jaxian19

[jaxian19]

Pick one of these six... Or should I say these VI?

[jaxian19]

wherever kaladin goes a labor union follows

[jaxian19]

i have been thinking about the warframe qtcc finale stream since it ended. genuinely very emotional about the warframe community and DE as a dev team. I feel very very lucky to have found this game when I did and for it to be such a big part of my life. I don't think I've ever seen a gaming company actually care so much? Do I love Warframe just because of what it is or because of the massive beating heart behind it? I pity the Tenno who have never watched a Dev Stream or Primetime, do they even understand what they are a part of? It makes it harder to enjoy live service games that DONT show this level of care and engagement with their communities (cough, apex)

Anyway I got super emotional and I'm so proud of what we all accomplished this year and I'm excited to see the final numbers (and I can't wait to get my mynki shirt)

[jaxian19]

Small thought on probability and mechanics in TTRPGs.

When we play a TTRPG, every mechanic that involves a die roll is just a game of chance. Sometimes we're able to manipulate that chance to our favour, sometimes we're not.

I've seen aversion to the idea of "flat checks" to determine outcomes, and I myself have even had initial distaste for the OSR's attachment to using a d6 in such circumstances (usually calling for a 4+ or 5+)- but I think it's finally "clicked" in my mind, and I've come to appreciate the virtues of simplifying the mechanic as much as is reasonable.

Let's take an example from Pathfinder 2e, since it's a very math-heavy game (and likely what my audience is most familiar with): The creature building rules provide example ACs for monsters at levels -1 through 24, and while it does vary, generally the values are set such that a dedicated martial, fully investing in their ability to hit creatures, will have a baseline ~50% chance to hit. It's basically a flat check.

Now, we have to inspect and appreciate what nuances are allowed by a system before we can deconstruct it. Just because the values in Pathfinder tend towards a 50% success rate doesn't mean we can just start rolling d6s and hitting on a 4-6. With the example of Pathfinder, using a d20 gives us, well... 20 results. A wide spread of numbers that can then be meaningfully interacted with, as each point of bonus or penalty is worth a 5% statistical modification. Additionally, the +-10 critical success/failure system gives these points secondary values in modifying crit chances, and nat 1s/nat 20s a static 5% bump chance.

If we were to try to reduce the to-hit system down to a d6 then, what do we lose? Or more specifically, what changes? Well, modifiers either become much stronger and potentially much more necessary- each point is now worth 16% (over three times as much!), and depending on the game balance, a high modifier may now be necessary to even hit a creature. Critical results too lose something in this adaptation- maintaining the +-10 system makes modifiers the only way to reasonably achieve critical hits, and dumping it in favour of nat 1/nat 6 once again over triples the chances of a crit one way or the other.

In many important ways here, something quite important has been lost. Much agency and much nuance are jettisoned in favour of smaller numbers.

But let's take another look at Pathfinder now, and specifically its flat checks. Pathfinder has a variety of actions, effects, and miscellania that rely on the roll of a flat d20 to determine their results, usually at DCs 5, 11, and 15 (75%, 50%, 30%). As far as general play is concerned, these DCs don't shift and players don't get modifiers for them, so they function purely as statistical values. In this case, replacing them with a d6 system may in fact function fine. Setting the ranges to 3+, 4+, and 5+ (66%, 50%, 33%) results in nearly identical mathematics, and a functioning game system nonetheless. Flat checks, additionally, do not have critical successes, which leaves the other primary benefit of a d20 system out of the equation.

So why, then, does Pathfinder use a d20? I'm sure there are plenty of reasons. A d20 still has more manipulatable results, allowing for potential DC variance a d6 cannot emulate. A d20 is the primary chance die used elsewhere in the game system. A d20 is iconic.

But to circle back and round out my thoughts here, die rolls are, ultimately, nothing but chance. Without other systems interacting with (and creating results off of) their values, the method of delivery by which you achieve your chance is all but irrelevant. In such cases, what's most important is how easily one can access and adjudicate the levels of chance. A d20 with 5% per value might be quite intuitive to some, while others might prefer the more pie-like 16% of d6s. A 1 and a 20 are relatively rare on a d20, while a 1 and a 6 on a d6 are relatively common.

Always examine the tools you use, what they're doing for you, how they interact with your systems, and how you might be able to better achieve whatever goals you seek out at your tables. It makes for easier, better games.

[jaxian19]

Didn’t super Mario galaxy have this?

[jaxian19]

I have played a number of Metroid games, I have enjoyed them all, even “Other M.” I will be clear that I do not think it was good, I had my difficulties with the controls and I do not think the story did much good for Samus’s character, but it was fun when I played it. I hope that there continues to be more stories made from this universe, about Samus and not. I want to see how the bounds of a metroidvania are pushed with the next iteration, and I cannot wait for Metroid Prime 4.

Another Metroid hot take: The fans who endlessly complain about changes to The Atmosphere of Isolation™ and gameplay of newer Metroid games just want to relive their memories of Super Metroid and pretend that all the later games don't exist. They also don't want to see the world of Metroid grow in any appreciable way, as their narrow idea of Metroid is limited to Samus exploring a hostile planet before blowing it up, her only interaction with any other living creature being to shoot it.

Side note: This are also possibly the worst type of fan for a franchise to have. The ones that want to replicate what's already been done without even considering a change to the formula. They're non-controversial and genuinely love the franchise (in their own way) so they're usually seen as positive. But their desires will inevitably lead to the stagnation and decline of the franchise as they smother it to death.

I'm honestly not sure about how I feel about this one, as I don't interact with the Metroid fandom, but it's an interesting perspective.

How much can a series change without losing its identity?

Is Metroid Metroid without the suffocating feeling of loneliness, or is it just another metroidvania? Are games like Prime 3, heavily guided and with a rather substantial cast, "real" Metroid games?

It feels like conversations I've seen regarding the Sonic fandom, with factors like the green aesop that got kind of lost in the 2000s, and in the Castlevania fandom, which saw a massive shift in gameplay and aesthetic with SoTN. Obviously Metroid is closer to Sonic than CV in this sense lol.

Personally, I like my Metroid games to have some of that feeling of loneliness and alienation that the first three games nailed very well. Unlike many contemporaries, that made you feel like a strong hero embarking an adventurous journey, Metroid games bank on making you feel vulnerable and lost. That being said, I also enjoyed what Fusion attempted to do by stifling your freedom and making you feel weak in that regard. (funny that I mention this, as I recently saw older threads of people who utterly despised Fusion when it came out precisely because of this lol.) I also already am not too keen on how bombastic ZM was when it recreated M1, with its bright colors and more upbeat music.

(I also have mentioned Prime 3, a game generally disliked for not feeling like Metroid, and yet it has one of the scariest, most Metroid sections in the whole series. Go figure)

I know it feels like a copout, but there should be a balance. Preferring what the older games did is perfectly fair: I'm no Classic purist when it comes to Sonic, but I like that they had a subtle environmentalist message and Eggman was nothing short of an ecoterrorist. In the same vein, I understand older fans who don't like much things like a bigger focus on combat with games like SR and Dread. That being said, you do have a point that clinging onto the past simply out of nostalgia might lead to stagnation, and a series is allowed to experiment to see what works and what doesn't. Sadly, radical experiments that affect structure and identity tend to be accepted many, many years later... like, again, Fusion. Or Metroid 2 :P

[jaxian19]

Dark Samus, Metroid Prime, defeated and broken, sewn back together in the image of their enemy, held together by spite and rage and hunger. Dark Samus

Dark Samus is mold. Dark Samus is goop. Dark Samus is a creature that crawled out of the sewer. Dark Samus is a shadow that grows with no light source. Dark Samus is the sprouts that grow on a potato when it gets old

[jaxian19]

I understand that my views on this topic are perhaps singular, but I have always viewed Samus as a bit Ace. This is because I have not seen a canonical partner for her, but then the canonical stuff has never referenced her sexuality.

Whenever I see art of Samus getting shipped with Peach or Zelda, I'm kinda torn. On one hand, it is genuinely cute. On the other hand, I always feel a little bit annoyed that she's stuck with crossover ships by default instead of anyone from her own actual series.

On the other other hand, that annoyance then makes me feel guilty for both being kinda ungrateful for the cuteness, and feeling a little bit like a gatekeepy asshole toward Smash-only people. (But it sure is easy to tell apart Samus fanworks based in Smash from Samus fanworks based in the actual series, regardless of the presence or lack of crossover stuff.) Plus in fairness, the only viable girlfriend candidates at present are either Gandrayda or maaaybe Madeline Bergman, and for various reasons, both are pretty easily-overlookable characters even within the fandom, let alone outside it.

But then on the other other other hand, there is a wiki, and people can just look it up...

Anyway, this is why Retro or Mercurysteam just needs to give Samus a canonical girlfriend, so we don't have to rely on crossover stuff. The more weird and alien she is, too, the better.

[jaxian19]

Mawkin children undergo several maturity rites before they're granted full tribal citizenship. The first occurs around eight years old, involving a basic academic evaluation and the child's choice between a physical fitness test or a dream-walk.

The evals are simple: how much has the child learned, what do they know, where can we supplement their education, etc. How can we stimulate their curiosity and foster a lifelong love of learning? Have they displayed any skills or passion for any particular subject? How can we encourage their hobbies and interests? Those are the kinds of questions the adults involved in carrying out the evaluation are asking themselves.

The evaluations help parents figure out (or reaffirm what they already know) ways to engage their childrens' interests in a fun or productive way, and how to help their child along the path to success, academic or otherwise. Every child is different: they have their own needs, and while 8 years old isn't old enough for anyone to ascertain exactly what they wanna be when they grow up, the evaluation is a good starting point for the rest of their academic track until their next formative rites.

The next part of the rites is a branching path. The fitness test is typically favored by more outdoorsy or athletic types, as well as children who are afraid of specters or arent very interested in the old ways. That's fine: old people stuff can be boring! The priests go on and on about the ancestors during holidays, but you're eight years-old and you've never seen the ancestors show up before, so big whoop. You've got toys to play and things to learn.

Another general assumption is that children who are likely to grow into steadfast warriors or athletes may pick the fitness test enthusiastically and without thinking about it, but again, this is an evaluation, and the kids are like, eight. Nothing is set in stone. Eight year olds also typically love playing outside.

A number of kids, hearing about all the cool things their elders know and are capable of, or just being curious about what their ancestors might have to teach them, opt for the dream-walk.

The dream-walk involves exposure to psychoactive fumes, but is nonetheless completely safe: the kid is monitored and made as comfortable as possible.

The dream-walk is overseen by priests and doctors. The burners are lit and the trial-goer falls asleep, entering a state similar to lucid dreaming.

Everyone's experience is different. Some kids have profound surreal experiences: others spend the entire time sitting at a table with a long-dead ancestor having a meal. Some kids are shown events from the past by an old ghost: some even experience said event from the perspective of someone who was there when it happened.

For others, the dream is of an old-fashioned hunt, typically guided by a departed grandparent or neighbor. It's not unusual for Mawkin kids to have experienced the act of hunting for food or sport by this point in their lives: many who hunt take their babies out with them on their backs. The quarry during the dream-walk, however, is typically more than your mundane game beast.

Tribal scholars and doctors of psychology have posited that the dream walk largely reflects the experiences of those involved. Formative memories and strong feelings, they believe, greatly affect the appearance of conjured apparitions in the dream. If a kid is fighting any demons at eight years old or harbor any powerful fears, they may very well be forced to face them head-on during this trial.

Therein lies the value of the dream-walk: it's not just a curiosity to get the kids to engage with cultural practices of yore, it has utility in teaching children valuable lessons through experience without actually making them fight the six-eyed serpent of a hundred and seventeen mouths. And they're usually not facing it alone: the ancestors quite literally walk with plenty of kids during these trials.

There are some truths a given child must face alone, and plenty do. But when they wake, they will find themselves among familiar company, the sweet smell of wood smoke permeating the air and a feast awaiting back home to celebrate their first milestone towards becoming an adult.

Some kids don't fight any major bosses or experience the heat death of the universe through the eyes of a slug, instead deriving value from the dream-walk in the form of sensory-guided introspection. The lesson they learn may not even be apparent to them until six years down the line. It doesn't have to be deep: it can just be an experience that gives then a new perspective on the world.

The senses are heightened supremely during the dream-walk, allowing the dreamer to experience the world in a whole new way. Tasting color, feeling the vibration of every sound beneath one's skin, perceiving the shape of every smell. Even if the kid walks away thinking "huh, I've never experienced the world that way before", the trial will have been a success. In the very least, a child should come out of that dark room with a unique memory for them to examine later on.

Several minor rituals and evaluations occur around twelve and fifteen years, but the foremost citizenship rites occur around seventeen, when an individual's stomach is strong enough to handle sap wine in greater quantities without suffering catastrophic liver failure. The dream-walk is a requirement this time around, as well as a combat test. The combat test is the actual rite that determines one's status as an adult: the mandatory dream-walk occurs beforehand as a way to shed all doubts about the strength of one's resolve if they have any insecurities, and perhaps gain some personal insight in the process. Introspection assisted by psychoactive substances.

You may be wondering how those with varying degrees of disability come of age if they can't engage in the rite of combat. There are alternatives to the combat test if the participant doesn't feel able enough to fight, or otherwise can't exert themselves without experiencing undue pain and discomfort.

There are alternative rites for individuals of every combination of physical and cognitive impairment, and all are treated with the same gravity and dignity afforded to the typical rites. Poetry recitals, music, research projects, an oath of maturity: these are a few examples of things disabled Mawkin have done to establish their claim to adulthood in place of the rite of combat. An individual doesn't have to be "good" at something: they just have to show that they accept the responsibility that comes with being an adult, or are otherwise committed to their community and the tribe at large.

For some people, that commitment comes in the form of thriving to the best of their ability. Surviving to the next day, striving for tomorrow to hurt a little less than yesterday. It doesn't matter whether they can "contribute" or be a "productive member of society": all are one, and one serves all. The Mawkin take community very seriously. There's an age-old adage that says something to the effect of "if one is suffering, all are injured", and "when one is deprived of dignity, we are all cast naked face-down into the mud".

Anyways, that's how juvenile Mawkin are granted all the rights, responsibilities and privileges that come saddled with being an adult. It's worth noting that most of these rites line up with a typical Chozo's molting cycle, with the final rites occurring just as young warriors are shaking off the last loose feathers of their old coat and displaying their first (clear) adult patterns.

[jaxian19]

2024's first Samus(after a long busy period)

[jaxian19]

Hey Writeblr,

I have a very specific request.

Will you tell me about your old OCs? I'm talking like middle school/high school edgy OCs. The ones who make you cringe when you remember them, because they're so awful. The Mary-Sue's, the self-inserts. The ones you would never ever ever resurrect because oh my gods they're irredeemable. The over-powered ones. The dark-haired boys with crooked smiles and ocean orbs. The girls who are so not like those other girls.

I'd like to hear about them please! I desire to know them!

[jaxian19]

I can't just sit and listen to podcasts (like what is this, the 40s, sitting in the living room around the wireless?) but I also can't have them playing while I'm doing anything that requires focus like work or studying.

Which means nine times out of ten I'm cooking or cleaning or driving, leading to moments like today where I'm crying over the last 15 min of Worlds Beyond Number while scrubbing my kitchen counter and changing the litter box.

[jaxian19]

I am The Wizard Sky. So as they sprint away, I turn and get the eyes of a soldier of the Citadel, point behind them, and say "Bring them to me."

FUCK. yeah man that's. god. fuck. okay i see how people foregoing critical thinking and/or media literacy would get mad about that. however. god i love that call. it's the harder, more interesting choice. it makes perfect sense for suvi to do. fuck. of course that's what she does. incredible. devastating.

[jaxian19]

It is really interesting to me that the corruption in Aeor and Molaesmyr (the latter of which Ludinus set off) is stated to be an attempt at purely arcane plant life that instead chokes out literally all life; I really do think Keyleth is correct in suspecting that the Vanguard and Imperium's plans would destabilize the universe to the detriment of all, and indeed I really suspect that if they come to fruition, the resources of that alleged Blue Promise are going to fall pretty quickly to similar forms of corruption.

[jaxian19]

What if we eventually meet another cephalon named Ankarr, a dark reflection of Ordis’s past.

…Twisting a new knot, tearing down the skies…

Original time: N/A Process: N/A Speedpaint: N/A This picture on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/anavi-ivy/art/Warframe-Ordan-Karris-Prex-card-2-1021085773

I didn't plan to make a new Prex card but once I started working on Leverian mural version, I just said "why not?". Because.. you know.. There's never enough Ordan out there.

© Andrijana Josifovic (Anavi-Ivy)

[jaxian19]

I’ve seen a little back and forth about Samus’s apparent tendency to wear heavy eye makeup even when in the field and have some thoughts.

For one; idk man, maybe she just likes the way it looks? We could get into Deep Character Analysis about her probably-complicated relationship with how human culture conceptualizes gender and presentation but I think it probably just boils down to “she likes the way it looks.” And I think that’s great!

As an added bonus, she can wear makeup under the helmet, it’s not like it’s going to get messed up by the environment, or by her touching her face. I’d honestly probably wear makeup more often too if I didn’t have to worry about fixing it.

For two, and this is something that dawned on me earlier today; considering all anyone sees of her is just that tiny strip of her face, heavy eye makeup is basically halfway to war-paint.

Seriously, think about it. Imagine you’re some GF Marine mook hanging around on duty and Samus Aran, legendary bounty hunter (of mostly ambiguous gender and species), shows up at your base. Most people only ever see them from afar, and from a distance that visor looks like it’s opaque green.

But then they pass you by in the hall and look your way, and the light hits just the right angle through that visor and you see

Intense pale eyes outlined in stark black.

That’d probably make you jump, wouldn’t it? (One would hate to be on the receiving end of an even more focused or angry version of that look, wouldn’t they?)

I can vouch that this could be startling too. Recently I was hanging out at home before a recital done up in makeup and costume, and managed to spook my partner of 10 years by simply by making eye contact. I don’t wear makeup basically ever, so he was caught off-guard by the contrast and how intense it made me look, to the point it actually made him jump.

So yeah. Our girl probably just likes the way she looks with some extra definition, but maybe there’s a hint of a cheeky scare-tactic in there too.

[jaxian19]

I want Destiny to steal exactly one thing from Warframe (that's a lie I also want a Warframe-esque melee system and probably a lot more if I were to go digging) and that's for strand hunters to be able to make Ivara-style tightropes