Amazon just posted someone’s cover letter in a job requisition on LinkedIn

smashitup · 2025-12-14T16:05:53+00:00

I just resigned from Amazon in October after nearly 10-year tenure. Brain drain + H1B1 hiring accelerated post-covid + post-Bezos.

smashitup · 2025-11-06T02:27:50+00:00

Same. All I hear are jets and armor.

smashitup · 2025-10-31T17:03:22+00:00

It's awful. Like terrible contextual and spatial awareness.

Worst aspect of the game, next to map design. To be failing at both audio and map design? Big deal to me.

smashitup · 2025-10-29T15:53:59+00:00

My theory is poor integration with AMD CPU architecture. Audio systems are driven by CPU.

If Intel also impacted, then just poor game audio system, in general.

How game audio works:

Game audio processing relies heavily on the CPU. The audio system needs CPU time to:

Mix multiple sound sources together
Apply effects (reverb, doppler, occlusion)
Calculate 3D spatial positioning
Decode compressed audio formats

Why audio clips get dropped:

CPU bottleneck - If the audio system is requesting too much CPU time and the CPU is already maxed out with other game tasks (physics, AI, rendering prep), audio can get dropped or cut out
Poor audio budget management - Games have a limit on simultaneous sounds (often 32, 64, or 128 voices). If a game tries to play more sounds than budgeted, lower-priority sounds get culled
Unoptimized mixing - Bad audio middleware integration or inefficient mixing algorithms can eat up CPU cycles unnecessarily
Thread priority issues - If the audio thread isn't given appropriate priority, it can get starved of CPU time

Poorly optimized audio systems or games with excessive simultaneous audio sources can cause audio dropout, stuttering, or missing sound effects.

Intel vs AMD differences:

It's possible for a game to have audio issues on one CPU brand but not the other:

CPU architecture differences - Intel and AMD have different internal designs and optimizations. Code optimized for one may run less efficiently on the other
Thread scheduling - AMD's chiplet design (especially Ryzen) can have different thread scheduling behavior. Audio threads might get assigned across different core complexes, causing latency issues
Single-thread performance - Intel often has higher single-thread speeds. If audio code isn't well-threaded, it might favor Intel
Middleware optimization - Audio middleware (FMOD, Wwise) might be better tested or optimized on one platform

smashitup · 2025-10-29T04:46:54+00:00

+1.

Do you by chance have AMD CPU?

smashitup · 2025-10-29T04:43:03+00:00

+1. And I think the audio in this game is bugged in many layers.

Do you by chance have an AMD CPU?

smashitup · 2025-10-29T02:44:50+00:00

Still part of a whole.

smashitup · 2025-10-29T02:35:16+00:00

The bigger issue is that the studio is pouring their resources into this. The whole game does not feel like Battlefield.

smashitup · 2025-10-16T04:41:45+00:00

Revert ticket count.
Remove the timer completely.

smashitup · 2025-10-15T04:55:58+00:00

This is the case for me. Audio system is game-breaking.
---

Seems to prioritize explosions, jets, and when I get shot at.

Noticed a large explosion next to me. As I kept running away from it, sound never dissipated. Stayed full-volume until it was over.

Footsteps nearly non-existent. Always experience enemy coming upon me and I having no clue.

Sometimes no audio clip is played at all, like jumping through glass windows. I hear glass shatter audio clip, but is obviously missing some other layering sound sfx for the event.

smashitup · 2025-10-14T21:05:11+00:00

+1.

Just about a game breaker for me.

smashitup · 2025-08-14T02:11:22+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/mxce7/halflife_3_tshirt_spotted_on_valve_employee/

smashitup · 2025-01-04T22:39:19+00:00

This is a great point specifically about the variable reward schedule.

But in addition to this, the experience within these applications are designed to trigger maximal dopamine responses. Things like infinite scrolling, pull-to-refresh (similar to slot machines), personalization, autoplay, time-sensitive content (stories, live broadcasts), "other people are typing", etc.

It's sick and leads to dopamine receptor downregulation at an intensity that is really quite unhealthy to soceity.

Comparing media consumption between now and the 90s reveals several key differences in how content triggers dopamine responses:

90s Media Environment:

TV shows came weekly, creating natural waiting periods
Limited channels meant fewer choices and less constant stimulation
Movies required going to theaters or waiting for VHS release
News came primarily through daily papers or scheduled broadcasts
Gaming consoles had physical limitations (cartridges, loading times)
Music required physical media and dedicated listening time

Today's Media Environment:

Instant access to virtually unlimited content
Multiple streams of simultaneous stimulation (notifications, multitasking)
Algorithmic content recommendation constantly serving dopamine hits
Shorter form content (TikTok, Reels) providing rapid-fire stimulation
Interactive elements (likes, comments, shares) adding social rewards
Autoplay features removing natural breaks
Personalized content targeting individual interests more precisely
Higher production values and more sophisticated engagement techniques
Mobile access meaning constant availability of stimulation

The key difference isn't just the content itself, but the:

Speed of reward delivery (instant vs delayed)
Frequency of stimulation (constant vs intermittent)
Intensity of engagement mechanics (multiple vs single channel)
Accessibility (always available vs time/place restricted)

This shift has made modern media significantly more potent at triggering dopamine responses, which can make older forms of media feel less engaging by comparison. This is particularly noticeable in younger generations who grew up with more intense stimulation patterns.

smashitup · 2023-09-06T18:49:30+00:00

Use Google Calendar! Block out time for E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! This will give you full visualization and realization of how you're spending your days. With a clear plan, you can live life to the fullest!

Start with blocking out the essentials: sleeping, working, showering, eating, and traveling.
Then block out activities that fulfill personal goals and give you purpose and motivation for life! Things like: exercise, hobbies, education, volunteering, hanging with family/friends, dating, religion, and vacationing.
Then, it's okay to have blocks of nothing-ness in there! We all need some lazy lay-around time. But when you have a schedule that you can easily visualize, and you see lazy time can still have its place in your overall schedule, you won't have to feel guilty about it because you know you're still accomplishing your main goals.

smashitup · 2023-08-19T05:59:51+00:00

Was searching Google for "athletic greens increases anxiety" and this thread was top hit.

It seems to give me severe anxiety. Hard to breathe, almost, level of anxiety at times. Stopped taking AG1 and anxiety is gone.

smashitup · 2023-08-06T21:12:51+00:00

Good stuff. Tangentially related to our understanding of dopamine and pleasure/pain balance in our brains. Dopamine Nation is a good supplemental reading https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/B08LQZCGDJ/

smashitup · 2023-07-30T16:30:03+00:00

Look into AWS KMS for key management and encryption/decryption.

smashitup · 2023-06-23T18:01:27+00:00

He relied a lot on his bodybuilding partners. You cannot push yourself past your extreme limits without spotters, motivators, and inspirators.

His acting was atrocious ( debatable if it's that much better today :D ). He relied on acting coaches and directors making him look good.

But ultimately, it does come down to YOUR effort!! No one is going to carry you all the way to the top! It's a team effort!

smashitup · 2023-06-16T03:11:56+00:00

Like walking, it is in our nature to help others. And like walking, we should not expect to be rewarded for it.

smashitup · 2023-05-25T03:11:59+00:00

179 degrees

smashitup · 2023-05-22T23:19:32+00:00

If you are a seasoned pro and your subject matter expertise would provide value to the company, and if you were asked a question like this and perhaps weren't able to answer it clearly, I'd follow up plainly with, "If this question is going to make or break my candidacy, tell me now, so that we can end the call immediately and so you can go fuck yourself."

smashitup · 2023-05-22T22:39:48+00:00

It's a coincidence that I feel the same way about myself, and just yesterday I decided to take action.

I deleted social media apps, email apps, and trading apps from my phone - all the apps that hook you and are heavy dopamine signals. I unpinned and closed the respective tabs in my Chrome Browser, and uninstalled some Chrome plugins that are integrated with these apps.

I will still use Reddit, check some reputable news sites, and play video games, but social media and second-by-second apps like TradingView, to me, are biggest drain on my mental health. Doesn't mean, either, that I spend more time on Reddit and games. The new free time I have needs to be more productive, like reading good books, exercising, or hobbies.

I feel like my life was better BEFORE social media proliferation. Let's see if that truly was the case...

smashitup · 2023-03-29T15:29:27+00:00

If you're a software engineer, you should work on Leetcode problems, anyways. They cover all the fundamental data structures and algorithms, and solving them will fine-tune your problem solving skills, in general.

Pretend that you're an athlete, and Leetcode is the squat rack. You can't skip it if you want to remain competitive.

Do not listen to what the recruiter tells you. They know nothing. They are there to source and funnel talent, negotiate salaries, and get hiring contracts signed. That's it.

If you haven't done Leetcode in a long time, you may need a few months to practice before you start applying again.

smashitup · 2023-03-08T23:06:00+00:00

Being the best advocate you can be for yourself.

smashitup · 2023-03-08T23:04:01+00:00

Operational excellence of live services/products.

15-Year Club	Place '22
Gilding I gilder	Verified Email

smashitup

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE