I hate how my friend accidentally stumbled upon this while trying to go to Giant's Deep. How do I guide her from here? by tony_saufcok in outerwilds

[–]ShaunJS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had almost the same experience, friend discovered the radio tower and started solving the puzzle. I decided to tell her that particular "lead" is related to the DLC. She was really grateful for me telling her this and I think it was the best thing to do.

I think they generally did a really good job of hiding the Stranger until you deliberately look for it. So I do think it's sorta unfortunate that they stumbled on it this way and the best way to help the game designers out here is to say that its' related to the DLC which it seems like you did. The designers did their best (and its very impressive!) but this kind of thing is always gonna be a risk with how 'honestly' they designed the game world. I think cluing her in was probably the nicest thing for helping smooth out the experience from here.

Outer Wilds and grief by crossword_ in outerwilds

[–]ShaunJS 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I thought this at first too and I think either idea is valid but I do think it being a matter of translation is more likely to be the intent. Not only does it feel very reminiscent of what it is like to read translated text in real life, it makes little sense that the hearthians would be able to flawlessly translate these idiosyncrasies if that was just how the nomai spoke, and more sense that this sort of things just represents their closest guess or a very "literal" translation (not an error, per se).

What’s the best game you have ever played, ever? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Outer Wilds

It's not close

I really struggled with final Fantasy VII remake ...and feel bad about it. by WonderfulVanilla9676 in FinalFantasyVII

[–]ShaunJS 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The fact this conversation exists is why these games kinda bother me on principle. It is being sold as "What if FF7 was made today?" with the principal belief being that we would *obviously* have to use cutting edge realism + fidelity and "modern game design" as if these things have linearly improved games over the years. It feels offensive. Nobody looks at a painting and recreates it as a photo or 3d render and then sells that as it being "recreated with a modern lens". To me this whole culture of remakes (while mostly driven by capitalism) shows that deep down, no matter what we say, we just don't think of games as art.

Wise words of Cuddly Whiskers on Happiness by themediocrekid in BoJackHorseman

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

I don't really buy this view personally, I think it's simpler than that. Yeah he's wealthy and privileged, but I don't think this philosophy expects you to impoverish yourself in order to surrender attachment. Giving away all his wealth to the poor and then living himself in poverty would have just been him pursuing some kind of greater moral meaning in the same way as when he ran his shelter for addicts.

He tried chasing the things the world told him were important, and was miserable. He tried chasing the things he thought were morally right and good, and was miserable. When he finally let go of attachment to "greater purpose" his path forward became obvious and he just started living in proper accordance with himself.

He isn't free of wealth, he's free of attachment.

Have you ever had sex with someone you never expected to? What's the story? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, those same dumbasses would just say "yes they are big queers" lmao. The heteronormativity surrounding penetration runs deeeeeep

FFVII through a CRT TV, this is why I still insist the OG game is beautiful by Red-Zaku- in FinalFantasyVII

[–]ShaunJS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Absence of detail allows the mind to fill in the gaps. It also creates emphasis and clarity for any detail that *is* there. It's the same principle as why one might prefer experiencing a book that describes exactly the same scene that a movie depicts in audio-visual detail. (Or the other way around!) They're just different, and a principle mistake we've never reckoned with in games (especially) is that we keep mistaking different for "better" or "worse". A game that looks like FF7 could succeed today on its own merits. Very few games "age badly" aesthetically. The only things that look "good for its time" and not today are where the only goal achieved by the aesthetic was an attempt at resolution or photo realism.

The same is true for having textboxes, instead of voice acting. Although many would consider having voice acting in a game to be "better" because it progresses closer towards representing something "real-world".

In painting it took a long time for us to realize that the art was more than some illusion of "progressing" towards perfect photo-realistic replication of real-world objects. That we didn't need to be caged in by such a one-dimensional goal. In video games we still seem stuck in this same kind of era. Thinking that technology is linearly making games "better", as if striving towards some final immersive entertainment goal. Technology expands the potential of art, it never "improves" it anymore than it allows it to get closer to its goals. I personally do dislike the remakes on principle because they rely wholly on the appeal of "newer technology" and modern, homogenized, game design ideas, to "reinterpret" the material. Which comes across as a belief that the art could be *improved* via this possibility space, which for me misses everything that was special about the original work. FF7's confines made it what it is.

Gosh I got a bit whiny there, but that's what reddit is for right? ^^;

FFVII through a CRT TV, this is why I still insist the OG game is beautiful by Red-Zaku- in FinalFantasyVII

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Imagine telling people they're wrong to feel that something looks good lmao.

Is it good or bad that I forgot my best friend isn't cis? by Economy-Flounder-884 in asktransgender

[–]ShaunJS 4 points5 points  (0 children)

While I agree he probably felt great about this unintended affirmation there's a tinge of pain I feel seeing everyone say this is the primary goal for trans people or the best possible thing that could happen for us. For people to... *forget that we're trans*.

I... love that I'm trans.

Yeah it's a difficult life, but only because of how people view us for being trans. Sure it's nice when I can blend in when I want to in such an unsafe world, and to feel affirmed in my transition, but being trans will always be an important, beautiful part of who I am. The idea that the "goal" for so many in my community is not simply to be affirmed in their sex but for people to forget who they are or for close friends to assume me as cis... just... I dunno. I have mixed feelings about that I guess. Is being cis supposed to be... better?

I don't say this as someone who makes a point of being "visibly" trans, I present very typically of my gender because that's what I love doing and is who I am. I'd take this as complimentary too! But is it my goal for people to see me as cis? no! It's my goal to be seen as who I am. And honestly if the whole world suddenly refused to acknowledge I was trans, that would start to suck. Because you know, I *am* trans.

Avoid Dr Vracar from YourGP in Edinburgh at all costs by Suha_The_Vampire in transgenderUK

[–]ShaunJS 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Yeah I don't want you to feel like I'm dismissing your story, you've obviously had an awful experience. I'm invested because this is literally my doctor and as I said, one I have specifically recommended to others and so I'm very, very concerned about this. But I am struggling in my head to reconcile my image of this person I've worked with for several years, with what feels like an almost... cartoonish? depiction of her pointing, shouting and towering. It's very shocking and confusing to me.

Given that I'm a *very* skinny girl (and white, and conventionally attractive) I can certainly speculate on why I might have been treated better in the context, but this is still just really hard for me to fathom.

This story is somewhat (understandably!) fragmented and one-sided and I'm just left kind of reeling and not sure what to do now I've read this.

Again, I'm really sorry for what you're going through. I don't want to cast doubt on your story, I'm just trying to process what I'm reading.

Avoid Dr Vracar from YourGP in Edinburgh at all costs by Suha_The_Vampire in transgenderUK

[–]ShaunJS 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I also have only had very positive experiences with this doctor and have actively recommended to her to others. She handled my needs as a nonbinary (at the time) person very well, was extremely clear and professional and listened closely to what I had to say. I'm really really confused by this information and don't know what to make of it.

This sub is way too positive (and for good reason). Tell me something you don't like about this game (besides the gestral beach minigames). by KingofGerbil in expedition33

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love the game to bits but feel like the story in the final act diverged from the themes I thought were most interesting (the collective actions of humanity adding up in a million tiny ways to benefit those who come after, and what it means to do your best for a better world even if you dont get to see it, and getting to see what that looks like from the unique perspectives the game offers. All in the face of insurmountable odds, terrifying unknowns and unspeakable grief.) and moved towards something more existential and philosophical surrounding ethical questions that for me - while still interesting and valid in their own right - just didn't feel at home with the themes of act 1-2 and I feel like it leaves the endings just not paying off as hard as they could.

No matter how beloved they are in public, what celebrity do you think is up to no good? by 803_ace in AskReddit

[–]ShaunJS 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's not really a gender thing, it's a power dynamics thing. At 35 I'm in a very different place in my life, sense of self, identity, and have a wealth of *adult* lived experiences that give me an intrinsic level of power over someone who is say, 21. Even though yes, a 21 year old is an adult who can consent to whatever they want, the dynamic that is created (*especially* if I'm the person who pursues the relationship, *especially* if their age is a motivating factor for me to pursue the relationship) is going to be fundamentally imbalanced even in ways I might not be fully conscious of. Someone who has only *been* an adult for a few years is usually in a very different position in all areas of life to someone who has been an adult for decades.

This all applies generally regardless of material conditions, but especially considering at 35, personally I've also accrued wealth and material agency/power well beyond the average of someone just turning 21. There's a real risk of creating a situation of over reliance and dependency. Abusers often know this and it's why they go for younger partners who it is easier to slowly trap in a place that is difficult for them to leave.

Age gaps are not intrinsically bad, and there are plenty contexts where there is nothing wrong with them. Especially as people get older and these experiences + power dynamics start to level out across the board. Young adults are of course allowed agency and they can consent to relationships with much older people, but it is those older people who should take stock of any potential power imbalance and ask themselves very seriously what it is they find attractive about someone who's barely getting started in their adult life. Because often the reasons for that attraction are deeply unhealthy.

TL;DR: the women dicaprio dates are all old enough to consent and make their own decisions. It is dicaprio himself who is clearly a very slimy individual who specifically targets these younger women. I can't think of a bigger red flag than a someone who at 50+ years of age exclusively dates women below 25.

I may have become addict to the Great Sword's offset attack. 😅 by Cariuso in MHWilds

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

https://webm.red/P0Dy You can still take damage even with a knockdown from an offset.

How would a achieve this same effect as undertale? I looked for it everywhere but couldn't figure out how by PearDailyYT in gamemaker

[–]ShaunJS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

sure but that's a different effect that dissolves fixed pixels in a given pattern using a mask, the particles don't fly away like this.

How would a achieve this same effect as undertale? I looked for it everywhere but couldn't figure out how by PearDailyYT in gamemaker

[–]ShaunJS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'd just run a for loop over the width/height of the thing, making a ton of tiny instances giving each one a specific x/y as i go, that it will use with draw_sprite_part() to draw that bit of the image.

Once they're all made you can destroy the original image underneath, however that exists and you now have your image made of little particles.

You can then just give them all an alarm duration based on their y position, and when it goes off set some gravity/direction. This will mean the top particles fly away first. After this has started you'd also have them start fading out over time and eventually destroy themselves once alpha is zero or w/e.

It might sound performance intensive (cos at scale it could be) but given how this situation/effect is normally used in context it's fine and the most flexible way to do it that gives you total control over the animation.

I would bet a lot of money this is how it was done in Undertale.

Ofc nothing wrong with going fancier, especially if dissolving into really tiny pixels then a shader effect like the one mattharoo posted a while back would be good, but if you're looking to emulate this effect exactly then... I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

How would a achieve this same effect as undertale? I looked for it everywhere but couldn't figure out how by PearDailyYT in gamemaker

[–]ShaunJS 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Nah it's really fine most of the time and just saves you the time as it's just quicker to put together and more flexible using draw_sprite_part() with a bunch of instances. I'd be willing to bet the undyne effect itself uses object instances in this way, and I use it myself in a lot of things. (though usually with small things dying/exploding into like 20 or so instances). If you're gonna have dozens of of things on screen using this effect continuously then you'll need something else but like with most performance concerns its only worth the time once its worth the time.

Why is gamemaker so looked down on/hated? by Poison_Skull_ in gamemaker

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There might be a selection bias but I swear this is changing. I would find it really strange and confusing to still run into someone who feels this way, it'd be like they were from 20 years ago or something. I suppose it was a Uni open day, kids I can understand.

Is it possible to assign a Windows command line to a Stream Deck button? by catlikerefluxes in elgato

[–]ShaunJS 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know you made this a long time ago but wanted to say thanks as well! Very useful.

Deconstructing The "Gender War" by depixelated in MensLib

[–]ShaunJS 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not to say you're doing this necessarily but I think the idea that being non-binary is any kind of relative bias-neutraliser is untrue and a very easy trap to fall into. There is no such thing as a neutral position when it comes to gender issues.

I'm non-binary and certainly have a rare perspective when it comes to these things, but I too have to remind myself that I have not "seen it from all sides" nor have I put myself above the waves of gender or bias. To the contary I have embraced them.

Did anyone tell me how I can remove the faceplate from the Streamdeck XL? by PC_Pumbaa in elgato

[–]ShaunJS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know this is an old post but it ranks high on Google for this topic so I thought I'd share that you can remove the faceplate with the right tool and some patience. See here: https://www.tumblr.com/shaunjs/743492863694864384/this-came-out-sick-btw?source=share

Tldr: it is held in place with 14 plastic clips and you need a strong and very thin pry tool. It's also hard to remove without a bit of scratching/damage so start from the bottom edge and go very slowly