asgromo info!

A fine creature; she/her

All posts (12)

A few places you may find me

in about on

  • by the name Ashley Sgromo, typically in the Rochester, NY area
  • on Discord: asgromo
  • on Bluesky: @asgromo.info

HELLQUEST 2

in projects on

Return to HELL SYSTEM on a quest to find your friends!

Strange things are afoot in HELL SYSTEM, an ancient virtual world into which humanity is spreading its influence. Amid a chaotic string of problems, Miranda's friends have somehow been trapped in HELL SYSTEM, and it's up to her to save them... and to find the root cause of all the recent trouble!

With design, program, music, and script by Lachesis and additional graphics, story, and world design by me.

Play HELLQUEST 2 for free, on your device or in the browser, at DigitalMZX.

Abigail the cat

in family on

We adopted her from Lollypop Farm some years ago. She is nervous in disposition but when she's warmed up to a person becomes very friendly and talkative. Someone at the shelter explained in writing that she drools when she is happy, that she is a social eater, and that she has "extra toes!". One veterinary assistant, I believe an expert in these matters, remarked that she is "soft like a bun". These observations remain true.

Abigail the cat, born ~2012.

For your reference, a 3D scan of Abigail curled up on the couch.

Moveys I've watched recently

in i like this on

Starred films, for example PlayTime*, were my selection for movey night.

The Synod

in friends on

You can learn more about the Synod at synod.us

my bike

in i like this on

A red Schwinn road bike. On it is attached fenders/mudguards, a handlebar bag, a rear rack, and, on top of the rack, a basket with a blue net to hold stuff in. There are folded shopping totes and a helmet in the basket. The bike is on a stationary trainer that applies friction to the rear wheel.

My current bike is a "cardinal red" Schwinn LeTour. It's a steel road bike from the bottom of their 1980 lineup that I found at a secondhand store for $25 several years ago. Being the cheap one, it's plain old 1020 carbon steel, not the nice chrome-moly. Before anything but the kickstand is bolted on, it's 30 pounds, which is too heavy. But if I don't drop it into a volcano, it will probably outlive me.

To this I have attached:

  • Pletscher Model C rear rack (found as purchased)
  • silver Wald 1392 Basket mounted to the rack with zip ties (purchased as the "Huge" basket from Rivendell Bicycle Works) with a blue net to hold stuff in (also from RBW)
  • black Cannondale handlebar touring bag 1995 vintage (purchased from R Community Bikes for $5)
  • silver SKS P45 fenders (last item from that RBW order)
  • a couple of lights
  • a little saddlebag with a patch kit, multitool, and tire levers
  • a mini pump
  • a bell (I have a classier brass one, gifted by my sister, and a subdued black one. I go back and forth.)

This has made the bike approximately 1 metric ton and the steering could stand to be more lenient. Nevertheless, it rides beautifully at speed and fits a lot of groceries.

I may further adjust it for a more upright and casual ride, but that'll mean a new stem, handlebar, or both. And I need to rewrap the present handlebar. And then it will be perfect.

The [...] continue reading

Games I grew up with

in i like this on

I'm not sure I got to the end of any video games until I was like 15.

I had mostly lower end or behind-the-times PCs growing up.

I tasted a bunch of DOS stuff in large part thanks to my childhood friend Anthony Turner, who shared his Game Empire shareware disc with me. This is also where he discovered ZZT.

  • Rise of the Dragon (Dynamix, 1990)
  • Chip's Challenge (Chuck Sommerville, 1989)
  • ZZT (Epic MegaGames, 1991)
  • Myst (Cyan, Inc., 1993)
  • MegaZeux (Software Visions, 1994)

The legendary Home of the Underdogs is probably where I learned of these:

  • Oolite (Giles Williams, Jens Ayton & contributors, 2003–2021)

    As a teenager my bedroom was painted a vivid blue, like a dark afternoon sky. At night I would play Oolite with a Saitek Cyborg Evo, pretending (by default) that I was a space trader, and the room would glow. It was an even smaller game than it is now.

  • Out of this World (Éric Chahi, 1991)

  • The Typing of the Dead (Sega, 2000)

    I learned how to type on this game.

Noctis (Alessandro Ghignola, 2000)

For exploring a galaxy I don't think this game has been quite matched. I'm uneasy about the chaotic retrofuture maximalism attitude in No Man's Sky, where new lands are candy-colored canvases for base-building. The hope-starved slide-rule non-mystique of Elite makes my freeform adventuring in it feel like a highly sanctioned, monitored, and redundant sinecure. As video games, they're both on their own admirable missions.

But Noctis is the simulator of [...] continue reading

Angela Quinton

in friends on

Angela Quinton is a friend, role model, and werewolf. She/it runs, writes, rends flesh, and designs (for web and print) with the best of them. Find Angela at argylewerewolf.com or in the woods.

Noah

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Noah made the soundtrack to my unreleased game Sadie the Star Sprite and generally kicks ass. Try Noah's music and games, which will make you a better and smarter person.

Websites of assorted cool people/creatures

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Some I know personally, some I cherish, and some just have a cool website. But I like what they're all about. If you aren't here, it may be that you don't have a website.

friends and acquaintances

nice websites