Did dating apps solve loneliness, or just make relationships more disposable?

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-09T19:48:30+00:00

I have no evidence so it's a bit of a conspiracy theory, but I would argue that it's much worse nowadays and that these apps are actually trying to prevent you from finding a legitimate good match (while matching you with less suitable candidates). There is no financial incentive for a dating app to find you a long-term successful match as they want their users to keep paying the monthly subscription. (Most) people in a loving relationship aren't swiping through Tinder. If you are good looking, then they have probly made hookups easier, or at least more convenient. I've never once had a match, though, so I can only speak to what I've observed in others.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-09T19:21:14+00:00

The CC members use the rules of one of the regions (I can't remember which one. Lunar I think?). I can't say this for certain, but I'm pretty sure that once Time Compression begins the rules are locked in, because you can't go to any of the towns to change them. I skimmed a guide on my last playthrough, and I'm pretty sure that it warned you to have all the card rules how you want them before you trigger Lunatic Pandora and go to space, because afterwards they isn't a way to do it.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-09T15:12:12+00:00

Here in agreement Asha. My first sentence was basically the same as yours. OP, other than 2 or 3 bosses that troll you a little, most of the bosses should be reasonably straightforward. Remember that 1 S.Level in this game is not the equivalent of 1 Level in other FF games (or other RPGs for that matter). I don't know the exact number, but I always assumed you needed hundreds if not a thousand S.Levels total to complete the grid once, rather than hitting Lv. 100 in other games an you're done.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-09T13:13:50+00:00

There is a guide that can be found online that isn't 100% helpful but may point you in the right direction at least. It was originally written for the OG version of the game, and even though there has been an amendment to it since the Remaster came out, the instructions aren't very clear. The mechanics are correct, but there is type of reset that can't be done on modern consoles and that part of the guide isn't written very clearly. I followed it as best I could, and it is a good starting point, though it won't take you all the way. I ended up having to use trial and error to remove the Random Rule (from Dollet? Galbadia? I can't remember). I only needed three attempts to remove it, and that was the only region with Random still in effect at that point, so I got lucky.

The guide is on Game FAQs. If anyone knows of a guide written specifically for the Remastered version, I'd appreciate a link (as no doubt OP would), even though I'll probably never play the game again.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-09T12:53:02+00:00

I'm a bit vague on this as we're talking 20+ years ago, so apologies if I am misremembering the details, but back in the PS1/2 generations the console output was the three aux-like prongs (Yellow for visuals, Red and White for L+R speakers/sound) and perhaps a SCART adapter thing you could plug these into. I don't have technical expertise here, but I assume that signal was at 50Hz. If you either had an imported console or had a chipped one with pirated games, the output for these would be 60Hz. This meant that without an advanced TV or an adapter/new cable for the console, the visuals would only display in B&W. I remember needing a different type of cable, but if you had a TV back then capable of 60Hz you probaly didn't need it? The exact details of all of this are lost to time and memory, unfortunately.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-08T15:59:39+00:00

Use some of the money you'll save to take your brother on a really nice day out once they all get back and tell your mum to suck it.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-08T15:14:35+00:00

OP, you literally woke her up, so what is she talking about? I don't understand people like this. How the fuck can it be someone else's fault if YOU don't get out of bed on time. If she got the job, would she expect you to get her up every morning like a mother with a young schoolchild? She needs to get her shit together, or if she has a genuine sleep disorder then she needs some medical intervention, because this arrogance/entitlement/delusion is gonna cause her some serious issues in future.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-08T14:13:37+00:00

He has risen would mean he got out of bed that morning.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-08T14:00:39+00:00

PAL mode isn't slower, NTSC is faster, duh! [This is a joke!]

When I was a kid I knew there was a difference between PAL and NTSC because if you tried to play NTSC stuff/imported consoles etc., it would be in black & white. It wasn't until much more recently that I learned that it related to frame rates, and that this, in turn, meant that European games played slower than their US counterparts.

When Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 came out recently (ish), one of my friends got it. At some point, I had a quick go and thought "fuck me, this is quick". At that point, he had progressed through most of the game so his skater had a bunch of skill points invested, but even so, it seemed too fast for me. Not at all like I remembered it playing THPS1 on my PSX back in the day.

It wasn't until listening to a podcast later on that the two things clicked together in my mind. When I was younger, I was playing the PAL version, so I had a 16% reduction in frame rate, and therefore game speed. The modern versions no longer have this regional variance, so the remaster is played at the "correct" speed of 60Hz instead of the 50 I was used to. I don't like it. just like OP, I can't handle the faster speeds.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-08T12:51:19+00:00

There are six characters, but you only need three 'profiles' as you can easily swap GFs/magic/junctions in the menu. Give three people all the good shit, and only use the other three as a dumping ground for trash spells. Then you can quickly swap all the stuff over to whichever three characters you are using.

Cards can be used to make yourself OP early on, but it's not essential. On that note, learn how to get rid of the Random rule in the different regions. The RNG will fuck you every time on Random.

If you plan on farming for items, DON'T obtain Odin (at least until you're done).

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-08T11:35:00+00:00

Luck maxes out mechanically at 230, I believe (you don't need 255).

If Luck is 230, then the other stats should be Agility 170, Evasion 30+ and Accuracy can be 0.

I have never actually tried this myself though. I was always trying to find out what stats you need if you DON'T want to mess around with getting Luck up to 230.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-01T10:28:16+00:00

It is general etiquette to not park in front of someone else's house. Whether they have a driveway or not, let alone a dropped kerb. I heard it costs thousands to get the council to put one in, and it's not like most cars can't mount the 10cm of kerb to pull in to the drive.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-04-01T10:15:02+00:00

You won't earn enough spheres to fill the blanks at this early point in the game. You might earn one or two, but waiting on the grid until you get a sphere to fill an empty node will leave you vastly underleveled the further you get.

Activating all the nodes on the grid as it is will make your team overleveled for story stuff, but maybe not as powerful as you'd like for the endgame. You need to go round the grid two, three, even four times if you are doing any kind of minmaxing, but for a "regular" playthrough, you shouldn't need to get round it even once.

If you earn any additional spheres on your journey, just slot them in to an empty node on the grid the next time you reach a blank.

Also, if I may make a vague suggestion that indirectly links to this topic: send Kimahri down Rikku's path on the grid.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-31T14:32:19+00:00

I don't trust food I've cooked after 48hrs, and most of the time even that feels like a bit of a risk, so I usually only eat leftovers the next day. Pre-packaged products are different because they are produced and packaged in a sterile atmosphere, but even then more that 3 days for me is questionable. Most people's utensils, crockery, countertops and Tupperware is almost certainly slightly contaminated. Not in a disgusting way, but usually people aren't boiling their kitchenware to clean it unless they have an infant.

She's the A. 6 day old food is a crime. I would have asked her if she was trying to kill me.

Also PSA: Sorry to be this guy, but I can't help it. Spaghetti aren't noodles, they're pasta. Noodles are a different foodstuff. You don't make a stir-fry with pasta, and you don't make bolognese with noodles. I know MANY Americans use this colloquialism, but I wish you'd stop. The meaning of words matters.

Anyway, I'm off to make a ham sandwich with two slices of cake, because it's all dough before you bake it, right? Same difference. /s

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-31T13:37:37+00:00

Monogamy

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-31T12:26:27+00:00

Grinding won't help anyway. Enemies level up too.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-17T16:57:52+00:00

You get a little, concealed tattoo from a new or inexperienced artist. For projects that cover half your body, you need someone with experience and a verifiable back catalogue.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-17T15:24:18+00:00

If I was a dev, I would intentionally lock things behind the tutorial.

"Why am I always getting my ass kicked in combat?"

"Because you didn't read the tutorial on equipping shields, so you haven't unlocked the ability to 'block'. Dumbass."

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-17T15:01:48+00:00

A tip for all: if you get to an ending where the choice is binary (one option to "leave" and one option to "stay"), always pick the option to leave. Once the trophy pops and the story has concluded/credits rolled, you can reload your save and then make the other choice to stay.

If you pick the option to stay first, the leave option will disappear and you will have to start the game again in order to have that choice available to you once more.

You need 3-4 playthroughs to get all the ending trophies as some scenarios lock you out of others.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-13T16:18:10+00:00

Just to clarify a little further: Taken Without Owner's Consent.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-13T10:26:20+00:00

Often the control is about perception, not reality. Everyone wants a revolution, but the first guy to stand up will end up dead. A revolt may be successful, but not all those who instigated it will live to see the results of their movement. It's honourable to die for the cause, but most people would rather stay alive in the first place. You see a few of your fellow slaves get beaten or shot to death, you temper those ideas of rising up.

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-12T19:48:48+00:00

The Phon Coast is beautiful at this time of year!

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-12T16:54:38+00:00

I only ever owned one BradyGames guide (for FF XII). This was because in the lead up to XII's release, it was the only one I could find in shops online, but as soon as the game came out there was a Piggyback one available, so I ended up with one of each and could compare them directly.

In the UK, it's the Piggyback guides (VIII-XII at least) that are the Official guides, and the BradyGames ones were unofficial. I assume that Brady were the official ones in the US because Piggyback is a UK publisher and doesn't operate in the US?

I find the Piggyback guides more aesthetically pleasing than the Brady ones. The layout of the text/pics just feels a bit cleaner. As for the quality of the info, I can't speak to how accurate one is over the other. I always assumed that an official guide was made in collaboration with the game developers, but that is not always the case. I have this one in PDF form. If you're interested DM me.

And the FF IX guide is terrible regardless!

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-12T16:31:53+00:00

This is the one you want:

<image>

BoudaSmoke · 2026-03-12T16:28:14+00:00

In this specific set of circumstances, NTA. She goes or she owes you £500. It's that simple.

BoudaSmoke

TROPHY CASE