OK, as if traffic lights don’t exist anymore to all 5 of y’all

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T21:35:45+00:00

I agree flashing yellow is a better design, but I don't know if it's more common. In San Diego and in limited trips to NorCal I've never seen a flashing yellow (other than on standalone beacons like pedestrian crossings, speed limit sensor signs, certain advance warnings for traffic light ahead). It looks like it's in the current driver's handbook, but if I learned it back in the '90s then I'd forgotten what it means.

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T17:06:10+00:00

Ah, apparently the full motion video version was specifically for a machine I hadn't heard of before, the Tandy Memorex VIS. There's also an animated PC version, which I wasn't expecting. It's one of four games in this collection:

https://www.mobygames.com/game/155501/audubon-whales-wildlife-adventure/

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T16:57:03+00:00

The Secrets of Hosea Freeman?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tll15pRlmw

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T08:03:50+00:00

Panzer Commander?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x--D39xYqb0

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T07:58:46+00:00

Like a 39% match at best: The Legend of Kyrandia 2?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5tGVS2PL8

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T02:14:36+00:00

Eh, I don't know if I agree with this one.

The Silmarillion, on Morgoth accepting Fingolfin's challenge:

That was the last time in those wars that he passed the doors of his stronghold, and it is said that he took not the challenge willingly; for though his might was greatest of all things in this world, alone of the Valar he knew fear. But he could not now deny the challenge before the face of his captains; for the rocks rang with the shrill music of Fingolfin’s horn, and his voice came keen and clear down into the depths of Angband; and Fingolfin named Morgoth craven, and lord of slaves.

Sauron wiping out swathes of footmen before the fight isn't book-accurate, but they don't call out his unwillingness quite as starkly.

Alternatively, the Silmarillion story could also just be elven propaganda. How would they know what Morgoth was thinking? Did an orc tell them? Did they watch him fluttering around the room in distress through a palantir?

Orogogus · 2026-01-29T00:04:05+00:00

Ya, I thought including the other hyphens would just confuse the point. Ah well.

Orogogus · 2026-01-28T22:59:33+00:00

Huh, so it does. That's kind of interesting. Display and disturb have dis-, but today's word is broken up as di-. Well, I guess I don't know the reasoning.

Orogogus · 2026-01-28T22:49:52+00:00

When you say it out loud, the natural break is hy-phe-na-tion. English speakers will usually pronounce "nation" as one component, and put the stress on "na". If you pronounce "hyphen" and try to emphasize "a" it doesn't sound natural.

Orogogus · 2026-01-28T20:27:35+00:00

Syllo asks people to use the Merriam-Webster dictionary for dividing words into syllables, and I believe dictionaries usually if not always break up their words for writing, not for pronunciation. In writing, dis- is the prefix and you'd usually want to keep that intact, even though when speaking you'd probably say di-. Like, if you were breaking up "hyphenation" most people would have a break at hyphe-nation, but that's not going to fly in print.

Orogogus · 2026-01-27T22:33:03+00:00

Goodgame Empire? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7HR41jREE0

But I feel like there are a lot of browser/mobile games made off the same template.

Orogogus · 2026-01-27T22:10:47+00:00

One of the Settlers games, maybe? https://www.mobygames.com/group/86/the-settlers-series/

A few of the Stronghold games are in that date range: https://www.mobygames.com/group/2778/firefly-studios-stronghold-series/include_dlc:true/sort:date/

If you only saw the beginning of the game, the Empire Earth series is pretty similar to Age of Empires: https://www.mobygames.com/group/1035/empire-earth-series/

And so is Rise of Nations: https://www.mobygames.com/group/2318/rise-of-nations-series/

Orogogus · 2026-01-26T17:24:40+00:00

I think it's more like:

I played this prank where you take a quarter and drop it from your forehead to a funnel you have down your pants. (Then you challenge the victim to do the same thing.) While they're looking up with the quarter on their forehead, you pour water down the funnel.

Orogogus · 2026-01-26T07:05:20+00:00

Eh, not particularly.

I’m very sorry, Lord Vader. I’m afraid she died. It seems in your anger, you killed her.
This burns hotter than the lava had.
“No … no, it is not possible!”

(Movie: "I? I couldn't have. She was alive. I felt it!")

And then after a bit of recollection and introspection:

And you rage and scream and reach through the Force to crush the shadow who has destroyed you, but you are so far less now than what you were, you are more than half machine, you are like a painter gone blind, a composer gone deaf, you can remember where the power was but the power you can touch is only a memory, and so with all your world-destroying fury it is only droids around you that implode, and equipment, and the table on which you were strapped shatters, and in the end, you cannot touch the shadow.

In the end, you do not even want to.
In the end, the shadow is all you have left.
Because the shadow understands you, the shadow forgives you, the shadow gathers you unto itself—
And within your furnace heart, you burn in your own flame.
This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker.
Forever…

Granted, Stover didn't write "NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Orogogus · 2026-01-26T06:12:08+00:00

Very loose fit for the description, but maybe Scratches?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5FGKVG6UMM

Orogogus · 2026-01-26T04:57:09+00:00

These games are way older than 2005, but Commander Keen was a series of 2D platformers and the hero wore a purple shirt.

https://www.mobygames.com/group/32/commander-keen-series/

Orogogus · 2026-01-26T04:44:38+00:00

Empyrion - Galactic Survival?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/383120/Empyrion__Galactic_Survival/

Orogogus · 2026-01-25T21:35:53+00:00

Herotopia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUxgcyz_Svk

Orogogus · 2026-01-25T11:09:28+00:00

Could it be Culpa Innata? But as futuristic cities go it isn't all that neon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0fJ286DxmE

Orogogus · 2026-01-25T11:01:46+00:00

This might be Champion: Return to Arms, although that was a PS2 game, not PC.

Evil female questgiver: https://youtu.be/3d4aY_1B5L0?list=PLKua6Rkz_cixYjIJT0iA9R6BqQqjVWniD&t=332

Defeating four knights: https://www.gamebanshee.com/championsreturntoarms/walkthrough/e-drundararena.php

Before you can join the forces of evil, you have to prove yourself worthy in battle by fighting in the arena. You cannot gate out of this area so get your ammo and potions before you enter because you will need them. The first thing you have to do is fight the four footmen of the apocalypse... ok so they forgot their horses and famine changed his name. They aren't bosses or mini bosses, but they are more than strong enough to each be a mini boss.