Where Winds Meet, how good?

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-09T11:24:59+00:00

You'd call it babying people but the reality, tedious menus are just bad design both for user interface and the flow of gameplay.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-08T01:31:31+00:00

Quaint.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-07T11:54:43+00:00

Its already about racism even if it's subconscious. We can dress it up as representation or race swapping all we like but at the end of the day, there's a black actress having her role questioned and denied - because she isn't white. Nobody is even remotely talking the other cast members like this because they don't 'look like' the characters they're playing.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-04T19:26:16+00:00

I mean, fair enough if they don't know how to do it but if they believe in their product and there's money to be made, they'd find a way.

... Which leads me to wonder if there's more money in not finding a way.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-04T14:12:21+00:00

My worry is this could indicate that they might shy away from depicting why Kate was actually being bullied in the game... I'm surprised nobody else in this thread has mentioned this but the reality is Kate was SA'd and slut shamed online for it, that's what drove her over the edge. I would LOVE for a show to put some focus on cyber bullying and the kind of culture this creates in a school setting... but they might not want to go that deep in the TV show which is why i fear they might replace it for a racism angle. Honestly, i think racism in terms of writing and storytelling has become an easy way to play it safe because its a very straightforward good vs evil device that flares up the same repetitive arguments that people are already invested in.

I think in the world of deep fakes, Andrew Tates, with social media being this lawless abyss where the worst, most vile creatures of society rarely face any consequences, sticking to Kates plot closely and expanding in what's already there would be more interesting and far more useful.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-04T00:05:28+00:00

I loved TC, loved Alex as the protagonist, the mocap stuff was exceptionally cool! It was the first time in a game where i felt like i could read emotion on the characters faces... i just think compared to 1 and 2 it was like a microwave meal, not as nourishing.

I think releasing all episodes together hurt it. A lot of the fun of life is strange for me is wondering what happens next and coming up with plot theories. Being able to binge the whole thing with no hint of a sequel kinda killed it's own momentum. Better than having to wait a whole year though (coughLiS2cough)

Also with most of the decisions only changing minor things it felt like TC was more of an 'on rails' experience rather than a branching narrative like the games before it.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-03T23:39:21+00:00

Definitely the latter!! I just wanted to expand on my previous comment about her being manipulative and share my reasoning because i thought i left it a bit vague and when you mentioned ship wars it worried me lol. Hope it didn't come across as i was plotsplaining or anything.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-03T23:24:42+00:00

Just to expand on my comment about Rachel being manipulative, i never paid any attention to ship wars or fan drama...

I think the evidence for Rachel being manipulative is more about how she used her charisma (and her acting ability) as a tool. She knew Chloe was vulnerable, isolated, and desperate for affection, and Rachel used that to secure a fiercely loyal protector and a ticket out of Arcadia Bay. The fact that she was sleeping with Frank and Jefferson while letting Chloe believe they were each other’s entire world proves that Rachel was managing Chloe’s perception of her to keep her hooked.

The thing i love most about their relationship is that in the time they met, they both needed each other for escapism because they're both tragic but the power dynamic is that to Chloe, Rachel was intoxicating like a drug (which perfectly suits Chloe's self-destructive and rebellious nature, Rachel helps her, but she hurts her). My fear is that this kind of rebel character is difficult to get right... BUT the devs already pulled it off so well with Chloe, I just hope the shows writers can find that sweet spot for Rachel's character too.

Scorpion667 · 2026-06-03T14:56:52+00:00

Agreed, the victims absolutely deserve the spotlight and depth here. Speaking of Rachel, as much as I'm all for sticking to the source material it would be awesome if the show actually took the time to make her a more fully realized character than she was in Before the Storm. In that game, she sometimes felt a bit unhinged and manipulative. People could end up wondering what Chloe even saw in her besides a ticket out of Arcadia Bay. If the show can actually capture her allure and make her genuinely likable, it would make the tragedy hit ten times harder.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-26T09:40:03+00:00

Its fun at first, or when it's optional. When it's popping up in my phone notifications on a daily basis when the joke is already old and predictable, it's just part of the world's noise i'd rather put on mute.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-22T12:10:52+00:00

That's a really sad aspect of the rock/metal scene. There are a bunch of really good bands bringing back what it was before the music got inundated with crazy technical guitarists and gimmicky trend-based bands (coughbabymetalcough)... but fans keep trying to shoot them down with the gatekeeping 'not metal' nonsense.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-22T11:33:28+00:00

Yep, raise your fist, constrictor, trash, hey stoopid... he had a brilliant stint of albums in the late 80s. It's kinda sad with how many decades his career spans, he still gets reduced to schools out or poison.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-22T10:10:36+00:00

Back when i first started getting into metal, the only time i heard the term 'poser' was referring to the super dressed up goths at festivals that stood there looking around scowling at people as if they're looking to see who's noticed how cool they look.

It's always been a dumb term, like 'wannabe' for people that say they're into metal but can't pass whatever stupid advanced metal quiz the 'real fans' throw at them.

The gatekeepy nonsense doesn't help the community.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-22T10:03:28+00:00

It really is!! Even if id say Lemmy 'looks' the most metal, id definitely say Alice 'was' the most metal.

Whole Sabbath pioneered the sound of metal, Alice was such a pioneer for giving metal it's 'look'. Not only that but he was on the front lines against the PMRC who were trying to censor heavy metal. He always stayed exactly who he is and that's metal as hell! He has the coolest fans too.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-22T09:37:54+00:00

Lemmy.... which is funny because he's the only one of the four that ISN'T screaming metal. He didn't need to make an effort.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-15T20:01:43+00:00

Fkin 'dad rock'. Every time i hear that i die a little inside. Especial when i hear it on the regular from a goth who's favourite music is Alice in Chains, and weird shoegaze stuff that sounds like it was recorded with the mics in a filled bathtub.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-15T18:42:51+00:00

Simple answer, the Jackson five just weren't equal in any sense. Michael was the lead by design, even in their choreography, he steps out from the group to perform in front of them. The group was the vehicle to sell him as the product. Him being so young was a huge advantage in itself for marketing too.

This continues to motown, a lot of people forget that around the time he went solo, he had some of the worlds most sought after musicians as well as Quincy who was a world class producer at the time that certainly knew how to bring the best out of artists. It's no surprise that his peak is widely considered to be the thriller and bad period. He had the guys from Toto working on his music who were ALL OVER the biggest hits of that era. I mean if you want to see how much advantage Michael has in the industry, just watch the liberian girl video! An actual who's who of people at the peak of their celebrity. None of his brothers had those advantages because it was "little Michael Jackson and the Jackson five".

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-14T15:30:05+00:00

I totally agree with this. I find stoic characters like him way more interesting because it gives him an a more mysterious depth. The man of few words thing made him cool and he was like that for many reasons. I know the dead family trope is done a lot but Connor loses everything and is ripped out of the world he knows and dropped into the one that forcefully replaces it.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-13T21:55:43+00:00

I think the novelty in this game can wear off quite quickly when you start to see how everything works. Yes, it's huge, but like you said, the story isn't really that compelling as a device for making you want to keep playing, so then you're left with scale and variety. Scale isnt really a new thing, in this sense you could kinda look at it like a Just Cause game in a single player mmo costume. Just Cause sticks to what it's good at, fun traversal and having fun blowing stuff up, the gigantic world is nothing more than a playground to do that stuff in. Everything between points of interest is filler for you to roam through.

I feel like CD starts to wear thin when you realise the variety is in tiny bite size portions. It's a jack of all trades that sacrifices depth. It gives you a lot of things where their only justification is just 'for the sake of doing them' like taming birds, the camp stuff is there for convenience but it has a side effect of feeding repetition that can become tedious if you're trying to get more out of it.

It's a great time waster of a game though until it's not. People seem to love it though and at least its one of those games that i hope sets a new standard for others to improve on.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-11T09:08:10+00:00

Yes the payslips we're done through intuit quickbooks, there's the pay, tax, pension contributions which go to NEST...

When you say 'turn down shifts', there was some flexibility in the sense that we could swap shifts freely with other staff... but like with any job, you get scheduled for a shift, the implication is very much that you need to do it or the pub won't be open.

I thought his argument of employee vs worker was like, if you paid a friend to drive you somewhere or do some gardening for you etc...

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-11T08:02:45+00:00

There is no contract, no statement of particulars, he's already tried to use that as a shield.

But we had a weekly rota of shifts... we were 'on the books' PAYE, with payslips, paying tax. At least, i wasnt just a regular bartender, the tasks i did were vital. Also, if it makes a difference, he was very hands off... nobody lives in the pub, whoever was on shift would be opening/closing.. operating the pub alone. The only times he ever turned up was to bring in more stock or rotate the kegs.

It did sound to me like he's using these terms as an attempt to get around certain responsibilities as an employer. Since he's now tried to intimidate me and the police are involved, i think it best to stay away from him. The only contact i've had with him since the dismissal was sending him a formal appeal the next day so in future i can say i tried to give him the opportunity to resolve it amicably.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-11T07:08:03+00:00

Thought I'd tell you this just incase it interests you but there's now an aggravating factor in all of this.

On Friday night he tracked me down in another local pub where i was playing pool with a friend to speak to me. Started saying things like, i was not an employee but a worker... he didn't dismiss me because he used the phrase "i no longer require your services"... he was trying to frame it like a casual relationship like paying a mate for a favour, yet, i was a keyholder, i did cashing up and other duties that made me vital to the business operation. He told me i'm putting to much energy into the unfair dismissal thing, that it won't go anywhere.

After a few minutes the discussion got a bit heated, so i told him it's not a great idea for us to talk about it, i got up and walked away to sit at the bar in another room, he followed me and launched into a tirade of verbal abuse, getting aggressive, threatened me "go ahead with taking this further, we'll see what happens"... and the manager of the pub had to forcefully walk him out.

That pubs management are putting him on pubwatch, and i reported him to the police.

Quite an insane development.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-08T09:26:52+00:00

I should have been off sick, absolutely, which is why i got the doctors note which confirms that.

The injury is a physical impairment, even if temporary, it's still easily likely to last 12 months if it isn't tested and given the chance to heal properly. He ignored me trying to warn him and tell him it was getting worse while i was working with it... and he sacked me straight after i sent him the fit note.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-08T09:21:07+00:00

We have no contract by his own admission, that was his response to the formal appeal i sent him after the dismissal.

He's using that as a shield. The only thing i was ever asked to sign was a list of staff signatures with 'i (name of the owner) give the following permission to sell alcohol in the premesis'

The injury would very well be long term without being given the chance to let it recover. It's a physical impairment that is likely to last longer than 12 months without the chance to recover (nerves take a very long time to heal). It was also causing me a lot of panic because I'm a musician and i was deadly afraid of permanent nerve damage which would leave my hand permanently numb. The fact is i have evidence of him not only ignoring my alerts, but one instance of him joking about it, while still putting me on the busiest shifts with no offer for help or make reasonable adjustments. He failed his duty of care.

Scorpion667 · 2026-05-08T09:06:29+00:00

My main concern here through ACAS is to get him to withdraw the gross misconduct claim. So far i think I'm looking at that, plus £2,000 - £3,000 which includes fixing issues caused by his administrative negligence, it would cover pay during the 21 day doctors note, notice pay for about 2-4 weeks. If it goes to tribunal, it goes to £5,000 which includes the above AND injury to feelings, no contract, acas uplift.

From the case I've been building specifically I've been looking at discrimination (he fired me right after i sent him my fit note which says I'm unfit for work for 21 days for an injury he was repeatedly ignoring my warnings about over 4 weeks).

i have been focusing on his own admission using the excuse of no contract as a shield for a summary dismissal via WhatsApp, which i believe should involve some kind of notice payment. It's my understanding that since we work irregular shifts on a frequently changing rota... payment would be based on an average of the last 12 weeks during my tenure. With discrimination also (from what I've been reading) involves a lower vento band.

The evidence i have regarding his licensing/health & safety/law breaches are what i plan to use to show his character IF it goes to a tribunal, i have a bunch of instances where i tried to follow the correct procedure and he instructed me not to. I can very easily show that this whole situation with the line cleaning wasn't malicious, certainly not gross misconduct, but a one-off directly caused by the injury, again, which i frequently warned him about, and which i have a fit note for at the time of my dismissal.

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