The article says exactly what they wanted to do…

It was only recently that I learned that programmable matter has been a (theoretical) concept for decades - pretty cool if there have been some new developments in the field.

I play a lot of NMS. I don’t know if it’s going to scratch your specific itch, but it’s a lot of fun if you can get on its level.

YMMV, but I think it’s pretty light on grinding. I log in for maybe 10-20 minutes a day, and am able to keep up with whatever events are going on just fine. The story episodes are much longer, but you can go through those at your own pace easily enough.

As for the stuff in the article about the game being a little dated and clunky after all these years…that’s a big “yup” from me.

It’s not exactly what you’re describing, but I have an absolutely miserable time with the generic, one-word titles that seemed so prevalent in the '90s in particular.

“Vortex”

“Whispers”

“Emanations”

“Resolutions”

“Anomaly”

And on and on and on…

That wasn’t my take - collectibility is a pretty core component of CCGs, but that can be accomplished easily with basic probability tables, without any blockchain bullshit.

My biggest concern is what they’re going to do to monetize it - this sort of game is pretty prone to exploitation.

Something like the Marvel Snap model could be pretty good, though.

I’ve heard nothing but good things, and should really catch up.

The truth could be somewhere in the middle - no real intent, but instead just reworking an idea from the Discarded Ideas Drawer into something new.

That info is out there for sure, but I’ve always found it pretty shaky. Here’s what Memory Alpha has to say on the subject:

The Star Trek Chronology, 2nd ed., p. 290 noted: “Although Picard and company were successful in eradicating them, the parasites did send a mysterious radio signal, presumably to others of their kind. At the time the episode was written, this was apparently intended to lead to the introduction of the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s second season. The Borg connection was dropped before “Q Who” (TNG) was written, and the truth about the parasites remains a mystery.”

The “apparently” always trips me up, but maybe there’s a more definitive statement or there that I haven’t seen.

It certainly could be true.

The Terran Empire is too good for Kevin O’Leary.

Fun!

Star Trek IV is a bit of a left-field choice, but I’m not mad about it.

I’m sure there’s a pitch to studios that could work, but

That’s pretty much where I’m at. Is it something I think I desperately need? Not by a long shot.

Could they do something interesting with it? Sure, I guess.

They announced the show would be ending, but gave it another season. That’s the opposite of a sunk cost, but thanks for showing your whole ass.

Your definition of “sunk cost” seems…unique.

I watched it fully expecting to be disappointed by the lack of iridescent paint, but nope it sure has iridescent paint.

I don’t think “Coming of Age” is very clear on this topic. It’s probably best to assume that only one candidate from that small group will be selected, and that there are many similar groups throughout the Federation. A pretty silly way to run things, but… 🤷

And the movie still made nearly $2.8 billion.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important to foster healthy online spaces that are free of that sort of nonsense - I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t - but that crowd is a drop in the bucket when it comes to the actual audience.

They’re just loud, obnoxious, and spurred on by grifters.

If there’s one thing people need to realize about the “anti-woke” crowd, it’s that outside of poisoning online spaces, they don’t matter.

They are very loud, but at the end of the day, there’s not actually that many of them. The box office numbers speak for themselves.

And it’s an anecdote, but the single biggest F&F fan I know is a woman.

Can there be stories that anyone—regardless of gender, ethnicity, or country—can enjoy?

Sure - there are plenty of global mega-hits, from the MCU to Star Wars to The Fast and the Furious.

But I don’t think you can (or should, really) separate a work from the cultural context that led to its creation.

It’s Canadian acting icon Callum Keith Rennie (possibly best known as BSG’s Leoben) playing a Kellerun.

He does have some Daniel Craig energy, though.

Sadly, the chances of a last-minute renewal are nil at this point - the sets have been dismantled.