#I keep on switching artstyles

[exnoiafork]

greifer design :3

[switch]

WHY ARE YOU SHORT!!

[goldiipond]

im a modern papermario apologist but i gotta be honest after playing ttyd i do kinda understand why some of its fans are Like That

[khokha13pk]

Random

[vvriskerrs]

i swear i keep switching artstyles

meri sketch

hoping the quality didn't fuck up🙏🙏

edit: I FUCKED UP MY WATERMARK ok fixed

[peacemaker-ic]

What will you do if sims 5 is a realistic gameplay! Not cartoony (maxis match), this will destroy your business will you switch to alpha? That's really a good question lol.

Firstly, you assume this is a business for me, which it isn't. It's still a hobby and I plan to keep it that way which allows me to have much more freedom with my decisions.

I highly doubt TS5 will be realistic though (let's be honest here, it ages incredibly poorly and has a much narrower appeal because of the high-end hardware needed to deliver the look), also we have already seen pre-alpha Rene and it appears to be an evolution of TS4 art style. Even if Rene isn't TS5, I doubt they would have such drastically different art directions. The sims franchise has never been realistic, and always tends to have 'cartoony' undertones or overtures, so it would be a huge jump to make it anything but that.

But in the unlikely event it is? I probably would retire if I am no longer inspired to create. For me it's not about the style or being Maxis Match vs Alpha (fucking stupid argument if you ask me) but it's what I like personally. If I don't like the artstyle I won't make anything 🤷‍♂️

[snakes-and-fluff]

Milgram drought be hitting hard... Anyway I was thinking what an anime of each prisoner's personal story might look like (assuming all isolated from each other and Milgram as a facility does not exist) ((also assume each 12 episodes long)) also assuming they're psychological dramas because. Milgram

Haruka: The main appeal is the artstyle, drawn like animated child's drawings for most of the time but a few scenes an episode is instead depicted in starkly realistic illustrations (not animated). It's told from the perspective of Haruka who keeps insisting he has a good life even as all the facts point otherwise, finally culminating in the murder late in the show, at which point the artstyle changes to be a strange mix of the previous two

Yuno: What first presents itself as a peppy slice-of-slice soon devolves into a painfully raw story of a teen girl. The winner of many awards but not that popular with most people who claim to find it too dry and boring

Fuuta: The murder happens towards the end of episode two but it isn't revealed to the audience exactly what happens until much later. Fuuta's behaviour clearly changes after that point and he keeps getting harassed by people who were previously friendly with him, but the actual flashback reveal is only in ep 8. The show leans very heavily into the "is he a bad person?" question and the fandom is known for starting debates about it in the comments of completely unrelated posts

Muu: It was a dark setup from the start but not many people expected a murder in episode 7. The anime switches POV between Muu and Rei until Rei dies, then it switches between Muu and a student counsellor (who doesn't know about the murder and is just trying to solve the bullying but the tension comes from the fact that the audience and Muu keep being worried about her potentially learning about the murder)

Shidou: The most niche of the bunch, some people weren't a fan of how medically accurate it was while others rejoiced in that fact. The whole thing is a flashback as it's established that Shidou has left the medical industry in the first episode but it is slowly revealed why and the circumstances behind his family's deaths as it goes on

Mahiru: Yuno's might have been a bit misleading at first but everyone who saw the promo material knew what was going down. Mahiru's managed to keep the dark twists under wraps, genuinely being sold as a cute love story though there were hints from the start. It's unclear when exactly the death happened because as it goes on it starts timeskipping and flashbacking without warning and it's clear that Mahiru isn't quite sure herself of what is actually happening

Kazui: Hinako is dead before the series even starts and it is actually told from the perspective of someone who works with Kazui slowly uncovering what happened out of morbid curiousity. Kazui is the very definition of unreliable narrator and nobody knows what to make of whatever information comes directly from him. Some fans don't like the way the show never seemed to decide on a single answer as to what happened while others praise it for it

Amane: The fandom is small but loud (though it is always recommended as "this one will tear your heart out"); the tale of a child embroiled in an awful home life, using a unique visual style of poppy colours and thick outlines to sharply contrast the horrible things being portrayed. The murder happens at the end of the last episode, giving the closest thing to a "happy ending" they could achieve for Amane, though it is left ambiguous what would happen to her next

Mikoto: Told in a non-chronological style, the reveal of the murder is towards the end (around episode 10) leaving the rest of the time as wrapup as Mikoto finally comes to accept the truth of the situation. There are still arguments in the fandom years after it ended if the murder was metaphorical or not

Kotoko: She's presented as a really cool vigilante at first but then it slowly unravels as she reveals more of her violent side and that her kill count is a LOT higher than previously thought. Her personality is divisive among fans but everyone can agree that the opening is a banger

DISCLAIMER: I just realised that some of these can be read as me throwing shade on the fans of a particular character; I promise 100% that isn't the case this was just a fun thought experiment!

[tadc-harlequin-au]

What artists have inspired you? I love your style and want to implement this on my own!

A lot! These are going to be in order, so it's not hard to discern which art belongs to whom. There's a lot of rambling below the cut, so warning for long ass post. Also, they're all on twitter.

Thanshuhai, Papyuuno, Terry Grimm, _Kunaru and TFiddlerart for the way they render characters and general (stylized) anatomy,

Then Neytirix, Kuroblood, Nomax and Alcxome for the cinematic illustration-esque shots,

Rinotuna and just.... Arknights Elite illustrations in general for their creative character and outfit designs

And during my time as a fnaf artist on twitter before I left it (I think a year ago at this point)? Snartles, Soul.82, AlpinePing and Ewademar were TOP of my list.

A bit of a ramble starting from this point, but....

I have studied these specific pieces DOWN TO THE VERY DETAILS OF THE BRUSHSTROKES, in order to learn HOW they do their art. This includes mimicking their artstyles for a while, and once I'm comfortable and have added it to my vast visual vocabulary, I switch back to my actual artstyle in order to apply it to the way I draw.

The results are these womp womps I shit out in half a day so in case it wasn't obvious, I don't really see myself as a good artist because I have such high as fuck, unrealistic expectations for myself but. I do try to keep it in check... mostly.

But something I'll confidently say? I'm always learning. All the time. All the pieces I see everywhere, I am constantly analyzing the way artists draw from the way they do clothing, to the shape language used in designs, actively or subconsciously. Sometimes I'll ask how the rendering is achieved or what brushes have been used if I can reach the artists, and see if it works for me or not.

I carry art with such a passion, in such high regard, and dare I say I do it so aggressively and passionately behind the scenes. I'm not talented like people think, I'm just always wanting to learn, and improve, and learn another thing again once the previous lesson has been learned. And this has been my journey for the last 4 years I've been doing digital art, and another 3 years being a traditional one prior to my switch to digital, so.

I'm not a skilled artist like my art inspirations, but I am an artist nonetheless. And you know what...? I think I'm fine with being just that.

[the-phantom-peach]

how did you get so good at a anatomy? like what practices helped you improve the most if you remember?

-from a new artist desperately in need of help

This is the first I’ve heard a comment on my anatomy, especially as someone who hasn’t quite grasped the whole thing haha. But I’m happy I’ve reached a point where it’s considered good. Bodies are hard and they suck but here’s some stuff I do/used to do to help.

1) Don’t avoid it. You can’t, it’s impossible. After years of only drawing 2/3 facing busts as soon as I forced myself to start drawing full bodies, I was able to create more interesting compositions and expressions. Even if it looks awful, you have to keep working at it. I myself can’t figure out a lot of poses and have to work around what I dislike.

2) Study in parts. When I did anatomy studies I always focused on one or two parts at a time. For example, I spent a lot of time studying legs and made a bunch of art that either required or focused on legs. Same went for faces, hips, and even clothes. Eventually it becomes habit and I could switch to a new part.

3) Reference. Reference. Reference. Unless you have the most vivid imagination and can put mind to canvas, please use a reference. I still use references for poses I think I can draw just in case there is a more sensible or more interesting way of depicting it. This also precedes the idea of tracing. It’s a bit controversial, but I promise you tracing is more common in the art industry than you think. It’s about muscle memory and visualization more than just “copying” a piece of work. I started art traditionally so could never use tracing to practice, but if you use digital I highly recommend tracing as way to practice anatomy. However it’s only really useful if you do it with intent, studying how all parts connect to the trunk (torso).

4) Lastly, it’s ok to start with a simple artstyle at first! It’s totally cool to build upon the basics instead of running straight toward hyperrealism. Plus it’s cute!

That’s all I have for now since I’m still trying to figure it out myself, but I hope this kinda helps!

[aidenlydia]

was just wondering how you chose if/when Riley wears his mask. Most of your pieces have the mask lifted off only his mouth but some have it dully on or fully off. I was wondering if there was a specific reason for that or just what you think looks good?

It's a mix of reasons.

The first is pretty simple: I like drawing expressions, faces and most importantly, intimacy. That's why my Ghost rarely ever wears glasses and usually has his mask lifted. It not only shows his vulnerability with MacTavish, but also allows them to kiss, have direct eye contact and be skin to skin. Speaking of, painting realistic skin is very satisfying to me and covering it up with cloth kills me a little. Same with drawing ears, I sacrificed so many good ears in favor of that mask..

Second, I get bored easily. Drawing the same mask/glasses/headset/jacket combo over and over again without any human features burns me out. I knew immediately I needed a face design and different outfits for Ghost, despite really loving his whole look and actually preferring him all covered up. Unfortunately that just isn't in the cards for me, so I switch between fully masked, half masked, bare faced and medical mask to keep him fresh and interesting for myself. Even his body type changes, he goes from twink to more sturdy builds depending on how bored I am with it.

(MacTavish is less of a problem but I do switch it up by changing his clothes, having him be shirtless or fluctuate his muscle mass.)

To put it into a bit more perspective: my art process is jumping between countless WIPs in various stages of completion and artstyles until something happens to get finished eventually - my SoapGhost WIP folder alone is currently at 339 pieces - and if a painting takes me longer than a day to complete, chances are I'll drop it and pick it back up again in anywhere between a week or a year (it's a miracle I get anything done at all).

So I'll do whatever it takes to actually help me continue drawing and manage my constant burnout. Being chronically ill and creative is the worst combo, I think about completely quitting art every other day :')

And third, well. Sometimes it really is simply about which one looks better.

[that-rat--bastard]

notes and explanations for each below cut (warning that i love ignoring canon and playing with the characters like dolls lmao)

bunch of scp scientist busts just for character design practice and because yall supposedly liked the iceberg drawing so

Clef- i made up how i draw meri before him, so i just made him look like his daughter lol. they have the same hair, but clef takes shit care of his so it looks gross. i think his eyes switch colors consistently, and his tongue is neon blue and pointy. usually shades his face with his hat around lower personal

Kondraki- he's starting to bald but refuses to cut his hair. He keeps bugs in his pockets, he looks a lot sweeter than he actually is hes an asshole lmao. he also def has reading glasses

Iceberg- looks a lot meaner than he is, hes just really sleep deprived. likes to think he was born to be a mad scientist and forced to be a sad office worker. fresh outta college and losing his mind. also he's cold to the touch and is permanently hypothermic. his locs get icy sometimes and they'd crunch if you'd grab them. also transgenderism......

Gear- kinda just here. ignore that hes in a different artstyle i cant draw men.... also balding, but iceberg begs him to not just shave it. not actually emotionless hes just silly like that. pushing 50 and kinda lame. hes starting to think hes gay but he has a job so theres no time for that

Agatha rights- the sweetest woman you literally ever meet, but she also kills people. wears really impractical outfits to work, like high heels and short skirts. not actually a whore tho lmao!! theres rumors she slept her way into her position, but she actually murdered her way there! :) leaves cookies in the break room for everyone to take

light- short fat and an absolute bitch. has a reputation to uphold so she acts real nice. absolute milf and refuses to put her hair up. toys the line between looking professional and not. really prim and proper in meetings but hits and throws things when shes mad. sneaky little bitch but we lover her

glass- he's so scared someone help him. obv does the psych evaluations and is probably the only normal person in that facility. literally just some guy but he also just looks really nervous all the time. he's all limb and tall as hell. sometimes cant tell if hes scared of the other scientist or thinks there all hot.

crow- somehow came to terms with being turned into a dog. very pretty golden retriever but he has the voice of a grouchy middle-aged guy. his glasses help with color correction. because. you know. hes a dog now. idk why hes a dog but he is now. slowly going gray and doesnt wanna think about his mortality. has to wear a silly collar with his ID. misses his thumbs

theres no bright because i couldnt decide if i was going to draw Elias or jack because fuck admin bright

[fraternum-momentum]

You're genuinely one of my favorite artists, both cause I love your artstyle and your concept of the DOL LIs!! What is your opinion on most of them? Obviously Whitney and Kylar for example are a bit more obvious but I am still interested about all of them!! Sorry if you answered this before and I missed it 😭🙏

WAUGHH TYTY omg,,,,, mannn being someones favorite is insane bc theres so many amazing artists out there,, thank you so much,,ahuhuhuuhygygvhvv but i dont think ive answered something like this before ?

whit n kylar r my favorite obv :3

i like corrupted sydney more than pure syd bc in my head c!syd is more dominant (a switch to be specific, p!syd is a sub) and i rlly like both of the interpretations i did for c!syd, sososo my type)

i used to not care for much for robin but the redesign i did for them is super cute to me + landfill scene 🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️ so theyre okkk

im trying to get alex as my primary love interest rn but its soooo grindy,,, also id prefer to keep him at high dominance but he pays the pc less so,, :'] hes also one of my favs to draw !

black wolf is kinda cute so far,, (havent done all of his stuff yet) and isnt he massive or smthn ???? thats always a plus for me (height difference is v swag)

avery is just a walking atm machine to me im sorry i dont particularly care abt them :'3 but i like the idea of having a sugar mommy/daddy tho

i havent done any of eden's and great hawk's content so i dont have much of an opinion for them :'3 altho i feel like i would like gh bc they call pc their wife and yk,,,,,,,,,,,,

[chrlotpony]

Worst thing I have ever drawn sunil as... so far. for reference, I used images from a max design pro edit because lowkey the monkey reminded me of sunil and it was bugging me. also I have a tendency to draw the damnest things tbh

sunil as max on the toilet with a switch before GTA 6 (it was when I was almost done w the sketch when I realized and I couldn't go back)

I hate this last one just because I was struggling with his ear and trying to keep it consistent with the artstyle I was doing... I cannot do consistency

[henpendrips]

Top Ten #13 - Hollow Knight (Switch)

Had been holding out on this one since April. Was hoping to post it once Silksong had a release date, but today just seemed like the next-best time to do so. (date: October 13th, 2023)

Hollow Knight is my favorite 2D Metroidvania to date. It took a while to figure out if it was ranked or not, but holds a contender spot well enough.

I prefer it over others that I'd recommend in the genre, due to art direction, mechanics, and characterization that, while not a full story makes, provides a bit more than the lore-exclusive material you get from Dark Souls (comparatively speaking). The combination of the first two is also wonderful, in that environments and characters are easy to read on screen, with very toight controls, serving double-duty for exploration and combat, something that most Metroidvanias seem to lack, either leaning more towards exploration or combat (at least in the beginning).

Several personal reasons kept it from challenging an entry into the Top Ten proper, beyond other games that I've enjoyed more (one of which was more recent): never started Godhome; still being more lore than story; and having only considered bumping it into a ranked spot years after actually playing it.

Regardless, it's still a game that I'm quite fond of, even if not one that I'd revisit soon. Its artstyle alone keeps me interested in the adventures of our little buggy Knight friend.

Design available on my Redbubble, including a black-n-white variant.

[istadris]

Bend or Break

[ @akibouken you’re to blame for motivating me to finally write this plotbunny down with your cute Luigi petting art. Sorry about the angst, but know that I had your artstyle in mind while writing]

[EDIT] : now on AO3

[EDIT 2] now with a "sequel"

*

The human would not break.

Bowser knew it from his eyes. No matter how terrified, cowardly, vulnerable he was, trapped alone in a hostile land at the mercy of a powerful king, crushed in his grip, threatened of unending suffering, the human’s eyes still showed, buried beneath the fear and despair, a determination to not give anything about the other one. All Bowser had been able to obtain were accidental slips born from confusion and panic: that they knew each other, that they were brothers. Nothing else since.

He wouldn’t break.

So Bowser decided to switch tactics.

After leaving him to stew an appropriate amount of time in the jails, Bowser had the human brought again to the throne room.

This time his hands were free: what was the need to tie them up, when fear bound him more efficiently than shackles? It added another subtle layer of humiliation to the ordeal: to be considered so little a threat that restraining him would be useless. None of Bowser’s enemies would ever let him walk freely and unbound on their grounds if they had the opportunity.

Sitting on his throne, he took his time to observe his prisoner at the bottom of the stairs. He was cowering, darting nervous looks around him in a vain search for an escape. He had none of the defiance that some captives showed Bowser in the past: no glaring, no proud stature, no insolent spitting at his feet. Not even the courage to look at him.

“Come closer.”

The human didn’t move from his spot.

Bowser narrowed his eyes.

“I won’t ask again.”

The human relented, slowly climbing the steps toward the thrones, his hands clutched to his chest, his shoulders hunched, trembling more and more with each step, until he stopped on the last one, his eyes downcast and closed as if expecting to be torched on the spot if he breathed in the wrong direction.

Bowser huffed in amusement.

“Are you scared?”

“Y-y-you know the-the answer”, the human managed to stutter with a nervous laugh, “Of c-course I am.”

“More than usual?”

“Why-what do you m-mean?”

“That you’re a coward, and an easy target.” The human flinched at the harsh words but didn’t protest. “Everything about you screams that you’re used to being afraid. Easy to bully and push around, running and hiding at the first sign of danger, unable to defend yourself.”

It didn’t take a genius to guess any of that. He had met Toads braver than his man.

“Yet you stand up to me and refuse to yield. Why, I wonder…maybe because you’re also used to facing danger with someone by your side? Someone who protects you and keeps you safe.” From the way the human flinched as in caught red-handed, he got it spot on.

“You think he’ll come for you. Because he’s your brother.”

“M-Maybe. What would you know about f-family?” the human spat in the most aggressive tone Bowser had ever heard him use.

The prisoner didn’t know that in any other circumstances, Bowser would have torched him alive and ripped him apart limb from limb for such disrespect. Instead, he leaned forward with a low hum, not aggressive enough for a growl, but enough to make his prisoner yelp and cover his head in his arms.

Bowser let the silence weigh in the room for several seconds. After a moment, the human peeked out from behind his arms, and looked confusedly as Bowser sat back down in his throne.

“I have news about him. Your brother.”

It had the effect of a bob-omb on the captive: stunned, gaping, unwilling to believe it. It was enough to make him forget his fear for a moment, with something looking like relief daring to peek through.

“What-how…I thought-?”

“I have spies. Eyes and ears in every kingdom. Their reports take a bit of time to arrive though. I hoped you’d be faster to give me answers, but well.”

The human was burning to know more, he could see it, but afraid to ask. Afraid of what Bowser could ask in exchange, or of giving something away in his eagerness? It did not matter, as Bowser curled his claws to inspect them, as if disinterested by the matter, before talking again.

“They told me he is in the Mushroom Kingdom.”

“Mushroom …?”

“A quaint little place, far away from here. All green hills and mushroom fields, full of friendly faces, safe and soft. The kind of place you’re not in a hurry to leave. You’d love it.”

“How…” the human shut himself up, biting his lips for several seconds before finally asking in a quavering voice, “how …is he?”

Bowser held back from smirking as his prey took the bait.

“They told me he’s doing very well there, your brother. Has been there for…hm, about as long as you have been here. A month, by now? ”

“That long?!”

“He’s settled there quickly, from what I heard. He’s learning the local ways. Got himself a cosy place. Made friends all over the place, including the princess.”

“The…princess?”

“Who wouldn’t like her? She might be my enemy, but she's a delightful woman. Brave, clever, fascinating, beautiful to top it off...and from what I was told, she's sweet on him too. Not that he minds, on the contrary, he's always around her...I wonder when he'll finally come for you.”

He didn’t mention the reports of the red-clad human throwing himself from dawn to dusk over training courses to get stronger, no matter how many bones he would break in the process. Nor that the princess had to stop him by force from going alone in the wilds when he had grown desperate from impatience. He didn’t mention the rumours about the kind-hearted human obsessed with finding his missing brother to the point some worried about his sanity.

Instead, he took in the nervousness growing in his prisoner’s face; the growing questioning of what he had taken as granted. The shock of the realisation that help would not come. Because if his brother wasn’t held back, if he was free and in good health, why would he take so long? Bowser observed the expression of the man coming to the dreadful realisation that this time, he was truly alone.

“What…what if you’re lying? What says he’s even still…still okay?”

Bowser frowned outwardly at the accusation, but he was internally satisfied. His captive was now grasping at straws, clinging to a desperate hope that he had not been betrayed.

“Because if he was dead”, he stated calmly, “I wouldn’t need to concern myself about him anymore, and if I had captured him, I would brag about it for all to hear.” He narrowed his eyes, staring straight into the human’s gaze. “You might find it hard to believe, but everything I told you, since you first arrived in my walls, was the truth. Whether you like it or not.”

“I…I don’t believe you. He’s not like…like you said.”

The words would have been defiant if they weren’t said in such a small, wavering voice. He didn’t believe his own words.

Was there bad blood between the two humans right before their arrival? Or did he have doubts before, about the strength of their bond, but pushed down deep under denial and illusions? Had he feared to be abandoned before? This was a man who couldn’t bear to be alone, used as he was to a partner, a protector against the world’s fury.

He wanted, more than anything, to feel safe.

“Come closer.”

This time, the human obeyed right away, stepping forward as if in a daze, his haunted eyes fixed to the ground, until he was standing right in front of Bowser. One more step, and he would have stood between his legs.

“You asked me what I would know about family. More than you think, as I have one myself.”

The wide blue eyes looked up to him, surprise piercing through the anguish in them.

“…A family? You?”

“A son. My pride, my joy, my greatest treasure. I had to leave him in my capital for his safety during this conquest.” a melancholic smile escaped him as he thought of the last time he had seen Junior: his son had been so proud to show him his new spells and had insisted to come along with him. It had broken his heart to refuse, but he had been firm in his decision.

“If anyone” he raised his fist and clenched hard enough to break stone, “anything, dared to take him away from me, I would tear this world apart from earth to sky and burn it to the ground to find him. I would sunder entire kingdoms before allowing anyone to even slow me down."

He let the hidden question hang in the air. A simple, innocent question with an answer that terrified the human to his very core.

Would your brother even do the same?

Maybe he would have been certain of the answer before. But here, now, after what he had just heard? He couldn’t trust it anymore. He was lost, away from the stability of his life, with nothing solid to stand on.

His head held low, his eyes hidden by his hair, the human’s shoulders started shaking. A choked sob escaped him, then another, and he covered his face in his hands as he wept, gasping for air between his tears.

Bowser held out his hand and, gently, wrapped it around the human’s back before pulling him closer. The human flinched but didn’t try to move away as Bowser rubbed his hand up and down his back, shushing softly through the whole time. Comforting. Safe.

His fingers moved to the man’s head, combing through his hair with the utmost care. It seemed to help soothing the man, his shaking slowly growing fainter, as well as his sobs. Finally, with a final sniffle, he pulled away and wiped at his eyes, Bowser’s massive hand still curled around his tiny body.

For the first time, Bowser noticed the dark bags under the human’s eyes, his haggard features, the dirt and sweat and tears all over his skin and clothes. Bowser’s thumb, almost as big as his captive’s head, pressed against his cheek, stroking it slowly.

“You’re exhausted.”

The human leaned into the touch, eyes half closed, giving the smallest nod.

“Yes.” He breathed out, so softly Bowser could barely hear it.

“I’ll have you brought to a more comfortable cell.”

“Why would you even do that?” The human murmured, closing his eyes completely and letting out a long, weary sigh. “I’ll be dead soon, won’t I?”

“What makes you think so?”

“You kept me alive because you wanted info about my brother. Now your spies know probably more about him than I do. I’m past being useful.”

He sounded too calm about it. Exhausted, yes, but most of all resigned. Taking what little comfort he thought he had left before his end, as if his tears had washed away his will to live.

Bowser tilted his head. Carefully, his thumb pressed under the human’s chin, pushing it up until he was facing him, his eyes still closed. Waiting for the claw to sink into his throat.

“Look at me.”

He obeyed, opening empty, defeated eyes that stared blankly at the king.

“Why should your worth always be tied to your brother?”

The human blinked from the unexpected answer. Bowser only smiled softly and moved his fingers to the scalp of the captive, returning to a gentle stroking of the soft hair, which lulled the human into closing his eyes again, this time with a relaxed sigh.

“I can’t wait for you to meet my Junior. He’s a very bright lad, very curious. He’ll have so many questions about your kind.”

Then, with the most gentleness he was able to muster, Bowser finally pulled his hand away, and for a moment the human followed the movement, before opening his eyes suddenly and stopping himself, but not before the king noticed it.

“Now leave. Take some rest.”

This time, the human hesitated before moving.

He finally turned and descended the stairs. Slowly, almost reluctantly; a bone-tired exhaustion in his steps, but for the first time since his arrival, he had stopped shaking in fear.

Bowser rested his elbow on the throne and his head on his fist, following his prisoner’s movements with a satisfied smirk.

The human would not break, but soon he would bend.

[modmamono]

Getting people into Puyo Puyo. A lesson in etiquette.

[Edit: The video adaptation with updated script:

]

(Some tips on how to get people into Puyo Puyo and where to get them to start.)

Introduction.

First and foremost. My Tumblr post here is (perhaps counter-productively) for people who may want to get their friends and newbies into Puyo Puyo and not for said friends and newbies themselves. (Though you’ll no doubt get something out of this too.)

I just wanna instill some etiquette into people. Because way too often in Discord servers I see a group of people shout at a newbie to play their favorite Puyo Puyo game instead of trying to actually considering what the best Puyo game to get started with is for that newbie.

My goal is to try and help you get people into this series you like.

This is by no means a guaranteed method and should not be seen as such.

What’s Puyo Puyo’s appeal?

Generally speaking these are the one people cite when I ask them:

The characters.

The Artstyle.

Stories/Lore.

A puzzle game with personality. Similar to those of fighting games.

It's funny and charming.

Simple-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay.

Keep these in mind.

Do you know the person?

This is very important.

- If it’s a friend that shows interest in the colorful cast and the wacky words they shout  as the jellies disappear on screen in a pleasing rhythm, then don’t be shy encouraging them to try a Puyo Puyo game out.

Not all friends have everything in common. But if you’re friends and know enough about each other, that alone should do a lot of heavy lifting.

- If it’s a stranger or someone online you barely know then its best to play it safe.

You can ask a few questions what they look for in a game and maybe consult the bottom of this blogpost what game to recommend to them.

- A tip for both: If they show no interest, then just accept it might not be their thing. It’s disheartening, not getting someone into the thing you love, but that’s just life sometimes. Doesn’t mean you have failed, it just means you’ve been pitching to the wrong people.

Dos & Don’ts.

- This is a series where you come for the story/gameplay and stay for the gameplay/story.

You can sell the game on both as well. But if the person is inclined toward one over the other then sell them on story, gameplay, or even the aestatics or the characters and chances are they’ll grow attached to all the other things. No need to rush things.

-  Reign in your passion a little.

I’m not saying to not be passionate. But it’s possible you can turn people off to Puyo Puyo because you never shut up about it and keep trying to sell it to them.

This goes for anything really. Sometimes people just get sick of hearing a thing, and instead of checking it out, they’ll disassociate and distance themselves from it.

- Don’t oversell how tough the gameplay is.

Unless the newbie like to be challenged don’t tell them Puyo is hard. That can be discouraging.

You won’t believe how many people I see trying to get someone into Puyo Puyo and do this. You want them to get them into this series, right?

Most Puyo Puyo games have difficulty settings in the options menu anyway. Tell them there’s no shame to adjust it to their liking and switch it to another setting when ready.

- Be supportive and encouraging.

If they struggle with the game. Be kind and offer them some advice. Teach them some basic stuff to get through if needed.

Beating WakuWaku is already a huge accomplishment, don’t make that victory invalidated by saying it doesn’t count because they didn’t do HaraHara if you know what I mean.

There’s no shame in lowering the difficulty. They’ll get better eventually.

- Don’t force them advanced tactics right away or funnel them into competitive.

Let. Them. Have. Fun. First.

Don’t breathe down a newbie’s neck for not using GTR or whatever else stacking method. Let them learn and experience the game however they want to. And if they wanna ask for help, then provide that. Try not to preemptively answer EVERYTHING if they didn’t even ask in the first place.

When they’re ready for GTR, competitive, and the like, then they are ready. But they gotta make that call on their own.

- When you play multi-player with your newbie friend(s) try not to do this:

You wanna invite them into the series, right? Why turn them off like that? You don’t wanna chance and encourage them to try again.  Losing to a player is way more demoralizing then losing to the game’s AI will ever be, they’re just two different things.

But if you do play with your less experienced friends the games have handicaps. If you’re good at the game put your board on Spicy, and let your friend choose whatever they want.

- Soooo, uh, about the lore...

Generally speaking, don’t entice a newbie in with that unless they’re a lore nut (and even then I have my reservations).

I know most Puyo fans love that Puyo Puyo has lore and that’s a big appeal to the series, but hear me out:

I think that’s a terrible way to entice a newbie. It’s fun lore for sure, and ideally, they get into it eventually. But have you ever thought about how much lore there actually is per game?

Puyo 1, Tsu, and Sun don’t have much of anything.

Puyo~n has Doppel and her intrigue and amazing vibe. But when you peel off the layer there is nothing but fanon.

Box and Minna have nothing much of note.

Fever 1 is a new world but otherwise is just another Puyo 1, Tsu, and Sun.

Fever 2 and 15th Anni are actually the exception to the rule. And I will go into why later.

And the rest while they do provide lore. It’s all contained within a single game for the most part.

Most of the interesting stuff are from Novels, Drama CDs, old dungeon crawling games. Which is cool and all. But, for now, you’re only just pitching the game(s) to the newbie. That’s quite a bit away.

I just don’t think it’s wise to hype up the lore when they’re barely ever gonna see any of it. I’ve been around too. A lot of the lore goes over a lot of people’s heads.

That and I think it’s just more rewarding to let newbies piece things together themselves. It releases a really nice feeling in the brain that SEGA’s run actually has a solid continuity.

I hope I’ve made my case? This is probably my most controversial stance here. But I think it’s for the best. Puyo Puyo is a series with lore, but it’s not a lore focused series. (I feel the same about Kirby.)

Entice newbies with surface level things first. Like the funny characters or the surface level stories. They’ll get to the deeper stuff eventually when they’re hooked. Trust me.

Unless you know they’re the type of person that likes lore for lore’s sake. But in that case do please let them know most games aren’t upfront about it and they have to put in the effort to dig. And digging for the obscure can be fun.

- Don’t push your favorite Puyo Puyo games onto a newbie without a good reason.

Sometimes your favorite game isn’t the best to start with. And while I believe you could give a newbie any game and if it clicks BOOM they’re a Puyo fan now. I do believe some games are better introductions to get someone into the games.

I’ll get into what I believe are the best options later on in this post.

- Don’t overload them on things to keep in mind.

Give them no more then 2 things to keep in mind. Things like “PPT1 will have a nasty difficulty spike, so be careful” and “I wonder what your thoughts are on a certain moment”.

If you give someone too many things to keep in mind they might get distracted from the game to remember everything you’ve told them.

And I believe that covers it all.

Which games should you recommend to newbies?

I’ll give you a bunch of options. But I’ll let you know which ones I think are the best for a newbie along with my reasoning.

Best:

Puyo Puyo Tetris 1 & 2

No contest. These are just the best ones to start off with. Either one of these will do.

You may disagree for whatever reason, but the fact it’s a crossover with Tetris is its biggest point in its favor. If they don’t like Puyo Puyo they will have Tetris as a safety net. By default that’s the best.

That and it’s been proven that it has been a surprisingly good entry. Over half of the current fanbase started of with PPT1. Like that guy who makes those Puyo Puyo in a Nutshell videos. You know, that guy.

Also you can buy PPT2 on all current consoles, most other games are only accessible through emulation if you want them in English. That’s important because some people are just against emulation or just plain don’t know how to emulate things.

And if they like either of these games maybe they’re willing to try emulation to play more Puyo Puyo.

Also who knows, if they use the Tetris as a safety net maybe they’ll bounce back and later enjoy Puyo Puyo after all.

Good options:

Puyo Puyo Tsu/Puyo Puyo 2 (Most versions)

Puyo Puyo Tsu introduced the standard ruleset most other rules are based off. And that’s the ONLY rule it has. Which I think works to its benefit for a newbie.

While the game lacks much in the way character interactions (maybe recommend them the Super Famicom translation patch which does have those) it does have a goal reaching the top of the tower and beating Satan.

I think the tower is an excellent motivator to get good at the game. If they can beat Satan at the top I’d say they’re ready for any Puyo Puyo game to come.

My preferred version is the Super Famicom version called “Super Puyo Puyo Tsu” but I don’t think you can’t really go wrong with any version besides the Neo Geo Pocket Color one.

For the emulator averse they can buy the game on SEGA 3D Classics Collection on 3DS or the SEGA AGES version on Nintendo Switch.

Super Puyo Puyo Tsu is also available on Nintendo Switch Online’s SNES app. So if you have the basic package, you already have that game at your disposal.

All versions except the NGPC one are in Japanese, but I don’t think that’s much of a hindrance with this game specifically. Any version without the cutscenes is sorta alingual. Sure there’s Japanese text in the game, but of all the games, I think you can enjoy this one the most without having to understand it.

Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary (DS) (Precise Museum patch)

(Note, a Wii patch with a revised script is on its way.)

I think this game is a good introduction to the current day cast and has a ton of modes. So if basic rules don’t do it a newbie may find a mode that slowly eases them into more basic rules.

If you wanna 100% the game you gotta win 200 story mode matches. That’s a lot of Puyo, and that’s plenty of time to learn.

Do refrain from telling newbies that though. 200 is big number. Playing 200 without realizing it is more palatable then telling them you have to do 200 to beat the game. One’s fun, the other sounds like a chore.

Direct their focus on the cast, there’s a lot to chew on this game.

I would recommend, but...:

Puyo Puyo Fever 2 & Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary

These are the actual lore games. These games practically give you lore as a reward at every turn. These two games are the exceptions to my rule that you shouldn’t sell the games with lore to a newbie. And soaking all that lore in is a great motivator to play these games.

But we have no patches yet beside some out-of-date ones from Puyo Nexus. Which is the main problem (for Fever 2 especially).

Also, while these two games are a bit holy grail, their praises are rightfully sung. I’m a bit apprehensive calling them great entry points.

Fever 2 relies on the Fever rule. Which not everyone’s a fan of. I’ve been around and not everyone enjoys that rule (and anecdotally it overstimulates me). The Fever Rule has a ton of rules to it. But a lot of people were introduced to Fever 1 and became life-long fans so I don’t know, take my claim with a grain of salt. I’ve been told it’s an easier game then Fever 1 at least. Fever 1 does not play nice.

And 15th’s story mode relies on a roulette. Which doesn’t have to be a negative, but it is a game with a with a ton of gimmick rules. And while 20th is that too it gives you more freedom in that regard, which I think might be more beneficial to a newbie.

But any of the games above here are good places to start. One dishonorable mention to recommend to a newbie:

Puyo Puyo Champions

I’ve historically been nice to this game. But I don’t recommend it to a newbie.

It’s just Puyo 2 and Fever Rules at an admittingly cheap price. Not much to it.

You could argue that I gave Puyo Puyo Tsu slack in that regard. But my counter argument would always be: “What is the goal of Champions?”

This game is so competitive focused it hurts. No charming animations, the characters count instead of escalating their spells. Only good single-player content is hidden behind too many boring tutorials, which is watered down from the Nazo Puyo games.

Puyo Puyo Tsu you scale a tower and get an ending. Reaching the top and beating Satan is the goal.

Champions has nothing to offer besides online rankings. And as I’ve said before, don’t funnel a newbie into being competitive. They’ll do it when they’re ready. Let them enjoy the jelly game on their own pace first. Let them enjoy the characters.

And that’s all I wanted to say.