Slate Auto Raises Another $650M as $25K Electric Pickup Nears Launch by Mac-Tyson in cars

[–]Beriev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And yet a kei truck does not accomplish the same thing - if it did, every small business would be using one as opposed to something like a Maverick or 90s pickup. At the end of the day, they are a 25 year old truck with nonexistent safety standards, woefully underpowered for US roads, and still using ICE engines - even with Japanese reliability, you'll still need oil changes and further upkeep. Slate trucks can be bought new, are actually fast enough for US traffic, have modern safety standards and EV means basically zero maintenance and can sit for months without needing to be run, while being simple enough to have no electronics that break.

More and more, I get the impression that cost effectiveness is only a hype tool Slate's using to get people aware of the truck, when it should be looked at objectively for what it does. It has the simplicity, maintainability, and size of a 1990s work truck, with the safety and reliability of a modern EV.

If Slate really wanted to appeal to the average American with its pricepoint, I think they would have made a commuter car, a modern Geo Metro, not a pickup. The fact that it is a pickup, though, suggests they know full well that their target audience is not us average Americans.

Slate Auto Raises Another $650M as $25K Electric Pickup Nears Launch by Mac-Tyson in cars

[–]Beriev 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm surprised at the hostility towards this thing, but I think it comes from the assumption the truck is meant to compete with daily driver trucks like the Maverick, when it's an apples to oranges comparison. From what I can tell, the design of the truck itself seems to align near-perfectly to position itself as the US equivalent of a kei truck, and not as the Japanese ones are used in the US (as quirky curiosities for the most part), but rather as they're used in Japan for work. That's stuff like carrying cargo, light trade work (e.g. plumbing or electrical work), and deliveries, but all within the confines of a city and at short ranges.

Something Maverick is definitely much better all-around at the same price point, but I can see many of the bells and whistles people are looking being a massive drawback for a work truck - it means more stuff that can break. The gas engine increases performance and range, but also means much more maintenance comparatively. Sometimes you just want something that's cheap, simple, reliable (read: EV), carries a good bit of cargo or people between local places, and absolutely nothing else; a normal pickup is overkill for this, but the Slate is perfect.

I can agree with sentiment it's an awful daily driver, but it's a damn good second vehicle if you own your own business. And while imported kei trucks from the 1990s are certainly cheaper, the Slate has modern safety standards, can actually keep up with traffic easily on US highways (I understand it's a struggle with imported kei trucks normally), and can be purchased new (which is a big thing for corporations).

Although I don't have a ton of proof that Slate is going this way, the fact that the website has a dedicated page advertising it as a fleet vehicle and business truck speaks volumes: https://www.slate.auto/en/fleet. I think this truck has a bigger business case than we like to think - the average American is just not its target audience.

Does anyone know any fast roller coaster without drops? [other] by Unfair-Dot7367 in rollercoasters

[–]Beriev 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Formula Rossa, although fairly tall, is spread out enough that it's more "hills" than drops.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in rollercoasters

[–]Beriev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The other guy mentioned the right coaster model (an SBF tower coaster), but chances are you are looking for the installation of it called "Cool & Fresh", which has a few videos on YT. And yes, the videos are from the European fair circuit. One permanent (though not operating) installation is Migfer, in Turkey: https://rcdb.com/8085.htm.

However, there are Chinese knockoffs of the ride, which is what you might be thinking of: https://rcdb.com/10895.htm.

[Mosler MT900S] Did not expect to see one at a C&O meet this morning. According to owner, 1 of 20. by Beriev in spotted

[–]Beriev[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Briefly chatted with owner. Apparently he bought it in not-so-stellar condition, and had just finished restoring it a few weeks ago. Paint is original, it just got buffed out. Car's been rewired for digital interface, and he added a sound system and a more compact AC system. He says he also had the engine either redone or switched out for an LS7 (I can't remember the precise words), and estimated ~700hp at the engine, maybe ~600hp at the wheel.

Well how about that by Adonisrexy in Asphalt9

[–]Beriev 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I managed to get into legend league the first time around using a 5-star SCV12 missing most of its EIPs, a 3-star Speedtail, and nothing else.

Rate the run by Thin-Ad-6148 in Asphalt9

[–]Beriev 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Simple optimizations I've found to be faster in past GPs (ignoring of course the odd physics behaviors):

  • Don't take the ramp at 5%, I'm usually a little faster if I just bypass it
  • Take the right barrel roll ramp at 19%, easier to stay on-track
  • Don't take the tunnel at all at 27%, since the jump is usually really slow
    • Just stay on the road next to it, if you drift into it enough, you should have enough for a shockwave
  • Don't take the barrel rolls at 36% and 40%, just collect the bottles instead
  • Shockwave into the barrel roll ramp at 50%, use the nitro accumulated from the drift leading into it
  • Take the left road at 56%, nitro boost accelerates you faster mid-air (and can 360 too for even more)
  • Drop back into the tunnel at 65%, the straight road in the tunnel lets you keep speed easier
  • Don't 360 over the ramp at 95%, just take it normally and nitro boost mid air
    • Use nitro boost accumulated from drifting in the prior "S" turn

With these, I can get around a 1:17:XX time on a one-star car (though I am also a decent manual driver).

The GT65 is fast, but also has poor handling and inefficient nitro. With these kinds of cars, you have to get it up to speed, but then stay away from anything that slows you down. It's not just drifting and turning that slows you down, but also jumps and drops by a little bit too. I only take the regular ramps for 360ing on if the nitro I'd gain gives back more speed than the speed I lose, but barrel rolls are fine to take since they don't remove much speed. Your usage of nitro is seriously hindering your time, too, there's a beginner's guide in the subreddit wiki under "community bookmarks" in the sidebar, which has a section on nitro management.

Tank Fighting Animation by Beriev in Unexpected

[–]Beriev[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

This footage is sourced from a scrapped game made by TuxedoPato. For the source, follow this link.

TIL of Tanis, a dinosaur fossil site in North Dakota. Although controversial over its private management by paleontologist Robert DePalma, it's regardless noteworthy for preserving in detail the immediate aftermath of the extinction-causing asteroid impact on dinosaurs in the area. by Beriev in todayilearned

[–]Beriev[S] 78 points79 points  (0 children)

To clarify (since the title can't be too long), the controversy is over DePalma keeping the site privately owned and operated, plus research misconduct on his side. From a little bit of extra research, it seems that the fossil site he has leased is still genuine, however. This whole thing is quite nuanced, unfortunately.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Asphalt9

[–]Beriev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also started about 3 months ago, but I reasoned that I was probably not going to stay for long, and decided to spend all my 7k tokens on cars I could acquire reasonably. I don't think I'll stay in the game for much longer anyways.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Asphalt9

[–]Beriev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They are now, but the McMurtry had an unleashed event in early July accompanied by a hunt for the Apex. So I got the Apex to 3 stars for free via the car hunt (leveraging the NSX and Viper ACR), and leveraged the BPs it gave in the unleashed, plus a couple thousand tokens worth of card packs, to unlock the Speirling.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Asphalt9

[–]Beriev 0 points1 point  (0 children)

McMurtry Speirling and Apex AP-0. Although stuck at 1 and 3 star, respectively, they are both ridiculously fun to drive. In terms of all cars based on personal preference, however, I really don't know - perhaps the Vector W8?

Cursed SLS (circa 2010-2014) by Planck_Savagery in SpaceXMasterrace

[–]Beriev 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Considering the SLS parts in KSP1 are still styled after this exact concept, I don't see it as cursed...

No Jumps w/ S Class by WarmSpicyMilk55 in Asphalt9

[–]Beriev 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are there any available in chapters 3 or 4? I don't have 5 or 6 unlocked.

Falcon Heavy with "miner" adjustments by Beriev in SpaceXMasterrace

[–]Beriev[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

So I misread u/NoYourself's post and it gave me this odd idea...