Disqus - Latest Comments for rmyung

Re: Podcast #69: An Erotic Scottish Village

rmyung — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:21:24 -0000

Hi, I don't think I've ever commented before, but I thought I should let you know that I can't find this feed anywhere in my podcast player (Downcast). I can find 2 different Shut Up and Sit Down feeds that are both empty. I really miss listening to this podcast during my drive, it was always a special treat when I saw a new one.

Re: GAMES NEWS! 31/10/16 (And a secret!)

rmyung — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 08:28:13 -0000

Ok, I know this post is a week old, but I finished Season 1 of the Genius over the weekend, and I'm having trouble finding the other seasons. Help please!

Re: Impressions: Seafall

rmyung — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 09:49:00 -0000

I recently had to plan for a game night with 6 players, and was struggling with the same problem. After researching, I was debating between Viticulture and Keyflower. I ended up choosing Keyflower based on higher reviews, specifically about scaling.
One of the players ended up not coming, but I was very impressed with Keyflower at 5. I don't see any reason 6 wouldn't work. I'm really happy with my purchase.

I seriously considered Memoir '44 + Operation Overlord, but was concerned about time. None of the reviews were really clear on how long the game would take. Given one person dropped out, I'm glad I went for something more flexible.

Re: Senator Susan Collins Unveiled a Bipartisan Compromise on Gun Control - The Atlantic

rmyung — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 07:52:49 -0000

I've seen a lot of people on both sides argue that the problem is the large clips. Why haven't there been any bills on restricting ammo sales instead of gun sales?

Re: Should Mom-And-Pops That Forgo Gay Weddings Be Destroyed?

rmyung — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 09:51:43 -0000

This was an excellent essay. I appreciate the thoroughness in how you explore the issues.

I honestly hadn't kept up with the subject after being upset about the passage of the law last week. Now, I feel sick about the whole situation.

A few thoughts:

1) There needs to be a distinction between what you SAY and what you DO. The pizza owners expressed intent to not serve - but they didn't turn anyone down yet. I hate the idea of punishing crimes before they happen.

2) Reading the comments, I wonder if the belief that this country should support multiple viewpoints and that society should be about living with people different from you is a minority position :( It seems that everyone wants to "win" and "destroy" the opposition.
I love the lines "the religious impulse to shy away from even the most tangential interaction with gay weddings can be met with extremely powerful and persuasive counterarguments so long as we're operating in the realm of reason rather than coercion–so long as we're more interested in persuading than shaming or claiming scalps."
Agree 100%, but it seems that many do not.

Re: <i>Game Of Thrones</i> (experts): “The Children” (for experts)

rmyung — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:00:04 -0000

I agree with that interpretation. It's been awhile since I read the book, but I remember feeling a lot more sympathy towards Tyrion then. It was more of an emotional decision, and it felt more like triumph than tragedy.

Seeing it go down this was way worse, and I felt zero empathy towards him. Maybe that's the point, and I shouldn't have been sympathetic towards murder in the book.

I guess he shows his remorse later, maybe that will have more impact with Dinklage's acting.

Re: <i>Game Of Thrones</i> (experts): “The Children” (for experts)

rmyung — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 10:58:48 -0000

I agree that this episode felt very full. It would have been nice to spread some of this into the last episode, instead of extending that battle. Overall though, the changes the show is making from the books makes me actually somewhat hopeful that they'll manage to make something interesting out of the next 2 less interesting books.
Things I like over the book:
- expanding the Brienne storyline. I actually found her boring in the books after she got to Kings Landing. Her scenes this season were way better than the book. I would imagine that Lady Stoneheart would be tied in with Brienne to make them both more interesting.
- speeding up the Bran storyline. It was nice not having to wait entire books to get to the tree.
- taking Varys with Tyrion. Tyrion's journey was kind of boring on the page, but I could imagine it being cool to see the boat stuff on screen.
- I'm also way more invested in Sansa, Cersei, and Margaery than I was in the books, so their long sequences may be more interesting.
- I remember the Daenerys stuff getting boring quickly in the books, but so far it hasn't been.

I dislike:
- The Jaime/Cersei thing is super distracting and uncomfortable.
- The murder of Shae was hard to watch. Tyrion comes off way worse, and it's hard to justify why he went to the Tower. It looked like intentional murder.

What I'm not looking forward to:
- Sam + Gilly
- Dorne stuff..

Re: “Tricks And Treats” | Freaks And Geeks | TV Club | TV | The A.V. Club

rmyung — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:55:02 -0000

Thanks for doing these articles. I never watched F&G before, but since you started the first article I blew through the entire season. So good.
I totally agree about connecting with the parents. I realized watching this that I'm exactly half-way in age between the kids and the parents, and I empathize with both, although more with the kids because they're from the same era, and it's easier to remember than project.

It's one of the reasons I was upset about the finale(which I look forward to you writing about)

Re: Chrono Trigger (1995): The Kingdom Of Zeal

rmyung — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:11:19 -0000

I'm really bummed by all the comments criticizing one of my favorite gaming memories. Maybe it has to do with when you play this. It's possible it doesn't hold up well.. but I personally had more fun with this than Crono Cross.

I enjoyed this article, and it makes me want to replay the game. I actually don't remember too much of Magus except as the enemy.. My favorite character was Robo :)

Re: Failed Literary Adaptations: The Lord Of The Rings: Volume 1 and Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth

rmyung — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:30:47 -0000

I think RPGs based on existing material face an uphill battle. A significant portion of the fun of the RPG is discovering the world and uncovering the plot. The book/movie already did this for you, so what's left?

I think the best case scenario is when you're set in the world of the book/movie, but not following the book itself.
The Knights of the Old Republic is a good example of how to set an RPG in an existing world, while not following the same plotline.

Similarly, a Tolkien RPG would be better if it was just based on the Middle-Earth world, while introducing new characters and stories. I'd play a game based on the Silmarillion (which I've never read)

Re: Toys are Tools -Thoughtful Toy Reviews: Ginormous Giveaway (Over $230 Total of 11 Prizes!): Top Tools for Homework Success

rmyung — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:57:39 -0000

I'm interested in trying out the different timers. I think I prefer ones that don't talk, but I'm willing to try them!

Re: How Honest Is Your City? - Neighborhoods - The Atlantic Cities

rmyung — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 08:29:15 -0000

I just watched the video from the link: the sign says "$1 bottle (honor system)". The collection box has a big arrow saying "Pay here"

The language of the article makes it sound like the bottles were free, with an optional collection box.

Re: In Defense of Eating at Chick-fil-A

rmyung — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:42:22 -0000

There's a difference between not personally buying products from people whose views you disagree with, and trying to stop others from doing the same.

I'm ok with someone personally choosing not to eat Chick-Fil-A, but I'm not okay with a mayor banning it from a city. Let the customers decide.

Re: Games Of June 2012: Lollipop Chainsaw

rmyung — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:18:53 -0000

I hear you on the wife test!
There's no way I would even play Lollicup Chainsaw even on my own. I hope games eventually reach a point where there's a niche market for these sexed up games.. and there's the normal mainstream stuff.

Re: Where the Uninsured Live - Jobs & Economy - The Atlantic Cities

rmyung — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:22:15 -0000

I'd also be interested in how many of these uninsured are voluntary.
Are these the people that are upset? Seems like the state that are anti-Obamacare are the ones with the highest number of uninsured people.

Of these people
a) people who could not get insurance
b) people who did not want insurance
c) small businesses responsible to get insurance for employees
d) people who already have insurance

It's clear that the the people in (a) are the winners, and (b+c) are losers.
Where do (d) fit in?

Re: So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Almost Goodbye

rmyung — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:30:26 -0000

If you're talking about Endless/Nameless, I HIGHLY recommend playing it in an interpreter. The game encourages record/replay functionality. Having to type out (and repeat) some of the needed commands by hand would be pretty tedious.

I actually think the IF community is not as active as it used to be a 4-5 years ago. There was a peak as authors pushed the limits of the medium. Right now, it feels like people are trying to figure out new ground to explore. Part of the movement seems to be towards making the games easy/accessible, like these html text games.

Re: The E3 2012 Murder Report: Sony

rmyung — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:56:52 -0000

As someone who just recently got a "modern" console, I've been disappointed in how many of the "best" games (as ranked by Metacritic) are either shooters or free-form world exploration games, with an emphasis on violence(GTA, Assassins Creed, etc). The "M" games may be a small portion of the games made.. but they're the ones with the most production quality and highest ratings. It's amazing how many reviews rave about the graphic and brutal natures of the violence in the games. This seems to be a MAJOR point of emphasis.
The non-violent games seem mostly to be aimed at casual fans who don't read game reviews: sports games, kids games, dance games.
As someone catching up on 5 or 6 years worth of games, there should be much more variety to choose from. I'm not interested in playing 10 different shooters- one or two good ones are enough. I don't consider the addition of more "Mature" content to be a reason to favor these games.If the film industry was like the game industry, we'd get a constant stream of summer blockbusters and comic book movies(yeah, I know we already do).. and they'd also win the Oscars.

Re: Games Played In Inches: The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and Dark Souls

rmyung — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:00:43 -0000

This writeup make we really wish I had a way to play Majora's Mask! The premise sounds fascinating to me. I love worlds that have their own schedules.
I remember there was an old adventure game about solving a mystery on a train, that required you to be at certain places at certain times to solve the mystery. But it was pretty difficult since you couldn't rewind time without managing save files. There's also a text adventure called Varicella which requires you to figure out the schedules of every character. It worked because the cycle was very quick. (actually, time is a popular theme in text adventures) Dark Souls, on the other hand, doesn't sound too different from any high difficulty, skill-based game. It sounds "old-school" rather than unique.It does sounds nicely polished though.. I've added it to my list to check out.

Re: “What Is Dead May Never Die” (for experts) | Game Of Thrones (experts) | TV Club | TV | The A.V. Club

rmyung — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:15:02 -0000

I get why she's popular, but I thought she was way more fun as a side character than a POV character. The problem is that her story feels so disconnected from the main storyline that I felt very impatient reading her sections. I think she may play much better on TV than in the books because of the fights.

Re: Mission From God: The Upstart Christian Sect Driving Invisible Children and Changing Africa - Josh Kron - International - The Atlantic

rmyung — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:37:42 -0000

It really bothers me that the "money quote" used to make the article dramatic ( "It's a "stealth movement flying beneath the radar that's changing literally thousands of churches around the world." ") was said by Rick Warren to describe the emerging church, but it was put into context to make it seem like it is describing Invisible Children. There is no evidence supplied that Rick Warren is in any way connected to Invisible Children.

Re: Mission From God: The Upstart Christian Sect Driving Invisible Children and Changing Africa - Josh Kron - International - The Atlantic

rmyung — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:08:42 -0000

Yes, the article is thorough about tracing the role of Christians in Uganda, and in the Kony2012 creators specifically. It is very weak about explaining the connection with the "emerging church". Granted, "emerging church" is an extremely confusing and complicated topic, but the author should have made a greater effort at researching it and trying to understand it before claiming it as a "sect".
I would describe it as more of a buzz-marketing term that gets applied to some hip young churches. The article describes Mark Driscoll, Rick Warren and Brian McLaren as examples of emerging church leaders. These pastors are incredibly different from each other in philosophy, and there certainly are tons of areas of disagreement between them. (I'd actually consider Driscoll extremely conservative and McLaren extremely liberal) Yet OTHER people might call them "emerging", which to certain Christians means "cool".
If you removed all the paragraphs about the "emerging church" from this article, I'm sure it would read a lot better, and be a lot more accurate.

Re: Apple, Android Owners Diverge on Wi-Fi Usage — But Why?

rmyung — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:46:11 -0000

It would be interesting if you had the data as Mb downloaded and the variances between different networks. I wouldn't be surprised if the Android numbers are skewed by the users on networks with cheap unlimited plans (Sprint, T-mobile).

Re: Agora (review)

rmyung — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:26:19 -0000

I watched this movie entirely because of your review. I don't think I heard or read anything about it anywhere else. So.. thanks for bringing it to light.
Maybe your praise hyped it up a little too much for me though, I was pretty disappointed.

It was an interesting slice of history that I didn't know much about, and I felt that I learned something from it.
But as a movie, it was pretty flawed. The editing felt very choppy, the time-skip wasn't handled very smoothly.. I hated the written summation, and I hated the views of the Earth from space. I found it very distracting. Couldn't this have been done with dialogue? Why the terrible font?

And Hypatia came across as very one-dimensional. Rachel Weisz is a wonderful actress, and she had a lot of charisma to add to the role.. but making that character the only smart person, the only pure person in the city strained credibility.
I would have preferred a stronger Orestes. Actually, I would have liked the plot to have a little more emphasis about the political scheming. In general, the movie painted all men in such a negative light that it's hard to say that it blames Christians as it blames men.

I enjoyed the historical setting and I think the movie is worth watching, but found it very hard to suspend my disbelief while watching. I didn't enjoy it as much I would have hoped from this review, and I can actually understand why this movie went under the radar.

Re: The Hottest VC No One Has Ever Heard Of

rmyung — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:53:10 -0000

Looks like the WSJ agrees with you. http://kara.allthingsd.com/...

Re: The Start-Up Whisperer: Michael Dearing Is the Hottest Angel Investor You’ve Never Heard Of

rmyung — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:51:35 -0000

Very similar title and content with this blog post:
http://www.robgo.org/post/3...
At least it was rewritten.. but it would have been nice to source Rob Go.