December 23rd, 2023

Why Linux is NOT an answer (But it could be)

People thinking that Linux will solve all the issues with Windows 11. However the common consumer doesn’t even know Linux exists sometimes.

TL;DR: There needs to be ONE Linux flavor to rule them all (Debian seems to be the top one), run Windows programs without flaws, have superior driver support for things like VR, needs to be simple and baby, and the community needs to not be whiny techbros.


The problem with Linux is that it can’t do Windows games. yes Proton exists and helps, but it can’t do games with nProtect and other DRM garbage.
Linux can’t do drivers for popular tools. I know the VR especially Oculus support is very much lacking and/or broken. Not even sure my LeapMotion will work.

Proton isn’t an option because I’m betting it’s not a “One click install and works”. Which is what the average user of Windows 10/11 needs. The culture of Linux is also one of “Well they just need to learn CLI and how to do it!” This turns people off and makes Linux look like an arrogant “hobby project”.

Another of what’s bad is all the Linux flavors. Too many and the various setup guides for people that might want to switch are for that flavor. NPM, Yum, Apt-get? If it doesn’t work on their flavor then they just toss it all as ‘too hard’. You want this program? Run a Docker instance? What’s that? Here’s a wall of text and even then it’s not 1 click install.

I too suffer from this. Look to see how to upgrade/fix/install a program and it’s written for Red Hat, Arch or some other flavor. I hate to say there needs to be one flavor and it needs to be stuck to, but that’s why people use Windows. Windows is Windows is Windows. (I know there’s a difference but installing on all windows is the same)

Why do all these Linux people assume that the common consumer understands how to get and install Linux? Most people I know don’t even know how to turn Windows Updates off since it’s a more involved process now.

In regards to people going to throw their computer away when it’s no longer supported.
If the computer can’t be upgraded and isn’t supported by software devs, then they consider it effectively “Obsolete” and they “Need a new computer”. So they shove the one they have in the dump and go buy a new one.

I’ve seen my parents do this before when the computer starts just slowing down. Toss the old, get a new.

Then we get into the Linux community itself which has treated new users with hostility and “RTFM”. Windows users don’t RTFM. Yes they want it babyfed to them and there’s nothing wrong with that. They want to “1 click install, 1 click upgrade” and having a Mint install eat itself alive to where I had to format and reinstall IS NOT AN OPTION. You can’t have a catastrophic failure like that and telling people to “Backup before update” is only for people who have the luxury of money for extra storage and cloud. (Let’s not even talk about the misogyny and racism that goes on)

Yeah I want to see Linux as a defacto too, but like.. the community around it has got to change and there needs to be a flavor you can install no probs..

December 12th, 2017

Itch.io App

The itch.io app has come a long way from when I first got it, however it needs a lot of improvements.

What’s Working:

  • I like that the tabs have their own section. Unlike the Steam client that just pops them up. I have have a list of tabs open.
  • Has a list of my Library with my collections and creations on the side.

What’s Not Working:

  • I really wish I could black list devs and games. There are a lot of games that pop up in my search that I just don’t want to see for whatever reason.
  • No ability to review a game from the app. You have to go to an actual browser to do that. It could easily be put in the sidebar with Buy/Download Now, Share.
  • No ability to follow a dev.
  • No ability to add nor remove a game to a collection. Removing a game could be done by clicking an X when looking at it in the Collections tab.

December 23rd, 2014

Review – Elvine

[Title Image]

This game actually impressed me a bit, as most OELVNs tend be be cliche recycled crap. (See (P)lanets, Halloween Otome, etc.)
This one looks like it values story over trying to be “just like those other VNs” out there. Honestly it’s worth a play.

Story:
The story itself is one of oppression and “last of their race” scenario. Overall it’s done well, BUT, what really killed some of my enjoyment was this “God” bit. Almost as if the game was trying to shove Christianity into it. For one why would the Dragon people ever follow a human god..ever. People make their gods in their image, so having the human god be the “one true god” didn’t feel all that believable in the end. I know I expected there to be a dragon god that was discovered or that “god” didn’t exist or was some outside alienish force. That never happens so the narrative feels broken that in the end the dragon people still believe in the human “God”.
The story is one you need to replay to get it all, which I didn’t mind since it’s short enough
Characters:
The characters are solid and they are all given backstory. None of them felt out of place.
Music & Sound:
The music was appropriate, nothing to write home about though.
Overall:
Overall this is a decent game that actually explores some of the social justice issues around different races, however it’s marred by having the “God” story bits in them. It’s worth a play through or two.
[Screenshots]

February 13th, 2014

Quick Review – Halloween Otome

Halloween Otome Title
Halloween Otome Title

I’ll make this one short and sweet as I couldn’t put up with the blatant misogyny in this “otome game”.
First off the MC (Main Character) and her friend both look like they were referenced from a “bishoujo game” basically a for male audience game, thus the skimpy outfits, broken uncomfortable arm anatomy to show off breasts etc. This is supposed to be an otome game, I am playing this to get away from bishoujoge bullshit. Yet.. there it is!!

These next ones speak for themselves. Let’s to say Mr. Misogyny was sure that I was hitting the kill switch on this game fast.

Firstly the “FEEEEMALES!!” one… He refers to old men as MEN.. not “Old males”, but women are clearly FEMALES. A dehumanizing term.

Next is the “Excuse me this is NO JOB FOR A LADY” bullshit. Yeah seriously, GTFO of otome games Mr. Misogyny.

Lest to say I hit the exit button and didn’t look back. It MIGHT have been a better game except for this bullshit. I am NOT going to sit through this crap.

August 9th, 2013

Review – Rei

Snap 2013-08-09 at 00.35.06Rei is a short Visual Novel made by Sonnet009 in three days for the Pulse Pounding Heart Stopping Dating Sim Jam 2013.  It’s about Aya, who is forced to go ghost hunting with her friend and finds Rei, a ghost that can’t move on thanks to his fuzzy memory. Of course you get to help him and in that you can find romance.

There are I supposed technically two guys you can romance, however they are the same person, just past and present. I’ve only gotten two out of four endings so I don’t know how all of them end up.

The Story:

Overall the story is unique, it’s got a few moments in it that are sexist, like when you say you don’t believe in love you get told “How can you even call yourself a girl” and your going to be an old cat lady, but overall the experience was nice. The story is solid and short and didn’t leave a lot of loose ends to tie up. For a game made in three days, that’s saying a lot that it has a beginning, middle, end and no dangling story.

I can see the story being expanded to include more ghost histories and trying to save them all or only a special one, and a possible harem ending. :D

Characters:

There are only three major character and one minor character.
Risa, Aya and Rei and the minor Taka.
Risa is mostly there as a catalyst to drag you to school and act as a check when your character completes some routes.
Rei is of course the main target in the game. Both the present and past Rei. He’s the jerk type, but if you pick the right options he’s not that much of one. Not like the typical verbal abusing assholes of other otome games.
Taka, well, his character is more of a spoiler than anything, but he’s involved with Rei somehow.
Aya is a nice character and not a doormat. So that is awesome, and most of her choices are given to you so you can basically guide her character how you want. Which is another nice thing.

Art:

This is going to be short because all the art of the game comes from 3rd parties.
Tokudaya and +cube+ specifically. Which means it super nice art, but you might recognize some of the characters or backgrounds.

Music/Sound:

This is where I felt it needed major improvement. There is only ONE sound, and that’s the school bell. Either some more spooky ambient sounds to set the mood or some music or something would have been nice. Maybe have added those at the end and again from a free materials source.

Overall:

Overall Rei is a nice quick game to kill some time and offers 4 routes to play for some replay value. The story can certainly branch out into a fuller game if the author wanted and it could use some more sounds.