tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.comments2024-03-18T19:44:51.140+00:00Inventory FullBhagpusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comBlogger12491125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-66359998793571362972024-03-18T19:44:51.140+00:002024-03-18T19:44:51.140+00:00OK, well if I turn out to be right, you read it he...OK, well if I turn out to be right, you read it here first :-)<br /><br />The reasoning that led me there is a bit much for a comment, but it has to do with how neurons apparently work on a cellular level, and how higher levels of reasoning have seemingly evolved independently in several lineages, some very very distantly related. Yeebohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08028940396189544294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-2427622162451425332024-03-18T12:40:44.278+00:002024-03-18T12:40:44.278+00:00Chaos just about sums it up. Like you, I was origi...Chaos just about sums it up. Like you, I was originally excited by the possibilities but as with so many promises of this kind, the implementation doesn't quite match up to the imagination. Janelle Shae's posts used to have a whimsical, joyful tone but now I feel there's not just an ennui creeping in but a tone of disillusionment and concern. Her latest piece makes the well-rehearsed yet largely ignored point that the AIs are now feeding on themselves, making even those very valid concerns about real-world bias look old-fashioned. Basically, unrestricted access LLMs has pumped an ocean of twaddle into the worldwide web and that's where the AIs are fishing. It's like no-one remembers Garbage In-Garbage Out.<br /><br />Too late to do anything about it now, though...Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-7404904788569194922024-03-18T10:46:37.755+00:002024-03-18T10:46:37.755+00:00That site by Janelle Shae is a real gem, thanks fo...That site by Janelle Shae is a real gem, thanks for sharing it!<br />I am very torn on AI right now - I love the new avenues of possibility and creation but the further along we go, it starts to get really complicated as the legal issues pile up and everyone seems to be out of their depth. It feels like we're all part of a big chaotic experiment which is pretty much echoed by Silicon Valley insiders who warned this would happen if the tech got unleashed too soon and without proper checks and guidance. Someone is already undoubtedly profiting from this massively and it's not us.<br />I don't know if I second the sentiment that things are happening too slowly (like for VR gaming), to me it still seems bewildering and we're clearly not ready as a society, even if everyone is talking about the great new world of AI and we just released our first ChatGPT guidelines at work. I watched an AI generated movie short clip the other day and thought it was wild. The deep fakes are scary.<br /><br />I hear you on the polish; things getting ever smoother, better and thus more boring as they imitate real life to perfection. It's a bit like when console games started to look too photo realistic, somehow that lost the magic for me personally. I also came across this big Bloomberg article a week ago about how AI recreates all the bias and inequalities we have in the real world and reinforces them. The AI is only as good/bad as the data its trained on and obviously that in itself is very limiting and potentially problematic. For reference: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-generative-ai-bias/Sylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04473554645340972749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-11935898542829898062024-03-17T21:58:40.321+00:002024-03-17T21:58:40.321+00:00It hadn't occurred to me until I read your com...It hadn't occurred to me until I read your comment but I can't recall ever seeing any suggestion, fiction or non-fiction, that machine intelligence might begin at a lower equivalent level than baseline human. It always seems to be very similar to human, albeit sometimes naive or childlike, or else superior. If there are any stories or movies or shows where the first AIs develop at an animal level I'd love to hear about it.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-73775656695562615832024-03-17T20:17:25.611+00:002024-03-17T20:17:25.611+00:00I strongly suspect if and when machine intelligenc...I strongly suspect if and when machine intelligence does arrive, it will be in an unexpected setting and we won't really recognize it when it does. It also won't be all that badass, it will be more on the order of what a chicken can do in terms of of independent thought. Maybe a cat or even a crow (to be really generous, crows are astoundingly smart), but nothing at all like AI in a Gibson novel.Yeebohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08028940396189544294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-28023070555480942342024-03-17T08:52:56.256+00:002024-03-17T08:52:56.256+00:00If we get into the "what is independent thoug...If we get into the "what is independent thought" debate we'll be here until the heat death of the universe. That said, having observed Beryl closely for a couple of years, I'm pretty sure a dog has it. Recent research shows octopuses and crows very definitely do and there's increasing evidence in favor of a form of intelligence in trees and fungi. I generally take the view that most things humans perceive as certainties are more likely to be expressions of their sensory limitations so I'm inclined to allow for the possibility of varieties of autonomous intelligence that don't match our expectations. Machine intelligence, should it ever arrive, would be just one example.<br /><br />The current AIs most definitely are not it, though. Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-34783617178604990122024-03-16T22:21:53.797+00:002024-03-16T22:21:53.797+00:00AI isn't AI because it's not independent t...AI isn't AI because it's not independent thought. Then again, you could make the argument that humans aren't capable of independent thought because we're the sum of our experiences --and chemicals that alter our brain processing-- and we simply don't understand all of the wiring that goes on in our brains. (Yet.) I'm going to have to start pulling out my old textbooks from my senior level philosophy class titled Practical Reasoning, which was neither practical or full of clear reasoning, but I suspect I'd understand those old textbooks a bit better now with "AI" out there these days.Redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306063084983025771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-39023377382859095092024-03-16T08:16:14.906+00:002024-03-16T08:16:14.906+00:00On the topic of Steam sales, what I find off-putti...On the topic of Steam sales, what I find off-putting is the whole "consume games" vibe. I don't "consume" games, or rather don't play games meant to be consumed. I play games by the hundreds of hours, months and even years in a row... and only one game at a time. That would be a perfect profile match for a subscription model, but these are not en vogue now that exist better ways to extract money from gamers as a collective (whales for free riders) if not as individuals.Angry Onionsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-45627977810026668552024-03-15T15:08:10.228+00:002024-03-15T15:08:10.228+00:00I got a school shooting as the ending of my third ...I got a school shooting as the ending of my third playthrough so it's just getting worse...Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-77698842646175930502024-03-15T14:40:50.873+00:002024-03-15T14:40:50.873+00:00Talk about your cheery, upbeat games. Yikes.Talk about your cheery, upbeat games. Yikes.Redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306063084983025771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-35362331692427098032024-03-14T09:45:31.518+00:002024-03-14T09:45:31.518+00:00Hi Syl! Welcome back! The feed *should* update aut...Hi Syl! Welcome back! The feed *should* update automatically but it hasn't yet, although for some blogs it does take a while for posts to show up. I checked what feed it was using and it still had Raging Monkeys, but that redirects to your current web page, so it should still have worked. I've changed it to MMOGypsy now so we'll see what happens.<br /><br />Enshrouded is the only one of the recent batch of high-profile survival games I haven't played, although I did play it briefly during Steam's NextFest and thought it was okay - just not as interesting as the alternatives. I can see why Nightingale has had some bad press - in many ways it's very old-fashioned and I think a lot of people either don't have that experience or don't want to re-visit it. I find it extremely similar to Valheim only with much better graphics and a much more interesting storyline. Palworld, which I was enjoying a month ago, seems very flat in comparison. <br /><br />If you don't like a particular survival game at the moment, though, it's not a problem. There will be two or three more along any minute.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-29310756324738792442024-03-14T08:52:35.541+00:002024-03-14T08:52:35.541+00:00Wait...you're playing (and enjoying) Nightinga...Wait...you're playing (and enjoying) Nightingale?! I must catch up on my blog reading!<br />I read quite a bit of negative press on that one, so I opted to play Enshrouded which is actually very cool so far! <br />I love the fact that I can always return here and know a fresh post by Bhagpuss will be up. :) A big /hugs from me - and tell your olde blogger blogroll to update itself, because I'm totally blogging again! :PSylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04473554645340972749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-24664784696169600012024-03-13T17:58:42.759+00:002024-03-13T17:58:42.759+00:00The most surprising thing to me about Rift is that...The most surprising thing to me about Rift is that it's still going at all under anyone's brand. I wondered if there might be an emulator by now, or plans for one for when Gamigo inevitably shuts off the lights, but apparently Rift is a particularly difficult game to emulate by the usual means so an emulated afterlife for the game is unlikely. <br /><br />Who knows, though? Some people just can't resist a challenge.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-49027118869213141792024-03-13T17:53:53.459+00:002024-03-13T17:53:53.459+00:00Steam's update process is better than most, th...Steam's update process is better than most, that's for sure. I'd love to have all my MMORPGs natively on Steam just for the updates and general convenience but as you say, most of them divery to their own launchers and patchers as soon as you hit Play on Steam anyway, which is quite annoying. <br /><br />I totally agree about the advantage to the game developers of making the whole thing as frictionless as possible. I'm sure it would lead to more people coming back, more often. Sadly, most of them seem far more interested in maintaining their own shaky storefronts than letting someone who can clearly do a better job just get on with it. Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-29095715081932056232024-03-13T15:33:45.793+00:002024-03-13T15:33:45.793+00:00Rift's endgame is a pretty sad story, given th...Rift's endgame is a pretty sad story, given that it's under Gamigo. I think the only owner that might be worse would be, oh, Embracer Group. Whenever I login I don't see anybody on, and an empty MMO is both sad and fascinating at the same time. <br /><br />Rift is one of those games that if I won the lottery, I'd see about trying to purchase from Gamigo just to try to revive. Then again, I've also said that about LOTRO.Redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05306063084983025771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-33500797663734490222024-03-13T13:34:07.526+00:002024-03-13T13:34:07.526+00:00Thanks for the heads up about Rift. I logged in to...Thanks for the heads up about Rift. I logged in to check what server my two characters were on. Luckily they don't have to move. Not that either are more than single digits in levels, but still I like to control my server moves even if I know nothing about the server I would be moving them to. ^_^<br /><br />I am one of those who like to use Steam to launch my MMOs when I can link my accounts. It is a convenience for me to have one main place to launch games, even if MMOs tend to launch their own launcher. :sigh:<br /><br />What has been interesting is that every MMO tends to use different bits of Steam. ESO lets you log in via Steam (a big plus for me), but wants do its own patching. Swtor, on the other hand, makes you login via their launcher, but patches the game via Steam (which is a smoother update experience). The rest of the MMOs I have on Steam will let you link accounts, but then fall back to their normal launcher. Which is annoying for me. I want them to use Steam as the login service and patching service as that's far more convenient for me as a player. There's something for going back to a lesser played game and have it up-to-date and be quickly taken to the character select screen. It would seem to be obvious that the less friction you have to play a game the better, but MMO developers continue to be stuck in the late 1990s/early 2000s mentality.<br /><br />Then there's Guild Wars 2 that doesn't even try to use Steam, except as a store front. I would have paid for the Steam extras and used the Steam version if I could have linked my account, but no. It just gives the appearance that ArenaNet doesn't even want to bother doing the bare minimum of being on Steam. Being down there with EA requiring their own Steam competitor to play their games on Steam is not a good look.Pallaishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01052537793722183657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-55252824504495130692024-03-12T17:57:59.010+00:002024-03-12T17:57:59.010+00:00I wouldn't even take that bet! I'm pretty ...I wouldn't even take that bet! I'm pretty sure that's exactly what will happen, especially if anything new and interesting comes along. Honestly, I feel I've more than had my money's worth out of Nightingale already anyway, so anything from now on is just a bonus.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-46824838483035333452024-03-12T13:20:25.662+00:002024-03-12T13:20:25.662+00:00I have not played the game, and this is only for t...I have not played the game, and this is only for the fun, without any bad feeling whatsoever : <br />I am predicting that you will stop playing the game in less than two weeks. Based on your previous experience, after you finish a major milestone, you dabble a little bit before stopping. The free Essence will keep you occupied 1 week, and 1 week of exploring before stopping in the middle of a project. <br /><br />I am even worse than you here, so no judgment from me ;-)Ettesiunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12910627709133317584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-21535288312951990982024-03-09T16:41:03.348+00:002024-03-09T16:41:03.348+00:00Oh, that's intersting. She was pretty good in ...Oh, that's intersting. She was pretty good in Prodigy, I thought.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-5876820358544807732024-03-09T16:40:25.135+00:002024-03-09T16:40:25.135+00:00I should get that on a T-shirt.I should get that on a T-shirt.Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-44138641888540243732024-03-09T15:34:53.916+00:002024-03-09T15:34:53.916+00:00Was never a big fan of the Fallout games (played a...Was never a big fan of the Fallout games (played a bit of 76 and didn't hate it, but also didn't love it), but that trailer does look surprisingly promising.<br /><br />Fun fact if you weren't aware: The lead actress for the Fallout show, Ella Purnell, is also the voice of Gwyndala on Star Trek: Prodigy.Tyler Edwardshttps://superior-realities.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-4840046593569542202024-03-08T15:24:38.943+00:002024-03-08T15:24:38.943+00:00Too many games too little time! I burned myself ou...Too many games too little time! I burned myself out on Valheim, so haven't entered into the foray of any of the new Survival game-esque launches. Still, if you like, I mean, won't everyone? :PIseyhttp://www.ihaspc.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-44255605881515187822024-03-08T11:50:01.415+00:002024-03-08T11:50:01.415+00:00Rift is a really great example of how the process ...Rift is a really great example of how the process works. In beta, Rift had genuinely original, exciting, compelling gameplay but it was relatively unpredictable and relatively inconvenient for players who just wanted to get on with questing and levelling. Each new iteration made everything slightly easier until six months after launch the whole game felt stiff and inflexible. Then they doubled down on that approach with the truly stultifyingly rigid first expansion and that was pretty much it for Rift.<br /><br />I hope Nightingale doesn't go the same way but experience suggests it probably will. It'll take a while, though, so plenty of time left to enjoy it while it's good!Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-7507835941701804672024-03-08T08:16:28.690+00:002024-03-08T08:16:28.690+00:00Good chemistry can carry a poor plot but often eve...Good chemistry can carry a poor plot but often even good chemistry also needs a good script. Or a lot of explosions. Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-44390660986441870182024-03-08T08:14:00.205+00:002024-03-08T08:14:00.205+00:00It's only recently I've noticed how relian...It's only recently I've noticed how reliant the Hollywood movie machine has always been on properties from other media. For decades it used to be novels and short stories and no-one really seemed to think anything of it but then it began to draw in video games, comic books, graphic novels, songs and even board games and theme park attractions until last year just about the biggest movie of the year was about a plastic doll. <br /><br />If Barbie can make a great movie then I guess anything can, even a video game with no story or plot!Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.com