Max @max@smeap.com
Professional software developer. Unsuccessful nonfailure writer and game designer.
Pronoun: Currently will accept anything but derogatory uses of 'it'
Saw a local TV ad on a TV in a bar that finally explained a mural I'd walked past for years and been confused by.
That realization how users may have other typing/clicking habits than you. Finally realized that I could reproduce a bug only if I released the enter key slower. No wonder I never saw this in my own testing, I'm much more deliberate and staccato in my own habits.
What if Elder Scrolls finally discovered its Eldest Scroll, and it turns out to be one Final Fantasy?
Noodling on how a Heart of Darkness take could have worked for Star Trek where STiD failed: 1) No Khan, 2) start an off-screen "war on terrorism" with Romulus because Nero, 3) A strong Romulus and a war of attrition could have many Vietnam War parallels. It still would suffer from hugely diverging Kelvin timeline from Prime, but it would have been a more interesting story.
The best thing about the new "Global Clipboard" thing in Windows Insider Previews right now is the happy, smiling clipboard icon when it is empty. Sure, it's finally a better version of what Windows 3.1's Clipboard Organizer thought it was (and Office's enhanced Clipboard tools sometimes actually are), but I'm here for the service with a smile.
I still haven't written that manifesto on AI and Bot ethics I've threatened to several times, but YouTube's terrible Autoplay feature reminded me that I should.
The AI algorithms haven't had some major breakthrough from the last AI booms/binges. We've just accelerated GIGO.
Sea of Thieves Skellies never seem to understand the elegance of Parlay, nor the proper art of Insult Swordfighting, and yet I will never stop trying to them.
RT @mhackling@twitter.com:
https://twitter.com/mhackling/status/987770801653862400
Saw an ad for a Pirate-themed ICO. They aren't even trying to hide the skeeve, huh? 🤣
Got some of my Sea of Thieves thoughts together in longer form: http://blog.worldmaker.net/2018/04/14/merchant-voyages/
In my mind, Merchant Voyages are the highest stakes in the game. (Fight me.) Some kindly old lady needs the right combo of chickens, pigs, snakes, and gunpowder for a feast in just a couple days time. I can't be responsible for spoiling some kind lady's party just because jerks like to sink first, ask questions later. That's far too much pressure to handle alone.
It's interesting how many people suggest Merchant Voyages for low stakes soloing in Sea of Thieves, but those are the only solo voyages that lead me to rage quit. You want to steal anything I've found, go right ahead, it's a sea of thieves. You want to murder my chickens for no reason, HOW DARE YOU?! It's not sea of sloop sinkers and cowardly chicken killers, you monsters! #ccfb
I love Unicode emoji. I wanted to add a warning indicator in an error text string without adding additional HTML since it's a dumb worst case fallback. I remembered I could just type one on the emoji keyboard. (⚠)
I've been using a lot of emoji in my test data lately too, because it's pretty and it makes it faster to navigate "Test 🐬" versus "Test 🐙"
A brainstorming question:
You find yourself in a conference center and a fan convention is filling the halls with opportunity. To the right you make out a 24-hour gaming room, busy with activity of all sorts, enchanting you with a siren call to adventures unknown. However, to your immediate left you notice a panel room with an upcoming panel topic listed (related to gaming) that suddenly piques your interest. What is the topic of this panel that see before you?
Was thinking about the proposed Sea of Thieves ferry toll / death tax, and if there is something in the economy to tax, it's cannon balls and bullets. Those things are too free. Don't even need to tax them everywhere, just the Outposts. That might help the Outposts feel friendlier using just economic incentives, even if they still wouldn't be true safe harbors.
Given Rare's ties to the Xbox Avatars, I'm hoping that there will be good ties between the upcoming Avatar refresh and Sea of Thieves. Do you think the lack of character editor is because new Avatar system will be the character editor? All the Achievements seem to have attachments too, maybe a lot of cool Avatar items?
I love this comment by "starflight2020": https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/03/23/sea-of-thieves-review-pc/#comment-2609313
