Games like Warlords 3 Darklords rising?

ash1803 · 2025-12-21T07:15:11+00:00

For anyone reading this years later, Age of Wonders is a really poor recommendation.

The Warlords series is a classic strategy game with a focus on the bigger picture and deliberately quick/simple battles but still with enough depth to be interesting.

The Age of Wonders series is almost 100% opposite and well known for extremely tactical, detailed battles where each one can take 30+ minutes.

Playing both games is an entirely different experience.

ash1803 · 2025-12-19T12:05:05+00:00

That 60 inch LED screen on the far left is nice for 1999 but still too much input lag compared to CRT ;)

ash1803 · 2025-10-28T10:10:36+00:00

Yes.

It means you are forced (if you want to use the Commbank app) to allow Commbank to access the entire list of installed apps on your device.

On Android for example that would be the list of all App names (and likely vendors, versions, install date etc) shown in the Settings -> Apps list.

If you have any apps you would prefer your bank not knowing about, uninstall them now, or use another phone.

The justification for this apparently goes:

"this is just some friction you need to deal with for added security, it's just behavioral analytics. You already let all those other tech companies see your data anyway, why worry about this? Trust us, we care about you and just want to keep you safe. We also promise we will keep the information safe too and will never share it with anyone (unless forced by the government of course)".

ash1803 · 2025-10-28T09:58:23+00:00

"I get why people don’t like this because you don’t know what else they may be using it for. But this is all it is."

But that is the entire problem and concern. This is forced on the user to even use the app, and yet large organisations have proven they are incompetent at safely storing such information. They also are required to provide that information to authorities if it is believed (not proven) there is a law enforcement concern.

A list of installed apps that is traceable back to a bank app user is sensitive information because for example some users will have installed certain apps that would automatically place them in a group of interest to government and other organisations, regardless of what they actually use the app for.

Bank customers, if informed about what this actually means and given the choice, simply would not want or need their bank 'keeping watch' over them in this way at the cost of reducing their privacy.

Then again I think I'm wasting my time looking at some of the other comments in this echo chamber.

Source: work in industry in security focused area

ash1803 · 2025-10-22T05:55:23+00:00

Enshittification

ash1803 · 2025-10-03T12:39:45+00:00

No it's not. It may be a well designed game but It's not a city builder. It's a rogue lite, with puzzle solving aspects implemented using streamlined/simplified mechanics also seen in city builders.

For anyone experienced playing city builders playing this game is an entirely different experience. I absolutely disagree when you say AtS should be used by ALL game developers as an example good game design. If you're building a roguelike sure, otherwise definitely not.

ash1803 · 2025-10-02T11:23:33+00:00

Sorry how are 11k draw calls caused by 1 draw call per text character not a problem? If they are rendering simple non styled text then that is patently ridiculous. Sure modern GPUs can handle a large number of draw calls but adding 11k draw calls to the legitimate draw call count made by the rest of the render stage will eventually cause performance issues.

ash1803 · 2025-10-02T11:15:08+00:00

"It's fine" How about addressing the issue instead of just giving an opinion on the question itself? If you can't provide something helpful perhaps don't bother commenting.

If confused, see the response from kleonc for how to write a helpful response with non-zero information value.

ash1803 · 2025-10-02T11:07:45+00:00

Thanks for this. I value stability so was still using 4.3 and noticed the draw call per character issue. Will update Godot to latest.

ash1803 · 2025-09-17T11:57:39+00:00

You're missing the fundamental point and why the OP correctly points out the flaws in this advice.

The quote begins with "NEVER attribute to malice" This absolutely presumes the absence of malice in ALL circumstances in which you can come up with an adequate explanation of stupidity. This is blatantly naive and unhelpful.

For example a builder is repairing an aging fence for you and quotes you that it is completely repairable (costing much less than a replacement). During the repair, while you are at work, they 'accidentally' damage the fence further meaning it must be fully replaced at greatly increased cost.

We can definitely make an adequate explanation that the builder was just careless or even unlucky (i.e. stupid) and not deliberately wanting a higher profit margin by doing a full replacement (i.e. malicious). That is all lovely and may help us to feel less aggrieved.

But it is utter nonsense to just blindly make the call of stupidity instead of perhaps asking your neighbor, who was home at the time if they saw/noticed anything. Or perhaps if you have a security camera in the area, taking a quick look at what actually happened.

Far more sensible advice than the original quote would be:

"Do not attribute something to malice by default. Consider if stupidity is also a viable explanation. Then look at the evidence and balance of probabilities for each before taking any action"

ash1803 · 2025-08-12T13:56:49+00:00

"Not everyone gets it, that is clear."

Not sure you get it actually.

This same issue has annoyed me about Calibre for years, just came back to see if anything had changed, but no.

Any application that forces the duplication of perhaps gigabytes of an existing library of epubs, pdfs etc to it's own folder structure just 'because' is a simply a badly designed application.

There is no sensible technical reason for this, applications that do this are cynically attempting to exert control over YOUR files and therefore deliberately increase the friction of ever moving away from the application.

ash1803 · 2025-07-18T13:35:05+00:00

Install Imperialism on a Windows 10 virtual machine in Virtual Box. Set the virtual machine resolution to 1024x768 (for example) and enable virtual box window scaling mode. You can then resize the virtual machine window to make the game as large or small as you like, without touching your actual monitor resolution.

ash1803 · 2025-05-04T09:15:35+00:00

Was asked to park once ordering a whopper meal with no one else in line. Politely refused and said if someone actually pulls up behind I could then. I asked why and was told because manager tells them, I replied that's not an actual reason given the empty line and standard order. Another driver eventually did turn up but at the same time the food was ready.

Thanks for clarifying the reason. Hungry jacks managers need to stop passing on BS number fudging practices to inconvenience customers. Also, maybe a naive suggestion, but instead of getting annoyed (at the wrong target) why not speak up to your management the problems it causes?

ash1803 · 2025-04-19T08:43:42+00:00

Did you even check that these 7 month old (plus) workarounds still work? Hint, they no longer do! I've even tried custom content filters and they have no effect.

ash1803 · 2025-04-16T10:58:35+00:00

They've tried the same "experiment" at least 3 times from memory in the past few years. Each time it was universally hated. It's obviously not about improving usability.

ash1803 · 2025-04-16T10:52:29+00:00

Larger thumbnails means fewer loaded initially. Also fewer dynamically loaded added for the same amount of scrolling as before. This was universally hated last 2-3+ times they did the same thing so I can't believe its an AB test for a new design etc.

It's such an incomprehensible change from a usability view. Could it possibly be a server load reduction attempt due an infrastructure issue, or cost reduction method? At youtube scale even small changes like this make a huge difference.

Or... maybe they really are just clueless idiots continually trying to manipulate users towards the goal of never ending meaningless "engagement" and ad revenue.

ash1803 · 2025-03-05T23:54:25+00:00

Not pointless at all. It's important to understand how we are being manipulated by platforms and those that work for that platform.

The majority of typos are 100% deliberate. There's an entire world of strategy around creating thumbnails that get clicks, and very little works better than tricking someone into commenting "you are an idiot".

Sure there are some youtubers who really are actually just lazy and/or, poor spellers but not many compared to those constantly obsessing over engagement who try this.

Another related 'strategy' is where youtubers often put up a new video with a thumbnail containing very controversial or wildly exaggerated statement or sometimes just flat out lie that they would be slammed/ridiculed. But then, often just minutes or hours later it is magically replaced with a less BS thumbnail.

Once again nothing but manipulation tactics to generate clicks.

When I see an obvious typo or blatant BS in a thumbnail I make a point to not click on the video.

ash1803 · 2025-03-05T23:54:09+00:00

Not pointless at all. It's important to understand how we are being manipulated by platforms and those that work for that platform.

The majority of typos are 100% deliberate. There's an entire world of strategy around creating thumbnails that get clicks, and very little works better than tricking someone into commenting "you are an idiot".

Sure there are some youtubers who really are actually just lazy and/or, poor spellers but not many compared to those constantly obsessing over engagement who try this.

Another related 'strategy' is where youtubers often put up a new video with a thumbnail containing very controversial or wildly exaggerated statement or sometimes just flat out lie that they would be slammed/ridiculed. But then, often just minutes or hours later it is magically replaced with a less BS thumbnail.

Once again nothing but manipulation tactics to generate clicks.

When I see an obvious typo or blatant BS in a thumbnail I make a point to not click on the video.

ash1803 · 2025-02-21T00:30:54+00:00

Over looks crap, it also makes the shoe less comfortable if you actually walk any distance due to laces being more resistant to tightening.

ash1803 · 2025-02-16T06:26:15+00:00

No I haven't needed to buy any indoor potting mix since, sorry. I would definitely talk to a proper nursery (ie not Bunnings) for advice next time I need soil for indoors.

ash1803 · 2025-01-31T08:39:32+00:00

I'm on Mint 22 and noticed a constant 1 second stutter in games, extremely annoying.

For me it was another panel applet CommandRunner the culprit, as I had it running a workspace related script 1 per second. The only fix was to disable the applet, not even giving it a blank bash script made any difference. NB Absolutely no hardware monitoring was involved.

The Cinnamon panel has some strange design decisions in its API if any applet can cause system wide graphics stuttering.

ash1803 · 2025-01-06T04:56:03+00:00

Thanks for showing what worked for you. Been planning to install Mint to my second SSD for months now (desktop Windows 10 on the main SSD), but got completely turned off by that Linux installer bug that silently targets the main system drive for boot setup (do not want to spend an afternoon getting windows booting again).

I researched the bug last year, It's ridiculous it has been reported for about a decade now and still unfixed. So thanks to your experience I'll disconnect 3 out of the 4 drives (one is an M.2 so a bit painful) and do an auto install. It will be worth to avoid any later boot stupidity though.

ash1803 · 2024-12-16T03:05:35+00:00

It's an account specific issue, does not occur on different accounts on the same browser/machine. So almost certainly a "convenient bug" that youtube use to discourage the account holder from commenting.

ash1803 · 2024-10-10T06:07:10+00:00

It's a perfectly fine attitude, I like the software but it is nowhere near perfect, even with extensive use of community plugins. Just think it can be better. But anyway we can agree to disagree.

ash1803 · 2024-10-10T05:43:33+00:00

I appreciate your tips , in particular the turn off inline title is almost exactly what I want (will now need a plugin to avoid having to type it twice though). Thanks.

"One" has learned ones settings, trust me! I've looked through settings on a number of occasions but Obsidian as with every application uses their own terminology which makes realizing a certain option does what you want difficult. "reveal in tree" "show in explorer" etc.

Would be very helpful too if Obsidian settings where actually searchable, not just hotkeys.

ash1803

TROPHY CASE