T w e n t y S i d e d
This week I’m too tired to write much words.
Multiple extremely busy days and little time to rest.
But I still want to know what everyone else is doing. So, what is everyone doing?
Wednesday Action Log 08-05-26
Difficult vs Punishing
I’ve been playing a game called “Dave the Diver” a lot as of late. It’s an indie game that oozes charm from its graphics and art style to its writing and sense of humor, it’s just a really awesome presentation with gameplay that I really enjoy. However, when you spend 20 minutes to a half hour exploring the ocean depths capturing and harvesting fish and then just get stuck in a bad spot where a shark combos you to death before you have much chance to react, it pisses me off. I don’t like wasting my time.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Difficult vs Punishing”
Wednesday Action Log 07-29-26
This week, I don’t know.
I know I played a bit of Stardew valley. But this week was busy, so it’s kind of a blur.
Something of note is that I’ve been working on getting my GED. I’ve been enjoying learning math, most notably surface area and volume. Currently working on radicals, not as fun, but still interesting.
What’s everyone else doing?
What is an RPG?
By Patrick The mostly harmless
Posted Monday Jul 27, 2026
Filed under: Epilogue, Patrick, Random, Rants, Retrospectives, Video Games
33 comments
I’m the gamer who plays certain titles to death, multiple replays exploring every option. While this makes sure I squeeze every ounce of enjoyment for every dollar I spend, it also means I miss a lot of games. Last month PS ran a sale on old titles (probably to increase digital sales do they can justify banning hardcopies) and I finally got around to buying Red Dead Redemption. I’ve been hearing about it for 16 years, so I figured I should get around to it.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “What is an RPG?”
Supergirl: Almost Great
The 1984 Helen Slater-starring Supergirl film was an attempt to cash-in on the successful Salkind-produced Christopher Reeve Superman film series. I enjoy the movie, more in a “so-bad-it’s-good” way; even though the final product is a mess and it’s clear the filmmakers had NO IDEA what they were trying to do. The 2026 Milly Alcock-starring Supergirl is an attempt to introduce Supergirl in DC’s new Gunn-directed universe, and explain why she’s a different character than Superman, rather than just a “female Superman.” The 1984 movie is poorly-conceived, badly-written, is loaded with bad FX and weighed down by bad editing. The 2026 movie is WORTH WATCHING, and even has some greatness, but is hurt by it’s own misguided direction, multiple faults with internal consistency, and mostly poor construction and lack of focus. What most-directly connects the two films is performances by the two stars, Slater and Alcock, elevating the chaos around them. I would have watched Helen Slater play Supergirl opposite Reeve’s Superman, and I’m looking forward to seeing Alcock’s Supergirl alongside Corinswet’s Superman.
This is somewhat of a review with commentary, and there ARE spoilers. If you want to see Supergirl unspoiled (as much as possible) please do not continue.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Supergirl: Almost Great”
Perfect Casting Decisions
I’m far from a true film nerd but I am adjacent to the space enough that I see one overused phase thrown around frequently that I rarely actually agree with: “Nobody but _____ could have made this role work.” Wrong. Lies.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Perfect Casting Decisions”
Wednesday Action Log 07-22-26
This week I played video games.
Half of my time this week has been spent playing Stardew Valley. Just hit winter in the second year, so we’re spending a lot of time on ginger island trying to get the golden walnuts.
I also picked up Barony. I didn’t know much about the game when I got it, but steam had been recommending it to me for years, so I finally got it. I’m having fun with it, despite the fact that the game definitely encourages multiplayer, and I usually play solo for my roguelikes.
It’s a first-person dungeon crawler, that is perfectly fine with you dyeing a lot. I’m still not entirely sure what I’m doing, but I think I’m doing ok, even when I’m just fumbling around.
How’s everyone else doing?
From The Archives:
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
I'm not surprised a fighting game has an absurd story. I just can't figure out why they bothered with the story at all.
Gamers Aren’t Toxic
This is a horrible narrative that undermines the hobby through crass stereotypes. The hobby is vast, gamers come from all walks of life, and you shouldn't judge ANY group by its worst members.
Fable II
The plot of this game isn't just dumb, it's actively hostile to the player. This game hates you and thinks you are stupid.
Object-Oriented Debate
There are two major schools of thought about how you should write software. Here's what they are and why people argue about it.
Who Broke the In-Game Economy?
Why are RPG economies so bad? Why are shopkeepers so mercenary, why are the prices so crazy, and why do you always end up a gazillionaire by the end of the game? Can't we just have a sensible balanced economy?
This Game is Too Videogame-y
What's wrong with a game being "too videogameish"?
Denuvo and the "Death" of Piracy
Denuvo videogame DRM didn't actually kill piracy, but it did stop it for several months. Here's what we learned from that.
Black Desert Online
This Korean title would be the greatest MMO ever made if not for the horrendous monetization system. And the embarrassing translation. And the terrible progression. And the developer's general apathy towards its western audience.
Spec Ops: The Line
A videogame that judges its audience, criticizes its genre, and hates its premise. How did this thing get made?
How I Plan To Rule This Dumb Industry
Here is how I'd conquer the game-publishing business. (Hint: NOT by copying EA, 2K, Activision, Take-Two, or Ubisoft.)