u/QuantumFeline

As websites and apps continue to make their products worse in service of 'engagement' and impossible infinite growth, what steps have you taken to have better control over sites that you use?

Ad-blockers are common enough that they hardly need mentioning, but do you have any browser extensions or other tools that go beyond that?

For example, when I'm on my desktop I always stick to old.reddit.com whenever possible, except when a thread is packed with images that are easier to see in the new format.

I also recently got so sick of how YouTube jams Shorts and 'Most Relevant' into my subscription feed that I installed a browser extension that clears all that out and allows me to go back to how that feed used to look: A vertical list (not a grid) with both a thumbnail and a description. I get to scroll down until I see the last video I watched, then go back up and add vids to my 'watch later' list. No more trying to figure out where the actual list begins, no more trying to figure things out with just a thumbnail, etc.

You're playing an amazing video game and you reach a scene climax, a major boss, or the end credits. The music starts and it's already amazing but then vocals kick in unexpectedly and it becomes an unforgettable moment and a track you'll listen to again and again.

What are your favorite songs with vocals in games that otherwise are just traditional video game soundtracks?

A few that inspired me to make this post:

Super Mario Odyssey / Jump Up Superstar! - A celebration of Mario that turned Pauline from a long forgotten damsel into the Mario universe's premiere mayor/diva.

Super Mario Odyssey / Break Through (Lead the Way) - Odyssey does this again in the post-final boss escape sequence with a song that touches on the weird love triangle between Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser.

Doki Doki Literature Club / Your Reality - A lot of unexpected things happen in this game, and the end credits are no exception as after a visual novel with no voices you're suddenly treated to one of the characters talking over the credits in an awkward manner to play piano and sing a heartbreaking song that can change how you feel about her.

Control / Take Control - The Ashtray Maze was a better climax to the game than the end boss, and no small part of that is the powerful metal song that your character is actually listening to in-game as you demonstrate the full suite of the powers and skills you've gained and feel like a certified badass.

While I'm sure there will be some big revelations when everyone gets back together that shake things up, as it stands after the finales of all three tables, how would you divide them up for the next split?

My take:

SOLDIERS: It's hard not to see Teor and Thimble heading back out again. There's not much for them to do in the city and it's dangerous for them to stick around. I'd like to see Azune go with them, perhaps bringing a small group of NPC soldiers loyal to him to really bring the fight to wherever they go to next. Maybe to find his sister?

Put Julien in here, too. I want him out there hunting more Tachonis scum. If they can rally some other forces instead of just being a small, low-level group facing off against big threats, they can do some real, meaningful damage.

SEEKERS: Like a lot of people, I was disappointed in the first Seekers arc, and I put a lot of that blame on Brennan for bouncing them between tense NPC groups that had them under a watchful eye and not giving them much freedom to really SEEK. This should be the group digging into libraries full of dusty old books, going into dark places untouched since the time of the Gods, or into spirit or fae realms.

Let's get the Seekers into a dungeon-crawl style experience to really set them apart from the Soldiers and Schemers. If that happens, I'd keep Aabria, Occtis, and Vaelus, but bring in Kattigan to be their survivalist so they can stay out of cities more.

SCHEMERS: After their finale and the botched assassination, things are going to be heating up in the city and it'll be much harder to stay under the radar anymore with their direct involvement in the events. Still, they managed to save King Gus and that's a strong patron to protect them while they work to continue destabilizing Houses. Keep Hal, Murray, and Bolaire. They still have jobs and can use them to make a difference.

I also think Wicander and Tyranny could actually do a decent job infiltrating House Halovar by playing up the 'Oh I was so scared out there! I was misled by ruffians! Take me back!' angle. The family seems more interested in getting Wic back under their wing than killing or punishing him. They don't know he's actually maturing (slightly).