/hob/ - Hobbies

>>70656
Do you rate beers online? Do you think about homebrewing? Would you tour breweries?

Chapter 04

Grif's smile vanished. He nodded. "Aye, and found one more piece for the puzzle. I was fascinated by the precise edge of his wound.Examining it more closely, I found — " He paused; prodded the fire with his boot and watched the ascending sparks. "We buried only a part of that man, Cromis: the rest has gone with the creature you put to flight. "His brain has been stolen."

I had just finished this chapter when I suggested we read this book together. I restarted reading from the prologue for this thread, and now I'm back to this point. From here on, it's all new to me too. This is where the weird stuff starts happening. The brain getting stolen gave me a chuckle because I was immediately reminded of the infamous Star Trek episode "Spock's Brain". In it, Spock has his brain surgically removed and stolen by a group of crazy space succubi. It's also widely considered one of the worst episodes of the original series, though I confess I quite like it. This book was published just a couple of years after that episode aired.

What do you guys think stole the brain? I'm guessing by the description of the fight it's a cyborg. It couldn't be an android/robot otherwise it would just fight to the end and would've killed Cromis then and there. Maybe it's something else entirely. We'll see.
The dialogue in this novel feels a little stiff so far, but the descriptions of nature, landscapes, and objects are where the charm of the story lies. That, and of course the setting and the weirdness, which I hope we see more of moving forward. For example, I want to know why the hell they need human brains in the first place. Please let there be zombies in this world too. That would be great!

>>70807
This novel strikes me as generally chaste compared to a lot of fantasy stuff. The protagonist doesn't even have a love interest! I agree with the pacing. It's one of the reasons I picked this novel up.

>>70808
And let's not forget that Grif is a bootlegger. Guy is literally a mobster.

>>70811
I didn't think of that. The vulture having no relevant info is silly. If I try to make sense of it, I guess it's possible that Cellur was afraid thPost too long. Click here to view the full text.

>>70818
A rather grim chapter, this one. The poor nameless sword is left in pieces, as is Chromis' psyche it seems. Perhaps this giant thing is what Cellur was trying to warn us about. Also rather creepy that it took the guard's brain… what could it possibly need it for…

im burnt out already bros…go on without me

>>70818
Finally some more action! But I have a confession to make guys … I already read ahead and I'm at chapter 9 now. So I'm a little cautious of discussing because I'm not sure what went on in which chapter specifically and I don't want to spoil. The three eyed freak was cool but I really don't understand why Chromis didn't alert the rest of the camp and went to chase it alone. I mean it could've just as well been a scout and his sleeping companions might have gotten attacked in his abscence, completely defenseless. Nice that we got to see the Baan in action, too.

>>70818
>but the descriptions of nature, landscapes, and objects are where the charm of the story lies.
True though being the OCD reader I have to google every word I don't know as I read and even get into info-gathering rabbitholes, and there were a lot of new words here. Learnt weird ways to describe colors and what some geographical formations are called. Last chapter I even learnt that glaciers move and can erode the soils beneath it.

I thought the baan that killed Cromis sister would make an appearance in some critical fight scene but he lost it here fighting an unknown monster that popped out of nowhere and almost losing. What's most surprising is he lost his nameless sword too. That's two important plot items used up in one scene. We are speedrunning Cromis getting his hero sword upgrade I think. Could have used the Chekhov's baan in a more satisfying fight.

>>70685
That's a respectable run. You can get a lot done in six months. Most online games don't last four sessions, let alone several months.

Man I tried solo games but I just can't do it. The wealth of bizarre shit that happens when five nerds get together to play these games just can't be matched by solo play. At least not for me. In many ways solo is the best way to play it because you don't depend on others. I really like that part. It's basically a video game. Pick up and put it down whenever you want. If only I could get into it.

Anyway, I already caved and found another group. We'll be playing through a module this time, about 20 sessions, so about the size of your campaign. Not enough time for me to start hating on rpgs which is good. I can't wait to delve into musty corridors and throw some dice. We start next week. I'll report back.

>>70686
I'm eager to hear your report.
If you don't like it, at least the module will end at some point.

Well I said I would report back so here I am. I had my first game with the new group. It was rather strange, as I'm not used to playing with newbies. My usual experience with gaming is with grognards, and the game very quickly gets into a rather smooth operation: go to the dungeon, kill the monsters, fetch the gold, bring it back for XP, rinse, and repeat. Roleplay is present but secondary, it's a game, not a narrative. The characters are tools for combat and exploration first, not people. It's just a different way of playing, is all.

Now, with the newbies coming into roleplaying after the Critical Role phenomenon, it's different. They all want to elevate their characters to some literary figure. I sat through a 10-minute argument between two players because they have PCs whose "personalities" clash. These players have pet characters that they intensely protect from all danger, to the point of being a detriment to the game itself. They don't want to go into the cave "because there might be something too dangerous inside." Well wtf man, that's the whole fucking point, is it not?

The DM is aware of the problem and was privately messaging me days before the session, telling me he was hoping that I would stir the other players to action. I have never had that happen to me before. Usually, DMs are control freaks who want to have complete control of the world and the players somewhat. This guy is apparently too afraid to be candid about the pet characters that are paralyzing his game and is trying to recruit me as his hatchet man.

Welp, I'm happy to inform you that I embraced the task. We saw some action and a character got killed, although it was an excruciating process that took several minutes of arguments. But before that, let me tell you about what we did in town before going out into the caves.

One of the players actually had his character looking for work AS A FUCKING BARISTA AT THE LOCAL INN! Holy fucking Christ Jesus, man. Here we have a game where you can be a hill giant, a devil, a paladin, a rogue, a demon prince from hell, or a fucking dragon if you want to. And this guy takes a 15-minute side quest to try and get his character work waiting tables! There was nothing particularly important about this inn, either. It's just an inn.

And it's not like we were short on money either. This is a Monty Haul DM and each of us had enough money to afford food and board for like a whole year. Besides, we can just hearPost too long. Click here to view the full text.

>>70730
Glad to hear you had fun! Indeed, it seems there is hope ahead, if not for a good game, then at least for interesting interactions.

I came across an old article recently discussing this exact difference in philosophy, the divide between the "game-players" and the "role-players." I always assumed the latter style of play took root in the late 80s, but it was happening even in 1977, only three years after the release of Original D&D.

So there have been misunderstandings since the very start. The game is supposed to be about acquiring treasure, magic items and XP, building a stronghold, having your own army and claiming a piece of the land as your own. If your character isn't interested in any of that, then they shouldn't be an adventurer.

>The player who lost his character got into an argument with another player because that player didn't come to his aid when he was the only one who could've done something.
I bet/hope one day, in the not too distant future maybe, this player will look back on this moment and realize they were actually having fun. This sort of interaction is more real than anything narrative-based games can create.

>>70782
You're right, this thing probably began with the game itself, it's just that my personal experience is different. But the worst part of pet characters full of personality, besides having to sit through a 10 minutes argument between two imaginary bozos, is the impact this stuff has on the DM.

I'm pretty sure he's prone to fudge and pull punches because of this. The game just gets smoother if nobody dies. I asked if he could have his attack and dmg rolls in the open and he said he prefers to keep it a secret to 'keep up the tension'. Bullshit. The dice gives you a probability, that's where the tension is. I can just tell he's pulling the teeth from the monsters. I hate toothless monsters, fuck. I don't even blame him honestly, the players are whiny bitches and he's afraid to lose them.

I watched the first race of this season and have had zero desire to watch any more. The new aero regs are interesting, but the current hybrid powertrain setup leads to bullshit yo-yo overtaking where drivers are just swapping positions based on battery charge. The FIA think that viewers will be impressed solely by the sheer quantity of overtakes, and unfortunately they seem to be correct based on the number of fans defending the current regulations.

>>70749
It would be interesting to see Verstappen at another team, but I'm not sure who could take him. The other top teams already have solid driver lineups, and Verstappen would only leave RBR for a better car so I don't see him going for the midfield teams.

>>70773
I've never thought about it that way, but it makes sense. But I don't think I've ever seen anyone defending ERS superclipping. They should make the engine/battery split at least 60/40. I'm personally liking this season, but maybe that's because I'm new.

I had heard a rumor that Max was going to make the switch to Mercedes, since his contract permits him to switch teams next year, but now that I dwelled on it more it seems very improbable that a better team would take him in.

>>70786
The ICE/electric split being 50/50 would be fine if the cars had an additional source of battery recharge. IIRC, the current situation is the result of the FIA dropping the MGU-H to entice Audi to join in (since Audi would be at a disadvantage compared to the existing teams and manufacturers in developing that tech), then the existing teams torpedoing front axle regen (because Audi have a lot of experience with that tech from endurance racing). So now the MGU-K is doing all of the recharging, hence the super clipping. To be fair, apparently they made some reg changes a few races ago that improved the situation, but I haven't watched any of the recent races myself to compare.

>>70773
>I watched the first race of this season and have had zero desire to watch any more.
If you don't find something stimulating you should stop watching it.

>>70791
Silverstone GP yesterday with it's high speed corners and straights immediately showed how bad the battery situation is. Hamilton slowed to a crawl and lost his position to Antonelli on the Sprint and the GP. Later, Max went into the wall from a rear wing issue which gave him massive understeer. Whatever difference the regulations changes made seems marginal to me.

I'd like to see the cars relying more on the engines than the ERS. Not just because they'd sound cooler. I feel that it would allow for cleaner racing & less back and forth positions due to ERS deployment. And I think most drivers would agree with this.

>>70117
I'm trying to find testimonies of hikikomori but can't find

>>66929
I like pdfs

Does anyone have the cookbook some wizard posted ages ago?

>>69750
Not exactly that but similar enough maybe.

>>70713
Well, holy shit, pardon my French. I didn't expect a response, and certainly not one just minutes later. Nice, thanks for that.

Let's give it a couple of days so more wizzies can see this post. Meanwhile, I'll be putting together the spreadsheet with the chapters and dates so we can all follow along. I'm already looking forward to it.

HEY EVERYONE. WE HERE AT THE WIZBOOKCLUB DO BE READING THE PASTEL CITY, STARTING IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. DON'T MISS OUT! JOIN NOW!

Check this thread if you want to know how it works. We did it with A Canticle for Leibowitz. It's quite simple: I post a spreadsheet with the reading schedule, and we all follow along. We talk about the book, but you don't have to post if you don't want to. Let's have some fun.

>>70712
>>70713
>>70714
The Leibowitz readalong was just the guy suggesting it and me so it was not much of a book club. Are you the Leibowitz guy? I thought you hated the readalong from your posting tone because it was awkward with just two people. I'll probably join another readalong though because I like that it gave me a routine.

>do we wait until more wizards show up?
This place is dead but I think the reason you missed the readalong was because we were posting in the general reading thread. Maybe if we make new thread with eye-catching picture and kept it bump to the top of /all/ everyday you'd get one extra wizard.

>>70715
Yup that's me. I didn't hate it at all, it was a nice experience. I had tried before with another book but nobody showed up. Leibowitz was a success as far as I see it.

Well if you guys want a thread just for The Pastel City I'll do it. We'll start this week. Maybe more people will join.

>>70715
>this place is dead
Unlike /dep/, he-he

finished reading 'à rebours' from Huysmans. the book is about a rich guy who lives alone with it's maids and butlers and hens basically a NEET and has a lot of intellectual ramblings but hens also sick. doctors say because he's a reclusive lifestyle and what he needs is to go out like normalfags do but he don't want to and at the end he must go and interact with other people
I was lost when I read the beggining but the ending chapters were more understandable. it's a ok book. I think it would belong to wizard core books with NHK

I remember playing these skating games on GBC/GBA as a kid. They were fun.

>every kid on my block has a solid skateboard that glides effortlessly.
>everytime I get a skateboard it wobbles like crazy and stops after 3 meters.
what fucking parameters am I picking wrong? Is $80 for a board just something I should expect?

>>70683
Maybe it's your stance. Your body should weight more on the front. Try to bend your knees.

Maybe it's the trucks that need to be tightened.

>>70683
Wheel hardness might play a role. it ranges from like 73A(soft)~103A(hard). softer wheels are way smoother and designed for rough concrete, will still go well on smooth. Hard wheels will slow you right down on bumpy concrete. Also good bearings, most branded types are good. reds or bronsons are the cheaper good ones where I live. If those aren't issues for you perhaps the board hasn't been assembled correctly? Sometimes people tighten the wheels on way too tight and its like you have disc brakes constantly on.

>>70803
0_0

A wizard of skating, what a world

>>65927
I once had a dream i fucked you mama

Sometimes, I dream about cheese…

>>70577
pff pff pff

but i would never ever ever ever hire one

I often dream of flight. I have big wings, like an archangel from Heroes of Might and Magic 3.
It feels so realistic. I feel wind on my face, humidity of clouds. Just soaring high and then resting a bit in high places just to continue on.
And then I wake up. No wings. Feel bad man.

I've mostly been dreaming about work

Here's a research paper from the Canadian government about the longevity of various types of laser discs. CD-Rs are rated as the most durable, even with the most common dye made today (azo dye, 20-50 years). Dye is extremely important and yes, you guessed it right: it was better 20 years ago.
Laser discs are more durable than the rated longevity of hard disks (SSDs and flash drives are not even worth considering).
https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.882573/publication.html

>>70699
I actually had dvds full of anime I burned back in 2006 dye rot on me, these days I use RAID and duplicate servers.

>>70708
Checks out, I guess you used DVD-R and the durability is 10-20 years

I remember this seemed like a fun thing to do back in 2010.
However I can easily store my stuff on 512 gb microsd cards now.
Using discs to archive seems tedious and retrotechy to me

>>70710
>microsd cards


They're more susceptible to the "random bull" kind of errors compared to HDDs

3-2-1 rule, hope you use it

>>70778
it's fine. xfce can also be made to look somewhat "retro".
i'm still on fvwm because it's in the base distribution, with a config mostly similar to the default one with some changes on the menu (the config is piss easy), but openbsd has an old (security patched) version because fvwm switched to GPL in the late 90s/early 2000s. sometimes i switch to cwm, it's basically dwm but easier and also in the base distribution.

This https://datagubbe.se/1yearconf/ is a config for the fvwm version you're likely to find on linux. this https://cs.gettysburg.edu/~duncjo01/archive/ is an archive of many old icons, and this https://xteddy.org/xwinman/ is basically a showcase of many old X window managers, including fvwm, afterstep (which is something like >>56807) etc.

>>70781
you always have that wallpaper or did you only put it to show it?

>>70788
i always use wallpapers like that, i change wallpaper frequently because im bored and jaded all the time

>>70789
I see. I couldn't use a wallpaper like that even one time.