Little things that annoy the hell out of you

[MintyTheCat]

I've heard about the face-sitting ban, lmao. To think this country produced Monty Python!

It is all rather ridiculous. I think it is their attempt to make us all thoroughly boring people. I know why I left the UK with all the bollocks that passes for policy these days. Brits are a bit kinky but it tends to be in spite of all the silliness.

Plenty of FS and general naughtiness to be found in Berlin, people

[Blinge]

"No sex please we're British." Starting to make sense now.

Fuck the "boost enemy HP and/or lower player HP, job done" approach. Even in otherwise good games that bugs me.

Silent Hill 2?

[BIL]

TBH, I can't remember the last time I played SH2 on anything but Hard Action+Extra Riddle... but regardless, the KCET quartet are a stark exception to my usual gaming habits anyway. Among the few I play entirely for atmospheric purposes. There's millions of things they could've done better but I generally don't mind. ;3 (SH2's Hard Action Brookhaven escape is kinda fun too IMO, methodically emptying handgun magazines into Angry Roadcone Man's face at each corner. Ten shots, haul ass, halt, reload! )

What I really, really fucking hate is when something bread & butter like Final Soldier (PCE) does it. "Normal" is lacking, "Hard" is ok but a little ornery, "Expert" is almost unplayable. You know you're in for a rockin' good STG time when it's a struggle to destroy the very first zako formations before they leave the screen. -_-

It's a fine balance. A little extra fiber is ok and can add visceral feel, but too much will soon get exhausting and dispiriting. FS's immediate sequel Soldier Blade does everything right. Tearing apart that game's extra-chunky Hard mode enemies gives me a goddamn boner.

[MintyTheCat]

"No sex please we're British." Starting to make sense now.

I shall invite you to ask the swedish ladies and indeed a handful of other nationalities about their British partners. There will be a few contented smiles.
We do have sex but the idiot policy-makers wish to try to hide that fact from us all as it "might offend someone".

[BrianC]

Fuck the "boost enemy HP and/or lower player HP, job done" approach. Even in otherwise good games that bugs me. Nothing pleases me more than innately easier games with really well-done "extreme" modes. See the hyperaggressive rush of Super Star Soldier's hidden "Sugeeze" difficulty.

I like the original Kirby's Dreamland's approach to extra difficulty. Enemies deal out more damage and most enemies are replaced with more aggressive versions. Too bad other Kirby games didn't take the same approach. Kirby's Adventure's extra mode enemies are no more aggressive than the ones in normal mode and the only additions are a smaller health bar and no saving.

[mamboFoxtrot]

XTREEM

Ah, yes, the BEST difficulty mode:


X6 is kinda weird because Xtreme mode actually has a lot of changes, not just to enemy numbers, but also stage hazards and boss attacks/AI, but then on top of that has the lazy "double health + more damage" shit. I mean, with Zero, it really doesn't matter how many enemies there are, since his Saber can hit everything at once. X is going to have a bit more awkward a time, especially in this stage, even WITH great subweapons like Yammark Option and his 15 varieties of screen-nuke.
PS: This stage pretty much only has these enemies, and also has randomized rooms so if you want a particular item from it you just have to keep replaying it until it gives it to you. Whee.
I wish X4 had an Xtreme mode

Also, @ twits who pick hard mode and then whine that it's hard: I really wish that it was commercially viable to just tell these people to get bent.

[BrianC]

I mean, with Zero, it really doesn't matter how many enemies there are

As long as one of them in the group isn't invincible.

[Skykid]

So has anyone been following the UK's horrific new "Investigatory Powers" law / snoopers charter?

what in the hell is going on over there

Precisely a giant step backwards.
The UK has always been weird over porn and to be honest the matter of commerce and sex. Now, sure, in Germany we have sex films and you can buy sex legally. It may not be the cup of tea of every one but it makes things a darn site safer for the workers.

The UK, on the other hand claims that legalising sex for sale would lead to "an influx of sex tourists" I very much doubt that.

Prostitution is and always has been legal in the UK, you just aren't allowed to stand on doorsteps or streets and beckon in passers by.

If it's in an abode, it's legal to sell it, legal to advertise in classifieds, or signpost the owned property with "model upstairs" or similar.

You cannot to this day buy uncut porn in the UK legally.

You can buy uncut porn in any of the Harmony or other major sex shop retailers that litter the central London area.

I'm not sure about cutting horror movies, I've not heard anything about BBFC censorship like that since the 70s. Examples?

[MintyTheCat]

Precisely a giant step backwards.
The UK has always been weird over porn and to be honest the matter of commerce and sex. Now, sure, in Germany we have sex films and you can buy sex legally. It may not be the cup of tea of every one but it makes things a darn site safer for the workers.

The UK, on the other hand claims that legalising sex for sale would lead to "an influx of sex tourists" I very much doubt that.

Prostitution is and always has been legal in the UK, you just aren't allowed to stand on doorsteps or streets and beckon in passers by.

If it's in an abode, it's legal to sell it, legal to advertise in classifieds, or signpost the owned property with "model upstairs" or similar.

You cannot to this day buy uncut porn in the UK legally.

You can buy uncut porn in any of the Harmony or other major sex shop retailers that litter the central London area.

I'm not sure about cutting horror movies, I've not heard anything about BBFC censorship like that since the 70s. Examples?

But no one should have to go to a specialised shop just to buy porn; I can buy porn in any local shop that sells films, there are specialised sex shops over here of course but no one has to go to them to buy pornos. Again, this is the UK being tardy and just making life more involved for normal people.
I have never had any need to enter any of the Harmony shops in London myself so I cannot say what they have and whether or not their films are cut, but I can tell you that in Germany nothing is cut. Our equivalent of HMV - Saturn simply allows you to buy any porn pretty much that you want.

All rather silly: they should simply state: "this is a brothel, we are regulated and all is well". This tardy little situation needs to be regulated and it is rather difficult to prove "the use of force" which would make the circumstances by which sex was traded for money to be proven due it not being regulated.
This may not be an issue in the UK but the matter of health insurance would also come under fire should the 'model' succumb to a rather specific class of 'injury'. If the worker was simply classed as being a sex-worker then they would get their dues and be treated medically correctly. I find this to be all rather "doesn't happen here..." and rather bigoted. I feel that it needs to be regulated and the people involved need to know where they stand. There is massive potential for abuse the more underground it goes.

In England and Wales, it is an offence to pay for sex with a prostitute who has been "subjected to force" and this is a strict liability offence (clients can be prosecuted even if they did not know the prostitute was forced).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitut ... ed_Kingdom

This is exactly what I am talking about: how does one prove or disprove the use of force? You have to know and be aware either way because it is a tenet of law and thereby any person paying for sex could end up in court and receive a sentence. This all becomes rather difficult when there are no witnesses apart from the at minimum two parties involved. As I said, if it is all regulated, if there are standards and conditions and all sex-workers receive health care, checks, screenings, etc. it is safer for all involved when it is all above board.

In 2015 the HMRC set up a dedicated "adult entertainment task force" to collect unpaid income tax from, among others, online escort agencies.

This is the other issue: all that unpaid tax. Having it all regulated, having "models" classed as "sex-workers" would remove that issue and would ensure that tax is paid. We are talking an industry that is worth several billion after all.

I can assure you that Horror films are still cut to pieces in the UK. We had a fairly big break-through when they released the Texas Chainsaw Massacre uncut back in I think 2004-2005 but that took years and years to get that. To my knowledge many of the older UK prints were simply not updated once the changes to the BBFC came into place, so for example if you or me where to buy a horror film form the 70s or 80s in the UK it would be old print that was cut. As such, any changes that come into place now really need to go back and update those prints - essentially take the prints that they have in the USA but of course that is more money to spend and often this will not happen. It is simply far, far easier to buy the US, Austrian or Japanese prints I find.

[Xyga]

Looooong thunderstorms, downpour, hail, strong winds, blackouts, wireless/phone network down, damp everywhere, dangerous roads ... that was a shitty week.

[Skykid]

But no one should have to go to a specialised shop just to buy porn; I can buy porn in any local shop that sells films, there are specialised sex shops over here of course but no one has to go to them to buy pornos. Again, this is the UK being tardy and just making life more involved for normal people.

Newsagents and gas stations have been selling hardcore pornographic magazines, occasionally with the odd DVD, since I was a kid.
Harmony isn't a seedy sex shop, it's a 3 floor emporium on Oxford Street that's screamingly unconservative in its placement and encouraging doors-open nature. It's also a chain.

Besides, I actually think selling hardcore porn in designated sex shops is rather a savoury approach. There's not much liberty in exposing people to DP's every time you want to buy a bag of crisps.

In England and Wales, it is an offence to pay for sex with a prostitute who has been "subjected to force" and this is a strict liability offence (clients can be prosecuted even if they did not know the prostitute was forced).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitut ... ed_Kingdom

This is exactly what I am talking about: how does one prove or disprove the use of force? You have to know and be aware either way because it is a tenet of law and thereby any person paying for sex could end up in court and receive a sentence. This all becomes rather difficult when there are no witnesses apart from the at minimum two parties involved. As I said, if it is all regulated, if there are standards and conditions and all sex-workers receive health care, checks, screenings, etc. it is safer for all involved when it is all above board.

[/quote]

I don't disagree with some of what you're saying in terms of protecting sex workers, but I think the risk factor is overrated generally. They're not getting into people's cars or anything.

My point was that it's legal though, rather than the other way around.

I can assure you that Horror films are still cut to pieces in the UK. We had a fairly big break-through when they released the Texas Chainsaw Massacre uncut back in I think 2004-2005 but that took years and years to get that. To my knowledge many of the older UK prints were simply not updated once the changes to the BBFC came into place, so for example if you or me where to buy a horror film form the 70s or 80s in the UK it would be old print that was cut. As such, any changes that come into place now really need to go back and update those prints - essentially take the prints that they have in the USA but of course that is more money to spend and often this will not happen. It is simply far, far easier to buy the US, Austrian or Japanese prints I find.

With Texas Chainsaw Massacre I think it just took ages to get around to releasing it uncut on a commercial rerelease because no-one gave a fuck. It was on TV uncut countless times.

Otherwise I can't think of any movie being cut in decades. I might be wrong but I'd need examples.

[MintyTheCat]

But no one should have to go to a specialised shop just to buy porn; I can buy porn in any local shop that sells films, there are specialised sex shops over here of course but no one has to go to them to buy pornos. Again, this is the UK being tardy and just making life more involved for normal people.

Newsagents and gas stations have been selling hardcore pornographic magazines, occasionally with the odd DVD, since I was a kid.
Harmony isn't a seedy sex shop, it's a 3 floor emporium on Oxford Street that's screamingly unconservative in its placement and encouraging doors-open nature. It's also a chain.

Besides, I actually think selling hardcore porn in designated sex shops is rather a savoury approach. There's not much liberty in exposing people to DP's every time you want to buy a bag of crisps.

[/quote]
That is the issue though: the hardcore material was only permitted from sometime in the early 2000s and then banned once again.
The UK has put into place a ban on a number of acts, including spanking:

Other acts banned included spanking beyond a gentle level, full bondage and restraint (in conjunction with a gag and all four limbs restrained) and - bizarrely - female ejaculation.

Abusive language during sex is now also banned, alongside depictions of non-consensual sex.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 98541.html

Provided that the mags are covered I see no issue in selling them in Newsagents personally, but I was more over referring to media shops such as HMV and Virgin for those who remember them.

In England and Wales, it is an offence to pay for sex with a prostitute who has been "subjected to force" and this is a strict liability offence (clients can be prosecuted even if they did not know the prostitute was forced).

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 98541.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitut ... ed_Kingdom

This is exactly what I am talking about: how does one prove or disprove the use of force? You have to know and be aware either way because it is a tenet of law and thereby any person paying for sex could end up in court and receive a sentence. This all becomes rather difficult when there are no witnesses apart from the at minimum two parties involved. As I said, if it is all regulated, if there are standards and conditions and all sex-workers receive health care, checks, screenings, etc. it is safer for all involved when it is all above board.

[/quote]

I don't disagree with some of what you're saying in terms of protecting sex workers, but I think the risk factor is overrated generally. They're not getting into people's cars or anything.

My point was that it's legal though, rather than the other way around.

This is the thing though it is a fudge-law if you like and it can be construed as being legal and illegal on fairly shaky-grounds. Rather than being upfront about it the UK laws make things more involved and less obvious and instead of a situation being a matter of not breaking the law it becomes a matter of subjectivity more over and that is a recipe for trouble. I live in a city where prostitution is legal all over within the city limits and one can buy any porn pretty much should one wish to do so.

If only they could just stop cutting every single horror film in Germany we would be fine.

I can assure you that Horror films are still cut to pieces in the UK. We had a fairly big break-through when they released the Texas Chainsaw Massacre uncut back in I think 2004-2005 but that took years and years to get that. To my knowledge many of the older UK prints were simply not updated once the changes to the BBFC came into place, so for example if you or me where to buy a horror film form the 70s or 80s in the UK it would be old print that was cut. As such, any changes that come into place now really need to go back and update those prints - essentially take the prints that they have in the USA but of course that is more money to spend and often this will not happen. It is simply far, far easier to buy the US, Austrian or Japanese prints I find.

With Texas Chainsaw Massacre I think it just took ages to get around to releasing it uncut on a commercial rerelease because no-one gave a fuck. It was on TV uncut countless times.

Otherwise I can't think of any movie being cut in decades. I might be wrong but I'd need examples.

Hardly, the film has a large fan following. Personally, I have never rated that film myself but the BBFC sat on it for years all the same.

http://www.melonfarmers.co.uk/arbptcm.htm

Censorship is revealed to be an unworkable concept when censors change their minds about what is permissible. If material is deemed dangerous, corrupting, imitable, etc., then surely it must remain so, regardless of whether it's 1901 or 2001? But if, as seems to be the case, material can be reassessed and judged harmless, then it stands to reason that it was harmless in the first place, and the argument for censorship collapses. Let's look at the farrago caused by the Texas Chainsaw films, which has managed to prolong itself for nearly thirty years.

As I recall as I have very little to do with UK Horror film releases these days but Halloween 3 was cut and so was 1982's The Thing.
One of the cut scenes for H3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNf9B3sVSPE

But are talking about the same country that enacted a witch-hunt on horror in the early 1980s. I have seen Horror films, Videogames, etc. used as a scapegoat time and time again in the UK and each time it only serves to deepen the problem and occlude any real investigation's findings. There is never an apology, never a "we got it wrong" just people being scapegoated, films being banned and a general crack down on media. This all leads only one way in the end.

I think that rather bizarrely we live in an age where the powers that be just wish to invade our lives too often, too thoroughly and without any real need to do so.
We have a brigade of half-wits piping on about how a certain piece of art or media offends them. I think that although many things do not appeal to me and I do not class them as having any real value that I cannot simply say "ban it" or hold it up in red-tape for ever. If I could do that we would have no more Rap 'music'

[Xyga]

Stomach flu lv99

[Lord Satori]

TIL that my dad doesn't bother to close his door when making love with his ladyfriend.

I walk into the kitchen to get a late drink and oh my god...

[atheistgod1999]

TIL that my dad doesn't bother to close his door when making love with his ladyfriend.

I walk into the kitchen to get a late drink and oh my god...

Jesus
Did they notice you were there?

[Lord Satori]

Luckily I only have to pass by the hallway and not the door itself to get to the kitchen.

I should've thought it strange when my dog showed up near my upstairs room at 1:30 am.

[Blinge]

Film it and post a link.

Don't be a pussy.

[MintyTheCat]

Film it and post a link.

Don't be a pussy.

a terrible, terrible thing to say, young man

To be honest, and I might be becoming more my age but: those mature ladies in their 40s some of them are fantastic. Of course, one must exercise caution and be some what selective but yes, some of them are great.

[Mischief Maker]

I may have bitched about this before, but GOG being slow as molasses when it comes to uploading patches.

Why did they even bother announcing the No Man's Sky update days before the patch is available?

[atheistgod1999]

WAY too much homework. For starters, I have to watch a whole fucking movie by tomorrow.

[lilmanjs]

The fact that now I have money that I am supposed to rush out and buy Xmas gifts. It needs to go to other things first, but nobody listens and just keeps asking me if I need to go someplace to buy presents. My label is more important than sone stupid gifts at this time.

[Sumez]

WAY too much homework. For starters, I have to watch a whole fucking movie by tomorrow.

Enjoy it while you can. You'll long for the freedom you had as a student once you're stuck in the workforce.

[emphatic]

Wifi glitching.

[Xyga]

^ that guy was an 'askhole' then

[Stevens]

Thank you for expanding my vocabulary Xyga.

3 days later...

Dude: I talked to this random guy, and he said <Y> is better than <X>. What do you think is the best?

I FUCKING TOLD YOU 3 DAYS AGO.

I hate indecisiveness.

[atheistgod1999]

This happening in Engineering class, thanks to some build kit where the plastic parts are all connected to a frame by two or four things each and you have to snap them off individually:

Spoiler

[BIL]

Damp leaky trains that stink of mildew.

Granted it's not as bad as trains that stink of or contain shit or vomit, let alone those BART escalators that break down because of all the highly compacted loafs of shit inside, but it puts me in that mental ballpark.

And then I think really dark thoughts on my commute...

(trigger warning: suicidal ideation, self-inflicted gunshot wound, graphic death)

Spoiler

I'm spoiled by dry non-smelly trains

[atheistgod1999]

SONICHU 12 IS OUT!?!?

[BIL]

Haha, hell no. That's from the fanmade issue 11 - probably the only decent conclusion we'll ever get, knowing that fat lazy welfare potato.

[atheistgod1999]

Haha, hell no. That's from the fanmade issue 11 - probably the only decent conclusion we'll ever get, knowing that fat lazy welfare potato.

Should've read the damn thing before posting that.