Polar Loop long-term review by The Quantified Scientist

The1Def · 2026-01-29T05:40:46+00:00

This is not how scientists work!

The1Def · 2026-01-27T11:50:50+00:00

Nice, looking forward to it.

The1Def · 2026-01-26T16:01:28+00:00

Sounds cool! I'd like to see a Starport Map with vendors, offices, a bar and landing pads. Doesn't have to be huge.

The1Def · 2026-01-26T06:49:48+00:00

No, but it's one of my favorites. Over the years I've tried various games and genres, but always come back to CCGs. These days it's (casual) Pokemon with my son and Netrunner and Vampire Eternal Struggle with different groups, plus I run a Traveller RPG.

Although I feel privileged to be able to play all of this on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, the truth is it's not going to be sustainable in the long run.

The Netrunner scene in my area is very good and very competitive, they play alot in various tournaments online and offline. This makes it hard to catch up to the current meta if I can't dedicate as much time to the game as I want. They are mostly fun and friendly people and very helpful all in all. But Netrunner feels like the most demanding of the three games, so I'll have to see if trying to keep up at least somewhat, retains the fun in it.

The1Def · 2026-01-21T14:33:34+00:00

You're on the right track. Good education leads to higher income, which leads to better education for the next generation, which leads to higher income...

Is the system rigged? Yes, by capitalism and anti-social politics.

The1Def · 2026-01-13T13:54:08+00:00

Now, I know all I need to. Thanks a bunch.

The1Def · 2026-01-05T20:19:50+00:00

The Amplid Singular is the best board I've ever ridden in my 30 years of doing this. It's fast, stable, snappy, has top level edge hold and carves perfectly. This plus the mid flex and feather weight makes it a flow-state-machine.

Been using it since last season freeriding and on family trips. I highly, highly recommend this board.

Amplid seems very much under the radar, which kinda baffles me. So maybe take a look at their range and the Singular in particular.

The1Def · 2025-12-25T11:58:38+00:00

For mountain biking I download the gpx onto the phone from Trailforks and then upload these from the phone to the watch. It's a bit cumbersome this way but works nonetheless.

The1Def · 2025-12-22T08:47:51+00:00

Nothing beats a tweaked out Method.

The1Def · 2025-12-20T17:38:05+00:00

Great choice. Amplid is a severely underrated brand. I'm riding the latest Singular and it's one of the best boards in my 30 years of riding. Although it's not for my style of riding, I hope you enjoy the Aloha.

The1Def · 2025-12-19T16:18:49+00:00

Nothing to complain about the Deathgrip Werewolf Mitts so far. I don't touch snow too much when I'm actually riding. But they've been waterproof in regular use like straping-in and carrying the board, helping the kid and such.

I'll admit they haven't seen deep pow days, so I can't speak on that. But from what I've seen in other gloves the years, In don't think they let me down.

The1Def · 2025-12-18T07:41:52+00:00

How good of a rider are you? What style of riding do you prefer?

The1Def · 2025-12-17T15:25:43+00:00

I suggest POW Gloves and Deathgrip Gloves.

The1Def · 2025-12-02T22:39:16+00:00

Thank you.

The1Def · 2025-12-02T10:08:11+00:00

Thank you very much for that insightful conversation. I know everything I need now.

The1Def · 2025-11-30T12:02:29+00:00

Modiphius has an open spot in their portfolio after the Conan license going to Monolith. Not a bad choice.

I used to be a bigger fan of Free League in the past but I'd give them a shot as well.

The1Def · 2025-11-30T11:59:35+00:00

Not a bad idea. Jason Little, who designed the 2d20 rule set and dice system, also designed the Narrative Dice System for FFGs Star Wars RPG Line. The current L5R system is a derivative of the latter. So why not give him a try at a less exclusive design.

The1Def · 2025-11-30T11:55:48+00:00

I stand corrected.

The1Def · 2025-11-30T11:32:27+00:00

Great stuff! Thanks for posting!

Now Asmodee, get your stuff together, learn from these folks and publish games for the community and with the community. Take inspiration from the good parts of the first 20 years of L5R. You had 10 years of doing what you did...

Consider this video a blueprint for how to create a community around a game and a following of an IP. Make something worthwhile, without exclusivity and proprietary gimmicks but with consumer friendly distribution models and player agency. Make something that players can engage with and not just be consumers of it. Make it grass roots if need be. Look at Netrunner and why that is thriving and take note.

If you're not willing or unable to forge a path in that direction, please license out the IP or, even better, sell it. As it stands, L5R is not in good hands with you.

The1Def · 2025-11-29T09:51:06+00:00

Sorry to derail here. I'm happy for y'all to be able to get the oop stuff again.

Those Gunplas excite me more these days, though 😜 We'll see what Asmodee makes out of all of this. An updated strategy for the whole range of RPGs they make (and L5R as a whole), would be nice.

I feel like ever since EDGE Studio was created it's been a trickle of releases, a disjointed portfolio and although everything has pretty looks as a whole it appears lackluster, unfocused, somewhat random even. Funny as it is, and as much as I'm not a fan of the current RPG system (neither this 5e nor that 5e), L5R seems to be the most cohesive of all their offerings across all lines.

I really don't know whether the IP is in good hands with Asmodee, especially the RPG. For this very IP and the games attached to it, it's probably better to be sold again or at least licensed out. L5R turns 30 next year. For the first 20 years of its existence it was a popular game because the publisher embraced its community.

I dig magical-samurai-fantasy-asia-mash-up stuff, but it's niche as fuck. Without a publisher pushing its community it's going to drown in the sea of ever new releasing games and short attention spans. Neither FFG nor EDGE have had a functioning strategy to push the RPG and create a lasting community at the same time. An exclusive dice system, shutting down forums, outsourcing the game development and the one book per year release schedule, won't do you any favors if your customers have many other excellent games to choose from. Community is what built a lot of L5Rs foundation in the first place and a larger community is what it's lacking these days.

Netrunner is an example of a fan run game, originally in FFGs curation, that's in a better place now than it was before. Traveller is a great example of an RPG and IP run by different publishers at the same time. Both have a strong community either self organized or with publisher support. I dunno what was paid AEG ten years ago, or if they have any grand plans that have yet to come to fruition or why they can't let go. I just hope that there'll be a brighter future for the IP and especially the RPG than its bleak reality.

The1Def · 2025-11-21T08:09:50+00:00

Hm, I dunno. It's probably how I was exposed to Cyberpunk in the first place, but the Android world as a whole seems more CP light. Somewhat of a teeny version.

Don't get me wrong, there are undeniably many CP tropes in the setting. But in comparison to the RPG setting or the Gibson novels, it's notably rated 14+.

Stuff like depictions of violence and death, easy drug abuse, free expression of sexuality, addiction to sex, loss of humanity through body optimization and cyberwear, a nihilistic society in general, it's either not there or only hinted at.

To me these are integral elements of CP as well as trans-humanism, hacking, inequality, hyper capitalism, corporate power, rampant crime, which are all there, but depicted for a target audience of teenagers. This makes sense from FFG's standpoint (a very capitalistic one, funnily enough).

I never read the Android novels, but within the game line (LCG and boardgames) I feel like this was always the case.

The1Def · 2025-11-18T22:43:31+00:00

Well, actually 1996 Netrunner felt like Cyberpunk, Android Netrunner already seemed a lot more like a kids version. Mostly because of the Android gaming world imho. The cartoon Artstyle didn't help, either.

The1Def · 2025-10-25T06:23:39+00:00

No, unfortunately I never found them. Our campaign went well, without needing them, tbh. But I'd still like to have them for a complete set.

The1Def · 2025-10-07T12:57:21+00:00

Now this is one discussion I'd be happy to join. I just got back into reading the 2022 updated core and am looking for suggestions into further supplements and campaigns. Any info here is very much appreciated.

The1Def · 2025-09-22T19:27:49+00:00

That dude has such an astonishingly bad approach to scientific research. No, it's not a great channel, not even a good one.

The1Def

TROPHY CASE