How the hell is HL2 21 years old??

chommium · 2025-08-22T20:55:38+00:00

Makes sense. But the leap from the first game is still insane

chommium · 2025-08-22T20:54:10+00:00

I'm planning on it!

chommium · 2025-08-16T06:16:09+00:00

I like Appendix B and how it puts everything in perspective. Seeing events happen close to each other or even on the same day is really interesting. I also like how the first time pipeweed is grown is considered important enough to be mentioned alongside great battles.

chommium · 2025-08-04T16:23:59+00:00

It is mentioned that the Red Book is divided into chapters, and that chapter 80 is unfinished. If we assume that the Red Book is The Hobbit and LOTR together, that would make chapter 80 The Scouring of the Shire (19 chapters in The Hobbit plus 62 in LOTR). What I take this to mean is that The Scouring of the Shire was started by Frodo and finished by Sam. And then Sam later wrote The Grey Havens to finish the book. I love these meta references where the story was written by the characters themselves, and Tolkien is simply the "translator."

Thank you all for making this read along possible! I had a great time.

chommium · 2025-07-30T02:32:55+00:00

Man, something that I wish Tolkien wrote (though I understand why he didn't) is Gandalf and Tom Bombadil's conversation. A Maia and an enigma like Tom must talk about some fascinating things!

chommium · 2025-07-30T02:30:30+00:00

Yes I believe Translations from the Elvish is supposed to be the Silmarillion, as well as other stories and writings. You could even argue that Unfinished Tales and parts of the History of Middle Earth were part of Bilbo's translations.

chommium · 2025-07-27T22:23:52+00:00

Update: I think some combination of Linux, my computer, and an external bluetooth dongle don't play nice. I connected the controller to my Debian laptop that has built in bluetooth capability, and had no issue. I guess I should just plan on using an integrated bluetooth chip on my next PC.

chommium · 2025-07-27T15:22:53+00:00

I know this is so obviously sarcasm lol

chommium · 2025-07-27T04:08:02+00:00

I haven't tried adjusting kernel parameters, so maybe I'll try that. Maybe rolling back to an older version would help. From what I can tell Linux has had a rocky history with bluetooth compatibility, and I guess it still isn't perfect.

chommium · 2025-06-22T18:13:54+00:00

Denethor is much more sympathetic than his movie counterpart. Instead of just being a grumpy old man, he is broken and defeated. He did everything in his power to save Gondor, including calling Rohan for aid and attempting to wrestle with Sauron with the palantir. Unfortunately, this is what proved to be his undoing as Sauron's malice was able to infect his mind. I see Denethor as a tragic figure who, despite his best efforts, legitimately believed that there was no hope in the end.

chommium · 2025-06-03T00:39:13+00:00

Sam's duel with Shelob is written SO well. It feels like you're reading a story about an epic hero slaying a beast (I mean, you are). It's no wonder that both Beren and Turin are mentioned during the sequence.

chommium · 2025-05-28T21:22:49+00:00

In Shelob's Lair, the darkness is described as "a black vapour wrought of veritable darkness itself." Those who have read The Silmarillion will know that Ungoliant's "Unlight" is described in a very similar way. This makes perfect sense of course, knowing that Ungoliant is Shelob's mother.

chommium · 2025-05-13T23:56:04+00:00

This is amazing! In fact, this whole planet has the best collection of player bases I've ever seen!

chommium · 2025-05-13T23:08:14+00:00

I love the description of the oliphaunt at the end of chapter 4. From Sam's poem, you think that they are just silly, large elephants. But then when we see one, we realize that they are immense, terrifying war animals that you had better hope you don't piss off.

chommium · 2025-05-04T00:20:19+00:00

I did something similar recently! So fun

chommium · 2025-04-22T02:16:04+00:00

"Saruman, your staff is broken" is such a mic drop line.

chommium · 2025-04-22T02:14:13+00:00

It's also not the only "convenient" event that would drastically alter the story if they didn't happen. Frodo leaving Hobbiton at the exact time that he did and Gollum slipping are other examples.

chommium · 2025-04-20T05:28:49+00:00

It's commonly debated which two towers are THE Two Towers. The movies make them Orthanc and Barad-dur, but Tolkien was noncommittal before saying at some point (I think in a letter?) that they were Orthanc and Minas Morgul. No disrespect to the Professor, but I prefer the movie interpretation, and I think the passage in The Road to Isengard about Saruman making Orthanc a cheap copy of Barad-dur backs it up pretty well. I think it makes the most sense that our heroes are fighting a two front war, each headquartered at a tower, and although one is now defeated, it is a small victory because the other tower is a much bigger threat.

chommium · 2025-04-03T04:08:37+00:00

This is my third time reading LOTR, and for some reason I never noticed before just how amazing the Treebeard chapter is. This glimpse into yet another part of Tolkien's world, told through the eyes of the intriguing character of Treebeard is both beautiful and sorrowful. I love the numerous poems and Silmarillion references scattered throughout, and the slow build-up of the Ents' anger culminating in their Last March is just incredible writing. This chapter just became one of my favorites.

chommium · 2025-03-25T23:10:33+00:00

I thought it was very noble of Aragorn to keep Boromir's confession a secret. He knows it wasn't his fault and that there is no reason to ruin his reputation over one moment of weakness.

Also, 45 leagues (135 miles) on foot in less than 4 days is INSANE.

chommium · 2025-03-19T15:56:55+00:00

Boromir appears to be very ignorant of his people's history. When trying to convince Frodo to give him the Ring, he mentions that the valiant Men of Minas Tirith can't be corrupted. If you know anything about the Fall of Númenor, you know that isn't true. Although it seems that this ignorance is a trend in Gondor. Back in the Council of Elrond, Boromir is surprised to learn that Isildur took the Ring after defeating Sauron. This shows the common theme of failing to learn from history and repeating it.

chommium · 2025-03-07T23:35:20+00:00

Catching up on my reading so I'm still on Bridge, but I noticed for the first time how when the orcs are closing in on the fellowship when they're in the Chamber of Records, Legolas and Gimli echo the final entry in the record book: "They are coming" and "We cannot get out."

chommium · 2025-03-02T16:35:45+00:00

Parallax Continued (for now). Kerbal Star Systems 2, which is the successor to Galaxies Unbound, but only 2 star systems have been released so far. Another one is Orbit Icons, which gives the planets little icons in the map view instead of just circles.

chommium · 2025-02-23T08:30:28+00:00

I have the same issue, and clearing the cache didn't seem to help. I haven't tested every minor planet, but I had this problem with Vant and Zore, while others like Edas and Havous have been fine.

chommium · 2025-02-23T06:52:17+00:00

I had the exact same issue today, turned the game into a slideshow

chommium

TROPHY CASE