a mention of the Trinity Continuum: Aberrant Kickstarter. It’s true, it’s going to start next week!
Just like our latest Kickstarters, we have the text completed, our Storypath experts (yes, we actually have some now that our creators have been able to pore over the Scion, Trinity Continuum, Dystopia Rising: Evolution, and They Came From Beneath the Sea! core books!) have reviewed and revised the rules sections, and we have a smattering of the art ready.
We’ll have amazing Reward Tiers: some with just the TC: Aberrant book, some with the Trinity Continuum Core book as well, and definitely the sorts of upper level rewards our backers just can’t get enough of! Plus lots of PDF packages that include first edition projects, and Stretch Goals for a staggering array of different sorts of added rewards – all themed to reflect and enhance that specific Aberrant take on the super-hero genre.
Aberrant, first edition, was both a labor of love and a nightmare of frenzied creation for me, personally, and for both those reasons I’m hugely excited about this new edition. As a very long-time comic book fan (I started collecting Marvel comics just as the cover price changed to 25 cents an issue, if you can believe that!) and a guy who did a graphic novel as his Masters Degree thesis, I was filled with ideas for how to bring a new look to comic book TTRPGs.
Not all of those visual ideas panned-out, some because we reached too far out of the TTRPG comfort zone, but most because in order to make them work we needed the original developer, the graphic designer (who also had designed the look for the Aeon books), and myself to all work together to take the writing into the different kinds of layouts and visuals needed that worked with both the Trinity series and the specifics of the comic book genre.
Unfortunately, both those other gentlemen left the project (and at least one of them left WW entirely for a while) before the book was finished.
M20 Book of the Fallen art by Oliver Specht
Basically, I had a pile of text to sub-divide as best I could into the sorts of sections that worked with the visuals. In comic book terms, I had the script and the art, but needed to combine them, but without the writer or original artist around to help tweak the two elements so they’d work together for maximum impact.
So I’d handle my Art Director and department head duties through most of the day, and then settle in and do the book layout (and coloring, and lettering, and logos, etc) into the night so that we’d get the book out on time. While I’d have really liked to make some alterations to the text, I just didn’t have the time to change it so much as to take the chunks and rearrange them.
That’s why I’m in the credits page as Art Director, and Ron Thompson is there for Layout – Ron was my White Wolf alias, and I used him when having my name in the credits too many times just looked like a bit too much me. To me, at least.
I tell you all that, so that I can tell you that this edition, Trinity Continuum: Aberrant, was not created that way at all. Or I should say, the love and excitement is still there, and not just from myself, but the creation process has been a full-team press of very dedicated creators.
From the early “big picture” talks between Impish Ian Watson and myself, to the continued “how are we going to do this?” conferences with me, Ian, Eddy Webb as Storypath games overseer, and Steve Kenson (who is THE guru of super-heroic TTRPGs) where we set up the details and changes to the setting, all the way through the confabs I had with Mirthful Mike Chaney as we picked through possible artists, this has been a fantastic team effort.
And we didn’t need to rush through any of the parts to get us here!
Finally, and in a totally different direction, here’s a teaser ad for ANOTHER cool thing happening next week in July. Keep an eye out on the Slarecian Vault community content page for a titanic (see what I did there) series of inter-connected releases that work together as an epic campaign!
And that’s it. So, so…
Many Worlds, One Path!
BLURBS!
Kickstarter!
Starting next week, on Tuesday July 2nd at 2pm EDT, the Trinity Continuum: Aberrant Kickstarter will blast its super-powered way into our lives!
ONYX PATH MEDIA
Onyx Pathcast art by Michael Gaydos
This Friday’s Onyx Pathcast features an in-depth discussion with Dixie, Eddy, and Matthew taking a long look at harassment – a difficult subject that affects gamers and creators alike: what it is and how to deal with it!: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/
And Here’s More Media About Our Worlds:
The Onyx Path News returns tomorrow with a live edition on our YouTube channel at 15:00 BST! Be there for talk of new releases and project updates, as well as our next Kickstarter!
Matthew Dawkins has been uploading all the games of ours he’s been running lately, and is coming to the conclusion of the Scarred Lands actual play he ran for Red Moon Roleplaying! Here are links to the next two episodes: https://youtu.be/wKuyrVRB1EY and https://youtu.be/KxZzkpDmV-c
Travis Legge’s Scarred Lands actual play also continues apace here with Myths & Matchmakers: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmiXCaSrrCIjmCJQQ7oLwLNahmDbdn_2J There are few people who know Scarred Lands like him!
Not leaving the Scarred Lands, we also have Devil’s Luck Gaming who continue their costumed actual play: https://www.twitch.tv/DEVILSLUCKGAMING
And it must be a Scarred Lands kind of a month, because Caffeinated Conquests continue to blunder through the Gauntlet of Spiragos here: https://youtu.be/ygamfg9yBak
Now venturing into the Chronicles of Darkness, we present Occultists Anonymous‘ latest episode of the Mage: The Awakening 2E chronicle they’re running (and they’ve been very impressed with Signs of Sorcery):
Episode 23: Giant Problems Songbird speaks with the Supernal being he has summoned, Wyrd makes an important phone call, and the cabal feels mighty defensive!
https://youtu.be/vjarpxda1Po
Episode 24: Nosey Neighbors Following the phone call to the cabal’s new “friend”, Atratus and Wyrd discuss and plan defenses, while Songbird goes to the gym to blow off some steam. Splitting the party…https://youtu.be/WBTzpXoNQnw
And swooping over to the world of Exalted, the Story Told Podcast continue their Dragon-Blooded actual play here: http://thestorytold.libsyn.com/fall-of-jiara-episode-8-a-journey-begins Eight episodes in and the adventure is really kicking off!
Roll the Role recently concluded their fantastic actual play of Trinity Continuum: Aeon, which is viewable on both their YouTube and Twitch channels, linked below:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvGGHFXrqTyBA2wSCCbJbRcm7XoZh_cVk
www.twitch.tv/rolltherole Please do give them your support!
And the Keeper of the Archive (a more ominous name than the Gentleman Gamer) has just started their breakdown of Scion Second Edition over on their channel, so check out part one! https://youtu.be/q2qUE0pJID4
Lots of Onyx Path content for you today!
Please check any of these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games!
ELECTRONIC GAMING
As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is awesome! (Seriously, you need to roll 100 dice for Exalted? This app has you covered.)
ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:
You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).
If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue from which you bought it. Reviews really, really help us get folks interested in our amazing fiction!
Our selection includes these fiction books:
OUR SALES PARTNERS:
We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire
We’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game
Now, we’ve added Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost
Scarred Lands (Pathfinder) books are also on sale at Studio2, and they have the 5e version, supplements, and dice as well!:
https://studio2publishing.com/collections/scarred-lands
Scion 2e books and other products are available now at Studio2: https://studio2publishing.com/blogs/new-releases/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin-now-available-at-your-local-retailer-or-online
Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/
And you can order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e at the same link! And NOW Scion Origin and Scion Hero are available to order!
On Sale This Week!
This Wednesday, we have two new creatures for Exalted 3rd‘s Hundred Devils Night Parade, as well as Dragon-Blooded digital wallpaper at DriveThruRPG, and Exalted Chibi style stickers at our RedBubble store!
CONVENTIONS!
Gen Con: August 1st – 4th
Save Against Fear: October 12th – 14th
GameHoleCon: October 31st – November 3rd
We’ll also be back at PAX Unplugged later this year!
And now, the new project status updates!
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):
First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)
M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
Geist 2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)
Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)
Trinity Continuum Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum Core)
Wraith20 Fiction Anthology (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)
One Foot in the Grave Jumpstart (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2e)
Dragon-Blooded Novella #2 (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Exigents (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Terra Firma (Trinity Continuum: Aeon) Titanomachy (Scion 2nd Edition)
Crucible of Legends (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Many-Faced Strangers – Lunars Companion (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks (Chronicles of Darkness)
Redlines
Monsters of the Deep (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)
Tales of Aquatic Terror (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)
Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)
Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)
Second Draft
Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)
Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)
City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)
TC: Aeon Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)
Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)
Development
WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)
Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)
M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
Creatures of the World Bestiary (Scion 2nd Edition)
Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)
Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)
Let the Streets Run Red (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
Cults of the Blood Gods (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
TC: Aeon Ready-Made Characters (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
Legendlore core book (Legendlore)
Manuscript Approval
Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)
Pirates of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)
Hunter: The Vigil 2e core (Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition)
Chicago Folio/Dossier (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)
Editing
Memento Mori: the GtSE 2e Companion (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)
Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)
Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)
Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)
Heroic Land Dwellers (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)
DR:E Threat Guide – Helnau’s Guide to Wasteland Beasties (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)
DR:E Jumpstart (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)
Post-Editing Development
M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)V5 Chicago By Night Screen (Vampire: The Masquerade)
CofD Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)
Witch-Queen of the Shadowed Citadel (Cavaliers of Mars)
Distant Worlds (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)
Scion Ready-Made Characters (Scion 2nd Edition)
Dark Eras 2 (Chronicles of Darkness)
Indexing
ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE!
In Art Direction
Contagion Chronicle
Dark Eras 2 – More finals in and going to WW for approval.
M20 Book of the Fallen
VtR Spilled Blood – Art from A and M in, waiting on the rest.
Trinity Continuum Aeon: Distant Worlds – Sketches coming in.
Trinity Continuum Aberrant – KS Sketches and finals coming in.
Hunter: The Vigil 2e
Ex3 Lunars
They Came From Beneath the Sea – Getting it going.
TCFBtS!: Heroic Land Dwellers
Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed
Ex3 Monthly Stuff
In Layout
V5: Chicago – Starting NPCs chapter…
Trinity Core
Trinity Aeon
CoM – Witch Queen of the Shadowed Citadel
Proofing
WtF Shunned by the Moon – 2nd proof.
DR: E – proof back from Eddy
Aeon Aexpansion
C20 Cup of Dreams – This week.
Ex 3 Monthlies – At WW for approval
At Press
Dragon Blooded – Deluxe shipping to Studio2.
Dragon-Blooded Cloth Map – Shipped to Studio2.
Dragon-Blooded Screen – Printing.
The Realm – PoD files uploaded.
Trinity Core Screen – Printing.
TC Aeon Screen – Printing.
C20 Player’s Guide – PoD proofs ordered.
Geist 2e – Need to input Errata.
Book of Oblivion – Putting in errata.
Trinity: In Media Res – PoD proofs ordered.
Scion Jumpstart – Gathering errata from Backer PDFs.
Scion Ready-Made Characters – Gathering errata from Backer PDFs.
Today’s Reason to Celebrate!
OK- so when I don’t have something specific to put here, I go to Wikipedia and look up the date and see who is born/died or any great events on this date. Today there was this:
637 – The Battle of Moira is fought between the High King of Ireland and the Kings of Ulster and Dál Riata. It is claimed to be the largest battle in the history of Ireland.
Now as is, this might be interesting particularly for Neall and the Scion community. Except I read it as the Battle of Moria, and for a minute I wanted to know which one, and was that the battle where Thorin got his Oakenshield appellation?
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Best Albums of 2018
BEST ALBUMS 2018
20. Noname: Room 25
19. Jeremih & Ty Dolla $ign: Mih-Ty
18. Tierra Whack: Whack World
17. Parks Burton: Pare
16. Oneohtrix Point Never: Age Of
15. Angelique Kidjo: Remain in Light
14. Shannon Shaw: Shannon in Nashville
13. Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs: Fetti
12. Ariana Grande: Sweetener
11. Vince Staples: FM!
10. DJ Koze: Knock Knock
9. Mariah Carey: Caution
8. Courtney Barnett: Tell Me How You Really Feel
7. The Carters: Everything is Love
6. Snail Mail: Lush
5. Shannon & the Clams: Onion
4. Teyana Taylor: K.T.S.E.
3. Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour
2. Blood Orange: Negro Swan
1. Dirty Projectors: Lamp Lit Prose
(Spotify playlist)
(Capsule reviews of Top 10 below)
10. DJ Koze: Knock Knock. The music writing trope of “a sounds like b + c” is as lazy as it is played, but sometimes you hear a record and those type of comparisons spring to mind, like when I first heard Saint Pepsi’s Hit Vibes and instantly thought of J Dilla making a disco record. That was also my response to Knock Knock, which sounds like the Avalanches making a more patient update of Since I Left You for 2018 ears. The record is long and lush, and draws from roughly nine billion different aesthetics, but its particular mélange still manages to sound fresh. As with SILY, the album is best experienced as a complete piece of music (though several tracks, such as “Lord Knows” and “Scratch That” would sound great in a mix or DJ set). Knock Knock takes the listener through ambling pathways that wrap around and revisit each other, like an evening stroll through the spacious Joshua Tree National Park depicted on its cover. It’s nearly a two-hour journey, but it’s well worth the price of admission.
9. Mariah Carey: Caution. Mariah got a dirty mouth and I’m here for it. As mother, a twice-divorcée, a woman nearing 50, her work and her image are all her own; if she wants to include the word “fuck” in a bunch of songs on her new album (“GTFO,” “With You,” “The Distance”), then who the fuck are we to tell her no? It’s a refreshing twist from someone whose public persona is often so curated, but I’m burying the lede. The real story here is that Caution is a batch of excellent R&B songs from one of the genre’s all-time greats. It’s not overwrought – by contrast, the album’s sultry blue cover art is indicative of the moods within. The Ty Dolla $ign-featuring “The Distance” is laid extremely deep in the cut, assisted by some subtle production from Poo Bear, Lido and—holy shit, Skrillex? Yup, and like Mariah herself, everyone involved uses an even hand and measured patience to let each song breathe.
A personal highlight for me is “A No No,” which flips the Lil Kim/Lil Cease classic “Crush On You” on its head. Here, where Biggie intones “he’s a slut, he’s a hoe, he’s a freak/got a different girl every day of the week,” there is no irony intended. She gauges her suitors’ intent and responds simply: “that’s a no-no.” In fact, the word “no” accounts for easily half the song’s lyrics, but it’s still a blast on subsequent listens. But don’t get it twisted – highlights abound herein, from aforementioned singles “GTFO” and “The Distance” to the thoughtful, expansive, Dev Hynes-helmed “Giving Me Life,” which begins as a downtempo club hit and morphs into a surrealist dream. Mariah Carey is one of the artists who’s been in my life the longest – I’m so happy she’s still killing it.
8. Courtney Barnett: Tell Me How You Really Feel. Courtney Barnett is what I was raised to believe an indie rock star should be: an unassuming, smart slacker with regular clothes and the ability to unleash earthbound poetry and atmosphere-puncturing solos with equal aplomb. That effortless cool permeates every facet of her work, from her casual half-singing style to her loose but proficient playing, a mighty guitar god in the body of a humble 31-year-old. (That she recorded a collaborative record with renowned cool guy Kurt Vile should surprise no-one.) But what’s really striking about Barnett’s work is her wryly observant lyrics; whether she’s describing the banalities of urban life (“City Looks Pretty”) or eviscerating toxic masculinity (“Nameless, Faceless”), her keen eye and incisive wit pervade every line. Tell Me is the sound of a strong artist getting stronger.
7. The Carters: Everything is Love. I often say that as I get older, my favorite elements of songwriting are editing and restraint. That’s why I tend to hate double albums and love EPs. I just believe that most double albums would be better if distilled down to one really strong record. EPs, on the other hand, leave the listener wanting more. Such is the case with Everything is Love, which reads like a Beyonce trap record with a number of guest verses from Jay. Regardless of speculation on who did the lion’s share of the writing on the record, both are in top form. Bey’s signature vocal virtuosity is on display as ever, but the real delight is in her capable delivery as a rapper. She glides effortlessly through triplets like “Poppin, I’m poppin, my bitches are poppin, we go to the dealer and cop it all.” Big Sean could never. Meanwhile, Jay turns in a few of my favorite bars of the year (and also a very slick Drake diss) on “Boss:”
“You not a boss, you got a boss. N*ggas gettin’ jerked, that shit hurts, I take it personaly. N*ggas’d rather work for the man than to work for me. Just so they can pretend they on my level, that shit is irkin’ to me. Pride always goeth before the fall, almost certainly. It’s disturbing what I gross. Survey says: you not even close. Everybody’s bosses till the time to pay for the office, till them invoices separate the men from the boys. Over here we measure success by how many people successful next to you. Here, we say you broke if everybody is broke except for you. BAWSE.”
I don’t know if they intend to release more records as The Carters, but Everything is Love is a fun, successful experiment.
6. Snail Mail: Lush. There’s no reason for a debut LP to be this good. The record, from solo project-turnt-band of 19-year-old Lindsay Jordan is focused, clever, and sophisticated. Every component of these songs appears exactly as it should. Jordan’s songwriting is clean and incisive (“I hope whoever it is holds their breath around you/’cause I know I did,” she sings on album standout “Heat Wave”). The arrangements are smartly simple; seldom do they deviate from the four-person rock lineup, so the embellishments that are included (the French horn on “Deep Sea,” the layered keys on “Speaking Terms”) really leap out. The playing throughout is lovely, with Jordan’s beautiful guitar technique front and center (the finger-picking on “Let’s Find an Out” is a particular delight). Everything in its right place – only where Radiohead’s inward gaze can be mopey and self-indulgent, the core strength of Lush is its efficiency. There’s no filler here – just the exact amount of support that each piece requires. The drumming feels especially strong in this regard – there’s an economic directness in Ray Brown’s playing that prioritizes the backbeat over everything, including his ego. The fills that he does include are modest and workmanlike.
It’s right that the record would be released by Matador, because these songs are drenched in the influences of the 90s slacker rock of Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney and Sebadoh. And as with each of those bands, Snail Mail’s songs are buoyed by excellent lyrics. Jordan doesn’t just sound wise beyond her years, she actually seems to have lived more in her 19 years than many folks twice her age. There’s a subtext of sobriety in some of the songs (“It just feels like the same party every weekend, doesn’t it?” on “Pristine,” or “I’m so tired of moving on/spending every weekend so far gone” on “Heat Wave”). Perhaps the self-reflection that’s required in recovery has helped to distill her worldview.
And look, I don’t mean to be patronizing here – this album would be a major achievement from any person of any age. But to hear an artistic vision this crystal clear and laser-focused from a 19-year-old is something truly special. I can’t wait to hear what she does next.
5. Shannon & the Clams: Onion. Upon first listen, Onion struck me as the best record the Clams have released to date. Now, admittedly, I’m a sucker for keyboards, and the inclusion of organist Will Sprott is pure Patrick-bait. But beyond my own tastes, the organ both fills out and anchors the Clams’ garage doo-wop sound. There’s a welcome succinctness to Onion: the songwriting is tight, the guitar playing is melodic and utilitarian, and the vocal performances from both Cody and Shannon are more technically refined than in any of their previous outings. One wonders if Shannon’s work on her own solo album (the very good, Dan Auerbach-produced Shannon in Nashville, which also came out this year) pushed her to improve her technique. And don’t get it fucked up – this is still a Clams record. It’s still shaggy and loud and rambunctious – but they’ve worked hard to reign in their wildest tendencies. Some might say that it’s layered, just like-- *an oversized cane hooks around my throat and drags me offstage* ….Well…..let’s just say it’s good.
4. Teyana Taylor: KTSE. Of all the seven-song mini-albums Kanye produced in Wyoming this year, KTSE is both the best and the least talked-about. She arrives seemingly out of the blue, a fully-formed artist who knows her strengths exactly. She has bars when she feels like spitting them, a beautiful husky alto when she feels like crooning, and a profound connection to multiple styles of club music that’s borne of her history as a dancer. It’s become a bit trendy to nod to vogue & ballroom culture in the last few years, but while Drake’s Big Freedia feature on “Nice for What” feels a little forced, Taylor can walk it like she talks it. A dancer by trade, her comfort in the ballroom is palpable.
Ye keeps it simple, remaining comfortably in his wheelhouse and flipping excellent soul samples such as Billy Stewart’s “I Do Love You” (which he repurposes into a nostalgic 4/4 slapper on “Hold On”) and The Stylistics’ “Because I Love You, Girl” (which he expands into a melancholy mediation on the horn section of the original). It’s a welcome return to form.
3. Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour. In her SNL performance earlier this year, Kacey Musgraves appeared as a flat-ironed, longhair disco queen. As she slayed Golden Hour’s catchy lead single “High Horse,” I was reminded of Dolly Parton. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Dolly’s mid-70s and early-80s catalogue this past year, having purchased vinyl copies of All I Can Do, New Harvest…First Gathering, and Dolly, Dolly, Dolly. Parton is one of those artists whose discographies are so gigantic as to seem practically impenetrable, so I’ve been trying to hear as much as I can. Dolly, Dolly, Dolly is an especially interesting entry: released in 1980, it was her 23rd album, and it represents a pretty clear swing for crossover success. A handful of the tracks are straight-up disco, and these are what Musgraves called to mind. I was thrilled – Dolly’s disco experiments were widely panned, but I think there’s a lot of good there, maybe Golden Hour would be an attempt to vindicate Parton’s vision?
Unfortunately or not, I was incorrect. In total, Golden Hour bears more resemblance to Dolly’s friend & frequent collaborator Emmylou Harris (Kacey’s hair should’ve tipped me off, SMH). It’s a beautiful, understated, and thoughtful set of songs that could fit as well on a folk radio station as a country one. Like Harris, Musgraves has an innate sense of how to let a great song be great, hanging back in both arrangement and vocal performance. She’s emotive when she needs to be (“Rainbow”), and contemplative as needed (“Golden Hour”), always letting her writing breathe. Also, she has the confidence to bury the lead single so deep on Side B that you almost forget it’s there (and are thrilled when it is). As a person who prefers the full album experience to that of a shuffled playlist, this is one of my very favorite tricks.
Quite simply: great songs + great arrangements = a surprising list-topper for me.
2. Blood Orange: Negro Swan. For years, the roles of sexuality and gender in black identity have been foci of Dev Hynes’ work as Blood Orange. He spent time with drag queens and sex workers while writing his debut album Coastal Grooves, and has often cited transgender icon Octavia St. Laurent as one of his primary influences. But while these interests have colored his previous albums, on Negro Swan they’re the bedrock. In a press release preceding the album, Hynes described the album as “an exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color. A reach back into childhood and modern traumas, and the things we do to get through it all. The underlying thread through each piece on the album is the idea of hope, and the lights we can try to turn on within ourselves with a hopefully positive outcome of helping others out of their darkness.”
These ideas are fundamental to the songwriting, and they’re reinforced by snippets of conversations with Janet Mock and Kai the Black Angel (who adorns the cover in a durag and angel wings) peppered throughout the album’s 49 minutes. On “Family,” Mock defines community as “the spaces where you don’t have to shrink yourself, where you don’t have to pretend or to perform, you can fully show up and be vulnerable in silence, completely empty, and that’s completely enough.” That search for community, the desire to be seen and loved and supported as your whole self informs each of these beautiful songs. Already a competent producer, Hynes continues to grow, selecting beautiful flourishes like the jangly, perfectly out-of-tune guitar on “Charcoal Baby” or the soft, echoing snare drum on “Dagenham Dream” to characterize the thematic content of each piece. Negro Swan is a powerful and complete work of art. It sounds like he’s finally found some answers to the questions he’s been asking.
1. Dirty Projectors: Lamp Lit Prose. On Lamp Lit Prose, David Longstreth appears to be having more fun making music than he has in years, probably because almost 100% of his band has turned over (kudos to longtime bassist Nat Baldwin, whose playing tethers him to his own beginnings). Beyond the new Projectors themselves, Longstreth spent the months during the writing of the album making new friends in the LA music scene, and bringing them around the studio to record various parts. Members of Haim contribute to album standout “That’s a Lifestyle,” Syd (of The Internet) anchors the refrain in “Right Now,” and Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold and Vampire Weekend alumnus Rostam Batmanglij stack harmonies onto the swirling ballad “You’re The One.”
I see LLP as the second half of a diptych begun by the self-titled Dirty Projectors, released last year. While that record wallowed in the pain of a broken relationship with former Projector Amber Coffman, LLP reveals a healed and newly in love protagonist. Both records feature David Longstreth at his most vocally competent: he’s now able to truly execute the melismatic R&B runs he lovingly wrote and charmingly attempted in his earliest work, his diaphragm now supports his every leap and bound, and his croon is sweeter than ever before. But furthermore, both albums expand on ideas that have popped up throughout his illustrious and impressive body of work. Whether he’s reviving the Rise Above era blasts of noisy guitars on “Zombie Conqueror” or revisiting the orchestral ambitions of The Getty Address on the stunningly soulful “I Wanna Feel It All,” Longstreth sounds like a worker with a complete toolbox and a detailed blueprint. He’s been working at honing his craft for years.
I saw the Projectors in June, at a time when only “Break-Thru” and “That’s a Lifestyle” had leaked. I didn’t know what to expect, being among the seemingly small minority of fans who liked their previous record. But their set was staggering. Flanked by his group of mostly-new faces, Longstreth was bouncing all over the place, proudly showcasing each instrumentalist & vocalist (seemingly everyone had at least one moment in the spotlight), visibly excited about playing with this group of people. And that makes sense: LLP is Longstreth relishing the fundamental glee of musical collaboration. The joy is positively bubbling over in tracks like “Right Now,” “I Feel Energy,” and “I Found it in You.” To see him play these songs live is to wonder if he’s talking about the act of musicmaking itself when he sings: “Ask now, I’m in love for the first time ever.”
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Unsubscribe
Sometimes I struggle with unsubscribing from a channel on Youtube.
The faulty logic is something like this: I think their content is good, therefore I should be subscribed to it.
The reality is I should only subscribe to a channel if I think it’ll be useful to have their content appearing in my subscriptions feed. That is a VERY different thing.
Recently I’m going through and culling a lot of shows. Looking at a few, and the logic:
Sarah Z: I like Sarah as a person and as a content creator. I think her takes are accurate and her videos are well-researched, well-produced, and insightful. Unfortunately most of her stuff of late is about some form of fan drama. And while it’s cool to look at cultural impact of things, and I think she’s fairly respectful of these communities, it’s more just...I don’t need that drama in my life.
Mother’s Basement: This is one of the hardest to drop. These are beautifully edited and deeply knowledgeable videos about anime, which is of course one of my favorite topics. It’s just that 9 times out of 10 the videos are extraordinarily well-made shitposts, and he produces at a sufficient pace that another 10-minute funny shitpost every couple days will really start to add up to a lot of lost time.
If I weren’t culling entertainment shows because I want to stop treating Youtube as an entertainment site in general, I probably wouldn’t be getting rid of MB.
Noah Caldwell-Gervais: Slightly easier to drop but still kind of rough. Noah’s games journalism is top-tier and he writes about things he really cares about and has obviously thought through for a long time. What it comes down to is a (time : game dev insights) ratio. He’s got good insights, but his videos are upwards of 3 hours long and that’s just too big a commitment.
Penny Arcade TV: I put this on my subscriptions because I thought I was going to binge C Team and catch up to now and continue watching it live. That didn’t happen, C Team has now ended as a show, and also PATV has a bunch of other videos they put out that hold no interest for me and thus are just subscription-page clutter. Easy drop.
Patrick (H) Willems: They’re neat video essays about movies. If you want cool movie insights or care about weird stuff behind the scenes of films you might have seen? It’s pretty good. Right now that’s not what feeds me. (Also, a personal taste thing; I’m not a fan of sketches in the midst of film reviews, and that’s a stylistic thing he’s been leaning into more and more)
Lord Ravenscraft: Again, a review channel.
This is a general theme of this culling. I think part of the issue that led to this culling is just that I noticed that I spent more hours a week consuming thoughtful opinions about media than I did consuming media. And I feel like maybe experiencing more art for myself would be better for me than listening to experts tell me what to think of a thing I’ve never seen.
MFPallytime: This hurts not because the channel is good content - which it is - but because the dude is so cool. I like Walter aka Pally, and the parasocial feeling of Youtube makes it so this feels like if I were taking an acquaintance out of my friends list in FB. That weird sense of “Is he going to hate me now?” No, he won’t, he doesn’t know who I am. But it feels that way. It feels like cutting off a friend. But his channel is all him playing video games and - again with the “primary sources” thing, if I’ve got that kind of time I should either play video games or, if I don’t have energy for that, watch shows or read a book. Or take a nap, or a walk!
Markiplier: And another one.
Game Grumps: And another one.
For the sake of positivity, let me mention some of the things that I’m keeping and why!
WeskAlber: This is one of the best sets of guides to FFXIV that exists. As new patches come out that change how the numbers work he updates them. I play FFXIV. Also he doesn’t update super often, so he’s not clogging my feed.
Gaijin Hunter, SDShepard: Similarly, really useful guides if you play Monster Hunter games. I do. Gaijin Hunter has a few more opinion pieces that I don’t care about but they aren’t quite frequent enough to warrant unsubscribing.
Jess Jackdaw: Process porn of an excellent artist creating original works on the fly - “What if we crossed a silver dragon from D&D with the pokemon Absol?” or “What if we drew a displacer beast in the art style of Katamari Damacy?”
Like, my complaint with a lot of the “watching someone playing a video game” stuff is that there’s some better way of injecting this media into my life. Not so, here. Jess’ channel is an absolutely original experience and leaves me feeling inspired for my own D&D games and my game development work.
Sharp Accent, Blackthornprod, Infallible Code, quill18creates, Coding with Unity, Jason Weimann: These are all purely for educational purposes, and by and large they’re pretty decent at it.
GMTK, Errant Signal, Extra Credits, Design Doc: These are a little more edutainment and theoretical, but I find enough insights into good game design (and they’re short enough relative to the number of insights gleaned) that they get to stick around.
Matthew Colville, Dungeon Craft, Zee Bashew: Useful insights for anyone who wants to run a D&D game. Sometimes rules, sometimes variants, sometimes opinions on why a rule should be houseruled away. I don’t always agree but the talks do get me thinking and I think they help make me a better dungeon master. Also when Zee does sketch comedy in the middle of his education/opinion bits it���s an original animated short, so that always gets a pass.
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Weekly Update
Nothing to report.
I had a big ol’ ripper of a rant, but it was pretty much everything I’d already said in therapy. Y’all don’t gotta take that on. So I’m gonna let it lie where it ought- with a professional.
I’ll just say I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. I miss everyone a lot and I hope we can game together soon.
Video Games
Holy smokes did I play some games or did I play some GAMES. (I played some games). Gonna do my best to recap everything I did below.
Crusader Kings 3 (PC)
Crusader Kings 3 is a grand strategy game about facilitating a royal line in the medieval world and leading it to ever greater heights of fame and power. Eventually, you’ll see your humble bloodline climb to the highest echelons of the lite.
Crusader Kings 3 is a grand strategy game about overseeing a perpetual house fire of family turmoil in the medieval world and watching over the course of hours and days as it burns itself straight to the ground.
Both of these things are equally true. And shockingly, both are equally fun.
I played about 30 hours of this game over Thanksgiving break. And although my first royal family was more of the house fire variety, I can’t deny that my experience was memorable and deeply enjoyable.
In Crusader Kings 3 you play as a king- not a kingdom, but the actual ruler. You have stats and abilities and traits, and the decisions you make throughout your reign affect them in dramatic ways. You also oversee an entire family of individuals who you can similarly affect with your actions.
While the game itself also has traditional strategy concepts such as war and economy, the real meat and bones are in the simply click to choose narrative bubbles that pop up throughout your playthrough. Will you attend the ball, or slink away into the night? Will you charge the rampart or let your knights serve as your shield? Will you marry the unskilled heir of a powerful ally, or commoner with the brilliant stewardship abilities? Every decision ensures that your playthrough will be nothing like anyone else’s.
It is a complex and robust system, demanding you take on an encyclopedia’s worth of terms and vocabulary to fully understand what is happening. Everything- and I mean EVERYTHING- has a stat modifier attached to it. War is unforgiving and often devastating, and economic buildup is fragile and requires immense patience. This is a slow experience, to be sure, one that makes games like Civ or even Endless Space seem lightning paced in comparison.
There aren’t many folks I could recommend this game to. The few I know who have tried it have given up after a couple hours, discouraged by the obtuse volume of systems and intricacies that I won’t even pretend to have a full grasp of as of this writing.
But what I will say is that it is rare for a strategy game to be so accepting of ignorance and mistakes- and if you’re willing to give Crusader Kings 3 the time to open up, it will reward you.
My first king after the starter king died at 33, half-insane, wounded and tortured to death after an ill-fated war against a neighboring county who happened to be best buds with the King of England- a much, much stronger kingdom than I. But I kept going, and by the time I’d hit the 5th and 6th kings in my succession, my rulers were regularly living well past 55 years of age, occasionally winning wars, but more importantly, staying out of unnecessary ones, and making plenty of gold for kingdom improvements.
Granted, this all came crashing down after an opportunistic neighbor declared war on me as I was in the midst of my own expansion. They captured an incredibly valuable county from me, and my kingdom never recovered. I watched as my territory disappeared claim by claim until at last my army of less than 100 was wiped out, my last city captured, and my bloodline swiftly ended via jailing and executions.
But...it was a thrilling end to over 200 years of royal drama, and I was immediately plotting how I’d do better next game.
Hitman 2 (PS4)
So when I said I played some GAMES, I mostly meant I got deep into a couple of games that require a lot of investment and focus. I’ve put in over 150 hours with Hitman 1 and 2 combined. I maxed out the mastery level of every mission in the first game- twice, so I could unlock the old equipment for the new game- and have been working my way through total mastery on the second game ever since.
If someone were to ask me what I think the best game of the PS4/XBONE gen is, I’d say, without hesitation, Hitman. It’s rare to find a game that is so rewarding of your time, so dedicated to presenting you with a thoughtful and clever world as this. Every level is a perfect puzzle. Every solution is both humorous and karmic and deeply satisfying. The rewards are many and you earn them often enough to keep you coming back. There are more side-contracts than I could ever possibly play. There’s even a co-op mode that I haven’t touched, not to mention the custom contracts. There’s even more than that, but if I go on I’ll start to sound like a back of box summary.
I finally finished the Isle of Sgail this week. A massive, sprawling castle with multiple layers of security and triggered events, it took FOREVER to learn. In fact, it was so massive that I gave up on it several times before finally resolving to finish it.
Now, I’m a deeply obsessive Hitman player. I don’t move on from a level until I’ve maxed out its mastery rating and unlocked all of its items for my inventory. But had I not wanted to do that? I could have moved forward at any time. And that’s the joy of Hitman. It doesn’t force you to stick around longer than you’d want to. If you want to play every single hit the same way, you can! If you want to just walk into every single level, shoot your target in the head, and leave- it might be a bit tricky, but it isn’t impossible, and you could do that and conceivably play every single level in the course of maybe a week.
But if you want to take your time and really memorize these brilliant layouts over the course of weeks, months, or in my case- years? You can do that too. Either way can be the right way to enjoy Hitman.
I’m guessing these games will go on sale a few more times before 3 drops. If you can pick up 2′s premium edition, which includes 1, I’d highly recommend it. It is rare that you will find a title with so much pure single player content. Years worth, if you want it.
Depending on how the devs handle inventory and progress crossover for 3, I’ll have a big decision to make on what console I choose to play. I couldn’t care less where the story is going, but then, has anyone ever? These games have been an absolute joy to play, and that’s what matters.
Also...a Bond game from the same devs?
Sign me up!
Link’s Awakening (Switch)
I always told myself I’d never pay full price for this. Because Nintendo’s gonna Nintendo, I had to wait a full year before I could catch any sort of break on this price.
Eventually picked up Link’s Awakening and so far it’s pretty much been exactly what I expected. My muscle memory carried me through 2 dungeons in less than 90 minutes. The visuals were gorgeous, the music delightful, and my continual nostalgic recall at times overwhelming. This really is the same game we all played on our Gameboys, brought back to life for a new gen.
There’s nothing new here to go over. However, if you have a child or a partner who didn’t grow up with this? I’d recommend picking it up for them. Link’s Awakening has always been one of the least intimidating and most accessible Zelda games out there, and this reboot (or remaster? idk!) is an absolute charmer.
Premium Bowling (Oculus Quest 2)
So it’s come to this. Bowling. The more things have changed since the Wii, the more they stay the same. Bowling is still the most satisfying motion activity you can do, it seems.
Premium Bowling is exactly what it sounds like- a game about bowling. You have a few different alleys to choose and no shortage of pin set ups. The added ability to track not just your hand motions but your steps is really cool- and I like to hope my actual bowling form has improved as I play this. I get a good light workout in and the ball and pins tend to behave the way I feel like they should.
Not much else to say here. The price tag is a bit steep for a bowling experience, but far as I can tell this seems to be the main, if not only, one out there, and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, even as I have to admit the announcer bugs the daylights out of me.
Anime
Folks- I did the damn thing. I got out there and I watched some anime! FINALLY.
I don’t know what I keep avoiding this stuff. There are so many good and interesting stories out there at my fingertips, and I just keep ignoring them to go watch wrestling or bet on Spriteclub. It’s awful!
Well, no more. This week, I got to catch up on some stories. Here’s what I got so far.
Note: For titles I haven’t written about previously, I’ll provide a short summary. For others, not so much. For my more critical thoughts- my experiences are my own and not a judgement of others. Maybe you loved one series or hated another. That’s totally fine! Everyone should love what they love without reservation. As always, I love hearing about what you love. If you think I missed something, or just want to share something about your experience that really made an anime click? Hit me up!
Also, I am ALWAYS taking recommendations- and I will almost always follow up if I give something you send my way a shot :)
Fire Force
Fire Force’s season 2 is finally, after what feels like an eternity, winding down. It’s still a gorgeous show and certainly one of the most on-brand shonen out there. It’s also, for me, one of the most uneven.
Season 2 has been all over the damn place this year, introducing countless characters and following no small number of random threads before finally coming back to Shinra and the 8th’s mission to determine the cause of human combustion.
The past couple of eps in particular have been brutal, with actual character death and mutilation taking a front seat- things I was not necessarily expecting from a fairly gung-ho shonen.
I still enjoy the world that Fire Force has built. It’s an undeniably cool aesthetic. I’ll be curious to see what, if any, cliff-hangers the writers leave us as the heroes close in on the evil Evangelist.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Speaking of shonens, this particular title about a possessed teenager with a death sentence has really come into its own in its first season. Its lore is absolutely lovely, and the more I learn about curses and those who hunt them, the more I want to know.
I’ll spare the rundown on what this show’s about- I’ve gone over it in previous blogs. Suffice to say those who are after a more mature shonen with a darker plot will dig this one a lot.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
A young adventurer named Bell becomes an adventurer- not to kill monsters or earn glory, but to find true love. Eventually, he finds it, but not in the way he expects. After getting cornered by a monster way above his level, he is rescued by a beautiful warrior named Ais. The story follows Bell’s quest to get stronger so that he can impress Ais- and stand with confidence amongst other adventurers.
Only watched the first ep of this. It was charming, well animated. I hear it’s picked up a lot of steam in its third season. I don’t know that I can say the hook really grabbed me, but it’s a very cute show.
One-Punch Man
Saitama has a problem- he’s trained so hard that he’s now TOO strong, and can finish every fight with just one punch. He’s now bored and despondent, as the hobby he took up for fun now lacks the spark that he once felt before. Dealing with these feelings and seeking a challenge that shakes up his low-stakes, humdrum day to day life- that is the story we follow in One-Punch Man.
So I’ve read the manga for OPM. I loved it. I thought, and still think, its animation is superior to the anime. When I first tried OPM I couldn’t get past that, and I eventually gave up.
I also thought that a lot of OPM stories had kind of a weird tone- it’s definitely a loner/outsider story, and a lot of the villains and antagonists that get set up are absolutely poking fun at the typical things you’d expect an angry loner story to poke fun at. I won’t get too into it, but when I first tried OPM that weird undercurrent really made it hard for me to get into it the way a lot of other guys I knew were.
A few years later, I’m giving it a shot again. And overall?
I don’t hate it.
I think I’m looking at the protagonist, Saitama, in a different light. His boredom, his lackluster deference and his blank stares all play to a place that I find more familiar than I’d like to admit.
But also- the animation is fine and I’m a dummy for giving it grief. And the music is just super rad as well.
I think I’ll eventually finish OPM now that I have both more distance between the manga now and now that I’ve kinda settled down on what throws me off, content-wise, in a story. I’m going to give OPM the benefit of the doubt and keep watching. I’ll report back when I finish.
Mob Psycho 100
A lot of folks I know have ranted that Mob Psycho 100 is the best darn thing to happen to anime in ages. I guess the visuals, much as they did for One-Punch Man, sorta dissuaded me from seeing what all the hype was about.
And I guess they still kinda do. I...I guess Mob Psycho is pretty in its own way. It’s definitely not the visual aesthetic I go searching for in an anime, but I’m trying to do a better job of not judging that too harshly.
Anyway, Mob Psycho 100 is about a kid named Mob who acts as a powerful exorcist on behalf of his bumbling and powerless teacher. Together they take on demons as a for-hire service.
I feel like I’ve heard this show is hilarious? I don’t know. I didn’t find too much to chuckle about, but it was well-done and it certainly had no shortage of chaotic energy and visuals.
I’ll probably finish it, if only ‘cuz I’m mildly intrigued about just what so many others see in Mob as a protag, and ‘cuz I’m also curious what so many folks are drawing from the series as a whole. But so far, I haven’t found myself hooked.
No Guns Life
The main character has a gun for a head. Honestly? That was weird enough to make me pass over the thumbnail for months.
Recently though, I’ve been rewatching Solty Rei, and it got me in the mood for weird sci-fi noir stories. So I thought what the hell, I’ll give the gunhead a try.
I’m so, so glad I did.
Of all the titles I tried out this week, No Guns Life is the best. It is dark, brooding, gorgeous, but also knows when to have fun.
In a future world where prosthetic replacement has been normalized- if not popularized, a mercenary named Juzo is handed a case by a desperate “Extended” (the term used for more advanced cyborgs) who asks him to look after a boy that was just rescued from a corporate lab. Juzo takes the case, and his life immediately becomes more complicated- and dangerous.
It’s a classic noir hook that feels both familiar yet fresh in thanks to the series’ inventive visuals and intricate lore. Further, the voice acting is just pure hard-boiled goodness, whether you watch it in English or the original Japanese.
Do yourself a favor and give the first episode a try. You might just love it.
The Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited
An honest and earnest blue-collar detective is paired up with a new recruit at his precinct- a recruit who turns out to be the richest man on the planet!
That’s it. That’s the show. It is not trying to hide anything- that’s its premise and it’s sticking by it.
And a few times, I even laughed at its brazenness.
At one point during a high speed chase, the millionaire successfully resolves the chase by...telling his butler to pay everyone to get out of the way- at “twice the market value”. Which. What even...
The Millionaire Detective’s power is literally that he is rich and can afford anything. When he accesses his balances, they are listed as “unlimited”. He buys everyone off. Pays for every damage he causes. He can make city utilities such as traffic lights and draw bridges do anything he likes. At one point, the Millionaire Detective stops a foreign dignitary in the middle of the street and buys the dignitary’s vehicle on the spot so he can continue his chase. It’s...well. It’s the logical conclusion of the series title. I’ll give it that much.
No idea if I’d finish this. It has some funny ideas. I like that the eps end with a balance sheet that tells you how much was spent.
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out
A loner in college is constantly shadowed and harassed by an indomitable girl named Uzaki who, true to the name of the series, wants to hang out.
I watched one ep of this show. I didn’t dislike it! I’m a sucker for low stakes slice of life comedies like this where the biggest conflict is whether or not the protag gets to go to the movies alone.
It’s not as clever as other slice of life anime I’ve seen, but it’s not abrasive. The namesake character Uzaki is a bit manic, and the loner is a bit of a bore, but there’s chemistry I could see following for a few more eps. I also just enjoy observing Japanese culture as it unfolds in stories like these. There’s so much to pick up in these kinds of stories, so I may continue on with it, if only out of curiosity.
The Rising of Shield Hero
A guy gets transported to a world in dire need of heroes. Everyone who is brought to the world is assigned a weapon which they will use to save the kingdom. Our protagonist gets the Shield- considered the weakest assignment. Derided by his allies and cast out after no small number of misunderstandings, Rising of Shield Hero is the story of one man’s drive to do the right thing and save the kingdom that never wanted him in the first place.
This is my second try with Shield Hero. I gave up once before. But now...I’m giving Shield Hero another shot.
I tried this title about a year ago. I was really harsh on its opening ep’, which hinges on a false rape accusation and a typical loner outsider isekai protagonist. Its “best girl” is a character who is introduced by way of being literally purchased from a slaver. None of this was presented in an especially egregious or even disrespectful format, but at the time I was watching it, I just lacked patience for it.
But time is a funny thing. We grow, we re-evaluate, and we make ourselves open to change.
I think I’ve had time to chill out since my first experience with Shield Hero and not be so bothered by the particulars (that, and...well, my experience with Goblin Slayer really put some shit in perspective, ugh). Did I think some of ep 1 was unimaginative? Yes. But was any of it actually a dealbreaker? Nah.I know a lot of good folks who I trust that have really resonated with Shield Hero as it has unfolded. It’s worth giving it another try.
Shield Hero’s setting is beautiful and its characters are certainly drawn to create an emotional investment. We want to root for the the Shield Hero, because he is quietly determined and righteous. We want to protect Raphtalia be cause she is vulnerable and kind. We want to see the antagonists fail because they’re all huge jerks. This aint rocket science, but I’ll grant it is effective and I want to be a part of the ride like so many others are.
I’m going to keep working through this, if only because I know season 2 is a damn event in anime and I don’t want to miss out. I’ll let you know if things keep improving. I’ve done episode 2 thus far, and I liked it more than ep 1. So we’ll see if that trend keeps up.
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Does Every Developer Need to Use Rebase?
Written by Alexander Junger, Software Engineer Backend
As a developer nowadays, chances are that you grew up with Git. Sure, you might have had to use SVN at an internship at some point, but Git is generally what we learn and use these days. You might have found out that Git was created by Linus Torvalds for himself and his kernel developer friends. Maybe you tried a rebase once (by accident?), destroyed a few days worth of somebody else’s work, and now you’re feeling a bit gun-shy. You may very well decide that rebasing is not for you and Git is a glorified save button anyway.
Learn to walk before you run
To me, the most important aspect of proper version control is that it allows you to understand the history of the software you’re working on. Especially in legacy code bases I sometimes ask myself questions like “what were they thinking?”, “is that a bug, or was it once a feature?” Git can answer those questions. That is, if the code history has a linear plot, is structured into atomic commits that have descriptive messages and grouped in branches indicating the larger feature those changes were part of. Working with branches is a topic of its own, owing to many branching models and countless variations. The two essentials however are descriptive messages and atomic commits. That’s something everybody working with Git should be well- versed in.
The intro paragraph obviously uses exaggeration to make a point, but I do believe that many of us are missing out on the more advanced features of Git. Are they needed or can we cover our bases without them?
Descriptive commit messages in reality: “Fixes the stuff”…
Everybody has “been there, done that” – commiting just to get it committed, with the message being an afterthought at most. The established way to stay disciplined while working on unappealing tasks is to make it as easy for yourself as possible. Thus, align on a pattern for commit messages within your team and really stick to it with every single commit. In the backend system of Runtastic, we mostly use the imperative style as per Chris Beams.
What I like to do is add our Jira ticket numbers as a suffix, to add more context. Many Git interfaces automatically integrate your issue tracker when the ticket number is referenced in the message.
Tekin Süleyman makes a point in his talk “A branch in time” that your commits will probably be around for much longer than your company uses your current issue tracker. Thus, relying solely on details in a referenced JIRA or github issue is not a safe bet – it should be an addition to an already explanatory commit message.
Atomic commits in reality: The “Plutonium-commit”
It has a half-life of 2 weeks (indicating the time after which even the author no longer has a clear picture of what changed) and contains a new feature, two bug-fixes and, while we’re at it, the refactoring of an unrelated module. Also two major library updates. And, you guessed it, a new bug…
This is the exact opposite of an atomic commit and can be prevented to a certain extent by simply structuring your work. If you’re testing properly – yes, to me that means TDD – you already have a workflow that makes this very easy. Let’s have a look at how it works in practice: I mostly commit units. That means, if the unit passes its specification, I decide: do I need to specify it further (edge cases etc.)? If not, I commit it, if yes, I might still commit it and amend that commit later, or just continue working on that unit. Your mileage may vary, but this usually gives me commits with a granularity that fits just fine.
Through our Runtastic training program, I was able to attend the Craft Conference in Budapest this year (an amazing conference!). Tim Ottinger gave a nice talk titled “Test Driven: The Four Step Dance”, in which he argued that “Integrate” should be the fourth step after “Red-Green-Refactor”. What does that mean specifically? To him it means “making changes part of the code base,” as in committing, pushing, and having them run through CI.
More collaboration makes it harder to maintain a concise history
So you’ve figured out clean, atomic commits. But then your colleague requests some changes on the pull request. The usual choice is likely a new commit, everything looks good in the overall PR diff, but now we have two non-atomic commits:
In the long term, commit a7176f1 is probably not a relevant part of this software’s history that could cause confusion, or at least some wasted time. We should merge it with the first commit of the branch by performing an interactive rebase, applying the commit as a fixup to the first one. This means that it will be merged into its predecessor, forming a new commit that replaces both of them, while keeping the message of the predecessor (in this case 04b7fc5)
If you haven’t configured a default editor for rebasing, you have to prepend your choice in an environment variable. Like most other backend developers at Runtastic, I use vim for coding, so that’s what I also choose for any interactive rebase.
EDITOR=vim git rebase --interactive 04b7fc5^
The interactive window will display a list of commits to be rebased, allowing you to edit the action to use for each one. The default “pick,” which simply replays the commit on top of its (new) parent, can be replaced with actions including “drop”, “edit” or in this case “fixup”. Once we’re happy with the to-do list, a save and exit will start the rebasing process.
pick 04b7fc5 fixup a7176f1 pick 2ba3b03
Neat, we just rewrote history to make our commits atomic!
In the example above, we use the parent of the first of our three commits. This means whatever we do in the rebase, those commits will remain ancestors of 7ddc117.
In many cases however, you would run `git rebase -i master` or use any other branch reference. Given that your copy of the referenced branch is up to date, this moves the branching point from where it originally was (say, commit 7ddc117) to the tip of the target branch. The effect is that your branch is now “aware” of what happened in master in the meantime and contains those changes.
This is where TDD step 4, Integrate, comes into play again. I like to continuously integrate the changes of others into my own work, by applying my own branch onto the master or feature branch early and often. This increases collaboration and speed while preventing what I call “merges from the abyss”. These are branches that split off from their parent two months ago and you need to “load more” a couple times in your commit graph to finally reach the branching point. The problem with those: you have no idea, whether the author is aware of the changes that happened to the codebase since then.
By rebasing – integrating often, we make our commit history more linear and easier to grasp. The rebase puts our changes “ahead” of everything else on the parent branch and it’s completely our own responsibility. Thus, a reviewer can safely assume that we considered all those interim changes and that our own changes make sense in that up-to-date context.
But rewriting history is bad!
“Not so fast!”, you say. “Pushing a rewritten history requires force and it can cause mayhem!”
Most devs know this and many teams have the rule to never force push. The argument is that a cleaner history is not worth the risk of losing work by a happy little accident. So incorporating rebasing into your git workflow would require you to also incorporate force pushing. Sounds dangerous, doesn’t it?
The risk depends largely on the type of branch, I’d say. Rebasing a branch that multiple devs actively work on – which in itself is already questionable – certainly carries some element of risk that can only be somewhat controlled by close coordination. However, let’s say the example given above is about a branch owned and worked on by one person. If this developer changes the history on that one branch, no other developer is impacted, except when reviewing it.
So I think we shouldn’t be so rigid about force pushing and rather establish guidelines when it makes sense and when it doesn’t. Here are some best practices I found regarding rebasing and force pushing in the context of the code review process:
Before the Code Review
Sometimes it makes more sense to change the order of commits, or even move some parts of a commit’s diff to another commit. Rebasing is nothing more than sequentially going through the to-do list you modify in the interactive window. This means you can simply halt at one commit via the “edit” command, reset it and then create two separate commits from the working changes – see the reference for details.
It can also make sense to do multiple runs. Consider the three commits pictured above. Let’s assume that there are some changes which should be part of C1 but, for whatever reason, were only committed with C3. We can use the splitting technique as described above, leaving us with a temporary commit (512ceb0) and a cleaned-up atomic Commit 3.
We run another interactive rebase, moving the temporary commit from line 3 to 2, and, once again, we mark that commit with fixup. We end up with three clean commits and our branch is now ready for review.
For me, rebasing a task branch is now the default before I open a pull request. When I think of an additional test case that’s missing for a class, it goes into the commit that added this class. I decide on a situation-by-situation basis whether I want to shift focus from writing code to rebasing. In that case, the additional test case would be amended to the original commit right away. More often though, I just create a fixup commit referencing the original commit (with `git commit –fixup <SHA>`) because it’s less of a distraction from coding. Just before opening the pull request, I run rebase with the autosquash flag to automatically squash test cases into the commits they belong to. No matter which way you choose, you will help your reviewers with more structured commits.
During Code Review
If you already opened a pull request and your code is being reviewed by others, avoid force pushing rebased commits! Imagine that the pull request suddenly shows a completely new diff, but no other commits were added. If your colleagues are thorough, they’d have to review your entire PR all over again. What this looks like depends slightly on the software you use to review, some are smarter than others in this regard.
Some review systems don’t even require force pushing at all, even though the commits of a PR are completely malleable during review. They are only “baked into” the codebase on approval. One such system is Phabricator, which makes a great point explaining their review concept. At Runtastic, we use BitBucket. It works similarly to the GitHub workflow, which means that rebasing and force pushing during review doesn’t work really well. You can, however, commit the requested changes with a fixup commit. After a regular push, the reviewer will see the exact changes you made to the PR and the “history of the PR” is preserved.
Sidenote regarding code review that I find interesting: Linux kernel developers still use mailing lists for that – and Git actually has built-in tools to send diffs via email for exactly this purpose. Check the email section in the Git reference. Because of this review style, they actually rebase frequently in their review process. Whenever changes are requested, the patch author rebases the entire branch and sends out an email with the updated patch, until everybody agrees that it can be merged as is. This goes to show that every team needs to find the process that works best for their context.
After Code Review
Everybody approved your pull request and it’s ready to be merged. Now is the time to clean up those fixup commits. A final interactive rebase with the `–autosquash` flag tidies up those commits into a clean history. What I described above as “history of the PR” is now no longer necessary and all changes should be in atomic commits that build on each other. Small rebases on personal branches are usually nothing to worry about. Now, the first time rebasing a branch with thirty commits or so…that’s where you want to make sure you’ve had your cup(s) of coffee.
If you’re skeptical that this is going to go well, it can make sense to backup the branch before rebasing it:
$ my-feature-branch:~$ git checkout -b my-feature-branch_backup $ my-feature-branch_backup:~$ git checkout my-feature-branch $ my-feature-branch:~$ git rebase …
If in the middle of the rebase, you decide that you’re too far down the rabbit hole, abort the rebase with `git rebase –abort`. And should you go through with the rebase, only to discover that you overlooked something, leaving the whole branch in a broken state – time to use your backup:
$ my-feature-branch:~$ git checkout my-feature-branch_backup $ my-feature-branch_backup:~$ git branch -D my-feature-branch $ my-feature-branch_backup:~$ git checkout -b my-feature-branch $ my-feature-branch:~$ git checkout -D my-feature-branch_backup
This works because a branch is nothing more than a reference to a certain commit (just as HEAD), so the commits on your backup branch are not affected by the new commits you’re implicitly creating with the rebase.
A curious mindset is important
You will run into conflicts and it can initially be tempting to simply abort, thinking “I’ll clean up my branch the next time”. But of course conflicts don’t happen randomly, they are predictable and follow some common patterns based on how Git works and the rebase you’re doing.
Git also offers many additional commands that are helpful when things don’t go smoothly:
bisect: Allows you to find the commit that introduced a certain behavior (e.g. regression).
Let’s say after rebasing, you notice that your test suite no longer passes – you must have accidentally broken something, perhaps while resolving a conflict. With bisect, the last known healthy and the first known broken commits can be flagged. Git will then traverse this commit range in a binary search pattern. For every commit it stops at, you check if it already contains the regression and flag it as good or bad. Once the offending commit is identified, it can be fixed with an edit rebase. (It goes without saying that fixing a bug this way should only be done if you notice right away and that code is not merged upstream yet!)
reflog: Allows you to see the history of a reference (such as a branch or HEAD).
That might seem like inception-level stuff at first, but a reference changes over time and, of course, git keeps track of that. It’s not strictly necessary to use this command but it can come in handy.
stash: Perhaps the best known in this list, but I still want to mention it because of its versatility. Stash works like a stack for dirty working directories. The default “push” mode saves and then wipes it clean, while the “pop” mode recovers the last state you stored. This is especially helpful for in-between branch switching or during rebasing.
Don’t shy away from the Git reference. It often contains typical examples of how commands can be used. Keep a curious mindset about features that you don’t (and do!) use regularly, know that you can recover almost anything, practice, and you will soon start appreciating those more advanced features of Git.
Why bother?
We have seen a few ways every developer can get the most out of Git in day-to-day work. Now, integrating rebasing into a team’s workflow is definitely a hotly debated topic.
Is it for everybody? Probably not. I’ve shown some examples of completely different strategies and I think all of those have the potential to be the “best one,” providing they work for the people using them.
For me personally, combining the essentials – that is structuring and describing – with cautious rebasing of individual commits on non-collaborative branches already goes a long way. It will increase the quality of your code history, the way you structure your programming, all while keeping risks quite low. As I see it, this can be part of every developer’s reality.
It’s obviously an entirely different animal (in risk, needed concentration…) to move around large feature branches from here to there and I agree that such things should not be done carelessly.
Can it be justified? For sure.
Whatever you’re doing, just don’t degrade Git to a glorified save button.
***
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Playlist: which Nintendo games we’re playing right now
We love Nintendo – it’s in our name; it’s in our DNA. And, naturally, we play a lot of Nintendo games. If you’ve ever wondered which games keep us occupied, we’ve compiled a playlist of recent titles we’re heavily into. You never know, you might even find some inspiration in here too.
Check out our latest playlist below and let us know which games you’re obsessed with at the moment. We promise there’s no judgment here.
Pure Nintendo playlist
Justin
Guacamelee 2 (Switch) – Been playing this with friends at our weekly game nights and having a blast! The challenge is definitely ramping up as we near the final boss, but it’s worth the ride. I especially liked the ‘Dank Cave’ hidden area :). The devs had some fun there!
Metro 2033 Redux / Metro Last Light Redux (Switch) – Playing this for review and enjoying my time so far. I’m not too far in yet but look for full my full write-up on these coming up!
Heath
Lego City Undercover (Switch) – It began when I saw it was on sale last week. Then I thought I will just play it on my Wii U, but that seemed like work. Then I remembered Jemma’s review, so I read it. After reading it I decided to buy it again. I have been enjoying it ever since. I play a mission or two per day.
Soccer, Tactics and Glory (Switch) – This began as a review I posted earlier in the week but since finishing the review I have still been enjoying it. I try to play a game or two a night.
My Hero: One’s Justice (Switch) – I have been playing this off and on for a year now. I recently decided to give it another go. I am really enjoying playing my way back through the story again. Trying to get better rankings on certain levels.
Rune Factory 4 (Switch) – I am playing this for an upcoming review and it’s under embargo so I can’t say any opinion at the moment. It is the game I have been sinking 90% of my gaming time into.
Seth
Stardew Valley (Switch) – With a new Animal Crossing game on the horizon, there has been no better time to jump into Stardew Valley than now. I’ve been playing the game on and off for years, but lately I’ve devoted more time to it so I can leave my farm on a high note when I sign my soul away to Tom Nook.
Overwatch (Switch) – Most who know me know that I’ve long hated the way Blizzard handles their popular hero shooter, Overwatch, but with the recent release of the game on Nintendo Switch everything changed, and it has become one of my favorite games on the system.
Payday 2 (Switch) – The Payday video game franchise has always been a long-time favorite of mine, and recently I’ve been spending some time with Payday 2 on Nintendo Switch, so that I can regain my “Infamy” status in that particular version of the title.
Pokémon Shield (Switch) – A couple months after the launch of Sword & Shield and I’m still going strong on my Pokémon addiction. I absolutely love the camping feature, the wild area, and the new Pokémon introduced in the game. With the recent announcement of DLC and the launch of Pokémon Home, I can’t see myself stopping this game anytime soon.
Kirk
Leisure Suit Larry – Wet Dreams Don’t Dry: Happy Ending (Switch) – After missing this point-and-click adventure throwback upon its initial release, I received a review code to take a look at the new “Happy Ending” content that was recently released. You have to understand that the first LSL was released when I was in college, and was therefore directly responsible for shaving at least a few points off my GPA. Thankfully, that’s not a concern anymore.
Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions (Switch) – Another review in the works. This beautiful, surrealistic puzzle game is my current go-to when I have a short time to play or want to kill a few moments before or after digging into a bigger title for a longer gaming session. Speaking of which…
Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate (Switch) – This is my second attempt at conquering this entire game, made more difficult by all of the content added to this new ultimate edition. Thankfully, my oldest son is helping me out now that Ryu is included, and my daughter jumps in, too, provided she can play as Kunoichi. 177 fighters now, and it takes those two characters to get my family involved. I’d say I don’t understand it, except you’ll rarely find me using a party that doesn’t include Sun Shangxiang.
Jennifer
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch) – I am late to playing this game, but over the course of a month or so, I’ve managed about 60 hours into it. It’s been a welcome surprise how much content is in this game. As a first time FE player, I’ll definitely be paying more attention to this series.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS) – In a desperate attempt to get in as much Animal Crossing time as I can, I’ve played a bit more in my town. It’s still a solid game, but it hasn’t dampened my excitement for New Horizons.
Trev
While I’m playing several games for review coverage, I want to focus on the one game I’m playing just for fun… Polyroll (Switch) – Lots of platformers try to capture that feeling of nostalgia, but Polyroll manages to pull it off successfully. From its Sonic-esque gameplay to its colorful level design, it feels like a game I would’ve played in the early-mid 90s. I think I’ll be sticking with this one for a while too, as I try to find all the hidden gems. The Switch is no stranger to platformers, but Polyroll has a high-quality that many lack. For less than $9.99, genre fans need to definitely check this one out!
Jemma
Milo’s Quest (Switch) – I’ve just reviewed this simple RPG, in which you play the role of a puppy chasing ghosts while digging for bones. There’s a lot to like in this cute game, though it does lack some variety.
Dr. Mario World (mobile) – I don’t know if this will ever drop off my playlist! I’ve been playing this one for awhile now. I love the events that come up every week, like star and clinic events, which keep me hooked. I’m currently on level 388.
Mario Kart Tour (mobile) – I played this a LOT over the holidays, and I’m still playing it weekly. I love the themed cups and its fun to play the remixed retro tracks. I’m also desperate to collect all the drivers!
Super Mario Party (Switch) – this is something we play most weekends, making levels to outdo each other. I’ve been enjoying desert levels of late.
Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo (Switch) – I’ve just started this one for my next review, a retro-inspired shooter with plenty of unlockables as well as leaderboards to climb. Watch for my review soon!
Hey! Pikmin (3DS) – I’ve been revisiting this one with my family, it seems to be a favorite lately. I reviewed it way back in 2017 and I’ve grown to appreciate it even more over time.
What’s on your playlist this week? How often would you like to see our playlist? Let us know in the comments section below.
The post Playlist: which Nintendo games we’re playing right now appeared first on Pure Nintendo.
Playlist: which Nintendo games we’re playing right now published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/
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Amazing Stories Magazine
http://amazingstories.com
An interview with R. Roderick Rowe by Dianne Gardner
“There are so many different takes on Science Fiction. From outer space and aliens to microscopic travels into the human body. By definition, science is “the intellectual and practical study …of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment”.(Dictionary) Science knows no bounds which makes science fiction equally endless. That’s why I find myself asking science fiction authors what their inspiration is. What field of study do they pull their stories from? Where do they go for inspiration?
Every answer has been different. Every author has chosen to explore another small facet of our amazing universe.
So it is with R Roderick Rowe who has, among other things, chosen one particular aspect of the human condition to draw from.
As a science fiction writer, where do you get your specific inspiration from?
I’ve read Science Fiction my entire life (well since the 5th grade when I was getting into trouble for reading too much). My inspiration comes from what SF was available then. I cut my teeth on Isaac Asimov and Theodore Sturgeon. And then I discovered Heinlein. And Marion Zimmer Bradley. Heinlein’s “Farnham’s Freehold” put a zeal into SF for me. This was human nature at its worst and its best and trying hard to survive in between! I read “Stranger in a Strange Land” and realized a true connection with humanity when I learned that someone else could envision that Man could become much stronger with a true connection to “Self”. “Time Enough for Love” has marked me forever. There are so very many things I feel connected to when I follow the life and times of one Lazarus Long who had so many aka’s that an entire book could have been written about each! Finding humanity in a computer has never been so well done as it was done here. Finally, I discovered Darkover and was lost. Then at a much later point in time I began to read Sheri S. Tepper.
All of these listed authors are strongly represented in my work. I tempered Heinlein’s drastic need for complete and utter isolation of Stranger in a Strange Land to achieve ‘mental’ powers by building a society that cherished the elements of humanity along with developing stronger spiritual connections to the universe around them. I took Michael Valentine Smith as a starting point for Jamari, my young protagonist. I humanized Jamari where Smith was ethereal though. Sturgeon’s Godbody is very probably the single strongest impetus that makes Jamari who and what he becomes. And I found that book via Heinlein’s introduction. I don’t necessarily talk about ‘sex’ in my books. I talk about eros. That’s slightly different than Eros and the reader will get the chance to discover that distinction. Bradley’s world of Darkover showed me some interesting ‘takes’ on human ‘psychic’ ability. In that world, it’s a physical ‘thing’ that brings about these ‘ablilities’. In Jamari’s world, it’s long, dedicated study and deep inner searching that unlock the inner secrets of man and thereby enhance His interaction with the world He inhabits. Sheri S. Tepper deserves a full page of praise in her works that strive to discover the flaws of man; of man vs. woman; of man vs. world. And then builds a storyline that highlights the flaws while at the same time leaving room for the beauty that is humankind to triumph. Any potential reader who has read these authors will find connection from their works to mine.
Tell us about the science behind your story in relation to the technology that we have now.
The Tribe started its formation in around 2020 so, the starting technology at least has similarities to today’s times. The highest ‘tech’ they have is a Hydrogen Generation device (that was recently perfected by the U.S. Navy in their search for Oxygen). The Hydrogen Generator uses electrical power to separate H from O, saving the H for needy times. They get their electricity from solar panels and a Hydro-powered dam and turbines, very much from today’s technology. Though in Jamari’s time, there’s only one working turbine left and the other two hydro outlets have been converted to direct mechanical impulse to drive devices in the Blacksmith’s Hall at the base of Milltown Dam. Another aspect of water power is somewhat reverse-engineered. They built a canal system to deliver water from the dam to irrigate fields in the valleys below. Rather than waste the potential of that flow, they designed a wheeled device the connects to a water-wheel. The turning of the water wheel turns gears to drive a conestoga-like wagon upstream to bring crops home! At the lower end of the canal, there’s a hydro powered elevator that used the energy of water falling to drive an elevator that lifts the wagons up to the canal level for their journey to the tribal seat 3 miles upriver.
What are the biggest challenges you face writing in your genre?
Making my work fit into a genre in the first place! I value the ‘human’ connection that all the writers I admire have achieved. They were all ‘humanists’ at heart as evidenced from their works, yet they created Science Fiction from whole cloth and built a genre that was at first maligned and finally became the recognized pre-cursor to today’s technologies! Where they were inventing a genre, I’m compelled to find the limits of that genre and to test them a bit. Asking the age-old question, ‘what if?’. What if in the world of the future, the decreasing reliance on technology can actually become a good thing, can lead to greater human growth and advancement? What would that look like? Here’s the one that’s the most difficult of all: how can sexuality be brought into play? Very few of the founding fathers of Science Fiction were able to fully fathom what we take for granted today in sexual world that has begun to, albeit with great reluctance and fear, to accept and embrace more than just heterosexual monogamy. What might THAT look like in this future world? How far can it go before it’s no longer Science Fiction?
What do you hope to accomplish this year as an Independent author?
I’m finishing up the final book of The Manhood Rite’s Trilogy. It’s been in Dev Edit for a month and I’m working those details into a stronger work that I’ve found some promising Beta Readers to review. I’m hopeful that Paradigm Lost: Jamari and the Founder’s Sons will be released by mid to late August. It’s currently sitting at 97,700 words and more likely to grow before it shrinks.
Jamari Shaman has been submitted for the Eric Hoffer Award and is in the final stages of deliberation for the 2017 year now.”
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Staff Picks: Our Favorite Posts of 2017
New Post has been published on http://nielsencooking.com/staff-picks-our-favorite-posts-of-2017/
Staff Picks: Our Favorite Posts of 2017
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2017 has been a pretty great year for Serious Eats. We’ve broken traffic records left and right, we’ve been lucky enough to hire some amazing new colleagues, and we’ve managed to crank out some top notch recipes, techniques, and features, all while juggling a host of different complicating factors—three babies were born (!), one of the head honchos got married (!!), and half the office got addicted to a silly trivia game on their iPhones (!!!). Here are some of our team’s favorite pieces of content from the year.
East, West, Then Backward: Falling for Groundnut Soup in Ghana
[Illustration: Laura Freeman]
A study abroad trip to Ghana leaves a student of color feeling profoundly othered, withdrawn from both his fellow travelers and the community he’d hoped would embrace him. The significance of food, family, and mealtimes courses through each juncture of the narrative—and lands the reader with an incredibly delicious recipe for peanutty, meaty groundnut soup.
It’s a moving and beautifully composed piece, but it’s the author’s powerful honesty and introspection that make this piece such an engaging read. Sara’o Bery is a longtime friend, which doesn’t always bode well for a joint professional undertaking, but in this case, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have played a part in giving this piece an audience. —Niki Achitoff-Gray, executive managing editor
Read the full story about Ghanaian groundnut soup »
Grilling With Vinegar
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
I have a lot of reasons to pick Michael Harlan Turkell’s summertime series on grilling with vinegar as my favorite post(s) of the year. First, selfishly, because it meant that I got to hang out with him multiple times throughout the summer as we worked our way through his recipes, using a grill we’d set up on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Standing in the sunshine and drinking cold beers with a friend while grilling up a storm is about as good as my job gets. But on top of that, I just love his recipes: He has so many creative, unexpected, and goddamned delicious ideas for how to use vinegar in grilled foods. There are the burgers spiked with Japanese black vinegar, dripping with melted cheese and slathered with a black olive mayo; there’s the tart and herbal chimichurri sauce spooned not onto the obvious steak but sweet and plump grilled squash instead; a Spanish-inspired grilled scallion and endive salad topped with a creamy, nutty, and spicy sauce; and—who can forget—grilled peaches on grilled poundcake with a perfectly sweet-sour cider-caramel sauce that should be a classic all on its own. —Daniel Gritzer, managing culinary director
Read our full series on grilling with vinegar »
Cheesy Bread Is Absurdly Good, No Matter What You Call It
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Writing a post about cheesy bread could so easily become, well, cheesy. But Sohla’s cheesy bread post was so full of easy-to-digest, cheese-filled wit and wisdom I almost forgot it was about one of my favorite snacks in the world. Her post had me at the second line: “In our wedding vows, my husband promised to have and to hold and to always keep the fridge stocked with three varieties of cheddar.” She makes baking them sound like the easiest thing in the world, and for an unconfident baker like me, that is incredibly reassuring. And when you get to the end of the post, be prepared for one of the great visual kickers in Serious Eats’ eleven-year history. Thank you, Vicky Wasik. —Ed Levine, founder
Dive into the cheesy bread experience »
The Definitive Guide to Eggs
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
When I first started at Serious Eats earlier this year, the team was deep in the throes of developing The Definitive Guide to Eggs, a.k.a. “The Egg Page.” It was a gargantuan effort of collecting techniques, creating guides to the different shapes and sizes, decoding the terms and labels you find on the carton…the list goes on. It was perhaps the best way to get to know my new team. From the videos produced by the culinary and visual teams, to the user-friendly experience designed by our dev team, to every quick-hitting blurb written and edited by the editorial team, everything came together in a smart and savvy product. I’ve come to learn that such a product is standard at Serious Eats, thanks to the talented folks I get to call coworkers. —Kristina Bornholtz, social media editor
Explore the Serious Eats Definitive Guide to Eggs »
Chaat Your Mouth: How to Make the South Asian Street Food at Home
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
I love how Sohla’s recipes often start with a story. From the first line, you’re with her in that airplane cabin hurtling its way towards Dhaka, tightly packed in with relatives and strangers alike passing the time by flinging heated opinions to and fro on what constitutes the best chaat, where to get it, and even when to consume it to mitigate the effects of certain digestive ailments. It sets the scene for how you should think about chaat: as a chaotic, beautiful mess of personal preferences synthesized and represented in a dish. It’s customizable, highly subjective, and somewhat hard to pin down, but Sohla does just that. She hands you the essential components, a roadmap to the key flavor profiles, and a dizzyingly detailed but comprehensively clear breakdown of the adjustments you can make to create a satisfying version of your own. My favorite part? How she describes kala namak, personified as a condiment with attitude that lends the dish’s foundational chaat masala spice blend “a bossy bit of savory funk.” Lyrical genius. —Marissa Chen, office manager
Read all about chaat »
Staff Picks: Our Favorite Fictional Foods
[Illustration: Katie Shelly]
Spending hours of my day geeking out with my coworkers about the most fantastic scenes of food and drink from our favorite childhood books and movies isn’t what I’d call “work.” Neither is having a serious discussion over whether the two pizza slices in the Saturday Night Fever illustration should be neatly stacked or remain slightly splayed, and whether the central figure was adequately representative of Tony Manero. Neither is eagerly, secretly reloading comments once the piece was published to see who out there might have been fascinated by some of the same things we were as kids. Writing and editing this post was delightful proof that nothing unites like youthful nerdery. —Miranda Kaplan, editor
Check out our favorite fictional foods »
How to Make a Mixed-Green Salad Like You Actually Care
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
The state of salad in this country is a sordid mess, and the problem starts with the greens. Take a stroll down the salad aisle in any supermarket and you’ll see stacks upon stacks of prewashed stuff—salad mixes and plastic clamshells filled with insipid “baby” lettuces—as if all good taste had been sacrificed to the great god of Convenience. There is a reason bottled salad dressing is so aggressive, so cloyingly sweet: Good greens don’t need much more than a little acid and good olive oil, or a light vinaigrette. Daniel offers up what might seem like remedially simple advice in this post, but it’s advice that is sorely needed. Salad shouldn’t be a chore to make, or to eat; salad should be celebrated, from the moment you purchase the greens until you finish your plate. All it takes is a little care, a little inspiration in the supermarket aisle, a tiny wee bit of patience once in a while, and you’ll be surprised at how much you look forward to the salad portion of a meal. —Sho Spaeth, features editor
Read more about how to step up your salad game »
The Best Things I Ate in Japan
[Photographs: Daniel Gritzer]
I’ve never been obsessed with the idea of seeing (or eating my way through) Japan. I love traveling, sure, and Japan is on my list, but it was never particularly high on my list until I edited Daniel’s essay on his favorite bites from a visit there. This is not a travel piece, not a series of restaurant reviews, and not a primer on Japanese foods that are uncommon in the West, but it includes elements of all three, and the result is a low-key window into the country’s cuisine that makes it seem simultaneously more approachable and more exciting to me than before. It just might convince you that blowfish sperm is a thing you want to put in your mouth. —Miranda Kaplan, editor
Join Daniel on his culinary adventure through Japan »
The Food Lab: How to Make Kickass Quesadillas
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Kenji’s “Kickass Quesadilla” post is probably the one I used the most this year. There are three recipes attached, but let’s be honest, you don’t need them. If you’re anything like me, your quesadillas are rarely pre-planned beyond gazing into your fridge and realizing you have tortillas, cheese, maybe some random leftovers/vegetables/pickles, and a strong desire not to go outside. That’s really all you need to make a good quesadilla, but if you read Kenji’s tips and apply them, you’ll almost certainly make a great one. —Paul Cline, developer
Check out our quesadilla pro-tips »
The Pho I Lost
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
I have the pleasure of sitting next to Sho at the office. While I sometimes jokingly refer to him as the office curmudgeon, he has come to be a good friend and I appreciate how discerning he is about pretty much everything. I think this friendship really developed after I read his story about pho, taste memory, and his mother. I admired the courage (and ability) it took to write about and share the feelings and memories he describes. And the fact that he can eat two bowls of pho in one sitting (and do that every day for two-and-a-half weeks) is just…well, that’s something to respect. —Ariel Kanter, marketing director
Read about Sho’s long-lost pho »
For the Most Flavorful Piña Colada, Freeze Everything
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
The piña colada is one of those things—like pasta —that is surprisingly hard to get a good version of when you’re eating out. Growing up, the PC was a special-occasion drink and my mom’s go-to at our family’s Italian weddings. That’s where I first had one, at around 12 years old, when she ordered a small (not virgin) one for me—God bless European parents. I love Daniel’s story because the big tip—to freeze everything—is that one little step that can make your shopping trip to buy coconut cream worth it. Trust me, I made several batches of these while testing blenders and it works. The taste is sweet, but not too sweet, with clean, creamy coconut and pineapple flavors, and just the right amount of rum. —Sal Vaglica, equipment editor
Learn how to make piña coladas like a boss »
What Is “Traditional” Soju?: A Spirited Debate
[Photograph: Emily Dryden]
I like to think I know a little bit about Korea: I’ve had Korean friends my entire life, I’ve been there more than a few times, and my father has lived in Seoul for close to a decade now. So I also thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about soju, the nation’s ubiquitous and beloved liquor. When we got the pitch for this piece, what struck me most wasn’t just my own ignorance about soju’s long history (I am never, ever surprised by the depths of my ignorance); it was how little had been written about the liquor anywhere else. This was an untold story in English, one that we were in a unique position to be able to offer a wide audience. Add to that the fact that in delving into the story of what “traditional” soju is, Josh managed to weave into the narrative much of what makes South Korea such a remarkable place—its ultra rapid industrialization and modernization, its skyrocketing cultural capital—and I can say without a doubt that it was my favorite feature of 2017. It was a privilege to publish it. —Sho Spaeth, features editor
Read more about soju »
How Oreos Got Their Name: The Rise of an American Icon
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Nothing grabs my attention more than the thrilling histories behind iconic foods. Lucky, that’s Stella’s forte, as she dives deep into the corporate intrigue and betrayal behind the beloved biscuit. Walking down the snack aisle has never felt the same after reading about the cutthroat cookie war that culminated with Oreo taking the throne. I’m eagerly awaiting the movie adaptation. —Sohla El-Waylly, assistant culinary editor
A rich and totally unexpected look at the origin of Oreos, by the one and only Stella Parks. I am lucky enough to work with Stella once a month, where I have the pleasure of witnessing her deep knowledge base and attention to detail first-hand. It’s front and center in this piece, as is her intense curiosity about all things pastry-related. Her approachable and snarky style makes it all the more enjoyable—phrases like “they might as well have told Oreos to get off their lawn” pepper the piece throughout. Humor aside, it’s a zippy and fun exploration of a history you never knew you wanted to know. —Natalie Holt, video producer
Get the full history of Oreos »
A Losers’ Thanksgiving: No One Knows Your Name (But All Are Welcome)
[Illustration: Alex Citrin]
This story had me hooked from the get-go and held me straight through til the end, a tale of frozen misery, daring hope, social ambition, and conquering life with pie. —Stella Parks, pastry wizard
Read Sohla’s heartwarming holiday tale »
Obsessed: A Man and His Mold
[Photograph: Chris Anderson]
Man, Rich Shih is smart. And he’s passionate as hell. His responses to the interview questions in this article are so in-depth and intelligent that you might think they were heavily edited, but I had the pleasure of meeting Rich (and making miso with him) in the office, and he really is that knowledgable. And that knowledge is built on a fervent curiosity. This isn’t his day job—it isn’t even related—but he is all-in on his koji project, devoting years to researching and experimenting with the stuff. I can attest to the results being delicious. The article is also accompanied by gorgeous photographs of close-up mold spores and fermented products. Kudos to Sho and his wonderful “Obsessed” series about the passionate amateur and professional foodies of this world. —Tim Aikens, front-end developer
Catch the koji bug, right this way »
For the Lightest, Crispiest Granola, Grab the Buttermilk
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
When Stella told me she was developing a granola recipe to shoot on her next trip up to NYC, I didn’t give it a second thought. I mean, granola is great and all, but why would I spend the time making it when I can easily pop into my corner grocery store and grab any of the 10 varieties they have in stock at any given time? And then I ate it. And then I ate MORE of it. And then I took the entire jar from the photoshoot home and finished it in less than a week. This is the most addictive snack I’ve ever had. And it’s granola so…it’s good for you…right? I made it a few weeks later when my craving kicked in. It’s definitely a labor of love, but well worth the effort! —Vicky Wasik, visual director
Find out what makes Stella’s granola so great »
The Best Chicken Pot Pie, With Biscuits or Pastry
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Chicken pot pie is one of those recipes I’ve always been too intimidated to tackle; all my life I’ve resorted to frozen Marie Callender’s. Don’t get me wrong, those frozen pies are still delicious, but when Stella came out with her savory pie, it gave me the confidence to give it a try. Who knew making the roux would turn out to be so easy? I also love having the freedom to add whatever fillings I want, and it’s now a crowd favorite among my friends and family. I even got my roommate to give it a try, too, which means double the pot pies at home! —Vivian Kong, designer
Dig into some chicken pot pie »
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Staff Picks: Our Favorite Posts of 2017
New Post has been published on http://cucinacarmela.com/staff-picks-our-favorite-posts-of-2017/
Staff Picks: Our Favorite Posts of 2017
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2017 has been a pretty great year for Serious Eats. We’ve broken traffic records left and right, we’ve been lucky enough to hire some amazing new colleagues, and we’ve managed to crank out some top notch recipes, techniques, and features, all while juggling a host of different complicating factors—three babies were born (!), one of the head honchos got married (!!), and half the office got addicted to a silly trivia game on their iPhones (!!!). Here are some of our team’s favorite pieces of content from the year.
East, West, Then Backward: Falling for Groundnut Soup in Ghana
[Illustration: Laura Freeman]
A study abroad trip to Ghana leaves a student of color feeling profoundly othered, withdrawn from both his fellow travelers and the community he’d hoped would embrace him. The significance of food, family, and mealtimes courses through each juncture of the narrative—and lands the reader with an incredibly delicious recipe for peanutty, meaty groundnut soup.
It’s a moving and beautifully composed piece, but it’s the author’s powerful honesty and introspection that make this piece such an engaging read. Sara’o Bery is a longtime friend, which doesn’t always bode well for a joint professional undertaking, but in this case, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have played a part in giving this piece an audience. —Niki Achitoff-Gray, executive managing editor
Read the full story about Ghanaian groundnut soup »
Grilling With Vinegar
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
I have a lot of reasons to pick Michael Harlan Turkell’s summertime series on grilling with vinegar as my favorite post(s) of the year. First, selfishly, because it meant that I got to hang out with him multiple times throughout the summer as we worked our way through his recipes, using a grill we’d set up on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Standing in the sunshine and drinking cold beers with a friend while grilling up a storm is about as good as my job gets. But on top of that, I just love his recipes: He has so many creative, unexpected, and goddamned delicious ideas for how to use vinegar in grilled foods. There are the burgers spiked with Japanese black vinegar, dripping with melted cheese and slathered with a black olive mayo; there’s the tart and herbal chimichurri sauce spooned not onto the obvious steak but sweet and plump grilled squash instead; a Spanish-inspired grilled scallion and endive salad topped with a creamy, nutty, and spicy sauce; and—who can forget—grilled peaches on grilled poundcake with a perfectly sweet-sour cider-caramel sauce that should be a classic all on its own. —Daniel Gritzer, managing culinary director
Read our full series on grilling with vinegar »
Cheesy Bread Is Absurdly Good, No Matter What You Call It
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Writing a post about cheesy bread could so easily become, well, cheesy. But Sohla’s cheesy bread post was so full of easy-to-digest, cheese-filled wit and wisdom I almost forgot it was about one of my favorite snacks in the world. Her post had me at the second line: “In our wedding vows, my husband promised to have and to hold and to always keep the fridge stocked with three varieties of cheddar.” She makes baking them sound like the easiest thing in the world, and for an unconfident baker like me, that is incredibly reassuring. And when you get to the end of the post, be prepared for one of the great visual kickers in Serious Eats’ eleven-year history. Thank you, Vicky Wasik. —Ed Levine, founder
Dive into the cheesy bread experience »
The Definitive Guide to Eggs
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
When I first started at Serious Eats earlier this year, the team was deep in the throes of developing The Definitive Guide to Eggs, a.k.a. “The Egg Page.” It was a gargantuan effort of collecting techniques, creating guides to the different shapes and sizes, decoding the terms and labels you find on the carton…the list goes on. It was perhaps the best way to get to know my new team. From the videos produced by the culinary and visual teams, to the user-friendly experience designed by our dev team, to every quick-hitting blurb written and edited by the editorial team, everything came together in a smart and savvy product. I’ve come to learn that such a product is standard at Serious Eats, thanks to the talented folks I get to call coworkers. —Kristina Bornholtz, social media editor
Explore the Serious Eats Definitive Guide to Eggs »
Chaat Your Mouth: How to Make the South Asian Street Food at Home
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
I love how Sohla’s recipes often start with a story. From the first line, you’re with her in that airplane cabin hurtling its way towards Dhaka, tightly packed in with relatives and strangers alike passing the time by flinging heated opinions to and fro on what constitutes the best chaat, where to get it, and even when to consume it to mitigate the effects of certain digestive ailments. It sets the scene for how you should think about chaat: as a chaotic, beautiful mess of personal preferences synthesized and represented in a dish. It’s customizable, highly subjective, and somewhat hard to pin down, but Sohla does just that. She hands you the essential components, a roadmap to the key flavor profiles, and a dizzyingly detailed but comprehensively clear breakdown of the adjustments you can make to create a satisfying version of your own. My favorite part? How she describes kala namak, personified as a condiment with attitude that lends the dish’s foundational chaat masala spice blend “a bossy bit of savory funk.” Lyrical genius. —Marissa Chen, office manager
Read all about chaat »
Staff Picks: Our Favorite Fictional Foods
[Illustration: Katie Shelly]
Spending hours of my day geeking out with my coworkers about the most fantastic scenes of food and drink from our favorite childhood books and movies isn’t what I’d call “work.” Neither is having a serious discussion over whether the two pizza slices in the Saturday Night Fever illustration should be neatly stacked or remain slightly splayed, and whether the central figure was adequately representative of Tony Manero. Neither is eagerly, secretly reloading comments once the piece was published to see who out there might have been fascinated by some of the same things we were as kids. Writing and editing this post was delightful proof that nothing unites like youthful nerdery. —Miranda Kaplan, editor
Check out our favorite fictional foods »
How to Make a Mixed-Green Salad Like You Actually Care
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
The state of salad in this country is a sordid mess, and the problem starts with the greens. Take a stroll down the salad aisle in any supermarket and you’ll see stacks upon stacks of prewashed stuff—salad mixes and plastic clamshells filled with insipid “baby” lettuces—as if all good taste had been sacrificed to the great god of Convenience. There is a reason bottled salad dressing is so aggressive, so cloyingly sweet: Good greens don’t need much more than a little acid and good olive oil, or a light vinaigrette. Daniel offers up what might seem like remedially simple advice in this post, but it’s advice that is sorely needed. Salad shouldn’t be a chore to make, or to eat; salad should be celebrated, from the moment you purchase the greens until you finish your plate. All it takes is a little care, a little inspiration in the supermarket aisle, a tiny wee bit of patience once in a while, and you’ll be surprised at how much you look forward to the salad portion of a meal. —Sho Spaeth, features editor
Read more about how to step up your salad game »
The Best Things I Ate in Japan
[Photographs: Daniel Gritzer]
I’ve never been obsessed with the idea of seeing (or eating my way through) Japan. I love traveling, sure, and Japan is on my list, but it was never particularly high on my list until I edited Daniel’s essay on his favorite bites from a visit there. This is not a travel piece, not a series of restaurant reviews, and not a primer on Japanese foods that are uncommon in the West, but it includes elements of all three, and the result is a low-key window into the country’s cuisine that makes it seem simultaneously more approachable and more exciting to me than before. It just might convince you that blowfish sperm is a thing you want to put in your mouth. —Miranda Kaplan, editor
Join Daniel on his culinary adventure through Japan »
The Food Lab: How to Make Kickass Quesadillas
[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
Kenji’s “Kickass Quesadilla” post is probably the one I used the most this year. There are three recipes attached, but let’s be honest, you don’t need them. If you’re anything like me, your quesadillas are rarely pre-planned beyond gazing into your fridge and realizing you have tortillas, cheese, maybe some random leftovers/vegetables/pickles, and a strong desire not to go outside. That’s really all you need to make a good quesadilla, but if you read Kenji’s tips and apply them, you’ll almost certainly make a great one. —Paul Cline, developer
Check out our quesadilla pro-tips »
The Pho I Lost
[Photograph: Max Falkowitz]
I have the pleasure of sitting next to Sho at the office. While I sometimes jokingly refer to him as the office curmudgeon, he has come to be a good friend and I appreciate how discerning he is about pretty much everything. I think this friendship really developed after I read his story about pho, taste memory, and his mother. I admired the courage (and ability) it took to write about and share the feelings and memories he describes. And the fact that he can eat two bowls of pho in one sitting (and do that every day for two-and-a-half weeks) is just…well, that’s something to respect. —Ariel Kanter, marketing director
Read about Sho’s long-lost pho »
For the Most Flavorful Piña Colada, Freeze Everything
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
The piña colada is one of those things—like pasta —that is surprisingly hard to get a good version of when you’re eating out. Growing up, the PC was a special-occasion drink and my mom’s go-to at our family’s Italian weddings. That’s where I first had one, at around 12 years old, when she ordered a small (not virgin) one for me—God bless European parents. I love Daniel’s story because the big tip—to freeze everything—is that one little step that can make your shopping trip to buy coconut cream worth it. Trust me, I made several batches of these while testing blenders and it works. The taste is sweet, but not too sweet, with clean, creamy coconut and pineapple flavors, and just the right amount of rum. —Sal Vaglica, equipment editor
Learn how to make piña coladas like a boss »
What Is “Traditional” Soju?: A Spirited Debate
[Photograph: Emily Dryden]
I like to think I know a little bit about Korea: I’ve had Korean friends my entire life, I’ve been there more than a few times, and my father has lived in Seoul for close to a decade now. So I also thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about soju, the nation’s ubiquitous and beloved liquor. When we got the pitch for this piece, what struck me most wasn’t just my own ignorance about soju’s long history (I am never, ever surprised by the depths of my ignorance); it was how little had been written about the liquor anywhere else. This was an untold story in English, one that we were in a unique position to be able to offer a wide audience. Add to that the fact that in delving into the story of what “traditional” soju is, Josh managed to weave into the narrative much of what makes South Korea such a remarkable place—its ultra rapid industrialization and modernization, its skyrocketing cultural capital—and I can say without a doubt that it was my favorite feature of 2017. It was a privilege to publish it. —Sho Spaeth, features editor
Read more about soju »
How Oreos Got Their Name: The Rise of an American Icon
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Nothing grabs my attention more than the thrilling histories behind iconic foods. Lucky, that’s Stella’s forte, as she dives deep into the corporate intrigue and betrayal behind the beloved biscuit. Walking down the snack aisle has never felt the same after reading about the cutthroat cookie war that culminated with Oreo taking the throne. I’m eagerly awaiting the movie adaptation. —Sohla El-Waylly, assistant culinary editor
A rich and totally unexpected look at the origin of Oreos, by the one and only Stella Parks. I am lucky enough to work with Stella once a month, where I have the pleasure of witnessing her deep knowledge base and attention to detail first-hand. It’s front and center in this piece, as is her intense curiosity about all things pastry-related. Her approachable and snarky style makes it all the more enjoyable—phrases like “they might as well have told Oreos to get off their lawn” pepper the piece throughout. Humor aside, it’s a zippy and fun exploration of a history you never knew you wanted to know. —Natalie Holt, video producer
Get the full history of Oreos »
A Losers’ Thanksgiving: No One Knows Your Name (But All Are Welcome)
[Illustration: Alex Citrin]
This story had me hooked from the get-go and held me straight through til the end, a tale of frozen misery, daring hope, social ambition, and conquering life with pie. —Stella Parks, pastry wizard
Read Sohla’s heartwarming holiday tale »
Obsessed: A Man and His Mold
[Photograph: Chris Anderson]
Man, Rich Shih is smart. And he’s passionate as hell. His responses to the interview questions in this article are so in-depth and intelligent that you might think they were heavily edited, but I had the pleasure of meeting Rich (and making miso with him) in the office, and he really is that knowledgable. And that knowledge is built on a fervent curiosity. This isn’t his day job—it isn’t even related—but he is all-in on his koji project, devoting years to researching and experimenting with the stuff. I can attest to the results being delicious. The article is also accompanied by gorgeous photographs of close-up mold spores and fermented products. Kudos to Sho and his wonderful “Obsessed” series about the passionate amateur and professional foodies of this world. —Tim Aikens, front-end developer
Catch the koji bug, right this way »
For the Lightest, Crispiest Granola, Grab the Buttermilk
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
When Stella told me she was developing a granola recipe to shoot on her next trip up to NYC, I didn’t give it a second thought. I mean, granola is great and all, but why would I spend the time making it when I can easily pop into my corner grocery store and grab any of the 10 varieties they have in stock at any given time? And then I ate it. And then I ate MORE of it. And then I took the entire jar from the photoshoot home and finished it in less than a week. This is the most addictive snack I’ve ever had. And it’s granola so…it’s good for you…right? I made it a few weeks later when my craving kicked in. It’s definitely a labor of love, but well worth the effort! —Vicky Wasik, visual director
Find out what makes Stella’s granola so great »
The Best Chicken Pot Pie, With Biscuits or Pastry
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
Chicken pot pie is one of those recipes I’ve always been too intimidated to tackle; all my life I’ve resorted to frozen Marie Callender’s. Don’t get me wrong, those frozen pies are still delicious, but when Stella came out with her savory pie, it gave me the confidence to give it a try. Who knew making the roux would turn out to be so easy? I also love having the freedom to add whatever fillings I want, and it’s now a crowd favorite among my friends and family. I even got my roommate to give it a try, too, which means double the pot pies at home! —Vivian Kong, designer
Dig into some chicken pot pie »
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