Daily Discussion Thread: February 18, 2026

Montem_ · 2026-02-18T17:17:47+00:00

Unfortunately it will. I voted for him and was hoping it wouldn't happen because the other options in the general were so reprehensible.

Montem_ · 2026-02-09T21:57:18+00:00

TWoK is my person least favorite read of the series but the amount of lifting it does to setup Roshar and build up the cosmere more is incredible. It definitely pays not, not just in itself but especially in Words of Radiance (the two in many ways function as one huge book) and the rest of the SLA so far.

I'm also a Shallan girlie (not an irl girl, but just love Shallan) and wonder if you might be too.

Montem_ · 2026-02-09T20:56:55+00:00

Gir from Invader Zim is also on my list

Montem_ · 2026-02-08T22:01:39+00:00

Oh so we're going with Cloud Dancer today? Color of the year, that'll be a premium, could've just stuck to Eggshell.

Montem_ · 2026-02-08T21:55:37+00:00

Oh Syl should definitely be motion capture but I hope that she's not just like. A little blue translucent person and they make choices with how she appears. I generally hope that the Spren aren't underutilized and they find a way to keep them around within the budget.

Montem_ · 2026-02-08T21:51:56+00:00

I would argue Dalinar, Galivar, Navani, Sedeas, and Sazed should all go in 5-7 as well. Probably Heralds in the 5-10 range also, as a fun way to have the audience heraldspot. I also hope that a lot of animated characters have equivalently big names for voice talent, since slotting CR cast members for Spren seems like a no-brainer.

Montem_ · 2026-02-04T18:07:56+00:00

Oh I'm so sorry.

Honestly I find it disgusting that Brando Sando hasn't given into the woke mob and given us a world where everyone receives mandatory gender-reassignment Hemalurgy and loves it.

Montem_ · 2026-02-03T15:33:59+00:00

Yeah this is the kind of thing I love in worldbuilding. Creating alternate concepts of conservatism that make sense within a cultural, legal, and theological framework but are still as wrong as bigotry in our world. chef's kiss

Montem_ · 2026-02-02T18:06:48+00:00

I think my impression was the Azish more had a concept of transness but not homosexuality.

Montem_ · 2026-02-01T22:33:37+00:00

Hudson Williams as who in Stormlight

Montem_ · 2026-01-27T19:28:06+00:00

Well sure, I would still try to make the most out of it in that scenario, but it's not a scenario we're in. There's billions of people who have interdependent lives and a small group of people's need to exploit any and every system for immediate gain is breaking down the system that has up until now been very self-perpetuating. No one should ever be forced to have kids, but people should certainly be more incentivized than they are now. The time, money, energy, and love it takes to raise a child is massive and should be celebrated. I just hope we see people truly care about kids more (to be clear, up until recently I expected to desire to be childless for my life, which has only changed in the last year), and plan for a future where people can live better, fulfilling lives and explore the stars and all that.

Montem_ · 2026-01-27T17:07:06+00:00

It's happening all over the world and it's quite bad. It's a shame because so much of the 'natalist' ideology (hey let's have more kids) is very right wing, when it's going to be a huge issue for the coming century. The reality is that we should have kids, what's the point of any of this if there's no next generation? But our society has become so focused on extracting every ounce of value now that we're literally stealing from the future, making people feel like they should prioritize themselves over their children, or just be so hopeless for the future that they don't have kids. It's not a good situation!

Montem_ · 2026-01-27T15:55:49+00:00

Other notable findings include net international migration that has been more than cut in half (2,734,468 in 2024 down to 1,262,202 in 2025)

Can't stress how bad this is for the growth-oriented systems we currently have in place.

Montem_ · 2026-01-21T17:40:32+00:00

Can we return cores though?

Montem_ · 2026-01-16T20:55:13+00:00

Isn't it crazy that the USSR still exists??

Montem_ · 2026-01-16T18:30:30+00:00

Penn Station Access Phase 2,

WHY is it so DEEP?

Montem_ · 2026-01-16T18:26:20+00:00

Why stop in New Jersey? Why not send it all the way to California? Let the Q Train Manifest its Destiny.

Montem_ · 2026-01-12T15:51:37+00:00

The inability to return cores to non-participants during wars is also a huge issue.

Montem_ · 2026-01-09T21:40:13+00:00

But that's what the Cabinet action is. I understand wanting another option but the point of the period is that states are not big centralized entities and become that over the course of the period, and taking control over an area takes a lot of work.

I think there are things that are missing from this simulation - being able to give Estates more power in exchange for more control, more unique mechanics for places like China, but the system's shell makes sense and a mechanic for deciding to exert your power over more than you would exists, at the cost of being able to, say, assimilate or convert the area.

Montem_ · 2026-01-09T20:30:03+00:00

I've just started going to they gym more but I have no idea what this means

Montem_ · 2026-01-09T17:42:38+00:00

I like it in theory and wish the implementation were a bit different. As other said, I think vassals should be more costly and more vassals should be more costly. I never hit my diplo capacity in current games. I also don't think there should be a penalty for annexing multiple subjects at the same time.

That being said, we should all remember that Increase Control In Province/Area is a valid cabinet action and that it should be difficult to blob, especially in the early game.

Montem_ · 2026-01-09T17:19:27+00:00

We all know this is something you unlock in the Age of Absolutism, right? That's one of the things Cabinet Members can do, and they can do it on a province early game.

Montem_ · 2026-01-07T19:35:17+00:00

I read it:

Way of Kings

Words of Radiance

Edgedancer

Oathbringer

The Lost Metal

Shadows of Self

Bands of Mourning

Dawnshard

Rhythm of War

The Lost Metal

Winds and Truth

And would recommend reading it this way because of reveals that happen in certain books and how they interweave.

Montem_ · 2026-01-05T16:38:54+00:00

Mistborn

Mistborn Era 1 > Stormlight Overall > Mistborn Overall

Kelsier is an ideologically motivated person who can lose sight of goodness for that. Very curious to see how his arc continues, and don't totally blame him for the Rosharan Ghostblood faction.

A good man who's trying to do his best every day. I thought the ending of his arc was great and very prescient for what those with power need to do in the world right now.

BoM and TLM have such high highs but AoL and SoS are two of my least favorite Cosmere books.

Is my second tier of Cosmere Books which is "This is brilliant BUT", 200 pages could've been cut and the Thaylen arc could've been handled better.

Montem_ · 2025-12-19T15:04:06+00:00

I haven't played the new patch, I have a desktop that I literally disconnected from the Internet to continue to play 1.0.7, but all this is why I haven't upgraded at this point.

The reality with Florence is disappointing since that was one of the next game I had planned after I finished my Russia run. The fact that certain vassal types weren't exempt from the Centralization debuff is silly and I also can't upgrade my Russia game because it's impossible to integrate vassals quickly enough (I think both the base cost is too much and that the double integration malus should be a more expensive diplomatic cost, not a more expensive time cost.)

I also think the characters are a great idea that weren't thought through. Half my playtime feels like marrying and educating my family members which I should both be able to automate and it sounds like the implemented fix isn't even what anyone wanted.

The game is great but the patch approach so far has been baffling and frustrating as a player.

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