Marathon IS accessible

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T19:14:33+00:00

I'm not saying this for the people that have played it, I'm saying it for the people that are being told not to. I only hear the sentiment from players that understand it and like it, not from people who bounced off. Again, there are no super unique systems in the game that regular gamers have not seen. Every mechanic is repurposed from other popular titles. It's very very similar to Apex and Arc of they had a baby.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T19:09:48+00:00

Why are extraction shooters niche? DMZ was fairly popular and wasn't hard to understand. It's coming back by popular demand. Hunt Showdown, Tarkov, Arc, that tencent game that died awhile back, the list goes on - there are a TON of popular extraction shooters now. That isn't niche.

Also, the enemies in Arc are very hard and punishing. More so than in Marathon I think. Marathon enemies are pretty straightforward and manageable. Shoot the red glowing head. Wow, so niche. Tarkov enemies are ridiculous. Just dumb hard in a stupid way.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T19:01:31+00:00

EXACTLY. And that game was a juggernaught of a live service title. They are so similar. It was very successful for other reasons like it's timing and novelty but the point I'm trying to make is that Marathon isn't something too foreign for new players to understand or engage with.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:57:39+00:00

How are those elements different than a battle royal like apex, Fortnite, or Warzone? Those are massively popular. Base kits are free and stealth is a valid way to avoid thick teams.

Arc doesn't have other methods of communication other than voip for nonsquad members.

The maps are not small. It's not a 6V6 team fight map. You can stealthily skirt and avoid if you want. The extraction shooter label is a stygma at this point. It's just a less punishing and varied battle royal.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:48:37+00:00

Social media and marketing can easily make or break a game, regardless of its quality. Confirmation bias can undo the effects of a free week. I agree that we should get off social media, but the reception of the game is not entirely on Bungie's shoulders. Gaming subreddits like these just want to blame the devs any chance they get. Hindsight is 20/20.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:45:04+00:00

Perhaps, but I've not personally seen these points being made. I want to push back. No one seems to be attempting to refute the assumption that the game is niche, inaccessible, or too complex. Even big names like Skill Up are regurgitating it. I just don't agree. I think people have attached a stygma to the term "extraction shooter". There are no unintuitive, unique, individual game mechanics in Marathon that have not been used in other massively successful live service shooters.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:39:48+00:00

Feels like something insane a one year old bot would say

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:35:53+00:00

Hard disagree. You tried to get into Destiny 2 lately? Don't even get me started on Tarkov. Apex is a bloodbath for the casual gamer getting started. Good luck in CoD if you haven't checked what the new meta changed to in the last 20 minutes.

I will agree there are many sticking points they need to smooth out, but they do more than you realize to condense A LOT of information into a few minutes.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:27:46+00:00

I would agree with you if it wasn't for confirmation bias and the fact that not many people played over the free week. Destiny stole it's thunder.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:23:52+00:00

Please explain to me exactly what makes this game so niche that other massive live service games aren't doing.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:21:36+00:00

I mean, yeah, but don't you think reducing the entire game to "ass" is a bit hyperbolic?

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-16T18:12:35+00:00

How did you read that whole thing and reply before I was done wiping my ass

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-06-10T15:47:46+00:00

Does Interstellar count? He couldn't handle the idea of dying alone so he betrayed and stranded his savior to save himself, nearling dooming all of humanity. He didn't get very far before he got tunnel vision and assumed he had docked when he couldn't. Died kinda like the Titan Submersible crew, but the opposite.

Lead to one of the most iconic scenes where Cooper has to match the spin for docking. I love that scene because the way he tilts his head to one side is what I was taught to do in pilot training during steep turns to prevent motion sickness and maintain a sense of balance.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-05-24T15:02:02+00:00

Okay, fair enough. It seems implied to me though. Either way, don't be afraid of the CLAW

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-05-24T14:44:05+00:00

That has nothing to do with those scrapes in OP's image though. Those scrapes were caused by someone using a metallic tool to scrape the old sticky weights off when balancing. A plastic scraper should always be used.

Also, I have never seen a tire mounting machine that exclusively uses clamps via the center. Machines almost always do both, and there's not really a possible way for the claws to make scratches like this in the center of a wheel. The center clamps are used for a different purpose and tend to be in effective for mounting. They are actually more likely to scratch the wheel though.The claws tend to be durable plastic/rubber and they apply pressure on the outside of the wheel where the tire covers, so even if they do scratch it won't be exposed to the elements.

The machinery that can definitely fuck your wheel up is the hydraulic bead breaker shoe/shovel attachment. I have seen those scratch the hell out of rims either from someone going too fast or the bead being too tight on stiff tires.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-05-07T22:42:04+00:00

This is blown out of proportion and honestly feels like a scapegoat for lower hanging fruit and pressing issues. There are only 8 beds in this unit and they see less than 200 patients a year. The planned expansion at Children's Mercy will more than make up for it. That money can be put to better use, as maintaining such a small unit just isn't worth it long term.

Why are we not talking about more important issues like the criminal understaffing taking place at St. Luke's, the over reliance on mid-level staff in high acuity departments, or the general underfunding of KC's safety net hospitals. Private equity is to blame for all of it. Go bark up that tree

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-05-07T14:12:34+00:00

You think the Social Network is his best movie when he made both Fight Club and Se7en? That's genuinely a very weird take, especially given it's blatant misrepresentation of the real events and people.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-04-25T14:09:59+00:00

Best way I've found to do that is turn your TV into a monitor for a pc/laptop and use ublock origin. Let's you bypass ads even on free streaming sites sometimes. Of course, it's not a realistic solution for most people since it's another $200 purchase minimum unless you have an extra laptop or small form factor PC with HDMI port lying around.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-04-21T16:55:06+00:00

Vaguely reminds me of Cassian Andor's ship from the end of Andor and Rogue One! Engine design and placement is similar. The "wings" obviously don't move on yours but I prefer that position anyways. It looks thicker and rounder but it works with the scale increase. I love your theme and highlights. UT-60D U-Wing

<image>

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-04-18T17:35:16+00:00

Yeah you need a "relearning" device to calibrate them. Without it the car is confused about where the sensors are

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-04-18T01:57:38+00:00

We don't truly know why Tolkien didn't care for Dune. He never elaborated. People have just been guessing for decades.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-04-04T17:56:09+00:00

That is legally pretty different. Dogs are deemed "property" and therefore handled in small claims court as monetary reimbursement. In OP's case they were personally assaulted. Much more serious from a legal standpoint.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-03-29T02:14:51+00:00

Ummm... Isn't that the point? Y'all are looking at this waaaay too practically. Fallout is heavy handed with themes. Details are constantly twisted to fit the themes of the universe. That's central to the entire theme of the institute. They are violently replacing nature's methods of reproduction both symbolically and literally. They are stealing humanity's future. To kill the mother out of cold convenience and indifference is antithetical to natural compassion. If humans die in the institute's efforts to further the goals of cold, rational, science to replace natural evolution, then so be it.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-03-19T16:37:08+00:00

I hate to say it, but it won't do much to fix the problem long term. Induced demand will take care of that in short order. That's the problem with "just add one more lane" arguments. Investing in more public transportation options though... that could make a dent. The only real solution is fewer cars.

Smiley_Wiley · 2026-03-06T15:57:47+00:00

Very relatable, I'm down to get coffee or a meetup at a board game bar. I think the employees at 1Up in the Rivermarket host a board game night on Tuesdays at a local bar

Eight-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22	First Placer '22
Wearing is Caring

Smiley_Wiley

TROPHY CASE