"If you like Dark Souls, it's hard to shut up about Dark Souls"
Sep. 15th, 2025 08:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rydra_wongFor anyone who may be Dark Souls-curious, here is a very long video essay of which I've only watched part (because I'm trying to limit spoilers) and of which I mainly want to rec part -- the first 30 mins or so, where the essayist discusses something that the mythology about the game’s supposed uber-difficulty tends to obscure, namely the gorgeous, generous array of different tools and options that it gives you for engaging with its difficulties, and how it tries to teach you to use them:
I think this is some of the stuff that prompted me to declaim “Dark Souls loves me and wants me to be happy.”
The game is difficult, it is intended to be difficult (and I still don't know if, for me, it will at some point be insuperably difficult), and progressing and learning through difficulty and failure is the core gameplay loop. As mentioned, it took me a total of seven hours to beat the most recent boss, the Capra Demon. I am currently camped out in the Depths, where I intermittently fall through holes and get cursed by basilisks. I recently got invaded for the first time, by a player who watched as I ran directly under a slime and got enveloped, facepalmed*, and then waited politely while I extricated myself before murdering me**.
And yet my major feeling at this particular moment is of being spoiled (in the pampered sense, not the knowledge sense): I have too many good weapons to try (my beloved halberd, now upgraded to +7, a Balder Side Sword -- a rare and coveted drop -- and a Black Knight Sword)! I'm having to actively try not to over-level! I have so many upgrade materials! I have the world's largest stockpile of charcoal pine resin (purchased on my endless boss runs back to the Capra Demon, so I'd spend any souls I was carrying and not distract myself with losing or trying to retrieve them) so I can make my weapons burst into flame any time I want! I have opened the latest incredibly-convenient shortcut! There's a handy new merchant just before the next boss! I am holding an armful of presents and Dark Souls keeps trying to pile more on top!
{*I went off immediately afterwards to Google "dark souls how to facepalm”, but it looks like you have to join the Forest Hunter covenant to learn that emote and I have other plans. Still tempted, though.}
{**I had expected to loathe being invaded — and had initially planned to play offline mainly to avoid that, but did not for reasons which need to be a different post — but in the event, it was brief, non-inconveniencing, and actually pretty funny.}
I think this is some of the stuff that prompted me to declaim “Dark Souls loves me and wants me to be happy.”
The game is difficult, it is intended to be difficult (and I still don't know if, for me, it will at some point be insuperably difficult), and progressing and learning through difficulty and failure is the core gameplay loop. As mentioned, it took me a total of seven hours to beat the most recent boss, the Capra Demon. I am currently camped out in the Depths, where I intermittently fall through holes and get cursed by basilisks. I recently got invaded for the first time, by a player who watched as I ran directly under a slime and got enveloped, facepalmed*, and then waited politely while I extricated myself before murdering me**.
And yet my major feeling at this particular moment is of being spoiled (in the pampered sense, not the knowledge sense): I have too many good weapons to try (my beloved halberd, now upgraded to +7, a Balder Side Sword -- a rare and coveted drop -- and a Black Knight Sword)! I'm having to actively try not to over-level! I have so many upgrade materials! I have the world's largest stockpile of charcoal pine resin (purchased on my endless boss runs back to the Capra Demon, so I'd spend any souls I was carrying and not distract myself with losing or trying to retrieve them) so I can make my weapons burst into flame any time I want! I have opened the latest incredibly-convenient shortcut! There's a handy new merchant just before the next boss! I am holding an armful of presents and Dark Souls keeps trying to pile more on top!
{*I went off immediately afterwards to Google "dark souls how to facepalm”, but it looks like you have to join the Forest Hunter covenant to learn that emote and I have other plans. Still tempted, though.}
{**I had expected to loathe being invaded — and had initially planned to play offline mainly to avoid that, but did not for reasons which need to be a different post — but in the event, it was brief, non-inconveniencing, and actually pretty funny.}
The Mating Season
Sep. 14th, 2025 10:12 pmmarycatelli posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
booksThe Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse
A Jeeves book. One with continuing history, so spoilers for earlier books ahead.
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A Jeeves book. One with continuing history, so spoilers for earlier books ahead.
( Read more... )
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galacticjourney_feedby Cora Buhlert Worldcon comes to West Germany I have dreamed of attending Worldcon ever since I first heard about it. But in spite of the word "World" in the name of the con, the World Science Fiction Convention is about as international as the Baseball World Series, i.e. it's very much an American event. … Continue reading [September 14, 1970] A Worldcon among Castles and Vineyards: Heicon '70 in Heidelberg, West Germany, and the 1970 Hugo Awards
The post [September 14, 1970] A Worldcon among Castles and Vineyards: Heicon '70 in Heidelberg, West Germany, and the 1970 Hugo Awards appeared first on Galactic Journey.
The Friday Five on a Sunday
Sep. 14th, 2025 01:30 pmnanila- What is your favourite fruit?
Guava. Close behind are mango, papaya, and sweet sop. I will never turn down a lychee, a peach, a plum, a satsuma, or any berries. Basically, all the fruit. - What is the last book you read?
Alan Tribble’s “The Space Environment: Implications for Spacecraft Design”. It was a real page-turner. Some good example problems, anyway. - Do you like any of your school photos?
No, not really. My smiles in them are all pretty fake. - Do you ever blow-dry your armpits to get the deodorant to dry quicker?
I’m pleased to announce that this has never, ever occurred to me. - What was the last film you watched?
No, shan’t (tell you).
[September 12, 1970] War! What Is It Good For? (October 1970 Fantastic)
Sep. 12th, 2025 04:00 pmgalacticjourney_feedby Victoria Silverwolf The seeming inevitability of armed conflict reared its loathsome head again at the start of this month. The McGovern-Hatfield Amendment, a proposal that would have required the end of American military operations in Vietnam by the end of this year, failed to pass in the United States Senate on September first. The … Continue reading [September 12, 1970] War! What Is It Good For? (October 1970 Fantastic)
The post [September 12, 1970] War! What Is It Good For? (October 1970 <i>Fantastic</i>) appeared first on Galactic Journey.
Know your car warning symbols
Sep. 12th, 2025 02:35 pmmahnmutMy car’s computer talks to me about my bad driving habits and we get into shouting arguments.
Anyways, you should know your car. No need to thank me.
( Read more... )
Anyways, you should know your car. No need to thank me.
( Read more... )
Friday LOL. Know your car warning symbols
Sep. 12th, 2025 02:34 pmmahnmut posting in talkpoliticsMy car’s computer talks to me about my bad driving habits and we get into shouting arguments.
Anyways, you should know your car. No need to thank me.
Anyways, you should know your car. No need to thank me.
podcast friday
Sep. 12th, 2025 07:20 amsabotabbyMy major podcast news is that I finally finished listening to Mike Duncan's French Revolution series. A phrase I remember from the foreword to the copy of Ulysses I read as a teenager always sticks in my head: "you put it down with the triumph of a general suppressing a revolt," or something like that. I commend the effort it took to make this podcast—it's nso much research and writing and analysis and it's an incredibly good history of the French Revolution.
But.
Nothing really sticks in my head. This is possibly because Mike is more interested in dates and names than I am, and more interested in military strategy than either he claims or I can understand. But it's also a factor of his voice, which he can't really help, but I'm quite allergic to what I call NPR Voice. I just kind of drift off. It's kind of like, "this happened, and then this person did this. How droll." I have the same problem with Conspirituality sometimes, and pretty much all the time with Democracy Now. It just slides off my brain. Nevertheless it's worth listening to if that is not a problem for you.
But.
Nothing really sticks in my head. This is possibly because Mike is more interested in dates and names than I am, and more interested in military strategy than either he claims or I can understand. But it's also a factor of his voice, which he can't really help, but I'm quite allergic to what I call NPR Voice. I just kind of drift off. It's kind of like, "this happened, and then this person did this. How droll." I have the same problem with Conspirituality sometimes, and pretty much all the time with Democracy Now. It just slides off my brain. Nevertheless it's worth listening to if that is not a problem for you.
SOTD: Twice, "Merry & Happy"
Sep. 11th, 2025 08:39 pmbrithistorianThis morning the YouTube Music app decided I needed to hear "Merry & Happy" by Twice. Even though it's a Christmas song, I listened to it, because I love this song. It lifted my spirits, so I went back and listened to it again, which lifted my spirits some more. So now I'm sharing it with you.
After this experience, my daily affirmation for today was "Take joy wherever you can find it. If that means listening to Christmas music out of season, so be it."
[September 10, 1970] Underground Comix Light a New Path
Sep. 10th, 2025 04:00 pmgalacticjourney_feedby Jason Sacks Mainstream American comics have been struggling to hold on to their readership in 1970, even as major counterculture movements grow in college towns and big cities across America. As we reel from the terrors of Kent State and the Nixon administration, people in their teens and early twenties seem to have grown … Continue reading [September 10, 1970] Underground Comix Light a New Path
The post [September 10, 1970] Underground Comix Light a New Path appeared first on Galactic Journey.
Reading Wednesday
Sep. 10th, 2025 07:34 amsabotabby Just finished: Nothing.
Currently reading: Notes From a Regicide by Isaac Fellman. I'm getting near the end of this and it's so good. By the way, fantasy authors, this is how you do worldbuilding. Fellman isn't concerned with why things work as they do, the details of how the post-apocalyptic New York functions or why Stephensport is stuck in time; everything is character, narrowed to the focus of Griffon and Etoine. Even Zaffre's rebel activities are in soft focus—we know there are revolutionary trans nuns (hell yeah) but Etoine is so hyperfocused on her, and what she represents, that the scale and scope of their rebellion are outside the scope of his understanding.
And it's just written so well. There's a subtle strangeness to all of the language that is just weird and offputting enough to feel like journal entries of two men across a gap of time and culture, not only from us, but from each other.
Currently reading: Notes From a Regicide by Isaac Fellman. I'm getting near the end of this and it's so good. By the way, fantasy authors, this is how you do worldbuilding. Fellman isn't concerned with why things work as they do, the details of how the post-apocalyptic New York functions or why Stephensport is stuck in time; everything is character, narrowed to the focus of Griffon and Etoine. Even Zaffre's rebel activities are in soft focus—we know there are revolutionary trans nuns (hell yeah) but Etoine is so hyperfocused on her, and what she represents, that the scale and scope of their rebellion are outside the scope of his understanding.
And it's just written so well. There's a subtle strangeness to all of the language that is just weird and offputting enough to feel like journal entries of two men across a gap of time and culture, not only from us, but from each other.
Costume Bracket: Quarter Final, Post 3
Sep. 9th, 2025 08:21 pmpurplecatTwo Doctor Who companion outfits for your delectation and delight! Outfits selected by a mixture of ones I, personally, like; lists on the internet; and a certain random element.
( Outfits below the Cut )
Vote for your favourite of these costumes. Use whatever criteria you please - most practical, most outrageously spacey, most of its decade!
Voting will remain open for at least a week, possibly longer!
Costume Bracket Masterlist
Images are a mixture of my own screencaps, screencaps from Lost in Time Graphics, PCJ's Whoniverse Gallery, and random Google searches.
( Outfits below the Cut )
Vote for your favourite of these costumes. Use whatever criteria you please - most practical, most outrageously spacey, most of its decade!
Voting will remain open for at least a week, possibly longer!
Costume Bracket Masterlist
Images are a mixture of my own screencaps, screencaps from Lost in Time Graphics, PCJ's Whoniverse Gallery, and random Google searches.
Recent Reading: Tales of Earthsea
Sep. 9th, 2025 10:23 amrocky41_7 posting in booksWe're back at the Earthsea Cycle with book 5: Tales of Earthsea. This book is a collection of short stories set in Earthsea, crafted as a kind of bridge between books 4 and 6.
Friends may recall that the last book, Tehanu, was not my favorite of the series, although I appreciate what Le Guin was doing. In Tales of Earthsea, we get the best of both worlds in a sense--a return to the fantasy adventure themes of the original trilogy combined with Le Guin's updated views on gender and roles. Like Tehanu, Tales of Earthsea is no longer really children's fiction. Sex, substance abuse, child abuse, and various other mature themes are much more present here than in the original trilogy. These later Earthsea books read like they were written for the then-adult fans of the original trilogy, and I think it works well.
In each of the five stories of Tales of Earthsea, Le Guin is introducing us to elements of Earthsea society not seen before in the series: How women ended up being excluded from wizardry, a young man with the ability to become a wizard (the magical aptitude) who decides he wants another sort of life for himself, a wizard of Roke who misuses his power and chooses not to return although he is invited to, a woman who wants to study at Roke but is refused. In this way, Le Guin gives much breadth to the world of Earthsea by introducing these stories outside the "mainstream" Earthsea narratives.
I respect that Le Guin doesn't just try to retcon the sexism written into the earlier Earthsea books--instead, she really tries here to reckon with how the women of Earthsea manage it, how they get around it, and how it hurts them. The resultant picture feels realistic, up to and including how frustrating it is to watch women be excluded from the school of Roke despite having helped found it.
She continues with her theme of unexpected heroes--protagonists who are average people from little nothing towns on little nothing islands who despite expectations prove themselves capable of great things, which is always fun to watch.
We get backstory on several things present in the original trilogy, like the founding of the school and some history of Ged's first teacher, Ogion, which was great fun (and once again I am screaming clapping cheering as the specialist boy in all of Earthsea Ged makes a cameo).
A very enjoyable read overall, and I feel properly enthused and excited for the next book.
Friends may recall that the last book, Tehanu, was not my favorite of the series, although I appreciate what Le Guin was doing. In Tales of Earthsea, we get the best of both worlds in a sense--a return to the fantasy adventure themes of the original trilogy combined with Le Guin's updated views on gender and roles. Like Tehanu, Tales of Earthsea is no longer really children's fiction. Sex, substance abuse, child abuse, and various other mature themes are much more present here than in the original trilogy. These later Earthsea books read like they were written for the then-adult fans of the original trilogy, and I think it works well.
In each of the five stories of Tales of Earthsea, Le Guin is introducing us to elements of Earthsea society not seen before in the series: How women ended up being excluded from wizardry, a young man with the ability to become a wizard (the magical aptitude) who decides he wants another sort of life for himself, a wizard of Roke who misuses his power and chooses not to return although he is invited to, a woman who wants to study at Roke but is refused. In this way, Le Guin gives much breadth to the world of Earthsea by introducing these stories outside the "mainstream" Earthsea narratives.
I respect that Le Guin doesn't just try to retcon the sexism written into the earlier Earthsea books--instead, she really tries here to reckon with how the women of Earthsea manage it, how they get around it, and how it hurts them. The resultant picture feels realistic, up to and including how frustrating it is to watch women be excluded from the school of Roke despite having helped found it.
She continues with her theme of unexpected heroes--protagonists who are average people from little nothing towns on little nothing islands who despite expectations prove themselves capable of great things, which is always fun to watch.
We get backstory on several things present in the original trilogy, like the founding of the school and some history of Ged's first teacher, Ogion, which was great fun (and once again I am screaming clapping cheering as the specialist boy in all of Earthsea Ged makes a cameo).
A very enjoyable read overall, and I feel properly enthused and excited for the next book.
America's biggest problem
Sep. 9th, 2025 01:01 pmnairiporter posting in talkpoliticshttps://time.com/7297269/founders-wealth-inequality-could-destroy
Economic inequality in the US has reached record levels, with nearly 70% of wealth concentrated in the hands of the richest 10%. Corporate profits and shareholder dividends have skyrocketed over the past five decades, while the share of economic growth reaching workers has steadily declined. By 2023, the working class had effectively lost the gains it had built up since the post World War 2 era.
This growing wealth gap threatens American democracy itself. The poorest half of the population owns just 3% of the nation's wealth, and the consequences are visible in worsening health outcomes, rising addiction and suicide rates, and increasing family instability. At the same time, the influence of the wealthy over politics has deepened, eroding trust in institutions and fueling populist, often authoritarian movements.
If the US is to preserve democracy and social stability, restoring the idea of "general welfare" as outlined in the Constitution must become a priority. Inequality is not inevitable, but reversing it will require bold, long-term reforms.
Among the possible solutions I think are raising the minimum wage, reforming the tax system to ensure the wealthy pay a fairer share, strengthening labour protections, and investing in affordable healthcare and education. These measures could help rebalance the economy and rebuild trust in democratic institutions. I know, easier said than done, especially with the stance of the current administration.
Economic inequality in the US has reached record levels, with nearly 70% of wealth concentrated in the hands of the richest 10%. Corporate profits and shareholder dividends have skyrocketed over the past five decades, while the share of economic growth reaching workers has steadily declined. By 2023, the working class had effectively lost the gains it had built up since the post World War 2 era.
This growing wealth gap threatens American democracy itself. The poorest half of the population owns just 3% of the nation's wealth, and the consequences are visible in worsening health outcomes, rising addiction and suicide rates, and increasing family instability. At the same time, the influence of the wealthy over politics has deepened, eroding trust in institutions and fueling populist, often authoritarian movements.
If the US is to preserve democracy and social stability, restoring the idea of "general welfare" as outlined in the Constitution must become a priority. Inequality is not inevitable, but reversing it will require bold, long-term reforms.
Among the possible solutions I think are raising the minimum wage, reforming the tax system to ensure the wealthy pay a fairer share, strengthening labour protections, and investing in affordable healthcare and education. These measures could help rebalance the economy and rebuild trust in democratic institutions. I know, easier said than done, especially with the stance of the current administration.
Capclave!
Sep. 8th, 2025 04:41 pmmrissaI have my schedule for Capclave! I'm doing three panels and a reading (should probably figure out what I'm reading...). Here's what we've got:
The Power of Places. Friday, 5:00. Every work of fiction has a setting. This is especially true of science fiction and fantasy where the settings are imaginary – other planets and fantasy realms. How do writers decide on a setting and communicate it to the reader? What makes some settings seem real while others mere painted backdrops? How does society help to shape the world around it? What writers have effective settings and what techniques do they use?
The Absolute Boss. Friday, 7:00. Much of SF/Fantasy has Galactic Emperors and Kings of fantasy kingdoms. We have Disney Princesses but not Disney Elected Leaders. Many plots feature the Return of the King. Why are there so few democracies in SF/Fantasy? What does it mean when our entertainments focus on absolute rulers?
Author Reading, Marissa Lingen. Saturday, 3:00.
Hopeful Fiction for Dark Times. Saturday, 4:00. The world seems to be in a dark place, such that "peddling hope" could appear irresponsible. Panelists will talk about hopepunk, cozy fantasy, and other forms of "lighter" fiction, giving examples, and talking about how hope is particularly important.