#rubber ducking

[applesins]

wizards before:

wizards now:

[pluralprompts]

Prompt #732

"Rubber ducking" is the process of explaining your problem to someone in order to figure out what's wrong and how to solve it. It doesn't need to be done with an actual person – it's most known for being done with rubber ducks, hence the name. Knowing this, Person A decides to create an imaginary "rubber duck" of sorts to rubber duck with, similar to an imaginary friend. They never expected their "rubber duck" to gain enough sentience to be able to talk back and offer solutions when they're rubber ducking!

[kawaoneechan]

In Animal Crossing New Horizons, the various color variations of all the outfits are stored as separate items, each part of a clothing group that in turn holds the number for that item's base name and some information about fashion themes. All the important stuff is in the item itself. And therefore, each variation of a given outfit item has a separate entry in ItemParams.bcsv.

In the datamined JSON files for Project Special K, there's only one file describing all variations right now:

I left out some details but the important part is the "variants" array.

In the villager data, this would be referenced to by ID:

Right now, loading the villager data can resolve these references so the Villager object for Lolly has a member that's a Tops pointer to the Snowy Sweater. But to do that, the "gray" modifier had to be thrown out on load.

I wonder how to handle having an item like that retain things like outfit variant, or furniture item variants and patterns.

Actually...

What if I turned it from a plain Tops into an InventoryItem? That in turn could hold the Item (which Tops inherits from so that's valid) and the variation data. Then that InventoryItem could reflect some pertinent stuff about the Item it boxes, and have AsInsertItemTypeHere methods like SimpleJSON's JSONValue does, to return the boxed Item as the type it actually is.

... delightfully devilish, Seymour.

[druidx]

Hey hen, happy Storyteller Saturday. A meta writing question for you for once:

How do you deal with a scene that should be relatively easy in theory, but is proving to be more difficult in its execution?

Howdy 😄️

I'm a strong advocate of the "if you stop paying attention and let your subconscious do it's thing, everything will work out".

I will sit there and sulk, then maybe have a bitch about it on tumblr or to Housemate. And if that doesn't work I'll go play a computer game for a bit - one in a wildly different grene to what I'm writing (eg, if I'm stuck on a fantasy story, I'll go play a sci-fi game). Or read, watch a movie, or just do something to get myself out of my head for a bit. Then, when I come to sit down, the answer is usually crystal clear.

On a side note: I'm always open to being the duck if someone needs to untick themselves. I'm very good at saying quack 😅️

Happy STS, thanks for the question

[echo-has-queries]

"Explain it to me like I'm five."

- old/boring/unoriginal

- I'm bad with children

- might get you a simple/interesting answer but also might just have someone give up on explaining at all

- focus lies on the explainee understanding (which is fine when that's the goal)

"Explain it to me like I'm a rubber duck."

- funny/exciting/unexpected

- I'm great at talking with animals/inanimate objects

- might get you bewilderment/amusement and potentially an answer that consists entirely of quacks, which I considder an absolute win

- focus lies on the explainer getting a recontextualizing of the subject, ideally allowing them to find solutions they otherwise wouldn't have (which is the actual situation in my life much more often personally)

- Quack! 🦆

[the-laridian]

My current quilting problem is there are 3 different patterns that I want to do, they're all scrappy, and I can't sit down and focus on "collect/cut the fabric for JUST ONE". Which I really should do. 

Shorthand: they are Argyle, Foxes, and Spools. 

Spools is arguably the easiest and with the least amount of tricky blocks. It looks cool. I have many of the fabric squares picked out; I do need to cut the background fabric (white). 

Foxes is middle of the road on everything. I have half the fabrics picked out. I need to pick and cut a background fabric (probably a blue? Depends what's in the stash). 

Argyle is the hardest one (tricky blocks, tricky cutting) but I do have a bunch of the fabrics already cut. Just not the tricky ones. I am also looking at this going "am I out of my mind" on those tricky blocks, but otoh if I pull it off, it'll look great. 

Having thus talked it out, I should at least bag up the fabrics for Foxes and Argyle so they don't get lost, note how many of each one has been cut, and set them aside so I can work on Spools.

[wisteria-lodge]

Not a question - just wanted to say that I've been puzzling over my sorting for months, and what finally made it click was writing a SortMe, and rereading it with fresh eyes the next day. Didn't need to submit it :) it just felt right. So - thank you for what you do to help people discover themselves. (Lion Snake, if you're curious)

Congratulations. Sounds like you did good.

(and yeah, rubber-ducking is a REALLY effective method, especially if it turns out you're an In-the-Moment secondary.)

[neednothavehappenedtobetrue]

okay! I have a villain with a goal! I have some protagonists who stand in opposition to that goal! I have some side characters, even.

next steps: Stella and Robin meet Evil Grandma Kimberly, who thinks Robin would be a good candidate for her pet project (or maybe that both of them would be a good fusion trial balloon)

how does Callie get looped back into this? does Stella just flee directly to the only person she knows?

well, write the next bit and we'll see

[yuusaris]

Wedding Soup chapter 2 no easier than when first started.

Tay and I talked about the direction of Body/Life and it looks like leaning more into the spookies is the better direction, with the ha-ha's as a secondary/as supplemental chapters. It's definitely for the stronger, as developments of how I want things to go down definitely lean more serious and less farcical, and it can take the pressure off of me to make every single bit comedy gold.

That leaves me in a predicament, however, regarding what I have posted so far... It's only the one chapter, but it's clearly got a lighter tone, even with the beginning flashback.

Part of my idea for that had been contrast, this decidedly dark past-tone, when their relationship was new and when their contract was fresh, versus now where Ryou's settled into a very comfortable denial over everything that's happened, and Bakura reaping those benefits with the caveat that this denial brings as much grief as benefit.

(A good writer could do this well. I'm a good writer who is struggling to do this at all.)

I must be, like, hung up on the tsuchinoko thing for chapter 2, I must be. Something here isn't working, regardless of how I want to play it. Chapter 3 is gunna go fine, I can keep a good chunk of that, but it's not... it doesn't climax, y'know? Do I have a climax to this story? Do I have building tension? I don't think I do.

I've never been good at that... I've never been good with escalating tension, or tension at all. Like, I can do it alright, in theory - I have done it well, in the past. I must have. I feel like I have? But it's never consistant. Whether it's my confrontation issues or just that I like mindless fun, I struggle to really get this tension going.

Soooo, there is that about chapter two..... there's no increase in tension after the ao bozu bit.

So, what tension did that set up - the ao bozu was a show of.... really, nothing. There is no tension increase. It's just more of the same. The reason this isn't working is because I have no momentum. Sure, I have later chapters roughly planned out where there's stuff happening but... I've got no momentum. I have no rising action, nothing is incited.

What a heartbreak - the whole problem I'm having is inherent to what I've written.

Does this mean I go back to Chapter One again? Plant breadcrumbs? Wholly re-write shit? I don't want to say it feels untouchable, but I've already fucked with it a lot. Effectively, if I wanted to touch it, I'd need to delete it and start again. It's the structure for the whole fic that's broken.

And if I'm not going to change Chapter One, then what do I glean from it? What happened that can escalate?

Ryou reacted pretty positively towards the ao bozu, and I like how he reacted to it, I would do that again if I were re-writing it.... again. That was the point, to have a start that shows Ryou's kindness as an important factor to this new world he's going to find himself in. And to show us that Ryou is not oblivious but flippant, maybe arrogant, about the danger that he was in. So it might need to be...

Suspicion or irritation could work... but it would need to be done in such a way that it doesn't hinder his ego. Chapter 3 is one where he gets a little ahead of himself with the Senri, calling out it's trick too early and underestimating what he's able to do in response to the creature when it feels unbalanced. So, 3 is where Ryou should be rattled, maybe suspicious, but certainly upset. So, when the last test happens in Chapter 4....

But by that point, how do I get him back on track?

Back up, hold on. Re-address. Chapter One is the ao bozu, who gives him the dowry necklace. Chapter two would be the tsuchinoko, who gives him the warning, and shows us how well/how Ryou can handle a creature that lies and is capable of harm outside of gimmick. And Chapter 3 is the Senri, where we have Ryou up against creatures that he might mistake for an ally or for Bakura. Then Chapter 4 is the procession to the wedding spot (if it should even be one, I do want Ryou to make his own way to the site), with Chapter 5 being The Wedding, which is the re-negotiation of contract/vows.

That looks structured on paper, but it doesn't actually show or give us anything. It's just events happening, and we learn nothing, we gain nothing emotionally.

Which Taylor has been telling me for a while is the case.... I mean, when he's right he's right. He's good at seeing these things.

....It can be easy to think that the idea itself is broken. Or that I'm a bad writer - no, that it's a flaw in me that I'm a bad writer. There's nothing actually wrong with me being a bad writer because I'm going to write anyway. Nearly 22 years of writing is proof of that.

Good or bad isn't the issue I'm having. The issue is how I've structured this. And giving up entirely is just not wanting to write something that I want to write and have ideas for and think I can pull off. I know I can pull this thing off. Or - I believe I can. If I don't, it is fine. But I want to do stuff with it. I've worked hard because I like the stuff I've been playing with. It might not look like it but I have worked hard.

This is just - the hard part of working hard. The hard part isn't the writing - it never is really. Putting the words down isn't the hard part. The hard part is making sure the words work for the picture you want. It's like woodcarving or building a house. If your cuts and screws aren't properly holding things in place, you're gunna...

No.... no it's more like a puzzle, maybe. The words are the pieces, and you want to make a picture with them - this is definitely the better analogy, lol - but instead of a pre-set picture... every piece pretty much fits together. And gives you all the possibilities to create something. And you need to figure out which pieces fitting together with which other pieces will make the picture you want.

So, from where I am standing, the tsuchinoko isn't the problem. Not in itself. It's how I'm using it, because I have struggle with writing conflict and tension or bad things happening at all (ever wondered why every fic I write is Two Guys In A Room?). What needs to happen is we need to see Ryou approaching with caution, but get a different idea of what's happening --

Since the Ring is a dowry in this version, I want it to be able to protect Ryou from that kind of harm, at least regarding yokai or demons not of a Bakura/Yami/Zorc-like level. That protecting him is not something he would know, as Bakura is keeping that information to himself, and had a fucking ao bozu deliver it to throw off the scent. Meaning, he would attribute the handling of the tsuchinoko/not getting bit, or them decidedly trying not to bite them (maybe?) would be sort of an unconscious ego-boost? Giving Ryou the idea that he can handle these, so when the Senri shows up, it shows that he does have vulnerabilities - ones Bakura is sussing out and trying to determine if they're gunna be an issue between them. Which would make the procession (if there is one) a cumulative moment.

I'd like for the ao bozu and tsuchinoko and the girl affected by the Senri to kind of be contributors? Again sealing the idea that RYou's Empathy towards the ao bozu, his mindfulness about the tsuchinoko and his insistence that he not feed the girl to the Senri, all are things that benefited him in the end. But that might also be too... convenient?

Ugh. I burnt myself out.... but at least I've got a better vibe fore two... I think?

I think.

[kleptic-cryptid]

This is called Rubber Ducking, and programmers do this all the time. Its an excellent way to learn and troubleshoot problems you dont really understand.

I LOVE when children who juuuust barely understand ten percent of something find somebody (a toy or a smaller child, usually) who understands zero percent and they’re like “come hither and I shall take you under my wing and teach you my instant wisdom.”

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: rubber ducking is the process of explaining one's problems to a rubber duck in the hope that it will reveal a solution to the problem. Write a movie concept about a programmer whose rubber duckie start talking back to him.

Title: Computer Quackery

Tagline: How do you debug reality?

Logline: A burnt-out programmer named Elliot relies on his rubber duckie, Ducky, for brainstorming solutions. But when Ducky starts talking back with insightful advice, the line between reality and Elliot's fractured psyche begins to blur, forcing him to confront his inner demons and debug not just his code, but his own life.

Characters:

Elliot Vance: A brilliant but jaded programmer, drowning in self-doubt and anxiety. He uses a rubber duckie named Ducky as a way to verbalize his coding problems, a technique known as "rubber ducking."

Ducky (Voice Only): Elliot's seemingly sentient rubber duckie. Ducky offers surprisingly insightful advice on coding and life, but his existence remains ambiguous.

Dr. Ramirez: A compassionate psychiatrist specializing in tech addiction and stress. She tries to help Elliot discern reality from delusion.

Ava: A brilliant and optimistic fellow programmer at Elliot's company. She becomes his confidante and a potential romantic interest.

Plot:

Elliot Vance is a coding prodigy whose brilliance is overshadowed by his crippling self-doubt and social anxiety. His only outlet is his rubber duckie, Ducky, to whom he verbalizes his coding problems.

One night, after a particularly frustrating debugging session, Elliot hears Ducky's voice for the first time. Ducky offers a witty and insightful solution to the coding issue, sparking a series of conversations that blur the lines between reality and delusion.

Ducky's advice transcends coding and starts delving into Elliot's personal life. He encourages Elliot to connect with his co-worker, Ava, and seek help from Dr. Ramirez, a psychiatrist specializing in tech stress and addiction.

Dr. Ramirez suspects Elliot may be experiencing a form of psychosis brought on by his social isolation and reliance on technology. She encourages him to engage with the real world, but Elliot clings to Ducky's guidance.

As the lines between reality and Elliot's perceived conversations with Ducky become even more blurred, the consequences grow darker. Ducky's advice becomes increasingly erratic, leading Elliot to question his friendships, his career, and even his own sanity.

He isolates himself from Ava, suspicious of her intentions. He neglects his projects at work, unable to differentiate between Ducky's "insights" and reality. The climax involves a near-disastrous event at work caused by Elliot's erratic behavior, forcing him to confront Dr. Ramirez and his own mental state.

Is it Real?

The movie carefully avoids confirming whether Ducky is actually talking or a manifestation of Elliot's subconscious. This ambiguity fuels the suspense and leaves viewers questioning reality alongside Elliot.

Themes:

The importance of human connection in a technology-driven world.

The dangers of social isolation and the thin line between creativity and delusion.

Confronting one's inner demons and finding solutions within yourself.

Ending Scene:

In the final scene, Elliot finds himself back at his coding desk. Ducky sits on the desk, silent. Elliot hesitates, then begins talking through his problem, as if to a confidante. He pauses, then a smile breaks across his face as he seems to find the solution himself. He turns to the camera, breaking the fourth wall, and says, "See, Ducky? I told you I could get it." Whether Ducky ever really spoke remains a mystery, but Elliot seems to have found a way to navigate his reality, with or without a talking rubber duck by his side.

[spacebubblehomebase]

"SEE-MORE!!!" Get it??? Cause- ACK! (Gets 🍅 to the face.) OW! Okay! OK! I'll stop!

-Bubbly💙

[techno-danger]

HES A DUCK!!! HES A FUCKING DUCK I KNEW THAT WAS HIS TRUE ANGEL FORM!!! I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST A REGULAR BIRD AT FIRST BUT NO MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!!

DUCK LUCIFER!!!

[hexenmond]

My last resort for stymying problems are usually forums. And since it’s both good manners and results in more and better answers, I always make sure to write up my problem as clearly and concisely as I can.

In about fifty percent of these instances this either opens up new research paths that I hadn’t thought of before, or I realise I’ve made a dumb mistake somewhere. Love when that happens 😄

Lmao

[paintedaster]

I’ve been drawing a lot and hoarding it like a dragon, so have one of my first Hazbin Hotel arts I made when the show was still airing. I love Luci and Charlieeee

[wolfythewitch]

The ocean and me we are buddies, pals, chums