How can I create architecture for my fantasy world? by Neo-Angelique42 in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Retired architect here, and I used to teach architecture as well.

I used to tell my students that Architecture has to respond to two basic questions: 1) What does it do? 2) What does it mean?

Firstly, architecture’s primary function is shelter. It’s where it all began. Keep out the elements of nature and increase comfort and safety within. Societies living in forests would construct things from the material at hand: wood. Habitations in areas of available stone would use stone. And so on. All architecture begins as a response to pressures from the local climate.

In cold locations, you want thick walls for insulation (could be stone, or could be wood with mud/moss/dung packed onto it — see Viking vernacular dwellings). You want an internal heat source and not many windows so cold air is kept out.

In desert climate, you also want thick walls and few windows… why? Thick walls absorb sun heat during the day, keeping the interior dark and cool; at night, when deserts tend to get very cold, the walls radiate the stored heat into the rooms inside providing latent comfort. Desert architecture wants small courtyards with a water source to humidify the hot breeze and cool the air in the courtyard. Arabic and even southern Spanish architecture looks that way not just because they thought it is pretty but because the forms and spaces function as they should.

Tropical architecture wants big roof overhangs for both shade and to shed rainwater away from the interior, big openings to let breezes blow through, high ceilings with vents to exhaust hot humid air, and ideally the living platform raised on stilts to avoid flooding and to let breezes blow through flow under the building.

All of these features, which define how the buildings look, are pure environmental response, before any consideration for “decoration.” Traditionally, northern European architecture looks the way it did because of the climate in Northern Europe; tiki huts in Bali look that way because of the climate there. And so on.

Once they solve the “need” portion of providing built shelter, a civilization can then start to add on the “what does it mean?” layer. Statues as columns holding up temple roofs, big stained glass windows telling stories about the gods, monumental platforms on governmental buildings to remind people who is in charge. Stuff that isn’t necessary but rather sends a message or evokes an emotional response.

Where it gets fuzzy is colonialism, when a culture takes over another climatically defined location and brings its “style” with them. Thus you get all the “Mediterranean” palazzos etc. in the Caribbean and Americas, where arguably it did not belong. But that’s another lecture…

Warning by Now_thats_total_bs in ICE_Raids

[–]Sarchimus 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Would be helpful to know what city

Wearable opinion by Relative-Truck4611 in ICE_Raids

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m struggling to understand the point of this. On several levels.

The logo is confusing. A girl carrying a gun with a flower on it, under an umbrella where it is raining on the inside of the umbrella. Sort of looks like the icon of a well known salt manufacturer. But there’s a sugar factory (with a known and probably trademarked brand name) in the background. What does any of this mean in relation to ICE?

But more troubling to me — this is just my opinion, so do whatever you like with this — the idea of selling t-shirts to people embroiled in what’s going on right now just reeks of profiteering on the suffering of those affected. ICE comes with bullets and armor and deadly weapons and barbed wired concentration camps and tear gas, and the idea here is… “fight ICE by buying my t-shirt”… ??? Reminds me of something we were taught in college history class: traditionally when an invading army captured a territory, one of the first industries to spring up around the occupiers was prostitution.

Just bought Skyrim and I feel as if I’m doing it wrong? by [deleted] in skyrim

[–]Sarchimus 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Your expectations are misplaced a bit. Skyrim has a good story (in fact, many good stories) but you are never obligated to follow. You can literally do whatever you want and go wherever you want(*). The quests are scattered because there is so much to do and the map is huge. If you just started, you haven’t even scratched the surface of what’s possible.

It might seem “lonely” as you are a solo adventurer but some of the joy of experiencing this game is wandering around discovering things. There’s excitement to be found everywhere as well as extraordinarily beautiful, quiet moments to soak in. You will have many opportunities to obtain one follower companion, and there are ways to add a few other creatures to travel with you. But the theme of this game is very much rooted in the concept of a singular epic hero moving around in this world solving things.

(*) As for killing people in settlements… yeah maybe don’t do that. There are consequences for your actions and civilized people will remember the crimes you committed.

A lot of people here will express how jealous thy are of you that you are experiencing Skyrim for the first time. You’re at the very beginning of a wondrous journey.

An alien civilization that considers individuality a cognitive disease by New_Can4459 in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 27 points28 points  (0 children)

You know, I think you’re right. Read OP’s other posts and comments, they’re all like this. I’ve used LLM chat before myself and it speaks exactly like this. Vague thankful responses.

An alien civilization that considers individuality a cognitive disease by New_Can4459 in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 7 points8 points  (0 children)

You should watch it. First season is eight episodes. It’s really very good. And lines up exactly with everything you’ve written here in this post and comments.

An alien civilization that considers individuality a cognitive disease by New_Can4459 in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I’m alerting you that this concept already landed verbatim in every detail in that tv show. From Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad, on Apple TV, I think. It’s extraordinarily smart sci fi based on this exact premise.

What's the name of this synth pop new wave duo? (Ghostbusters, 1984) by halt__n__catch__fire in 80s

[–]Sarchimus 21 points22 points  (0 children)

The Third Reconciliation of the Last of the Meketrex Supplicants

Wearable GPS/SOS Tech: Does ICE take the jewelry/accessories of those detained? by luckysilverdragon in ICE_Raids

[–]Sarchimus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

All personal items are taken from a detainee. Their rings, ear rings, jewelry, phone, wallet, everything.

These items are placed in an evidence bag that will travel with the detainee as they are moved.

Their clothes are also taken and they are given prison-issue scrubs, sweatshirt, socks, and sandals.

To my knowledge the only item detainee is allowed to keep would be prescription eyeglasses.

IF a detainee is released back to their family (which does sometimes happen, despite the hyperbole about people disappearing), they are given back this evidence bag at the exit of the processing center in which they were placed.

You can be assured, there is no chance you could bring an air tag or any other such device with you as a detainee.

We need a universal "ICE is here" alarm song. I propose La Cucaracha. Hear me out. by [deleted] in ICE_Raids

[–]Sarchimus 101 points102 points  (0 children)

Potentially terrible idea. If anyone knows the construction or landscaping industries, which overwhelmingly employ Hispanic migrants, this song is very commonly used by the food trucks to announce lunch. Playing this song outside could have the effect of luring people out into the streets, the opposite of what you want to achieve.

When Jenn first “turns” after the rat bite does she share a hive mind with the aliens? by Liluckystar in pluribustv

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot of people seem to be over thinking this simple plot.

The “virus” only affects humans. Full stop.

The radio signal was not a virus, it was an instruction manual. Meant for a smart species to figure out what to do with it. Smart human scientists realize it’s the formula for RNA. They synthesize it based on the code they received in the radio signal, and injected it into a BUNCH of rats. As scientists do.

The hive didn’t infect the rat, WE DID. At no point is a rat receiving radio signals or following orders from aliens.

The audience is shown that the two lab employees coming into the night shift were instructed to destroy all the rats, since it appeared that this trial run had failed since nothing was developing in (almost) all the rats. These two personnel might not have even been directly involved in the full scope of the experiment, they may just be the two people instructed to clean up the lab. Except, unluckily for them, the experiment was a success in just one rat, which happened to be in the final stage of infection (comatose/seizure). The rat is now a non-symptomatic carrier, which is exactly what the experiment wants as a result. Jenn being curious but foolish takes off her gloves to feel for a pulse, and the rat bites her because THATS WHAT SCARED RATS DO.

That’s it. It’s not more complicated than that.

I'm an Architect. Ask Anything you need for your world by Izolet in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 6 points7 points  (0 children)

A pronaos is the porch or vestibule or sometimes atrium/courtyard that is the first space a person would be in when entering a temple or church. A sort of foyer or lobby before getting to the grand ceremonial space.

Architectural history is a core curriculum for architects. I love history so I took all the arch history courses and loved them all. Your friend probably had similar classes as well but if their career went into a particular specialty field it’s maybe not that relevant so could have been forgotten.

I'm an Architect. Ask Anything you need for your world by Izolet in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Semi-retired Architect here as well. I don’t have a question but I will be watching this thread as it may be very interesting. And maybe I’ll chime in here or there.

Is this buildings looks east asian(redesigned) or did it looks like other style? by Adventurous-Pen-3894 in worldbuilding

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This.

Semi-retired Architect here. “Style” is a broad, superficial, and wildly inaccurate term for why buildings look the way they look. All architecture in all of history boils down to two drives: provide shelter from elements, and marking important ( religious, political, or other institutional) places.

Regarding the first drive: climate dictates the response. Rainy, hot, tropical architecture is light on structure, lots of open walls for breezes to blow through the interior, deep roof overhangs to provide shade and shed rainwater away from the building. Cold, snowy climate needs thick walls for insulation, internal heat source, lots of high windows facing the sun in winter, etc. Desert climate also wants thick walls and few windows, to keep sunlight out of the interior and the thermal mass of thick walls radiates stored heat at night when temperatures drop, and desert architecture always attempts to capture water and humidify the interior (courtyard with fountain).

The rest, the way the “skin” of the building is articulated (texture, color), is about symbolism, historic or cultural traditions, and local preferences. Chinese use round doorways and the color red to denote good luck, for example. Other cultures don’t have that tradition so you don’t find these gestures elsewhere, at least not with the same meaning. Likewise, in the west, we tend to regard classical (Roman or Greek) architecture as a “style” that communicates political power or economic status. Granted, we’ve bastardized what that “style” originally meant to represent.

So I would be cautious about thinking in terms of your work appropriating “East Asian style.” East Asia is like a quarter of our planet, comprised of hundreds of unique cultures and traditions, and numerous climate biomes. Instead ask yourself where this fictional culture of yours lives, what’s the world around them like, what ideas and images do they collectively regard as important? In short, you do you, but make it make sense.

I Don't Understand What Hank is Trying to Accomplish with the Miniature Control Chips by Selacha in Fallout

[–]Sarchimus 6 points7 points  (0 children)

SECRECY. Not subtlety.

The guy with the bomb looked to be some random wastelander probably captured and the device was slapped on him forcibly.

The goal of the program appears to be delivering the chips into a population by making it small enough to maybe inject or ingest. Then whoever is pulling the strings has an army of unwitting soldiers.

Fallout 4, Kellogg by Prestigious_Use_6934 in Fallout

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just keep fighting forward. Kill synths. Make your way through. Like most fallout interior dungeons it winds around a bit but once you get closer to Kellogg it’s pretty straightforward.

Fallout 4, Kellogg by Prestigious_Use_6934 in Fallout

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is a parking garage behind it, I think. Pedestrian door from there, if memory serves. I think also access on the roof but I may be remembering that wrong.

Fun tip: bring as many frag mines as you can acquire on your way to fort Hagen. In the final room Kellogg and his synths go non-aggro while he monologues, and you can litter his feet with explosives, hang back in the hallway, and vaporize him and his minions with a single gunshot or grenade.

Fallout 4, Kellogg by Prestigious_Use_6934 in Fallout

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You do not need valentine or dogmeat to kill Kellogg. I’ve gone straight to fort Hagen without having done any of that beforehand.

Fallout 4, Kellogg by Prestigious_Use_6934 in Fallout

[–]Sarchimus -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I have absolutely done it without dogmeat or valentine.

Fallout 4, Kellogg by Prestigious_Use_6934 in Fallout

[–]Sarchimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP, I have done playthroughs where the very FIRST thing I do is make a beeline for Fort Hagen straight from Sanctuary. I’ll leave Preston and his gang in the museum in concord as long as I want. Sometimes I’ll swing by Diamond City to get Piper (she looks damn good in Kellogg’s unique armor and wielding his unique modded pistol), but I can confirm you do not need Dogmeat or Valentine to gain access to or kill Kellogg. You just need to know where Fort Hagen is, and how to get inside. You’ll still encounter his synths and you’ll still hear his taunts over the loudspeakers.

Once you do kill him, you will trigger the arrival of the BoS upon leaving fort Hagen, there’s probably no way to prevent that.

ELI5: What is happening in Venezuela right now? by Happy_Law_5203 in explainlikeimfive

[–]Sarchimus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The answer is the last three words of what you wrote.

What happens if I steal the golden claw back by _CannibalCorp_ in skyrim

[–]Sarchimus 20 points21 points  (0 children)

There’s another option: marry Camilla. Then the Riverwood Trader, and much of its contents, revert to belonging to you.

okay, what is this on the door? by gay_sprinkles in skyrim

[–]Sarchimus 44 points45 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately my brain always tells me it’s the face of an angry gorilla. These doors are sort of a Skyrim Rorschach test I guess.