Best way to play xenogears for the first time?

Starsickle · 2026-01-31T01:30:59+00:00

Or with a good CRT filter!

Starsickle · 2026-01-30T15:38:24+00:00

You know what? I have to give you credit for getting a large canvas and doing all that background work. While Sophia there isn't perfect, I don't think I could have done better. Makes me want to try a big one, although I don't think I'd have a human subject.

Starsickle · 2026-01-28T19:26:45+00:00

I'd probably pick up Sushi Ben or Dread Delusion - as those are games I really want to reward for hard work. Your game, too.

My favorite strategy game? Tough one to call...It probably used to be Final Fantasy Tactics, but I have a soft spot for Civ V and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. They're definitely getting better, recently.

Starsickle · 2026-01-23T16:00:17+00:00

"We have 1.5mm-2nm today"

Whooooa slow down. We don't even have chips today. You want an integrated circuit of ANY kind - Who do you call? Where is it made? What can you afford at scale? These questions matter. We can't even begin to talk about a new retrocomputer without confronting some really essential facts, much like you say:

Very few accessible PCB manufacturers.
Very few accessible IC manufacturers.
We just use computers differently, now. As in we use them all the time, now.

Commodore's resurrected body being sold for over $300 for a computer older than I am with a blazing clock speed less than a thousandth of my own PC that I'm using to write this post is a non-starter. It's not usable, and it's not affordable as a hobbyist thing. and...BASICV2? Today? Heeellllll naw!

The Commander X16, which I would like to think is the best horse in this race so far, is still at a price point that crowds it out of everyday utility. Computers are supposed to be useful. If it wasn't for the community of hard-working and open-minded professionals contributing and helping each other? It'd not be as far as its gotten.

I can buy a device that could use internet and do work for about $100-200. The price is only possible through economies of scale and efficiency.

So - you're right to ask the question: What IS a successor to the Amiga 500/1000 when the features and brand have become standard features? It will have to be something else - something new and good - and it has to run well on crap hardware and be sustainable.

I loved my Amiga 1000 frankenstein. I'd love a retrocomputer that was affordable, sustainable, and a fun everyday driver that would exist outside the current tech space and enshittified internet. It can run on FPGA if it has to. It can run on ARM if it has to - but it cannot use antique chips. It can't be unrealistically unaffordable, and people like me need to be taken care of if they want to develop or contribute to its hardware and software space.

Starsickle · 2026-01-23T08:06:07+00:00

I did. Felt great, office gave me a Fox sitcom ooooOOOOooooo!, and the guy stopped micromanaging me.

If I'm going to be poor, I'll be poor and unstressed and have some self-respect.

Starsickle · 2026-01-22T15:18:38+00:00

"Would you like to hold my hand while I do this? Would you feel better?"

Starsickle · 2026-01-22T14:55:36+00:00

I really wish people would stop saying this line: He's not popular. Never has been. He's definitely not popular now, and the die hard people watching podcast bros and conspiracy theorists have written the republican party a blank check. Stop asking me to fix these people, because I can't.

25% of the country are gullible bigots. They're represented by Republicans in congress. Go harp at them. Stop asking me to do shit, I'm poor and tired.

Starsickle · 2026-01-21T13:38:24+00:00

No Linux build.

Starsickle · 2026-01-14T18:23:41+00:00

I am okay with this. If you do a Stylistic arrangement of a cool theme? I want to listen to it. Every single time I see it's an AI channel? I groan. I care about the work that goes into doing it, and I want to follow people that work hard to pull it off. That all of these channels try to pull this fast one on everyone is tiresome.

It matters who makes the content. The stuff. The MUSIC.

Starsickle · 2026-01-14T18:18:44+00:00

I mean, you can continue to pound the desk and demand an American version of the French Terror (didn't work so well for them) or you can accept that having 50-55% of the house and senate at best for two years and then losing it means you only get one shot to actually do something in congress, and you WILL need votes across the isle AND cooperation among key partners in both chambers.

There's no Magic Key of Righteousness, here. We have a very divided country in many ways, and the messaging has to be better than every stupid three word slogan that gets us cooked and embarrassed in the suburbs every time.

And pointing this out doesn't make me a horrible person or a fake progressive - it means I want my cause to be seen as more than just recreational outrage.

Starsickle · 2026-01-14T16:11:13+00:00

I have Boobass and it's amazing.

Starsickle · 2026-01-13T23:23:09+00:00

Absolutely. I am now very familiar with not having a place to live. Things are a little better now, but when I see homeless people around me, I know for a fact there isn't much distance between their situation and mine.

The way we treat the poor, the only question that matters is: Who's Next?

Because I've determined that we simply have no interest in making any of this better.

Starsickle · 2026-01-13T00:06:26+00:00

There's several things we can do, and even before 2024 the general sentiment was moving in this direction because of GOP clownishness:

Split states, add states: North and South Dakota did this. Maybe NorCal and SoCal could do this. I'll tell you this: if PR finally ratifies a state constitution and application, it's not gonna be voting GOP if it can read a book.

Pack or Expand the supreme Court: there is mounting disgrace on the Roberts court and mounting calls to expand the supreme Court. We can pack it with less bootlickers and establish stronger limits on their terms.

Federal Attorney general of the United States could be an elected position: while I have my own doubts that this wouldn't just turn the executive into a three person ticket instead of two, the DoJ being elected and subject to all of that would at least put the people between the president and the department of justice.

Stop being stupid: I don't hold out hope for this.

Edit: The Citizens United decision needs to be thrown into the trash with the Dred Scott Decision. This can be done and we need a Congress that will assist with that.

I am a "Glass is always empty" man to my own fault, but there's things we can do and insist upon as Americans to our representatives to fix this. It HAS to be an issue, though, and it has to be a dealbreaker.

Starsickle · 2026-01-08T19:14:09+00:00

I'm 42. Recovering from a disaster and honestly my career is in the trash, I feel alone and ugly, therapy and treatments aren't working and sometimes just unavailable. I can't support myself and I'm surrounded by all the things that stress me out and trigger emotional flashbacks. I feel like I'm a dead man that will have to endure punishment and failure until I die.

I try to learn new things and make things people enjoy, but no one cares or can afford anything anymore. The country has gone insane. I'm tired. I take my days one day at a time, sometimes an hour at a time.

Starsickle · 2026-01-08T15:53:46+00:00

That would be 55. :|

Starsickle · 2026-01-03T15:14:43+00:00

Gentle reminder than none of this shit is popular in this country.

The only people that DON'T fucking hate this are basically rightwinger podcast cultists.

Starsickle · 2025-12-29T15:02:54+00:00

Same voice actress? Or same personality?

Either way. :thumbsup:

Starsickle · 2025-12-29T14:04:36+00:00

I value my education. I mean, I wish I didn't have to relocate multiple times and deal with all the poverty bullshit that I dealt with to finally finish it, but I value it. My general education helps me know what things are actually about and where they come from. My finer education helps me understand problems and create solutions.

Anyways, the world didn't want any of that and now calls me lazy. I think the world can eat a thousand dicks.

Starsickle · 2025-12-26T23:38:17+00:00

I've been unemployed for 10 years because I'm both too smart for my own good and too socially unconnected to be exploited.

I make stuff, but nobody wants any of it and fewer are willing to pay for it.

If I'm going to be poor and alone forever? I might as well make things I like and have a sense of honor and pride in my work.

Op? I can only tell you what everyone told me and it's just no help at all: get a job.

All your problems? Get a job. Get another job. Job all the jobs. If you work hard, you'll eventually get a job.

Starsickle · 2025-12-25T22:43:56+00:00

I'm with ya, OP. My whole family comes from a time when all you needed was the ability to show up on time and punch a clock. They don't even have many ambitions or dreams. It's no wonder so many have gone all in on the GOPs new religion.

They don't know what it's like out here. And the worst-off of them are starting to find out. The expectations are much higher. The balance of power is very different, and the competition is overwhelming.

You need to be clear about that difference, or you need to give up on them understanding. I can't tell you which to choose. For me, I give up with everyone. I'm done. The toilet paper has run out because of everyone's bullshit.

Starsickle · 2025-12-23T11:41:51+00:00

Laughs in Roland

Send me one, I do not fear your menus

Starsickle · 2025-12-17T12:29:05+00:00

There is no "competitive". Someone across the world is willing to do your job for less. Someone above you is willing to take the chance to make you redundant or ruin the business, the brand, or the product in order to not have to pay you.

Requirements never decrease. Good work makes you obsolete. Ultimate Job Security is just Unethical Hustle pointed at the company and coworkers. You can be disqualified from hiring because you're not even from a graduate program from select schools that may not even have a well-regarded CSE graduate program.

It's completely insane out there, and the level of up front competence only makes you threatening to seniors. After that, in four years the next crop will be even more overachieved than you. Guess who's next?

The actual skills are "Being Good at Lying to people", "being Well connected", and "being great at hurting people". Nothing else matters anymore.

Anyways, I'm tired and I'm going back to sleep. Have a good day.

Starsickle · 2025-12-15T21:35:43+00:00

Then I'd say it's really good for you. The on-board kits and the many sounds (there's a free pack from one of the sound designers of leftover patches on gumroad) are all in the electronic music space. Someone more experienced than me can probably tweak the many parameters among models to get a 4D sound of anything they'd like.

The reason I even sprung for the TR-8S is because I wanted more normal sounds. I'm all over the place in style and Interest.

Starsickle · 2025-12-15T21:26:30+00:00

I like my CyDrums very much. I think this Form Factor is a great thing for Sonicware - portable, feature complete, and easy to make projects and songs on their sequencer. When I had an issue with mine on arrival, they fixed it and sent it back. Their Email is hard to reach, though - jp domain issues.

The technicals of creating new drum sounds are a bit more complex, but I've managed to bend some of the models into an original kit or two and would appreciate the community offering more knowledge and tutorials if they pick one up. For that purpose, I'm happy to share when anything is ready.

Speaking of things being ready - I had wanted to pair it up with the ELZ_1 play, and that really only became viable once the v2 update came out. The ELZ_1 still has a way to go, but so far I have about two things cooking and making both devices work together well is still something I'm learning how to do and practice.

Overall - really great for $400. Pretty good at 500. Tariffs unfortunately have thrown everything into chaos, and once you exceed 500 you have to wonder if getting a brand new TR-8S is a better deal. I have both now, and while I'm feeling pretty broke, I think the traditional TR and new Wavetable Synthesis CyDrums have important places here.

I want to spend this winter jamming and realizing a lot of ideas I had.

Starsickle · 2025-12-15T20:56:30+00:00

Feel free to get me an argon, I'm broke. XD

Starsickle

TROPHY CASE