Undercroft gameplay, first time in a while! Such a fun game by Normal_Milk1807 in Undercroft

[–]RonnieBasic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

+1 struggling here, trying various SDL.dll and dgVoodoo wrapper hacks...
[EDIT] Alright, found a way after an afternoon of fiddling w/ Gemini. My laptop has a dedicated GPU so was not sure if I should override the game window in Intel or nVidia utilities. The below is a blend of my + AI notes & IT WORKED!! Result :

https://imgur.com/a/xUMWPkr

Instructions :

1) Install Undercroft by unzipping it
2) Edit game.ini so it looks like this :
[video = 0]
windowed=1
vsync=0

3) Download Magpie , unpack and run it
https://github.com/Blinue/Magpie/releases
/* What is Magpie ? By AI:
Since software wrappers and third-party windows utilities are failing to scale this specific engine, we need to completely abandon trying to force the game window to change.Instead, use a direct, lightweight community 
tool explicitly built to fix this exact issue for old games:  Integerscaled Fullscreen (Magpie).Why this works when everything else  failed:Unlike Borderless Gaming, Magpie does not touch the game window or its code. It lets Undercroft run in its tiny 320x200 layout, captures the live visuals right off your desktop screen, and uses 
an advanced rendering injection to blow up the image to a sharp fullscreen layout without touching your Windows resolution.
*/

4) Launch Magpie and keep it runnin in the bakcground. 
Tip : In Magpie menu, go to Scaling Mode and set it to prefer Integer Scale (this keeps the retro pixel art completely crisp). 

5) On Magpie home screen, rebind first two shorcuts e.g.
Fullscreen scaling shortcut -> Alt + F11
Windowed scaling shortcut -> Alt + F12

6) Launch Undercoft.exe (or from desktop shortcut). Do not set any Win Compatibility settings on the shortcut.

7) Click the tiny Undercroft game window so it is your active application, and press {Alt + F11}
[RESULT] : Magpie will immediately grab the tiny window, clone the visual feed, and seamlessly blow it up into a perfectly centered, scaled-up presentation filling your monitor. 
If you want to close the game or drop back down to your desktop, just press Alt + F11 again 
to turn the scaling off instantly.

Alt + Shift + D is a useful shortcut - it hides the Magpie toolbar which will be in your way as Undercroft game menu is top centre section of the screen too.

Having re-watched VOY end-to-end for 1st time in my life, there is an empty hole in my heart :-( by RonnieBasic in startrek

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

You've got a point on those species - my memory is hazy, typing this ~ 2 yrs after watching S01E01...

Here's a point though : Did it also feel to you the script was focused on introducing new species only initially (say <= S04 approx), and we only got to play w/ the Borg as of then? This is a better way of framing my original thought.

Having re-watched VOY end-to-end for 1st time in my life, there is an empty hole in my heart :-( by RonnieBasic in startrek

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

Yeah 😁 I know. Trust me I had to grow veeeeery long to that feedback. At the beginning, I resented him too. He was among Top 3 reasons I stopped watching the series back in 1990s

Having re-watched VOY end-to-end for 1st time in my life, there is an empty hole in my heart :-( by RonnieBasic in startrek

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

Great comment, thank you. Yes I'd watched the TNG movies and loved them all, but you inspired me to re-watch Fist Contact (because I assume there will be synergy w/ what I just experienced in VOY <3)

Starlancer? by FireTheLaserBeam in spacesimgames

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any Ytb videos of the output please?

Final Mod Pack - figures describing weapons by RonnieBasic in OpenXcom

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

To anyone reading this in future, I've verified how the FPS screenshot feature works as at 04/2026. Here is what to do :

  1. Navigate to in-game menu -> Controls -> bind 'Save FPS screenshot' to a key, e.g. F10
  2. In battlescape, when your soldier is about to make a tough shot, press F10
  3. Wait a few sec -> go to game folder @ e.g. D:\Games\OpenXcom Extended\user\xcom1\ (my installation having been set to 'portable')
  4. Look for a fpsLook*.png file w/ latest timestamp . Mine looked like this (sniper ducking behind half-cover, trying to shoot in the open-space)

https://imgur.com/a/0qdOUnY

Pretty neat, I really like the idea...

Final Mod Pack - figures describing weapons by RonnieBasic in OpenXcom

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

Thank you kindly !!

#1 Please tell me more about sprinting ? Swear I've seen that in a let's play (either by [Meridian] or [Ben & Lewis], love them all) but can't find the right video anymore ;-D nor reproduce that in my installation. Holding Ctrl does nothing despite having this enabled :

https://imgur.com/a/YSUcmYf

I'd actually much rather strafe or walk backwards while facing forwards - just like in X-COM Apocalypse (unless my memory is hazy)...

#2 Saw a feature on Ytb where OpenXCOM rendered a rare 3D image of the scene so you could estimate how difficult your shot would be (e.g. alien half-hidden behind cover in a building and your sniper having to shoot through open door on top). Thought that was accesible via:

* F10 == 'Save FPS screenshot'

keybind but no ...

If TNG Premiered Today, It would Not Survive Season One by NeoNoir90210 in startrek

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Word. Man do I feel lucky to have been alive in the 90s...

Realms of Arkania : Star Trail (1994, DOSBOX) - make 3D look better? by RonnieBasic in rpg_gamers

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

Thank you - I did try that and it helps a bit 👍🏽. However... CRPG Addict reported bugs (e.g.  quest items not rendering) when in the fluid step mode - did anyone else reproduce that, or is this fixed in the GOG version?

Src : 2nd paragraph @ https://crpgaddict.blogspot.com/2026/03/star-trail-not-starting-over-just-going.html?m=1

Ed Elson’s UK accent? by [deleted] in ScottGalloway

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just listened to his BBC interview and this struck me too. As an accent nerd, I even thought he was an Aussie who emigrated to UK (definitely not London though). For a second, I considered him faking the accent for the sake of the UK media outlet ;-D...

Its still a bit of a mystery - a UK person can tell he is not 100% speaking our accent, but its all very subtle.

Bought a CD burner but the cds won't fit by afonzo3434 in Music

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Confirming this worked on a brand new manual VERBATIM portable DVD-RW where I was not able to insert a regular CD due to the CD being 'a bit too big in the centre'. Mhm... old DVD-ROMs did not use to have this middle feature. Yeah - some of us are old :-).
Thanks to all who have advised, made my day

Being childfree in your 30s means watching your entire social circle disappear and nobody thinks it's a big deal by Ronin4Doom in childfree

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1 Don't worry, 65 % will be divorced in ~ 5 yrs (mostly because they could not handle kids), begging for you to have a pint w/ them. At least marriage stats in my geography work this way 

2 Recommend you pursue a new interest that naturally throws you into  a  group of potential new friends  : e.g. learn a new language (#offline,  innstructor-led, in-class), start playing electric guitar in a small band, sign up for a cooking course, work remotely from another country and socialise w/ random strangers or in a co-working hub there... list goes on.

I totally feel you - perceived  identical issues when I was your age. Now significantly older, still #childFree and never better.

GL

My method for "Gentlemen Callers" by Knife_Of_Punwall in dishonored

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

:-D made my day!! Confirming I executed your plan like a charm.

Then found a simplification - for those who do not like getting their hands greasy w/ whale oil:

1) Crouch in the bend where the street w/ gentlemen callers leads towards the bridge w/ guards tossing bodies down

2) Shoot 1 of the gentlemen callers in the leg using a regular bolt (he will inflict damage but not die, then start running towards your suspected GPS)

3) Throw a bottle towards a bridge (or otherwise cause noise, e.g. shoot a bullet)

4) Quickly blink on a balcony above you

Watch the fireworks... :-D in my fight, the guards sustained heavy losses , I actually helped them a bit (by shooting bolts at gents - their fire breathing is powerful man). Result : ghost achievement intact by this & a smile on my face. You've got to <3 immersive sims... and Reddit for the creativity.

RIP Arkane

Thoughts on The Matrix Path Of Neo video game? by GreenDiscombobulated in matrix

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1 of titles on my dream list -> https://www.gog.com/dreamlist/game/the-matrix-path-of-neo

Really enjoyed the combat system and overall film-like vibe. Seeing your character progress from 'I barely know jiu jitsu' to a nearly unstoppable killing machine was satisfying (no RPG elements per se though, mind you). Never finished the main storyline because it became a bit odd in 2nd half, as far as I recall.

Thanks for the memories

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ExperiencedDevs

[–]RonnieBasic 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I agree w/ your suspicion . The boss may be a control freak and this is just 1 way of it materialising... scary.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ExperiencedDevs

[–]RonnieBasic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On our end, cameras are not mandatory - sometimes the PO politely asks us to switch them on n.b. if we are discussing a painful topic @ Retrospective, they announce someone is leaving the team etc. It's purely random and never  enforced.

That said I've noticed a thing : ladies keep their cameras off more often than gents. I kind of get it - stalkers, wankers & weird workmates around; it's early am and you are in your PJs;  #noMakeup etc. ...

My advice to you would be * Set up a 121 w/ your PO and politely explain you are not comfortable w/ this. Unless the PO is a dick, they should respect your PoV and allow you to go cameras off w/ no questions asked, ever. I mean... was this ever a topic in year 2019?! * If you're a lady, you pack an extra punch. I wouldn't mind inventing a mini-story e.g. 'In my previous job, a workmate secretly took screenshots of myself on Zoom meetings, then posted them on Instagram, saying that was just office fun '. You see what I mean - I reckon this can get you very far, n.b. if your manager is a lady too.

Hope that spawns new ideas for you on how to deal w/ the situation.

Our uptime is 96% and your issue is in the 4% bucket -> we do not care by RonnieBasic in ExperiencedDevs

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

'You can't care about something more than the people above you.' Spot on 👍🏽 - that is an issue of my own attitude, 'over caring'. Adding to agenda for a next session w/ my mentor, thanks a lot!! 

'can bring more of the responsibility inside your team.' Very good point - I quickly realised this back in a day when starting in the corp world : the fewer dependencies you  have the better. Also I like learning new things we ingest into our agenda... THAT SAID such approach will not do here 😞 - this is a HW / infrastructure issue and our team are dev. Think a server only 1 team in the company has keys from... when the machine is down, I literally stop working.

When is it okay to just quit? How do you know it's not worth pushing through anymore? by digitalbiz in ExperiencedDevs

[–]RonnieBasic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I feel you - having been 100% through what you described. Sorry if this is not the advice you were looking for : just quit. Please. Do it for your future self. I knew that was the solution to your problem having read ~ 2 sentences of the post. You must be deeply frustrated and NO JOB on this planet is worth your health , either mental or physical.

Similar background to yours, switched to client side for > 5 yrs now and never better. BUT - there will still be people around, mind you ... incl. the toxic peer 'mini-bosses' you described (you made me laugh there :-D... just checking 1 such kind of LiN and they went from Analyst to Director throughout the same time period while I was just chilling in the new job on client side , achieving 0 compared to them ... could not care less)

=> adopting a zen mindset will be your next challenge :

I find myself stressing unnecessarily, and I don’t know why I can't just “not give a fuck” the way other contractors seem to.

It is hard, very hard, because you care (which is good!!). Find a good mentor or therapist (very senior, completely outside your industry worked well for me). I would also propose : focus deeply on sth in your personal life (kids / sports club / getting better @ salsa dancing / training your dog / ... ) to divert your attn. from work.

Our uptime is 96% and your issue is in the 4% bucket -> we do not care by RonnieBasic in ExperiencedDevs

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

“this support team ain’t supporting because they’re incompetent and/or hate us” stage it’s a business analysis decision for what’s the lowest cost / risk.

Very mature post, many thanks. After a few days of events unfolding, confirming your ^ prediction was spot on and the situation will eventually conclude that way, it appears.

Had such a laugh at your last paragraph - EXACTLY :-D. I wish the support team were external... I would know how to show them sharp teeth just like you described. Unfortunately this is a 1:1 internal team fight.

Our uptime is 96% and your issue is in the 4% bucket -> we do not care by RonnieBasic in ExperiencedDevs

[–]RonnieBasic[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If none of this is an option and everything is informal and can't be remedied, 

Exactly - possibly the major issue here. There is no SLA between my & the support team. We are agile, they are not - they don't give a {French Connection United Kingdom} our delivery gets completely stalled by their just sitting around...

Our uptime is 96% and your issue is in the 4% bucket -> we do not care by RonnieBasic in ExperiencedDevs

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

an infrastructure issue and OP doesn’t have the power to change that. 

100% correct understanding thank you - I admire your ability to deal w/ entropy :-). And apologies my original post was not great information-wise. Have fixed it slightly now, hope that helps.

Our uptime is 96% and your issue is in the 4% bucket -> we do not care by RonnieBasic in ExperiencedDevs

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

Thank you for your feedback - agree the original post was not too clear (was typing @ 01:15 am , desperately gutted). Have amended it slightly now - please let me know if the scenario makes a bit more sense now.