It’s cool that they copped to it as well as they did. I wouldn’t have expected that.

I think longer writeups help to provide for the inevitable nitty-gritty (you can’t click the button because it’s not there, etc) while also provide for holistic development, kind of like how incognito mode doesn’t really mean anything because google is still tracking you.

A few things motivate me to move to Linux. I’ve been made aware of the privacy concerns with Microsoft, and since they’re sunsetting Win10, I expect there’s a bunch of security exploits that will be leveraged almost immediately. I also don’t like doing things I can’t lay out logically, and I haven’t been given good enough reasons to get a new OS/machine, especially because tech is a very small part of my life (I have a thinkpad from 2012 and use it like your grandma uses her PC). Improved UI, inclusion of AI, and whatever other capabilities are things I didn’t ask for. That leads into the principle of the argument, I just won’t be in an abusive money-based relationship with anyone, person or corporation. Microsoft doesn’t seem like they’d be a good friend, or even a good business partner, and I don’t like the underlaying vibe I get from the services they provide, so I just won’t participate in whatever they’ve got going.

Linux, on the other hand, seems to be functional enough to meet my needs and comes without all of the other stuff Microsoft does that I’ve already complained about. In other words, Linux seems like a Honda Civic, and I’m good with that.

I appreciated your description of the depression loop that came from the exposé youtube videos on Win11. It’s something I’m deeply aware of within my own life (I started with the Christine Chubbuck thing) and have taken leaps to get away from that whole cycle of mental torture (it feels kind of Plato’s allegory of the cave). Have you been able to develop/connect/apply that line of thought elsewhere in your life?

Saving this to go over later. Thank you for the writeup! I’m also looking at going from Win10 to Mint.

You’re onto something huge here. This is why I have little hope for most long-loved franchises (Elder Scrolls, Halo, Fallout, Tony Hawk games, Call of Duty, etc). Like any other collaborative artistic endeavor, it’s a product of the people at that time. The name applied to the group doesn’t fully encapsulate it.

The same Todd Howard who is credited as doing “additional design” on Daggerfall is the same Todd Howard who came up with the idea of releasing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary, TES 5 (FiVE): Ultra Titanium Edition: The Skyrimmening.

So many of these games were born from the pool of creative synergy that could never exist again. Pertinent:

Old Bungie vs. 343

And the choice to do some kind of rendition of the book, but in a semicanon way kinda. Not to mention the overly busy art style, a campaign that seemed to kind of echo ODST’s framework.

I grew up on Halo 1-ODST, and I remember Reach was a hit with the little brothers after my friends and I had moved on, and it seemed very fitting.

I’d be all for it if it meant the other shit would go away. I’d rather see Mountain Dew (instead of Altitude Precipitation or whatever) in the Sims if it meant no microtransactions and other annoying ads. But it’s EA, that’s not gonna happen, we’ll just get Mountain Dew in the Sims AND ads AND microtransactions.

U.S. Patent 8246454B2 is a real thing.

Thank you for the explanation!

I was actually going to, pls give a rundown of the eula

Username checks out, lol.

I’ve actually always thought model trains were super cool when other people were into them. I’m a little too much of a neanderthal to be into them, but I love hearing about the worlds people build and how people pick their favorite engines (?). In fact, I’d love to hear about yours- your favorites, your grails, your setups.

I don’t know of any other games that fit the niche (I’ve looked as well) that are also good (there’s a mobile game called Exiled Kingdoms that’s pretty good, but it’s a mobile game).

I have found some other games scratch the itch pretty well though. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla actually does for me, even though you’re locked into one character with like 10 unique choices that determine a few different cutscenes. Maybe for me it’s because the world is pretty, the story is (mostly) interesting, it’s close enough to historical accuracy without belaboring the point (like kingdom come), and the way the story is played is kind of in line with what I’d be doing anyway.

But, I do feel your pain and wish we could have a different type of Elder Scrolls that wasn’t just mods.

It’s wild, like people get into things when there is novelty and affordability and then leave when one of those goes away.

My biggest question now is, what will supplant PC building/other super high end stuff? I grew up on Halo and early CoDs, but now that I’m old and suck at video games (particularly online multiplayer), and seeing a huge shift toward battle royale and dark souls style gameplay, I felt like I was long overdue to start reading more/working out more/hiking/etc.