Recent posts

#11

Gaming HQ / Re: News from the lovely world...

Last post by Grey Fox - Today at 03:33:10 PM

I think it's because there is still discordant views on what the strategy for Xbox needs to be. There is the strategy that Minsky has layed out and there's, what I would call, the Surface strategy and that one requires Hardware to be sold. A lot of hardware.

Attractive MCU like IPs is what sell consoles, not Hi Fi Rush.

#12

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:30:10 PM

Xxx was great. Really wonder what happened with the sequel as they thumbled starting up a franchise.

#13

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:28:25 PM

Land restitution to original inhabitants isn't what decolonization is about.

#14

Off the Record / Re: 2024 US Presidential Elect...

Last post by Valmy - Today at 03:15:54 PM

Nobody discusses the news that RFK is probably a thrall of Khan Noonien Singh?

I mean...why not?

#15

Off the Record / Re: 2024 US Presidential Elect...

Last post by celedhring - Today at 03:13:52 PM

Nobody discusses the news that RFK is probably a thrall of Khan Noonien Singh?

#16

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:13:29 PM

Britain and things it's good at - I really wouldn't put education in there.
It's a tough one as yes. Some people are getting very rich off the mass imports of Chinese students....
But is that really what education is meant to be for?
What Brits are getting is fucking awful compared to the rest of Northern Europe.


Corbyn being crap - he is that. But still. I'd take a Labour government led by him over Johnsons tories any day.
Though my ideal outcome of the last General election was a Labour minority.

I'm not particularly convinced on the "imperial nostalgia" diagnosis, but I think we do have a bit of an "industrial nostalgia". Fully aware that the economics behind that were buttressed by empire, but I don't think people are necessarily making that connection - I think they just think producing things, making things is somehow almost morally better than services.

Britain : Confuscianist country?

#17

Gaming HQ / Re: News from the lovely world...

Last post by The Minsky Moment - Today at 03:08:42 PM

I guess maybe they expect publishers and indie studios will create enough product to provide sufficient depth, taking on the risk of flops?

Yes but Microsoft itself is uniquely positioned to assume that risk itself, because it can diversify across a portfolio of studios and it has no shortage of capital reserves.  Seemed like that was their strategy, but then why panic and purge just because two strong developers had disappointments?

It's also a matter of perspective as in what is the real asset?  Is it monetizable IP or is it the not easily replicable talent and skills of development teams.  If there was any doubt how the suits at MSFT saw things, those are now definitely resolved. Hi Fi Rush may have been a success but it isn't going to spin off a franchise like Elder Scrolls or Call of Duty

#18

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Oexmelin - Today at 02:58:51 PM

Land restitution to original inhabitants isn't what decolonization is about.

#19

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - Today at 02:53:25 PM

But when we're talking about British or American history that's not really relevant. That's something Algeria, Nigeria, etc... need to come to terms with. It is the crimes of white people that are ours to own.

But we're not talking about British or American history, we're talking about de-colonization, or at least I am.

My point is that if quote unquote colonized people claim a universal principle then they only have standing to judge others by that principle if they are willing to judge themselves by the same principle.  So if the starting point for the principle is that the first people to show up on uninhabited land have right to that land in perpetuity, by my reckoning that applies to very few current nations or ethnic groups.  Australian aborigines, Pacific Islanders. 

Take the example of India.  Everyone agrees that the British colonized India.  But before that the Mughals colonized India.  And before that the Aryans colonized India from the Dravidians.  So I maintain if northern Indians want to complain about British colonization then they first need to accept the same judgement.  Or Zulus in South Africa.  Or, in what I think is the weirdest case, Inuit in Greenland, who displaced Vikings.  Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

It's hard to talk a out decolonisation without talking about the colonisation which is part of the history of a particular place.

It's definitely true that you get an awful lot of nationalists who are keen to grab a stick to bash past colonisers where their "team" was the victim but are remarkably quiet or vocally defensive, making excuses or whataboutisms, when they're the pereptuators.
Many Chinese are particularly awful for this.

But... It's like the whole thing far right nuts trot out about how we should oppress Muslims because it's not like they let Christians practice freely in Saudi Arabia.
We shouldn't be lowering ourselves to the level of those that behave like shits.
We should seek to behave better than arse holes.
And this means being honest about history rather than just seeing it as a dick waving points scoring exercise.

Also there's a bit of a different situation at play when you've colonialist policies still actively at work as in Palestine.
Then you aren't just looking at history. You're looking at innocent people being hurt in the here and now.

#20

Off the Record / Re: Star Wars Megathread

Last post by Barrister - Today at 02:50:09 PM

Getting up to date with Bad Batch.

For some reason this show has never grabbed me. I don't think it's a bad show, but I think, in the end, I just haven't been able to get emotionally attached to the protagonists.

Anyway, I like Assaj a lot but I wish that fan-favorite dead Star Wars characters would just stay dead for once.

I dunno - it grabbed me.  Perhaps because I always liked troopers / stormtroopers, and it's been fun to get some personalities that are much more flushed out.  There are some good emotional moments - you see Order 66 from the troopers perspective right off the bat, one of the Bad Batch dies in a heroic moment (I won't spoil which one).  Omega, who is kind of an annoying mary-sue at times, does have a part in a bigger plot point to the larger star wars universe outside of just this show.


And on another note: Been watching Tales of the Empire with the boys - it's fun.