Getting even, "it's a moral imperative"....

Caladell wrote on Jun 20, 2022, 03:05:
We use it in welding. Helium/Argon mix makes a world of difference compared to straight Argon. Aluminum has an oxidation layer that the helium cuts through. Can get a much cleaner weld using Helium/Argon than opposed to straight Argon.

"It is possible to synthesize excited bromide in an argon matrix. Yes, it's an excimer frozen in its excited state. It's a chemical laser but in solid, not gaseous, form. Put simply, in deference to you, Kent, it's like lasing a stick of dynamite. As soon as we apply a field, we couple it to a state that is radiatively coupled to the ground state. I figure we can extract at least ten to the twenty-first photons per cubic centimeter which will give one kilojoule per cubic centimeter at 600 nanometers, or, one megajoule per liter."

Beamer wrote on Jun 20, 2022, 04:39:

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 05:06:

Psychologically, the toughest sell for Epic is that someone would have to actually enter payment details

You're not wrong. One of the biggest reasons people are loyal to one retail website over another is the unwillingness to enter payment information, either because it's a hassle (mobile particularly), or because you don't trust them with your data.

On mobile the psychological roadbload is the "Do you want to allow this app to bill you no/yes" dialog, this is also why in most scummy mobile games the first transaction is TINY (often below 1$) - and why parents should never ever link payment to a phone their kids use.

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 05:06:

Psychologically, the toughest sell for Epic is that someone would have to actually enter payment details

You're not wrong. One of the biggest reasons people are loyal to one retail website over another is the unwillingness to enter payment information, either because it's a hassle (mobile particularly), or because you don't trust them with your data.

We use it in welding. Helium/Argon mix makes a world of difference compared to straight Argon. Aluminum has an oxidation layer that the helium cuts through. Can get a much cleaner weld using Helium/Argon than opposed to straight Argon.

RedEye9 wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 08:20:

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 05:06:
Psychologically, the toughest sell for Epic is that someone would have to actually enter payment details to buy something .

Entering my credit card data was super easy, there was nothing psychological about it. It was more fiscal, I save money purchasing from Epic.

Would be nice if we ever get to see publisher data on this.

I doubt we'll ever see figures but publishers are obviously happy. And I'm sure there's information on the grapevine shared between publishers about whether it was the correct decision or not.
one way to secure Epic Games Store exclusives on PC

If you save money by buying from Epic you don't know where to actually buy cheap games....

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 05:06:
Psychologically, the toughest sell for Epic is that someone would have to actually enter payment details to buy something .

Entering my credit card data was super easy, there was nothing psychological about it. It was more fiscal, I save money purchasing from Epic.

Would be nice if we ever get to see publisher data on this.

I doubt we'll ever see figures but publishers are obviously happy. And I'm sure there's information on the grapevine shared between publishers about whether it was the correct decision or not.
one way to secure Epic Games Store exclusives on PC

Kxmode wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 04:52:
A reasonable conclusion is the continued use of exclusives is based on if Epic is doing well, and if not, they would cut back. I think the data speaks for itself.

2018: 3
2019: 58
2020: 51
2021: 42
2022: 26 (released and announced)
2023: 3 (announced last weekend)

Or maybe, after seeing several years of data, they are able to better dial in the optimal number of freebies that drive the desired traffic to the site.

Kxmode wrote on Jun 19, 2022, 04:52:
A reasonable conclusion is the continued use of exclusives is based on if Epic is doing well, and if not, they would cut back. I think the data speaks for itself.

2018: 3
2019: 58
2020: 51
2021: 42
2022: 26 (released and announced)
2023: 3 (announced last weekend)

Psychologically, the toughest sell for Epic is that someone would have to actually enter payment details to buy something and you don't have to do this when you are getting free stuff. So free games do not actually increase sales elsewhere. Makes you wonder if exclusivity deals on EGS are not a super bad idea wholesale, I mean for both sides.

Would be nice if we ever get to see publisher data on this.

A reasonable conclusion is the continued use of exclusives is based on if Epic is doing well, and if not, they would cut back. I think the data speaks for itself.

2018: 3
2019: 58
2020: 51
2021: 42
2022: 26 (released and announced)
2023: 3 (announced last weekend)

Mr. Tact wrote on Jun 18, 2022, 16:42:
Barry? I think I vaguely remember someone mentioning it here before or possibly saw a commercial for it. Looking at the trailer on IMDB, I am not particularly compelled... but hey, I could be wrong.

I never really watched Hader before but it's a pretty good mix of outlandish farce and drama.
You can probably tell after the first episode, if your looking for something to watch.

I like The Old Man with Jeff Bridges. I thought it was going to be another Liam Neeson pretending to be a action star show, but it's not.

I'm still trying to watch Dark Winds but it really hasn't grabbed me yet, after 2 episodes.
Part of the problem, they should have released it all at once and their Flashbacks are confusing, not blended.

Anyone here read Megan E.O'Keefe's "The Protectorate" series? Neither the author or the series have a wiki page. I picked up the three book series on a whim. I'm most of the way through book two and I have a question, which I possibly should know, but missed. When reading an author I don't know, I have a tendency to skim more than read carefully.

This is my question: What is Arden? The underworld techie. The book uses the "they" pronoun and there are several references to the title of "Mx." instead of Mr., Mrs., or Ms. The series hasn't been good enough for me want to go back and reread it and see if it is explained but I missed it...

I enjoyed Barry season 1 but toward the end I hated his character so much I have no desire to watch the following seasons. I didn't want to watch him kill good people and act as though he was tormented by it. Two killings I felt were predictable and unreasonable. Barry using one to fuel his onstage acting just made me sick. I get what they were going for, but it felt too contrived for my taste.

At least Walter White embraced his selfishness.

It was a well made show. I guess I'm in a place where I have to like the main character on some level. Here I just don't.

Bludd wrote on Jun 18, 2022, 17:45:
barry is brilliant, it has everything

bill hader is a national treasure

I'm so happy Blue mentioned it and the Leeroy Jenkins move back in the day https://www.bluesnews.com/s/189924/out-of-the-blue

barry is brilliant, it has everything

bill hader is a national treasure

Barry? I think I vaguely remember someone mentioning it here before or possibly saw a commercial for it. Looking at the trailer on IMDB, I am not particularly compelled... but hey, I could be wrong.

Shock wrote on Jun 18, 2022, 16:14:

ForgedReality wrote on Jun 18, 2022, 15:29:
Good. Helium should be a billion dollars an ounce. Or whatever. What do we even need it for? All it does is destroy the ozone layer. Balloons? Those don't need to fucking exist either. While we're at it, let's outlaw glitter, and styrofoam, and fracking, too. None of this shit needs to exist.

Helium has important medical uses

https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/allnews/thoughtleadership/?itemno=28467

Also, I don't think it destroys the ozone layer. It's an inert, non-reactive gas, and two of its benefits as a refrigerant are that it doesn't damage the ozone layer and it isn't a global warming gas in its own right.

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/77985
Section 3, Table 2

ForgedReality wrote on Jun 18, 2022, 15:29:
Good. Helium should be a billion dollars an ounce. Or whatever. What do we even need it for? All it does is destroy the ozone layer. Balloons? Those don't need to fucking exist either. While we're at it, let's outlaw glitter, and styrofoam, and fracking, too. None of this shit needs to exist.

Helium has important medical uses

https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/allnews/thoughtleadership/?itemno=28467

Good. Helium should be a billion dollars an ounce. Or whatever. What do we even need it for? All it does is destroy the ozone layer. Balloons? Those don't need to fucking exist either. While we're at it, let's outlaw glitter, and styrofoam, and fracking, too. None of this shit needs to exist.

Curse the man who invented helium! Curse Pierre Jules César Janssen!

- Seymour Skinner