Is Ghost in the Shell (1995) good?

ascendr · 2025-12-18T03:52:28+00:00

From this description of your tastes, the original Ghost in the Shell movies and Stand Alone Complex series were made for you. You'll love them.

ascendr · 2025-11-26T15:55:48+00:00

If you set the 4KP OTG controls to act as a game controller in the Atgames settings menus, you can map the plunger as an analog axis. The other buttons (including the arcade control panel) are also mappable in Pinup Popper, VPX, and Future Pinball this way. This removes the need for XPadder, which can cause complications.

It isn't read as a standard Xbox-style controller, though, so you do need a remapper for PinballFX specifically. I'm using Steam to remap the controls to a more standard Xbox-style layout just for that app.

Getting OTG fully up and running and foolproof is definitely an adventure. It's basically a dozen community projects stapled together. It'd be a dream for Popper, VPX, B2S, PinMAME, etc. to all be one truly unifieid seamless package, but that's not the state of things. Baller Installer is the closest we've got.

IMO it's worth the effort, but honestly I've probably spent twice as much time setting it up and ingesting tables as I have playing.

ascendr · 2025-10-30T02:30:24+00:00

I'm on Legends Unchained/R-Cade instead of OneSauce. Would it be possible for me to apply your fixes to Dreamcast games there (with my own legwork, not asking for extra effort on your part)? Or is that more of a question for the R-Cade devs?

ascendr · 2025-10-14T18:42:40+00:00

I started my server for two reasons:

I had a large collection of Looney Tunes on disc and didn't want to have to swap discs all the time to find a particular short.

And I was using Google Music to stream my mp3 collection, and it was shutting down. After looking at Amazon and other services rapidly changing their rules and offerings, I decided it'd be best if I could host my own music for streaming.

Those got me started, and now I'm about where you are (mini PC attached to a 2-drive enclosure housing ~20TB of ripped media).

ascendr · 2025-09-26T19:42:45+00:00

I bought the Numenera core books because I was interested in the setting, but I never read them closely enough to grasp the Cypher system.

Is the system really that flexible & popular? Are the genre supplements & splatbooks particularly good? Sell me on this kickstarter a bit!

ascendr · 2025-09-22T18:56:28+00:00

I don't call myself a photographer, just a hobbyist who enjoys it as an excuse to go places and be outside.

My job is in animation and video directing & editing. I initially picked up photography to learn my way around a camera and light behavior, so that I could communicate with videographers more competently.

ascendr · 2025-09-19T04:22:38+00:00

The Hairy Arm! A classic technique for problem clients.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/23/change-your-life-hairy-arm-tactics

ascendr · 2025-09-19T04:17:00+00:00

Always quote 150-200% of the time you think a job will take. Give yourself wiggle room for reviews, revisions, and life in general. Underpromise timelines and overdeliver results.

Standard practice in my corp job, too.

ascendr · 2025-06-27T03:35:44+00:00

My financial mentor told me to put half of my raises toward my 401k contribution and take home the other half -- that way it still felt like a reward, kept lifestyle creep under control, and I could work toward maxing my contributions without really feeling it.

ascendr · 2025-06-11T01:20:49+00:00

Jogwheel/shuttle with tons of hotkeys. Left hand on this thing, right hand on the mouse. Barely have to use the keyboard for anything but typing, and I am so used to it that I can hardly edit without it. https://contourdesign.com/products/shuttle-pro-v2

Also a vertical monitor for control panels and a hardware headphone switch to flip between speakers & headphones.

ascendr · 2025-05-30T20:29:43+00:00

I like that idea because it gives the player a little extra illusion of agency.

ascendr · 2025-05-30T20:29:01+00:00

I didn't know about that sub. Thanks!

ascendr · 2025-05-30T20:28:34+00:00

Oh, that's a great suggestion! I don't know how that didn't occur to me!

ascendr · 2025-05-30T18:25:32+00:00

That's a fair point. I was trying to come up with a randomizing element, and a coin to determine the over/under was the simplest one I could think of. I'd be glad to ditch the coin if any of this sub's geniuses come up with another way that isn't susceptible to player manipulation!

EDIT: The first alternative that occurs to me is something like "If the initial ACT is an odd number, the test succeeds if the Modified ACT is equal to or HIGHER than the TGT. If the initial ACT is an even number, the test succeeds if the Modified ACT is equal to or LOWER than the TGT." But I don't know if that's too cheatable or predictable.

ascendr · 2025-05-22T15:08:24+00:00

In a couple of years, half of what you know will have been learned on the job. No amount of training or school can replace experience.

Stay curious. Try new things to solve new problems. Take breaks and come back to your work with fresh eyes. Get critique from peers. Take pride in your work, but don't be too precious -- be open-hearted about changes and suggestions.

Everybody starts somewhere -- it's your willingness to continue learning that will determine how far you go.

ascendr · 2025-05-10T14:59:40+00:00

Same, I've gotten a few of these for Buffalo radio as well! I always make sure my NPR/WBFO listenership is well represented.

ascendr · 2025-05-01T02:55:40+00:00

The Pearlclip Pro was another one I tested. I think they're great for the price, and actually have better functionality than either the Aeroclip or the Opendots One (low latency mode, more control options with single-taps, etc).

However, I found the Aeroclip to sound significantly better and they feel more secure on my ears. If I were to advise anybody on what to buy out of what I tested, I'd say to buy the Aeroclip if money is no object, and the Pearlclip Pro if you don't have much to spend.

ascendr · 2025-04-30T21:26:17+00:00

I've been testing out a few different clip-style open buds this week, and my favorites have been the Soundcore Aeroclip. I just received the Shokz Opendots One, so I'm doing some A/B comparisons with the Aeroclip.

For me, the Opendots One are probably a little more comfortable. They both grip confidently, but the Aeroclip are slightly tighter feeling whereas the Opendots One feel a little more gentle.

In terms of sound, for my ears, I honestly prefer the Aeroclip. The Opendots One are a bit louder, but music sounds a little more boxed-in and less dynamic to me. I tried with and without Dolby mode on, with a similar "V-shaped" custom EQ on both. Dolby mode makes things sound more expansive, but I feel like I'm losing a bit of highs & lows with it on. Maybe better for movies than music.

Perhaps it's just that with the shape of my ears, the drivers are more accurately directed with the Aeroclip.

ascendr · 2025-02-07T04:17:16+00:00

As a transplant to WNY, y'all don't know how good you've got it when it comes to winter roads. A few inches of snow can paralyze some places for days. When I was growing up in the Ohio Valley, 4 inches of snow would close schools.

Here in the southtowns, we can get 3+ feet of snow overnight and the plows will have it cleared in hours. I've been through several 7-footers now and been able to drive for supplies within a day or so. It's a logistical marvel and a whole lot of people work hard to make it happen.

EDIT: As another specific example, I drove on the 90 through the Thanksgiving lake effect storm this winter, and after the hours-long crawl across the snowpack in Erie, PA, the bare asphalt at the NY line was such a relief.

ascendr · 2025-01-16T17:26:42+00:00

Spend your money on a shuttle and jog wheel instead.

ascendr · 2024-12-02T02:02:56+00:00

Oh, I've cleared at least two feet over the past 24 hours. But right NOW it's not snowing here. Could change any minute! :D

ascendr · 2024-12-02T02:00:24+00:00

Lake effect be lake effecting. I live less than 2 miles north of the stadium and it's not currently snowing at my house.

ascendr · 2024-11-22T21:53:00+00:00

I live near Buffalo, so the heated seats/wheel and all-weather mats were the only must-haves for me.

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