90% of problems on modern cars are computers miscommunicating with other computers, out just deciding that some sensor isn't behaving well enough, so you have to throw the baby out with the bath water. All this in proprietary formats in proprietary subsystems a filthy mortal like you can't afford the tools to even know what's wrong.
And then you can get 3rd party tools like Autel, which also aren't cheap. But this model of tool can only talk to these modules on this model of car. Any car that requires a scan tool to bleed the brakes can go straight to the crusher. Oh and let's run all of the buses through the radio so you can never change that out without a dongle to try to keep things working.
How do I read the knock sensor info from OBD port for Subaru
A: It's not part of the OBD standard, so you need a Cobb access port to read the data
Okay but I don't have money for that and I'm literally just making a python script to do this.
A: Well you need the custom ID to query the sensor info
Okay what's the custom ID?
A: You have to pay morbillion dollars to get access to the documentation that has the custom info that you can get from the ECU
Not even close to doing anything with tuning ot modding, but you're telling me I can't even read a sensor because neither Subuaru nor Cobb will tell me a single hex ID bruh
I just wish I could but a fucking service manual. Seems like like the only way is to get access to a digital copy through a subscription service. I don't need service manuals for every car made, just mine.
I love board games, and own a game shop. Many companies are creating board games (and other types of games) that require their app, then after a few years they abandon the app making the game useless and unplayable.
Similar situation - those board games are honestly pretty rare and almost universally shit, app or no. Plus, they've been trying to do that for years. I had a clue board game that would text you clues throughout the game. I played that on my first flip phone. It was absolutely horrendous
This is why I don’t buy toys and other items that require a specific app.
The last one I remember buying was that little robot and the company that made it went under and a new company bought them and resurrected the robot but now required a monthly subscription.
Great example of why this kind of crap needs to stop already. I don’t need a damn app for everything I do and it doesn’t have to be specialized.
The other side of it is those things I have, like an older RC helicopter, that still has the app available on the App Store but not for modern devices because the specifications changed and the app no longer is compatible for modern devices.
I play darts, we used to write on whiteboards with sharpies. Now nearly every club has a computer with some kind of software. Usually this software is closed source and sends all the data to some kind of server. We as players have no choice if we want to play the tournament, we have no control. Many clubs also use the computer for training. So everyone can see when you are playing, where you are playing and how you are playing. Great to see how good your next opponent is. Also great to track people. But way worse is the fact that everyone just talks about their average. Oh I played so bad my average was under 60, I still won 3-0 but I was so bad. I hate this. I want back the times where I play shit, win the game with a nice finish and can proudly say it wasn't good but a nice finish and we stop talking, not hear from someone not even in the room how bad I played.
Kinda a niche topic to rant about I know, but no one in this hobby seems to get my concerns.
I used to go out to bars with my friends and play darts in college and it was always fun to just play and even make up your own rules sometimes! That makes me kind of sad that something as simple as throwing pointy sticks at a board had to be computerized... I could see the benefit if you were playing in a pro tournament or something, but just trying to enjoy a game of darts with your buddies definitely doesn't need all of that
Well I play video games, and woo boy, let me tell you about microtransactions, crap DLC content, season passes, never ending early access, unfinished releases, and anti cheat root-kits! If you’re on console you pay a premium to play online, if you’re on PC you have 18 different game launchers and DRM bullshit. Digital only stuff means you don’t own your games, cant loan them or trade them or sell them. I’m sure there’s more, and admittedly there’s good with the bad. Graphics have come a long way, and some rare innovations are fun to see. I still have fun with it, but wow it is a fucked up landscape full of way more land mines than it used to be.
Not to mention every OG single player game now becoming heavily multiplayer focused.
Halo, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Rainbow Six, Grand Theft Auto…
Can’t just make a new IP. No…we need to ruin the old game you love playing and focus only on players who want an online exclusive experience.
I quit following Halo Infinite updates because it only ever was something new for multiplayer.
Rockstar canceled all DLC plans for GTA V and waited 10 years to unveil its successor. I’m not even interested in GTA VI because it’s inevitably going to be multiplayer focused and forget about the offline single player experience.
Rainbow Six Patriots got canceled so we could get Rainbow Six Siege which has pretty much become a CounterStrike knock off.
All these companies forgot what made their games great and who the original fanbase consisted of in favor of the flavor of the month players.
I saw a Vespa today for the first time in ages, and kind of wondered why mopeds have fallen so out of favour. There used always be a few 16 year olds belting about on them.
But why would anyone get one when they can have an ebike? Vespa is likely more expensive, needs petrol, you need a licence, a (relatively) expensive helmet, you need costly insurance.
Compared to an e-bike that’s half the price, doesn’t need a licence or insurance, can be ridden with a normal cycling helmet, and is allowed use bike lanes. It’s a bit of a no brainer.
It sounds like you're describing the consequences of FOMO rather than the ruination of an industry.all of these issues can be circumvented by simply not participating.
If the game is actually good there will almost always be another Kickstarter later if it doesn't go retail, but it could be years. Except for CMON games which are based on FOMO, those do not come back and retail can be significantly worse.
But they were at least limited in their portability and loudness and battery life. Now you can have a tiny speaker that gives up any semblance of sound quality for loudness, but will also manage to last 8+ hours.
I just got back from 3 nights out at a rustic cabin I use as a retreat when I need to get away. I took my portable record player and about 20 records. The record player has an internal rechargeable battery that I recharge with the solar generator I brought with me.
Where is the line where these things ruin a spot versus contributing to it?
Ahhh, well, it is just me out there so no one else can hear my music, there isn’t another house for a mile in any direction… but this is not an issue with just camping. Jerks blasting their music from their boats as they go by on the lake is a problem but that has been going on since the invention of music. Spock had to Vulcan nerve pinch a dude on the bus across the Golden Gate Bridge in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home back in the 80s because someone was playing music too loud and wouldn’t turn it down.
Yeah, the variety of music got more accessible I suppose but group camp grounds have been filled with music for a long time now, it was something that bothered me back in the 80s when I was a kid. This isn’t really a new issue due to technology, I am sure plenty of bards have been killed throughout history for playing their music too loud in the woods, or in parks, or wherever. Everywhere music can be played it has been played too loud.
All opinion really. Some people like quiet, some people like music, some people hate genres of music. If someone went to relax and listen to the crickets/nature laying under the stars and all they hear is Luke Bryan, I imagine they may be saddened by it. I personally like socializing with others when camping so it wouldn't bother me.
Wholeheartedly agreed. It was late and I misinterpreted the intent of the post, it is other people’s music that is the problem that OP was referring to, not the accessibility of music in general.
I have AirPods and headphones and love music. I have plenty of ways to stream it from the ether and into my head without others listening but I don’t like to do that in nature. I like records better for that because it has to be intentional and, from a functional perspective, I’d like to be able to hear a rattlesnake rattle before it bites me, or a bear or wild boars rustling in the trees/brush before it becomes an issue and they are right on me, with earbuds in or headphones on in nature can cause a safety issue. I like to be in the moment in nature and there are plenty of times where I do listen to the crickets or the lapping of the water with no music playing. I like feeling vibe of the moment, select the record and then have ~20mins of that music until it stops playing and I either switch records because the vibe has changed or I want to bring a different energy to the moment. It is more situational and tactile with records. Not having an endless stream of random music on a constant cycle is key for me to enjoying those moments in nature.
Like I said, I thought the OP was talking more about accessibility of music in nature in general, not the intrusion of other people’s music onto your life while one is in nature. It is a problem that is not specific to just campgrounds but I can see where it is a bigger problem in a campground than in normal daily life nowadays. With the advancement of technology in regards to streaming, wireless earbuds/headphones and personal technology I think music intrusion on a day to day basis is less intrusive now than it was 10 years ago or more. There are still people blasting music in their cars at midnight driving down city streets but there are less people playing boomboxes while walking down the street or while on the bus, subway or other public places because technology has advanced to a point where we can limit that intrusion on others and most reasonable people take advantage of that more now than they ever have before.
Video games. Streamers, YouTubers, and other ”content creators” have had a massive negative effect on the hobby as a whole.
The bandwagons driven by these people can destroyed games that should have had a mediocre reception, but instead were panned by a couple creators then that criticism was parroted loud and wide. Where a game could have had a nice little niche audience, instead it was shut down a year after launch due to the shitty bandwagons.
These people also drive companies to make horrible balancing and content decisions. Since these people play games as their jobs, and play them daily for 8-10-12+ hours, they have wildly different desires and perspectives on games. These perspectives again get parroted loudly, the game companies hear it, and make changes/decisions based on people that play all day every day. This destroys gaming for not only casual gamers, but all gamers that don’t play one game for 8+ hours a day every day.
I could go on and on, but these trash reality TV stars for nerds have done so much damage to the industry.
I'm not sure how streamers and such are influencing developers negatively when most of them shit all over the bullshit game developers constantly do that actually makes games suck like lootboxes and live service garbage. Most devs don't seem to listen to streamers even when they parrot what a majority of the players also say.
The industrial revolution resulted in climate change that makes it borderline impossible to be active outside in the summer.
Eh, not yet. For me it's much worse to be inside in a building without A/C, then being outside doing activities. You just need to be careful and do not expose yourself too much to the sun.
Damn what tv? I have 3 Vizio smart TVs (for which I have never setup the smart features) and switching inputs is as simple as hitting the input button on the remote or the back of the tv.
Normally I’d say “um akshully terris effect on my index is better” but it honestly was kinda distracting in VR… giant TV with headphones or a realy nice sound system is definitely the best way to go.
Finding old stuff felt more fun as well before eBay. You could have some old forgotten collectible thing in a drawer and think, "oooh, this might be a treasure that's worth money!" but it's somehow less fun when you immediately go online and see "oh, I could theoretically make $7 on this if I gave a shit" and just chuck it in the bin.
I LOVED books as a kid. I was reading at a high school level by the time I started kindergarten, and I just absorbed every book I could get my hands on. I would bring a 100-200 page book to school every day and would finish it before I got home in the afternoon.
I also enjoyed writing and would write my own stories. I was part of an organization in elementary school called Young Authors that encouraged kids to write, and I wrote 3 books through that group. It was my dream to be an author one day.
Then the Internet became a thing.
Suddenly, I didn't need to spend hours in a library reading through dozens of books to find information I needed. I could just do a quick search on Infoseek, or Excite, or AskJeeves, and have a repository of knowledge at my fingertips. It was life-changing!
As the Internet evolved and more data got dumped on it, I started spending more time perusing its depths and less time reading physical books. I ended up getting a job in IT because computers fascinated me so much. Eventually, I realized I hadn't picked up a book in years. Everything I wanted to read, I could find online.
Now here I am at 40 years old and my dream of being an author is gone. In our modern age, most people don't read physical books anymore and authors don't make enough to survive, unless they make it on a best-seller list or something. Even Stephen King is more well known today for his political commentary on Twitter/X. I haven't heard much about any books he's been writing in a long time.
I once wanted a library room in my dream home. I still kind of do, for the aesthetic. But I don't really read physical books anymore, and I could only fill maybe a single wall with the books I currently own; mostly treasured classics from my childhood that have been stored away in boxes for years. I'd be better off having a PC gaming/theater room in my dream home, as that's more where my modern interests lie.
I love the Internet age. It revolutionized my childhood and brought us into a wonderful age of information. But I can't help but think about how completely different my life would've been if it hadn't been invented. I sometimes wonder if I would've been more happy and/or successful in a world without the Internet.
I kinda feel this way about streaming music. Something has been lost with all the convenience gained. I like streaming. I've heard more electronica and techno and chiptunes that I'd never heard before streaming. I like weird stuff and I get a LOT of it for essentially no cost... But I miss collecting things. Collecting albums and such was more expensive and I got fewer but I miss album art and having a collection of said art.
Very much same. I was an art kid. I painted and wrote and sang and played music, fast forward 30 years and I'm on a computer for 8ish hours at work, then another 8ish hours at home then sleep, with phone time scattered through out.
Got into 3D-printing a few years back. Intended to print some replacement parts, a few decorations and gadgets, and took care to not waste too much plastic. In the internet, there are pages dedicated to 3d models other people have printed. They were always a good inspiration on what could be done, and even if the model isn't exactly what you wanted, it was always a functioning prototype to test with.
Since last year, multicolour printers have gained popularity. They automatically change between 2 different colours, but to make sure nothing of the old colour is left in the system, every time they change it they print out a few grams of waste product.
It's a waste indeed if you look at the "poop bucket" of anyone who uses these types of printers. Idc if it's only the "technically recycleable PLA" they use, I don't like it. And now I have to manually filter out those models, and they can fill an entire page depending on what's the new trend right now.
I’m more of a sewer than a knitter or crocheter, but I’ve heard AI patterns for knitting and crochet are really bad online now (and an utter waste of yarn and time).
Model trainers used to be 2 wires to the track from a DC transformer. Add in a switchboard if you want blocks. Set the locomotive on the track and it would run based on your output from the transformer.
Now they are mostly computerized, and prohibitively expensive. A decent steam locomotive used to be $300-500... Now in the $700 range. Granted there is new functionality, but it feels like a hobby simple enough for a 7-12 year old to enjoy became an old rich man's hobby.
On this side of the pond most H0 engines are still well below 200$. Sure,there are some that are more expensive, but I could only find sets or special editions in that range here.
Definitely better. I play tabletop RPGs (D&D, Pathfinder), and technology has allowed us to do all sorts of things that would be challenging in a physical medium. We can create detailed maps with lighting effects, sound effects, and triggers. A lot of the more tedious parts of the game such as initiative and health tracking get automated, and applying damage and healing is as easy as clicking a button while having a unit selected. And to top it all off, we're not restricted to playing with the people around us and physically getting together. You can sit at home in your PJs and just hop into a Discord call to play with your friends. I'm truly grateful for it because I was able to continue playing Tabletop RPGs with my sister when she moved 1300 miles away to live with her then boyfriend, now husband.
My issue, as a younger grognard, is that point and click character builders and sheets have led to a lot of players who don't actually understand how to play the game without their buttons. They don't get what I mean when I say "roll a spell attack" unless they have a button that does it. They don't get how to build a character outside of something like D&D Beyond where it does everything for you.
The part it made worse is having to purchase things twice. Either physical book or as part of the VTT. I do only book and copy everything in. Worth it for me but you can lose your digital everything
Right, I refuse to get sucked into DND beyond it any other service, we played fine before it was a thing, no need to pay to play this game. Also with all the free content available no need to buy anything apart from basics like player's handbook & DMG, though PDFs are online.
I love being able to find all rules online for quick reference, but Pathfinder has always had this for free. I will still get books because it's more fun to read and keep.
I've considered switching to Pathfinder due to this and other stuff wotc has been doing in recent years. Just I have everything I need to run games for the foreseeable future without any cost. Also I'm a bit lazy, learning a new set of rules.
If you strip the DRM and keep a local copy of your digital content, you are no longer at the mercy of whatever services the provide it. Then you can keep a backup in case something happens to your primary copies.
I prefer to have a printed copy over a digital one for the simple reason of bookmarks. If a game is rule-heavy, I will have multiple bookmarks in parts I need to reference often. And having the bookmarks visible to me in the book does make it easier to remember which one is which section.
I love having physical books for most things. It's just the little things like exact spell wordings around needing to see a target or components. Same with exact languages of class features for edge cases.
I always use my books for prep and when I'm running my character. When DMing it's nice to have a quick reference
I've been on social media for a little over half a year. With the introduction of AI image generators, I have had my art stolen by an AI image prompter, who took my art and made it look like a congealed mess, in addition to being accused of using AI on another site back in June, even though I've posted progress pictures, timelapses of me drawing and PaintTool SAI files with many of the layers being intact. The AI image prompter was locally banned by a moderator, while the other person had their account removed by the administrator, who then apologised to me about that person's rude behaviour.
I was writing via pen and paper, and that was great. I was using a typewriter, and that was cool. At first, word processing was amazing to help with editing and my handwriting. But then I don't know, it is much less sexy to sit at a screen. There are too many distractions. Feels much less creative.
Yea, there are a lot of writers who have gone back to dedicated writing machines because of this. Things like the Freewrite. Also means you have to manually transfer research content so its more firm in your mind.
Programming and Linux is my hobby I guess but new languages, distributions, and frameworks spring up all the time. On one hand the innovation and creativity and variety are inspiring and impressive. On the other hand it makes analytical types like me more likely to spend time researching solutions than actually implementing them. It's also too easy to find the perfect tool for whatever your problem is or get invested in solution and before you know it the project is abandoned or flipped into a commercial product so you have to start the hunt all over again and convert all of the stuff that depends on it. I think it's a "good problem" to have but still a bit of a problem.
It would be nice if open source software had a more reliable way to be sponsored so contributors could have some monetary support for their efforts. I say reliable because some very popular projects have little to no sponsorship so we could be one pissed off dev away from Y2K.
I casually bicycle around town and like to see who I can keep up with to test how fast I am. More and more folks have ebikes now and it's getting way less fun.
Go has been changed a lot by technology, mostly for the better. The ability to review every game you play with AI, for free, is an invaluable resource, and we've also learned a lot about the game from AI.
But, there are also several limitations that it's important to be mindful of. The AI likes to play on the razor's edge because it can read well enough to know exactly when it's actually in danger. A human player trying to emulate that style will often just get themselves killed. Human teachers can still be more useful, despite being weaker, because they can better identify trends in a person's thought process and explain the "why" behind a move, communicating the general principles that we as humans need to rely on because we aren't computers and can't read out every variation every time. Sometimes people get too obsessed with trying to play the "top engine move," and it can blow up in their faces.
I was at a go event a couple years ago where a professional from overseas was reviewing people's games, and somebody got in an argument over a move because the pro criticized his move, but the player said the AI backed him up. I can kinda understand both sides of that. On the one hand, if the AI says something, it's not wrong. But on the other hand, I think it's important to consider multiple perspectives and incorporate them into your play, and you'll always be able to put things into the AI, so I think there's something to be said for biting your tongue and just letting the pro give their perspective with the limited time you have them for. I guess I've never been one to be afraid of telling stronger players when I think they're wrong, but it feels kind of disrespectful to me to pull AI on a visiting pro.
I guess one part of the game I find appealing and beautiful is that there's so many ways to play it, and your moves can serve as an expression of your personality. Introducing this sort of objective lens can get in the way of developing your style and making your own judgements. On the other hand, getting feedback that tells you when your judgement is way off can help your refine your instincts going forward. It's just that it's important to understand why the AI is saying something, and to understand that a minor percent loss can be worth it to push the game in a direction that's easier for you to play. It's a complicated subject, all-in-all.
It hasn't for me really because most of my hobbies are still done more or less the way they always have been lol I cross stitch and build models and the whole point of those is that they're handmade. I collect vinyl records which hasn't really changed much except that they're more expensive now. I play guitar which technology has mostly helped more than hinder... The only thing I can think of is that a lot of the modern assembly line cheap guitars aren't really built all that well anymore, especially considering the price you pay for them, but even that has gotten a lot better in the last decade
I don't like how vinyls suddenly don't come with complementary digital downloads. Some MBAs probably did a study on how it increases streams by X% on average.
When it comes to crafting, it's been great. So many free resources and videos. When I was little I pretty much only knew purl and knit and shyed away from more advanced patterns. I taught myself and if I couldn't figure it out, I just couldn't do that pattern. Now I can get even the most difficult pattern and have someone walk me through it, either via forums, if not a knit-a-long. Almost every stitch has a video tutorial. So many free patterns. So many stitches. And even the paid patterns are so creative now. Yes, there are classics, but do you want a mermaid blanket? A Cthulhu hat? Wanna make your cat a custom sweater? It's just a search away. You can even get specific. I joined a discord for goth stitchers. I don't talk, but seeing the patterns and resources specifically in that niche has been great.
I general, if you want to learn how to do something, there's a tutorial for it. I've fixed my toilet, done minor car maintenance, and a lot of things that I usually think I'm just too dumb to figure out. But there's almost always someone on the internet willing to walk you through it. I sewed my first (very basic and poorly done) garment this weekend. I have always wanted to learn how to sew, and, with a second hand machine and YouTube, I took the first step. I love how easy it is to access information. I love getting lost in the rabbit hole of this new information or that new hobby. I recently asked someone how they knew the history of Vermont curry on a lemmy post. I love that shit. I loved that someone looked it up because they just wanted to know, I like that know I just know a little something extra.
Electric guitar and the quality of digital amplification. Takes all the pain, inconvenience and expenses of the traditional amp as a PA system away while letting you sound good. Really awesome TBH.
I assumed OP was asking about hobbies that can't be done the old way anymore because everything has been converted to a newer way that makes it easier but not as much fun anymore. Like in the example I posted earlier it's now impossible to buy a fully handmade high quality guitar anymore unless I want learn how to build it myself from scratch or pay thousands of dollars for a high end custom guitar because almost all affordable guitars are built on assembly lines now
Ah ok I think I understand now why I and the person who commented above me, misunderstood this. I thought it was asking how has the technology that the hobby has adopted, but I think it meant just tech in general.
Yeah I used to love stargazing with my telescope but more and more ambient light polluting the skies means there are fewer and fewer places within any populated region where one can get a real look at the natural night sky. :-(
I could have worded things better, as I wanted to know how tech hurt your hobby when it was supposed to make it better. My issue, we now have all these ways of connecting to people all over the place, there are more TTRPG groups that play online instead of in person. Used to be I could go into a game/hobby/comic shop and find people who are willing to start a game. I don't do well with online only games with my ADHD.
I agree too many people have isolated themselves thinking a keyboard and a screen can replace being in person. It sucks and it’s a sickness. Such a foolish and self-destructive way to live and so, what is it, laziness? I don’t know.
At the same time, tech has enhanced a lot. It’s a matter of selecting the situation where tech has made the thing better and discarding the idea of tech when it’s just for the sake of it.
I like to work on cars. Behold modern cars and all of their overcomplicated bullshit.
90% of problems on modern cars are computers miscommunicating with other computers, out just deciding that some sensor isn't behaving well enough, so you have to throw the baby out with the bath water. All this in proprietary formats in proprietary subsystems a filthy mortal like you can't afford the tools to even know what's wrong.
And then you can get 3rd party tools like Autel, which also aren't cheap. But this model of tool can only talk to these modules on this model of car. Any car that requires a scan tool to bleed the brakes can go straight to the crusher. Oh and let's run all of the buses through the radio so you can never change that out without a dongle to try to keep things working.
Not even close to doing anything with tuning ot modding, but you're telling me I can't even read a sensor because neither Subuaru nor Cobb will tell me a single hex ID bruh
I really hope that right to repair at least makes the hex IDs available
I just wish I could but a fucking service manual. Seems like like the only way is to get access to a digital copy through a subscription service. I don't need service manuals for every car made, just mine.
https://charm.li/
I've kind of used it, but I've found a lot of service manuals for my cars on enthusiast forums.
I managed to find a PDF for my vehicle. But I would much rather have a physical book.
Oh believe me, I know. I've printed out hundreds of pages to put in a binder when I did my transaxle rebuild.
My trick is buying the paper with the 3 holes already punched. But almost any print shop should be able to print and bind it for you as well.
I have started a binder myself. The idea for the paper is real good. Thanks.
I love board games, and own a game shop. Many companies are creating board games (and other types of games) that require their app, then after a few years they abandon the app making the game useless and unplayable.
I remember having an old boardgame with a VHS. It has a countdown and would interrupt you every so often with events or punishments.
It was fun, but after the first time you play it you'd know every "surprise" coming on the tape.
Similar situation - those board games are honestly pretty rare and almost universally shit, app or no. Plus, they've been trying to do that for years. I had a clue board game that would text you clues throughout the game. I played that on my first flip phone. It was absolutely horrendous
This is why I don’t buy toys and other items that require a specific app.
The last one I remember buying was that little robot and the company that made it went under and a new company bought them and resurrected the robot but now required a monthly subscription.
Great example of why this kind of crap needs to stop already. I don’t need a damn app for everything I do and it doesn’t have to be specialized.
The other side of it is those things I have, like an older RC helicopter, that still has the app available on the App Store but not for modern devices because the specifications changed and the app no longer is compatible for modern devices.
Fun stuff…
I play darts, we used to write on whiteboards with sharpies. Now nearly every club has a computer with some kind of software. Usually this software is closed source and sends all the data to some kind of server. We as players have no choice if we want to play the tournament, we have no control. Many clubs also use the computer for training. So everyone can see when you are playing, where you are playing and how you are playing. Great to see how good your next opponent is. Also great to track people. But way worse is the fact that everyone just talks about their average. Oh I played so bad my average was under 60, I still won 3-0 but I was so bad. I hate this. I want back the times where I play shit, win the game with a nice finish and can proudly say it wasn't good but a nice finish and we stop talking, not hear from someone not even in the room how bad I played.
Kinda a niche topic to rant about I know, but no one in this hobby seems to get my concerns.
I don't play darts but it makes me genuinely sad to hear that.
I used to go out to bars with my friends and play darts in college and it was always fun to just play and even make up your own rules sometimes! That makes me kind of sad that something as simple as throwing pointy sticks at a board had to be computerized... I could see the benefit if you were playing in a pro tournament or something, but just trying to enjoy a game of darts with your buddies definitely doesn't need all of that
I wonder if bowlers felt like that about electronic scoring?
Well I play video games, and woo boy, let me tell you about microtransactions, crap DLC content, season passes, never ending early access, unfinished releases, and anti cheat root-kits! If you’re on console you pay a premium to play online, if you’re on PC you have 18 different game launchers and DRM bullshit. Digital only stuff means you don’t own your games, cant loan them or trade them or sell them. I’m sure there’s more, and admittedly there’s good with the bad. Graphics have come a long way, and some rare innovations are fun to see. I still have fun with it, but wow it is a fucked up landscape full of way more land mines than it used to be.
When I was a kid me and my friends who lived on my street would always trade or borrow our NES and SNES cartridges
You can still do this with physical console games.
Steam also has the family sharing support where you can burrow games from people.
Not to mention every OG single player game now becoming heavily multiplayer focused.
Halo, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Rainbow Six, Grand Theft Auto…
Can’t just make a new IP. No…we need to ruin the old game you love playing and focus only on players who want an online exclusive experience.
I quit following Halo Infinite updates because it only ever was something new for multiplayer.
Rockstar canceled all DLC plans for GTA V and waited 10 years to unveil its successor. I’m not even interested in GTA VI because it’s inevitably going to be multiplayer focused and forget about the offline single player experience.
Rainbow Six Patriots got canceled so we could get Rainbow Six Siege which has pretty much become a CounterStrike knock off.
All these companies forgot what made their games great and who the original fanbase consisted of in favor of the flavor of the month players.
Bike lanes and paths are now full of people buzzing by at 25mph or more.
I would take that over the hunters on our hiking trail.
That just sounds illegal.
2nd amendment and all
No I'm pretty sure that the DNR prohibits hunting to specific areas on public land.
No one is willing to enforce it here. The local pd and the sheriff’s department said to start carrying and fire back at them.
😰
Honestly everyone going 25mph on an ebike is taking a motorcycle or car off the road. And im happy with that deal
Anyone going that fast on a bike IS a motorcycle.
I saw a Vespa today for the first time in ages, and kind of wondered why mopeds have fallen so out of favour. There used always be a few 16 year olds belting about on them.
But why would anyone get one when they can have an ebike? Vespa is likely more expensive, needs petrol, you need a licence, a (relatively) expensive helmet, you need costly insurance.
Compared to an e-bike that’s half the price, doesn’t need a licence or insurance, can be ridden with a normal cycling helmet, and is allowed use bike lanes. It’s a bit of a no brainer.
Yes agreed, although i prefer electric motorcycles to ICE. At least they dont wake me up at 3am, brrrpbrrrprrrrrrrrp
It sounds like you're describing the consequences of FOMO rather than the ruination of an industry.all of these issues can be circumvented by simply not participating.
What is this thread but people yelling at clouds?
If the game is actually good there will almost always be another Kickstarter later if it doesn't go retail, but it could be years. Except for CMON games which are based on FOMO, those do not come back and retail can be significantly worse.
Solar, batteries and portable music has wrecked most of my favourite camping areas.
Bluetooth speakers are amazing and also the worlds worst technology in public at the same time.
... we've had boomboxes since the 70s yo...
But they were at least limited in their portability and loudness and battery life. Now you can have a tiny speaker that gives up any semblance of sound quality for loudness, but will also manage to last 8+ hours.
Some of those bad boys would pack 8 D batteries and you didn't ever have to charge it, just crack open a new pack of batteries every few outings.
Hell you can GRILL with 8 D batteries.
I just got back from 3 nights out at a rustic cabin I use as a retreat when I need to get away. I took my portable record player and about 20 records. The record player has an internal rechargeable battery that I recharge with the solar generator I brought with me.
Where is the line where these things ruin a spot versus contributing to it?
Decibels.
Does the entire camping areas need to hear your music?
Ahhh, well, it is just me out there so no one else can hear my music, there isn’t another house for a mile in any direction… but this is not an issue with just camping. Jerks blasting their music from their boats as they go by on the lake is a problem but that has been going on since the invention of music. Spock had to Vulcan nerve pinch a dude on the bus across the Golden Gate Bridge in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home back in the 80s because someone was playing music too loud and wouldn’t turn it down.
Yeah, the variety of music got more accessible I suppose but group camp grounds have been filled with music for a long time now, it was something that bothered me back in the 80s when I was a kid. This isn’t really a new issue due to technology, I am sure plenty of bards have been killed throughout history for playing their music too loud in the woods, or in parks, or wherever. Everywhere music can be played it has been played too loud.
Group camp grounds have been full of music for probably as long as music and group camp grounds have existed
All opinion really. Some people like quiet, some people like music, some people hate genres of music. If someone went to relax and listen to the crickets/nature laying under the stars and all they hear is Luke Bryan, I imagine they may be saddened by it. I personally like socializing with others when camping so it wouldn't bother me.
Wholeheartedly agreed. It was late and I misinterpreted the intent of the post, it is other people’s music that is the problem that OP was referring to, not the accessibility of music in general.
I have AirPods and headphones and love music. I have plenty of ways to stream it from the ether and into my head without others listening but I don’t like to do that in nature. I like records better for that because it has to be intentional and, from a functional perspective, I’d like to be able to hear a rattlesnake rattle before it bites me, or a bear or wild boars rustling in the trees/brush before it becomes an issue and they are right on me, with earbuds in or headphones on in nature can cause a safety issue. I like to be in the moment in nature and there are plenty of times where I do listen to the crickets or the lapping of the water with no music playing. I like feeling vibe of the moment, select the record and then have ~20mins of that music until it stops playing and I either switch records because the vibe has changed or I want to bring a different energy to the moment. It is more situational and tactile with records. Not having an endless stream of random music on a constant cycle is key for me to enjoying those moments in nature.
Like I said, I thought the OP was talking more about accessibility of music in nature in general, not the intrusion of other people’s music onto your life while one is in nature. It is a problem that is not specific to just campgrounds but I can see where it is a bigger problem in a campground than in normal daily life nowadays. With the advancement of technology in regards to streaming, wireless earbuds/headphones and personal technology I think music intrusion on a day to day basis is less intrusive now than it was 10 years ago or more. There are still people blasting music in their cars at midnight driving down city streets but there are less people playing boomboxes while walking down the street or while on the bus, subway or other public places because technology has advanced to a point where we can limit that intrusion on others and most reasonable people take advantage of that more now than they ever have before.
Video games. Streamers, YouTubers, and other ”content creators” have had a massive negative effect on the hobby as a whole.
The bandwagons driven by these people can destroyed games that should have had a mediocre reception, but instead were panned by a couple creators then that criticism was parroted loud and wide. Where a game could have had a nice little niche audience, instead it was shut down a year after launch due to the shitty bandwagons.
These people also drive companies to make horrible balancing and content decisions. Since these people play games as their jobs, and play them daily for 8-10-12+ hours, they have wildly different desires and perspectives on games. These perspectives again get parroted loudly, the game companies hear it, and make changes/decisions based on people that play all day every day. This destroys gaming for not only casual gamers, but all gamers that don’t play one game for 8+ hours a day every day.
I could go on and on, but these trash reality TV stars for nerds have done so much damage to the industry.
While it is not just video games this is happening with. I see it with board games, miniature games, and RPGs too.
I’m not even the least bit surprised.
I'm not sure how streamers and such are influencing developers negatively when most of them shit all over the bullshit game developers constantly do that actually makes games suck like lootboxes and live service garbage. Most devs don't seem to listen to streamers even when they parrot what a majority of the players also say.
Could you give some examples for the non-casual decisions by companies?
From what I understand (I don't play but my brother does) Starcraft 2 multiplayer was balanced almost entierly around the pro scene.
The industrial revolution resulted in climate change that makes it borderline impossible to be active outside in the summer.
Eh, not yet. For me it's much worse to be inside in a building without A/C, then being outside doing activities. You just need to be careful and do not expose yourself too much to the sun.
So, first they create phones that make it easy to ignore other people. Then they create machines to give you the 'interpersonal experience'
fyi, that URL can be trimmed. the ?si=asdkjlfhasldkjfhaslkdjf is just tracking metrics. https://youtu.be/IZ4HOCld5nY works just fine.
Damn what tv? I have 3 Vizio smart TVs (for which I have never setup the smart features) and switching inputs is as simple as hitting the input button on the remote or the back of the tv.
I refuse to use a Samsung anything. I had one of their tablets years ago, it is what started driving me to Apple products.
My mom got a Samsung TV and I told her to return it if she expected my help with it.
Normally I’d say “um akshully terris effect on my index is better” but it honestly was kinda distracting in VR… giant TV with headphones or a realy nice sound system is definitely the best way to go.
I use a computer monitor for my playstation on the rare occasion I switch it on. Very much plug & play.
I'd genuinely prefer to do this, but they don't make 65in monitors.
Sit closer?
Strains my eyes. Plus, this is a living room--couches, not desks.
Can't be helped, I suppose.
I have many hobbies, but they've all gotten better due to technology. I'll be curious to see what other people have to say.
It's not nearly as much fun to collect things. There's no thrill of the hunt-- if you need a stamp for your collection, just go online and buy it.
Finding old stuff felt more fun as well before eBay. You could have some old forgotten collectible thing in a drawer and think, "oooh, this might be a treasure that's worth money!" but it's somehow less fun when you immediately go online and see "oh, I could theoretically make $7 on this if I gave a shit" and just chuck it in the bin.
Phones ruined Burning Man. Their cameras make people tourists, and their onsite social media precludes immediacy.
I LOVED books as a kid. I was reading at a high school level by the time I started kindergarten, and I just absorbed every book I could get my hands on. I would bring a 100-200 page book to school every day and would finish it before I got home in the afternoon.
I also enjoyed writing and would write my own stories. I was part of an organization in elementary school called Young Authors that encouraged kids to write, and I wrote 3 books through that group. It was my dream to be an author one day.
Then the Internet became a thing.
Suddenly, I didn't need to spend hours in a library reading through dozens of books to find information I needed. I could just do a quick search on Infoseek, or Excite, or AskJeeves, and have a repository of knowledge at my fingertips. It was life-changing!
As the Internet evolved and more data got dumped on it, I started spending more time perusing its depths and less time reading physical books. I ended up getting a job in IT because computers fascinated me so much. Eventually, I realized I hadn't picked up a book in years. Everything I wanted to read, I could find online.
Now here I am at 40 years old and my dream of being an author is gone. In our modern age, most people don't read physical books anymore and authors don't make enough to survive, unless they make it on a best-seller list or something. Even Stephen King is more well known today for his political commentary on Twitter/X. I haven't heard much about any books he's been writing in a long time.
I once wanted a library room in my dream home. I still kind of do, for the aesthetic. But I don't really read physical books anymore, and I could only fill maybe a single wall with the books I currently own; mostly treasured classics from my childhood that have been stored away in boxes for years. I'd be better off having a PC gaming/theater room in my dream home, as that's more where my modern interests lie.
I love the Internet age. It revolutionized my childhood and brought us into a wonderful age of information. But I can't help but think about how completely different my life would've been if it hadn't been invented. I sometimes wonder if I would've been more happy and/or successful in a world without the Internet.
I'm younger, but this basically sums up my experience. I still try and make sure to do some (TTRPG) writing every so often just to keep myself sharp.
I used to go through a saga in a couple days. I once reread all of Harry Potter in 6 days. I struggle to finish audio books that I love nowadays
Check out a book called House of Leaves by Danielewski. You pretty much have to have an actual copy.
I kinda feel this way about streaming music. Something has been lost with all the convenience gained. I like streaming. I've heard more electronica and techno and chiptunes that I'd never heard before streaming. I like weird stuff and I get a LOT of it for essentially no cost... But I miss collecting things. Collecting albums and such was more expensive and I got fewer but I miss album art and having a collection of said art.
Very much same. I was an art kid. I painted and wrote and sang and played music, fast forward 30 years and I'm on a computer for 8ish hours at work, then another 8ish hours at home then sleep, with phone time scattered through out.
Got into 3D-printing a few years back. Intended to print some replacement parts, a few decorations and gadgets, and took care to not waste too much plastic. In the internet, there are pages dedicated to 3d models other people have printed. They were always a good inspiration on what could be done, and even if the model isn't exactly what you wanted, it was always a functioning prototype to test with.
Since last year, multicolour printers have gained popularity. They automatically change between 2 different colours, but to make sure nothing of the old colour is left in the system, every time they change it they print out a few grams of waste product.
It's a waste indeed if you look at the "poop bucket" of anyone who uses these types of printers. Idc if it's only the "technically recycleable PLA" they use, I don't like it. And now I have to manually filter out those models, and they can fill an entire page depending on what's the new trend right now.
On the flip side, I'm hopeful that the large scale waste people have will finally drive more local filament recycling services.
There are options available in the slicer to wipe the byproduct into the infill of the models, that way you end up not wasting any of the material
That is truly a shame and a waste.
I’m more of a sewer than a knitter or crocheter, but I’ve heard AI patterns for knitting and crochet are really bad online now (and an utter waste of yarn and time).
New tech made me hate IT. Especially shit like Windows 11 and AI.
Me too, but it happened a bit earlier: https://www.quora.com/Who-invented-the-modern-computer-look-and-feel/answer/Harri-K-Hiltunen
Wow that was an interesting read!
Model trainers used to be 2 wires to the track from a DC transformer. Add in a switchboard if you want blocks. Set the locomotive on the track and it would run based on your output from the transformer.
Now they are mostly computerized, and prohibitively expensive. A decent steam locomotive used to be $300-500... Now in the $700 range. Granted there is new functionality, but it feels like a hobby simple enough for a 7-12 year old to enjoy became an old rich man's hobby.
Holy shit, what kind of system do you use?
On this side of the pond most H0 engines are still well below 200$. Sure,there are some that are more expensive, but I could only find sets or special editions in that range here.
Definitely better. I play tabletop RPGs (D&D, Pathfinder), and technology has allowed us to do all sorts of things that would be challenging in a physical medium. We can create detailed maps with lighting effects, sound effects, and triggers. A lot of the more tedious parts of the game such as initiative and health tracking get automated, and applying damage and healing is as easy as clicking a button while having a unit selected. And to top it all off, we're not restricted to playing with the people around us and physically getting together. You can sit at home in your PJs and just hop into a Discord call to play with your friends. I'm truly grateful for it because I was able to continue playing Tabletop RPGs with my sister when she moved 1300 miles away to live with her then boyfriend, now husband.
My issue with all that tech is now I can't find players who are willing to meet up in person.
Probably aware, but sometimes local gaming tabletop gaming ships will have signups. I've also seen FB groups for regional areas.
My issue, as a younger grognard, is that point and click character builders and sheets have led to a lot of players who don't actually understand how to play the game without their buttons. They don't get what I mean when I say "roll a spell attack" unless they have a button that does it. They don't get how to build a character outside of something like D&D Beyond where it does everything for you.
The part it made worse is having to purchase things twice. Either physical book or as part of the VTT. I do only book and copy everything in. Worth it for me but you can lose your digital everything
Right, I refuse to get sucked into DND beyond it any other service, we played fine before it was a thing, no need to pay to play this game. Also with all the free content available no need to buy anything apart from basics like player's handbook & DMG, though PDFs are online.
I love being able to find all rules online for quick reference, but Pathfinder has always had this for free. I will still get books because it's more fun to read and keep.
I've considered switching to Pathfinder due to this and other stuff wotc has been doing in recent years. Just I have everything I need to run games for the foreseeable future without any cost. Also I'm a bit lazy, learning a new set of rules.
It's a totally different game to play. But it's great for players to have all the rules on the official website.
If you strip the DRM and keep a local copy of your digital content, you are no longer at the mercy of whatever services the provide it. Then you can keep a backup in case something happens to your primary copies.
That's true but lot of work. Still not worth buying another copy.
(I did this for the digital only content from Dragon's of Icespire Peak)
I prefer to have a printed copy over a digital one for the simple reason of bookmarks. If a game is rule-heavy, I will have multiple bookmarks in parts I need to reference often. And having the bookmarks visible to me in the book does make it easier to remember which one is which section.
I love having physical books for most things. It's just the little things like exact spell wordings around needing to see a target or components. Same with exact languages of class features for edge cases.
I always use my books for prep and when I'm running my character. When DMing it's nice to have a quick reference
I've been on social media for a little over half a year. With the introduction of AI image generators, I have had my art stolen by an AI image prompter, who took my art and made it look like a congealed mess, in addition to being accused of using AI on another site back in June, even though I've posted progress pictures, timelapses of me drawing and PaintTool SAI files with many of the layers being intact. The AI image prompter was locally banned by a moderator, while the other person had their account removed by the administrator, who then apologised to me about that person's rude behaviour.
My favorite hobby is gaming so I'd have to say always on requirements for single player games.
Writing
How so?
I was writing via pen and paper, and that was great. I was using a typewriter, and that was cool. At first, word processing was amazing to help with editing and my handwriting. But then I don't know, it is much less sexy to sit at a screen. There are too many distractions. Feels much less creative.
Yea, there are a lot of writers who have gone back to dedicated writing machines because of this. Things like the Freewrite. Also means you have to manually transfer research content so its more firm in your mind.
Programming and Linux is my hobby I guess but new languages, distributions, and frameworks spring up all the time. On one hand the innovation and creativity and variety are inspiring and impressive. On the other hand it makes analytical types like me more likely to spend time researching solutions than actually implementing them. It's also too easy to find the perfect tool for whatever your problem is or get invested in solution and before you know it the project is abandoned or flipped into a commercial product so you have to start the hunt all over again and convert all of the stuff that depends on it. I think it's a "good problem" to have but still a bit of a problem.
It would be nice if open source software had a more reliable way to be sponsored so contributors could have some monetary support for their efforts. I say reliable because some very popular projects have little to no sponsorship so we could be one pissed off dev away from Y2K.
I casually bicycle around town and like to see who I can keep up with to test how fast I am. More and more folks have ebikes now and it's getting way less fun.
Go has been changed a lot by technology, mostly for the better. The ability to review every game you play with AI, for free, is an invaluable resource, and we've also learned a lot about the game from AI.
But, there are also several limitations that it's important to be mindful of. The AI likes to play on the razor's edge because it can read well enough to know exactly when it's actually in danger. A human player trying to emulate that style will often just get themselves killed. Human teachers can still be more useful, despite being weaker, because they can better identify trends in a person's thought process and explain the "why" behind a move, communicating the general principles that we as humans need to rely on because we aren't computers and can't read out every variation every time. Sometimes people get too obsessed with trying to play the "top engine move," and it can blow up in their faces.
I was at a go event a couple years ago where a professional from overseas was reviewing people's games, and somebody got in an argument over a move because the pro criticized his move, but the player said the AI backed him up. I can kinda understand both sides of that. On the one hand, if the AI says something, it's not wrong. But on the other hand, I think it's important to consider multiple perspectives and incorporate them into your play, and you'll always be able to put things into the AI, so I think there's something to be said for biting your tongue and just letting the pro give their perspective with the limited time you have them for. I guess I've never been one to be afraid of telling stronger players when I think they're wrong, but it feels kind of disrespectful to me to pull AI on a visiting pro.
I guess one part of the game I find appealing and beautiful is that there's so many ways to play it, and your moves can serve as an expression of your personality. Introducing this sort of objective lens can get in the way of developing your style and making your own judgements. On the other hand, getting feedback that tells you when your judgement is way off can help your refine your instincts going forward. It's just that it's important to understand why the AI is saying something, and to understand that a minor percent loss can be worth it to push the game in a direction that's easier for you to play. It's a complicated subject, all-in-all.
It hasn't for me really because most of my hobbies are still done more or less the way they always have been lol I cross stitch and build models and the whole point of those is that they're handmade. I collect vinyl records which hasn't really changed much except that they're more expensive now. I play guitar which technology has mostly helped more than hinder... The only thing I can think of is that a lot of the modern assembly line cheap guitars aren't really built all that well anymore, especially considering the price you pay for them, but even that has gotten a lot better in the last decade
I don't like how vinyls suddenly don't come with complementary digital downloads. Some MBAs probably did a study on how it increases streams by X% on average.
gaming, so much better. more people can create games with more types of games.
The ability to model things in 3D let modelers add way too many details on miniatures, making them fragile and hard to paint
I think you're going to have to clean that up a bit before I fully understand.
I don't know how to midweek things in 1d, let alone 3.
All right I did it. Thanks for letting me know
When it comes to crafting, it's been great. So many free resources and videos. When I was little I pretty much only knew purl and knit and shyed away from more advanced patterns. I taught myself and if I couldn't figure it out, I just couldn't do that pattern. Now I can get even the most difficult pattern and have someone walk me through it, either via forums, if not a knit-a-long. Almost every stitch has a video tutorial. So many free patterns. So many stitches. And even the paid patterns are so creative now. Yes, there are classics, but do you want a mermaid blanket? A Cthulhu hat? Wanna make your cat a custom sweater? It's just a search away. You can even get specific. I joined a discord for goth stitchers. I don't talk, but seeing the patterns and resources specifically in that niche has been great.
I general, if you want to learn how to do something, there's a tutorial for it. I've fixed my toilet, done minor car maintenance, and a lot of things that I usually think I'm just too dumb to figure out. But there's almost always someone on the internet willing to walk you through it. I sewed my first (very basic and poorly done) garment this weekend. I have always wanted to learn how to sew, and, with a second hand machine and YouTube, I took the first step. I love how easy it is to access information. I love getting lost in the rabbit hole of this new information or that new hobby. I recently asked someone how they knew the history of Vermont curry on a lemmy post. I love that shit. I loved that someone looked it up because they just wanted to know, I like that know I just know a little something extra.
Honestly, technology has made getting high and playing video games and D&D MUCH better.
Electric guitar and the quality of digital amplification. Takes all the pain, inconvenience and expenses of the traditional amp as a PA system away while letting you sound good. Really awesome TBH.
I agree wholeheartedly, but I think you've misread the post
Ha. Oops! I got the vibe that the conversation had become more general. But also I’m genuinely tired and tired and not wearing my glasses. Sorry!
I think you misread the post.
I assumed OP was asking about hobbies that can't be done the old way anymore because everything has been converted to a newer way that makes it easier but not as much fun anymore. Like in the example I posted earlier it's now impossible to buy a fully handmade high quality guitar anymore unless I want learn how to build it myself from scratch or pay thousands of dollars for a high end custom guitar because almost all affordable guitars are built on assembly lines now
Yeah I think this post is fishing for something that doesn’t make sense.
Edit: okay I think I and jewbacca117 misunderstood this question.
How do you tag a user?
That’s funny, because I think fishing is probably the best example to answer OP’s question.
Ah ok I think I understand now why I and the person who commented above me, misunderstood this. I thought it was asking how has the technology that the hobby has adopted, but I think it meant just tech in general.
Yeah I used to love stargazing with my telescope but more and more ambient light polluting the skies means there are fewer and fewer places within any populated region where one can get a real look at the natural night sky. :-(
I could have worded things better, as I wanted to know how tech hurt your hobby when it was supposed to make it better. My issue, we now have all these ways of connecting to people all over the place, there are more TTRPG groups that play online instead of in person. Used to be I could go into a game/hobby/comic shop and find people who are willing to start a game. I don't do well with online only games with my ADHD.
I agree too many people have isolated themselves thinking a keyboard and a screen can replace being in person. It sucks and it’s a sickness. Such a foolish and self-destructive way to live and so, what is it, laziness? I don’t know.
At the same time, tech has enhanced a lot. It’s a matter of selecting the situation where tech has made the thing better and discarding the idea of tech when it’s just for the sake of it.