#I'm not saying don't earn money with your craft

[amarenacherriezzz]

the biggest difference between crochet and knitting is the communities' attitudes towards patterns. Crocheters are happy to provide you with a free pattern + an in-depth step-by-step youtube tutorial, while in the knitting-world you have to pay for the pattern most of the time. Why is that?

[maxwellatoms]

Do you think were any kind of specific aspects of the culture, industry, economy, etc that made making cartoons in 90s / 2000s better or worse than trying to make them today?

They're literally different worlds.

As a 22 year old neurodivergent, I was able to pitch show ideas directly to executives. Part of that was because TV Animation wasn't a glamorous profession (quite yet), so the higher-ups were genuinely passionate about the medium. I earned good money for the time and was generally trusted to run my show and tend to the crew. I would periodically be handed portfolios, which I would personally review and pass on to other show runners. For the networks it was always corporate, cutthroat, and ultimately about the money, but as an artist you could still have a voice and make art while being paid a living wage.

The pay for a freelance storyboard in 2005 is almost exactly what it is today, but now you're likely to have less time and be required to do an animatic on top of it. Portfolios are online, and (beyond metrics) you'll probably never know if anyone looks at it or not.

Animation got big. Too big. The executives got "glamorous", then the talent got "glamorous". By then you probably wouldn't get a pitch meeting unless you were a celebrity or knew one willing to be connected to your project. Animation eventually got so big that it popped. And that's where we are now.

Most of the people I know from Kid's TV Animation are currently unemployed. I have been off Jellystone for over a year, and I'm starting to get genuinely worried. Like, "move away to save money" worried. Most of the employed artists I do know are on long-running legacy series, and they're concerned about their futures when/if those series end. Right now is not a fantastic time for "animation as a money-making profession". The "glamorous" part popped years ago.

That being said, there are still opportunities out there. If you're just starting out, apparently there's a planned surge in adult and pre-school animation. It's also a great time (as long as YouTube remains sane) to be crafting your own content. But I think that the time of Big Studio Patronage is over for most of the industry. It's up to the individual artist now more than ever, not only to make but to promote their own content.

Back at the height of Billy & Mandy, we mostly pulled fours and fives in the Neilsen ratings, but we occasionally got a seven. For reference, E.R. consistently got eights. It's difficult to say exactly how many people that actually was due to how those ratings work, but it was a big deal for the time. Millions. Enough people that if I had a dollar for each person that just watched that one episode, I would have been set for life. Now, nobody gets a seven. A four is huge. Back then there were maybe fifteen or twenty channels of programmed content as opposed to the streaming smorgasbord we were all just enjoying (and which now also seems to have popped). Point being, even though I wasn't paid-per-view, I was able to use those views as justification for an eventual raise. In modern times, streaming numbers are seemingly deliberately kept secret. You'll never really know how well your show was doing until it's over. Or maybe never.

In modern times, a million views on YouTube is enough to get you noticed online. It's a lower bar for entry in a way, but you've got to get there all by yourself. Once you're there (hello Hazbin) a network may indeed come and scoop you up. Even if they don't, you can probably make a decent living with numbers like that if you're savvy and willing to take the time.

I feel like I could go on all day, shaking my fist at the sky, gray-ass beard blowing in the wind. Was it better or easier making cartoons in the past? It seemed that way to me, but that was a world I knew. There was no AI to sell you out to, and the media was more of a "Wild West" than it is today. I do think that AI is going to continue to displace artists (and soon others), making it even more difficult to get anyone's eyes on anything at all.

Culturally, we lack the common touchpoints that bonded our society in the 20th Century. I suspect that the media landscape will continue to become more "bubbly" and disjointed unless some powerful force swoops in to mandate a common viewpoint. Those are two very divergent, uniquely tiring futures, each presenting a different challenge for an artist's survival.

Outside of whatever our modern world is, animation was made for a century by photographing drawings. If Émile Cohl could do it in 1908, you can do it now. It's a lot of labor, but maybe that's part of what makes it special.

[alastrpt]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑

-This story might continue as canon ♡

It was just a normal day. Take measurements, sew clothes, sell, and earn some money. Sundays were usually slow, but I stayed at the shop regardless. I sipped my coffee while watching the street through the window. The Extermination was approaching soon. The thought made me uneasy, so I shook it off.As I gazed outside again, I heard the door chime. I quickly set my coffee down and moved behind the counter, curious to see who had walked in.

...Wait.

The Radio Demon?

He was scanning the room with sharp eyes. After looking around, he met my gaze."Well, hello there, dear! I thought I’d drop by a new tailor shop. This place seems pretty new, hmm?" His crimson eyes locked onto mine. It made me uncomfortable, but I'd seen worse. I kept my voice steady."Actually, sir, I wouldn't say it's new... but I'm glad you stopped by."He hummed, that eerie smile never faltering. "Ah, I see. Unfortunately, a little accident tore the edges of my suit. Can you fix it, dear?"

He pointed to the damage. Though, honestly, the entire suit looked pretty worn. Why just that part? Never mind."Oh! Yes, of course. If you don't mind, could we move to the other room? I’ll need to take your measurements."He followed me without a word. In the fitting room, I positioned him in front of the mirror and began my work. As I measured, I noticed his eyes watching me through the mirror's reflection. I felt my cheeks flush but masked it with a professional demeanor.

"All done, sir. If you give me five minutes, I’ll have the repairs finished. Would you like some coffee while you wait?"His eyes gleamed.

"Bitter."

Simple. I prepared the coffee and handed it to him. Our fingers brushed as he took the cup, and a small shiver ran through me. I excused myself and hurried to the sewing room.

---Alastor's POV---

decided to visit a different tailor shop today—just for a change of scenery. But what I found was... intriguing. The shop was crafted with care; intricate details adorned every corner. And the tailor herself...

well, that was the real surprise.When I walked in, she immediately put down her coffee and approached the counter. A woman. Not unusual for a tailor, but this one stood out. Her eyes... captivating. And the way her hair moved with each step...

"Well, hello there, dear! I thought I’d drop by a new tailor shop. This place seems pretty new, hmm?"She responded with a soft, steady voice. "Actually, sir, I wouldn't say it's new... but I'm glad you stopped by." Polite. Elegant. I let out a hum of approval."Ah, I see. Unfortunately, a little accident tore the edges of my suit. Can you fix it, dear?"Her eyes flicked to the damaged fabric.

"Oh! Yes, of course. If you don't mind, could we move to the other room? I’ll need to take your measurements."I followed, observing how she hesitated slightly as she led the way. She was nervous. Expected. Most sinners feared me. But this nervousness... it was different. She stopped me in front of a mirror and got to work, careful and precise. I met her eyes through the glass and watched as she noticed... and blushed.

"All done, sir. If you give me five minutes, I’ll have the repairs finished. Would you like some coffee while you wait?"

"Bitter,"

I answered.She left to prepare it and returned quickly. As she handed me the cup, our fingers brushed. A fleeting spark. My chest tightened for a second, but I masked it with my usual grin. She excused herself again, leaving me to my thoughts.Through the window, I saw Hell’s streets stretching beyond. Six months until Extermination, I thought with amusement. Charlie's little "deal" with Heaven… ridiculous. And my own deal with her? Even more delightful.

"Here you go, sir," she said as she returned.

---Your POV---

handed him the newly repaired suit, hoping I'd done a good job. "Here you go, sir."He stood, inspecting the stitching carefully. "Ah, excellent, my dear! I'd like to try it on."I smiled politely and stepped back. He loosened his tie and slipped into the repaired jacket. Turning toward the mirror, he adjusted the sleeves, then his grin widened."Perfect. Truly, it’s an exact match! I might just come back to you next time." His eyes sparkled with something unreadable. "Hmm... In fact, I think someone's suit at the hotel got damaged recently. I could bring it by tomorrow if you're available, darling."I hesitated. "I'm glad you liked it, sir. But unfortunately, I won’t be available tomorrow."His smile twitched slightly.

"Oh? And why is that, dear?"

"Well... I get many clients from the Overlords. And tomorrow… Vox is scheduled to stop by." I kept my voice calm, though I saw his eye twitch at the name. Radio Demon vs. Vox Everyone knew that rivalry. "I figured you wouldn’t want to run into him."His grin faltered for the briefest second before returning, sharper this time. "Ah! How considerate of you, my dear. Yes… how unfortunate indeed. Well then, I’ll be on my way!"As the door closed behind him,

I heard Vox's voice crackling from a nearby screen. He was singing...Great.

[gremlinmodetweeker]

König is Naturally Nerd!König

A lot of people suggest nerd!König (which is essentially regular König in my books) would be into DnD, or Star Wars, or Lego, but I disagree.

Normal and Nerd!König are obsessed with miniature armies. He has little models of airplanes and tanks that he puts on display in his room. He only has two World War models (and even then it's WW1), and those are the planes that Baron von Richthofen flew. Otherwise, he collects medieval minis and paints them.

He creates whole dioramas of them, and they're surprisingly good. He has the money to sink into his hobby, and it fills his time when he's not at work. He fidgets a lot, but he's gotten good at doing fine detail work. They're not award winning, but they're really quite good.

In addition, he's a major reader. If you want to know more about what König reads, check out this post here. If you don't want to read it, the gist of it is that König loves reading and reads all the time. He's probably the type to sniff and say the book was better than the movie. He's right, but he doesn't need to be so snobby about it.

Through the military, he has an extensive knife and gun collection. He can use all of them, sure, but he really doesn't need that many. He used to have only one room dedicated to them, but he's since had to move twice and torn down a wall most recently to make a big enough room for everything. He kinda sucks that way. He really takes up a lot of space.

However, Nerd!König didn't end up joining the military. He instead went into nuclear engineering and earned an excellent living to fund his expensive hobbies. He also ended up having more time to devote to his crafts, which led to...

More under the cut.

Nerd!König is a Snob

König is a pathfinder 2e type of guy. He's that pedantic. He'll have the rule books memorized, and he has links to download the pdfs ready at the flick of a wrist. He's ready to convert you. Your DnD supplies will be absorbed into his Pathfinder 2E.

A big reason he's into Pathfinder 2E is because he was introduced at a young age and so collected the supplies, but when he heard about the Wizards of the Coast scandals he decided he'd use that as his reasoning. He gets up on a soapbox about it whenever he can. He really, really hates Wizards of the Coast. It's a firey rage that burns within.

He also likes Warhammer. He's a disgusting Warhammer lover. He plays a ridiculous Adeptus Mechanicus army that he's painted himself. It's surprisingly good painting, too. Having painted Adeptus Mech before, I'm telling you it's really hard. He makes it looks easy with craft paint and crazy glue. He's disgustingly good at it. I hate him for it. How dare he be so good. He is genuinely a fantastic painter. That said, we saw what happened with the last Austrian painter, so maybe it's a good thing he stuck to painting minis.

Nerd!König also loves to collect ancient weaponry. To make it worse, he actually practises with it and has become pretty decent with it. He's feared among the LARPing community because he's known to be a fearsome competitor. He'd be more well liked if he didn't accidentally break people's wooden shields so often. As it is, he's not fully blacklisted, but he's skating on thin ice. He'd be banned for sure if it weren't for the fact that the forest on his property is amazing for LARPing.

Finally, he's into Renaissance fairs. He goes and does public sword fighting, once again, LARPing. He'll also show off his weaponry collections, and will gladly go on hour long spiels to anyone unfortunate to ask about the history of an item on his table. He is on good terms with the blacksmiths, and he's always having to pay the local seamstress to fix his clothing back in the traditional style. He will also go up to the ferret keeper and play with their ferrets, and then beg you to get some. He just wants a cute little ferret. Can't he have a couple? No, not one! They need playmates. You need at least three.

Either way, Nerd!König is a big silly guy. He's a bit friendlier and gentler than regular König honestly. He also is super passionate about his hobbies. He's so excited to show you his hobbies, and he really wants you to enjoy them too.

Just so you know, all these hobbies are expensive. Very expensive. It's a good thing he's making so much money, because otherwise you'd go bankrupt overnight, because, "Games Workshop released a new edition of the walkers! I need them for my army!"

[carrymelikeimcute]

Stop Stealing from Authors

As an author, please please PLEASE do not download 'free' ebooks or listen to 'free audiobooks' on YouTube etc.

Books take work to research and write, and author advances are already incredibly low, without us having to PAY THEM BACK to the publisher because the book isn't earning enough. Authors are already earning far far below the minimum wage per hour of work we put in.

Many ebooks are incredibly cheap already and have regular price drops down to 99p/$0.99, and are FREE using a library app.

Audiobooks likewise can be accessed digitally for FREE via the library.

Authors in countries like my own receive a small amount of money when you access our content via the library. Money which means we can keep writing books. Using the library also gives them visitor numbers and incentivises funding, preventing library closures.

Funding piracy makes the already very hard job of writing as a career even harder and endangers library resources.

'Well then maybe you should get a real job' I have a job, and that job is being an author. It is very entitled to tell authors that we need to essentially have a full time job AND still produce content for you to enjoy for free, at a speed/quality which makes writing also a fulltime job.

As a fulltime author I wrote 3 novels last year, each with 4-5 rounds of edits at different stages in the process. I also edited the two books I wrote the previous year during that time. Hundreds of hours of work. And I have since seen piracy websites making money off of that work.

Saying that piracy 'expands the reach of our books' is as insulting as being 'paid in exposure'. If you want something that someone made, you have to pay them for it. It is not doing someone a favour, to steal from them. And let's be real - how many people are you telling about each book you steal? Are you recommending the piracy site to others in the same breath? Are you just rating on goodreads and counting that as 'payment' for what you stole?

If you want to get a free book and 'expand the reach' - sign up to Netgalley and get free books in exchange for posting reviews.

'But then I can't read all the books I want to read' - Why should you get everything you want? Genuine question. I don't have all the make-up I want, or all the decor I want, but I'm not shoving stuff in my pockets because it's not fair that I don't get to have everything my magpie brain desires. You don't have enough time in your life to read every book anyway. You have to choose.

I bet you also have more than one unread book in your possession, right now. Probably a TBR pile. Why do you need another one for free, when you have books to read? And if you don't want to read those books, you can access every book, via the library.

Authors would even prefer that you buy our books second hand, because at least that 1. is good for the environment as it keeps books out of landfill and 2. benefits charity if you purchase for a charity bookshop/ doesn't benefit pirates. And 3. unlike a stolen ebook, you can donate it again and it will be visible on a shop shelf, attracting new readers.

'You should write because you love it, not for money' I do write because I love it, that's why I spent years learning my craft and working to get published. So I could do this as a job. I even write fanfic on the side as a hobby, and that is VERY different to writing publishable novels for my editor - I get to do all the fun stuff with none of the WORK that my writing job requires.

I don't love being told what setting/theme is 'hot right now' and needs to be in my next novel. Or re-reading my book for the 15th time to look for typos, or spending 4-5 hours every morning writing to meet a crunch deadline and the rest of the day brainstorming the new idea which is due in a week, answering emails and editing. It's my job, not a hobby, and it's not all fun, all the time. No one page edits for the LOVE of it.

'If buying isn't owning, then piracy isn't stealing' - Unlike films/tv, books are still available as physical media you can own forever. They're also less likely to vanish from your ereader because they aren't licenced like a tv show.

'I don't want to support a horrible person but I still want the book' - so...you agree that pirating does nothing for the author? Good. Because that 'spreading awareness stuff' we already covered, is bullshit. But if they're so terrible...why do you want to read something that was invented in their brain, and is likely full of their terrible values/dog whistles? Why not find new authors to support instead of hate reading/continuing to absorb content from people you fundamentally dislike?

Lastly, the argument I routinely see is that 'it's just the same as lending a copy to a friend'. It is not. Firstly because you're putting money into the pockets of those who stole our work, via ad-rev on their sites, whereas lending a book to a friend doesn't result in you making money off of someone else's work. But also, lending the book to ONE person is not the same as making it available to EVERYONE. I just filed a copyright takedown on one of my new books which already had 200+ hits. Unless you plan to lend a physical book to 200+ people, you will not do that same amount of damage as piracy.

[icescrabblerjerky]

On Writing

I've been writing in a semi-professional way for more than a decade now. I'm not SUCCESSFUL, per se, not in a way that means I can live from it (and I'm very lucky in that I don't have to) but I do write a lot, some of it gets published, some of it gets acclaimed. I've even earned a teeny bit of money from it.

Two things, over the course of my career, have made me a better writer.

The first? Just writing a lot. This can be anything. Fanfic, journal entries, posts like this! YES THEY COUNT! Diary entries, letters, formal communications, reports at work. TEXT BASED RP. EROTIC ROLE PLAY. YES I WILL INCLUDE THAT.

Every single word you write hones your craft (this is why fucking AI sucks balls, every time you ask it to write your email for you, you're losing valuable writing time, I am NOT fucking joking on this, do your own fucking WRITING). Write more, write what brings you joy, write what comes easily to you (and what comes hard hur hur). Do the thing. DO IT. You can't get better at squats without doing squats! You can't get better at writing without PUTTING THE WORDS ON THE PAGE MEAT SAC.

The other thing that has made me SO MUCH BETTER is peer critique. It's showing my work to other people and saying "hey is this bad?" "hey, what works and doesn't work about this?" "hey DOES THIS SUCK" and actually TAKING the critique when people give it to you.

I have had the extraordinarily rare privilege of a long term ongoing writer's group who have never been afraid to tell me what they think of my stuff.

Yes. Sometimes the critique is gonna be shit. Sometimes they don't get what you write. BUT more often than not what a peer group will tell you is what works and what doesn't. What captured their attention. Whether they like your characters. Whether they think this plot is worth pursuing or actually no, you've set this whole thing up that is WAY MORE INTERESTING TO ME.

You need to expose your work to other eyes. And you need to LISTEN to what they tell you. It will make your writing SO much better.

[putschki1969]

Hello dear Sarah, I hope you are well, I want to ask you a question since you are very expert on the subject, When kalafina existed (it hurts to say that😭) I was a teenager I couldn't buy their merchandise now that I can I want to know if I buy something from them, do they still make a profit or not?My friend says not anymore, if I want to support them, I better buy their materials as soloists. Please give me some advice.

Hello there!

I am so, so sorry! This reply is long overdue. I had this in my drafts for way too long. These days, I've really been struggling with summer fatigue and can't get motivated to do anything except the bare minimum. As a result, lots of asks have remained unanswered in my inbox/drafts.

Without further ado, let's get to your question〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

Disclaimer: Take everything you read here with a grain of salt. Even though I would consider myself to be quite knowledgeable on the matter, I don't have all the facts.

I think your friend is correct. If you are buying Kalafina releases (CDs, DVDs/BDs/etc) or merchandise (live goods etc) right now, it is very unlikely that the girls will profit from it.

The way the Japanese entertainment industry works, idols/singers often don't have any rights to their music (especially in a case like this where they don't have an active part in the creative process). From what we know, the members of Kalafina were most likely managed in a very common and traditional "employment dynamic" with their talent agency "Space Craft" , meaning that after the label (Sony/SACRA MUSIC) got its sizeable share, the agency basically pocketed all remaining earnings from Kalafina's activities and then distributed a contractually agreed upon percentage to the members in the form of a monthly salary. As the creative force behind everything, I would assume that Yuki Kajiura probably had a more favourable arrangement with Space Craft along the lines of a client <=> management relationship and therefore received earnings directly with a certain percentage going to the agency but I'm only speculating here. Considering the amounts of money that went to the label, the agency and Yuki Kajiura, it is likely that the girls received a quite meager share compared to everyone else involved. Not saying they weren't paid decently, it was obviously more than enough to allow all three of them to live comfortably (or luxuriously in Keiko's case - keep in mind tho that her family is well-off) but certainly nothing too crazy.

After leaving Space Craft, I very much doubt that Keiko and Hikaru would have financial gains from any Kalafina-related sales. Wakana on the other hand might profit indirectly from such purchases because she's still signed up with Space Craft. Some official Kalafina merch is still available in the Space Craft online store so if you buy anything from there, the money would obviously go to the agency. All other merchandise items that are floating around online or in stores are almost certainly second-hand goods so no profit is made except by the seller/thrift shop. As for music releases from official shops or distribution partners, I'm actually not sure if Space Craft would still receive a cut from that. I guess it depends on their arrangement with the label. I definitely wouldn't rule it out. (YK is probably getting something).

Long story short, if you want to support the girls, the best option currently is to buy their solo stuff. However, that doesn't mean that you should give up on your dream to buy Kalafina releases and merch. Even if the group is disbanded, it is a good thing to signal that there is still demand for them. Also, if you ask me, nothing feels better than to own physical merch/releases. My Kalafina shrine is one of my biggest sources of happiness and pride.

[marcholasmoth]

OSRR: 3653

today marks ten years since i started these entries.

the day i started was august 7th, 2014.

today is august 7th, 2024.

it doesn't feel like it's been all that long at all.

as i made this realization this morning, i was able to spend the day and think about how i've changed over the last ten years, about the things that have happened, about the person i've become. about what i would say to me ten years ago.

the long and short of it is this:

i grew up.

and i don't like thinking about it that way because that means my childhood is long gone, never to return. that everything from here on out is going to be hard.

so as i sit here crying, mourning that loss that i will never truly recover from, i also reflect on the personal growth i've made.

i have less tolerance for bullshit and i'm not afraid to have opinions. i found a group of people who love me for who i am and not what i can do for them. yes i am living paycheck to paycheck, but i no longer consider myself completely broke. i've gotten better at managing my time and my money. i've earned not one, not two, but three separate degrees, the highest of which was earned from a prestigious university. i have a close relationship with my sister. i've reconnected with some high school friends. i've lost so many other friends due to circumstances i was unwilling to accept any longer. i've loved and lost, but i'm happy to have loved. and even now, i have a partner who i've been with for more than half of the decade! and it's been wonderful.

i've had a dozen different jobs in different industries, i've used my knowledge to help people in a lot of places. i've made friends with people across the world and i've seen people blossom into who they're truly meant to be. and i know that everyone is a work in progress. so am i.

i'm not quite done yet. i'm almost ready to come out of the oven.

and maybe the closet, too.

in all of my thoughts today, the ones that have stood out the most have been of how i treat other people and my mental health. over the years, i've seen people from high school who i didn't really spend time around because they were in the "popular" crowd. i instantly recognized them. they were probably too busy to even try to think of where they might've known my face from. but i've learned that it's important to treat people with kindness, respect, and love, regardless of your personal history with them. that everyone deserves respect and dignity, regardless of who they are. of course, even i have my limits, but those who are out of the limits of my patience and care are usually bigots, fascists, neo-nazis, and any combination of things including any of those parts.

and my mental health - what a difference. it's night and day for how it is in my head. being properly medicated and stable and KNOWING that's it's more than "just depression" or "just anxiety" and having a therapist who understands all of it? it's a game-changer. it's great.

what i would tell myself ten years ago would be mostly about how it ends up and the process of getting there. you end up stable. you get a therapist who you love and who helps you get to the root of the trauma you don't even realize you have yet. you have people who love you more than you even know. people love you for who you are, mental illnesses, disabilities, and all. you take up crafting and d&d and playing games. you meet someone adorable and hilarious and he makes your days brighter. you lose your faith and your friends, but after all the anger and grief, you come out stronger than you ever thought you could be. and despite all of the horrors you see in the world, you're still softer than you think. you count bunnies on the way into work. you cry over your waitress, begging the universe to let her smile freely. you smile at and wave to a perfect stranger who doesn't speak your language on your way back to your car, even after a long day.

there's a lot of pain, yes.

but there is so much more beauty than you can possibly imagine.

see it. feel it. embrace it.

but most importantly, share it.

[glassmarcus]

The Scadu of Power Creep

I've anguished at the size of Elden Ring in the past, so it's nice that the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is in its own little corner that's still extremely large. It's not gargantuan enough to run into a lot of the same issues I had with the base game though. It doesn’t run out of unique content and the path forward is very legible. I'd say this DLC honestly has ideal world design for a souls game. The main path is clear and easy to focus on, but the side content is something you need to really earn. Half of the content in this DLC is side content, and unlike the side stuff in the base game, it's just as good as the required stuff.

Remember Ash Lake in Dark Souls? That hidden area that was hidden behind another hidden area? The one that didn’t really need to be in the game at all? Well, Shadow of the Erdtree has like 5 Ash Lakes and I love it. I love high quality content not just being optional, but something you have to investigate to access. It's fucking insane from a production stand point, but does so much for the magic the world building. This might be the best map From Software has made. It's interconnected in such a way that gives Dark Souls a run for its money, and even having a map doesn't make drawing the mental map in your brain obsolete due to how 3D dimensional everything is.

I'd love the next souls game to be of this size and using the same philosophy as this DLC. The only thing I’d add is a few disconnected areas. Shadow of the Erdtree is great, but it's also not accessible til the end of the base game. I want to see how a game like this lands without having to account for 80 hours of gameplay before starting it. Shadow of the Erdtree has its own level scaling system that powers up your stats through collectibles. This is great for encouraging exploration, as most crafting materials you find at this point in the game are useless. It was a great band aid solution, but I hope they don't have to resort to it again as it does limit the ways you can progress by restricting these materials to certain areas.

The world design is probably the most impressed I was with this DLC, but it doesn't end there. The story is surprisingly easy to follow. Characters are not being cryptic at all here. They are straight forward in letting you know what the deal is. I'm too anxious about the size of these games to stop and appreciate the plot, so this is a welcome approach. The weapons they add to the game are also incredible and made me change up my play style quite a bit. I forever need Martial Arts and Light Great Swords in these games. It’s gonna be hard to go back after playing with them.

There is one thing I’d call a disappointment and that’s the boss design. My complaints aren’t even relevant for most of them. A lot of the DLC bosses are a step up from the base game and are how I'd prefer the boss design to go down in the future. But there were about 4 or so that were kinda ass. Mostly the final boss and the first boss that actually gate keeps you. I just hate how they attack forever. It's not fun for me to play a boss fight where you don't get any openings and trading hits isn't worth it. I basically always had to use summons because I have a job and want to play more than 5 games this year. I've gone through this before in my previous Elden Ring review and it still applies, but this campaign proves that it doesn't have to be this way. 3 of my favorite bosses in the franchise are in this DLC because they don't constantly attack. They find a way to raise the stakes without giving every boss legendary actions.

I think likening the combat to Dungeons and Dragons mechanics is an apt comparison. Not a lot of people know this, but Dark Souls 1 is secretly turn based. Enemies and bosses attack and then take a moment to catch their breath and then you attack and you catch your breath. It sounds boring when you put it that way. But because you always have a turn, you can always do something on that turn. In Elden Ring it's never really your turn when you are fighting these overtuned bosses. And when it is, it's not your turn for long. Thus you have less options to counter attack with because not every attack in this game is quick. This is why I need summons to take aggro off, so I can experiment with other options that aren't a jumping R2 as a counter attack and then dodging 12 times. The average Dark Souls fight I prefer over Elden Ring because there are infinite ways to beat a boss that are valid and effective. And honestly I think Dark Souls 3 is the perfect balance between twitch reflexes and decision making that makes these boss fights great.

I remember spending 3 hours fighting Sister Frieda in the Dark Souls 3 DLC and feeling elated upon victory. It's still one of my favorite boss fights. Because while it's a gauntlet, there's a sober way to deal with everything the boss throws at you and you had time to form a strategy. I understood the boss and that's why I won. I don't think I understood a lot Elden Ring bosses. Not just because I don't have a moment to catch my breath, but also because I can't comprehend what they are doing. This is why I had little fun with the Final Boss. Yea he's hard and aggressive, but also his attacks were literally blinding. I beat him. I liked formulating a strategy to negate the more ridiculous aspects of the fight. But it felt like I didn't completely understand phase 2. So I felt nothing. I spent 3 hours on the fight, just to feel nothing. And if I spent 7 hours doing it without a busted weapon, I might have felt great, but I don’t think it would be worth the payout. This DLC really just hammered how much I like Lies of P fights and how well tuned they are difficulty wise.

I think we have reached Kaizo territory. Bosses are so roided up that instead of feeling triumph I feel like I survived some sick prank. And if people want that, that's fine. Play a mod. This isn't me being snarky. I think the power creep of bosses and trying to make each one harder has gotten out of hand and needs to be dialed back. But for the freaks who still want that, I really think official mod support needs to be in the next souls game so they can be satisfied. Because I don't want the franchise to out grow anyone, not just me. But...I also want the games to be fun to finish, so this seems to be the happy medium. Because Fromsoft won't be able to cater to the freaks for much longer.

[femmefatalevibe]

hi, idk if you answered this before, but how did you manage to become self-employed by 24? also any career building tips in general?

Hi love! Well, I'm nearly 25 now (Leo baby here, lol) and have been self-employed since around 21/22 full-time. I would say the main factors at play are a combination of starting my career as early as possible (first real internship in the fashion industry at almost 16 and starting freelancing at around 19), earning a full scholarship to a top private university, and freelancing throughout college allowed me to have a lot of time and freedom to work on my skills, build my networks/portfolio, etc. (I'm not going to discount all of the privileges and resources I've had working in my favor, including the ability to begin my postgrad life with zero debts, that would be disingenuous, for certain).

In terms of career advice, I would say here are some of my most important tips:

Figure out where your skills and passions align. Then determine the lifestyle/work culture you thrive in and what sacrifices you're willing to make in your chosen career path (for some, it's always traveling/talking to people 24/7, working late hours, unpredictable/unconventional hours, potentially lower pay/less predictable income, etc.). It truly depends on your top values, your personality, and your goals/priorities in life.

First focus on getting incredibly talented at your craft. Find a mentor(s) who will push you with their feedback/suggestions. Take classes/skills courses/read books & articles to gain more applicable knowledge/hard skills. Join clubs, apply to internships, volunteer, and request informational interviews in your desired field.

Make your skills marketable. Create a professional resume and/or neat portfolio/collection of work samples. Discover and articulate your USP (that should essentially serve as the backbone of your elevator pitch). Frame your skills through a customer/business-centric lens. How does your experience/skillset solve their problems and help a company/client achieve their goals?

Build a network for yourself. Don't be shy to reach out to companies/individuals who inspire you. Speak with your secondary school teachers and professors for connections. Create peer-to-peer networks, too, so you can grow together. Be a fearless networker and connector. Help others, do favors, and make the person glad they met/hired you. Make it your objective to be memorable through your work ethic/providing high-quality work products and showing up with a motivated & overall positive attitude allows people to like and trust you with their time, clients, money, etc.

Master the art of a killer email/cold pitch. Especially in today's world, learning how to sell yourself through intriguing emails/LinkedIn messages is the key to unlocking potential success. One client or opportunity can create momentum that will be useful years down the line, too.

When in doubt, follow up – on an email, pitch, job opportunity, connection, etc.

Be ruthless and relentless with your research. For new contacts, connections, opportunities, and information to support your pitches/job interviews/networking conversations, new technologies, and trends within your field. Read everything credible you can get your hands on. Display working knowledge and practical applications of these concepts and how they can benefit the person in front of you/their business.

Create systems. For how you structure emails/pitches, conduct research, different types of workflows/ work template structures for different types of projects, time-blocking, client funnels, etc.

Get comfortable with rejection. Use it as a primer for self-reflection and refining your craft/processes or help you pivot your approach to help you achieve your goals. Never take business decisions on behalf of a company personally (and vice versa).

Give yourself breaks, but don't give up. Tapping out for good is the only surefire way to fail at an endeavor. Be flexible in your path, but zeroed in on your goal(s). Learn when to quit or pivot, and when it's time to coast or seek growth.

Hope this helps xx

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Nu: Carnival

I've always seen mobile gacha games that depict lots of female characters. I don't see much of the same for male characters, despite some games showing huge success of having them (i.e. HoyoVerse games and Fate Grand Order). I stumbled across a mention of this on a post about gachas with a male majority cast. I checked to see if it's worth it.

**TW: This is an 18+ BL game containing sexual content to the point that it's not even on the App Stores, although a censored version will be released soon for the stores. I will not be detailing the naughty bits much regardless.**

I have to say, when the content warning popped up mentioning that a scene contains adult content and that I have the option to skip it, I thought it'd be something akin to softcore for some reason. Instead, there was an entire scene with everything shown in all its glory and descriptions. I did get a laugh out of being surprised.

But admiteddly, this game does not cut corners in presentation, at all. The art style is very appealing with a diverse amount of character designs that fit various tropes, and the animation is actually spendid, both in regular and explicit scenes. Although regular animations do tend to move around with a lot of exaggeration, so this can be a turn off for some players. Maybe it's because I don't play BL or adult games much so I'm not in the know for what's the latest or what's buzzing, but I'm getting the impression that this game is a lot more underrated than expected.

The story is not too bad. At least for once I'm paying a little attention to it in a gacha game. It basically acts as an isekai where you gain the role of being a successor to a sorcerer and sex somewhat acts as an energy source. Character dynamics are nice where present, but the best part for me personally is that I like that the relationships are depicted in a healthy manner, where it's more consensual. There are also side stories in the form of events which are fun to read through.

Gameplay is surprisingly fun! It's turn-based with a front view perspective. The UI is very animated which feels like it's giving me little dopamine hits lol. Your party consists of the characters in different tiers known as rarity, and they also have roles such as debuffers, healers, strikers, etc. so there is a fair share of strategy involved. Your party also needs to be leveled up via potions, as well as increase their ranks (kind of like ascensions in Genshin Impact), and also increase certain base stats known as Potential. However at some point it does get grindy as the requirements for getting to the next levels gets higher and higher in terms of your team's power level. This is a system I loathed in another gacha game (Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis), but it's more bearable here because the game offers you other things to do instead, such as events.

As for the gacha aspects, there is a way to get the rolls you want by using a guest account and then binding when you're satisfied, so it is generous in that sense. I'm also F2P so far and I've had decent rolls in the beginning, though lately it's been awful lol. I did think about spending a bit of money, but the prices for what they ask are ridiculously high, which is one aspect I dislike about the game. You can instead gain rewards through quests such as dailies, weeklies,etc., join a guild to do quests in order to collectively earn rewards, do explorations and craft things, or buy with other currencies that don't require payment.

In the end, I'm actually playing this game religiously , but I'm also quite relaxed with it. It's a nice game to drop by and do some stuff and then hop off while you go about with your day. I do hope that the censored version can bring in more users (the intended audience, that is).

[redphienix]

Honestly, Palworld looks like a mid-to-bad crafting survival game with a passable creature capture idea slapped on top.

It has like. Negative appeal to me, but I'm not the target audience in like 14 different ways.

But.

I hope it updates well and improves and goes from (from fan's perspectives) "Good" to "Great" because of three reasons.

1: I like when games good.

2: I like when genre mashes succeed in melding the two and allowing both to thrive, it's neat to me. Palworld ain't the first to do it or anything, we literally have pokemon minecraft mods, but it is "Recognized" right now and I think that'd be nice.

3: Literally ANYTHING that lights a fire under mega-billion-dollar Pokemon's ass is good in my book.

Not even from a "disappointed pokemon fan" POV, just as a pokemon fan in any respect, I want Pokemon to go "OH YEAH, Well then FUCK YOU, We'll invest in the games for once instead of skirting by on the recognition of our IP and our next games will be FUCKING GREAT!!!"

Because even if I don't really care enough to play whatever those games are, I want Pokemon to be at its best too, so like, that'd be cool :)

But yeah Palworld looks shit to my tastes, but not shit in general. I see some people violently swinging back at it on principle and like, yeah sure you can do that. Also see people yelling that it's a cheap ripoff and like, yep. But it's not nearly as lazy as you'd expect such a thing to be. Looks pretty genuine in more ways than I'd have expected so IDK, I mean they even went with being a different genre and the like- this ain't a phone app pretending to be a popular IP, it's kinda its own thing in 'some' ways.

Now it is VEHEMENTLY lacking in originality, that I will gladly join in laughing about because like holy shit lol

But it appears to be trying to be worth a damn despite that so like, eh, that's fine. Like the difference to me between some "copy" like this and then sony's "Foamstars" is that Foamstars is ripping off a highly original and creative IP in a desperate attempt to rake in Splatoon's money, and Splatoon is still a new and thriving IP that has thoroughly earned that slice of the pie. Foam is trying to basically 1 to 1 recreate splatoon but funnel the money their way, that's lame.

Pokemon stopped trying to earn its fill years ago, it needs reminded of where it's at in my opinion. Be shameless and outperform in your own way I say- looks like Pal is trying lmao

Ain't for me. I hope it succeeds and does well by its fans both for its own sake and because I think big pika money bags having to compete for once in their (modern) life would be nice lol

Perhaps I'd be more critical if I sat down and played it or something, but like, nah. I don't need to. I don't want to. My opinion doesn't need to be nuanced on a random silly video game lol

[firespirited]

A lot has happened and I got the selective mutism again so here's a sleep meds dump.

Effie the cat abandoned by lady two doors down who's having a mental health crisis is currently living in our garden. We were going to rehome her but neighbour complexities mean that she'll be eating at the neighbours house and possibly slowly moving into their garage as their territorial cat adapts. She is a bird killer which annoys M, J who's very allergic has decided to mediate the whole cat business. I still think Effie would have no problem finding a new home but J's vetoed that. So there's a cat outside the window and I might need to build some sort of rainproof shelter soon. Papaye the cat is also back living in the building and two orange young cats moved opposite. Thankfully no fights yet.

I hurt my wrist doing some small crafts and barely any writing. RSIs are horrid. It's been a year. Very annoyed.

On the other hand uh so to speak, four people decide to shop for my dolls this week. Months of nada then 4 at once. I have parted with my preciouses, the baldies (and kept more than enough projects) to a fellow customizer and fully don't care if they get trashed, flipped into $200 customs or sit in a drawer. They're blank canvases that I can't paint. The ideas for the paintings can wait for another time, another scale, maybe even another medium.

I sent my first parcel to the states in ages!!! Will let you know how that goes!

Aaand the money earned on deglued catty noir and a couple of partial/yarn reroots went... straight back into 38 doll heads. I know. I knoooow.

So I had a rough series of days then I struck up conversation with a lady at the phonebox library to ask if she knows who runs it. She didn't know but volunteers at the red cross store in town. It was the kind of conversation that starts out friendly and I knew within a few minutes that if I didn't find a bunch of things to say that she was going to tell me her life story and probably trauma dump (which could be anything from getting older and adapting to empty nest to seriously awful), not sure why I have this effect on people but I do. I filled a awkward lull in conversation about people throwing away items that are still useful by stating that I repair fashion dolls and the enjoyment in making something old new again and learning about various crafts and she really wanted to either commission me for her 18y/o daughter's dolls or hand me the pile she's been keeping from throwing away at the red cross at which point I remembered my neck is borked (!) , i tried to repeatedly back pedal and explain that I'm currently not doing any commissions but ended up mumbling while staring at my feet oddly choked up that 'health has been a serious issue' lately and pretending Lily had pulled on her lead to change the subject. We ended the convo with thanks for her volunteer work and putting books at the phonebox, for the lovely chat, have a nice day etc.

It stuck like a piece of grit in the cogs for a few hours and then I heard we might someday get a vaccine for autoimmune diseases but that's the 15th 'promising' cure in 25 years, they really bum me out. We've been this close so many times before. I want the cure, i want the disabled to have value. I want hope. I want to not feel in debt and at society's mercy 24/7.

Later I was doing my normal ebay check just in case that rare doll drops and made a bid thinking that I probably wouldn't get it. What was in my mind was "dolls are my hobby and expertise - you can't use your shoulders so you don't have a hobby or expertise - i do it's a hiatus - it's been a year and no progress when does it end?" on a sort of quiet background loop of brain nonsense. As you do.

26euro shipped. 38 heads, 30 bodies (2heads and the bodies not pictured), terrible photos but I spied GG Nichelle, anime 90s skipper, Miko, vintage Steffie, Midge and Tutti.

It's an excellent investment if even 2 or 3 end up in decent condition.

It's also 38 steps backwards in the 'destash and stop messing with the shoulders' efforts, right at a point where I'm getting somewhere. You can't be like 'que sera que sera' when you're actively making choices.

IDK I was really hoping for a sign or a way forward and my dr and physio are super passive which is both great because they don't put me in positions where I have to face post exertional malaise by their hands only my own choices but I also do all of my own medical research and bring it to them for approval. I've run out of clues or ideas for my swollen tongue and damaged vertebrae. It makes me feel trapped then stupid happens. No, feeling trapped leads me to choose a thing that will make me feel mastery of crafts and skills and it also comes with a price tag of massive pain.

***Seriously it's small potatoes, some hobby supplies from a hobby I'm crippled at.***

... But it's symptomatic. It's part of a large scale pattern of reclaiming some sense of personal, well not control and probably not usefulness/productivity but something close to usefulness/skills? It's not quite dignity either but there's a little bit of pride in there. I'm not going to ruminate on a year of bad decisions or whether they were the least bad decisions to balance sanity and health. But there's something broken since the pandemic for sure and probably long before that I'm running from. It could even be being raised in the 'purposeful' life mindset (if you know you know)

ok i keep deleting paragraphs and paragraphs of unpacking stuff from my twenties so I'll leave it at that so my brain will allow this. The teal dear of it is that it's awfully hard to just exist without 'contributing' or generating money or cosmic goals I guess. Allowing yourself to be a mote and a blip in the universe sure is difficult.

I wouldn't allow this kind of talk from friends who have innate value to me. Hmm.

It sure was a nice few years getting to make things and I'm finding it hard to imagine a different life despite living it for a year.

__________

Well happy 21st everyone. Feed your skeleton and ear snails some funk today. Don't let the existential bedbugs bite (especially if they're ticks). Wear a mask when around gen pop and take the painkillers, things shouldn't hurt. 💚💚💚

I have a package of heads to look forward to. And a cat outside the window. And some introspection to avoid. 😅

[team-jpde]

Hello, there, Meinos Kaen here, and today we're starting another weekly blog series. This time I wanted to give back to the game-devving community, especially in these uncertain times.

I've had, over the years, people ask me some specific questions about making games. Thing is I am terrible at answering them on the spot because most of my journey as a game developer hasn't been planned. Much of it has been an ever incremental free-flow, like a snowball of creativity that turned into an avalanche. Or, if you want something less scary, think of a Katamari.

I work through my thoughts much better when I can take a moment to sit, think about stuff, and write it down. It's actually one of my favourite exercises when planning things writing-wise, but that will be for a future post.

In the first chapter of this cook-book, what I wanted to touch upon were the basic ingredients of every good game development meal (yes, we're starting with good, you don't try making hand-made dumplings if you can't boil pasta). Reflecting upon it seven years in, with development for the demo of GalaxiA in the homestretch, I can't think of any that fit better than people and time.

Let's start with time, which is what you must learn to give yourself: you need to give yourself time to learn, you need to give yourself time to review, you need to give yourself time to rest, and you need to give yourself time to do things other than making games, especially if it's still a hobby level.

Most stories about geniuses seem to gloss over the fact that even the greatest of savants need to invest some amount of time to experiment in their eventual field of excellence. You literally cannot know what you're good at if you don't invest time into experimenting, and then perfecting the chosen craft(s).

Once you've discovered your aptitudes, there's then the time needed to realize what you want to make, to find out what –or who- you need to make it, and then the investment into the actual creative process, which includes: trial and error, scrapped prototypes, first drafts, reviews, sudden bursts of inspiration that cause additions or changes...

For an example out of JPDE – Sonata of Fire, Amber was in the first draft only going to an optional route for the player to chance upon. Then, later in development, I decided she would instead be a main secondary character. That meant that I had to make those optional events part of the main story, which translated to rewrites and recodes.

Before even attempting anything game-dev wise, you need to understand that everything takes time. If you're still walking while others are running, it doesn't mean you're a failure: you just need more time to explore your attitudes and develop your skills.

The second main ingredient is people. It may seem obvious –or maybe not, depending on your thoughts about the plague on the creative world that is Generative AI- but no one person can do everything on their own.

Or better, technically you could, but a lot of starting indie devs have to worry about their day jobs, too. Alex Barone and his efforts developing Stardew Valley are incredible, but many people forget that for a large part of development he wasn't earning any money: sustenance for his household was obtained through his wife's job.

I'm not saying that it's bad, just that not everyone can afford to quit their day job to work on their indie passion project. Which means you will have a limited amount of time on your hands during the day. Eventually, in one way or another, you will be forced to rely on other people in the process of making your game.

This can be scary. And I don't mean in an 'omgrealpeopleREEEEEEEEEE' way, but because there's the serious risk of change through interaction. Interacting with other artists influences the creative process, sometimes in unpredictable ways. For people who go in wanting to make their epic idea come to life, the concept of having to sacrifice that purity of vision can be quite a scare.

The benefits though vastly outweigh the risks. I am proud to say that I've been working with most of my current collaborators since the very beginning: that was seven years ago, and in that time we've all grown as artists thanks in no small part to how much we've interacted with each other. Also, since we've been working together for so long, we developed instincts for one another. When you work with other people for long and constantly, the end-result becomes better and comes much faster.

For example, the very first Sprites Artist I've ever worked with is Amaco from AmacoWorks. At first, whenever came time to design a new asset which had no actual visual reference, my tendency was to micromanage, with mixed results. When I tried instead giving him only vague guidelines, the end was much better, because I left him enough space to be creative. And that's how I discovered that Amaco has also some fine instincts as a concept artist.

There's of course nuances and differences between relationships but having people you can rely on and keeping them around in the long term is always a benefit. Whenever you say goodbye to a collaborator, you don't just lose their skill and talent, you also lose that intangible added synergy which you developed over time and that is just yours. Between the two of you.

To conclude, nothing in the world can replace time and people. If you think you can crank out an ultra-masterpiece on your own in record time by using procedural generation, a bunch of store-bought assets and AI 'art', you got reality coming at your face like a truck. So invest your time and cultivate your relationships.

Amazing things will happen.

[freezerbnuuy]

Act 2:9 - Let This Be a Lesson (Page 3)

LORE | CHARACTERS | ABOUT / CHAPTERS / WARNINGS

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Oskar

"I appreciate it, Oskar. Don't mind me being on-edge. I'm looking forward to working with you. I guess I expected you to be...I don't know. Scarier?"

Really? Someone doesn't find me intimidating? And of all people...

"Don't you worry. In the meantime, I've left plenty of reading material for you on your desk over there- we'll have to start with the theory before we get to the fun part. Learn the rules before we break half of them. Rest well, Eli- and be ready by six tomorrow morning."

"Six?!"

I laugh to myself and close the door. This'll certainly be an interesting few years for the both of us. I'm trying not to let my concerns into the forefront of my mind. It's only a matter of time before everyone in Henford knows the truth about me anyway...

[Elijah's diary entry]

Today is my first day of my apprenticeship with master woodworker Oskar Nivelheim, from Windenburg, whose family business is well-known amongst collectors and admirers of fine crafts. My father has a fair few dressers and wardrobes with their signature on. Oskar seems friendlier than I expected. I just hope that doesn't change. He looks quite sick, but I didn't want to say anything. I know some people whose apprenticeships ended because their master passed. I hope that doesn't happen.

He's left me with plenty to read- diagrams drawn up by master craftsmen, theory about beauty and art, even a whole book dedicated to different kinds of wood. No idea when I'll find the time to get through it all. Up to ten hours of work a day for five days straight? It sounds exhausting, but maybe it will be fun- especially if he'll be giving me a cut of his earnings. I'm trying to remain hopeful and positive, and trying to think ahead. Maybe I can earn good money on this, and prove to my father that I'm not useless because I don't have magic in my blood. I'll teach him a lesson in not spending fifteen years undermining his own flesh and blood.

Clementia 

No matter how much you pray to the Watcher, there's always that feeling that you haven't prayed enough- that you haven't reflected enough, that you haven't done enough. That constant feeling of 'not enough' is what drives every Jacoban- as well as the Jacoban faith itself.

I hid the book from Shepherd Julian, but in secret, I'd been doing what Reynold does- writing with the Watcher. If Shepherd Julian knew I was taking a leaf out of the Peteran book, I dread to think what he'd say. I don't know what Reynold got out of it, and how it felt for him- but for me, it felt like being watched over by a cruel teacher who I could never please.

Shepherd Julian won't admit it, but he's not getting any younger. He intends to lead the cathedral right up until he draws his last breath, but it still feels like only half the people here would accept me as their new leader. I want to be strong about it. I want to just tell them to suck it up and get with the times, but something is always holding me back. The moment I tell myself I will demand what I deserve, I shrivel up, and I despise it.

The doors slam. It's Alice, holding her hands together in panic. She's usually always in some state of panic, but...never this badly.

"It's late, Alice," I say to her. "Are you okay?"

"Clem- I mean, Clementia- Shepherdess Clementia, I-I-..."

"Don't worry about the formalities. Just tell me what's worrying you."

She's hyperventilating, and I'm starting to get concerned about her.

"Shepherdess Clementia...I seek absolution."

"Absolution? What could you have possibly have done? You wouldn't hurt a fly."

Alice gulps and seems to adjust herself so she takes up less space. "I lied to you, Shepherdess, years ago. I should have told you the truth- they're after me-"

"Quieten down, Alice. Shepherd Julian is sleeping," I say. The real reason I tell her to quieten down is because I think I know exactly what lie she's referring to. He'd probably never hear her from his room through the thick cathedral walls, but I didn't want to take any chances.

"I'm... a witch, Shepherdess- a Practical one. I've been helping the poor these past few years with everything from hygeine to making food for them. With no cunningwoman, the rest of us had to risk ourselves to try and step up to help these people, and stop them from getting sick and dying...No-one can afford Annorin's cures."

She's breaking up into tears as she speaks, clutching onto her head and kneeling. I'd heard a lot about this Annorin the past few years. Reynold tells me he had a hand in chasing a cunningwoman from another country out of Finchwick, fearing for the 'competition' she'd provide.

[aquasoftware]

His baby. ⪩✿⪨

No warnings just Nanami being a dad (fluff) + ML.

Girldad!Kento, who pulls the classic "Go ask your mother." When his daughter wants something but eventually gives in, shaking his head with a slight smile once she brings out the big doe eyes and pleading combo. "I'll see what I can do." He says as he acknowledges her request.

Girldad!Kento, who supports his daughter's little dreams and gives her wads of cash to start her snack business at school, then once she quickly sells out, she finds hidden colorful sticky notes at the bottom in her big tote bag telling her how proud he is.

Girldad!Kento, who teaches his daughter how to save money when he finds out she spent most of her earnings on Doordash and Roblox.

Girldad!Kento, who covers his red face in embarrassment when his daughter dolls him up for a tea party, wearing a comically large powder pink tutu paired with a plastic silver crown as she records tik-toks forcing his two left feet to dance.

Girldad!Kento, who proudly wears his daughter's homemade bracelets that she made from a gifted hobby lobby bracelet kit to work anytime he gets handed a new one, not at all caring about the idiotic snickers he gets from his co-workers. Kento's favorite bracelet that he'll forever keep safe is one that has lettered black and white charms saying "Best dad."

Girldad!Kento, who never gets tired of the crafted macaroni gifts, whether it's on a card for his birthday, a picture frame for Christmas, or a macaroni necklace for Father's Day to him, it's always the thought that counts.

Girldad!Kento, who gets spoiled by his wife and his daughter, receiving two packed lunches for work. He was intensely observant of his daughter's latest interest, which this time became those junior cooking shows eager to try out a new recipe. Yet although it wasn't the best tasting food in the world, he still scarfed down his daughter's cooking as if it were his last meal.

Girldad!Kento, who awakens to the horrified cries of his precious child, begging "Papa, there's a monster in my room; can I sleep with you and mama tonight...?" He couldn't deny that, swiftly enough you both accepted her with open arms in your shared bed.

Girldad!Kento, who encourages his child to do a sport, feeling his heart melt as his little girl picks ballet.

Girldad!Kento, who spam calls you while you're at work so you can guide him through doing makeup for her ballet recitals. "That's the last step? Okay, I promise I'll get some videos for you, honey!" He reassures you, understanding that you don't want to miss a moment.

Girldad!Kento, who humiliates his poor daughter at the recital jumping up and screaming "That's my baby!"

Girldad!Kento, who never misses a PTA meeting or a parent-teacher conference meeting.

Girldad!Kento, who knew no amount of pep talks from you could prepare him for his baby getting her first period, halfway panicking in Walgreens, snatching up every sanitary napkin possible as soon as he got the text, picking her up from school early due to how bad it got getting her favorite comfort food to cheer her up afterwards.

Girldad!Kento, whose heart absolutely shattered hearing the sentence "Papa, I'm way too old for dolls now." What did she mean she was ready to give up Monster High and Barbie's? The saddened blonde refused to let his baby grow up even though he knew he had to.

Girldad!Kento, who almost sheds a tear when he finds out other cruel kids have been picking on her, calling her ugly, so instead of a typical lecture, he gave a warm embrace reminding her how beautiful she is.

Girldad!Kento, who will sob his eyes out at every single graduation, including elementary, middle, high-school, and soon eventually college, needing at least five boxes of tissues to himself at her middle school graduation, not even being able to fathom how he'd handle her high school graduation.

Girldad!Kento, who loves his daughter unconditionally.

8/28/24 11:59pm