Random Thoughts

I love classical music because of how ethereal it is. Similar to water, it is extremely malleable. It can be calming and gentle, then cascade into a maelstrom of incredible power and passion, and yet can maintain a somber tone. Some of the lyrics, come from a lost civilization which just gives the genre a mystic quality.


While I am not religious, this type of music entrances me. It's so soothing that I feel as if I am touching the hand of God. No wonder why it's endured for so long, it has a magical quality to it.

 
Sadiq Khan is going to win as London Mayor in 2021.

London is a Labour stronghold. None of the opposition have a chance with the London crowd, I hate to say it.
 
thepeaguy83 said:
Sadiq Khan is going to win as London Mayor in 2021.

London is a Labour stronghold. None of the opposition have a chance with the London crowd, I hate to say it.
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First time I'm voting in the mayor elections. Though I don't think they have any real power, it would be a massive shame if Sadiq wins.
 
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Hey, Boris was the mayor of London before becoming PM (at least, that's what I gathered from watching old Top Gear), so who knows how things could end up?
 
Labour lost Hartlepool, which is one of their political strongholds, to the Tories in the by-election today.

That's what happens when a party that caters to students demean the working class (which I'm a member of) as being thick and racist.

It's as if they want to deliberately lose.
 
thepeaguy83 said:
Labour lost Hartlepool, which is one of their political strongholds, to the Tories in the by-election today.

That's what happens when a party that caters to students demean the working class (which I'm a member of) as being thick and racist.

It's as if they want to deliberately lose.
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Classic example of leaders (business and political) appealing to those who scream the loudest and not the reality of the situation. Last election, I reckon if Labour just said they are going to reduce childcare fees and respect the Brexit vote, I reckon they would be in a much better position than they are now. The party is falling apart.
 
Nathanial Essex said:
Classic example of leaders (business and political) appealing to those who scream the loudest and not the reality of the situation. Last election, I reckon if Labour just said they are going to reduce childcare fees and respect the Brexit vote, I reckon they would be in a much better position than they are now. The party is falling apart.
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If they want to lose more of these elections, please continue to demean the non-academics for choosing to vote for Brexit on social media.
 
To be honest, I hate living in a big populated city. There's trash and graffiti everywhere and I don't like being around a large number of noisy people. If I could afford to move to a more rural area, I would move in a heartbeat.
 
Why do people insist on Sunday being the first day of the week on a calendar? Both physical and digital versions. Does my head in. People think they're being smart by doing I this way but Sunday is NOT the first day of the week in Europe and most of the world.
 
Nathanial Essex said:
Why do people insist on Sunday being the first day of the week on a calendar? Both physical and digital versions. Does my head in. People think they're being smart by doing I this way but Sunday is NOT the first day of the week in Europe and most of the world.
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Whilst I'm firmly behind Monday being the first day of the week, there is merit to it being Sunday.

So, let's say you have a task that you have to complete each week, but can be done at any time. One weekend is a write-off though, be it through goin out or sickness or holiday or whatever. That means you have to get it done during the week, and most people traditionally work Mon-Fri.

What the Sun-Sat week provides is an opportunity for the weekly task to be completed across a single weekend, leaving the next one free. This is helpful for side-jobs in particular.

It's a very specific benefit, but as I work Sun-Weds for a US company, it's useful for me, as it means the start of my shift week is also the start of the actual week. Everything gets reset the day I start, so everything is clean and contained.

But as far as I'm concerned, Mon-Sun is the proper week.
 
We use Google Suite at work and the calendar defaults to start on a Sunday. I've accidentally booked a number of Monday meetings for the Sunday as my eye just goes to the first day of that week.
 
Do you think the video game industry puts way too much focus on Metacritic?

I was talking with a friend of mine today. He mainly writes about the film industry but he said something of interest to me today.

"Remember those pre-social media days when people into genre cinema didn't care what other people thought and when we didn't need IMDB or box office numbers to judge a genre film's quality? I probably miss that more than anything."

And it got me to thinking about the video game industry in general and how both fans and those in the industry put way too much focus on Metacritic scores because the higher your score is, the more likely your game will sell.

It got me to thinking, was it ever different? Before social media, it was video game magazines and what not, but did it matter less back then than it does now? Have we always dependent on score? Are we too dependent on score?

I've said here a few times before that I miss days of AA games because AA games were where developers tried the most interesting of things. Where as AAA has become so bloated and so samey in many regards that it feels like we haven't had a genuine new idea in a long time as we just keep doing the same type of games over and over.

I don't know, I guess I'm asking did the reliance on Metacritic fuck things up?
 
Sales figures and the use of metacritic is more a publisher/parent company thing rather than a studio decision. If a business isn't using these kinda metrics to influence what areas they invest their money in, then they're not doing their job properly.

Even non-profit organisations have to do this kinda thing to a certain degree. If one large area only has three farms and a small village with a large unemployment rate, then why waste resources trying to fund raise there when they can do so in an area more densely populated where the average household income is significantly higher?

You are right that we - as consumers - did this before metacritic and social media though. If a film has numerous "five star ratings" plastered all over its posters, people are more willing to watch it. If others reckon it's that good, then chances are you'll maybe have a better time watching it than one with three stars. Cinema tickets are expensive.

On the flip side, you're more likely to watch those lower-rated ones when they come on TV, as you've essentially already paid for it. This is where cult classics come in. If you loved it, you might buy it on video or DVD of whatever.

Likewise with video games, those lesser-known titles tend to be bought second-hand or rented. They do nothing for sales figures though, which kinda fucks up things up for the whole "vote with your wallet" idea.

This is why I prefer buying digital. New, physical copies cost a frankly unaffordable amount nowadays, whereas if you're like me and don't need the latest releases "right here, right now", you can wait for it to come down in price, and the money is still distributed to the creators, and it adds to the sales figures executives are looking at.

It's not the best solution, obviously, but I'm not fucking paying >£50 for shit I used to pay 50p for down at the market (yes, yes, they were second hand, which kinda shits on my point, but I'm still not spending that much to twiddle my thumbs and change the colour of pixels on my telly)
 
danielmann861 said:
Do you think the video game industry puts way too much focus on Metacritic?

I was talking with a friend of mine today. He mainly writes about the film industry but he said something of interest to me today.

"Remember those pre-social media days when people into genre cinema didn't care what other people thought and when we didn't need IMDB or box office numbers to judge a genre film's quality? I probably miss that more than anything."

And it got me to thinking about the video game industry in general and how both fans and those in the industry put way too much focus on Metacritic scores because the higher your score is, the more likely your game will sell.

It got me to thinking, was it ever different? Before social media, it was video game magazines and whatnot, but did it matter less back then than it does now? Have we always dependent on scores? Are we too dependent on the score?

I've said here a few times before that I miss days of AA games because AA games were where developers tried the most interesting of things. Whereas AAA has become so bloated and so samey in many regards that it feels like we haven't had a genuinely new idea in a long time as we just keep doing the same type of games over and over.

I don't know, I guess I'm asking did the reliance on Metacritic fuck things up?
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No, it did not. If Metacritic was not used as a social barometer then something else would take its place. Humans, like most other species, are social creatures who desire to belong in a social group. These groups will inevitably evolve into hierarchies giving some individuals more value than others.

When it comes to gaming, I tend to see more originality coming from Independent Studios rather than AAA publishers and/or developers. While I can not speak for any developer, I believe that they do it for the love of the craft which makes sense when you think about it. Gaming is now big business with huge amounts of money invested into software, hardware, marketing, accessories, events, etc.

Therefore, if you invest more, it makes sense that you would need a higher return on your investment. This explains why (in my opinion), most corporations are extremely risk-averse nowadays. Also, (I am not trying to justify this), why corporations try to use underhanded methods (such as loot boxes) to extract money from individuals. When you are an Independent developer without much capital though, you can afford to take more risks without the consequences being too severe.

This is true for any business if we are being honest. As they are simply just manipulating social psychology for profit. However, at the end of the day, none of these metrics can assess your enjoyment of a product and/or service. None of these metrics can define your tastes in entertainment. Do not place too much value on what others say as it might make you miss out on something you genuinely enjoy.

Thank you for your thought-provoking question.
 
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