andrewrgross

joined 2 years ago
MODERATOR OF
[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 month ago

I read this and thought "This would be an incredible training simulation for union organizing".

I'm guessing it's just a fun gimmick to blow off steam. But overall, I approve. I genuinely think more people should role play standing up for themselves to practice the skills.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 month ago

Did you read the article? They're sold as a productive workspace for job seekers.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 28 points 1 month ago

Respectfully, this title gets under my skin.

Why so doomer? He might veto it. It wouldn't be surprising. But why are you declaring a loss prematurely?

Don't hope for things there's no chance of. Fight to change the chances of things, and if you fail try and fight again and again until you win.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 38 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

This headline reads like 2025 news Mad-Libs:

"[Proper noun] is using [Latest fad] to [Verb] [Ideological alignment adjective] [Conceptual noun]"

Try it:

"OpenAI is using Hydroflasks to destroy Catholic exceptionalism"

"Mark Cuban is using cryptocurrency to monetize white supremacist hope"

Good times./s

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 73 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

My brother and I (both 38) actively speak out and oppose it.

My mom has been sort of in a state of shocked bewilderment. She's horrified and also constantly confused as though trying to comprehend how 2+2 = 5. For her, it doesn't make sense: Jews aren't killers, they're victims. But they're killing all these civilians. Why would anyone want to keep the war going instead of getting the hostages back? Netanyahu is a monster. We all know this. Why is he still in charge?

I'm sorry that she's suffering (then again, anyone of concience is). She's also expressed a sense of alienation, since she has no idea how others feel, because she doesn't feel like it's socially acceptable to say what she feels outside the home. But I'm grateful that this hasn't created any conflict between me and her. She doesn't feel as comfortable as I do saying the plain facts of it, but I remind her that all my convictions are a reflection of the values she raised in me, and I think that reflects highly of her.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 9 points 1 month ago

Yeah, anyone looking for more info should check out Luckey's blog:

https://palmerluckey.com/if-you-die-in-the-game-you-die-in-real-life/

The guy is a little nuts. This military tech bullshit is no surprise.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 month ago

It's really hard to know why people haven't been supportive without knowing you and them better. But how do you know and interact with these folks? Do you have them over for drinks? Play games online? Do they all know each other? Did they know you or your ex first?

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

There's no 'getting caught'. They've been doing so publicly before, and they're doing it publicly now.

I think what upsets him is that their long-term vision of Israel is a right-win illiberal middle-eastern theocratic kleptocracy, and he prefers a neoliberal technocratic imperial republic.

He's not, like, a GOOD GUY, but I think in this instance his enemy is my enemy, and I think he's being pretty frank and sincere.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 29 points 1 month ago (1 children)

One piece of context that really needs emphasized to anyone who doesn't already know: about a fifth of Israeli Jews are ultra orthodox, and they have long refused to participate in the compulsory military service that everyone -- men and women -- must perform. They're also the foundation of the political base of far-right zealots that have decided to forgo recovering the Israeli hostages/prisoners held in Gaza in favor of embarking on a final solution to the Palestine question. So they're quite unpopular and also highly privileged politically.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 7 points 1 month ago

This is messianic levels of insane. This is guy is a meglomaniacal fanatic fascist.

The only good thing I can say about Bezalel Smotrich is that I admire his candor. He really doesn't bother with pretext.

I am not someone who looks forward to a violent collapse of Israel. I wish for freedom or Palestinians and democracy and secular human rights. I fear that Israel is less than five years from a catastrophic collapse in international support, and that when that happens the people there will reap what they have sown.

Which is terrible. I don't like what they've sown, and I don't think I'll like what they reap. But I do want this nightmare -- and I mean the whole occupation -- to end.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 month ago

Thanks, I think so too.

I'm trying to expand on it a bit, because I think what's still missing is a sense of stakes and grandeur.

What if the backdrop is that Croft (or similar protagonist) is working with a team that is uncovering new and valuable discoveries that reveal the art and culture of ancient people that were largely absent from history. It's showing that some earlier group had settled an ancient valley prior to the arrival of a group that is culturally significant to a current regime. And as they're making these discoveries, it's becoming increasingly contentious politically among some faschy nationalist government (a la Orban, Erdogan, etc.)

Over time, they begin to face mounting pressure to secure the sites quickly before a rival team is sent in specifically with the goal of damaging them and stealing artifacts so that these finds aren't able to be studied. And the protagonist, as the first person who the team relies on to safely document and preserve the site, is soon persued by a goon squad, allowing us some urban platforming levels as you work towards a final confrontation.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I wonder what it would look like to try and resolve some of these problems in a way that still provides a satisfying platformer experience.

Like, what if instead of these ruins being a bunch of traps with some key magical artifact that she heavily disturbs while passing through, what if the game was a platformer where you had to essentially erect scaffolding and lay down tarps in advance of a larger team? And the goal is to basically use climbing and athleticism to navigate the environment without disturbing an incredibly fragile environment?

 

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/13156086

Parable of the Sower is such a good book.

First, it's interesting that it starts right about now. The book starts in mid-2024, and even mentions that its an election year. That was a fascinating experience to read a scifi book in the moment in time in which it is set. It still feels like it takes place about 20 years in the future. It was written 31 years ago, so politically things have seemed to move as many steps forward as backward. It seems like a lot of things have not gotten better and worse than when Butler wrote it, so in some sense I feel like I'm looking at it as a near future in the same way as when it was written a generation ago. I guess I'm glad things didn't go as badly as in the story, but it's rough that the looming threat from 30 years ago feels the same distance away now as then.

Second, it's painful to read. Although the events described in the book haven't happened in the book's setting -- California -- the social collapse and migrations described have happened in Honduras, Gaza, Yemen, and certainly others I'm not aware of. It was really hard to read that and know that it was already real somewhere.

Third, as a solarpunk novel -- and really as general fiction -- it feels like it should be part of a high school curriculum. It's really well written and an engrossing read. Since publishing Fully Automated, I often relate solarpunk stories to that game. What might I have added to the game if I'd read this before? How well does it naturally fit? One thing that struck me is that her emerging in-world faith -- Earthseed -- reminds me quite a bit of elements of Seekerism, a new faith tradition in Fully Automated. I wish I'd known and included direct references to Earthseed, but it's nice when the game has alignment with great works that I wasn't directly familiar with.

Has anyone else read this? What do you folks think?

2
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by andrewrgross@slrpnk.net to c/music@slrpnk.net
 

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/13067768

I finally got around to making a playlist of the music used to score the starter campaign, Fully Automated: Regulation!

I think it's a collection of real bangers. I hope that for people who haven't played these stories, this might give an enticing taste of what to expect. And for people who might've played, perhaps it takes you back to some memorable moments.

Demonstration of Power

  • The stakeout: “This DJ” by Warren G
  • Fight scene!: “Dare to be Stupid”, covered by The Cybertronic Spree
  • Roll credits: “Fine”, by Lemon Demon

Psychonautica

  • Opening Sparing match: “Champion” by Buju Banton
  • Entering neurospace: “Just dropped in” by Kenny Roger
  • The mindscape: “Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C.” by André 3000
  • Dance battle: “Do the Damn Thing” by Rupee
  • The Bathhouse: “Ants to You, Gods to Who?” by André 3000
  • Android assault: “Robot Rock” by Daft Punk
  • Synthesizing the cure: “The Oligo Separation Verse” and “Analytical Gangster” by True Speak
  • Roll credits: “Pony” by Deluxe

Piece of Mind

  • Surf Intro: “Cecilia Ann” by The Pixies
  • Fighting back: “Headshot” by she
  • Starting the investigation: “No Time for Dreaming” by Charles Bradley & Menahan Street Band
  • Sneaking around: “The Sensual Woman” by The Herbaliser
  • Piecing things together: “Cause for Alarm” by The Heavy
  • Research montage, pt.1: “Metrocenter 84” by Sunset Neon.
  • Research montage, pt.2: “You Rock Me” by she
  • Making a plan: “Drag and Drop” by the Soul Motivator
  • Showtime: “Swing Break” by the McMash Clan, feat. Kate Mullins
  • Showdown: “Mastermind” by Deltron 3030 and Dan the Automater
  • Showdown, cont’d: “Don’t Get In My Way” by Zach Hemsey
  • Roll credits: “UNLVD” by Socalled

Olives Fair in Love and War

  • Vampire fight: “Dark Entities” cover by Daniel Guerra Caballero
  • Roll credits: “Birdhouse in your Soul” by They Might Be Giants
1151
submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by andrewrgross@slrpnk.net to c/memes@lemmy.ml
 
 
 
 
 

Adam's podcast is just straight-up low-key solarpunk at this point. Like half the videos feel relevant.

Here is the audio-only version, too: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/factually-with-adam-conover/id1463460577

 

Our indie dev group just released our third playable adventure! This is the climax of a four-part set! It is now available for free on DriveThruRPG!

It’s for a free, open-source game system/setting we made that’s like cyberpunk in a post-scarcity society. Check it out! Honest feedback is appreciated.

A gang of whitehat biohackers suspect they’re being targeted. That threat is about to get very real.

On a sunny summer day, your help is needed escorting a eccentric researcher to a meeting with their collegues. It’s been six weeks since unknown actors staged a daring armed robbery on their laboratory, and tensions are running high. But when this mysterious adversary puts their plans into action, it’ll take all your skills and judgement to avert a nightmare.

This story continues to build on the previous two in its scope, complexity, and challenges to give diverse player and character types opportunitites to see more places, meet more characters, and find ways to use their specialities to help their communities in a story with around 8 - 10 hours of content.

view more: ‹ prev next ›