1280
Just one more square bro
(mander.xyz)
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2026
1280 points (99.2% liked)
Science Memes
19408 readers
887 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
I wonder how many people would have understood both references just a few years ago. Yet today, not only someone made a meme out of this, but it also gets a good deal of upvotes. That's the internet culture I love!
What's the other reference, for someone not much into Resident Evil?
Oh just that square packing thing from the post. There have been many posts/jokes about it being a mathematically optimal solution that feels irritatingly wrong.
I find the whole thing funny because it's a very niche scientific concept that somehow made it to popular culture to the same level as a zombie game.
Yeah, it might be optimal for that specific case, but that doesn't really make it so everywhere.
The item in the post would be fun for novelty though.
The downvotes are, I assume, from the *WHOOSH* sound as the point flies over your head.
This is the optimal packing of 17 squares in a minimum-size larger square. Of course it's not optimal everywhere. It's specific to 17 squares packed in a square.
The joke is that there's no reason to choose 17 squares as, clearly, a rectangular* array is optimal.
*squares are, of course, rectangles.
The Resident Evil games (at least the few I've watched/played) have an inventory management system where each item takes up a certain amount of space, and you have to organize it efficiently in order to maximize how much stuff you can carry.
Oh, is that all there is to it?
I thought it might also have something to do with the personality of the character on the right, or that you get a smaller inventory box when playing as that character.
Some items take up multiple slots so sometimes you're literally playing tetris style packing, and if you didn't plan ahead around especially weapons you will have to drop stuff before you can take something better
Yeah, I have played Diablo II
It's more fun thinking about it in hindsight than it was, actually doing that