#one of which has a cartridge reading problem

[cerealandchoccymilk]

im very hyperfixated on 3ds dev history and hacking rn and i found

bruh language

[p3xchuu]

Insomnia AU

I delayed the moment for a long time and did not dare to show you my ideas of my random concept of the near future (after 20 years) of the hedgehog caste...

Attention! There is a lot of text at the bottom :D

Please don't judge me! I initially took references from Pinterest to learn how to draw hedgehogs and thereby borrowed some of the chips from another artist. In the future, I will think about how I can interpret the character design in my own way.

Nevertheless, the main idea of my concept is events 20 years later, Sonic's insomnia, adult problems for grown-up characters.

Sonic

Sonic has now become wiser, more careful. He's more sentimental. He protects the younger generation from the mistakes that he once made.

Due to insomnia, he is now forced to do night runs in order to fall asleep at least from overwork. He tries not to bother anyone with his problems.

Shadow...

Shadow is missing. For all these 20 years, no one knew where he was. But he was on the planet Black Arms. Time goes a little differently on this planet, so he didn't notice how 20 years had passed on Earth.

During this time, he received a third eye and a special live weapon that shoots not quite standard cartridges - instead of a trigger, there is a special needle on the pistol that pierces Shadow's finger and contacts his blood.

And he will also put a fifth ring on his neck, because it turns out that the current four rings are not enough to restrain his power.

(I'm a bad screenwriter... I'm thinking that Shadow urgently evacuated from the planet Black Arms on a mini-shuttle, which collapsed in the Earth's atmosphere, causing the black hedgehog himself to fall somewhere in the area where Sonic mostly lives. It's a wild coincidence that Sonic will find him on the night of his birthday.)

Tails

Tails will probably be taller than Sonic. He won't be able to fly anymore-the tails just won't lift him into the air with that weight. However, he is still able to develop speed on the surface - to do this, he will stand on quads and start spinning his tails behind him.

(I'm thinking about changing Tails' design a bit...)

Knuckles

Echidna is still the keeper of the Master Emerald. During these 20 years of loneliness, he has managed to forget how to speak (Or now he speaks so little that it may seem as if he does not know how to speak).

There are no special changes in the design...

Eggman will retire, and Metal Sonic will take his place.

I think that's all, thanks for reading!

You can share your opinion and ideas in the comments, I will pay attention to everyone :b

[minuy600]

A Near-Full Tier List Of 70s Atari 2600 Games

With only a couple games left to go and me needing to 'git gud' in one of them, it's only logical that it's time to wrap things up with a good old fashioned tier list!

Note: Some of my opinions have changed over time, so if some of the ordering doesn't make sense to you if you've read earlier reviews, that's why.

Football, Slot Racers and Superman will be added to the list if I can either find a second player (first 2) or a cartridge of the game (last one).

We got 28 games to go over here. F tier to A tier in that order. No S cuz there's zero games that really fit that bill. Let's rock.

F Tier

#28 Space War (11/40)

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Who thought porting a game from 1962 was a good idea on a console that already had surperior alternatives of the genre? The singleplayer was the worst gaming experience i've ever had. It's not even in space, dangit! Disastrous release.

#27 Slot Machine (11/40)

The title doesn't lie, this sure is a slot machine. And that is all it is. How does one manage to have less value than Basic Math, I wonder? Should've given more memory to Casino, Atari...

#26 Hunt & Score (10/40)

Awful controls, lacking visuals, horrendous noises and it's much, much, much cheaper to buy a copy of a real memory match game anyway. The (second) worst of the worst, even amongst several weak 1978 releases that held no value as soon as better games came out.

#25 Miniature Golf (11/40)

What am I even looking at? You move a square and that determines the angle of another square bouncing around, which is as tedious as it sounds. Squares squares square. Ourgh, I hate it. If only it had more holes so I could hate it even more.

D Tier

#24 Basic Math (12/40)

Woof, okay. As a random math problem generator with funny sound effects, it... functions. That's all I can say about it. It's a blank screen if you remove the numbers. This is my lowest of the low bars for what is somewhat passable in some regards and what isn't.

#23 Hangman (14/40)

Impressive selection of words due to being the first game with expanded memory. Now why you would spend your bucks on this when a piece of paper is something almost everyone has, I wouldn't know. Nobody wants to play Hangman alone.

#22 Street Racer (18/40)

Even more boring than Indy 500. Every mode plays the same as each other with very mild changes. Number Munchers is as good as it gets, and that's only because it's over sooner.

#21 Code Breaker (14/40)

Graphically almost as bad as flippin' Basic Math, made worse by how confusingly it plays it's cards and the fact that half the screen estate ain't being used while playing Nim. Below all the rubbish, Nim managed to curve out a tiny place in my heart due to it's alright AI.

#20 Flag Capture (16/40)

Better than Code Breaker due to being a more justified release. Otherwise, forgettable. So much so, that i'm out of things to say.

#19 Home Run (16/40)

A kinda ass way to play baseball, however props must be given for hardly having a point of reference at this point. It completely trumps the RCA Studio II version and it seems to be fairly close to the version by Epoch in Japan. Major positive is that it's a lot faster than it's contemperaries.

C Tier

#18 Outlaw (20/40)

Based on a revolutionary arcade title with a proper microprocessor. I find this one very dull. At least it has some minor things going for it like being able to deconstruct the obstacles in your way. Well done Outlaw, you did the bare minimum.

#17 Indy 500 (21/40)

Extremely mid racing. Single players are gonna be done with it in 3 seconds flat as the time trialing is not fun at all. Multiplayer is oooooookay. Decent engine noises for the time.

#16 Brain Games (18/20)

Errrrhhh, I may have been slightly too harsh earlier. Visually it's kinda gross, however you could argue that the collection of brain teasers here ain't too awful. I had a modicrum of fun with some of 'em.

#15 Star Ship (22/40)

The most striking game of the launch lineup for attempting first person well before a game could do it for realsies. I can appreciate it as an art form, as a game though? I'm good.

#14 Sky Diver (21/40)

At least it doesn't fuckin' squeal at ya at all times like in the arcade. However, unlike that version, it's pretty much multiplayer-only and the thrill of seeking a high score got almost completely butchered as a result. Satisfactory port, nothing more.

#13 Human Cannonball (20/40)

Has some personality in the form of the guy you shoot out of the cannon, and I found myself somewhat immersed by the smart way the game's visuals came to be. Otherwise, dull as dishwater.

#12 Basketball (21/40)

The first proper attempt at a realistic ball sports title. It tries a 3D perspective and for competitive play, I can see a decent time being had here. The repetition and lack of modes very much hurt it unfortunately.

#11 Blackjack (23/40)

An entirely functional and sorta addicting take on the card game of old. Gets completely trounced by Casino which is essentially an enhanced version of this.

#10 Bowling (24/40)

Falls under the same kinda umbrella as Basketball. Don't mind this one. It has good visuals (a multicolor sprite!) and a goofy dance when you clear all the pins. Kinda wears thin once you know where to stand however.

#9 Video Chess (23/40)

The best AI of the console put into a cart that could barely handle it. Sluggish movement, long loading times and hard-to-discern visuals make it a hard sell now. However, back THEN, this fuckin' kicked ass for the common man. It gets a formal handshake from me.

B Tier

#8 Air Sea Battle (28/40)

A fine introduction to the Atari 2600's library. I think it's sorta boring and the AI is hardly a contest, but the multiplayer is still enjoyable enough and it's audiovisually one of the better launch games.

#7 Casino (22/40)

How I gave this a lower score than Blackjack, I have no idea. You can play the same exact game again here with improved visuals, or dive into a couple variaties of poker, of which I actually really like Poker Solitaire. Good package!

#6 Backgammon (27/40)

Graphically one of the most impressive games on 2600 so far. Gameplay-wise, yeah it's Backgammon and Acey Deucy alright. This game thought me the ropes and i'm thankful for it. I would almost call this a worthy substitute for buying the real thing. Almost.

#5 Canyon Bomber (26/40)

Very solid ports of two middling arcade games, Canyon Bomber and Destroyer. It only made sense as they were essentially two peas in a pod from the getgo. Tired of Air-Sea Battle and in the need of something you can also play competently alone? This one's for you.

#4 Breakout (25/40)

I WILL get back to this one. I promise. The Atari 2600+ is coming in in 2 weeks and will allow me to play it with an actual paddle controller for the first time. Playing with a controller does not do it justice. It's Pong for the score hunters. 8 modes with 4 variations each is only rivalled by those coming up ahead on the list.

A Tier

#3 Surround (27/40)

Doesn't have the quirky ASMRy noises from arcade Dominos, otherwise this is an extremely solid competitive pre-Snake Snakelike. Very replayable because it allows you to doodle around freely, too.

#2 Combat (31/40)

The quintessential pack-in for the 2600 in it's early years. I don't like that it lacks a singleplayer mode completely- the multiplayer is still a hoot on occasion though. Even contains some funny glitches if you're into that sorta thing.

#1 Video Olympics (33/40)

Pong remains a classic that's still good for the occasional bout. This is that, but with a TON of other modes to invite a pal over for. The single player is destined to play one mode, however the AI is competent enough to keep that fresh for a little bit too. Easily the definitive way to play gaming's granddaddy.

Soon, Video Olympics shall be rivalled or even dethroned. The 2600's hayday is about to kick into high gear. And with that, I mean a couple weeks as I wait for my new old console to arrive in the mail. See ya then, you goofy video game crash instigator.

[raccoonfallsharder]

⋆⁺₊❅⋆ snow & stars⋆❅₊⁺⋆ [new 12/28]

18+ only MDNI | no use of y/n| f!reader | oneshot | word count: 16,450.

citing a lack of "team spirit," corporate requires you to attend the annual holiday office party (off the clock, of course) if you want to be eligible for your raise. luckily, the new guy makes things... interesting. see below for context/warnings.

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙̩̩͙❆•꙳⋆⋆₊ ͙͛ ˚❅̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙̩̩͙❆• ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

You’ve lost track of the conversation again.

Snorak and Rikatikbolok are droning on about something – the increasing cost of holo-color cartridges, maybe, and its impact on the quarterly budget – and you wonder for the five-hundredth time if you’ve put in enough of an appearance to go home without the Supervisor breathing down your neck next time you see them. You tug at the hem of your snug dress: crimson faux-velvet, pretty and stretchy and a little bit clingy. Cute for the winter holidays, you’d thought — until Snorak hadn’t been able to keep his stare off your thighs.

“What do you think?” Rikatikbolok asks, turning to you. You try to remember which office he’s in. Mergers and Acquisitions, maybe?

You blink over the plastic rim of your disposable wine glass. “I–” You buy a moment by taking another sip of your watered-down rosé, and grope for something suitably vague and money-related. “I think the real problem is inflation.”

Rikatikbolok blinks at you. “Uh–”

“You didn’t say she was smart,” Snorak interrupts, glaring at his friend. You think he might be from Accounting. “I don’t wanna fuck a smart girl.”

You almost choke on your wine.

Rikatikbolok is waving his hands in apology and surrender. “I–”

“It’s your lucky day,” you tell Snorak from Accounting. “I don’t wanna fuck a jackass.”

Snorak scowls at Rikatikbolok. “And she’s a bitch.”

You raise your cheap, company-provided drink in a mock-salute. “May all your potential partners see exactly who you are,” you toast him with a sparkling smile, “long before you have a chance to get them into bed. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

You squeeze past them, making a beeline for the cocktail table in a far corner of the open lobby. It’s shadowy over there, and currently vacant. You lean your ribs against the edge of the little table and set your wine down, toying with some of the cheap, shiny snowflake-confetti gleaming on top of the disposable table cloth. The conference hall has been strung with old, reused crinkle-paper streamers and crumpled silver snowflake decorations to celebrate the Turning of the Multicalendar — and intergalactic event, but one which holes particular significance here in the Alpha Centauri system. Personally, you’d rather be at home in your snug little apartment on Station Six, sipping mulled wine and waiting for the midwinter fireworks tomorrow night — but the Supervisor’s word is currently as good as law, you suppose. Trapped here in Timely, Inc’s corporate-lobby-turned-party-hall, people of all genders, body shapes, and species trundle aimlessly around the room, flirting badly and trying desperately to get drunk on the watered-down booze. Crimped lines of tiny string-lights snake awkwardly around support columns and maybe, if they’d dimmed the fluorescent overhead lights, it all could’ve passed as charming.

Instead, it just looks cheap and a little sad.

“Oh, but isn’t he the cutest thing?”

You wince, but no amount of flinching can block out the sound: Wevvie Wozbaaarg’s shrill voice demands to be noticed. It even punches through the dull cacophony of the dismal little holiday gathering.

“He is! I just want to play with his ears!”

⋆꙳❅̩̩͙•‧͙̩̩͙❆₊꙳ read more on ao3 ꙳₊❆̩̩͙•‧͙̩̩͙❅꙳⋆

comics-based, very loosely inspired by the Timely, Inc arc in Annihilators (2010, Issue 1), though i like... truly cannot abide timothy green ii's style of rocket in this series. try to imagine a nice jorge coelho or valerio schiti. mild exhibitionism, mild degradation, praise, use of "slut"/"whore" (affectionate), begging, pet names, impact play (one? ass smack i think?), pinching, dirty talk, mentions of oral sex. lotsa fluff. i'm not super-well-versed in the annihilators arc because so many of the characters involved bore me to actual tears so apologies for anything that isn't strictly comics-canon. you don't need to have any real comics-knowledge to ride this ride.

not me writing almost forty pages of smut. jk its like fifteen pages of tension, fifteen pages of fucking, and ten pages content. ANYWAY minimal editing on this bad boy - i only finished writing it two days ago and i like to give myself longer than that to come at it with fresh eyes, so i hope it is tolerable! this is the last holiday oneshot (at least for this year - maybe i'll keep adding to this collecting next holiday season). thank you for being such sparkly little holiday lights in the darkest nights of midwinter, and may you keep cozy and warm and be well-loved, always. i hope 2024 brings only the best and most hopeful of things into your lives.

from ⋆⊰∙∘⋆❆ borealis ❆⋆∘∙⊱⋆ a 2023 winter collection

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2023-09-18

Not getting a whole lot of "autumn" vibes from this thing

Listening: Many things, but the one that has been stuck in my head is once again from Siege Ubsessed! by Curta'n'Wall. A New Castle is Born. Do you want a song about. A castle? Yes, you do.

Bonus track: whatever the hell is going on in The Dark Ages

Reading: Finished Perhaps The Stars the other day. I am increasingly convinced that Neal Stephenson has the right idea on how to end most things. The end of Perhaps the Stars is good but it's less good than the rest of the series. The book is wild, so much happens, it's a dramatic change of pace from the prior books, both way more happens and it's far slower.

9A. I am mixed on 9A. As a narrator they do not feel like the 9A. To be fair, Mycroft also does not feel like he would be a great Anonymous either. Still.

Stephenson, yes. Stephenson's books end like an 80's pop song, they just hit a peak and then fade out before you can realize it's happened. An extremely effective way to fill you with what the fuck was that great.

I like the ideas in Terra Ignota immensely. I like the style and the world of Terra Ignota a great deal. I'm not actually sure if I like the prose in Terra Ignota that much.

I do appreciate how the final chapters serve as a sort of proxy for the thoughts you've probably been having while you read the series. The various peoples who have had to just endure the clashing hives get to stand up and go you guys realize an empire is not a good thing right.

Playing: Breath of the Wild, beat Vah Rudania, the Salamander beast. One left, plus maybe four or five more memories, and I do want to track down a couple more of the side quests before I hit the endgame but I feel like I'm probably not going to come back to this much after I beat Ganon.

Also beat the snow dragon Naydra fight which was a really good setpiece. You get the reveal that it's been corrupted by Ganon, which is a great oh shit moment when you think you might have to fight it. You don't but it's still a good mobility challenge. I have some video.

Watching: Nothing really.

Making: Getting back in the CAD saddle for printing things reminds me why I still keep Autodesk Fusion installed in Windows. FreeCAD is great but it has idiosyncrasies that make it less than ideal for even moderately complicated parts. Chief among these is that it is a CAD package with no first class concept of an assembly, anything involving multiple bodies is arduous as fuck.

As a result I am trying out Onshape, the cloud/web CAD package, because at least I can run that in Linux rather than rebooting. I'm going to try and see if I can spin up Fusion 360 (or maybe even SolidEdge for the first time in, god, almost a decade) in Wine/Proton/Whatever but Onshape is promising. Despite the cloud bullshit it handles pretty much like any other professional-ish CAD package.

Tools and Equipment: I have been shaving with a old fashioned safety razor for almost a year now. I had a cheap one from the grocery store but I bought that fancy precision machined aluminium one because I like the concept of a safety razor that barely exposes a blade at all. It has been good.

As a teenager my parents deemed me too ADHD to be allowed even a cartridge razor, and for years I fought with electric razors that left crappy finishes and couldn't get anywhere near what I'd call clean. When I was in University I was like "Man it cannot be that hard to use a cartridge razor" and sure enough it wasn't. The problem I have with cartridge razors is that they clog in seconds and keeping them clear is a pain in the ass. Cuts are even less likely with this fancy one but even with a plain old safety razor it's remarkably hard to injure yourself unless you really aren't paying attention.

Safety razors are marginally more dangerous than cartridge razors but you can clear shaved hair extremely easily which means they cut like a dream for a while and they aren't as frustrating to work with. The fact that blades cost like US¢25 a piece even for slightly fancier ones is a nice touch that makes me much less likely to keep using blades long after they're too blunt to serve.

[everygame]

The Mysterious Murasame Castle

Developed/Published by: Nintendo R&D4, Human Entertainment / Nintendo Released: 14/04/1986 Completed: 31/01/2024 Completion: Finished it (with quicksaves at the start of levels and before bosses.)

1986 is a huge year for Nintendo. They released the NES in North America at the tail end of 1985 and will launch it in Europe by the end of 1986. After nearly 3 years of spotty releases and arcade ports an avalanche of games are going to start showing up. But most fascinatingly, as they begin to conquer the world, they take a massive right turn in Japan by releasing the Famicom Disk System in February.

I assume that even if you’re not a scholar of video game history, if you’re reading this you already know all about the system, but in précis, Nintendo made a business decision. The Famicom was successful; producing cartridges was expensive. Retailers and consumers wanted cheaper games. Nintendo hadn’t created a licensing scheme for the Famicom (as they would for NES) so they weren’t seeing any sweet, sweet fees either. Seemingly, a floppy disk add-on solved all those problems, while also allowing games to be larger, have more sound channels, and include saving.

You can debate the success of this business decision. They sold 4.4 million of them by 1990, and the hardware pushed their game design forward leaps and bounds. But it seemed to come at the exact wrong time. Within four months of launch cartridge games were being released with larger capacities than the disks offered. Saving becomes available on carts; newer and better mapper chips meant games on the disk system were stuck in the past. It was simply a technological dead end. The first original game to released for it would be The Legend of Zelda, and by the time of its release in North America not quite a year and a half later it would be on cartridge without any major concessions.

Interestingly, though, the second original game to be released would be Nazo No Murasame Jou, aka “The Mysterious Murasame Castle” which would not be released outside of Japan at all. Why this is I have no idea and can find nothing concrete, because when considered contemporaneously, this is a perfectly successful run-and-gun adventure that feels like an early example of what the system would become known for via companies like Capcom: arcade ports that have been expanded into something more suitable for the home console (think Bionic Commando and that.) Here it’s like someone, noticing that Nintendo had The Legend of Zelda engine lying around, decided that they should make a version of Sega Ninja with it–and in fact, I’m not sure that’s not what they did, considering the SG-1000 version of Sega Ninja has flick-screen scrolling too.

Cast as the samurai Takamaru, you have to make your way through five castles by first fighting your way through their castle grounds (taking one or two maps) and then the castle interior (one more map.) You do this by melee combat (which tends to kill everything in one hit) or throwing projectiles (which tends not to.) Movement feels very much like The Legend of Zelda, including very boxy collision detection. The maps, too are like The Legend of Zelda dungeons, but not exactly: you travel about them in a non-linear fashion and have to pick up certain power-ups to advance (sandals, for example, that allow you to travel over water) but you’re not really ever forced to fight any enemies, and most power-ups follow the Xevious system of just being invisible and you have to shoot where they are to get them (thankfully, they’re predictable once you’ve found them).

While I can’t guarantee this was inspired by Sega Ninja, it’s very much like it in one respect. The Mysterious Murasame Castle is relentless. Multi-colored ninjas are throwing themselves on the screen constantly, and if you stop moving or stop attacking you’re dead–it really is that simple. Most of the game is played trying to get off screen as quickly as possible and working out the optimum route through the castle–it’s almost a racing game in that respect. 

It is very hard. Not impossible, but made, er, impossible-adjacent by how strict it is. You can only take three hits, health restoring items are rare (and invisible) and and every time you die you lose everything (but you do start on the screen you just died on–and you can backtrack to try and get some power back, so that’s nice.) While it feels stupidly difficult for 2024, I can imagine how for the right kind of player in 1986 this was the straight razor compared to The Legend of Zelda’s, uh… quill pen. Play a hard action game surviving and mapping out the levels, learning new things, new efficiencies every time rather than doodling about. It feels perfect, actually, for the American audience of the era, which makes its absence all the more puzzling–I suspect that the setting was considered “too Japanese” and reskinning it felt like too much work, the kind of thing that kept Ninja JaJaMaru-kun stuck in Japan too. 

Now, there are some absolutely brutal skill checks in this that I can only see as requiring you reset the system every time you die (most notably the last few bosses) that just make it feel old-school cruel, but I had a fairly decent time trying see how far I could get “for real” once I’d learned the maps (not very far, it turns out.) And I still enjoyed the challenge of this even letting myself do some judicious quick-saving. This isn’t the great leap forward for design that The Legend of Zelda was, but it sort of offers an interesting counterpoint–would games look completely different if Nintendo decided this was the one to get released in the west instead of Zelda?

Probably not actually.

Will I ever play it again? It’s fun, but it’s too hard. Probably not on this one too.

Final Thought: Nintendo really haven’t returned to this one very much. It’s not a complete black sheep, getting a GBA re-issue and (bizarrely) a 3DS release in Europe and Australia, but one of the strangest has to be that in Samurai Warriors 3 for Wii (Nintendo published in the west but otherwise a Koei game through and through) Nintendo EAD made an entire “Murasame castle mode” which is a remake in the Musou style. That’s an even odder decision than not releasing this in the west in the first place.

Support Every Game I’ve Finished on ko-fi! You can pick up a digital copy of exp. 2600, a zine featuring all-exclusive writing at my shop, or join as a supporter at just $1 a month and get articles like this a week early.

[autumnslance]

(@driftward) Let's see. Let's Get ((REAL)) fic writer asks, for.. ✨, 💫,🎀,🎀,🎀,💌

*screeches*

Someday I am making a prompt list and there'll be no numbers or letters or symbols, just the questions so folks who aren't menaces have to put the full text in the Ask.

Anyroad. Scheduling maintenance on our local bot later. For now:

✨What's a fic you've posted you wish you could breathe life into again and have people talking about it? (or simply a fic you wish got more credit)

Fics like "When Everything Changes" and "Where the Skies Are Safe" are works I'm quite fond of, but are hard to sell to fandom readers either here or on Ao3; they're from the perspective of my OCs as small children, and very few people want to read kid fic.

But a chunk of my literature studies were in YA and Kid Lit, as I originally was dual-majoring an Education degree, and I've always found getting into a child's (or pet's) mindsets and perspectives to be an interesting exercise as a writer, and finding what new info it can reveal that an adult POV won't notice or would see differently.

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

Any and all of them, but incoherent screeching is always fun, as are rambles about what someone liked, maybe even the why if they can articulate it (if not, that's cool, just copy-pastes of favorite lines with keysmash responses are great too).

🎀give yourself a compliment about your own writing

x3?!

FINE.

-I am a decent mimic; I can copy a style and voice patterns pretty well, enough to make what I'm writing read or "sound" like the style I'm playing in. The attempt in many of my works to feel like quest text or the official stories on the Lodestone is intentional, and I feel good when I get comments on it cuz that's the goal.

-I can drop some evocative, pithy lines to make one giggle and/or break one's heart.

-My constant replaying and revisiting the text, and talking to/reading about others' canon-centric takes on characters and situations, means my NPC characterizations tend to be good. Which is good practice for making my own OCs distinct people that fit into the world well.

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

(Again, with the caveat I've been in a bit of a slump break since BSotP, here's a bit of more the Thancred in the First fic I don't...think? I've shared? If I have, what of it! Below the cut cuz someone asked multiple questions so this got long.)

“So can you build it?” Thancred asked.

The blacksmith looked over his crude drawings and the schematics pulled from the Tower’s archives, as well as the detailed descriptions Thancred had painstakingly written with Gridick’s aid. “I think so; enough to get a prototype working, and then we can go from there.”

Thancred nodded. “Do let me know,” he said, offering his coins for the initial deposit.

It had been several months since that first disastrous patrol. Thancred had been on a few other patrols since, as well as forays into the forest on his own. The more common wildlife wasn’t much of a problem, but the sin eaters, when stumbled across, left him feeling as if his simple blades were no longer adequate.

So he had delved into the Tower’s archives, seeking out weapon schematics. The Exarch couldn’t say which time period the Tower had come from when summoned to the First, but Thancred figured it had to be later than his own, since the Tower was still in Mor Dhona from his perspective.

Days of searching had found not only equivalent Allagan plans, but also a few Garlean and even proper Bozjan examples for the sort of gunblade he wanted. The weapon would still allow him his speed and dexterity, but also was far more defensive, for himself and others.

The only trouble was going to be the cartridges, as Thancred could not imbue them himself. That was a bridge to cross later; for now, he would see if the Mean’s artisans could even create a workable gunblade.

He made his way across the Crystarium toward the markets before returning to his apartment. He wanted to stop by the city’s single barber.

Thancred still wasn’t the best at shaving daily; his schedule was still too easily thrown off, he was often in the field, and frankly it wasn’t much of a concern. His hair was getting far too long and ragged, though, enough that something had to be done.

In another moon, he would count a year on the First, though the mirror still showed only a day had passed on the Source, which was the smallest of comforts. He helped the Exarch search the Tower’s archives as the man tried various spells and counter-effects to send Thancred’s soul back to his body, but to no avail.

[dollsonmain]

So plumbing/house stuff again because it continues to be a problem.

-

Son flushed the toilet across the house and I heard the fridge make a little grunt but only because I was standing next to it.

That toilet has started making a weird little churning gurgle sometimes when flushed, too.

The washing machine still jumps on the first little splurt of water but not as hard, now, which I’m guessing is a build up of pressure in the pipe while it’s off.

There’s a burst of water and then it peters out into a lesser trickle at the sinks. Son mentioned it, I’ve noticed it, That Guy insists it’s always been like that (wrong).

I’m thinking it’s possible that the pressure regulator is actually working just fine, but the lock nut (it keeps the regulator where you set it) has become worn out and as water moves through the pipes at high pressure, the regulator is moving a little bit at a time over time, increasing the pressure. I did notice the lock nut was completely loose when I was down there, and have read that they do wear out sometimes.

This regulator is a good 20+ years old at this point and we do have hard water, so hard water crusties are also likely.

-

While the water shut off in the softener cabinet does turn off water to the upstairs, it doesn’t turn off water to the basement bathroom, and the cold water shut off for the basement bathroom also doesn’t work, and that’s why there was water pouring slowly out of the cartridge housing while I was messing with the cartridge.

That’s manageable and now I know to put that silicone mold in there to make sure the water runs into the shower and not down the back of the wall soaking the drywall and studs.

-

It seems like stuff is all falling apart very suddenly and even the minor inconvenience of one of the bathroom lights burning out already is another straw on my back because That Guy refuses to help with that sort of thing. With my step stool I can only reach one out of the two lights anyway. The higher up one burnt out some time back and I can’t even try to replace it.

The porch lights, a ceiling fan that’s stopped working, and the exhaust fans in the basement and master bathrooms all need replaced.

Electrical work is not something I’ve gotten into other than replacing power outlets and light switches.

[skybirdhook]

Omega ruby decrypted rom

I just want to have Pokemon Omega Ruby, Pokemon Rutile Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire installed without deleting the original one I will sin paste the same thing I wrote in the ProjectPokemon site: Wow this hack really looks interesting.

How do I do to be able to play it normally without having to suffer with these problems. Load your ROM with your Gateway Flashcard on your 3DS or new3DS with del lower than or equal to version 9. PS: Does the Evolutions mod change Mega Evolutions and also add the Hoopa item too? I would really appreciate it if you could tell me the files for those two, since I want to be able to run a Vanilla playthrough of the game with only hacked wild pokemon and evolutions to be able to catch whatever Pokemon I want in the wild and evolve them without resorting to trading. I just want to have Pokemon Omega Ruby, Pokemon Rutile Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire installed without deleting the original one I will copy paste the same thing I wrote in the ProjectPokemon site: Wow this hack really looks interesting! I got just some questions: 1 Does the edited Wild Pokemon work so we can catch all of the 720 Pokemon currently available as of 6th Gen? Sort of like a Emu Edition to avoid having to trade for the ones not available in one of the two versions. That's why I asked if it's possible to change the UniqueID when I want to build Rutile Ruby. I have both installed as cia from the eshop legit and a copy of my retail Cartridge which I've sold. Load your ROM with your Gateway Flashcard on your 3DS or new3DS with firmware lower than or equal to version 9. Press a key and the command prompt windows will close. A blank command prompt window will pop up and stay blank for a while. Follow the instructions in the ROM decryption guide to rebuild romfs. Click the banner at the top of this thread or the font at the top to download the. Additionally, since wild Pokémon aren't leveled up, if you were to release one of your Level 40 Pokémon that you'd have ar around the third Gym you'd have a hell of a time replacing it. It's very rare for all six of your team to make it through any Gym battle, and some of the Ace Trainers are equally difficult. Boss battles play out almost like competitive matches, with them often revenge killing you, setting up, or pulling out surprise moves. If you wishing this ROM in other languages, feel free to ask me. Traiver I will continue the translation in german language. The first three people to beat the second run of the Elite Four in each game will have their teams immortalized in the trainers on the S.

Note that Event eggs Lavaridge Town glitch out thanks to this, and wrap around to taking a very long time. Every species now has a 1-cycle hatch rate. Revives costs much more, to discourage their use in battle Sacred Ash is unusable during battle. You should be hitting Level 100 by the time you get to the Elite Four. Every trainer in the game has been edited, and the level curve expects use of the Experience Share, which means that you level up very quickly. Their main purpose is to provide a more challenging game experience while not artificially limiting the player. And I would like to know the following: I can not start Pokemon X and neither Pokemon Y is black infinite screen, and when I use a save from someone for example when I go to pick up the game, the game does not respond anymore, it gets the message from the Pokemon that I chose there, I have to use a save to pass that part as well. Prepare for an epic adventure exploring a world filled with Pokemon! I got just some questions: 1 Does the edited Wild Pokemon work so we can catch all of the 720 Pokemon currently available as of 6th Gen? This is a simple hack rom based on Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, in which were randomized a lot of stuff read below thanks to pk3ds. Pokemon Alpha Sapphire 3DS Decrypted ROM are 2014 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, published by The Pokémon Company and distributed by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. ※ Download: ?dl&keyword=pokemon+alpha+sapphire+decrypted+rom&source=

[ottspot]

Patches Don’t Fix Bullet Holes - There’s a Problem Over at Nintendo

Nintendo’s a company that pretty much everyone loves at this point. They put out quality games for their systems (most of the time), produce hit after hit, and in the end they make boatloads of cash while doing so! It doesn’t seem like anything can stop Nintendo.

Which is a good thing... but can also be a bad thing.

Recently there’s been a trend with modern games, Nintendo ones especially, to have “free bonus content” launch via updates after a popular game releases. Ranging from “new characters”, “extra modes”, “new weapons”, etc. Is this truly new content made after the game’s launch? Or a cheap way at rushing a game out before it’s ready just to get some early sales in?

Now, video game updates are definitely not a new thing in the industry. In fact, they’re probably almost as old as video games themselves! Sometimes a cartridge game would get a sneaky re-release pushed out into stores to have some bugs fixed or typos corrected. Other times it was a bit more obvious, with label or disc changes noting the re-release as a “Greatest Hits” version of a game.

As the Internet became a more prevalent thing in the world though, and as more game consoles became Internet-compatible, these updates and fixes would not be released through expensive re-releases, but as patches that you can download onto your existing copy of a game. This was obviously the way to go as it was much cheaper than reprinting a disc or issuing a recall. 

In the early days, bug and typo fixes were the most common of these, but there would also be larger patches that would add extra content. One notable example was Minecraft. I remember playing on my Xbox 360 and waiting for every new title update to see what would be added, and would sit there watching the progress bar go from left to right.

This would become more commonplace as the years went on, with paid DLC and everything. That wouldn’t stop companies from being generous and launching the content for free, however. But at some point it becomes a little obvious that these updates... aren’t exactly made because the developers are being nice.

Crunch culture has become a huge problem in the games industry recently, with bosses of big-named companies pushing their employees to work late hours and under severe conditions just to get a game out on time. You can read more about it and its negative effects here at “The Pitt News”.

In some cases, after hours and hours of crushing work, the game gets released on time. Other times, the game has to be delayed a few months. But there’s a few where the game gets out and it’s clearly lacking features and modes that the developers are still painstakingly working to get out as soon as possible. And that hasn’t been more obvious lately than with Nintendo.

While Nintendo’s been putting out great games recently on their Switch system, a lot of them have promised “free updates” after launch. One example of this is Nintendo Switch Sports. This is a successor to the widely popular Wii Sports line of games that released throughout the Wii and Wii U’s life. The game includes sports like Soccer, Bowling, Swordplay, and a few more.

During its reveal presentation, several of these modes were shown off... while the game’s Golf mode was announced to be coming at a later time. As of writing this, on July 19th, the Golf mode has not been released. It’s been almost three months since the game originally released as well. As some of you may know, the Golf mode was included in the original Wii Sports game day-one, with no patch needed.

This shouldn’t be viewed as “why is it taking so long to add a simple Golf mode?”, instead “why rush a game out the door so early before everything in it is done?”. Not only is it having developers work more on a game that should have already been done, but it ends up disappointing customers as well, as the game launches in this incomplete state.

Another example is something that was revealed today, actually. Mario Strikers: Battle League is another summer Switch title that happened to launch incomplete. Characters like Daisy and Shy Guy were pushed to be released post-launch (when they’ve been staples in the first two games), and on top of that Nintendo promised more updates to release this year.

Hiding an incomplete game under “promises” of “new, free content made just for the game” is a disguise that not a lot of people are falling for these days. As more and more people speak out within the games industry, things like this become way more apparent, and it’s not a fun party costume.

Hell, online services for these systems aren’t going to last forever. What if someone comes across a Switch in say, 20 years, when the online services are down, and happens to get one of these games with one? They won’t even be able to experience the full version of the game unless the system already has its updates. Nintendo themselves are already making this happen with the closure of the 3DS and Wii U eShops in March of 2023. Why do they keep doing this??

This kind of thing should not be normalized within the gaming industry, but it’s becoming clearer every day that some companies just want to rush their games out the door to make quick cash, and not take time and effort into actually completing it. It’s unfortunate and not fair, but hopefully enough people can voice their opinions on this for some change to happen.

Next up: EXCLUSIVE: Lillybug and Abyuse Interview - The Brains Behind Echo's Music

[veebs-hates-video-games]

Yay time for more random stuff.

I ended up liking Lies as a Starting Point more than I expected, which is kinda surprising considering how rough the translation is. Like some of the errors in it feel like a real person made them and not just machine translation, but this was not proofread by anyone who speaks English anywhere near fluently. What I was able to get out of the story through the mess of the translation was enjoyable enough, with three smaller stories about people lying to each other in their relationships and the effects ot that, but then the way they're all tied together by the framing story of the main central character is pretty satisfying, and it ends up being about a bit more than just what it seems on the surface at first. Not the best story I've ever read, or even a contender for the best so far this year, but I liked it enough that I feel like it deserves a proper translation.

And then for something completely different my preliminary thoughts on Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It's fine, I guess? I don't love it. I've finished the first two worlds and probably have enough momentum to finish the main game, but even if I do make it through that I can guarantee I won't be doing all the optional stuff like I have with some previous Mario games. I'm not really into the way with some of their more recent big games Nintendo has gone beyond their traditional high level of polish all the way into smoothing off so many edges from things that it starts making it feel less good and be less interesting to me. I kind of had the same problem with Kirby and the Forgotten Land too, although at least with that one I genuinely thought it was great until some point in the middle (and then by the end only pretty good).

I feel like instead of splitting them into 2D and 3D you could divide the Mario games based on how they're structured into the ones that are like SMB3 and the ones that are like Mario 64. Even as someone who played SMB3 when it was new I always thought it was kinda overrated, and I've generally tended to like that style of games less, but my favorite of those is still Super Mario World. I don't think I've played a SMB3-style Mario game or 2D Mario game in general that I've liked more than that.

On the other hand the 3D Mario 64-style games are still doing things I love and continue to be lots of fun for me. Odyssey was excellent, and so was Bowser's Fury (but I absolutely couldn't stand 3D World on the same cartridge, which is a SMB3-style 3D game and probably the Mario game I've disliked the most out of all the ones I've tried over the years).

I dunno. Everyone keeps going on about how great Wonder is and how creative the levels are with how much weird stuff they experiment with, and I can kinda see it, but it's just not really doing it for me. I think maybe it feels too much like a tightly constrained theme park ride or something? Maybe I'm just not into this style of game anymore ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

probably doesn't help that I've never liked bowser jr. either

[waterfiltergurus]

Is ZeroWater Legit? We Tested 3 of Their Water Filters

ZeroWater is one of the better-known water filter pitcher manufacturers, using 5-stage gravity filtration that promises to bring your water's TDS (or total dissolved solids) down to 0. Lots of people claim that ZeroWater filters are the best out there, and we were keen to see whether they're worth the hype. We've tested three ZeroWater pitchers and dispensers in our own home. In this review, we've commented on how they improved our water quality, their ease of use, their overall value for money, and more. We've also discussed why we have a problem with ZeroWater's marketing promises. 🎥 Video Review https://youtu.be/Kw5no7NIr-s?si=Xf9Fx5sPUC_ahPrx 🧾 Overview of ZeroWater Filters ZeroWater (or Zero Water) is an affordable water filter brand that sells faucet water filters, water filter pitchers, and water filter dispensers. We'll be discussing the ZeroWater filter pitchers and dispensers in this guide. The products we have personal experience with are: - The 12-Cup Ready-Pour Pitcher - The Ready-Read Dispenser - The 40-Cup Glass Ready-Pour Dispenser ZeroWater's pitchers and dispensers all use the same 5-stage water filter cartridge, which is a gravity filter. The idea is that you fill the top compartment of the pitcher or dispenser, then wait for the water to filter through into the bottom compartment. Then, depending on whether you're using a pitcher or a dispenser, you can pour water from the spout or open the spigot. ZeroWater's main selling point is that its filter reduces almost all TDS from water. All ZeroWater products come with a TDS meter so you can check that the filter is working properly. The filter has been tested to remove 43 common contaminants, and has been NSF certified to Standards 42 and 53 for its filtration performance. Zero Technologies (the warrantor) offers a 90-day warranty for ZeroWater dispensers and pitchers. If you detect a manufacturing defect within this timeframe, you can make a warranty claim to receive a free replacement part. We couldn't find any mention of a warranty for the 5-stage filter. In our testing, the ZeroWater filter pitchers and dispensers did a great job of improving our water quality, and we really appreciated the NSF certifications to assure us of their contaminant removal abilities. We were less impressed with the 40-50-gallon filter capacity, which is one of the worst we've seen for a filter of this kind. We also found that, because of the 5-stage gravity filtration, it took a long time to send water through the filter. 👍 What We Like - Super easy press filtration (no difficult-to-use filter straw or pump) - Eliminates the need for plastic water bottles - Targets bacteria and viruses - Attractive bottle design - Provides quick filtration - no waiting for gravity - Carbon filter component improves taste of water & removes additional dangerous contaminants 👎 What We Don’t Like - 40-50-gallon filter lifespan is low compared to similar filters - We had to replace our filters at least every 1-3 months, incurring a greater maintenance cost - Slow filtration speed - Demineralizes water 💡 First Impressions Our first impression of the Zero Water filters was positive. They're on the affordable end of the water filter pitchers and dispensers we've reviewed, with a starting price of just $25 for the 7-Cup Ready-Pour Pitcher. The 40-Cup Ready-Pour Glass Dispenser is ZeroWater's most expensive offering, at $75. The packages we received contained the following items: - The pitcher/dispenser body - The upper reservoir - The first filter - The lid - The TDS meter The majority of the Zero Water filter pitchers and dispensers are made of BPA-free polypropylene and ABS (a terpolymer). Polypropylene is a super popular material used for water filters because it's durable, flexible, and highly resistant to moisture absorption, as well as being free from BPA and BPS. ABS is a food-grade plastic, which is non-leaching and mold-resistant. We did find that the plastic feels a bit thinner and flimsier than pitcher/dispenser units made of Tritan plastic. We found that the 12-Cup Ready-Pour Pitcher and the Ready-Read dispenser were lightweight and easy to carry - especially the pitcher, which we could carry with one hand even when it was full. The exception is the Zero Water 40-Cup Glass Ready-Pour Dispenser, which is made of glass. This dispenser is heavier, at 12.5 pounds (in comparison, the 32-cup Ready-Read dispenser weighs just 5.5 pounds). But it's not intended to be lifted once it's been set up at the install location anyway. Getting Started & Our Thoughts on Design Getting started was really easy - we just had to assemble the pitcher or dispenser. Unlike most other gravity filters we've tested, Zero Water filter cartridges don't need to be primed or soaked before use, which saved us a ton of time and meant we could start enjoying filtered water straight away. Once assembled, we thought the filters and dispensers looked pretty conventional, with no super unique features that made them different from other similar units sold today: - The 12-Cup Ready-Pour Pitcher has a traditional pitcher shape, with a reservoir that slots into the top of the unit. The filter screws into the bottom of the reservoir. We could pour from the pitcher and only filtered water would leave the spout. - The Ready-Read dispenser is rectangular, with a plastic spigot. It needs to be positioned at the edge of a counter or a sink so that you can fit a glass underneath it. - The 40-Cup Glass Ready-Pour Dispenser is cylindrical, with a plastic spigot. The spigot is high enough that you can position a smaller glass underneath without having to put the dispenser on the very edge of the counter. We found that if the dispenser was sitting too close to the edge, we had an issue where we would bump into the spigot and accidentally turn it on and water would start running out. In all, on first inspection and use, we thought the Zero Water water pitcher and dispenser units were simply but solidly built, with a good variation of water-holding capacities. We appreciated the glass option as a plastic-free alternative (although we wish the spigot was also all-glass). 🧪 Our Testing We've used our Zero Water filters to filter city water in our home in Colorado. We wanted to test them for a few specific performance factors, including how they affected our water quality, how long they took to filter our water, their ease of use, and more. We've discussed these factors in detail below. Our Water Taste, Smell, & Quality First, we wanted to see how the Zero Water filter could improve the taste, smell, and overall quality of our water. The Zero Water filter cartridge that's used across all dispensers and pitchers uses five filtration stages, including 3 layers of physical filtration, ion exchange resin, and activated carbon media. The filter has been tested to remove 43 different contaminants, including metals like arsenic, lead, and chromium, as well as fluoride, chlorine, and PFAs. We expected that our filtered water would taste better given the inclusion of activated carbon media in the filter. Activated carbon is widely used for water filtration because it removes contaminants associated with taste and smell, namely chlorine. We taste-tested our unfiltered tap water and compared it to our filtered water, and here were the key things we noted: - All chlorine tastes and smells were gone - Our water tasted clean and fresh, if not a bit plain We think the reason why our water tasted "plain" is because the filter's ion exchange resin removes minerals like calcium and magnesium, which give water an alkaline taste. In a study of 15 bottled mineral waters, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium were highlighted as the key mineral nutrients that give water its unique flavor. Without these minerals, and given that our water's TDS was close to 0, our water was lacking any properties to enhance its taste. Important taste information: Towards the end of the filter life, our filtered tap water took on an unpleasant, slightly acidic taste. This is due to the ion exchange resin degrading, which releases an organic compound called trimethylamine, and has been experienced by numerous other customers (some describe the taste as sour, lemony, or even fishy). We've found that the only way to prevent this smell is to frequently wash out our pitcher/dispenser and replace the filters on time. We haven't been able to obtain firsthand testing data for the Zero Water 5-stage filter yet, but it's on our list, and we'll update our review when we have these results. TDS Reduction Since a big part of Zero Water's marketing is that its 5-stage filter can greatly reduce TDS, we wanted to see how much TDS the filter could reduce from our own water. We used the included TDS meter to test our water's TDS before filtration, and post-filtration. We first did this test when we'd started using a new filter, so we could see exactly how much TDS it could reduce before its filtration became less effective as it neared the end of its lifespan. Our unfiltered water had a TDS reading of 31, and this reading went down to 0 in our filtered water. We got the same reading of 0 after two weeks of use. That meant the filter did the job of reducing our water's TDS as advertised. However, we still have issues with ZeroWater's marketing, which seems to insinuate that all dissolved solids are bad (we've discussed this later in the review). Ease of Use We were also keen to test how easy the Zero Water filtration systems were for us to use. We wanted something that we could easily integrate into our everyday routine, and the Zero Water systems ticked our boxes. A big advantage for us was that the systems are countertop gravity units, so we didn't have to waste time installing them at our water line. However, this does have its setbacks - it meant we had to fill the pitcher/dispenser manually throughout the day, so we always had filtered water whenever we needed it. The dispensers were particularly easy to use because we could dispense water straight from the spigot. However, they were less practical and needed to be kept in one location. Unlike the 12-Cup Pitcher, they couldn't be carried when full. One setback of the pitcher design that we noticed was that if we tilted the jug too much, a lot of water would come out of the spout all at once. Zero Water filters reduce TDS like reverse osmosis systems, but, unlike reverse osmosis, they don't waste water. That meant we could enjoy a similar filtered water quality without having to empty batches of wastewater down the drain. Filtration Time Filtration time is something that we were less impressed with. We expect gravity filters like pitchers and dispensers to filter water more slowly because they're not powered by water pressure. This is one of their setbacks compared to other types of filters, like faucet filters and under-sink filters, which are connected to your water line and deliver filtered tap water on demand. But the Zero Water filter system works very slowly, even by a gravity filter's standards. We think this is because the filter combines 5 filtration stages in one cartridge, so there's a lot of resistance as water travels through. The good news, at least, is that means water gets plenty of contact time with the filter media. We got into the habit of filling our pitchers and dispensers as soon as we woke up, then topping up the unfiltered water reservoir wherever we dispensed some filtered water, so we always had filtered water ready to drink. 📑 Filter Testing & Certifications The Zero Water 5-stage water filter is NSF certified to Standard 42 and Standard 53 for the reduction of chlorine taste and odor, chromium 6, lead, mercury, PFOA, and PFOS. The manufacturer has also obtained independent testing using EPA-approved methods to demonstrate the filter's ability to remove 43 different contaminants from tap water (view the independent lab testing data here). We appreciate ZeroWater's transparency, but we wish the filter could be tested to remove additional contaminants of concern, including pesticides, chloramine, pharmaceuticals, radionuclides, microplastics, and VOCs. See the full list of contaminants that the Zero Water filters have been tested to remove below. ❗️ Our Problem With ZeroWater's TDS Removal Claims We mentioned earlier that ZeroWater puts a big emphasis on the fact that its filters can remove TDS, or total dissolved solids, down to 0 in tap water. We understand that many folks like knowing that they're removing virtually all their water's dissolved solids, and using the TDS meter for proof of the process. The problem we have with this is that it has misled a lot of customers into believing that reducing TDS down to zero is absolutely essential, and that all dissolved solids are bad. This isn't true: there are some dissolved solids, like healthy minerals, for instance, that are good for us. But these minerals affect TDS, and because ZeroWater's marketing is all about getting TDS down to 0, they get removed by the ZeroWater 5-stage filter. Do we need healthy minerals? According to this 2017 review of 67 studies, various minerals in water have positive effects on digestion and skeletal health, and may even reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. However, folks who follow a healthy diet don't need to obtain minerals from their drinking water because they'll get plenty from their foods. Plus, there are some contaminants that don't affect TDS, including non-ionic compounds (disinfection chemicals, byproducts, and pesticides), dissolved gases like nitrogen, and particles like silt, clay, and microorganisms, which don't dissolve in water and therefore aren't classed as dissolved solids. All of these won't be measured by a TDS meter. So, even if your water's TDS is low, it might still contain certain harmful impurities. That said, in ZeroWater's case, there is an activated carbon component that should adsorb many of these other organic contaminants that aren't detected by the TDS meter. This Drinking Water And Health evaluation found that disinfectant chemicals like chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and ozone "react readily with carbon" and are effectively adsorbed by an activated carbon media. The only way to know this for sure is with lab testing - something we plan to do soon. We personally prefer to retain certain healthy dissolved solids in our water. We would much rather see evidence that ZeroWater filters can remove specific contaminants that we're concerned about, instead of knowing that they can remove TDS as a whole. Luckily, ZeroWater does have proof of contaminant removal, although we'd like to see its filters get tested to remove more impurities - some of its closest competitors have been tested to remove 200+ or even 300+ contaminants. 🔧Setup & Maintenance Considerations We found that the ZeroWater filter systems were easier to assemble and set up than most similar systems. The big advantage for us was that we didn't have to prime or soak the filter, so we could just attach it to the unit and start filtering straight away. ZeroWater's 4-step assembly instructions are really simple to follow, and there are plenty of videos online if you need a visual demonstration. On the other end, our maintenance commitments were worse than we expected, because the lifespan of the 5-stage ZeroWater filter is one of the worst we've seen for a gravity filtration system. It can filter just 40-50 gallons of water before it needs to be replaced. Experts recommend that we aim to drink around half a gallon of water per day. Let's say you have two people in your household, so you filter a gallon of tap water a day in the ZeroWater pitcher. That means it'll last you around 40-50 days, or 5-7 weeks on average. We found that our filters lasted around 1-2 months, but some customers said their filters only lasted 2-3 weeks. Assuming that we needed around 8 filters a year, we'd be spending around $110 annually on filter replacements, so at least the ongoing cost isn't too bad. Our tip: If you want to extend the lifespan of your ZeroWater filter, pre-filter your tap water through a cheaper system before you send it through the ZeroWater system. This will reduce some contaminants, so your costlier ZeroWater cartridge will have a longer lifespan. The helpful thing about having a TDS test meter is that we could use it to monitor the filter's performance. The manufacturer recommends replacing the filter when the TDS levels read 006. You can also go off taste, since we and many other customers noticed a distinct taste to their water when a filter change was needed. But the TDS water tester is a more accurate way to determine the filter performance. 🤔 Is the Zero Water Pitcher Or Dispenser Right for You? In our opinion, the ZeroWater pitcher or dispenser is right for you if you want a way to remove total dissolved solids from your tap water without the expense, complex setup, and water waste of a reverse osmosis system. As long as you're happy to commit to changing filters as and when needed, the ZeroWater filter systems offer a simple, affordable, easy-setup, filtered drinking water solution. The annual cost of replacement filters is significantly cheaper than the cost of sustaining a bottled water habit. The Zero Water pitcher is cheaper than most other point-of-use filters, so it's a good option in general if you want to keep your costs low. When don't we recommend the ZeroWater filters? Given that the 5-stage filter removes healthy minerals, we don't recommend ZeroWater if you prefer to retain these minerals in your tap water. Instead, choose a carbon-based water filter pitcher that removes harmful contaminants while retaining minerals (most of them do). Plus, the filter lifespan is pretty bad, so we don't recommend ZeroWater to folks who want to enjoy filtered drinking water with mineral commitment or maintenance. Finally, the ZeroWater filter has only been tested to remove just over 40 contaminants, while other water filter pitchers and dispensers we've reviewed have been tested to remove hundreds. If your priority is contaminant removal rather than TDS reduction, we suggest looking at some of the other pitchers and dispensers on the market. Found this review helpful? Comment below or share this article! Read the full article

[blissfulbathroom]

Faucet water filters: Are they worthwhile? An In-depth Analysis

Introduction In the modern world, ensuring the safety and purity of the water we drink is crucial. Many individuals are considering tap water filters as a viable option due to worries about toxins and pollutants in tap water. But the question arises: Are investment-level tap water filters actually worthwhile? This post will examine the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, environmental impact, and overall advantages of tap water filters.

Knowledge About Faucet Water Filters How do water filters for faucets operate? In order to make drinking tap water safer and cleaner, tap water filters are made to filter out impurities and toxins. They are often immediately attached to the tap, letting water go through several stages of filtration before it is used by the user.

Faucet water filter types There are various kinds of tap water filters on the market, including ceramic, reverse osmosis, and activated carbon filters. Each type has a special way of removing impurities and raising the standard of the water.

People Also Read 7 Steps To Test Water Quality at Home Without a Kit - Expert Guide

The Benefits of Using Faucet Water Filters Better Taste and Odour of Water The significant improvement in the taste and odor of the water is one of the main advantages of utilizing tap water filters. These filters successfully eliminate chlorine, which is frequently to blame for the taste and odor of tap water.

Getting Rid of Contaminants Lead, mercury, pesticides, and bacteria are just a few of the toxins that tap water filters may successfully filter out. This adds an additional layer of defense against any potential health risks linked to eating these drugs.

Comparatively Cheaper Than Bottled Water Long-term cost savings from buying a tap water filter can be substantial. Users can immediately enjoy filtered water rather than spending money and harming the environment on bottled water.

The Drawbacks of Using Faucet Water Filters Initial Cost and Upkeep

Although tap water filters might save you money over time, buying and installing a good filter system can be expensive at first. Additionally, filters require routine replacement, adding to the cost of continuing maintenance.

Effectiveness and Replacement of Filters

Filter cartridges for tap water filters lose some of their efficiency as they get older. The best possible water quality requires routine filter cartridge replacement, and skipping this step could result in insufficient filtering.

Limited Capacity for Filtering

The amount of water that some tap water filters can properly filter may be constrained. For larger houses or those with heavy water demand, this can be a problem.

People Also Read Are Faucet Aerators Universal: Exploring Compatibility and Benefits

Faucet water filters: Are they worthwhile? Taking a Balanced Approach Taking into account both the benefits and drawbacks of tap water filters, purchasing one ultimately comes down to personal choices and circumstances. A tap water filter can be a useful addition to your home if you value better taste, fewer toxins, and environmental responsibility.

[findmyservicecenter]

Navigating Common Printer Issues: Effective Troubleshooting Techniques

Introduction

Printers are indispensable tools in today's digital world, but dealing with printer issues can be frustrating. This blog post will guide you through common printer issues and provide effective troubleshooting techniques to get your printer back on track in no time. We provide many maintenance/repair services on devices, cars and motors and many more. To book your slot, contact us at Find My Service Center.

Paper Jams

Identifying the Problem

One of the most common printer issues is paper jams. Typically, a paper jam occurs when the printer cannot feed paper correctly or when the paper becomes lodged in the printer's internal components.

Resolving the Issue

Firstly, turn off the printer and unplug it. Carefully remove any visible paper from the input and output trays. Open the printer's access panel and gently remove any jammed paper from the internal components. Once the paper has been cleared, close the access panel, plug in the printer, and turn it back on. Be sure to use the correct paper size and type to prevent future jams.

Poor Print Quality

Identifying the Problem

Another common printer issue is poor print quality. This can manifest as faded or streaky prints, missing colors, or misaligned text and images.

Resolving the Issue

To address poor print quality, start by checking the ink or toner cartridges. Make sure they are installed correctly and not empty or expired. If necessary, replace the cartridges with new ones. Next, clean the printhead using the printer's built-in cleaning utility, which can be accessed through the printer's software or settings menu. Finally, ensure that the print settings are correctly configured for the paper type and print job.

Connectivity Issues

Identifying the Problem

Connectivity issues are another common printer problem, particularly with wireless printers. These issues can include the printer not being detected by the computer or the printer being unable to connect to the Wi-Fi network. If you need any assistance on your printer then contact us at Printer Repair/Maintenance.

Resolving the Issue

First, verify that the printer is powered on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. If the issue persists, try restarting both the printer and the computer. Additionally, check for any software updates for your printer or computer, as these updates may resolve connectivity problems. If you're still experiencing issues, consult the printer's user manual or manufacturer's website for further guidance.

Slow Printing

Identifying the Problem

Slow printing can be a frustrating printer issue, particularly when dealing with large or high-quality print jobs.

Resolving the Issue

To increase print speed, try reducing the print quality or changing the print mode to "draft" or "fast" in the printer settings. Additionally, ensure that the latest printer driver is installed on your computer, as outdated drivers can cause slow printing. If you're using a wireless printer, consider connecting it directly to your computer via a USB cable to potentially improve printing speed.

Frequent Error Messages

Identifying the Problem

Frequent error messages can be a sign of underlying printer issues, such as software or hardware problems.

Resolving the Issue

Firstly, make a note of the error message displayed on the printer or computer screen. Next, consult the printer's user manual or manufacturer's website to determine the cause of the error and the appropriate troubleshooting steps. In some cases, you may need to update the printer's firmware, reinstall the printer driver, or replace a faulty hardware component.

Ink or Toner Spills

Identifying the Problem

Ink or toner spills can be messy and problematic, potentially damaging the printer's internal components or causing poor print quality. You can also read it here: Troubleshooting Printer Issues: Solve Common Problems Fast.

Resolving the Issue

To address ink or toner spills, start by unplugging the printer and carefully removing the affected ink or toner cartridge. Use a soft cloth or paper towel to clean any spilled ink or toner from the cartridge and the surrounding area inside the printer. In addition, If the spill is extensive, you may need to consult the printer's user manual or contact the manufacturer for guidance on how to properly clean the affected components. Once the spill has been cleaned, reinstall the cartridge, and perform a test print to ensure the issue has been resolved. You might also like Importance: Printer Maintenance for Maximum Efficiency.

Conclusion

Ultimately, printer issues can be frustrating and time-consuming, but with the right troubleshooting techniques, you can quickly resolve these problems and get your printer back in working order. By familiarizing yourself with common printer issues and their solutions, you'll be better equipped to tackle any printing challenges that come your way. Remember to consult your printer's user manual or the manufacturer's website for specific guidance tailored to your printer model.

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Content

Popularity Of Vaporizer Pens

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Support for Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. And at simply half a kilo and 6.1 mm thin, carrying all that energy is easy. Loosely cover with more plastic wrap and pop it within the fridge overnight. Pea protein is a high-quality, easy-to-digest, plant-based protein supply.

If the THC-o doesn't make me feel like this, I don't want it pic.twitter.com/KXUsOHe9yT

— JustDelta (@JustDelta8) Thc-o Gummies ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2022

Vape cartridges are small, cylindrical tanks that contain hashish oil. They screw onto a vape pen or e-cigarette and can be utilized to vape both THC and CBD oils. Some cartridges comprise nicotine, while others do not.

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Chronic Carts is an up and coming model and we weren’t too positive what to anticipate from them. Having never heard of them, they jogged my memory of Dank Vapes with their packaging.

If you take a glance at these packaging’s, the packaging of the reality appears totally different than the packaging of the pretend ones.

Have you ever smoked a joint and gotten the munchies?

So what are the problems associated to smoking “fake” carts?

Can somebody tell me somewhat bit more about faux carts with good oil?

The extra features a pen has, the costlier it goes to be.

None of the merchandise reviewed or featured on this website are approved by the Food and Drug Administration or beneficial by a doctor. The FDA presently advises individuals to avoid vaping THC merchandise. Our reviewers proceed to use them and post data concerning THC vapes, but we make no claims as to their safety.

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EH Excellent Houseware, a brand by Koopman International was based in Amsterdam in 1937. At Koopman International, high quality, reliability and repair are paramount. If you’re seeking to add extra protein to your food plan and you’re in search of low FODMAP choices, pea protein is a superb alternative.

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Fourth, read the product descriptions rigorously to make sure you’re getting what you want. When we first started vaping we were worried about spending an excessive quantity of on our new habit, however now we understand how little we really spend each month. Not solely that however vaping is more discreet than another type of medicating.

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