Thinking Out Loud
Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its subsequent sequel have been very well received, both commercially and critically. Hence the recent announcement that developer, Warhorse Studios, are currently working on an open world RPG, set in Middle-earth has caused a great deal of excitement in the gaming community. At present, details are scarce and speculation is rife with regard as to what period in the history of Middle-earth will the game be set in. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t really mind when and where it is set as there are so many potential good choices. But I would like clarification as to whether the game is being made in in first person or third person perspective. By default, I prefer the latter when it comes to this RPG genre. Naturally the best outcome would be if the game supports both. However, it should be noted that the developer’s previous games were in first person. If that is the case with this project, I will revise my expectations.
Thinking Out Loud is a recurring blog post where I just throw out ideas and thoughts that have crossed my mind. I then write them here for your consideration. Some of these thoughts could potentially be the basis of an entire article. However, that is not the idea. I see them as simply opening gambits for possible wider discussions. Some of these ideas can be fairly weighty. Others may be deemed trivial. Such is the nature of the things that we think about. Another major factor in all this is the fact that random thoughts make for easy blog posts and every now and then is perfectly okay to just “coast”. I can’t churn out “pure gold” every day (or ever). Please free to leave any comments that you see fit or challenge any of the ideas presented here. If you think its all somewhat spurious, remember that I’m just “thinking out loud”.
Warhorse Studios are Making a Middle-earth RPG
Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its subsequent sequel have been very well received, both commercially and critically. Hence the recent announcement that developer, Warhorse Studios, are currently working on an open world RPG, set in Middle-earth has caused a great deal of excitement in the gaming community. At present, details are scarce and speculation is rife with regard as to what period in the history of Middle-earth will the game be set in. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t really mind when and where it is set as there are so many potential good choices. But I would like clarification as to whether the game is being made in in first person or third person perspective. By default, I prefer the latter when it comes to this RPG genre. Naturally the best outcome would be if the game supports both. However, it should be noted that the developer’s previous games were in first person. If that is the case with this project, I will revise my expectations.
Socialising When Older
I have been looking around online recently to see if I can find any local social groups that I could possibly join. Simply put, I need to interact with more people. I feel that there is a gap in this part of my life and feel the need to address it. I spoke to my sister who has joined such a club and she really likes the range of activities that they do. There are day trips, quiz nights and meetings just to chat. In principle, these are the sort of things I’m looking for. Yet something I can’t quite identify is holding me back. May be it’s my age. I am 58 and have retired early. Most of the social groups out there are populated by people in their sixties and older. People my own age are mainly still working. Age isn’t always an issue but it can be. Plus I admit that I’m a very particular person. I’m not looking for innocuous small talk and passing company. I want something more tangible and more intellectually demanding. I guess I shouldn’t talk myself out of things before trying.
Lego: Adults Welcome
In recent years Lego have started producing various products that are pitched at adult customers. These sets are usually based upon major film and pop culture franchises, such as The Lord of the Rings and the ubiquitous Star Wars. I recently saw a Lego Jaws set, featuring the Orca and its crew as well as the shark Bruce. It’s all rather niche, entertaining and expensive. However, the sets pitched at the adult market are far from cheap. The aforementioned Jaws set retails at £130.00 in the UK. Another issue stemming from the popularity of these Lego sets is that when you search online for more, a lot of the results returned are fictitious. People use generational AI to create images of sets they’d like to see released by the Danish manufacturers, that are not available. I stumbled across one such example recently. A bogus Where Eagles Dare Lego set. If it was real, I most definitely would buy it. Sadly it isn’t.
The UK and Hot Weather
As I am writing this post (2:00 PM on Monday 25th May 2026) the weather in the UK and indeed parts of Europe is unusually warm for this time of year. It is currently 31°C (87.8°F) in South East London. The heat tends to linger into the evening due to the urban sprawl absorbing it during the day and radiating it out at night. Although unusual for the time of year, there is evidence that the weather is getting warmer in the UK and frankly it shouldn’t be as much as surprise as some people portray it. I bought three very robust (and most importantly quiet) pedestal fans over the last two years and they’re now proving to be worth every penny. Air Conditioning is not yet a default part of UK house building but it may well be so in the years ahead. As for those people who one minute decry how miserable the weather is, then promptly moan the moment the sun appears, try shutting your curtains and pulling your blinds. It does much to reduce the room getting warm.
Jaffa Cakes
For those who do not know, Jaffa Cakes are a popular biscuit in the UK (although for tax purposes they’re considered cakes). They consist of a Genoise sponge base, a layer of orange-flavoured jam and a coating of chocolate. Jaffa Cakes have been around since 1927 and have proven to be a popular indulgence. Sadly, they have in recent years been subject to the most egregious “shrinkflation”, like so many food items. First off, you no longer get a dozen Jaffa Cakes in a box. Secondly, you need an electron microscope to see them. In fact I would go as far as to say that the reduction in size has effectively killed my interest in Jaffa Cakes. They’re gone in a mouthful. If you want to be satisfied you have to eat two at once. A single box therefore yields five mouthfuls.“Shrinkflation” is a false economy and takes consumers for fools. Fuck you McVitie’s. Just make Jaffa Cakes bigger and we’ll pay more.
The Complexity of Socialising
A couple of things have prompted the train of thought that is the basis of this post. The first was the recent BBC television documentary by Chris Packham about autism and how it has shaped his life. The second was a post over at Massively Overpowered regarding “playing alone together”. The reader comments ended up becoming a discussion of the old “introverts versus extroverts” debate. Both of these have got me thinking about the complexity of social interaction and the stress it may or may not cause to various individuals. Social skills and group dynamics are things we learn through osmosis. The prevailing culture allegedly shapes us, yet precious little is taught formally. Our parents have an impact at the beginning of our lives but then we find ourselves at school for the lion share of the day, trying to get along with a wide variety of differing personalities. Simply put, socialising is complex and to be successful at it by societies standards, requires a very specific set of skills.
Courtesy of Socially Awkward Misfit
A couple of things have prompted the train of thought that is the basis of this post. The first was the recent BBC television documentary by Chris Packham about autism and how it has shaped his life. The second was a post over at Massively Overpowered regarding “playing alone together”. The reader comments ended up becoming a discussion of the old “introverts versus extroverts” debate. Both of these have got me thinking about the complexity of social interaction and the stress it may or may not cause to various individuals. Social skills and group dynamics are things we learn through osmosis. The prevailing culture allegedly shapes us, yet precious little is taught formally. Our parents have an impact at the beginning of our lives but then we find ourselves at school for the lion share of the day, trying to get along with a wide variety of differing personalities. Simply put, socialising is complex and to be successful at it by societies standards, requires a very specific set of skills.
When addressing a topic such as this, the first question I had to seriously ask myself was the most obvious. Do I consider myself an introvert or an extrovert? As most regular readers know, I’m not a fan of binary choices when it comes to complex questions. There have been times in my life when I have veered from one extreme to the other. As a teenager, I was the clown of my peer group. I thought it would resolve a lot of issues although all it really did was paint me into a corner. It was not until my thirties that I truly found my social confidence. This mainly came about through working in a field that I enjoyed and felt comfortable in. I also learned how to become a more effective public speaker. Having children also forces you to deal with things and step outside of your comfort zone. However, despite improving my social skills there are still many scenarios and situations I’m not good at. Talking about sport and dancing in public are two that spring to mind. I’m also not a big on “hugging”. But the fact remains, I can be social and deal with such situations. For me, the key to success lies in picking and choosing how and where I do it.
Writing is a form of communication and social interaction that I especially enjoy. Mainly because it’s a medium that a lot easier to manage, rather than a face to face Conversation. I am also confident when it comes to podcasting, for similar reasons. I tend to record with people whose company I enjoy and know quite well. However, despite our best efforts none of us gets to deal with life exclusively on our own terms. Especially if you’re in a relationship, as you have to make concessions to social situations. For example, I have a wedding coming up in December. I’d be lying if I said I was looking forward to it. It’s not a case of I’m bad in these sorts of social situations. It’s a case of I don’t care for them. It’s not as if my presence is essential to the success of proceedings, plus I really don’t dig small talk and the low-key conversation it is best to pursue at these events. It probably sounds a terrible thing to say but these situations bore me. I appreciate that very few people are raconteurs of the calibre of Stephen Fry, Peter Ustinov and Michael Winner. I don’t expect that. I just feel that it would be a far better use of my time if I applied it to something productive, rather than some pointless social banter with strangers.
After watching the aforementioned documentary about autism, I raised the question as to whether I was possibly on the spectrum with my significant other, due to some of my personality foibles. I meant the question genuinely and was certainly not making light of such medical conditions. She said that it was unlikely that I was, because I could cope with all the social things that Chris Packham can’t. The difference was where he is incapable, I am simply unwilling due to my “personality”. So, it would appear that I have no diagnosable conditions that affects my behaviour. I am merely a curmudgeonly git. She further added that despite my reticence to be social and participate in events of that nature, I was very much a product of my generation and broadly culturally conditioned not to be rude. Hence, I do grudgingly participate. On mature reflection I conceded that this is indeed true. However, that doesn’t alter the fact that if I could avoid the entire wedding scenario I would.
Overall, I believe the reality is that I’m neither introvert nor extrovert but somewhere in the middle. I enjoy the company of handpicked friends and when the mood suits, can be quite gregarious. I am also comfortable when left alone. I don’t mind my own company. I guess what I balk at, when considering the wider discussion around this topic, is the usual binary viewpoints. Introversion should not be seen as something that needs to be fixed, especially by extroverts. I believe everyone is somewhere on a scale between those two positions and chooses to deal with the world on their own terms. As for extroverts, they can be a very positive force for good in life. They can often provide a rallying point through the strength of their personalities, be supportive individuals and be good representatives for causes and charities. But they can also be extremely wearing and tedious people, taking up all the oxygen in any given social space. We need as a society to shift the focus away from these two extremes and encourage an understanding of all personality types as well as a recognition that socialising isn’t governed by two approaches.
