Open Thread

Open Thread #309

Aaron "Sleazy" Elias

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50 thoughts on “Open Thread #309”

  1. Oh no, Volition, the studio behind the inspired Saints Row reboot, shut down:
    https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/08/31/saints-row-developer-volition-games-has-been-shut-down
    I am crestfallen because I really enjoyed playing as a post-op tranny and killing all white men in this game. This game had some of the best gameplay mechanics ever devised and it is a shame that all those bigoted gamers did not go out and spend their money on it. This is why we cannot have nice things!

    Volition had managed to survive for 30 years in one of the most fickle industries out there. In the end, their past successes and experience counted for nothing because the pink-haired and constantly offended knew best how to make a hit game. Too bad they didn’t. I have a hunch that we will see a few more such stories.

    Reply

    2. Sea of Stars got surprisingly good reviews. I skimmed a few. One aspect some people do not like is that you cannot overlevel. It is probably not a deal-breaker but this is a design decision I find a bit questionable as it removes a key aspect of traditional JRPGs. Final Fantasy VIII has similarly been criticized for enemies leveling up in lockstep with your party. This is a pretty odd idea to begin with. Even worse is that it just does not seem to die out.

    3. Yesterday I picked up Sea of Stars, and so far I am quite impressed by it. The game is really charming, and the graphics are excellent, with some of the best pixel art in recent times. Let’s see if I make it past the two-hour mark. So far, I only found the beeping sound that plays when the characters talk annoying, but thankfully it can be disabled.

    4. I imagine that the particular decision to not have your party be able to overlevel is to avoid otherwise monotonous grinding. They probably realized on some level that a lot of people playing their game were going to be casuals. Likewise, there is also a amulet system that allows the player the toggle buffs and nerfs on and off to make the game either easier or harder. I’d prefer not to have to tailor the game to my own specifications, but it most allows for players to breeze through it. In any case, I agree that the overleveling thing is not a deal breaker as the combat system demands a certain degree of strategy which seems to make it challenging enough at times. Also, my unfinished playthrough of FFXII had me so over powered from doing side quests and grinding that the main story was laughably unbalanced. There are flaws with either approach.

    6. Did you get it from Steam? I think one of the composers from Chrono Trigger even did a few tracks on the game.

    7. I only buy games from Steam nowadays. The soundtrack is really good. I am not sure it has the staying power of the Chrono Trigger OST, but that would be an extremely high bar. So far, I would describe Sea of Stars as pleasant in every way. It might be one of the games that you forget about almost as soon as you are done with them, even though they were very enjoyable. Secret of Mana was such a game for me. The most striking memory I have of it is the fight with some tiger, which was a huge difficulty spike.

    8. The Sea of Stars soundtrack is quite diverse and pretty decent, generally doing a great job of striking the appropriate mood. However, Mitsuda’s tracks really are some of the best the game has to offer, such as this one: https://youtu.be/vPkdDsOjsNw?si=MRzcHdOHWfTjZNjw

      Btw, I did end up doing a 100% run in the main game in The Messenger and also recommend it when it goes on sale. The free DLC did not hold my attention, though. One thing I will say is that the music in The Messenger was extremely good.

    9. This track reminds me quite a bit of Chrono Trigger, and not just because of the seagull samples. The Metroidvania genre does not really appeal to me as I find backtracking to be a bit of a chore. However, this reminds me that I quite like the art of Blasphemous and Bloodstained.

    11. Speaking of Blasphemous, I was interested in picking up the sequel. It’s getting a lot of praise, though a few more honest reviews reveal that the game is a more streamlined experience than before. This is probably a good thing overal, yet it appears that the presentation and lore suffers a quite a bit in this entry while it relies more on a consistent and steady supply of metroidvania dopamine hits. Likewise, I find Sea of Stars to be quite streamlined in many respects compared to classic JRPGs.

  3. Question for Pickernanny.

    Have you noticed a difference in how girls look at you in public? A friend of mine who started on skincare was like “dude, right after getting that glow, chick started looking at me, like chicks maintain eye-contact with me, and won’t break eye-contact, and they just stare”

    And was like “Wait, you too? I thought it was just me”. Also, in addition I’ve added some muscle and lost some fat in the same time, and also had a big confidence boost due to other things, so I was like “it can’t be the skin changes, it’s probably something else or a combination”. But my friend is only doing skin.

    It’s getting more serious. It’s pretty shocking actually. I ran to grab something now, and i’m like, “wait why are all the young student-aged chicks on the street staring at me?” Crazy

    Reply

    1. Honestly? Not really. But I’m around the same people all the time. Mostly wage slaving it on graveyard in the middle of nowhere (don’t get out much). I’ve also gained some muscle lately, btw, but my logistics are terrible.

    2. What is this elixir of youth u speak of? :O
      I gots to know. Does it work on old wrinkly fuckers like me too ?!
      I know a chick who is a beautician she’s late 30s but looks early 20s in the face.Hardly any wrinkles to be seen. No Botox. She mentioned some kind of needling and expensive ‘serums’ ? She’s a smoker too. I need that shit!

    4. PN
      Ha! Yeah that’d be funny.
      Maybe not those 2 particular techniques straight out of the book tbh ..
      I could imagine him flirting and bantering tho 🙂

    6. Oh yeah I’m talking complete strangers. Seen no difference with people who’ve seen me before. They don’t act any different.

    7. Alek, do you think that has to do with some sort of bias? As in, those who have already cemented an image of you in their mind are reluctant to change it despite even if you’ve undergone a radical transformation? Related to pickup, I can imagine a scenario where blowing with a chick by listening to Cheeky’s (:P) advice leads to a situation where she either hates (she perceives rejection) you forever or always thinks of you as a pussy (failing to act on obvious “go” signals because of fear).

    9. @Pickernanny

      That is exactly what I was trying to explain to Cheeky in the other thread. My point about firemen and war vets. Masculine men don’t see any reason to be pretentious. Being confident and being cocky are almost polar opposites.

    10. I don’t mean just friends and acquintances. No difference with say the store clerks who see me once a month, or really anyone who’s not a hot young college-aged chick.

      Though there were a few older exceptions. Like married chicks walking with the husband and kids literally stopping in their tracks, dropping their jaw, and staring at me like they’ve seen a ghost and freezing.

    11. Pretty sure cockiness is an extreme form of confidence and they are both related.
      But cockiness contains a bit of conceit – vanity and excessive pride

      cocky
      adjective
      conceited or confident in a bold or cheeky way.

    13. A guy that looks like that won’t fail by being cocky. Even doing stupid shit like negging and backturns. If it’s a ‘yes’ based on his looks she’ll recognise it for what it is – an attempt at flirting- and play along cos it’s a yes. Chicks are very flexible to play any role when they like a guy.

    14. @Cheeky,

      Sorry, should have said arrogance. Wasn’t up on all of the dictionary definitions. As to your last point I agree.

    15. As to are the vets and firemen good with women? The vets in my family were popular with women. But it largely depends on what you look like (again). Masculinity is a prerequisite for these careers. You’ve mentioned it’s importance many times.

    16. GL&S
      I think confidence , cockiness and arrogance are all on the same sliding scale. Each is more than the other.
      Confident-> cocky->arrogant

      arrogant
      adjective
      having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.

      Arrogance can be extremely attractive to women. Moreso than cockiness or confidence.
      Arrogance is a BIG signal women notice. As women are detectives always looking for clues and reading signals from men.

      The problem occurs when ugly, dorky, nerdy or midget guys dress up as magicians and attempt the above behaviours in a cringeworthy attempt to “flirt” with said women.

      They can see in his appearance in 0.1 of a second what the guy is trying to do and reject all of that immediately. Because they are not stupid and have millions of years of evolution operating inside their brains and bodies.
      Of course.

      Guy in the video cannot fuck it up being confident cocky or even arrogant . Because it’s a Yes from the woman in 0.1 seconds of seeing his appearance. 🙂

    17. Sexual attraction happens pretty much instantly (the science research is out there there is various estimates of 1-3 seconds or some such) . It’s a ‘perfect evolutionary mechanism’ . I read somewhere it’s in the 0.3-1 second range. I’d go with that. Happy to use with 0.1 of a second to illustrate.
      A Y/N for sex is instantaneous in the brain and body of the chick. Leaving out “grey zone” for now.
      As Sleazy pointed out in his book, more or less but not as specifically , which was great clarification for guys.

    18. GL&S
      If you are wondering what’s the purpose cockiness and arrogance,. watch some videos of Conor McGregor doing a press conference with any competitor in UFC. And think about why that may be useful in a packed bar or club where there is competition going on for mating access to hot females. Then why females may respond to that kind of behaviour favorably.

    20. Cheeky, I disagree that confidence, cockiness, and arrogance are on a sliding scale, as cockiness and arrogance have negative connotations. They are normally fronts for insecurities, hence at the opposite end of the confident spectrum. Confidence always has a positive connotation. And I think you are over-relying on dictionary definitions which often don’t coincide with common public parlance. This guy does a great job of breaking it down:

      https://youtu.be/KD2pakQFsMw?si=pj2tQuiMPcTma9Dq

      As for MacGregor, nothing but a coked up guy trying to sell fights. I can see low IQ and pretentious types thinking it’s cool. It was fun seeing those times he got his ass kicked though.

    21. GL&S- I’m using dictionary definitions because we are both speaking english.
      If we’re using the same words and applying different meanings there is no clear consensus. That guy in the video is selling ‘Nice Guy Syndrome’ interpretations of the behaviour of arrogance. That’s how one man views another ‘arrogant’ man. That’s not how women see and react to a good looking, arrogant man. Look at romance novels , billions sold to every chick on the planet. What’s the definition of the Alpha Romantic Hero? Tall, Dark ,Handsome and Arrogant AF. Arrogance goes with High Status. Upper Class. Are you kidding me? They get wet for that shit.

      Never heard of MacGregor being on coke.
      He wasn’t just trying to sell them, he won them. He had a pretty good run at the top too 😉 everyone gets their ass kicked eventually dude. Even Conor MacGregor.
      Cockiness and Arrogance are an intimidation tactic used in competition.
      What is a guy doing in a bar or club? Competing for access to hot females.
      Put Macgregor and 4 other UFC alphas in a room. Tell them they cant touch each other. Who is gonna be Top Dog in that room ? MacGregor. Cos he can outwit and outtalk all those dumb motherfuckers. Thats why they are all so quiet at the press conferences. they cant talk like he can. Cos they is dumb buddy. Bet they all wish they could tho… 🙂

    1. This could be misleading. In the 1920s, mass travel was not yet common, so you could very well look at the upper classes in which moderate obesity was not frowned upon but instead considered a sign of high status.

    1. Guy makes it sound like he’s onto something with his nice British accent and all, but I think he’s full of shit.

    4. Idk Gerd, he says a lot of stuff. Most people on youtube are either just pandering or grifting, I’ve found. Then there is the life coach angle where they pretend to be gurus to sell their services.

    5. What annoys me about Jordan Peterson is the fact that he only addresses men to better themselves: “Be a better man, be a richer man, be the best version of yourself, it’s your fault that you don’t attract mates, women are not responsible, you are responsible”

      Did he ever hold women accountable?

    6. This guy married a feminist. Jordan “Wash Your Penis” Peterson is the last guy I would take advice about women from.

    7. I wouldn’t classify Orion Taraban as a blackpill psychologist because central theme of blackpill ideology is that situation for most men is hopeless. Taraban’s message on the other hand is that an unsuccessful guy can drastically improve his success with women by making something out of himself. He is similar to Peterson in that regard, and I agree that problem with Peterson is that he doesn’t hold women up to the same high standards as men.

  7. Interesting times: Elon Musk is pondering to ban the ADL from Twitter. It saddens me that anti-semitism is still that powerful even though this year is the current year.

    On a related note, I recently came across a Wikipedia profile in which the “early life” section of an early-lifer was named “background”, which gave me a good chuckle:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_Abrams

    Reply

    1. There was a recent poll I saw where 20k+ people votes overwhelming to cancel the ADL. Something over 90% of votes cast were in favor. In prominent Leftists think that the ADL is a hate group.

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