326 Reply by Writhyn

(670 replies, posted in Creations)

What's the orange pit about?

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327 Reply by Writhyn

(16 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Just so any of the Makers who might read this thread know: this isn't a "you suck" subject smile
This is a "which two hours out of hundreds of excellent content do you find not great" subject.

Don't feel bad

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328 Reply by Writhyn

(16 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Wow. That would be frustrating.

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329 Topic by Writhyn

(16 replies, posted in Off Topic)

So I'm on my second straight listen-through of the FIYH archive (I listen to one a day at work to help with boredom), and I see that ONE COMMENTARY coming up. The one I can't listen to. Because it pisses me off.

So my question for every regular listener is this: what is that ONE COMMENTARY for you? Or two, or however many. Which ones do you avoid and why?

For me, that one commentary is Brave. While I agree with the general premise that Brave is a bit muddled and not one of Pixar's best, the commentarians keep saying that the theme makes no sense, and the whole turning-into-a-bear thing doesn't fit anywhere. The theme seems so obvious to me and the connection is so clear that it's frustrating to hear them talk about it.

I mean, I disagree here and there with a lot of what they say on FIYH, but only Brave bugs me, mainly because it feels like they are being willfully ignorant. Like they dance around the actual theme so much in their conversation and then come to a bizarre conclusion about what the theme is supposed to be. And then say it's ridiculous.

No hard feelings, of course smile I'm just curious to hear everyone's answer.

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330 Reply by Writhyn

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Tomahawk wrote:

Inside out.

Meh.

It had a few laughable moments, and some really, really dark moments, but all in all it was very forgettable.

...we can never be friends! tongue

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331 Reply by Writhyn

(4 replies, posted in Creations)

In concept in reminds me of the Twilight Histories podcast

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332 Topic by Writhyn

(1 replies, posted in Creations)

So after I get some programming basics under my belt, I have this idea for a mobile/web app.
Basically, the user figures out all the things they spend time and effort on in their life, and these different things are rendered as separate entities that compete for attention. At its most basic form, the app could simply be a graph or even circles floating around on the screen.

At some point in their day, the user can tap on these different areas of their life to "feed" them, maybe even enter an amount of time or a quality level between 1-10. Keeping a healthy balance allows the the circles to coexist, but feeding any of them too much at the expense of the others causes the large ones to get aggressive and start attacking the smaller ones.

They probably wouldn't actually destroy the smaller ones, it would just serve as a visual reminder to invest some time in the smaller things soon.

Further ideas:
It would be fun to make more complex themes, like a spaceship travelling through space, where the different time investments are different ship systems, and spending too much on one system will damage the ship and invite pirates to attack, which could only be repelled by spending quality time on the weak systems.

Missions/quests would be possible, basically as one-off time investments that would improve the life or mental state of the user and pacify aggressive Investments.

Users could potentially link each investment to their calendars, such that when they tap on one, they have the option of setting a time and date to hang out with friends, or clean their house, or whatever.

It would be very possible to gamify the whole thing even more, though of course not to the point that the app becomes a time investment for the user in and of itself. Perhaps there really is a losing condition, where if a user goes too long spending too much time on an otherwise healthy investment (such as work or relaxing), it consumes the others and reminds the user of the importance of a healthy balance.

The main focus of this, though, is to serve as a simple visual aid for people who are chronologically challenged. If anyone else has any thoughts or ideas, let me know!
Also if you think it's been done before, tell me because I want this app.

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333 Reply by Writhyn

(1,649 replies, posted in Off Topic)

"And see if she wants a job!"

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334 Reply by Writhyn

(92 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Watched this film last week with a couple of ADD teenagers (I'm a mentor through my church).

They loved it, and not just the action. They really enjoyed the character stuff and the world-building.

Such a good movie.

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335 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I like the score.

And listening to Rey's Theme in isolation, it sounds like a Christmas song.
Not a bad thing. Just a thought smile

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336 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

It'll be a Death Star 4. Technically that's never been done wink

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337 Reply by Writhyn

(670 replies, posted in Creations)

I'm in love. That music is so far up my alley you're going to get mugged and tossed in a dumpster.

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338 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I agree with everything you said about "rehash" stuff. It doesn't bother me that stuff was used again.

My problem is WHICH stuff they used again rendered the third act tension-less and the bad guys morons who learned nothing. I'm not disappointed because "the movie SUCKED!!!11" (it didn't). I'm disappointed because it was doing so well and then fizzled out on the CLIMAX.
TFA is just ok. It could have been great.

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339 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

BigDamnArtist wrote:

The thing is, every time I hear someone try to tell me that it's "the exact same movie" or just a rehash, the most they can give me is the big details...

I see what you mean, and I would agree with you if anyone said it's JUST a rehash.

But for me, the parts that aren't a rehash (which are LOADS of fun and great character stuff) are significantly hamstrung BY the rehashed bits.

Specifically the third act. All the character stuff was completely undercut (IMO) because the great, awesome, epic battle was almost the same damn thing as a New Hope and Jedi. While the character stuff was good, the movie kept cutting back to a battle that we've seen before--pulling me out of the movie and refusing to let me stay involved with the good parts.

All the cuts to "five minutes to firing!" "two minutes to firing!" "thirty seconds to firing!" were ridiculous and lacked any tension. Seriously. THERE WAS NO TENSION in the battle scenes because we knew what was going to happen. I would almost have preferred they just have the battle entirely in the background and stayed on the character stuff.
The only way to subvert that would be to have the good guys fail to destroy Death Star 3 (which I maintain would have been amazing).

So the fact that the bad guys learned nothing from the other stories makes them idiots. Idiot bad guys=no tension.
The rehash of the death star battles means we knew all the "almost firing!" cuts were useless. This=no tension.

TLDR
There were great, original things about this movie and I would never say it's "just" a rehash, but the rehash rising action and climax robbed the good parts of their impact. This movie is like a zombie toddler gumming you; It's adorable and interesting, but there's no doubt about how it's going to end.

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340 Reply by Writhyn

(956 replies, posted in Off Topic)

http://cdn.meme.am/instances2/500x/3593842.jpg

I'm sorry

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341 Reply by Writhyn

(116 replies, posted in Off Topic)

My new RC from my wife:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/l44E2SynVIwoNveQQAcfUffX0vucLldAm4D45yX-0XZI45V2ZbB1oBSAeiYfhB3sWEwuTd3b4vBd4C7BNpnDBQ7yB7paGX88V1tZXDzTXcq797PamD1tds07gbAju0YSKg0lpF4VXEwARLtNtP1MRvlbCN9MDCISxVr3fYoe3jOnW1uerPM4YtTEPzeInmo-yAxALzBmuerVGRatezaBlHLf4XeMgUHHMB9HG2XGXDjdv5bSbgz8--49PqLqGCvBl4J1WRQxD0C2Es0TC7oKfFYkw9g1LyWYTozSlVo8oMhFxHlPnnPN5I9T9NONy5J8G0xEbameXrJz9GZT9iLwOH6q0HV-3oQSDSudsBCpE3bqXEHCLE9MLDz3-WIdxoRX9KO6oDW2e3tFEWf8h7x8rRX1CMuh6cbIB77LYeAvRC53unWOcLEZyLhS2n-j4Yq0gMbBfVNQQr00LY3N8jCpKzAJYDPwF-lAuYdS-EDpZoovPn5bU1Adsol2bQdHmAr7VxOhs237HLayrMdagGIcaivL3RaX2-_Dn74ytVpM_WQqKOzU3tCLgc-fgzuuDdvO08SX=w1280-h720-no

5 channel coaxial, cyclic control. Completely unnecessary, completely awesome BLINKING NAVIGATION LIGHTS!!!

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342 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

My main problem with phasma was that she personally enabled the destruction of the death star 3 along with the hopes and lives of the First Order because someone threatened to shoot her.
Completely undermined her and made her weak. She seemed like she should have been the sort of soldier who would be willing to die before caving in with no fuss. Badass female villain she is not.

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343 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

"thank the Force that damned droid finally rebooted. I started the update to Marshmallow 20 years ago!"

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344 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

This is a really nitty nitpick, but they held the final shots of Luke and Rey's encounter really long.

Look at cloak, look at Rey, look at cloak. Cloak turns!
Look at Luke, now back to Rey! Now back to luke! Now back to Rey!
Rey holds out saber! Now back to Luke! Now back to Rey!

Now a flying shot of the the two of them with Rey awkwardly holding out the saber for an uncomfortable length of time!!!

I'm exaggerating, but it felt weird.

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345 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

It just hit me again: the bad guys built a third superweapon with a single weak spot capable of destroying the whole thing.

But that is a good point about the mind control, Praxus

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346 Reply by Writhyn

(276 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I loved the first two acts. The third act fizzled fast.
1. Rey going from no force knowledge to controlling a storm trooper and then fighting a powerful dark force user was lame. Even if Ren was wounded and trying to take her alive, it seems he completely forgot he has this ability to freeze people with the force. That would have been smart, obvious, and him not even trying took him from being a powerful but conflicted character to being an IDIOT. I lost all sense of a compelling villain after that fight.

2. They repeated the third act of a new hope and rotj almost point for point: death star, bigger death star, even Bigger death star. Which would have been GREAT if they FAILED. I thought for one minute that this movie would end with the death star 3 being unharmed and the resistance (totally not the rebels) having to run for it and deal with it in the next movies.
Nope.
They win. It ends with a ship flying in through a hole and blowing it up from the inside. After the people on the ground disable the shields from the inside (due to an oddly pushover Phasma).

They could have subverted all expectations by having the good guys fail their primary mission (still saving Rey so it's not a complete downer). But they chose to repeat the old thing almost exactly.

To sum up, JJ made another Star Trek Into Darkness

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347 Reply by Writhyn

(16 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I'd put Martian with Fury Road as least forgettable. Both of those movies left awesome marks on my brain.

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348 Reply by Writhyn

(2 replies, posted in Creations)

Yes!! I'm famous! wink

Also, really nice job on the effects, especially considering the time crunch.

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349 Topic by Writhyn

(4 replies, posted in Movie Stuff)

This is the counterpart to the spoiler-y off topic discussion thread, cause I'm not seeing the movie until Christmas Eve but I'd like to hear general thoughts from you who see it first.

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350 Reply by Writhyn

(116 replies, posted in Off Topic)

...what the heck is plasti dip? Matte black rims sound awesome.

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