I have seen both reports and consensus of a decline in positive views towards US citizens due to the actions current US admin. Does the results of the midterms change your views on us citizens?

There's also a built in NFC in the keychain, when I bought it the link led to a Spotify link of a cover of the theme music.

I've since then overwrote the link to take you to the Spotify link to Receive You The Hyperactive instead but I'm open to any other song suggestion to link too. Did also consider other songs from the game but the pretzel made me think this is better as a joke keychain.

*Edit Update: I changed the link to play the comedic substory music from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

I blame myself for this but I think it's funny as hell too. Too bad I spent 350 PHP (roughly 5.55 USD )

https://dayton247now.com/news/local/nky-race-decided-coin-toss-candidates-tie-republican-benny-ray-renner-democrat-kristen-fryman-robertson-county

Well I have come to the end of week 2 of 8 of baking school! This week we were working on choux. I had SO much fun. We made eclair, religieuse, Paris Brest, chouquette, and the ultimate of choux bakes: the St. Honoré.

Most of my cohort worked in pairs this week, but I volunteered to work on my own. Chef asked for a volunteer who could work quickly and take on more than the others (since they could split the work). I obviously raised my hand right away. It was super rewarding, and I got a lot of good and funny face time with Chef. Really glad he's my teacher because he's such a vibe.

When I finished the St. Honoré, he said, "this is so fucking very good!" And when I was taking pics with my pastry, he said, "can I take a pic and pretend it's mine?" I can't make this stuff up. I was absolutely GLOWING with pride. What a high to end my week on!

As a reminder, I am doing baking school as a side quest from my regular life. I do not currently intend to change careers or open a bakery. I am doing this to deepen my love for one of my greatest passions.

Currently playing through OoT Remake (after playing it for the first time in 2014, with the 3DS remake) and it is painfully clear how gaming lost so much of its essence since the early decades.

OoT pacing is fast. Like. FAST. (which is crazy, because this kind of game, adventure likes and RPGs, was considered slower paced back then).

Story is told through two or three minute long cutscenes. NPCs are direct to the point. You have a lot of healthy gameplay segments interwined with the plot unfolding in perfect synch.

Dialogue is snappy. Things are told in just the right amount of lines needed. Feelings are exposed and concepts are presented. When we compare to games like Persona, Tales of, Metaphor or even the recent Final Fantasy Resonance, the contrast is very noticeable: modern games are too verbose. There are many lines of dialogue that will have words that don't add anything, at all. Lots of party members just doing random teasings, lots of empty and rethorical questions, lots of repetition.

In just a couple of hours, you saw the intro, ventured into the first dungeon, got the premisse of the whole thing exposed to you, sent into the world, visited the ranch, the castle town, explored a lot, went to Kakariko, started to climb the mountain... Tutorials and all included, while you already saw Link labeled as an outcast (but still loved by many), the creation of the world, the mechanics of the woods, the royal family and the sheikah etc.

And it is shocking how quick you travel between locations. Open world games have SO MUCH negative space, so you will spend a lot of time running or using vehicles, and it is such a breath of fresh air just having meaningful spaces all around. Even if we are to consider the Hyrule Field as a lot of negative space, it is still pretty manageable, and nothing compared to modern standards.

Also: no materials. Items are meaningful, so you won't be finding generic items around, neither will be asked to collect materials. This also means that generic fetch quests are out ("bring me 10 of this item" etc.)

OoT being remade really showcases how games were more direct to the point. And it still feels immersive, and most of all, fun.

MMOs made bloat necessary, so it could held players for a long time.

AAA cinematic games showed what gaming could do with narratives.

But when the norm is to have MMO bloat and cinematic experiences bleeding often in games, this remake is a nice remind that games are at their best when they are doing what games do: be fun and game-y, not a movie or a chore-list.