LadyCrimson

Nothing special ... it's just to say that even after 4+ years, FFXV can still impress visually in many ways/moments. Sure, much of the "world" is empty, but for some reason it's still fun/relaxing to just romp around in. I guess that's how I felt about Death Stranding, too, environmentally.

Considered buying Guardians of the Galaxy but then I thought about how many games I've bought recently where I hardly play them. ...think I'll go back to my lvl-30 party playthru of FFXV, making Ignis run everywhere in his speedo, instead. I could use the laughs. Plus I don't have to learn any new game rules. ...he could use to gain a little weight tho. Just a little.

Nah....it's more like...don't buy Early Access until it's been in Early Access for at least one or two years and you can see whether or not: 1 - the dev has continued to update regularly over that period (not just one or two tiny patch updates) 2 - the dev has actually made progress/added content during that period 3 - the game is in a playable enough state (not just "the first chapter") where even if it's never technically finished, if you actually like the game, you'll still have gotten your $20 or whatever gameplay time out of it.

Hey now, I don't live in a cave ... it's a homey hobbit-dwelling. Get it right. ...but yeah. I'd guess the more average would be people wanting to upgrade after 5-8 years for maybe $300 to $600 at most, gpu-wise. ...I still wait 3-4 years (or more) but my top price tolerance (and desire for current top end when I do buy) is just a lot higher than average these days then it used to be, is all.

I expect inflation, and I expect inflation of tech goods to be higher than "everyday" type goods. But to me that shouldn't be more than $100-$150 per generation cycle for top-tier gpu's. So MSRP for an EVGA 4080ti being $1600-$1700 instead of the $1400-$1500 I paid for the 2080ti might be marginally acceptable, to me, especially since I'd guess that'd be the last "4k" card I need to buy until it broke. $3000, however, is a big fat no. Not that I think any of those prices are "reasonable", mind. And lower-mid tiers should definitely be way way lower then top tiers or they're going to price most gamers out of PC gaming. I mean, are they're expecting average gamer (which is decidedly not me, far as budget goes anyway) to upgrade every two years for crazy prices? Not happening.

The rumors re: power usage of the 40xx series - that 850w PSU might not be overkill anymore. Maybe I should get a 1000w one. I wonder, if it takes 1 to 1.5 years before we see it ... will we be able to buy one or will the situation be exactly like now? I was able to skip 30xx series but I bet I'm going to want the 4080...but I sure don't want to pay $3000 for it.

Months later I find myself slightly ... and I do mean slightly ... more interested in trying this thing. Because more and more I'm less interested in desk-chair sitting. It'd be easier to use one of these while sitting on a porch. Then there's wondering how much Valve will actually continue to develop it - eg, a 9"/1080p/OLED version someday. vs buying the first version. Depends how successful they deem it I suppose. Although I have to wonder if using one of these for any extended duration/periods would just give me a neck crick.

Ended up watching the rest of Hellbound since it's only 6 episodes. The first three episodes alternate between interesting to a little dull to really annoying (especially this one "internet influencer" type character that was given way too much screen time). The last three episodes were much better/more compelling. The two halves are almost feel like two different seasons - with separate cliffhangers/climaxes and there's a big time skip involved - and while it kept up the weird basic premise, the chrs and story elements were better in the 2nd half. Except one of the main antagonists in the first half, that actor did a great job. A sequel is obviously expected. So....another mixed bag.

7am and a giant destructo-truck in front of the neighbors started up, to grind/chip up that tree they chopped down yesterday. It is very loud. ...could've waited until 8am at least.

Cowboy Bebop, episode 1 - (remember, I only saw maybe 1 episode of the anime ages ago) ... well, Cho is good/adorable. the set/cgi mostly looks pretty good, and ... that's about it for me. The major action bits, it's weird because they seem like they would be at least viscerally engaging but there's something a little off about them, that sort of ruins any kinetic energy flow. Image composition, frame pacing, actor motion/editing, I'm not sure. Overall, can't say whether it's good or bad vs. anime, but it's all a little too "noir" with some choppy paced editing choices and that "Netflix original" vibe that doesn't suit me that much. It's not terrible tho. Apparently Hellbound, a religious/belief (?) horror/kdrama, also is now available so I switched to that. Despite the "monsters" being stupid looking vs., well, hellish or horrifying, so far it's more my style. I can say that it's no Squid Game, however, so don't expect that level. ...will probably go back to Black.

Black - another k-drama (sci-fi/fantasy/thriller/melodrama/a little romance) I've had listed for ages. Probably watched half the first episode way back when but ofc remember nothing so started over. Basic premise is personifications of Grim Reapers/culture, a woman who sees "shadows" next to ppl and thus knows they'll die, a specific Reaper in human form to do a task, and a two decades old crime mystery. A lot of the episodes are over an hour, some close to 90minutes, which isn't typical. The first episode is so full of setup that it's rather confusing. You're just all "what/who/where." It's interesting and maybe even compelling, but it's all over the place. 2nd episode some dark/wacky humor comes into play and while you're still left in the dark for some reason it starts to make more sense and you're becoming hopeful that all these threads are going to come into play at some point. 3rd episode, extra melodrama and backstory comes into play 4th episode I'm fairly well invested and starting to make guesses about how those threads are going to connect and whether it'll be good or disappoint. ...but now I have to take a break from Black to try Cowboy Bebop.

---today neighbors fully chopping down the semi-large/bushy tree near the fence to build their in-law suite. I wasn't feeling in too huge a hurry to be truly moved into the new house (since this time we have luxury of not being rushed) but suddenly I would like to speed up the process. Sadly end of Dec. still seems like the earliest. ---slouching in bed trying to find TV to watch (usually failing), napping, on repeat ---also, all the traveling back and forth has been bad for my eating habits/routine/"willpower". Gained a couple pounds. Too much chocolate and meat sticks. Pffft. Winter blahs in full-effect.

After taking a break from it for a bit, turned Sword and Fairy 7 on last night. Following the main quest (finding/rescuing people or something), I was immediately assailed with ... a stealth section. The kind where you have to sneak by guards and if you're detected, you fail. I hate that kind of thing. But the game was kind enough to at least re-load me forward if I'd passed each section, so didn't have to start from the very start each time. And it wasn't too long, so tolerable. Then I reached the next area and ... a freaking timer started. It's a fairly long timer and likely game will be forgiving about it, but that's not the point. L-stick steer-slide down a mountain, minor QTE's, short stealth...I can tolerate it if it''s not frequent. But I hate timers. *game off* Edit: more and more it feels more like an adventure game vs. an RPG, and where I don't feel like I'm playing so much as I'm being guided on a leash with no personal agency, so to speak.

It wasn't on Netflix in the US...I might've actually tried to watch at least one episode if it had been. Although from the sound of it, I missed nothing. Kind of like how I watched that first "free" episode of Picard and knew right away I wouldn't care about the rest. Any continuing adventures of the ST franchise is pretty much dead to me.

I've seen pics occasionally where their face can look ok, especially ones with smaller than average ears, but yeah...they are like giant hairless newborn rats otherwise. Not really my thing. I have become rather picky about cats/what I'd want in one these days tho. So it could take a long time of checking humane societies or no-kill shelters etc. I like getting ones that are 8mo. or older so you can tell more what you're getting adult-wise.

Different topic: ...different house. Bored with games and other things. Maybe it's time for ... another cat. ...but, but, the hair.

The past couple years, I've been refunding video games more and more often, and I'm one of those lazy/oddball folks who almost never returns/refunds anything.

^ I don't really care one way or another re: legal future of bitcoin/mining, and I certainly don't mind anyone making some extra bucks with it while it's available, but it does make me wonder a bit how long it'll be around, is all. People debate the longevity or usefulness of bitcoin etc. and to me it just doesn't seem like something sustainable long term. But what do I know, as usual.

Dunno if this has been mentioned at some point before, and it's not really my type of game (per usual) but seems like something some around here might be interested in. Of course this is Alpha so who knows if it'll end up being actually good or not. That said, I do like the aesthetic/art of it ... dark, creepy, weird.

Real-time combat, party-based, 3D/modernish (not top-down/isometric/IWD style), not-overly-cartoonish action/rpg's? ...one reason I've been trying more East-Asian games is because of the above. But there's not a ton of them (on Steam anyway) that at least have English subtitles. >.> Single character combat/no party banter and party side stories apparently (usually) bores me and I feel like 90% of Western/US games have gone that route/or it's always been that way maybe.

Don't know what you're talking about.

Hometown Cha Cha Cha ended up being sort of a mixed bag. Some elements I liked a lot, some I didn't care/neutral on. By the end there were some side stories I liked more than the actual main lead romance factor (this trio of elderly ladies, for example, would have liked a lot more with them instead). Altho one side story had too much emphasis. The main couple had ok chemistry/were cute I suppose (and dimples galore!) but something about the writing was off/not-likeable so it just had little emotional impact by the end. Would've been better without the brief "danger" conflict moments too.

^ Most people I've seen who post about more casually using a single card to mine, talk about $100-$350 a month or so made (lower is likely, I assume, because they're not actually mining 24/7). Which if you're buying such a card in the first place, why not I guess. At least in 4-10 months you've maybe paid for the card, right. ...haven't some countries banned mining at this point? I feel like I read that somewhere. *pause* ... oh, it's mostly that they want to ban Bitcoin itself (China, others), although an anti-mining regulation movement seems to be getting a foothold because "environmental/inefficient energy consumption ratio reasons."

Noticed one of the k-drama's I had watch-listed was completed/all episodes, so I could finally try to binge watch it. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha - I was interested in it because of the lead actress, Shin Min-a, who I'd seen in another kdrama long time ago. She is adorable/great (and has the cutest dimples). I think it's a slice of life/drama/romance. Couple episodes in, it's mellow/sweet/charming, occasionally funny, the typical life-changes/smaller town type k-drama stuff. So far, so good! Might not sleep much tonight.

I need to try making artichokes like this. I've always just cooked them with no embellishment and ate them with a little mayo-based dipping sauce. Also, watching this lady, like for many others, is kinda like watching/listening to my grandma. She is/was precious (she passed some years ago at age 98). Her grandson did the filming.