Jake

Idle Thumbs Progresscast #12: The Progresscast Within

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Not the same thing, but riding into DC every morning and going past the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, Smithsonians, and the White House makes the morning commute more enjoyable. And the time you spend sitting in traffic gives you the chance to appreciate them some more than you would if you were just visiting.

Living in northern Japan I have a similar feeling driving through the rice fields (now is rice planing season, the fields are flooded and you can see the sky, trees, houses all reflected in the pools) and seeing the distant snow capped mountains (right out of Skyrim! I swear I've seen dragons off in the distance) while driving to work. I think the emotions/feelings are definitely the same, even if they come from different inspirations.

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I want to go visit San Fransisco properly some time. Last time I was there it was at the end of a 3 week trip and I was a bit traveled out so to speak. Didn't even cross the golden gate bridge! And next time I would love to meet some more idle thumbs people! :)

And to keep things on topic: this cast made me want to play the walking dead. But first I got to finish this mountain I'm building.

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It takes like 2 1/2 hours! Do it!

Also, I'm half-tempted to fly over to SF while I'm in LA later this year. Could be cool.

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Walmart has changed the Diablo 3 description, but the one for the Collector's Edition still has a jem or two (emphasis mine):

The Diablo III Collector's Edition PC/ Mac game gives players with an opportunity to explore familiar settings such as Tristram. The role-playing video game revolves around the Warriors that survived the onslaught of the armies of the Burning Hells and have gone mad from their ordeals. It is up to a new generation of heroes to face the forces of evil threatening the world of Sanctuary. The Barbarians come equipped with a variety of revamped skills at their disposal; this is based on the use of their incredible physical prowess. Its captivating and interesting theme and features make this an amazing entertainment solution. Featuring scintillating graphics and advanced user interface the PC video game offers hours of nonstop fun.

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That's pretty amazing. That whole sentence is pretty good, but is the interesting theme of tonally being a rated M-for-mature action-sibling of WoW? Or maybe the visually interesting experience of of seeing all Diablo 2 enviroments realized in high-def? I'm also glad that this game has an advanced user interface.

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Walmart has changed the Diablo 3 description, but the one for the Collector's Edition still has a jem or two (emphasis mine):

Diablo 3: The Final Solution of video gaming.

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Diablo 3: The Final Solution of video gaming.

:hitler: that is all, that is all.

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I think the grid would bother you less if you lived in one for a while. I (think I) know what you mean, in that a grid feels less natural and organic than a city that was unplanned and slowly grew out from a central core. But what I think is truly great about urban landscapes is not their natural geography, per se, but more the neighborhoods and scenes that spring up entirely as a result of the vagaries of human nature and decisions that branch over many decades. It's why a New Yorker can hear "5th and 40th" or "7th and 144th" and instantly be flooded with emotional associations--sure, those actual descriptors are just impersonal labels for points on a grid that was arbitrarily laid out centuries ago, but what's really important is how humanity has layered on top of that grid to create a living, vibrant city.

Anyway, maybe that's not even what you meant! But I've thought about this a lot and that's my take on it. I love cities.

Well yes it's mostly what I meant. I like the layer of human interactions and recent occupants of an area in a city too, it's fun to sit and watch people go by or go round and take pictures of graffiti etc.

But I also really find fascinating the history of a city and the way it grows up and how it's built. Like my city, Bristol, it's kind of lopsided in that the "centre" is actually nowhere near the actual centre of the city due to the harbour and the gorge and everything kind of expanding south and northeast from there. And if you get up on a hill or high vantage point you can see how the bowl shape of the river Avon valley is expressed through the city. I love learning about all the old heritage too like this used to be a railway or this is where the steamers would dock up etc. I like that you can walk a lot of these old routes and go under a bridge which has the original brick and iron work with a new concrete bridge built on top or something.

I guess it just seems that a lot of American cities kind of bulldoze over every natural feature, lay out the grid pattern and install some fast food franchises. And then if there's new development, any old architectural history is erased. Not that that happens everywhere, I love for example this video by Andrew Wonder about exploring under New York.

http://vimeo.com/18280328

And again, the naming system, maybe it is just a labelling system, but "5th and 40th" sounds way more impersonal to me than say "Hotwells" or "Jamaica Street" or "Clifton" etc.

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I guess it just seems that a lot of American cities kind of bulldoze over every natural feature, lay out the grid pattern and install some fast food franchises.

San Francisco's extreme hilliness (and relatively low concentration of fast food) says otherwise. And I've spent a lot of time in London, and other than the river I'd be surprised if many of its natural features are actually left from before the city was built on top of them, rather than being recreated as manmade parks or the like. It's a pretty enormous flat city, for the most part. (And an incredible one, primarily because of the human progress that has created it.)

And again, the naming system, maybe it is just a labelling system, but "5th and 40th" sounds way more impersonal to me than say "Hotwells" or "Jamaica Street" or "Clifton" etc.

I know it sounds more impersonal, that's why I addressed it.

I think generally you're just making a lot of assumptions that are partially predicated on your familiarity with your own city, and such familiarity with San Francisco or New York or Chicago would bear out similar affection if you actually spent a comparable amount of time in those places.

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San Francisco's extreme hilliness (and relatively low concentration of fast food) says otherwise.

Some buildings are over old wooden ships, such that they'll occasionally find one during construction, and some people even have basements that are cleared-out hulls. Strata of the Anthropocene Era.

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Some buildings are over old wooden ships, such that they'll occasionally find one during construction, and some people even have basements that are cleared-out hulls. Strata of the Anthropocene Era.

Fact! I read that a while back and exploded.

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I've been fascinated by San Fran for a while, and this is so lame, but I think it's because of Sim City 3000. That golden gate bridge man, I think I put that in every city I made. And they all had big rivers and harbours, cos that way you could easily split up your industrial and residential zones, plus you got to build a ton of awesome bridges. Bridges are cool as shit.

I totally know what you mean. Any time I fly into SF and look out the window I have a big Sim City moment.

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Having lived in Boston - ok well, near Boston - for the past few years, I can tell you that a more "organic" city layout definitely has its drawbacks. Really, that whole state has the most ridiculous and convoluted road system that I have ever seen.

Oh and yes, I very much enjoyed hearing about what all you guys are working on.

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San Francisco's extreme hilliness (and relatively low concentration of fast food) says otherwise. And I've spent a lot of time in London, and other than the river I'd be surprised if many of its natural features are actually left from before the city was built on top of them, rather than being recreated as manmade parks or the like. It's a pretty enormous flat city, for the most part. (And an incredible one, primarily because of the human progress that has created it.)

I know it sounds more impersonal, that's why I addressed it.

I think generally you're just making a lot of assumptions that are partially predicated on your familiarity with your own city, and such familiarity with San Francisco or New York or Chicago would bear out similar affection if you actually spent a comparable amount of time in those places.

I guess you're right. I don't really like London though, it's too big for me.

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Having lived in Boston - ok well, near Boston - for the past few years, I can tell you that a more "organic" city layout definitely has its drawbacks. Really, that whole state has the most ridiculous and convoluted road system that I have ever seen.

Oh and yes, I very much enjoyed hearing about what all you guys are working on.

Oh man, I hate driving in Massachusetts... all those randomly merging lanes and whatnot. I don't really like driving in general, but I think my learning how to drive in Massachusetts has something to do with that.

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Since this is the thread for talking about the bay area: I just got a job at Telltale and am going to be moving there in a couple of weeks. Does anybody (a) need a roommate or (B) have any suggestions for relatively affordable places to live near San Rafael?

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Since this is the thread for talking about the bay area: I just got a job at Telltale and am going to be moving there in a couple of weeks. Does anybody (a) need a roommate or ( B) have any suggestions for relatively affordable places to live near San Rafael?

Welcome! Wait, what position?

The Terra Linda neighborhood in San Rafael is maybe affordable? One town further north, Novato, is probably the most affordable, but it will mean you run the risk of ending up in the San Francisco morning commute for a bit if you time your drive wrong.

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Welcome! Wait, what position?

Thanks! Cinematic layout artist.

How bad is the San Francisco morning commute traffic? I looked at the Google Maps average traffic things and it didn't look too terrible. But I suspect San Francisco not-terrible might mean something different from Tallahassee not-terrible.

Right now I'm just trying to find someplace cheap to stay for the short term while I get settled in, and then once subbes can find work in the area she'll move over there with me and we'll look for something more permanent.

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Welcome! Wait, what position?

The Terra Linda neighborhood in San Rafael is maybe affordable? One town further north, Novato, is probably the most affordable, but it will mean you run the risk of ending up in the San Francisco morning commute for a bit if you time your drive wrong.

The Novato->San Rafael commute has gotten *much* better in the last couple of years, but it'll still be a little slow between Lucas Valley Road and the civic center until 8:30 when the carpool lane reverts to being a regular lane. But it's slow traffic, not stopped, so don't let it deter you if you find a good deal up north.

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Thanks! Cinematic layout artist.

How bad is the San Francisco morning commute traffic? I looked at the Google Maps average traffic things and it didn't look too terrible. But I suspect San Francisco not-terrible might mean something different from Tallahassee not-terrible.

Right now I'm just trying to find someplace cheap to stay for the short term while I get settled in, and then once subbes can find work in the area she'll move over there with me and we'll look for something more permanent.

Jake and I commute from SF and it's a very easy drive, both ways. Rarely longer than 30 minutes. Usually 20 on the dot.

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