Uncategorized

Too Many Screeching Fans

I’m not really a fan of Linus Tech Tips, I normally just click on a couple of the short Clips when they show up in my recommendation box and seem relevant, but I am fond of Linux

The clip was interesting enough that I hopped over to the full podcast, and had a very fun moment of them pointing out a social dynamic I’ve never had a big enough audience to experience in real time. The “Genuinely Helpful Fans” and the “Toxic GIT GUD hecklers” in large enough numbers in the same chat to immediately prove the point of why the podcast speaker was reluctant to be honest about their issues as a Linux Newbie.

There’s a point early in the Linux segment where somebody in the chat mentions “Don’t worry, we like to help newbies get in. Let us know what you’re having trouble with.” Linus sees this and acknowledges this, but points out that people like the person saying that are not the loudest ones or the fastest people to step in.

about 15 minutes later when he’s explaining a genuine issue trying to download and run a shell script from Github. When he tried to download it, he kept getting an HTML file and was confused and frustrated about why there isn’t a one-click solution to just make it run properly.

The “Don’t worry I’m a dev I have that issue too, here’s how to fix that” guy gets acknowledged again in voice, but sure enough the “RTFM” and “that’s a browser problem not a github problem” and “NO YOU DID IT WRONG [w/o tips for fixing the issue]” all start screeching.

Not really sure what ones to combat that kind of scenario, since being overly aggressive with trying to help can come off as pushy and unpleasant too, and nobody wants to be stuck spending 3 hours in a chat with a stranger when what they were trying to do is just use their computer.

Art

Now Saving: Nanowrimo Approaches

Some kinda Scalebeast. This one in particular is Amethyst Crystal, based on Lilac. Previously I had drawn Amethyst as a feline with the intent that she was somebody inspired in-universe by Lilac and Carol to try to become a hero on her own and started trying to imitate their movesets. Regardless of the particulars, this particular Amethyst is probably the result of parents who met somebody in the past of the same name and look and liked them a lot enough to encourage their offspring to be like them. I suppose it would make sense then that the Amethyst this Amethyst is based on probably did succeed at being a hero of some kind. Maybe of the peace-bringing sort?

NaNoWriMo is approaching fast, and I plan on participating this year. I know it’ll be a struggle and I expect to fail yet again, but ehh, I’ve got at least two different ideas I’ve been wanting to flesh out one way or another and it’s as good an excuse to try as any.

Had to drive in to the office for work today for the first time in almost a year and I have to go in person tomorrow as well. Wasn’t too hard after getting on the interstate, it’s the part up until then that’s the real stresser. Need to buy some more face masks. All of the cloth masks I bought last year are already kinda torn up and I’m out of the medical masks.

Trying to figure out how much I want to draw from my recent interpersonal experience when writing stuff for NaNoWriMo. There’s definitely a set of characters that exist first and foremost to be a bit like mirrors of the most iconic things I remember about certain people. But I also don’t want to come off as overly petty or mean when I put those characters into dangerous fantastical situations.

Just judging by how hard it is for me to keep coming up with things to mention in this blog post about my very real life, trying to keep up with the nanowrimo goal when I have to completely make up a plot and character traits and whatnot. All I can do is TRY I guess. Even if I don’t reach the goal, a partial progress towards a novel is a heck a lot more than nothing.

Since I already have this blog, maybe it’ll be convenient if I do the Nanowrimo IN this editor?

Uncategorized

70-Seas

Just finished reading 70-Seas and the 70 Seas Extras. It definitely gives a bit more context to certain parts of Latchkey Kingdom! Overall, I enjoyed 70 Seas and right around chapter 10 I started seeing characters that appear somewhat prominently in Latchkey Kingdom. Meanwhile in the Extras there’s a bit more expansion on side characters (Snake Guy, Hilde) and some of the popular characters for patreon art requests that otherwise don’t show up much in LK or 70S’s main comics like the twin sisters and that Barbarian wizard slayer lady.

I will say though, the main comic is pretty solid and has a relatively consistent sense of humor that lines up pretty well with Latchkey Kingdom. The extras shift considerably in tone, though. Some are great. Some just don’t appeal to me. And well, there’s one or two jokes in 70 Seas that aged horribly. But still, overall more than worth $8!

Daily

Now Saving: Decepticon Rainbow Dash

Yesterday: Saw Transformers: Age of Extension. Rainbow Dash from MLPFiM  was in it. And niece got a splinter and shouted a lot and stuff. Played some Awesomenauts. Attempted to play Hearthstone, but family needs meant I never got beyond turn one before having to leave. Thought about playing more Skyrim, but then movie happened. No code progress on any current projects. Need to wash clothes, but washer is bork. Might hand-wash.

[2014-07-14 21:54:09] <Retl|Zzz> Niece got a splinter, made a lot of noise and fuss
[2014-07-14 21:54:18] <Retl|Zzz> shouted at the mother, who then started crying
[2014-07-14 21:54:33] <Retl|Zzz> Sister, Brother, and nurse aides have now all shown up because
[2014-07-14 21:54:40] <Retl|Zzz> and just
[2014-07-14 21:54:43] * Retl|Zzz curls into ball

—

[2014-07-14 20:10:47] <Retl-Auto> Movie was OK butt fun
[2014-07-14 20:10:50] -!- You’re now known as Retl
[2014-07-14 20:11:04] <Retl> Age of Extinction
[2014-07-14 20:11:14] <Retl> AKA the Decepticon Rainbow Dash movie
[2014-07-14 20:11:33] <Retl> This is the only one in the series I’ve seen. What confuses me is specifically that
[2014-07-14 20:11:39] <Retl> it seems to be trying to hit all-audiences
[2014-07-14 20:11:47] <Retl> But completely fails in that by having too much everything.
[2014-07-14 20:12:19] <Retl> It’s not a kids movie. Too much butts and swearing for that. Not really for diehard transformer fans, as it’s 50% not even about the transformers
[2014-07-14 20:12:41] <Retl> And then when they do get interesting characters, because of all the other things they’re balancing, they don’t get much time to be interesting.
[2014-07-14 20:12:54] <Retl> that said the dino thingies or whatever
[2014-07-14 20:12:56] <Retl> FREAKING AWESOME
[2014-07-14 20:12:59] <Retl> i want porn of them do it now
[2014-07-14 20:13:30] -!- You’re now known as Aretl
[2014-07-14 20:13:41] -!- You’re now known as R34l
[…]
[2014-07-14 20:14:17] <R34l> why did I search for that

Daily

Now Saving: We’ve Managed to Avoid Projectile

12:59 <Retl> …
12:59 <Retl> It took me entirely too long to realize I could mute the Hearthstone music in the options menu
13:01 * Retl starts hearthstone match
13:01 * Retl hears mother PANICKING
13:01 * Retl gets up front and she thinks her other son got shot
13:01 <Retl> Apparently someone’s mower sent a rock all the way through the window
13:01 <Retl> our window
13:01 * Retl comes back to Hearthstone and he has lost. But brother SEEMS ok
13:01 * Retl goes to check
13:03 <Retl> I’m just slightly britter that I immediately lost a ranked match I didn’t even get to play

Daily

Quicksave: Role

I am more pleased with myself as a software developer than I recall feeling as an artist. Unfortunately, not as much to show for my past week’s efforts. Most recent version of my Kongregate project will be here: http://retl.github.io/IntelligentAgent16/game.html

SnipeShot doesn’t have anything to shoot yet, and the auto-attack on things within the Influence Area doesn’t work at all yet.  Movement is done by tapping/clicking within the Incluence circle.  I’m considering making it so that clicking outside the circle moves and clicking within it fires the aimed attack. What do you think would be better? Or maybe both styles should be selectable options?

(Overmare is on the backburner. IA16 might potentially get me a few dollars.)

Daily

Quicksave:

Did: Overmare now saves data whenever an in-game hour passes, and reloads when the page is refreshed. There’s a delete data button if anything goes wrong. The dates and times are forgotten on reload though. Also, I replaced the black and pink glowy terminal interface with the beginnings of a Foundation interface. Copypasta abounds, but it should work for the time being. Also, I played Hearthstone for my first time at some point in the past week.

Today: I will go with my mother to her doctor appointment. That will be very soon.

Later: I dunno..

Oh Hey, You Found My Blog. Congrats.