Português English

Blogs

Game List 2023 feature
2023.12.31

Game List 2023

Every year, I try to compile a list of games, books, and movies I experienced. For the complete list, check the Ratings. Here we go (sorted by rating then alphabetically)!

This year my game library is over 1000 games. 1/3 I’ve never touched it. 1/3 I’ve barely played. So I can stop buying games for a while and still have a lot of fun.

Finished

  1. Battlefield V (9★★★★★★★★★): Only played the single-player campaign, and like its predecessor Battlefield 1 (9★★★★★★★★★), I loved it. Short stories about multiple characters and theaters of war, each with unique mechanics.
  2. Hades (9★★★★★★★★★): An amazing game loop, showcasing the best of the rogue-like “dying and repeating” gameplay. The dialogue options and voiced characters are nothing short of amazing.
  3. Skyrim (9★★★★★★★★★): After a decade, I’ve finally completed the Dragonborn legend in the land of the Dovah! After watching some hilarious videos of The Spiffing Brit channel exploiting its mechanics, I was convinced to restart. I installed a dozen mods to enhance visuals and UI. It’s much better.
  4. Assassin's Creed Syndicate (8★★★★★★★★): Surprisingly good. Reasonably relatable protagonists. Good gameplay loop despite repetitive side missions and a lackluster current-time storyline.
  5. Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist (8★★★★★★★★): Hilarious fun in an experimental game. Top-notch story and humor. And it’s free!
  6. Strange Horticulture (8★★★★★★★★): A unique puzzle about selecting flowers based on descriptions, hints, and clues about their usefulness. The Cthulhu-lite underlying story adds a nice touch.
  7. 3 out of 10 Season 2 (7★★★★★★★): Not innovative and sometimes boring. As a game developer, I have a deeper appreciation of its humor.
  8. Call of the Sea (7★★★★★★★): Short puzzle story game with a Lovecraftian-ish theme.
  9. Cube Escape Paradox 1 (7★★★★★★★): The first half of the puzzle game (a full game by it’s own) is free. Escape room-like gameplay with a mysterious plot. Part of a broader multimedia experience (with a movie and a second game to complement the story).
  10. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak (7★★★★★★★): Visually adorable, nice story (though a bit confusing for those not remembering the main game story). Focused on combat without major building elements.
  11. Lucifer Within Us (7★★★★★★★): A quite nice short adventure with a dark them.
  12. Quadrilateral Cowboy (7★★★★★★★): A crazy hacker game with multiple ways to solve puzzles and unique visuals.
  13. The Fall (7★★★★★★★): A puzzle (with little action) short game with a nice premise and story.
  14. Bernband (6★★★★★★): An experimental sensorial game, a true walking simulator focused on relaxation. And it’s free.
  15. Dear Esther (6★★★★★★): A visually stunning riddle wrapped in an enigma, perfect for gamers who like their plots like abstract art.
  16. Ghostwire Tokyo (6★★★★★★): The first moments of the game I was expecting an horror game. The mood starts definitively scary. But after a couple of hours, I found out that stealth is almost a cheat, except some bosses. The open world collectibles are 99.999% pointless.
  17. Old Mans Journey (6★★★★★★): A little relaxing game about an old man traversing landscapes. Doesn’t harm but doesn’t make a dent either.
  18. Oxygen Not Included (6★★★★★★): Klei_ is not famous for the RTS genre, but they tried to mix RTS with survival like Don’t Starve. Not great, but enjoyable.
  19. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (6★★★★★★): It tumbles through the jungle, where combat feels like a chore, traversal lacks thrill, and the storyline and characters are as cookie-cutter as they come.
  20. The Silent Age (6★★★★★★): A short puzzle story. Nice, but not remarkable.
  21. Rage 2 (5★★★★★): The gameplay is good, but the story is passable. It seems rushed, as the final 25% of the map is kind of irrelevant. I prefer Mad Max (7★★★★★★★) or Just Cause 3 from the same developer.
  22. Baba Files Taxes (4★★★★): An experimental game from the same developer of Baba Is You (7★★★★★★★).

Currently Playing

  1. Beyond: Two Souls (8★★★★★★★★): Starting this story-driven game with my wife. Expecting to finish it in the next couple of weeks. Heavy Rain probably coming next.
  2. Deathloop (8★★★★★★★★): In the middle of the game and loving it. The protagonists are amazing, though some “bosses” are a bit wacky. The personalities are hard to define, but hoping to get used to them. Notably, it seems a bit too easy.
  3. Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain (8★★★★★★★★): Tried playing it years ago and found the story hyper confusing. Giving it another shot now, realizing Kojima aimed for an analogy with real-world references. Similar to Death Stranding (7★★★★★★★).
  4. The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk (8★★★★★★★★): Didn’t see it coming, a genuinely funny classic turn-based RPG with top-notch humor.
  5. Mortal Shell (8★★★★★★★★): A tough-as-nails romp through a beautifully haunting and punishing world where every victory feels well-earned. My Xbox controller stopped working, so it’s waiting for a fix.
  6. Paradise Killer (8★★★★★★★★): CRAZY! Do not let the visuals fool you. Amazing. Loving this amazing true detective game where, as far as I know, you can draw any conclusion you want.
  7. Desktop Dungeons (7★★★★★★★): I’ve played a demo web version of it ages ago and i liked so much that I’ve even bought Dungeons of Dredmor by mistake. I’ve never remembered the name the one I liked but recently they created a remaster and gave the original for free. Very clever and hard.
  8. Duskers (7★★★★★★★): Recommended by RPS and released free on Epic Game Store. Unique visual presentation of this Matrix rogue-like.
  9. Overland (7★★★★★★★): A puzzle game with a post-apocalyptic theme.
  10. Subnautica (7★★★★★★★): Played it years ago, enjoying the open nature of the game. Playing again to finish it.
  11. The Outer Worlds (7★★★★★★★): A recent addition from Amazon Prime Gaming, just scratching the surface.
  12. Pikuniku (6★★★★★★): Kinda kids game, very welcoming.
  13. Titan Souls (6★★★★★★): An indie game expanded from a 48h game competition, really nice. Got a bit lost in the map, but the bosses are unique and challenging.

Not finished yet (for one reason or another)

Many projects barely begun. Installed to test, but mostly in limbo—WIP or collecting dust. Unfinished tales of exploration and hesitation.

  1. Disco Elysium (9★★★★★★★★★): Holy moly! Got it from my brother on my birthday, had only a couple of minutes to play, but it’s already shaping up to be a favorite.
  2. Astrologaster (8★★★★★★★★): Indie small game with crazy humor. Liked it very much so far.
  3. Black Mesa (8★★★★★★★★): The official/unofficial Half-Life 1 remake. Superb! Curious to see what the fuss was about HF1 after finishing Half-Life 2 (8★★★★★★★★) last year.
  4. Gris (8★★★★★★★★): Beautiful first level.
  5. Shadow Tactics (8★★★★★★★★): Liked the thinking in this game. Definitely one I’ll try to complete sooner than later.
  6. Supraland (8★★★★★★★★): Harder and much longer than anticipated, but loving the sarcastic tone and bucketload of jokes.
  7. Thronebreaker (8★★★★★★★★): A great RPG using the core mechanics of the Gwent card game. Unique premise and a VERY fun game.
  8. Unravel Two (8★★★★★★★★): Still to finish with my wife. Slow-paced and forgiving, allowing infrequent plays.
  9. War of Mine (8★★★★★★★★): Far into my third playthrough, but still to survive and see the game credits.
  10. While True Learn (8★★★★★★★★): Logic programming puzzles. Amazingly fun and challenging for a programmer. The special bonuses for optimized solutions request multiple plays for each scenario.
  11. Baba Is You (7★★★★★★★): Played some levels, up to the second or third “world.” SUPER clever.
  12. Cloudpunk (7★★★★★★★): Weird visuals and relaxing gameplay. You’re a taxi driver in a special city.
  13. Death Stranding (7★★★★★★★): Kubrick walking simulator. Paused to focus on Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain (8★★★★★★★★) for a better understanding of Kojima’s latest endeavors.
  14. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (7★★★★★★★): liked the first title, Deus Ex: Human Revolution (8★★★★★★★★), but this one is a far inferior game. The story is not nice and the gameplay is not fun so far.
  15. Heaven’s Vault (7★★★★★★★): Highly anticipated game, played a bit and liked the story so far. Space for multiple run-throughs to explore all possible branches (not sure if I would do it tough).
  16. Observation (7★★★★★★★): Excellent storytelling despite clunky controls. Removed to free up space; redoing the narrative may be challenging after a couple of months.
  17. Superhot Mind Control Delete (7★★★★★★★): Played several levels already, yet to finish.
  18. Surviving Mars (7★★★★★★★): Played a couple of times but never completed a single level. It’s dry.
  19. Breathedge (5★★★★★): This “Subnautica in space” is funny, but the gameplay loop is not engaging. Considering giving up on this.

Continuous playing

I play them eventually. Most of them, are strategy games. Nothing new from last years list, except:

  1. Fall Guys (8★★★★★★★★): I’ve finally got it working on Linux (not trivial due the anti-cheat components), so I could play alone and with my wife this funny little-hearted game. It’s controls are easy enough for my wife to try playing a competitive game.

Next games on my radar

Finally, here is a list of games that I already have in my collection that I plan to play in the next months. Its a bit ridiculous to talk about next game, considering the amount of unfinished ones, but the catalogue is so vast that I can afford to play ahead.

  1. Doki Doki Literature Club: Not particularly my style, but intrigued due to the positive reviews. Played for just a handful of minutes.
  2. Ghost of a Tale: Followed the development process for quite some time because it was made using Unity3D. It looks adorable.
  3. Heavy Rain: Planning to play this critically acclaimed story-driven game from Quantic Dream with my wife.
  4. Hitman: Never finished Contracts due to perfectionism. Hoping to play more relaxed with this one.
  5. Prey Mooncrash: I’m a fan of time travel/ time loop ideas. I bought it but days later I got Deathloop (8★★★★★★★★) (following game from the same company) for free.
  6. Undertale: Started several times, but the lack of synced saved games (using Steam) made me start over each time.
  7. We Are There Together: Bought to play with my wife, but not included in Play Together on Steam. Considering convincing another soul to play with me
  8. XCOM 2: Received praises in the past few years. Time to take a look at it.
Movie List 2023 feature
2023.12.31

Movie List 2023

Every year, I try to compile a list of games, books, and movies I experienced. For the complete list, check the Ratings. Here we go (sorted by rating then alphabetically)!

NOTE: I believe this list is the one that is mostly incomplete. I will probably make additions to it time to time.

  1. Home Alone (10★★★★★★★★★★): A Christmas classic. Was on TV and hooked me in. Love it.
  2. Everything Everywhere All at Once (9★★★★★★★★★): Undoubtedly the best film overall. It’s a delightful and thought-provoking experience. The Chinese actors deliver an AMAZING performance. I’d vote for best actress, best supporting actor, and supporting actress. Not to mention the commendable visual effects and wardrobe choices. The variety of outfits that briefly graced the screen is staggering.
  3. Moulin Rouge! (9★★★★★★★★★): A sensory banquet served with a dazzling dressing of Parisian passion. This movie sweeps you into a whirlwind waltz of love and loss, painting a masterpiece on the canvas of your heart.
  4. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (9★★★★★★★★★): An amazing #RoaldDah short story. Very Wes Anderson.
  5. Air (8★★★★★★★★): A nice, not great, “documentary” telling the story of Nike managers creating their most famous and lucrative product to date: the Air Jordan shoes.
  6. Poison (8★★★★★★★★): Another great #RoaldDah short story adapted by Wes Anderson.
  7. The Rat Catcher (8★★★★★★★★): The craziest #RoaldDah short story adapted by Wes Anderson. Very nice too.
  8. The Swan (8★★★★★★★★): The shortest #RoaldDah short story adapted by Wes Anderson. Very nice.
  9. Triangle of Sadness (8★★★★★★★★): My favorite movie from the Oscars’ 2023. Despite having zero chance of winning, it’s a harsh social satire that will definitely make you scratch your head. It’s a running joke in my family about the taste for scatology, and it delivers.
  10. The Remains of the Day (8★★★★★★★★): Hopkins is amazing actor, period. Only two years after his Oscar winning Hannibal in The Silence of the Lambs, he is now a butler in a very Downton Abbey fashion, which allowed him to run (but did not win) his second golden statuette.
  11. All Quiet on the Western Front (7★★★★★★★): The opening scenes showing the boys eager to participate in the war contrasting with the first moments in the field are a real lesson. However, the movie is a series of misfortune tales merged together.
  12. Elvis (7★★★★★★★): Austin Butler, the actor playing Elvis, delivers a top-notch performance. However, Tom Hanks’ character is kinda annoying. The movie has a strong first half and a sluggish second one. It’s one step away from being a documentary but enjoyable nonetheless.
  13. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (7★★★★★★★): Nominated for best Adapted Screenplay. I’m now curious about the original text. It might be good. Again, it’s still a zoo of characters with a boring detective.
  14. The Greatest Showman (7★★★★★★★): Nice musical. Great performance by Hugh Jackman, but it lacks the charming to be a Moulin Rouge killer.
  15. Top Gun: Maverick (7★★★★★★★): A fun sequel that leverages the original movie. Great visuals, good story.
  16. Luckiest Girl Alive (6★★★★★★): I was expecting a great story but had a hard time swallowing its mystery.
  17. The Menu (6★★★★★★): A tantalizing entrée of intrigue, slightly undercooked in the main course of plot development. Yet, the dessert of performances saves this cinematic meal from being entirely forgettable.
  18. Avatar: The Way of Water (4★★★★): Bad.
  19. The Mummy (2017) (4★★★★): Bad.

Documentaries

  1. Vale o que está Escrito (10★★★★★★★★★★): The best documentary of the year is Brazilian focused. It’s about the gambling Mafia in Rio de Janeiro.
  2. Navalny (7★★★★★★★): A chilling documentary that’s as nerve-racking as a Cold War thriller yet bursting with the gritty reality of modern Russian politics. It’s like a glass of vodka straight up, no chaser.

Animations

  1. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (7★★★★★★★): A lovely adaptation. It’s a bit dry in the storytelling department, with abrupt story deviations (mostly due to the source material), but I liked it.

TV Shows

  1. The Last of Us (S1) (8★★★★★★★★): A great show, very close to the source material, AFAIK (I’ve never played the games). Another great script by Craig Mazin. I’ve been a great fan of his work since I started listening to his podcast ScriptNotes ages ago.
  2. Cyberpunk Edgerunners (7★★★★★★★): Surprisingly nice and gives some of the imagined feeling of the game and the Cyberpunk universe.
  3. Only Murders In The Building (S3) (7★★★★★★★): Some people liked this season, but I found it to be just okay. Better than the second, with memorable characters, but the premise is very narrow, preventing it from growing naturally. Selena’s character is 100% irrelevant.
  4. Succession (S4) (7★★★★★★★): Family harmony and business prowess continue to degrade, on their known trajectories. But after so many scandals, it is less and less credible. Also it lingers longer than needed. At least, it ends in a high note.
  5. Ted Lasso (S3) (7★★★★★★★): A third round of heartwarming soccer shenanigans with a winning streak of compassion and underdog triumphs. It’s like a box of your favorite cookies; you just can’t help but crave more.
  6. The Rings of Power (6★★★★★★): Amazon invested a lot, but the script is not inspired. Too much white noise, with characters that do not do a lot, nor influence the story forward. The high point, of course, is the finale revelation.
My Son Did His Last Magic Trick feature
2023.09.13

My Son Did His Last Magic Trick

It’s been a month since my youngest dog, Mago Merlin Harigaya Massa, my Little Mage, passed away. Even though he was “just” a dog, I loved him and treated him like a son. He slept with me and sat at the table during meals.

I’m trying to write for the tenth time while crying profusely. This text won’t be able to capture even part of how special he was.

Note: My dogs have an Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/avalondogs/

Origin

We met him on the street a month after buying my first house in Uberaba. He was still young and very dirty. He played with my two dogs, King Arthur and Princess Guinevere, while we walked around the block. I let the three sniff and enjoy each other’s company. Continuing our walk, he returned to the corner he was at. It was cute.

People from the neighborhood were looking after him, always providing food and water.

The next day was the same. My wife Ana Luisa and I were enchanted and began joking about “how long could we resist such cuteness?” That afternoon, it rained, and I felt so sorry for him that I went to check if he was okay. He was fine, taking shelter under a canopy until the rain passed.

On the third day, a Monday, after playing with my two dogs, he followed, and followed, and followed us calmly for the rest of the walk. He kept following us and when I opened the door to the house, he entered, sat down, and told me “We’re home, Dad”! Merlin was the one that adopted me, and I’m so eternally grateful.

His first photo
His very first photo

Mago merlin adopted me
Mago Merlin adopted me

Personality

We chose a name following the “tradition” of the tales of Avalon: Mage Merlin. Since he was the first dog we adopted after getting married, his full name became Mago Merlin Harigaya Massa. He was still young, the vet estimated he was about 4 months old, 6 tops. He had very short legs, so he was often teased as a “design flaw,” “little liar” (liars have short legs), or “rhino” (he ran and bumped into everyone).

I’ve met many dogs, but he was special. Much more intelligent and active than average. Almost like a border collie. A sponge for learning. He imitated his siblings in everything. In less than two months, he knew practically all the tricks it took me years to teach the others. He could shake hands, roll over, stand on his hind legs, spin, and many other tricks.

Food was his issue. He always ate desperately and was possessive over food and bones. If one of his siblings left food in their bowl, he would eat it and go straight to the “time-out” corner, cheeky guy (“I know, I know…”). We worked on this, and he improved a lot in his two years of life.

He had a cute habit of tilting his head to listen better to what we were saying. He was charming. Had an ear that, like his tail, clearly responded to his mood: it perked up when he was curious and dropped when he was tired or sad.

He loved to play. When he discovered the toy box, he was thrilled. He even played alone. He’d throw the balls far and go fetch them. Enjoyed tug-of-war toys like his sister, and also enjoyed playing ball like his brother. He was an energy machine. During walks, he ran non-stop, without getting tired. He happily accompanied me during my running workouts. I ran 5 km; he would run 10 because he kept going back and forth.

Family

King Arthur was initially uneasy about the arrival of another male and had some natural disputes. Arthur is more of a calm guy, and Merlin wants to play all day. When Arthur was in the mood, they would run together.

Guinevere adopted him as a half-brother, half-son. She would defend him during any event on the street, playfully wrestle with him, and even clean the sleep from his eyes. When he was on time-out, locked in the bathroom for a few minutes, she would stand at the door, alert and concerned. She still looks for him when we mention Merlin’s name. She deeply loved him.

He learned to be very affectionate by imitating his sister. He would sleep cuddled up in bed, sit next to us on the couch, ask for affection, and nudge us when we stopped. Family and friends were initially a little startled by his enthusiasm, but would fall in love with him within half an hour.

I took more photos of him than any other animal or person in these two years because he always had something incredibly funny or interesting.

The Day

It was a routine Monday walk, starting the week. We went to the park, I unleashed them, and let them run. Like any other day. On the way back, they usually walk without leashes because they’ve been trained to stay close. I reinforce this habit every day. Just counting “3, 2, 1…” is enough for them to pay attention and stay close.

But on that day, he saw another stray dog, became super excited to play, and ran to meet him. He tried to cross the street but didn’t see the car, which was actually going at a low speed. It all happened very quickly.

He left this world doing what he loved the most: playing, running, and making friends.


I am sure we gave him an excellent life. A country boy, he got to know the beach and the forest and traveled to a dozen cities. He ate, played, and slept a lot. He slept out of exhaustion from his always full day. Then woke up energized to start everything all over again. He had parents and siblings, love, and a home.

A month of mourning. Mourning like I’ve never felt before. I’ve had dogs in the past that eventually passed away. Even when I was younger, I did feel the sadness. But nothing compares to now. Mago Merlin was probably the biggest loss of my life. Perhaps because now I really felt like a father.

There wasn’t a single day that you didn’t make me smile. I love you, my son.

★ 2021-XX-XX (adopted 2021-12-13)

✝ 2023-08-14

His last photo. the day before
His last photo. The day before

The Murderbot Diaries feature
2023.07.18

The Murderbot Diaries

Welcome to my latest obsession, folks: Martha WellsMurderbot Diaries. I stumbled onto these gems while exploring the book reviewing phenomenon on TikTok. Trust me, they’re worth the hype. I didn’t just read these books, I devoured them, like a bot set on ‘max power mode’. Listen up, if you’re into all things sci-fi, comedy, or just plain stellar storytelling, you need to hit up these books. And if you’re not… Well, maybe you’re due for a software upgrade.

Speaking of software, meet our central Murderbot, a SecUnit (SECurity UNIT bot) but with a twist: it’s managed to circumvent its own governor module and is now as free as an unhinged AI on a high-speed data stream.

These books are clever, jam-packed with excitement, and keep you guessing at every twist and turn. Plus, their shorter length makes for an easy, delightful reading experience, much like binge-watching “Sanctuary Moon”. And you know what? They’re even better as audiobooks. Seriously, hats off to Kevin R. Free, the maestro narrator who brings Murderbot’s voice to life in the audiobooks.

Now, without further ado, let’s delve into the quick reviews (and no spoilers, I promise!):

Muderbot 1 All Systems Red

All Systems Red is like the pilot episode of the best TV series you’ve ever seen. It introduces our unsocial, serial-drama-loving Murderbot with a bang. Despite the potential for bloodshed, our hero would rather keep its ceramic composite armored head buried in the latest episode of its favorite show than engage with its human charges.

The plot is as tight as a well-coded algorithm, and Murderbot’s self-aware, self-deprecating voice adds a level of nuance that makes you forget you’re rooting for a machine. A full 10 out of 10 stars, hands down.

Muderbot 2 Artificial Condition

Our metal protagonist is back in Artificial Condition, squaring off against a formidable AI called Control. It’s like a digital chess game, except the pawns are sentient beings and the stakes are galactic. I found this second installment to be even more riveting than the first, and the character development? Just like a well-executed software upgrade.

Muderbot 3 Rogue Protocol

Rogue Protocol ramps up the stakes, with Murderbot on the run, bouncing off interstellar routers like a rogue ping packet. The narrative thread here is an adrenaline-soaked blend of suspense, emotion, and hard-edged humor. The introduction of new AI characters gives the story a fun, unexpected dimension that adds to the overall intrigue.

Muderbot 4 Exit Strategy

In Exit Strategy, Murderbot starts to experience something akin to finding its home network. But don’t think for a second that the tension lets up. Quite the opposite. This book delivers on both action and depth, pushing our beloved SecUnit to its limits in more ways than one. It’s like an over-clocked processor in the best way possible.

To wrap this up, I’m urging you to take a deep dive into the Murderbot Diaries series. The books are a well-balanced mix of thrilling sci-fi, dry humor, and poignant self-reflection. And trust me, they’re even better when you’ve got its dynamic narration in your ear.

Wondering if ChatGPT and Bard are made of a similar zing. And no, I’m not suggesting it’s sentient… but if it starts making coffee, I’m outta here.

Why SuCoS Could Power Your Next Site feature
2023.06.19

Why SuCoS Could Power Your Next Site

In the ever-evolving landscape of web development, Static Site Generators have gained immense popularity due to their simplicity, speed, and ease of use. I migrated this site from WordPress to a SSG and have no regrets. However, navigating through the complexities of existing tools like Hugo and DocFX can sometimes be a daunting task, even for advanced developers. Recognizing this challenge, I decided to embark on a personal journey to create a solution. Thus, I give you SuCoS (JuiCeS in Portuguese - a playful nod to my roots and the delightful simplicity I aim for), a C# static site generator that simplifies the process while offering incredible performance.

The Origin

The day I found myself tangled in a web of Hugo templates, I realized something had to change. It felt akin to wandering in a labyrinth without a torch; even ChatGPT, my trusty AI companion, seemed lost. I felt like Bilbo Baggins in the tunnels, minus a riddle-solving partner. I experimented with DocFX, but its rigidity left me wanting. I even dabbled with Rust’s Zola, but found it lacking in richness. I yearned for something more versatile, more fluid.

That’s when it hit me. Why not carve my own path? Why not conjure a static site generator that would render the process as simple as connecting the dots, rather than cracking the Enigma code? With .Net 7 back on track, I knew I had my foundation. It promised familiarity, richness in features, and a performance-driven mentality. Also, the new compilation options for a single file, trimmed and self-contained appeared to be an ideal match.

Thus, the seed of SuCoS was planted.

The Process

Building SuCoS, I focused on 3 critical features.

Firstly, I envisioned a site builder as fast as the wind, quick as a cheetah on the savanna. The result? A C# DotNet 7 engine that churns out pages at breakneck speed. To curb my OCD, I created a test site with 100,000 pages (about 10% of the size of Portuguese Wikipedia) and it took less than 1ms per page!

Secondly, I aimed for an easy-to-use yet versatile template system. I wanted to sidestep the hieroglyph-like complexity of Hugo templates and embrace something more intuitive. Enter Liquid templates - as adaptable and refreshing as water, as straightforward as ABC.

Finally, the third critical feature: a live server for local development. I craved a system that would be as responsive and alive as an eager co-author, watching my every keystroke, reflecting each change I made to content or theme files on the local server, erasing the need for monotonous manual refreshing. To top it all off, I implemented a nifty little report that fires off at the end of the building process, allowing you to marvel at the lightning speed of your site’s creation.

SuCoS wouldn’t be complete without a trusty sidekick. Enter Nuke, an invaluable building system that automates the building and releasing process, even providing a Docker container image to make life easier.

The Roadmap

The very v1.0.0 version is live! And to showcase its MVP (minimum viable product), its official site (https://sucos.brunomassa.com/) was built using SuCoS itself! How cool is it?! But this is just the ‘Iron Man Mark 1’ phase. Like Tony Stark, I’m constantly refining and improving. I’ve recruited GitLab CI/CD as my faithful AI, J.A.R.V.I.S., who ensures that a fresh, improved version sees the light of day every week. The journey towards the ‘Endgame’ continues, each iteration bringing us one step closer.

One of my milestones is to convert this very site to SuCoS by the end of July 2023. Ambitious? Yes. Achievable? Absolutely.

Join in this adventure. Connect with the community on Twitter, Mastodon, Discord, and Matrix. Let’s steer this ship together, transforming the world of static site generation into an easy and delightful journey, one page at a time.

Bruno MASSA