PYF Chat thread - What are you doing today? - The Something Awful Forums

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Cthulu Carl: Apr 16, 2006

Larry Parrish posted:

it has to be written at a competent level and it has to not be masturbatory power fantasy. there's a lot of forms this can take but basically i don't like books without conflict. it doesn't particularly matter what form it takes, but there has to be some and the solution to it has to be something other than a variation on Goku screaming even harder and becoming more powerful. this sort of conflict resolution structure is basically emblematic of genre fiction but especially cheap, quickly written genre fiction. even stuff like romance novels often has this structure, just presented in different ways.

also, quippy writing is for the loving birds and i put it down instantly. gently caress joss whedon and anyone who writes like him lol.

Have you read A Memory Called Empire yet? That one was pretty good and the bulk of the conflict in the main plot is basically all societal and cultural. Like there's politics and intrigue, but not the kind that's usually in sci-fi, I think.

I need to read the sequel soon.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:05

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# ? Jun 10, 2024 18:45

Skypie: Sep 28, 2008

I'm trying to think of the last sci-fi book I read. Might've been one of the Culture books by Iain Banks? I haven't read as much as I used to, though, and a lot of my book consumption the last couple years has been random mythology chronicles or blacksmithing stuff cuz I'm trying to get into that as a hobby

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:08

Professor Latency: Mar 30, 2011

I didn't even know the sequel came out. Thanks was looking forward to it!

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:08

Cthulu Carl: Apr 16, 2006

I couldn't really get into Ann Leckie's Ancillary series, but loved the hell out of The Raven Tower so I should really give her sci-fi another shot.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:12

Larry Parrish: Jul 9, 2012; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Cthulu Carl posted:

Have you read A Memory Called Empire yet? That one was pretty good and the bulk of the conflict in the main plot is basically all societal and cultural. Like there's politics and intrigue, but not the kind that's usually in sci-fi, I think.

I need to read the sequel soon.

no but my favorite book probably ever is healers road which is literally about a magic healer and a discharged combat medic becoming best friends on a caravan in a world which is basically 1600s Eurasia except inexplicably magical healing exists and no other magic afaik. probably 99% of the conflict in the book is internal to either character.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:28

Cthulu Carl: Apr 16, 2006

Larry Parrish posted:

no but my favorite book probably ever is healers road which is literally about a magic healer and a discharged combat medic becoming best friends on a caravan in a world which is basically 1600s Eurasia except inexplicably magical healing exists and no other magic afaik. probably 99% of the conflict in the book is internal to either character.

The basic gist of A Memory Called Empire is that a woman from an independent space station gets sent as an ambassador to a galactic empire after the station's previous ambassador died. The station uses things called imagos to basically store personality back-ups of important people as a way of training successors, but her process gets rushed and is about fifteen years out of date, so she's dropped neck deep into a byzantine mess of trying to find out how her predecessor died while also trying to keep the empire from annexing her home.

The empire also seems to Mesoamerican inspired at least judging by how a lot of the words are styled, so that was neat, too.

Edit: There's also a lot of analysis of linguistics, like in the empire's language "The World" could mean "The palace district" or "the capital planet" or "the empire as a whole" or "known space, including your pissant station" all depending on context that the main character has to pick apart.

Cthulu Carl has a new favorite as of 14:48 on Feb 23, 2023

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:43

lobster shirt: Jun 14, 2021

Cthulu Carl posted:

The basic gist of A Memory Called Empire is that a woman from an independent space station gets sent as an ambassador to a galactic empire after the station's previous ambassador died. The station uses things called imagos to basically store personality back-ups of important people as a way of training successors, but her process gets rushed and is about fifteen years out of date, so she's dropped neck deep into a byzantine mess of trying to find out how her predecessor died while also trying to keep the empire from annexing her home.

The empire also seems to Mesoamerican inspired at least judging by how a lot of the words are styled, so that was neat, too.

Edit: There's also a lot of analysis of linguistics, like in the empire's language "The World" could mean "The palace district" or "the capital planet" or "the empire as a whole" or "known space, including your pissant station" all depending on context that the main character has to pick apart.

adding this to my list of books to read, that sounds great

# ? Feb 23, 2023 14:59

Pablo Nergigante: Apr 16, 2002

Cthulu Carl posted:

The basic gist of A Memory Called Empire is that a woman from an independent space station gets sent as an ambassador to a galactic empire after the station's previous ambassador died. The station uses things called imagos to basically store personality back-ups of important people as a way of training successors, but her process gets rushed and is about fifteen years out of date, so she's dropped neck deep into a byzantine mess of trying to find out how her predecessor died while also trying to keep the empire from annexing her home.

The empire also seems to Mesoamerican inspired at least judging by how a lot of the words are styled, so that was neat, too.

Edit: There's also a lot of analysis of linguistics, like in the empire's language "The World" could mean "The palace district" or "the capital planet" or "the empire as a whole" or "known space, including your pissant station" all depending on context that the main character has to pick apart.

Whoa cool

# ? Feb 23, 2023 16:51

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Cthulu Carl posted:

The basic gist of A Memory Called Empire is that a woman from an independent space station gets sent as an ambassador to a galactic empire after the station's previous ambassador died. The station uses things called imagos to basically store personality back-ups of important people as a way of training successors, but her process gets rushed and is about fifteen years out of date, so she's dropped neck deep into a byzantine mess of trying to find out how her predecessor died while also trying to keep the empire from annexing her home.

The empire also seems to Mesoamerican inspired at least judging by how a lot of the words are styled, so that was neat, too.

Edit: There's also a lot of analysis of linguistics, like in the empire's language "The World" could mean "The palace district" or "the capital planet" or "the empire as a whole" or "known space, including your pissant station" all depending on context that the main character has to pick apart.

This seems great. I�m going to add it to the list of books I should read rather than watching yet another dumbass long form YouTube video about how hot water heaters work.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 16:54

Inexplicable Humblebrag: Sep 20, 2003

it's pretty good. the sequel is also pretty good. i don't recall it being quite so linguistically focused as the example given might indicate, but there is a lot about how one's culture shapes... one

i enjoyed embassytown by china meiville, for scifi about thoughts vs language.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 16:58

Psycho Landlord: Oct 10, 2012; What are you gonna do, dance with me?

Cthulu Carl posted:

The basic gist of A Memory Called Empire is that a woman from an independent space station gets sent as an ambassador to a galactic empire after the station's previous ambassador died. The station uses things called imagos to basically store personality back-ups of important people as a way of training successors, but her process gets rushed and is about fifteen years out of date, so she's dropped neck deep into a byzantine mess of trying to find out how her predecessor died while also trying to keep the empire from annexing her home.

The empire also seems to Mesoamerican inspired at least judging by how a lot of the words are styled, so that was neat, too.

Edit: There's also a lot of analysis of linguistics, like in the empire's language "The World" could mean "The palace district" or "the capital planet" or "the empire as a whole" or "known space, including your pissant station" all depending on context that the main character has to pick apart.

That actually sounds like it owns, thanks for the rec

# ? Feb 23, 2023 17:27

Cthulu Carl: Apr 16, 2006

Inexplicable Humblebrag posted:

it's pretty good. the sequel is also pretty good. i don't recall it being quite so linguistically focused as the example given might indicate, but there is a lot about how one's culture shapes... one

i enjoyed embassytown by china meiville, for scifi about thoughts vs language.

Yeah, it wasn't like... I think it was Blue Mars where there's a multi-page dissertation on the physics behind the color of the martian sky, but pops up in little quicker bites, like someone asking "do you want some coffee?" And there being a sentence about whether it was a formal or informal 'you'.

Also, though he doesn't appear and is only mentioned once, there's a dude named Forty-Two All-Terrain Arctic Vehicle or something like that.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 17:54

Doctor Goat: Jan 22, 2005; Where does it hurt?

I feel like Elden Ring is falling apart as I get later in. The scaling has gotten kind of wack.

I did just learn that Cinders for DS3 has a randomizer though so I might run that when I finish Elden Ring

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:18

Dandywalken: Feb 11, 2014

Doctor Goat posted:

I feel like Elden Ring is falling apart as I get later in. The scaling has gotten kind of wack.

I did just learn that Cinders for DS3 has a randomizer though so I might run that when I finish Elden Ring

Do you mean too easy, like you broke the intended curve? Whats your build?

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:23

Regarde Aduck: Oct 19, 2012; c l o u d k i t t e n; Grimey Drawer

Doctor Goat posted:

I feel like Elden Ring is falling apart as I get later in. The scaling has gotten kind of wack.

I did just learn that Cinders for DS3 has a randomizer though so I might run that when I finish Elden Ring

as in the enemies are too powerful or you are?

felt pretty tight to me, but i was doing all the optional areas which i think were harder than the direct route

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:23

Inexplicable Humblebrag: Sep 20, 2003

Cthulu Carl posted:

Yeah, it wasn't like... I think it was Blue Mars where there's a multi-page dissertation on the physics behind the color of the martian sky, but pops up in little quicker bites, like someone asking "do you want some coffee?" And there being a sentence about whether it was a formal or informal 'you'.

Also, though he doesn't appear and is only mentioned once, there's a dude named Forty-Two All-Terrain Arctic Vehicle or something like that.

lol the mars books own

quote:

"SAX", yelled the colony administrator. "THERE'S BEEN A BIG EXPLOSION"

Sax looked up from his copy of Petrology on Mars. He didn't like being distracted from how petrologic investigations of martian rocks have been accomplished by mineralogical, geochemical, and textural analyses from Mars rovers (with geologic context provided by orbiters), and by laboratory analyses of martian meteorites. Igneous rocks are primarily lavas and volcaniclastic rocks of basaltic composition, and ultramafic cumulates; alkaline rocks are common in ancient terranes and tholeiitic rocks occur in younger terranes, suggesting global magmatic evolution. Relatively uncommon feldspathic rocks represent the ultimate fractionation products, and granitic rocks are unknown. Sedimentary rocks are of both clastic (mudstone, sandstone, conglomerate, all containing significant igneous detritus) and chemical (evaporitic sulfate and less common carbonate) origin. High-silica sediments formed by hydrothermal activity. Sediments on Mars formed from different protoliths and were weathered under different environmental conditions from terrestrial sediments. Metamorphic rocks have only been inferred from orbital remote-sensing measurements. Metabasalt and serpentinite have mineral assemblages consistent with those predicted from low-pressure phase equilibria and likely formed in geothermal systems. Shock effects are common in martian meteorites, and impact breccias are probably widespread in the planet's crustal rocks. The martian rock cycle during early periods was similar in many respects to that of Earth. However, without plate tectonics Mars did not experience the thermal metamorphism and flux melting associated with subduction, nor deposition in subsided basins and rapid erosion resulting from tectonic uplift. The rock cycle during more recent time has been truncated by desiccation of the planet's surface and a lower geothermal gradient in its interior. The petrology of Mars is intriguingly different from Earth, but the tried-and-true methods of petrography and geochemistry are clearly translatable to another world. But he had to deal with the big explosion.

"Don't worry", said Sax. "I will deal with the big explosion"

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:30

Skypie: Sep 28, 2008

Doctor Goat posted:

I feel like Elden Ring is falling apart as I get later in. The scaling has gotten kind of wack.

I did just learn that Cinders for DS3 has a randomizer though so I might run that when I finish Elden Ring

If at any point you feel like you're being overwhelmed by non-bosses, I would suggest taking a step back, upgrading your weapon, then putting some levels in health + whatever your main stat is.

Not dealing enough damage but getting splattered by common enemies usually meant for me that I was just behind the curve a bit

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:43

Chick Counterfly: Jan 9, 2023; by Hand Knit

In elden ring there's always like half a dozen things around your level that you can go do instead of getting owned by a bunch of dicks with halberds or something

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:54

Doctor Goat: Jan 22, 2005; Where does it hurt?

I'm at 40 Vigor and the dudes on the way to Godskin Duo are splattering me if I get caught up in their combos, but if I start hitting them first they're boned. It's like almost everything is a glass cannon.

I have 70 int or something like that and Carian Slicer/Adula's Moonblade are both really good, every now and then the moons see some use for sticking frost on an enemy really fast. 70 int in this feels like it's less useful than 40 int was in Dark Souls 1.

I went int/str because I keep doing int/str for some reason. This is the first game where all the weapon buffs I'd want have been non-int, blackflame seems really good

I've been going back and picking up things that I know I missed when I get frustrated by something

# ? Feb 23, 2023 18:59

Chick Counterfly: Jan 9, 2023; by Hand Knit

I finished with Elden Ring after like 200 hours put in summer last year but the way I remember it int/str isn't a very good combination in this one. You can have 18 respecs per playthrough though so there's plenty of room to try things.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 19:03

Dandywalken: Feb 11, 2014

Doctor Goat posted:

I'm at 40 Vigor and the dudes on the way to Godskin Duo are splattering me if I get caught up in their combos, but if I start hitting them first they're boned. It's like almost everything is a glass cannon.

I have 70 int or something like that and Carian Slicer/Adula's Moonblade are both really good, every now and then the moons see some use for sticking frost on an enemy really fast. 70 int in this feels like it's less useful than 40 int was in Dark Souls 1.

I went int/str because I keep doing int/str for some reason. This is the first game where all the weapon buffs I'd want have been non-int, blackflame seems really good

I've been going back and picking up things that I know I missed when I get frustrated by something

Oh those dudes exist to do exactly that. The faux-Darkwraith guys? 40 vigor is pretty low tho

# ? Feb 23, 2023 19:11

Leraika: Jun 14, 2015; Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.

it is extremely YA fiction, with all that implies, but I'm a big fan of recommending The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm as one of my favorite sci-fi books

# ? Feb 23, 2023 19:14

Psycho Landlord: Oct 10, 2012; What are you gonna do, dance with me?

Doctor Goat posted:

I'm at 40 Vigor and the dudes on the way to Godskin Duo are splattering me if I get caught up in their combos, but if I start hitting them first they're boned. It's like almost everything is a glass cannon.

I have 70 int or something like that and Carian Slicer/Adula's Moonblade are both really good, every now and then the moons see some use for sticking frost on an enemy really fast. 70 int in this feels like it's less useful than 40 int was in Dark Souls 1.

I went int/str because I keep doing int/str for some reason. This is the first game where all the weapon buffs I'd want have been non-int, blackflame seems really good

I've been going back and picking up things that I know I missed when I get frustrated by something

40 vigor is not the same sort of breakpoint it was in Dark Souls, and Elden Ring is generally higher level on top of that. You need more vigor.

Int/Str can work it just takes a while to come online and int breakpoints for staffs are kinda odd, don't remember the math off the top of my head.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 19:15

Doctor Goat: Jan 22, 2005; Where does it hurt?

Psycho Landlord posted:

40 vigor is not the same sort of breakpoint it was in Dark Souls, and Elden Ring is generally higher level on top of that. You need more vigor.

Int/Str can work it just takes a while to come online and int breakpoints for staffs are kinda odd, don't remember the math off the top of my head.

I have so much trouble with softcaps/hardcaps/breakpoints in stats. I'm not sure why.

Moonveil started out really strong. The MLGS equivalent does loads of stance damage.

I think if I do a reset I'm going to try to go all in on Bloodhound's Fang with Blackflame Blade, Bloodhound's Fang is real good and reminds me of dipping into the crypts area in DS1 to get Gravelord Greatsword early. I'd just pop a buff on it with scholar's weapon but I don't feel like that would even give me the versatility of greases, much less the stuff like Vyke's buff/Blackflame/Holy

# ? Feb 23, 2023 20:54

lobster shirt: Jun 14, 2021

lmfao so i bought a new video card and installed it, but crucially, forgot that i have an old rear end monitor with a vga cable. so i have a nice new and more powerful video card but am still unable to use my desktop computer until an adapter arrives. great stuff.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:21

johnny park: Sep 15, 2009

you should get a new monitor. even if you get an adapter the vga part is still gonna make it look like poo poo

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:30

Larry Parrish: Jul 9, 2012; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Cthulu Carl posted:

The basic gist of A Memory Called Empire is that a woman from an independent space station gets sent as an ambassador to a galactic empire after the station's previous ambassador died. The station uses things called imagos to basically store personality back-ups of important people as a way of training successors, but her process gets rushed and is about fifteen years out of date, so she's dropped neck deep into a byzantine mess of trying to find out how her predecessor died while also trying to keep the empire from annexing her home.

The empire also seems to Mesoamerican inspired at least judging by how a lot of the words are styled, so that was neat, too.

Edit: There's also a lot of analysis of linguistics, like in the empire's language "The World" could mean "The palace district" or "the capital planet" or "the empire as a whole" or "known space, including your pissant station" all depending on context that the main character has to pick apart.

kinda sounds like ancillary justice which is also one of my favorite series tbh.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:31

NoiseAnnoys: May 17, 2010

watching my 4k blu-rays on a black and white tube television

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:31

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

NoiseAnnoys posted:

watching my 4k blu-rays on a black and white tube television

You joke but there is a case to be made for PC gaming on a CRT

https://youtu.be/V8BVTHxc4LM

Granted that CRT is like $1000 even today but still!

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:33

Cthulu Carl: Apr 16, 2006

Larry Parrish posted:

kinda sounds like ancillary justice which is also one of my favorite series tbh.

I really need to give that series another shot.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:35

Larry Parrish: Jul 9, 2012; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

but also please don't get me wrong. my standards for books are specific but in their own way, pretty low. im finishing up The Angel Who Lives Next Door Spoils Me Rotten vol 5, and while it does have conflict and it isn't magically solved so it fits my standards, it's still a light novel series. it's really cute though. i like reading about insanely lonely people getting together.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:38

Feels Villeneuve: Oct 7, 2007; Setter is Better.

Leraika posted:

it is extremely YA fiction, with all that implies, but I'm a big fan of recommending The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm as one of my favorite sci-fi books

i loved that book when i was 10. i dont really read now, my "serious" media mostly extends to music and that's it. maybe when i'm an old fart

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:40

Inexplicable Humblebrag: Sep 20, 2003

Larry Parrish posted:

kinda sounds like ancillary justice which is also one of my favorite series tbh.

bet you're wearing gloves right now

(the ancillary trilogy is really good and i really enjoy the fact that it's about local politics against a huge sprawling space opera background)

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:47

Big Mad Drongo: Nov 10, 2006

Leraika posted:

it is extremely YA fiction, with all that implies, but I'm a big fan of recommending The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm as one of my favorite sci-fi books

I adored this book as a kid and looking at the Wikipedia page I only vaguely remember the plot. I should try it again.

Feels Villeneuve posted:

i loved that book when i was 10. i dont really read now, my "serious" media mostly extends to music and that's it. maybe when i'm an old fart

You might want to try short stories if you want to get back in the habit, there are plenty of great collections in whatever your genre of choice is and you can easily read like one story then put the book down for a week/month/year/whatever. The stories will still be there when you feel like it.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:47

lobster shirt: Jun 14, 2021

johnny park posted:

you should get a new monitor. even if you get an adapter the vga part is still gonna make it look like poo poo

well, maybe it will turn out that my monitor, rather than my graphics card, was what was broken. all my poo poo is like ten years old so it's bound to start breaking.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:51

Splash Attack: Mar 23, 2008; Yeahhh!
I am GHOS!!
Haaaaaa Ha Ha Ha!!

Leraika posted:

it is extremely YA fiction, with all that implies, but I'm a big fan of recommending The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm as one of my favorite sci-fi books

tbh i find that YA fiction makes for good light reading with a (usually) satisfying conclusion. with most 'adult' books it's like a 50/50 chance of having a ending that wraps everything up and completes a story or a depressive "realistic" ending that makes you go wtf. it got worse after GoT got super popular and i don't know if it's become any better.

speaking of light novels i've been reading otherside picnic and it's been fun as someone who's always enjoyed ghost/paranormal stories.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 21:52

Feels Villeneuve: Oct 7, 2007; Setter is Better.

Big Mad Drongo posted:

I adored this book as a kid and looking at the Wikipedia page I only vaguely remember the plot. I should try it again.

You might want to try short stories if you want to get back in the habit, there are plenty of great collections in whatever your genre of choice is and you can easily read like one story then put the book down for a week/month/year/whatever. The stories will still be there when you feel like it.

Oh yeah I just run into the whole "so many hours in a day" thing especially when right now the highlight of my day is when i chill out and put music on for a few hours.

there is just too much dang art out there!!!

# ? Feb 23, 2023 22:34

Famethrowa: Oct 5, 2012

Feels Villeneuve posted:

Oh yeah I just run into the whole "so many hours in a day" thing especially when right now the highlight of my day is when i chill out and put music on for a few hours.

there is just too much dang art out there!!!

sitting in a cozy chair in the bay window area of my house listening to jazz is the best part of my day now

# ? Feb 23, 2023 22:38

Feels Villeneuve: Oct 7, 2007; Setter is Better.

i got into classical when everything was closed for lockdown and it hasnt stopped rip

# ? Feb 23, 2023 22:40

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# ? Jun 10, 2024 18:45

Runa: Feb 13, 2011

Larry Parrish posted:

it has to be written at a competent level and it has to not be masturbatory power fantasy. there's a lot of forms this can take but basically i don't like books without conflict. it doesn't particularly matter what form it takes, but there has to be some and the solution to it has to be something other than a variation on Goku screaming even harder and becoming more powerful. this sort of conflict resolution structure is basically emblematic of genre fiction but especially cheap, quickly written genre fiction. even stuff like romance novels often has this structure, just presented in different ways.

also, quippy writing is for the loving birds and i put it down instantly. gently caress joss whedon and anyone who writes like him lol.

# ? Feb 23, 2023 22:41

The Something Awful Forums > Main > Post Your Favorite: Carefully Curated > PYF Chat thread - What are you doing today?

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