#Memory Games

[bardic-inspo]

I’m equally intrigued in you WIPs “Dhampir Dreams” and “Memory Games” 👀✨

Thank you so much for this! 💜😊

[WIP List Ask Game]

Dhampir Dreams started as a sort of poemy stream-of-consciousness thing about Astarion being horny and thinking about how Tav's body would change if/when he got her pregnant. But because of who I am as a person, it now has a heavy helping of angst at the beginning and has turned into more of an introspective Astarion character study. I wanted to explore his thoughts on creating unlife (a vampire) vs. a new life with his love:

Astarion’s never wanted to make another vampire. In the rare moments the notion occurred to him, he shoved it to the far back shelf of his mind so as not to waste himself on an exercise in futility. What did it matter, after all, while Cazador still breathed? Still. Nothing spurs needless yearning like a choice you’re not allowed to make. More than anything, Astarion yearned to see Cazador’s blood pour. In his mind’s eye, he’d watch it pool across the floor, not unlike the way he'd seen so much clothing puddled at so many heels. The lake he’d make of Cazador would be wide enough to swallow the garments of all who’d stripped bare before him. Every sweat-soaked night Astarion found himself bound to another moldering mattress beneath someone else’s weight, rocking through the motions that left his stomach sour, he’d fill his mind with such sweet dreams as Cazador’s death. Whether Cazador would allow Astarion to drink his blood before being relieved of it varied with the fantasy. The dream changed as often as the hands on Astarion’s hips. It mattered little to him, whether Cazador’s end came with true vampirism or not. As long as he ended. 

Memory Games is a multichapter WIP featuring Ascended Astarion and Vampire Bride Tav. They're having a happy time being an evil power couple together. All of that is upended when Tav is targeted by a Modify Memory spell, resetting her memories back to pre-tadpole, before she even met Astarion. Astarion has to re-romance his spouse, explain their vampirism to her in a way that doesn't deal massive psychic damage to them both (they have a telepathic/emotional link as bride/sire), and get to the bottom of who's behind the attack.

I'm mostly in the outlining phase, but I've previewed some bits of this here and over here. Here's some random dialogue dwelling in my notes:

“You were testing my reaction,” she says, shame sinking in her gut with the rise of heat to her cheeks. “No, darling,” Astarion laughs breezily, batting her accusation away as if it were a harmless fly. “but I can’t deny I am truly delighting in it.” “You did this on purpose!” “Oh please,” Astarion sighs. “Pay me just one scrap of faith, won’t you?” “I don’t know you,” Naomi hisses. “But you want to,” he purrs, drawing another step closer while Naomi falls another back. “You want to know what it would be like. To be mine. Sweet thing, you already are. Just say the word and--” Sharpness sinks into Naomi’s palm. The glass shatters in her chokehold, crystal shards pattering across the toes of her shoes.

Astarion’s smirk only swells, the points of his fangs peering past his lips. His gaze grows heady, his whisper reverent. “Mm, Our bond may be muted, my love, but I can read every delectable crime of passion written clear as day on your face.” He leans near enough, Naomi feels the breath he doesn’t need to take tickle her ear. Cool fingers come to tuck her hair behind it. She downs a shiver with a hard swallow.  “Just remember,” he rasps, “it’s your choice to sleep alone.”

Her stomach swoops and settles around a hollow, vacant kind of ache as he leans away and leaves without another word.

[retrogamingloft]

Title Memory, also known as Title Awase, is a puzzle game developed by Konami for the MSX2 home computer system. Released in 1989, the game challenges players to match pairs of identical images from a grid of face-down cards, testing memory and concentration skills.

The game features a variety of themed card sets, each with unique images, adding visual appeal and increasing difficulty as players progress. The objective is to clear the board by successfully matching all pairs within a limited number of moves or time, depending on the selected game mode. This is a digital adaptation of a very popular card game in real life, often referred to as "Concentration" or "Memory," which has been enjoyed for generations in various forms worldwide.

Unlike many other adaptations, Title Memory is multiplayer-only, offering options for 2, 3, or 4-player games. In the video uploaded, you’ll find exactly that. I started playing against my eldest kid, and the other two progressively joined, first turning it into a 3-player game and eventually a 4-player game, creating a fun and playful family challenge.

While not as widely known as some of Konami's other MSX titles, Title Memory holds a place in the MSX library as a charming and challenging puzzle game that showcases the system's capabilities in both graphics and sound.

[bugbeast]

Update 10/07/2023: Well, the first review went up awhile back now; you can read my thoughts on it here. TL;DR is that I'm generally happy and in agreement with it. I'm still waiting on another review, but Ive already started improving the game based on this feedback. Namely, I've included downloadable rules on the shop page that are more legible than the novelty retro text of the rule booklet. I still have more plans for my little game and I hope to have more news soon!

- Original Post -

Jewel Thief is an asymmetrical, competitive card-matching game I designed with help from a relative (TheAfterGloe; he makes music! Check him out, please). It is my precious child and will be receiving two reviews in the future and I am soooo nervous and excited and anxious and-

Anyway, the game works similar to the memory match games you may have played as a kid (or maybe you still do, if so that’s cool, maybe you’ll like this then) except while one player matches cards, another player (the titular Jewel Thief) periodically removes cards from the board. There’s also three other rule variations that mix up the gameplay substantially, but I won’t get into that right now.

The game is available for purchase, and while I’d love for you to buy my game, you should probably wait for the reviews to come out. It might suck!

BUT, if you’d like to try the game it’s possible to play with a standard 52-card deck and I’ve included the rules on how to do that below.

The other three rule variations could also probably be played with a standard deck, I just need to write rules for that. I may update this post in the future with those variations. Until then:

Peace

If you'd like to buy it you can find it here.

[arconinternet]

Look Sharp! (ZX Spectrum, Gordon Askew/Widgit Software, 1984)

You can play both parts of it (the Old MacDonald part in Dutch) in your browser here.

[ikiyou]

Chuuya Week 2023 - Coming of Age

@chuuyaweek2023​

[apwtstationery]

Printable Animal Match Game  (Volume 2) - From APWT Stationery

Match the Picture to the Word - includes (10) Different Animal Cards, (20) Cards Total - Just purchase, download, and print

[friendshipservicesandhomecare]

As our loved ones age, maintaining cognitive function becomes increasingly important. Engaging seniors in stimulating activities can significantly benefit their memory. One effective approach is through home care services in Clinton Township, Michigan, which often incorporate memory-enhancing activities into their routines. These activities can include puzzles, memory games, and storytelling sessions that not only provide mental challenges but also promote social interaction, which is vital for emotional well-being.

[lifecareproviders]

Maintaining mental stimulation is crucial in dementia care, significantly enhancing the quality of life for those affected. As a provider of home care in Beverly Hills, California, we understand the profound impact that engaging activities can have on individuals with dementia. By incorporating various cognitive exercises and social interactions, caregivers can help slow the progression of the disease and improve overall well-being.

[theoldaeroplane]

worried that thing you put in your art or writing or game or music is too self-indulgent, too self-referential, too niche for anyone but yourself? fear not! you can do whatever you want forever. and you should.

[drconstellation]

Oh he definitely remembers both Furfur and Saraqael. He's playing power games here, but two different ones.

The one with Furfur is interesting, and I did a post about it here. It has some interesting implications for S3 around possible betrayal, and the iteration of the King Arthur/Camelot theme that is lurking in the background. Recall there is an odd out-of-place Agnes Nutter prophecy that might be related to this as well, peeps. Ah - this one:

Prophecy 3011: "The exer... and churches be laid open to ... oppressed shall prevail, and oppose the cruelty of foreigners. For a Boar of Cornwall shall give his assistance, and trample their necks under his feet."

Not sure exactly what it means, a but apparently the "Boar of Cornwall" relates to King Arthur. In the dressing room scene, Furfur is Arthur, the one being betrayed in the love-triangle. This accounts for some of his bitterness, but yes, he is also bitter at Crowley's professional success - which then raises a whole bunch of other questions connected to the conversation Crowley has with Beelzebub in S2E1 on the two thrones, or even just deepens the implications that one gets out of that conversation there.

The interaction with Saraqael links her with the dark horse theme. in S2. While there are big arrows pointing to Aziraphale being a "dark horse," there are other minor dark horses doing odd things here and there, such as the Marley horse statue in the book shop and the Dirty Donkey pub. I think most meta writers have settled on Saraqael being a helping hand in Heaven in an unexpected way in S3. Look how they helped Crowley, by not setting the alarms off that he was there and letting him see what he essentially came to find out - the only alarms that were set off were by Aziraphale doing his halo toss back on Earth.

The gravity conversation is pure forgetfulness, it was so long ago. Forgive him that one, at least.

Crowley’s Memory of Saraqael and Furfur

There’s a distinct parallel to be drawn from Crowley’s interactions with both Saraqael and Furfur. Both times, Crowley pretends that he doesn’t know who they are. Both times, the opposite party explains who they are to him in detail. But what are the differences?

Furfur. Furfur comes into the dressing room with just Crowley and Aziraphale. He tells Aziraphale that they’ve never met, but Crowley has met him. Furfur explains to Crowley that they were in the same legion before the Fall. Crowley says that he remembers going into battle, but not going into battle with Furfur. Furfur becomes agitated and explains how they fought together. Then says that it doesn’t matter, because Crowley broke the Infernal Code by consorting with an angel. Then the rest of the scene ensues. But why did Crowley say that he didn’t remember Furfur?

It was the only power that Crowley could show in the situation. If he lashed out immediately then Furfur knows for certain that he’s guilty. If Crowley acts like he doesn’t remember Furfur then it could be plausible that he didn’t know that Aziraphale was an angel. It’s plausible deniability. His status in Hell also helps with this. From what we know the lower demons wants to be him and the higher demons are annoyed by him. The lower demons know that he gets to work on Earth, almost for himself, but the higher ups don’t like that he acts indifferent and can be quite arrogant. So when Furfur comes saying that he’s broken some rules, Too Cool For Hell-Crowley starts answering, “Who are you? I can’t even remember who you are. How was I supposed to know he was an angel? Who cares?”

Saraqael. The first thing that Saraqael does is answer Crowley’s question to Muriel about Gabriel’s trial which he hadn’t even started to ask yet. They say his chosen name and then say that they didn’t think that they would ever see him again(not too affectionately but not hateful either). Crowley says that he doesn’t know them and it seems genuine. Saraqael says ‘when you were an angel; we worked together on the Horsehead Nebula.’ During this statement, they’re almost smiling, but then he answers that he meets a lot of people whilst laughing, and this annoys them(similar to Gabriel later). But did he actually remember them or not? If he doesn’t, why pretend?

I think Crowley remembers who they are after they mention the Horsehead Nebula. Simply, because he laughs. At first, he looked like there was a blank, but of course, a nebula would trigger his memory. If he remembers them or not, he has two options: tell them he knows them or tell them he doesn’t. Pretending that he remembered them would maybe give Saraqael a reason to trust him. If they trust him, maybe they will let him look at the file anyway. If he does the opposite, pretend he doesn’t know them(or maybe he really didn’t), then it almost looks more honest and trustworthy. For some reason, most of the angels don’t take the time to remember them whether Crowley knows that or not, up for debate. But if he really wanted to get into the file, then wouldn’t the best way to be making a friend like he did with Aziraphale? But for some reason, he knows that it isn’t. Because I really do think that if he had told them that he had remembered, they wouldn’t have believed him. I think either way, they were going to let him into the file. The archangels believed that Crowley and Aziraphale had more information. Yes, he got himself into the file and all that, but Saraqael didn’t try to smite him, and that means that he chose right.

Between these two interactions, Crowley acts very differently to the two people involved. To Furfur, he acts indifferent, but also agitated. He’s wearing his hat to his brow with his glasses on and he keeps his legs turned away from him. To Saraqael, he looks them in the eyes with glasses that are quite light, comparatively. He doesn’t turn away and he stays engaged. He even laughs. The first thing that Furfur brings up the War and the Fall. Two things I don’t believe Crowley likes to remember. The first thing Saraqael does is answer questions and reminds him about stars(some of Crowley’s favorite things). They don’t bring up the War or the Fall or even Eden. They bring up the fact that they worked together on the stars. I think he respected them for that.

So does he remember them? I think so. I think maybe that he was drawing a blank on Saraqael, because from what we see in Before The Beginning, Crowley was very absorbed in his work. So he might would need some specifics to help him out. Furfur, on the other hand, he might not have remembered, because he blocked him out, because he tried to block the Fall and the War out. Either way, it was plausible deniability on his part. My main reason for his memory being intact(perfect?no) is Muriel and Gabriel. When Gabriel is in the bookshop with just Crowley, they talked about gravity and he said that it seemed like a good idea when “we” were all talking about it. He also knows Muriel’s rank and class without them ever mentioning it prior. He also knows exactly what their job entails. He also remembers where Gabriel was pulling those lines from when he would “wake” up. Crowley seems like he has a handle on his memories. Now, could there be something wrong with them or did something happen to them? Were they fixed? Maybe, he walled some of them off like humans do. Either way, I’m excited to find out.

[killerinstinctgold]

[kombio]

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[ionlydrinkhotwater]

I think nothing really speaks to Neil's complex character the way Nora's answer to someone asking what's Neil's favorite memories are in the EC does where she said that both coming home from a run to find Andrew napping with their cats and Riko being shot in the head are some of his top favorites.

That's Neil/Nathaniels favorite thing: domestic bliss and the violent death of his enemies

[toxiccaves]

I like Link’s new weird dog

[chiangyorange]

the chain but on a scale of who says hooray yippee and wahoo

is this anything.

[eternvlsound]

PlayStation 2 Ocean Blue (2002)