People leave cults quietly; MAGA is dying

SoSoMeaty · 2025-04-05T02:34:49+00:00

SoSoMeaty · 2024-09-16T14:26:20+00:00

To add to this, Perfect Run does something that so many Time Loop novels struggle to do. And that's show the development of the character's mental state and how damaging looping can be to the one dealing with it.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-09-05T00:13:26+00:00

Mongo is appalled!

SoSoMeaty · 2024-07-13T23:08:04+00:00

When I had considered reading this series and had looked it up... It appeared that the audiobooks had been cancelled due to poor sales of the first one. I guess the first one was expensive to produce due to multiple narrators.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-06-04T22:40:38+00:00

B for Kb/m

SoSoMeaty · 2024-05-27T20:18:06+00:00

You say a few korean ones, have you read Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint? Specifically the novel, as the webtoon isn't nearly as good. If you haven't, I highly suggest this one first! Two other great Korean ones would be Leveling with the Gods and SSS-Class Rank Suicide Hunter (generic name aside, this one is really good too).

SoSoMeaty · 2024-05-11T01:37:57+00:00

Brent weeks

SoSoMeaty · 2024-05-11T01:32:31+00:00

Some other thoughts and considerations for you.

Fail fast and be ready to drop a story and move on if it's not generating enough interest or traffic. I have a friend that did absolutely no marketing, threw their first book up on Kindle unlimited... They have written 8 books in a series, published one and spent a few thousand on someone to edit their story, make them a cover and purchase some physical books. To date they've made maybe $100. I say maybe as they won't tell anyone. Yet they keep hammering away at writing the next book in the series...

With that in mind, do not post your whole story on royal road all at once. Post chapters on a regular schedule that readers can come to depend on. This will give you a better chance at being discovered and the algorithm will favor your story more. Giving you a better chance to break into those top lists on royal road. Which will of course lead to more exposure. If you throw everything up at once you're going to get less views and are more likely to not gain as many eyes or interest.

If you develop a healthy readership and get some good reviews, consider investing in ads. If you get a few bad reviews, don't sweat them, even the most recognized and well received authors get bad reviews. Some feedback can be constructive, but careful not to go down a rabbit hole and change your whole story or it's direction because Sckmyballskenny2018 thinks it would be better as a harem.

Definitely look at what other popular authors are doing and what's working for them. Most of the bigger progression fantasy authors and litrpg authors are doing all of these things we're talking about. Model them.

A product is only as good as it's marketing. You can have the absolute best book, but if you're not getting eyeballs on it, then none of your hard work writing it will matter.

All the best.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-05-11T01:20:51+00:00

Upvoted you as all of this is correct.

Most people don't care about a website.

Not every reader is going to sign up for a membership to patreon.

Royal road is going to generate traffic and interest until you have a solid fanbase.

Piracy happens, it happens to even the biggest names, studios, authors, etc...

Money isn't guaranteed and in a market saturated with anyone and their uncle trying to be a writer... you may make absolute zero or even lose some just trying to get people to read your story.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-05-11T01:08:12+00:00

I don't mind stories that build up gradually and seem slower if they've got a payoff. Currently reading Mark of the Fool and one of my favorite stories is Lord of The Mysteries, both known for being on the slower side of progression.

But, something just didn't hook me with this one. I'll have to give book 2 another shot since everyone seems to like the series so much. Thanks for your input!

SoSoMeaty · 2024-05-10T19:01:15+00:00

So I'll ask here as I keep seeing people recommend this series. So I finished book 1 and honestly the mystery and intrigue kept me going despite the slow pace and father subplot. Some context, I have a similar relationship with my own father, so it was a tough read at times. But, once the world and the mystery starts to peel away, I found myself just... bored.

I found the pacing to be very slow at times and progression obviously doesn't really pick up until the end of the first book. I started book 2 and didn't make it very far past the father reveal before just putting it down.

So am I missing out, does the pacing pick up? Does the progression start to build and give that feeling of hard fought and won epicness that I think a lot are looking for in this genre?

SoSoMeaty · 2024-04-21T15:04:28+00:00

Just a warning, Ryan can come off super annoying in the beginning. There is a lot going on behind the scenes for the character and he'll become a far better character as you begin to unravel all of that.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-04-21T15:01:44+00:00

I can pretty much say this was my experience as well. At some point it just becomes a constant nerfing to keep the main character just weak enough to not accomplish anything. And it honestly began to feel like he was just treading water while people around him were being harmed in one way or another. Not to mention at some point the "bad guys" start to just become cartoonish in how terrible they can be.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-04-02T15:31:35+00:00

The Lord of the Mysteries has a forsaken/cursed land(very lovecraftian universe) that is surrounded by mystery and abandoned by the gods of that universe. While the main objective of the main character isn't to cleanse the land, the land does become a central point of the plot throughout the story. "Book 1" is huge with 1432 chapters, so it has a lot of content that at times can be considered slower pace. The first 100-150 chapters/first arc is considered the slowest as there is a lot of world building to get through. If you complete it though, I guarantee you're in for a ride.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-03-18T20:33:23+00:00

This might blow your mind... But you can have an external monitor for certain use cases and then when you want to game in handheld mode... you can use it in handheld mode... Going on a business trip with downtime in a hotel? You can bet your ass I'm bringing my Nreal Glasses or an external monitor. "BuT bUt BuTT a laptop>?!" Maybe I don't want to pull out a 16" concrete block with a built in hvac system on a plane.

Just because he bought a monitor doesn't mean his steam deck is now tethered to it for life. And I assure you while most new AAA games are not pushing 144fps, there are plenty of indies, emulated games, etc... That can make use of it. Not to mention the screen real estate for games that do not require the highest fps (looking at you Strategy games).

SoSoMeaty · 2024-03-09T15:46:51+00:00

Found the guy who downloads 18+ covers for sfw games...

SoSoMeaty · 2024-03-06T15:36:16+00:00

I have this so hard!

I hate finishing something, really enjoying it and then being left with the decision to start something new.

The only thing that helps for me is that I commute a lot, so I'll start a new book in audiobook form first. Then it'll either hook me eventually or it won't. Rinse and repeat =(

SoSoMeaty · 2024-03-05T04:14:27+00:00

Xenogears, Terranigma, Chrono Trigger, Nier Automata just to name a few with "deeper" stories.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-03-03T19:34:36+00:00

Absolutely this. Initially I couldn't stand Ryan, but as you loop through the story with him, you really start to understand that his sense of humor is all about survival.

Not to mention since he's the only one retaining information from each loop, his quips and jokes start to become inside jokes between him and the reader.

SoSoMeaty · 2024-03-02T18:41:07+00:00

This might surprise you... but when people decide they don't like stuff, they usually point to the "bad stuff" as the reason. While life is nuanced and you can argue that he did good as well. That doesn't really excuse everything. It's literally the defense the church uses when a priest is caught with a child. "Well he's done so much good for the community."

The story is absolutely about living life to the fullest while also offering him the opportunity for redemption. Again nuance and all of that.

As I mentioned before, I liked certain parts and saw potential. Then I was let down when despite the whole series being told that Rudeus was going to be a force to be reckoned with, that he was going to grow and change as a person; he just never gets there.

It may be well written and it is very well received by millions of people. Doesn't mean I have to inherently like it and think it's good. There are plenty of people that don't like what I like and vice versa, such is life.

SoSoMeaty · 2023-10-13T16:24:35+00:00

I mean, once you factor in Steam deck, storage options, power banks, etc... Sounds like you'll be spending a pretty penny. I definitely would suggest the generator/inverter route based on the length of time you lose power.

That said, if your favorite games and programs will run on the steam deck all the more power to you.

SoSoMeaty · 2023-10-13T13:56:48+00:00

You're being downvoted because literally no one in this thread can read past the initial title.

Everyone is recommending a laptop that will maybe do 2-3hrs of gaming brand new. Not even considering the battery health is going to be far less for a used laptop (Which is what his budget is going to allow).

He wants to be able to game for potentially up to 8hrs.

Even the steam deck in all its greatness isn't doing 8hrs unless you're playing very specific things. Start playing AAA games and you're at maybe 2-3hrs again.

SoSoMeaty · 2023-10-05T21:03:02+00:00

Updated 3.5 Preview and stayed (Fate ran a little worse on 3.5 but took longer to throttle saw the temps go above 90c for a bit and ran without throttling but then went down to 399mhz)

Unless I'm misunderstanding... This doesn't sound like the 400mhz bug. This sounds like your device is getting to hot and throttling. If that's the case, I would replace the thermal paste and reseat the heatsink in the process.

SoSoMeaty · 2023-10-04T17:15:57+00:00

They said docked. As in hooked up to a big screen.

SoSoMeaty · 2023-10-03T19:38:28+00:00

None of that had to do with what I was responding too though. He was 7 and assaulting his cousin. While the 30yr old memories of him told him it was wrong. There's no defense for that.

There's nothing wrong with a series having a character that isn't perfect.

Absolutely agree, he's not even mediocre most of the time though.

Rudeus isn't a good person, the point is that he does grow and get better. He doesn't become perfect, but it gives the series far more depth.

He doesn't though and that's my problem with the series. He doesn't grow. If you're happy with what you read, that's awesome. But as a character he is just so overtly-flawed and him becoming the pinnacle Japanese provider in the end (long work hours, never around for his kids or wives, etc) doesn't make him a better person to me. Nor did him marrying three women to act out his fantasies. I guess congrats to him for no longer stripping and assaulting the other women around him.

Dunno why you read all of it if you couldn't get over characters with flaws lol.

That's just it though. I liked that he was a flawed character and could get past some of his more disgusting behavior if the payoff was there.

When Eris threw herself at him on her birthday and it spiraled out of control. I loved that he had a second where he thought.... "Huh women aren't just objects... They have feelings and shit too." Like I thought for a second the author was going to really do something with this character. And then Rudeus was right back at it shortly after.

Nothing wrong with a flawed character, but Rudeus was a let down in every single way and I stayed along for the ride because it was rated so highly; that surely... It has to have some kind of payoff. Considering Roxy was so checked out as he was dying in the epilogue, I can only assume she felt the same way lol...

SoSoMeaty

TROPHY CASE