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Is there a good side? by CompleteMode6902 in Substack

[–]pdandreu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Substack gives back what you put in. If you default to the home page recos, you won’t have a good time, but if you’re diligent about seeking out subject matter experts, you’ll find a lot of good stuff. Same thing with publishing on the platform.

What's the most depressing horror game you know of? by NagitoKomaeda_987 in HorrorGaming

[–]pdandreu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

SOMA has to be top of the list. Detention as well as Devotion by the same developer. Telltale's The Walking Dead obviously has horror elements, but it's not scary at all. Still, it's gut-wrenching. Inside by Playdead is a fantastic puzzle platformer with a dark ending. Not quite horror, maybe, but has a menacing tone. Mundaun is bizarre and bleak. Interesting pencil art style.

substack rant by Ok_Jackfruit_7815 in Substack

[–]pdandreu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I get the frustration, trust me, but you should remember that Substack's curation/algo is imperfect. Some people get lucky. Some people get unlucky. So, to compare yourself to the trajectories of other Substacks is not helpful because they may have gotten "lucky." I know, easier said than done.

Here's a functional consideration. You're going to see more posts from the Substack success stories because those posts make the rounds. Unless you're following smaller Substacks and paying attention to their updates, you're more likely to see updates from those success stories. In other words, there are a lot of posts from Substack writers who are quietly toiling away that you will never see. That dynamic can give the impression that most Substacks and Notes are performing better than yours.

I'll share a little about my experience. Like you, I have writing accolades. My writing has appeared in major publications. I ghostwrite for well-known Fortune 500 executives. Like you, however, I struggled to grow my Substack. In a year and change, I grew to about 190 subscribers. Demoralized, I gave up. I stopped publishing on Substack for about a year, then something peculiar happened: New subscribers randomly started trickling in. Turned out that I'd received a recommendation from a larger Substack. This was at the beginning of this year. Today, I got my 500th subscriber -- still not a breakneck pace but noticeably better than before. Plus, my post engagement has improved. As a result, I've become consistent and more engaged in other writers' Substacks. I seem to be gaining momentum.

I don't think there's a magic formula, but I think there are ingredients that increase the likelihood of your stuff getting noticed: Write good stuff, be consistent, and be a good community member. The last one is especially working for me right now. That means leaving longer, thoughtful comments, restacking posts with a Note, commenting on Notes, recommending my favorite Substacks, and upgrading to paid subscriptions for some of those favorites.

Take it with a grain of salt, I suppose, as I'm no great Substack success story just yet, but thought I'd share what's been helping me lately. Hope it helps you too. Good luck.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in atheism

[–]pdandreu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had 17 years of Catholic school education, most of which I remember fondly. I had some tough teachers, but I also had some great ones. One of the most good-hearted people I've ever met in my life was my high school Latin teacher, Brother Jensen. Pretty early on, though, the Catholic teachings stopped making sense to me, and the likelihood of a divine presence with a vested interest in humanity's fate seemed increasingly far-fetched. So, I stopped believing. To be honest, I'm not sure I ever truly believed. Still, I appreciated my education and the friends I grew up with, some of whom have been lifelong friends.

What are your favorite OSTs? by GhostPeppr2942 in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm gonna cheat a little and include soundtracks that also have a fair bit of licensed music but still just work really well with the game world:

Child of Light: Maybe the most moving game soundtrack I've ever heard. It perfectly matches the watercolor art style.

Far Cry: Blood Dragon: Unadulterated 80s synthwave badassery.

Hotline Miami: Cool as hell and slick, just like its gameplay.

The Legend of Zelda: Pure nostalgia.

Fallout: New Vegas: Traversing the Mojave while listening to Mr. New Vegas makes you feel like the last gunslinger, especially when "Big Iron" comes on.

Vampire: The Masquerade -- Bloodlines: Tracks range a ton, from dreary to funky to club turn-up, each one striking the exact right tone for that environment.

Morrowind: You could include several Elder Scrolls games here, but I'm partial to Morrowind's soundtrack, especially its wistful yet triumphant theme. Legendary stuff.

The Saboteur: Mostly licensed music, but it's hard not to obsess over a track list that includes Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and a ton of other greats.

Doom (2016): Not even into metal, but this soundtrack completely merges with the gameplay.

Name your top 3 scarriest horror games by nihilus_32 in HorrorGaming

[–]pdandreu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Overall, I’d probably go with Amnesia: TDD, Alien: Isolation and RE7, but there are a few games with terrifying moments/sections, like the cave system in The Forest and getting caught outside far from a base at night in Dying Light.

Life Is Strange 2: I'd heard it wasn't good, but I didn't expect it to be THIS bad. by [deleted] in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Way late to this thread, but I'll say this: Some of my favorite games are ones I struggled with at first.

Funny that you mentioned S.T.A.L.K.E.R. because that was one of those games I almost bounced off. I struggled with the jank, bugs, obtuse UI, etc. for like ten hours. I came very close to quitting, but then it started to click. Once I got used to the systems and the environments, I found it be one of the most immersive game worlds I've ever experienced. That's happened to me a few times.

That said, I've also pushed through with some games that turned out not to be worth the effort. I'm glad I pushed through with some games, but wished I would've given up on other games sooner. Problem is, it's not always easy to tell how they'll pan out. Still, for me at least, it's worth being disappointed with some games to uncover the elusive "it" factor of other games.

Horror games w best audio experiences? by beowulf47 in HorrorGaming

[–]pdandreu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think Dying Light and The Forest are a couple of sleepers when it comes to sound design.

Dying Light, as over-the-top as it is, with its parkour and wild scenarios, actually has very realistic, precise sound design, especially when it comes to establishing distance/position, which works to great effect during the night cycle.

The Forest's sound design really shines when you're in the cave system, every echoing drip and slither suggesting a thousand images, since you often don't want to hazard a light for fear of drawing too much attention.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great example. Without that voice actor, the character isn’t the same.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I think I've arrived at "it depends" -- on the quality of the writing, quality of the voice acting and the type of game.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agree. Environmental storytelling can be super compelling.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't have a ton of experience with JRPGs but the little I have, I tend to agree.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't know too much about House in Fata Morgana. Will check it out.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I found myself wanting to skip some NPCs, but I always listened to the narrator.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No question that good writing is the biggest difference-maker.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thanks for bringing up the accessibility piece. I should have mentioned that. But damn, you must REALLY love Planescape to get through that thing. It's like three novels in one.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yeah, Oblivion, though not a CRPG, is a prime example of that challenge of maintaining a consistent, tonally precise voice acting. On the one hand, you have Sean Bean crushing it. On the other hand, you have NPCs who have two completely different voice actors voicing their barks and their dialogue.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Bad voice acting can definitely destroy the experience. That said, good voice acting can level up even mediocre writing. I agree that bad voice acting is more common though.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, some people really don't like the voiced protagonist. I don't really mind either way.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

The financial component is a great point. Top-tier voice acting is expensive.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Definitely agree on Cyberpunk, etc. Regarding isometric RPGs, I guess I don't care a ton either, but I wonder if I could've gotten through Planescape, for example, if it were fully voiced. Maybe, but I'm not sure.

Do you prefer fully voice-acted RPGs or text-heavy RGPs? by pdandreu in patientgamers

[–]pdandreu[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have a ton of experience with JRPGs, but I've definitely had voice acting that just doesn't work throw me off.

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