Tavis Maiden (this, this, this, this) is congenitally predisposed to wolf. One more on Monday to wrap up.

I think that Fallout must get better later, or something: I can't get into it. I have never had a problem getting into a Fallout game before; I feel like the last-call, settle-for-him guy for whom "this never happens." The whole thing is very sad. It's trying to catalyze events by in a sort of carpe diem way, the way a raccoon might fish a greying hot dog from the trash, and nothing is working.

I had talked about how games like Borderlands or Destiny or CoD or WoW (note that three of these are from the same publisher) have trained us via operant conditioning to want, that is to say "fundamentally require," certain types of feedback from games. In a less rigorously psychometric way, The Witcher 3 altered way down - like, Ring 0 - what I expect from missions in an open world. How I expect them to be delivered. What I expect to do when I get there. How they can and will be subverted. The moral dimension. I'm not overly concerned with presentation typically, but I think it might fucked me up on that front, too. I could enjoy more games before the stupid fucking Witcher. Now I'm Been To One Wine Tasting guy and I'm aerating pinot noir and talking conspiratorially about "hints of leather."

I'm going try to push a couple more hours through this weekend and try to find the game with all the high numbers. Everyone designated not-me is frolicking in the wasteland, traipsing even. Is it the base building? Is that what reeled 'em in? I'm glad that Fallout is such a phenomenon, now - I always liked it, always thought it deserved that. I really want to come along.

I have been trying a few of the new mods to polish the place up, try to bring the spark back, and I think it's working at least a little bit:

- Bloody Hair by CrimsonTressez cakes all game hair with blood.
- redfood.ba2 by Coagula changes the name of all food items to "blood :)" and covers them with blood.
- Cheese Within by LizzyRennet replaces the blood texture with rich cheese, a user definable Quattro Formaggio or a 20/40/40 blend of Gruyere, Cheddar, and Emmentaler. I tested it, and this mod is compatible with the other two.

(CW)TB out.