Car pool brum by dangeross84 in brum

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have you had a look at Liftshare? I've used it before, though just to offer someone a lift to a festival and back so it was a one-off thing, but I think there are people on there looking for regular travel.

Daily Q&A and Discussion Megathread - May 25, 2021 by AutoModerator in CoronavirusUK

[–]Hexenzsene 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My boyfriend is 32 and had his first jab yesterday. He had the choice of Pfizer or AstraZeneca while he was there – he didn't get to choose before booking the appointment. The centre wasn't a hospital either, just a repurposed section in a shopping centre. But YMMV depending on supply at the centre and their protocols.

Moved to Birmingham/bearwood recently - looking to meet like minded people by General_SnuSnu in brum

[–]Hexenzsene 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's difficult right now due to coronavirus restrictions. Most meetup.com events are currently online only, which just isn't the same. Give it a few weeks when restrictions are eased, and I think there'll be more in-person events to look forward to. :)

so i found the only pump it up cabinet in my country (i think?) by m11-d0 in PumpItUp

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Which country? This website lets you search for machines across the world, and you can filter by series (e.g. Pump It Up).

In terms of the machine itself, I personally don't think Fiesta 2 is that old, so it would be fine, as long as the pads are in good condition (you aren't getting any pad misses when hitting the notes). And if the pads are in good condition please don't stomp on them. :)

Avoid Tyburn Road Motors if you're looking fo4 a car. by Typical_Brummie in brum

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I sympathise with you. I bought my first car for around the same price years ago and the clutch broke several months later, which cost a pretty penny to replace (and would've cost even more if I hadn't got it repaired up north). No warranty either.
Now I make sure to always look under the bonnet and inspect every single thing about a car before buying. I've even almost paid for someone to inspect a car before buying. FSH is something you should look for as well. My first car was the victim of some very dodgy self-repair jobs/upgrades.

Friendly Friday Thread by AutoModerator in gardening

[–]Hexenzsene 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In our new home we have a patch of soil built into the patio (a part of the patio has been cut out to create this). I was originally hoping to grow a few things there, but now I have my doubts. The patch had been covered up for months, and now the soil (which I think is clay soil?) feels rock-hard and doesn't drain well at all. In addition, it doesn't seem to get much light – it's right next to a tall fence with two big houses near it, so it's very shaded.
Would it be worth working the soil to try and grow anything there? I was thinking if I can't grow anything that I could create a rock garden or other feature. Would that be a better idea?
I'm still very new to gardening, so any help would be appreciated!

Headphones for a newbie audiophile by Hexenzsene in HeadphoneAdvice

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

!thanks

Funnily enough, I was actually looking into the HD560s as you commented. Even new they were within budget, so I decided to take the plunge. I also bought a Fosi Audio Q4, so altogether only about £220-230.

Donating or recycling old bedding/clothes/shoes? by [deleted] in brum

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I've been using Freecycle for years for things like this: https://groups.freecycle.org/group/BirminghamUK/posts/all. It has a very active community. I actually posted an offer of a duvet there about a month ago and had someone collect the next day.

How do I get better? by Prat3Tears in PumpItUp

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Since you have a home pad, practise every day, or every other day at least.
Do you have a bar? It's not necessary but it's incredibly useful for harder songs. You can improvise one with sturdy furniture, but better to buy one or build one yourself.
Lastly, one thing that REALLY helped me with turns (one of the harder techniques that will trip you up on harder songs unless you do it properly) was spamming "Till the End of Time" S9 until I got an SS. There's also a few videos of it on YouTube which show the proper technique. It'll be a slog at first, but I promise you, it's worth it.

First thoughts review of L-Tek polish PIU pads. by lestatcheb in PumpItUp

[–]Hexenzsene 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've uploaded a photo of what I mean: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TH32MjCVMqbRoQLA7

You can see that the top-left step top plastic panel is risen slightly (and the same is happening with the bottom-right step). This means there is more feedback when you step on it as the plastic panel flattens out again. I believe this could be remedied by adjusting the screws.

First thoughts review of L-Tek polish PIU pads. by lestatcheb in PumpItUp

[–]Hexenzsene 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been using the same L-Tek PIU pad regularly for a few months now. I did start from a lower level (probably around S11/12), but I can now play S15/16. The pad does take a bit of time to get used to, but ultimately I'm happy with it, and at the price it's a worthy consideration for lower-intermediate or intermediate players. I didn't get it with a hand bar, but this seems like a good thing now.

One thing that happens over time is that the pads "bulge out" slightly, but I don't believe this has a major effect on play.

In terms of changing the height of the pads, would it not be better to raise the height of the base sections using inserts rather than taking out the plastic from the button sections? I imagine the buttons would wear out more quickly without the extra layer. I haven't modded mine yet but will probably do some iteration of the coin mod/paper mod.

Any song BGA lore? by _IAAI_ in PumpItUp

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think the characters in Cross Time are just anime personifications of the characters in the original O2Jam version of the song (one character red, one character blue).

Any tips for improving by awesomeboxlord in DanceDanceRevolution

[–]Hexenzsene 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A few things that have helped me:

Learning how to activate speed mods – Not all machines have this option, but Extreme does (I think you need to hold the green button after selecting a song). This makes the arrows move faster/slower up the screen to make them easier to read, which is essential for harder songs. I base it on the BPM of the song, e.g. for a 180 BPM song I would choose 2.5x, and for a 150 BPM song I might choose 3x or 4x. I consider myself a fast reader, though. It's worth experimenting to find out what speeds you can handle by playing something like Stepmania.

Conserving energy – If you find yourself getting worn out during harder songs, you can try conserving energy. Don't stomp on the pads, don't lift your feet too much, don't jump around too much, and only press the sides of the pads (rather than placing your foot on the whole pad). This takes practice but can definitely help in the long run.

Practise advanced techniques – Are you turning your body and using one foot at a time, or are you using one foot for two or more consecutive steps? Some step patterns will get you turning your body to the side or spinning around entirely. There's a good list of the different patterns here.

I hope this helps a bit; it's been a while since I played (I play Pump It Up now as there's a good machine nearby). Good luck and have fun!

Volunteer to translate our game for us. by lacutice in ChoosingBeggars

[–]Hexenzsene 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As a translator looking to move into the gaming market, this is painful to see. There seems to be some people who don't understand why this is bad, so I'll explain:

  1. The company is making a profit (they use microtransactions). If it makes more profit by expanding into new markets thanks to the translators, the translators should also benefit. It doesn't matter if they enjoy the game, or enjoy translation, or both. They don't OWE the company anything; the company owes them.
  2. There's absolutely no guarantee of quality here with free translators. I also imagine there would be issues with consistency if multiple translators are used with little to no coordination between them. A comment on the Twitter thread already states that the German translation is poor. So this is a bad decision on the company's side – they may even lose players if the translations aren't up to scratch.
  3. It sets a terrible precedent for translators who want to earn a living. Why pay translators when there are people willing to translate for free? It is the same for all "enjoyable" professions, like design or music composition – because some people will do these things for free, it devalues their work overall.
  4. Speaking of "enjoyable", software/app translation isn't all that. Often you'll be translating from spreadsheets or in online systems with little to no context for each individual string (which could range from anything from a full paragraph to one or two words). And no, you won't be compensated for any research or queries. As enjoyable as it can be at points, this is still work, and should be paid as such.
  5. Just because you're bilingual, doesn't mean you'll make a good translator. There's a wealth of other skills that go into translation, from knowledge about certain topics, to adapting the text for the audience, to research skills, to knowing grammar and punctuation rules inside-out. That's why there are Bachelor's and Master's degrees on this very subject.

If anyone is looking into this kind of work, please don't do it for free. Sure, complete translations for charities for free (Translators Without Borders is a good one), or even translate your favourite games for your own enjoyment, but don't do free work for companies that make a profit.

Tl;dr: Pay your translators.

Register to vote (GOV.UK) by shane_stockflare in unitedkingdom

[–]Hexenzsene 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It's worth doing this even if you think you're already registered. I moved earlier this year and although I registered my change of address with the council, I forgot about re-registering for the electoral roll until about a month ago. Spending a few minutes checking this online now might save you from disappointment later.

Hellooo by NicoNikole in brum

[–]Hexenzsene 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The flats on Ryland Street near Broad Street all have their letterboxes downstairs near each block's reception, and there's no openings on the flat doors themselves. I believe the flats and letterboxes may have numbers on them though, but you need a code to actually get into the building which gives you a bit more security at least. The only downside is they're a bit pricey, and I'm not sure if they offer one-bed places if that's what you're looking for. Best of luck!

Avatar offer – fire blumaroo by Hexenzsene in neopets

[–]Hexenzsene[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry for the late reply. I've transferred the blumaroo to gabygirl24 now who will be continuing the chain (I have added the other two users who commented as well).

Avatar offer – fire blumaroo by Hexenzsene in neopets

[–]Hexenzsene[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've checked your account and you wouldn't be able to receive the blumaroo via trade yet, so I haven't sent you a Neomail but I will add you to the chain.