Journal of Other Forum Analysis (Volume II, Issue 2)

[HaughtyFrank]

I wonder if they’ll pick this one up on Era…

The give away should have been that the edited version is a coherent sentence. The unedited one has me scratching my head

Some 54 minutes later, when Mr Trump was talking about elections being “corrupt”, he said of voters on election day: “Most people would stand there at 9 o’clock in the evening and say I wanna thank you very much, and they go off to some other life but I said something’s wrong here, something’s really wrong, can’t have happened, and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country any more.”

[Uncle]

god that veilguard scene is so shit

"it means I don't feel like a man or a woman"

yeah no shit you're neither man nor woman, you're qunari

you're not from the race of men

did you mean that you don't feel male or female?

"and I'm going to use they instead of she from now on"

no you're not, you're going to try to force everyone else to use "they" from now on, you're not changing your own behavior one bit except to start throwing fits when others don't pander to you

[Greatness Gone]

what do you mean, toothlessness?? they have tough conversations full of passion and conflict all the time, like this

The worst crime of Veilguard is that the player character is so agreeable. You can't even tell this dumb fuck that they are a dumb fuck. 

genuinely there was a time in video games like this when you could have a major impact on your party members' outlook on life and nudge them toward being non-binary or not, and it would affect future conversations and their combat barks and everything, and it was awesome

in Pillars of Eternity, you have this stern and guarded elf mage on your team named Aloth, he suffers from a sort of magical multiple personality disorder, with the spirit of a feisty low-born peasant woman taking over his body in high stress situations, who initially saved him by beating the shit out of his abusive father but tends to escalate tensions at the exact wrong moment

this is a pretty identity-based thing, right? Aloth is literally a "system" and ultimately you can talk him into embracing his other half or suppressing her, and both are valid decisions with logical, reasonable discussions surrounding that choice


or look at Skyrim, where the only companion with any story or personality is Serana from Dawnguard, who is basically girl Alucard, and you can nudge her into giving up her vampirism or accepting it

and oddly enough, the path to talking her out of it involves not pressing the issue, just kind of being quietly accepting...if you push her, she gets angry with you and doubles down on how vampirism is a part of who she is, but if you don't question it and treat her for who she is, eventually she gets to the point of wanting to give it up, which is an interesting conversation all its own

again, both choices are treated as valid in the game and it's actually interesting storytelling, world building, and character development

shadowheart w/shar & laezel w/vlaakith in BG3 also have the same thing going on. Handled a million times better in that game. 

in regard to taash, it's so sad because BioWare used to have writers that had zero trouble recontextualizing "controversial" real life elements into vidya. 
http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=21953.msg1061833#msg1061833

The Jewish Diaspora was one of my inspirations when I was writing about the quarians in ME1 and ME2, though it's rarely overt. The ship, system, and planet names I contributed were built with Hebrew phonemes. Listen to how Legion pronounces the "och" of "Rannoch" in ME2 - the VO notes expressly asked DC Douglas to pronounce it like a Hebrew phrase. The prayer used to open Rael'Zorah's trial directly paraphrases a Jewish blessing:

"Blessed are the Ancestors who kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Keelah se'lai."
"Blessed are You, Lord, God, King of the Universe, who gave us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season."

SF writers take inspiration from real life, film at eleven.

I had no hand in ME3, but there was a very clear parallel in the earlier games. When quarians weren't being ghettoized by other species, they were isolating themselves to maintain their cultural identity. They kept their own counsel, relied on their own strength, and dreamed of a return to their Homeland. Yes, there's also Romani in there with the mobile fleet, but I preferred to emphasize the Jewish aspects - the bits that emphasized the antiquity and strength of their cultural identity, their practical approach to life, and the mystical leanings of their philosophy (the ship captain's blessing, the prayers that open and close the trial).

EDIT: And also - duh - the closeness of family and the importance of community bonds. I tried to get that in from the very first moments of Migrant Fleet in ME2 (I did the first draft, Patrick Weekes did extensive rewrites) - the fleet controller doesn't just say, "identity confirmed." He says, "Welcome home, Tali'Zorah."

[Greatness Gone]

speaking of RPGs that shit on BioWare's. I'm replaying Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines for the first time since 2010...crazy how much writing has devolved in the time since it came out. Troika was too good for this world. 

 

quick aside: the community controller config for this game works shockingly well

[Uncle]

when I think of good RPG writing I always remember literally standing in place for a half hour or more in Planescape Torment and still being captivated by just the text

[killamajig]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/an-employee-of-yours-was-involved-in-a-car-crash-the-night-before-the-report-reaches-your-desk-two-days-later-it-turns-out-he-was-driving-drunk.1342675/#post-147205885
First post

Drunk driving ruins lives and families. Fire them so they can have a good long think about what they've done.

Didn't even read the first sentence

No one died.

 

Do you fire them?
Yea
Votes: 145.   62.0%
Nope
Votes: 88       37.6%

These hypocrites hate cops because they ain't cops!

I got more sympathy for criminals and I was a prison guard. 😂

[HaughtyFrank]

what do you mean, toothlessness?? they have tough conversations full of passion and conflict all the time, like this

The worst crime of Veilguard is that the player character is so agreeable. You can't even tell this dumb fuck that they are a dumb fuck. 

genuinely there was a time in video games like this when you could have a major impact on your party members' outlook on life and nudge them toward being non-binary or not, and it would affect future conversations and their combat barks and everything, and it was awesome

in Pillars of Eternity, you have this stern and guarded elf mage on your team named Aloth, he suffers from a sort of magical multiple personality disorder, with the spirit of a feisty low-born peasant woman taking over his body in high stress situations, who initially saved him by beating the shit out of his abusive father but tends to escalate tensions at the exact wrong moment

this is a pretty identity-based thing, right? Aloth is literally a "system" and ultimately you can talk him into embracing his other half or suppressing her, and both are valid decisions with logical, reasonable discussions surrounding that choice


or look at Skyrim, where the only companion with any story or personality is Serana from Dawnguard, who is basically girl Alucard, and you can nudge her into giving up her vampirism or accepting it

and oddly enough, the path to talking her out of it involves not pressing the issue, just kind of being quietly accepting...if you push her, she gets angry with you and doubles down on how vampirism is a part of who she is, but if you don't question it and treat her for who she is, eventually she gets to the point of wanting to give it up, which is an interesting conversation all its own

again, both choices are treated as valid in the game and it's actually interesting storytelling, world building, and character development

The funny thing is you can do that while still having the "correct" politics. Let me say that I think the whole non-binary thing is cookoo crazy and then let Taash defend her position. If written well enough you could actually have an interesting conflict here and end on a "well I don't understand you but I accept you" or whatever note. Acceptance that's just automatic feels meaningless.

Of course the problem is that even voicing any kind of concern is already considered a huge no-no and would probably have some people absolutely lose their shit. Instead let's write some codex entries about how Taash likes to smell girls, yeah, that'll make people accepting of non-binary

[Jansen]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/us-era-do-you-rely-on-snap-benefits-to-survive-poll.1342630/

Dr poop where u @

[Lonewulfeus]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/theres-something-going-on-with-jd-vance-and-erika-kirk.1341571/page-6#post-147207655

Two things that will never get old, Charlie Kirk Jokes and Charlie Kirk.

Switters posting his best material on resetera instead of here

[HeavenIsAPlaceOnEarth]

Sometimes I wonder if these black era posters have ever met a black person.

What I've learnt from the black posters of era is that white people hate black people but love black culture which is why all white culture is actually just stolen from black people. In fact anything and everything that white people have was stolen from black people in one way or another. Black people have the answers to everything but white people are too racist to listen to them. Black people are completely powerless and dependent on white people which is why they bear no responsibility for anything. It's up to white people to solves all the ills of the world but they are just too racist to do so. White people will completely screw themselves over if it means it will hurt a black person.

Black people are from heaven, white people are from Satan's anus.

[Greatness Gone]

benji please found out wtf this idiot does for a living. or maybe even find out if he's a real, living person and not AI? he said he does "sales" but I don't believe it. 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/corporate-folks-do-you-interviews-to-keep-your-interview-skills-fresh.1342141/

[Nintex]

I wonder if they’ll pick this one up on Era…

The give away should have been that the edited version is a coherent sentence. The unedited one has me scratching my head

Some 54 minutes later, when Mr Trump was talking about elections being “corrupt”, he said of voters on election day: “Most people would stand there at 9 o’clock in the evening and say I wanna thank you very much, and they go off to some other life but I said something’s wrong here, something’s really wrong, can’t have happened, and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country any more.”

They were unable to get Trump for January 6th because he was right that they hid Biden away, the COVID policy was a scam and mail-in voting was fraudulent af. Not to mention the dubious role the 3 letter agencies played on January 6th and covering for Hunter Biden. All the lies eventually destroyed the Joe Biden presidency.

They could never in a million years admit that Trump was right about something let alone everything.

Kamala still keeps up the lie that Joe Biden was and is fit to serve. The others just hope people forget they put an autopen in the white house and let Vladimir Putin, Hamas and Xi run amock for 4 years.

[HaughtyFrank]

Sometimes I wonder if these black era posters have ever met a black person.

What I've learnt from the black posters of era is that white people hate black people but love black culture which is why all white culture is actually just stolen from black people. In fact anything and everything that white people have was stolen from black people in one way or another. Black people have the answers to everything but white people are too racist to listen to them. Black people are completely powerless and dependent on white people which is why they bear no responsibility for anything. It's up to white people to solves all the ills of the world but they are just too racist to do so. White people will completely screw themselves over if it means it will hurt a black person.

Black people are from heaven, white people are from Satan's anus.

Listen 👏 to 👏 black 👏 women 👏 

NOT HER

[Nintex]

NICKI MINAJ FOR TRUMP

[simiansmarts]

The Candace Owens, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj podcast is gonna go crazy 
 
Featured Guest: Nick Fuentes 
 

[HeavenIsAPlaceOnEarth]

"and I'm going to use they instead of she from now on"

Player Character: "You're going to refer to yourself in the third-person, you fuckin' weirdo?"

The funny thing is you can do that while still having the "correct" politics.

False, chud. The correct politics means you agree with me completely and there is no conflict. Anything else is transphobic and bigoted.



Fun fact: Every texture option for female faces in the character creator contains some degree of 5'oclock shadow. There is a mod to fix this. The modder thought it was some kind of bug, but it's baked in to the textures themselves.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/trump-readies-us-troops-for-ground-invasion-in-mexico-to-go-after-drug-cartels-report.1342183/page-4#post-147205915

I didn't want to get into politics on this site but here it is.

Cartels are smart. The US Government also has surveillance on most of their activities, but they choose to not get involved. Why? Because out right bombing them via drone will just create a arms race that will make them harder to find and deal with. They will evolve and likely start targeting Americans. This will create the ultimate quagmire of shit shows. The Genie will NOT be going back into the bottle!

Nobody is going to end the cartels with brute force.

Groups of Cartel members would quit, or turn on each other...fighting their way out if need be. Higher ups would turn on their bosses for the US.

The only reason they have members is because those members think they are on the winning team.. they have the power. The moment a military starts fighting them, let alone the most powerful military in the world, they would be like "fuck this!!".

This is different than a small country fighting for their home land...fighting an invasion. Having pride, and desperation, to protect their only homes and families.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/trump-readies-us-troops-for-ground-invasion-in-mexico-to-go-after-drug-cartels-report.1342183/page-4#post-147206914

This is Trumps military. I can easily see them murdering civilians with impunity and worse actions that set the stage for a situation beyond just a fight with the cartels.

This isn't a movie... the cartels aren't going to be joining up with Mexican civilians or the Mexican army to fight the US Military. All lovey dovey all the sudden.

Edit- seriously, play the scenario step by step in your mind. At which point does it seem unrealistic?

[Nintex]

Cartels are smart == Hamas are brave warriors

I think he'll take Maduro out and makes a "deal" with whomever is leading the cartels.
10% for Mr. Trump. 

[Boredfrom]

Maduro in Mexico?

[Boredfrom]

I don’t think Afrikans’ reasoning is wrong… but he also underestimating how logistically difficult is going to be taking down the cartels in a country with open corruption:

If it ever happens (which I doubt), it would done in *cooperation* with the Mexican Government. Be it remote assisting the Mexican Military. Or joint operations.

*cooperation by pressure, to save face. "We're going to do it anyway. Go along with us and make it seem like a joint idea, or answer to your media and citizens about how/why it got to this point..and how you're going to respond."

I mean:

https://www.proceso.com.mx/nacional/politica/2025/10/27/fernandez-norona-llora-por-palestina-durante-transmision-en-vivo-video-361642.html

They are as cynical as Trump and people believe them.

[DavidCroquet]

Well if there is anything America loves, its going into countries with corrupt and ineffectual governments to shoot guns at phantoms for 20 years at a time.

[Boredfrom]

I mean, the cartel might not even have to respond directly. If Trump comes in the way he does he'll be attacking Mexican people, and the Mexican army itself will have to get involved. Meanwhile the cartel sits back and says, "Look at the alternative to us, we never bombed our cities at least"

 

The army is not going to move a hand in either direction. In fact, this could be a good way to wash their hands of their cartel connections depending on how Trump actually goes through this.

[Polident]

Well if there is anything America loves, its going into countries with corrupt and ineffectual governments to shoot guns at phantoms for 20 years at a time.

Ten years of jingoistic media followed by ten years of apologetic media 

Patriot Bell rebranding

[HaughtyFrank]

Trump watching too much Sicario



Sure looks cool but as soon as some rando civilian ends up in the crossfire its a shitshow

[Uncle]

I mean, the cartel might not even have to respond directly. If Trump comes in the way he does he'll be attacking Mexican people, and the Mexican army itself will have to get involved. Meanwhile the cartel sits back and says, "Look at the alternative to us, we never bombed our cities at least"

 

The army is not going to move a hand in either direction. In fact, this could be a good way to wash their hands of their cartel connections depending on how Trump actually goes through this.

are you actually mildly hopeful?

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/remember-2024s-awful-coca-cola-ai-christmas-ad-well-theyve-learned-their-lesson-and-nah-just-kidding.1342726/#post-147209158

When Google searching for image references online for my art, I just stop my search at 2020. Just because there's no point.

[Potato]

Another peak Reeeee thread

https://www.resetera.com/threads/jennifer-lawrence-unsure-she-should-keep-criticizing-trump-talking-politics-not-rage-bait.1342174/

Full of "nice to be able to opt out" comments from idiots who are scared to even go on marches or actually get active and instead like to play tough on the internet and purity test.

Resetera is the place where users are routinely scared to respectfully tell people to stop talking at the cinema because of their 'anxiety'. I'm supposed to believe these people are serious? That they know how to face off against MAGA 'chuds'?



I wonder how many people in that thread talk about their politics at work, especially in corporate roles, and find that it goes well? Or do they sit quietly seething that people can't be banned in real life.

if you read between the lines of jennifer's statement, or not even that, just...read the fuck what she says, she's being tactical

she's saying look motherfuckers, I'm making subtly woke movies, trying to change hearts and minds with little lessons here and there, making peoples' hearts go out to immigrants and shit

if I say fuck trump, the people who need to hear the message of my movie won't go see it and find those little moments that quietly start to change minds

era is too idiotic to see this

So you're saying she's using her white privilege to make millions of dollars on the back of the slave labour of the Global South?

Got it. Collaborator.

[Potato]

what do you mean, toothlessness?? they have tough conversations full of passion and conflict all the time, like this

The worst crime of Veilguard is that the player character is so agreeable. You can't even tell this dumb fuck that they are a dumb fuck. 

genuinely there was a time in video games like this when you could have a major impact on your party members' outlook on life and nudge them toward being non-binary or not, and it would affect future conversations and their combat barks and everything, and it was awesome

in Pillars of Eternity, you have this stern and guarded elf mage on your team named Aloth, he suffers from a sort of magical multiple personality disorder, with the spirit of a feisty low-born peasant woman taking over his body in high stress situations, who initially saved him by beating the shit out of his abusive father but tends to escalate tensions at the exact wrong moment

this is a pretty identity-based thing, right? Aloth is literally a "system" and ultimately you can talk him into embracing his other half or suppressing her, and both are valid decisions with logical, reasonable discussions surrounding that choice


or look at Skyrim, where the only companion with any story or personality is Serana from Dawnguard, who is basically girl Alucard, and you can nudge her into giving up her vampirism or accepting it

and oddly enough, the path to talking her out of it involves not pressing the issue, just kind of being quietly accepting...if you push her, she gets angry with you and doubles down on how vampirism is a part of who she is, but if you don't question it and treat her for who she is, eventually she gets to the point of wanting to give it up, which is an interesting conversation all its own

again, both choices are treated as valid in the game and it's actually interesting storytelling, world building, and character development

So you're saying that you should be able to suppress trans joy in your video games. 

Got it. Collaborator. 

[Hap Shaughnessy]

https://www.reddit.com/r/lokean/comments/1onsscg/hi_everyone/

Hi Everyone

Hi I've had a lot of profound religious experiences with Loki the last few months. I am a Death and Fate witch. And know know death well.

A few months back I had them puppet me about and it spoke out of my mouth. I even experienced my duvet depress. And long story short it got to the point where it eventually claimed to be Loki and it was my God.

Although on Saturday 27th of September I [redacted] myself, but I woke up, covered in dried blood and a trickle of dried blood from my throat. The voice told me someone had cut my throat in the night after I have pictures of the aftermath of what happened, however miracles happen, but I know there's rules against disturbing images on Reddit. But if you want to discuss I can show you pictures over DM because I want to respect Reddit's rules.

There's so much more to to the story unfortunately if I told it in full you'd find it unbelievable, but Gods are real, Loki is very real. A Death wytches' path can be lonely and dangerous.

But Loki says hi, and he loves you, hates you equally.

Edit:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/fuck-amphetamines-are-great.931551/

[Boredfrom]

I mean, the cartel might not even have to respond directly. If Trump comes in the way he does he'll be attacking Mexican people, and the Mexican army itself will have to get involved. Meanwhile the cartel sits back and says, "Look at the alternative to us, we never bombed our cities at least"

 

The army is not going to move a hand in either direction. In fact, this could be a good way to wash their hands of their cartel connections depending on how Trump actually goes through this.

are you actually mildly hopeful?

My dude… not at all.

They may have joint operations so they can pretend they are doing something, but the problem is buried to deep for Trump approach to work in the long run.

Narcos may be criminals, but they are not going to give up that easily, specially since there is a Narco subculture integrated.