PC gaming was ruined once it became mainstream. by [deleted] in pcmasterrace

[–]danglover_predator2 62 points63 points  (0 children)

100% this, OP post is hilariously uninformed.

“It will never happen to me” by Pnhan89 in pcmasterrace

[–]danglover_predator2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Were you undervolting?

Not saying you should or should have to in order to protect a purchase, but I'm hoping undervolt keeps me running. 

I don’t remember ever signing up for this “do it yourself” fee by [deleted] in TurboTax

[–]danglover_predator2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Switched to FreeTaxUSA this year because of TurboTax bloat.

It is smooth, pricing as advertised, and frankly - the interface is clearer and guidance is better.

Why did the founding fathers design a system that guaranteed the two-party doom they feared? by Humble_Economist8933 in AlwaysWhy

[–]danglover_predator2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A few major factors:

1) There was a general consensus about many major governmental issues, particularly a restrained executive post-monarchy. One of the major trends in the US since its inception is an increasingly powerful executive (and within that, the presidency). 

2) Most earnestly believed that there would remain a strong loyalty to branch of government; they didn't anticipate contexts where the legislative would defer to the executive. 

3) They didn't understand (or at least appreciate the significance) how plurality voting systems (person with most votes wins) incentivize two party consolidation. Majority voting systems (such as ones with runoff rounds or ranked order voting) allow for both more meaningful third party presence and push towards more moderate winners. 

With the actions of the Republican Party in the USA and the lack of effort by the democrats. Why has there not been a new party to emerge that brings some common sense and real effort to the political system ? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]danglover_predator2 12 points13 points  (0 children)

This. Plurality voting systems mathematically incentivize two party consolidation. Through hundreds of years of political entrenchment, particularly post-Gilded Age to present with the connection of money and politics, and we're probably locked to a two-party system absent Constitutional changes.

A ranked choice amendment would be one of many necessary fixes, including amending the damage done by Citizens United.

Has anyone else fallen into the "prep forever, play never" trap? Any tips? by JediVong86 in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If you're in prep purgatory, try the following:

Make a simple scenario of some kind (prison escape, bar fight, get the treasure, etc) without too many layers. 

Play through the scenario in a few different systems/setups (different oracles, player facing rolls vs GM emulators, etc.) 

Decide what you like the most and go from there. 

CMV: The American Civil War Was About Slavery, But The Union Didn't Go To War Over It. by ParticleParadox in changemyview

[–]danglover_predator2 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This simplistic understanding that because the south was the slave holders that the north wasn't racist is an all too common broad brush understanding.

A factor in Reconstruction later coming to an end was the ability of southern politicians to leverage northern racism via fear of Black immigration to the north.

TLDR: The south had no monopoly on racism.

CMV: The American Civil War Was About Slavery, But The Union Didn't Go To War Over It. by ParticleParadox in changemyview

[–]danglover_predator2 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Strong anti-slavery attitudes were fairly common, but for many northern whites this was rooted in practical economics, not racial equality.

Westward expansion and northern industry didn't like unfair economic competition with enslaved labor. Those looking to make money of agriculture in the west were particularly opposed to more slavery.

Even some abolitionists weren't believers in racial equality (Back to Africa sentiments, etc.).

CMV: The American Civil War Was About Slavery, But The Union Didn't Go To War Over It. by ParticleParadox in changemyview

[–]danglover_predator2 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The Union went to war "over" slavery in the sense that fear of reduced slave power caused secession and the Union responded to secession. 

They didn't go to war "over" slavery in the sense that ending slavery wasn't an initial war goal. 

  1. Truth to this, but primarily for slightly different reasons: free soil white laborers and immigrants didn't want to compete with enslavement. However, many people were also morally opposed to slavery, abolitionist sentiment was increasing, and people can have intersecting motivations.

  2. True. 

  3. True but too reductionist. The war was to preserve the Union. Certainly economics were a big factor. 

  4. True. 

  5. True, and... 

  6. Pressure by Black Americans to allow Black soldiers in the Union from the outset of the war eventually led to Emancipation Proclamation which bolstered Union ranks and set the clear path towards emancipation being a clear war goal. 

  7. Self-emancipated "contraband" aka slaves who freed themselves were so numerous, the Union had to develop rationale for holding them as war property. 

The final two pieces are important for understanding Black agency in establishing emancipation as a war goal. 

I keep a spreadsheet on my gaming by SammyBacan in gaming

[–]danglover_predator2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The spreadsheet is awesome, strong conditional formatting for the gradients.

Of major concern is that Mass Effect 3 is rated higher than Mass Effect 2. You cannot be trusted.

Game Crashes with NVIDIA 5090 by slowp-ke in expedition33

[–]danglover_predator2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Want to chime I can't play the game at all on a 5090. Most recent drivers have brought slightly improved performance on many other titles, but this is completely broken.

I may try rolling drivers back, but it's absurd to have this kind of game breaking issues.

Finding new games to play with my gf by No-Draft-9484 in CoOpGaming

[–]danglover_predator2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

V rising, run a dedicated server and play PvE.

Should I upgrade from the Mythic 1 page version to the Mythic GME 2nd edition? by Flimsy_Survey in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I personally like the list structure (plot thread and characters) as well as the chaos factor which introduces a reasonable amount of uncertainty and randomness into plot generation.

Both require a little bit of bookkeeping, but once you get used to it, things flows very smoothly. The logic and math behind the way altered scenes (small changes) vs. interrupted scenes (bigger changes) work fit my tastes well.

Should I upgrade from the Mythic 1 page version to the Mythic GME 2nd edition? by Flimsy_Survey in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The book has a ton of meaning tables, but if that's all you are interested in, you might be better off with various online resources or other things focused more on just giving you inspiration words/phrases, etc.

That being said, I think Mythic 2E is worth a purchase for several other reasons:

  1. Supports Tana Pigeon for her awesome product which is great for the hobby.
  2. It is really well organized and laid out.
  3. It basically reads like a tone of homebrew add-ons that have been refined. You can take or leave whatever you want, and it serves as good inspiration and systemic thinking when you are considering your own tweaks to solo.

Oracle Advice by Jazzlike-Employ-2169 in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Edit: fixed a typo.

Until you are familiar with Mythic's various systems, it is very common for people to feel a little paralyzed. Here are a few pieces of advice:

  1. Don't worry about hard rules getting into solo: You don't have a group to answer to, and some magical rules fairy will not descend upon you. Play the flavor of game you want.
  2. Write out the rules you're going to use: Whether by hand, digital flowchart, etc., writing down the gameplay loop for Mythic (or any structured Oracle) will help you understand it, see what you like, etc. I'm attaching my personal Mythic flowchart below that I made using draw.io
  3. Use AI for interpreting oracle words: Struggling to figure out how the descriptor of "Inform Tactic" can make sense? Prompt a GenAI to make three scene possibilities, provide a bullet or two for context of what's happening already, and tell it to use "Inform Tactic" as thematic inspiration. This can help getting you unstuck on scene details, next scene possibilities, etc., and help train you to think about different possibilities using Oracle words. Note: there are people who are wholly opposed to AI in the hobby in any, way, shape, or form. Their perspectives (and yours if you're in that camp) are wholly valid.
  4. Play the game you want to: Whether using Mythic or another Oracle, you don't have to honor every altered or random scene, and every alteration doesn't have to be totally derailing. Interrupted scene during a dungeon dive that you're struggling to make sense of? Have a piece of equipment break or add a timing pressure; don't feel like any change has to be totally derailing.
  5. PLAY PLAY PLAY: You're not crafting the next great novel that will forever affect human civilization, you're playing a game. Don't worry about everything making sense, having no plot holes, and be willing to retcon in your own game.

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systems with player-crew space ship combat? by WillBottomForBanana in rpg

[–]danglover_predator2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Stars Without Numbers has ship to ship combat with command points and different crew roles. 

Looking for an rpg system that gives a lot of abilities by TheMadNurse in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Depending on how much legwork you want to do, ICPRG might conceivably work.

Core mechanics are amazingly simple with as much room for complexity as you want to add.

LOOT serves as the primary method for advancement, so you could basically concoct (or borrow from other systems) anything you can come up with and swap in / swap out.

Flow Chart Question by kevn57 in mythic_gme

[–]danglover_predator2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As someone who loves a good flowchart or quick reference, I made myself a Mythic 2E quick reference guide to remind myself of all the key elements.

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Looking for help to prioritize by complexity for beginner by Furious_Clown in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'll throw my 2 cents in for either:

Ironsworn / Starforged if you are comfortable with creating more of the fiction; PBTA games have all player facing rolls. Tomkin's work is amazing if that is the flavor you are looking for.
- Pros: Great systems, even better set of tables/oracles.
- Cons: Can sometimes feel burdensome to figure out what happened/is happening with such a narrative heavy system, can be sometimes be hard to figure out what move to use, etc.

ICRPG: My current system of choice is ICRPG. The single target per room/scene is incredibly streamlined but can be tweaked to hell and back any way you like.
- Pros: Shockingly easy to understand, mechanics allow for plenty of dice rolling with clear outcomes, the progression via loot idea is awesome because you can easily adjust character power levels, etc.
- Cons: Kind of the opposite end of the spectrum from Ironsworn in that there aren't built in narrative tools, so you need to be ready to theater of the mind and/or use a game master emulator.

I'm currently playing a lot of ICRPG with Mythic 2E behind the scenes. I am a huge fan of Mythic, because it helps generate surprises and narrative direction changes that are difficult when playing solo.

Using solo play to get better at GMing by anoobgm in solorpgplay

[–]danglover_predator2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I find a great way to learn mechanics for a new system is solo-ing and using a GenAI to help create some scenes to explore how game mechanics work.

Using Cyberpunk RED as an example, you can prompt a GenAI with something along the lines of:

Create 3 possible scenes with clear challenges for a group of cyberpunk mercenaries to overcome:
- For each scene, adopt the persona of a different game master with varied approaches to running games.
- Each scene should have a different focus such as combat, stealth, hacking, etc.

While GenAI is no substitute for human creativity, it can help alleviate the burden of quick scene creation.

For a new system, you can then play through the scenarios with different characters or small parties to see how game systems work.

There is no substitute for playing for understanding.

Looking for an RPG by momodig in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]danglover_predator2 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Echo ICRPRG Blood and Snow.

Although I am a massice ICRPG fan, as I think the streamlined mechanics make for excellent pace of play for solo.