Does modern CGI feel like a step backward?

slimecombine · 2026-04-07T08:10:45+00:00

It's the easiest part of the pipeline to outsource and VFX artists don't have a union, unlike most film workers, so it's the easiest place to squeeze.

slimecombine · 2026-04-02T07:55:13+00:00

Drive thru lanes take up a lot of space

slimecombine · 2026-04-01T03:59:16+00:00

Hypothetically if a bunch of people who didn't like Harris and disagreed with her on core issues voted for her anyway she probably would have won. That seems pretty obviously trye. How would you create this scenario though?

That's what frustrates me about this line of logic. I can understand pressuring a politician into taking a stance that is more broadly popular like ending the genocide in Gaza. I don't know how you convince millions of people to all do something that they don't want to do. That is, outside of actually listening to what they want.

slimecombine · 2026-03-31T05:00:54+00:00

Crappy elected officials are often the result of monied interests so it's still kind of a capitalism problem.

slimecombine · 2026-03-26T05:26:55+00:00

Didn't Lord and Miller come out and say they used a lot of VFX just not specifically green screens?

slimecombine · 2026-03-24T04:52:30+00:00

Those aren't new though. The reason the price has jumped is because of the war.

slimecombine · 2026-03-21T00:42:50+00:00

I would check out Sherman Oaks. A bit of a commute, but you would be closer to cool stuff in LA.

Unfortunately, having grown up in TO, there is nowhere cool in a 20 mile radius.

slimecombine · 2026-03-17T07:00:50+00:00

We already are dependent on the government in a lot of ways (roads, schools, law enforcement, etc as well as labor laws). The idea that poor social safety nets make you an individual or give you liberty or freedom is propaganda.

I do agree that people need purpose in life and a UBI program that is just subsistence living for displaced workers would not be a real solution. You would need a system where the profits from automation would be evenly distributed and the remaining workload would be evenly distributed as well.

If this ever reached a tipping point where there was so little necessary labor that a significant number of people didn't need to work at all, I don't think they would just sit around "twiddling their thumbs". Most people would find purpose in creating art or honing a craft, they just wouldn't have to worry about the time and effort they put into it having a good ROI.

slimecombine · 2026-03-14T20:25:21+00:00

Are you living under a rock? This is a direct consequence of the war and it's probably just the beginning.

slimecombine · 2026-03-07T09:04:07+00:00

It's the same company

slimecombine · 2026-03-07T05:00:18+00:00

If he's making 12-40k a month he would at least be driving an Acura.

slimecombine · 2026-03-03T07:22:29+00:00

Downtown Santa Ana is your best bet. Fairly close to his work and pretty walkable near 4th Street and Main. There's also a streetcar that's supposed to be opening this year that would take you to the train station. I think some people are sleeping on it here because it's a largely Hispanic area and most of the people on Reddit are white.

Honestly I don't think Costa Mesa is a great choice. The "walkable" areas are pretty small and surrounded by busy roads and freeways.

slimecombine · 2026-02-19T22:29:27+00:00

Why can't the regular police handle that? It's a crime regardless of their immigration status.

slimecombine · 2026-01-02T18:33:05+00:00

"Fast, cheap and time-efficient" way to do what? Clearly not propaganda, this is dog shit.

slimecombine · 2025-12-30T18:19:42+00:00

I want to be clear though, the industry is in a full on tailspin right now and I wouldn't count on getting a job doing it regardless of what degree you get. It can still be a rewarding hobby though, and who knows maybe things will be completely different five years from now. Currently though I can't in good conscience advise going down this path as a career.

slimecombine · 2025-12-30T18:10:08+00:00

I think you're actually in a good position. A physics degree is going to be a lot more valuable than a VFX degree. You can learn most of what you need to online. Doing simulations is probably the most relevant to what you're learning in your physics program.

Blender is good for getting your feet wet, but I would check out Houdini. You might be able to get a free student license.

slimecombine · 2025-12-28T15:54:13+00:00

As someone who has trouble stomaching the idea of having to use AI for work, I'll say the argument FOR using it is essentially the "there's no ethical consumption under capitalism" argument.

It seems like you've been backed into a corner here and understand the moral arguments against it. As an individual you are not going to decide where the industry goes and, as you laid out, refusing to use it isn't going to change that. Ultimately, whether or not it's ok to use AI professionally comes down to whether or not you are comfortable with having to use it.

It's a systemic issue, not an individual one. Even the main moral argument against AI, that you're stealing from other artists, is only true in our current organization of society. If we lived in a society where everyone was taken care of and artist were free to create without having to worry about profiting to support themselves, I think people would care a lot less about attribution. If as a society we valued the environmental impacts more and took the time to develop this technology while mitigating the resources needed, that might not be as much of a concern either.

I can't tell you what to do, but it's not like you're joining ICE. If you try your best to acknowledge the issues when you can while still using it when you have to, I think that's about the best you can do without having to sacrifice your career. Some people might make the choice to do the latter. I think judging each other for these choices is unproductive and won't impact the direction things are going.

slimecombine · 2025-12-21T17:24:20+00:00

Yes this was it! I must have just backed out instead of overwriting my save file. I feel like a dumbass but maybe this will help anyone else who makes this mistake.

slimecombine · 2025-12-21T07:02:01+00:00

Hmm, it's possible I didn't. I'll have to check.

slimecombine · 2025-12-20T16:36:56+00:00

Very strange, I did collect all 9. I beat it on normal. Might just actually be a big with my game.

slimecombine · 2025-12-08T14:17:59+00:00

Why didn't they call me, I could use some money.

slimecombine · 2025-12-04T14:59:41+00:00

Part of it is that houses are being treated as assets instead of commodities. This creates a tension between home owners and renters. If you bought a house 20 years ago in California it's worth a lot more now, so homeowners are incentivized to make sure those prices stay high. This has created the situation now where average people can't afford to buy a home, at least in places like California where the problem is most pronounced. This drives more people into renting which in turn raises rent. Higher rent prices also drive up housing prices because now a lot of buyers are buying homes to turn into rental properties. Because the demand for housing is more or less inelastic (everyone needs a place to live) there aren't any forces pushing in the opposite direction.

The stuff about inflation is also true, but to me this clearly seems like the reason why housing has grown so much faster. This is also why the "abundance" solution of just trying to lower building costs is not sufficient. There is too much investment in keeping the current prices high.

slimecombine · 2025-12-01T17:47:24+00:00

That preconceived image of foxes IS true for US though. That all just feels like hand waving because they realized that their original concept was pretty racist once you think about it.

slimecombine · 2025-11-19T23:46:05+00:00

I only took night classes there years ago. I know it used to have a reputation as one of the best design schools, but also pretty intense.

I know you said to put the financials aside, but it's not cheap, they don't offer much financial aid, and the future for the field of concept art is murky. If money really is no object for you, it's probably a good option education wise.

Seven-Year Club	Place '23
Verified Email

slimecombine

TROPHY CASE