#Old Villedor

[playitagainmyjohnny]

[tafferling]

Dying of the Light

Dying Light 2 | Sunset over Old Villedor

[killershushikk]

I reeeeaaally want to draw something for Halloween event that @dicktat arranged but my studying is holding me by my very balls so I thought to make a recap post of my supernatural AU’s

Im still gonna draw something because I just looove the idea and my skill got better hehe looking at my old art hurts my eyes

The VampireHunter AU:

Basically Aiden is a VampireHunter who was tracking vampires and it leads him to Villedor when he is turned into werewolf so naturally Hakon became his friend(lover)(sorry) then turns out to be vampire (their key moment for me is the betrayal sorry again)

Angel and demon AU:

Aiden goes to earth to find his fallen sister Mia, takes the role of a local priest and the rest is history

[kylecrane]

So what do we know?

[FAQ summarized from the Official Discord - link]

Is this the Dying Light 2 DLC? And what is it?

It started out as the (leaked) DLC2, but has since grown into its own self-contained adventure, slash, game with yours truly (as it should) as the (dashing) protagonist. We're expected to see new toys to play with (gameplay features) and it'll be around 18+ hours long.

How do I get it?

If you have Dying Light 2's Ultimate Edition you will get it at no cost at all. Small print (actually, it was full sized): Techland will stop selling the Ultimate Edition and Ultimate Upgrade by September 30, 2024.

When will it come out? How much will it be?

No release date yet, nor a price.

Who do I play as?

This handsome fella. *preens*

But supposedly you do not need to have played Dying Light (1 or 2). I disagree, everyone should play Dying Light (1 and 2).

How big is the game?

Not too long. Not too short. Just right. Around 18 to 20 hours.

What about new features?

It'll still be open world (tightly crafted, they say, I hope for unique environments) and with variety. And *inhales* CARS, FUCKING FINALLY.

Oh and new weapons and enemies but, you know. Cars.

Where are we going?

We're not in Villedor anymore, Toto.

We're in Castor Woods, which is (*clears throat, quotes*) home to a national park with mountains, forests, fields and swamps, small villages, industrial complexes and the touristy Old Town, which is perfect for parkour. The new location is densely packed and tightly-crafted with lots of mysteries to uncover.

10/10, would escape into again.

When are we going?

As in, when is this taking place, not when is it released-

We pick up after the events of Dying Light 2.

What platform can I pay on?

PC, and current and old gen consoles, like Xbox and Playstation.

How is Dying Light: The Beast different from Dying Light and Dying Light 2?

It's still Dying Light, but we've got a new country-side style environment and a bunch new features. The goal seems to be to make it feel unique among the other installments.

Can I earn achievements in it?

Yes.

Some links

Official Site Official Discord

Taff: I kept my speculations out of this, this is just stuff that they've got documented.

[dicktat]

*grabbie hands* gimme the greek myth au, who’s who in the pantheon???👀👀

Hiiiiiiiiii I’m glad you asked!!!

I think I touched on this silly topic a while ago with you and it’s brief for now but really you can add to it!!!

So far we got:

Aiden/Hermes: this one is simple this boy runs fast and he’s such an icon, he’d be running around doing errands and being a little agent of chaos. And guess what? His other job is sending human spirits to Hades and spoiler! That’s his old man. Yes I’m shoving my Aiden Waltz bio son agenda here too.

Hakon/Aphrodite: because of course. He’s got four wives and no one fits his title better. Also imagine him wearing something like this. With luscious braided hair and the pretties eyes able to make anyone weak for him.

Lawan/Artemis: need I explain further with her and her stupid crossbow?

Waltz/Hades: let’s be real I’m a hades apologist, this man is the most unproblematic amongst the few options here and I think the renegades as faction is very fitting when it comes to underworldly aesthetics

Vincenzo/Hephaestus: forging! Also he needs more love, he’s fucking awesome

Sophie/Athena: she always strikes me as the intelligent type, and I can see her with very silky blonde hair in this au wearing something like this

Barney/Ares: I know you’re here for your boy so I have to include him. I’m choosing ares because of his brash and unpredictable personality and how that little rascal is eager to start a war in Villedor.

Aitor/Poseidon: okay this is mainly because of that one thing in Greek mythology where Poseidon and Athena fights each other for the role of protector for a city named “Athens” and yes can you guess where I’m going with this. It’s uncannily similar to what the game is about, plus the fact Poseidon sending a flood to punish the city is also similar to PK attacks. And he’s blue lol.

Juan/Dionysus: honestly? The idea that started this whole au. This role just fits him perfectly and I’d say he’d wear something like this

Rowe/Apollo: this is me bringing my headcanons into this but I see Lawan and him being very brother and sister like so call me biased tho I’m still going with this. Ironically he’s terrible at singing and perfect for the role of god of music/j

I also have other ideas which I haven’t finalized. Like I would like to add either Demeter or Thanatos, and possible Thalia. This is an incredibly self indulgent au with a lot of stupid headcanons but I’m hoping you’re enjoying this so far and if anyone is remotely interested with this please please please send me asks or add on to it. For real I would love to actually make this into a thing with more characters that anyone can enjoy!

[rahimaldemir]

Is this DLC2 to Dying Light 2 Stay Human?

It initially started during our work on DLC2, but a story leak made us rethink the narrative, the scope and the general approach. When we decided to make Kyle Crane the hero of Dying Light: The Beast, it gave us a powerful boost of inspiration. Like many of you, we really wanted to bring Kyle back to do justice to the hero of Harran. That's how Dying Light: The Beast was born - a self contained zombie survival adventure offering a new setting, new set of gameplay features and new story, culminating in a standalone, 18+ hours adventure.

I have Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Ultimate Edition and I was promised a story DLC as part of the package - will I get it?

We are grateful to our community that supported us since the launch of Dying Light 2 and has been patient with us. To show our appreciation, we will be offering Dying Light: The Beast at no extra cost to all owners of the Dying Light 2 Ultimate Edition. We hope that upgrading your experience from a story DLC to a full standalone game will make up for the time you have been waiting.

Does it mean I can get Dying Light: The Beast via buying Dying Light Stay Human Ultimate Edition or Ultimate Upgrade?

Yes, we will be offering Dying Light: The Beast at no extra cost to all owners of the Dying Light 2 Stay Human Ultimate Edition. However, we will stop selling Ultimate Edition and Ultimate Upgrade by September 30, 2024. Everyone who owns Ultimate Edition by that time will be eligible to receive Dying Light: The Beast at no extra cost.

What is the launch date and how much will the game cost?

While we haven’t announced the release date and price just yet, we’re approaching the point of content completion and will share this info as soon as we are ready.

Who do I play as?

You play as Kyle Crane, the man whose selflessness during the initial virus outbreak saved many from a fate worse than death. But if you’ve never played Dying Light before, this standalone adventure presents a great introduction to the franchise.

How big is the game?

Our goal has been to find the sweet spot between it being too short and too long so instead of overwhelming players with scale, it will offer a rich, concentrated gaming experience - like a double shot of espresso! Right now we are looking at around 18-20 hours of thrilling survival action.

What new gameplay features will we experience in Dying Light: The Beast?

In Dying Light: The Beast you play as Kyle Crane, the long-lost hero from the original Dying Light game. You explore a tightly crafted new open world set in the countryside - with lots of variety and new 4x4 vehicles to expand movement options. We’re also adding new and deadlier enemies and new weapons.

Where does the game take place?

Dying Light: The Beast is a thrilling zombie survival adventure set in a rural region. The open world of Dying Light: The Beast is different to the urban setting of Villedor. The valley of Castor Woods is home to a national park with mountains, forests, fields and swamps, small villages, industrial complexes and the touristy Old Town, which is perfect for parkour. The new location is densely packed and tightly-crafted with lots of mysteries to uncover.

On which platforms will the game be available?

The game will be released on PC, current and old gen consoles - Xbox and Playstation.

When, in relation to Dying Light 1 and Dying Light 2 Stay Human, DL: The Beast is happening?

The story of the original Dying Light took place in 2015, while Dying Light 2 was set in 2036. The story of the Dying Light: The Beast begins right after the events of Dying Light 2 Stay Human, which is over 20 years after the events of the original Dying Light.

How does Dying Light: The Beast differ from Dying Light 1 and Dying Light 2 Stay Human?

In Dying Light: The Beast, there are many new elements, including a new countryside-environment that we haven’t seen in any Dying Light games before.The game also brings a bunch of new gameplay features, like 4x4 vehicles and new weapons. Although Dying Light: The Beast will feel unique, you will find that the core elements that make Dying Light special are still present.

Will Dying Light: The Beast have achievements?

Yes, Dying Light: The Beast is a new standalone game and will offer a set of its own achievements.

—via the official Dying Light discord server

[kr9vorebeazt]

Everyone's #1 manwhore in Villedor

Drew this in my first sketchbook(my old sketchbooks are just notebooks)

Edit: I forgot to add more stuffs that i add before + i add him a harness cuz it's hot

[sunset-synthetica]

DL1 is a great game whose one main issue is the story. The gameplay is well balanced, and the parkour aspects can be tough at first but you can adapt. The story feels short and flat, predictable, and you'd expect DL2, to fix it, which it doesn't.

DL2's story is filled with plot holes, inconsistencies, just flat out lack of attention to detail and the devs just going "eh I don't feel like doing that" with so many things it's fascinating. Choosing a side doesn't do shit as far as the main story is concerned.

The staggering amounts of needlessly cut content and constant, and I do mean CONSTANT shifts in what the game was supposed to be during development made this worse, but didn't cause all the problems.

Just the map feels inorganic. DL1's slums were great due to the different levels the game would take you through. The starting point, the Tower and its surroundings, have relatively low buildings closely together, allowing inexperienced and low-level players to be eased into the parkour aspect rather than just dropped in head first. What's more, there are hills, bodies of water, unique buildings- landmarks that aren't necessary to the main quests that make the world feel alive. Harran is a living, breathing city with a history and a reason to be the way it is, split between absolute poverty and fancy, modern buildings that most of its native population won't ever visit.

Old Villedor is flat and hastily constructed with every building looking the same, except for when the storyline demands you to go somewhere and do something, in which case you'll get a tower or maybe a church. Everything is level and thus boring.

The movement, while fine in most part, lacks in climbing. DL1's parkour was janky, rough but with great flow. You could feel Crane fighting for his life when he just barely grabbed onto a ridge or jumped up while climbing.

DL2 aims for a more fluid, floaty feeling, which doesn't work well when you start climbing and Aiden constantly pauses in nonsensical places, or starts going down instead of up or grabbing onto random shit when you want him to jump. I don't actually have a problem with the different direction for what it's supposed to feel like, it's just not done well in some areas.

This brings me onto one of my main issues gameplay wise. The fucking key bind combinations.

See, in DL1, all you needed apart from the standard movement buttons was C, E and B, with the combinations required for certain tasks not overlapping. Run, jump, press E, and you get a kick. Jump, press LMB, you smash an enemy head in.

DL2 makes you do a whole series of tricks before letting you just stomp an enemy's head. Instead of having a specific weapon type for a 360° attack, you press LMB and Tab at the same time (???) and maybe you get it right. You need Tab, Ctrl, C, E, often in weird combinations in incredibly specific moments that make it feel tedious.

The skill tree is poorly balanced. Instead of adding a lot of passive abilities, or affecting your crafting/bartering system, most of DL2's unlockable skills add an active skill. It quickly becomes overwhelming.

DL2 fails because it changes things that didn't require it, and keeps the issues from the first game. DL1's graphics, for a game that's 8 years old, hold up spectacularly well. The world feels alive and moving. The game is terrifying at times, and even during the day, it's eerie to see everything just stopped in time. Shops are open and their signs are on, posters welcome you to Harran, the Stuffed Turtle is still blaring its tune.

Of course, with the large time-skip, DL2 is going to have a different atmosphere, but seeing survivors on every corner while you're lucky to find a group of more than 5 zombies at once takes away from that lonely, uneasy feeling. I've found that the fear and panic of the first game turns into simple stress in the sequel- and not the fun kind. The night-time chases are boring, because there's random safe points strewn about the map, and the removal of the look back while you run feature doesn't help. The new volatile designs also just don't hit the same imo. The red, visceral aspect of the original designs is much more interesting than the grayish skin in DL2.

[hakonpencari-cintasejati]

After playing Dying Light 2 for a month, here are my complaints for the game :

-The lack of triggering scenarions and face expressions from the NPCs, yes this including Hakon. I remember this scene where Aiden felt nausea while talking to Frank about them would go to meet the Colonel. He turned back and happened to pass Hakon who was standing with his arms rested on his chest the left side of the room (you know which). He indeed looked at you (Aiden) but he didn't say anything and his expression was blatantly blank, didn't affect him at all. He should react and ask "Aiden, kid, you look pale! You alright?" etc. I was disappointed when it didn't happen at all. I think there was Juan there. AND NICHOLAS! He should have commented too. I observe he is also the survivor who is concerned about Aiden's well being.

-The Fish Eye, after the first missile strike (the SURVIVING one), nothing significant changed with the view, ambience of the place. There should be some people rushed to aid and save their asses. Preparing medic, food, no drunkwards... same with Central City. It will be possible to spot one or two ambulances to pick up the civilians in need. Nothing the motherfucker Peacekeepers did in this scene. Ain't no way some soldiers no hearing through the radio that Frank warned the survivors about the missile attack. Thus, Peacekeepers should be busy helping civilians whether get into action or helping in the logistics part. Then, (the NOT SURVIVING one) could be improved except good job for already making the Fish Eye a mess. This is mandatory, but improvement could fill the emptiness.

-I like the activity of healing in Dying Light 1 and Following and it is much better. I love scavanging food to eat and it will add Kyle's health bar. Unlike in 2, it is very.... boring. However, props for the dev who recommended to add night time cuz i say!! I say it is challenging.

-The zombies were GONE in the cutscenes where Steve and that bald man drove Aiden to their destinations. Where are the zombies, man??!? They don't want to watch the drama between and involving those living human beings??!?

-No guns, yeah. This is why many people, including me, favored the bows and that gift from Peacekeepers if the player gives the fourth faction to them. Don't count the gun you have to craft from scraps. That shit never last longs.

-This is an INDIVIDUAL preference (i see you), but it would be nice if Hakon amused Aiden through the walky-talky like Pagan Min did to Ajay Ghale. Their interactions in the game what made me feel less lonely and it would be nice if Hakon did the same to Aiden. He likes rambling nonsense, like Pagan Min, right? That will work! (and it will ends after that cutscene of Hakon got shot by an arrow) For example :

Hakon : "What should i eat today? Canned sweet corns🌽 or red beans🥣?"

Aiden : "Sweet corns are much better."

.

.

Hakon : *some time later in the evening* "Bet the sky above you is uglier than mine here."

Aiden : *in the Old Villedor running errand* "Hakon, we are looking up to the same view of the sky!!! Jesus!!"

Hakon : "Really?"

This applies with Lawan with Aiden after they enter Central City. But, knowing Lawan's characteristics i can't say much. This is why i find it nice in the side mission called Aitor Aiden called Lawan for advice and such.

-Frozen screens💀 But, luckily i only encountered.... five? Yeah, not much. Still, looking forward of this being gone.

I say it again one more time, where did these motherfucking Peacekeepers when we are in need?!?! Especially after the first missile attack?! And yet they have the audacity to claim the whole Villedor under their rule if we pretty mucb side with them? Developers, you missed this important detail.

[playitagainmyjohnny]

[tafferling]

Dying Light 2 | Old Villedor | a foggy morning

[spanishsenpai]

Whumptober 2024 - Day 3

I'm not a day behind, you're a day behind. Don't look at me!

Hisssss

Read it on AO3 if you'd rather! :D

“Alright boys, it's just up ahead,” Aitor called, putting his machete away as they approached the bridge leading up to an intact freeway overpass. Bridge was a generous description for the hastily welded metal sheet walkway and brittle wooden framing. Aitor hadn’t been a part of the briefing of the first mission here with the squad who’d actually built the thing. Jack Matt had simply said it wasn’t important and the bridge was stable. Looking at it now, Aitor was having his doubts.

“Yeah, I don’t know about this,” Corporal Barrett piped up. The rest of the squad looked equally uneasy as they approached the structure.

The bridge was steep, shoddily made, and would likely fall apart during its first rainstorm. Going back without scouting out the overpass was out of the question though. Aitor resisted the sigh that wanted to escape him. Why the fuck had the first squad left the bridge in this state? Hadn’t the Pilgrim been on that squad? He wasn’t the type to leave a job half finished like this.

“It's fine. The Major wouldn't have sent us if it wasn’t usable.” Aitor put a boot down on the edge of it, testing his weight on the metal. 

He looked back at the squad and was met with uneasy looks.

“Aitor, that thing’s one breath from falling apart.”

“I’m not taking a step on that death trap.”

“Will it even hold us?”

“Quiet!” Aitor snapped. “I’ll go up first and the rest of you will follow. If it can handle me it can handle any of you. Understand?”

He received an unconfident round of agreements. Honestly, he didn’t blame them. If he didn’t know how badly Jack Matt wanted this overpass to lead outside the city, he wouldn’t risk it either. The Major wanted answers and Aitor was still trying to make up for the complete mess in Old Villedor.

He stepped onto the bridge, careful at first. The metal sagged more than he’d like but it held. There were supports in the middle at least. If it were going to fall apart it would surely happen while he wasn’t very high off the ground. He could feel the eyes of his squad on him as he put his full weight on the bridge and began to walk up. He tried to keep his steps confident but the metal was smooth. The tread of his boots barely gripped the damn surface. Aitor was highly aware that one slip would make them unwilling to go up.

To his shock, he got halfway up before it started to make worrying creaking noises. Aitor paused for a second to let the metal settle. He was too far from the roof they’d used as a basis for the bridge to jump back if it collapsed and the ground was far below him. Aitor resisted the curses on the tip of his tongue. 

The metal fell silent again after only a minute though and Aitor continued. The walkway was still too flimsy for his liking but when his feet fell on the overpass, he heard whoops behind him from his squad. With it deemed safe enough by their lieutenant, they weren’t going to be outdone.

“One at a time!” Aitor called down to them. “It’ll hold, but not all at once.”

Aitor couldn’t help but be tense as they made their way up after him. Each creak forced him to suppress a wince. It took half an hour to get most of the squad up. The last was Sergeant Hussain who’d grown impatient waiting his turn.

“Slower!” Aitor barked. “Go too fast and that thing’ll collapse under you.”

Hussain didn’t show he’d heard. Aitor scoffed. There was nothing he could do at this point though other than to be ready to try and catch the Sergeant if the bridge fell away.

Creak

“The hell?” Hussain managed to say before the bridge creaked again, louder this time. 

Aitor’s eyes went wide. “Move Sergeant! Move!”

He’d been frozen but at Aitor’s call, he scrambled up the now shaking bridge. Aitor reached out just as Hussain lunged for the overpass. Metal fell away under his boots just as Aitor got his hands on the Sergeant’s body armor, using his momentum to throw him onto the overpass. A moment passed before they all heard the slam of the metal hitting the ground below.

“Fucking hell.”

“Nice going, Hussain. How the fuck are we getting back down?”

“Hey! I almost died asshat! Why don’t you-”

“Knock it off!” Aitor snapped, standing from where he’d been looking at the damage to the bridge. “We can find supplies up here to repair it enough to get back down. Focus up; we’re stuck until then.”

He received a chorus of ‘yes, sirs’, though Hussain and Clark continued to glare at each other, making vague threatening hand gestures.

“Good. Hussain, Barrett, head left. Clark, Price, take the right. Check for structural damage up here. Call out anything that doesn’t seem right.”

Now that he was looking, the overpass was impressive. It was a four lane instead of the standard two. There were cars piled up as well as the same buses in the city itself. It was all very normal if you didn’t count the incredible overgrowth. It was practically a forest with trees scattered between the vehicles. Aitor could only guess the chemicals had mutated them to make them grow so big so quickly. Between most of the trees was a thick vine they had seen from below. Aitor hadn’t expected this level of growth though. There were only small patches of concrete every few meters. Soon enough, the squad were in waist high plants, cutting through it with machetes and axes.

Aitor was cutting his own path when a sound made him pause. Up this high it might only be the wind but if it wasn’t... “Hang on!” Aitor called. Immediately, the squad stopped in their tracks. He listened hard as everyone grew quiet. At first there was only the wind. Then, he heard it again. 

A series of clicks, rapidly growing in volume. 

His eyes went wide. “Back up! Get back!”

Too late. A blur burst out of the overgrowth and slammed straight into Corporal Price. Her cry was drowned by the terrible screech of the biggest banshee Aitor had ever seen. Clark quickly slammed his hammer into the banshee’s side, sending it flying. Aitor looked long enough to see him pull Price to her feet before the banshee screeched again, pulling his gaze to it. 

He barely had enough time to throw himself to the side as it threw itself at him. Barrett and Hussain were on it before he could react, charging with weapons raised. 

The banshee leapt to its feet and pounced on Hussain, stopping his attack as he was thrown to the ground. 

“Back off!” Aitor ordered. “It’s too strong! We need to attack it all at once!”

The squad were too caught up in the fight. Aitor growled as they continued to attack one and two at a time. They managed to knock the banshee off each other but that didn’t stop the damage the force of the attacks was doing to the squad. Aitor had no choice. He jumped in, trying to time his attack with as many of the others as he could and barking orders that fell on deaf ears.

They were panicking and Aitor couldn’t refocus them. What they fuck could he do?

“Where are they?”

Aiden slammed the door open as he marched into Jack Matt’s office.

“Aiden,” Jack Matt said as he turned to face the Pilgrim. “To what do I-”

“Cut the bullshit.” Aiden stalked closer, rage burning in his eyes as he pointed an accusing finger at the other man. “You sent them out there! I told you that bridge wouldn’t hold.”

Jack Matt’s face turned steely. “That’s none of your concern, Aiden. My men knew what they were getting into when they went on this mission.”

“You lost a whole squad the first time. Are you really willing to lose another?”

“It takes. What. It. Takes.” Matt’s voice put a hard emphasis on each word. 

Aiden scoffed in disbelief. “I’m going out there! You better hope they aren’t dead already!” He was out of the room before Major Matt could respond. He didn’t need to hear anymore from the man.

He ran as fast as he could between air vents, doing anything to get to that cursed bridge. He’d killed the thing that had attacked them last time but who knows what else could be there. They could be dead already. 

He could see it on his final launch in the air. His eyes narrowed as he also saw the squad fighting something big and fast. Why hadn’t they run back down to stable ground? 

Oh. That’s why.

The top of the bridge was missing the walkway. They were trapped. 

Aiden cursed under his breath and quickly landed at the roof with the base of the bridge. A scream made him pause. He looked up just in time to see a Peacekeeper fly off the edge of the overpass. Aiden looked away before he could see them land but still winced as he heard the thud. The death spurred him to sprint up the bridge, not caring that it wobbled dangerously under him. He leapt across the missing piece, scrambling up the concrete onto the overpass. 

He was just in time to watch a big ass banshee throw another Peacekeeper into Aitor, sending both sliding a few meters through the vines. The banshee pounced, landing on the two Peacekeepers. Aitor cried out, trying to kick at the thing with Clark’s unconscious body holding him down. Their combined weight was making Aitor all too aware that he’d landed on something and it was sending agony up his back. Any movement made the pain ten times worse. The banshee was clawing at his face though. It was all he could do to bring his arms up to block the attacks. Each hit seemed to rattle his bones, sending a deepening ache up his arms. He could only hope his bracer would hold up to the onslaught long enough for a squad member to get up.

Aiden roared, pulling the banshee’s attention. It screeched as Aiden’s body suddenly slammed into it, sending both rolling into the thicker vines. 

Aitor gasped as the movement jostled whatever had surely pierced his skin. Whatever it was was fully under him, making him unable to investigate with Clark still on him. He tried to push at the Sergeant's body so he could sit up. 

“Fuck!” Aitor cried, arms falling limp like they were made of jelly. Any movement of his torso made the wound burn hot with pain. His breath was coming in rapid pants as he struggled to get air in his lungs. How was he supposed to breathe with all this pressure on his chest?

Why was it so quiet?

Aitor hadn’t even noticed when he’d shut his eyes, bracing against the pain that was only growing. Hands on him had them flying back open though.

“Aitor! Hey, wake up!” Aiden called above him.

Clark’s body was suddenly lifted off him and Aitor took a deep breath that he immediately cut off with a choked gasp. His shaking hand flew to his lower back where the pain was coming from. He pressed against it, desperate for some sort of relief. A yelp was pushed from his throat while his hand flinched away like he’d burned himself. Don’t touch it. Don’t fucking touch it

“Are you hurt? Where is it?” Aiden was on him again. The Pilgrim snatched his wrist and cursed at the red he saw staining Aitor’s glove. He ripped the vines away from where they were curled close to Aitor’s body, eyes going wide as he saw more red shining on the dark green leaves. He couldn’t see the wound but Aitor’s shirt was quickly becoming soaked with blood.

“Shit, don’t move.” Aiden said, trying to keep his voice even. 

“...The …Th-The banshee-” Aitor gasped, attempting to sit up to look around. Aiden was quick to push him back.

“It’s dead. Now stop doing that.” There was nothing Aiden could do with Aitor laying on his back though. He didn’t want to move Aitor in case this was a spinal injury but it was either take the risk or let him bleed out. “Okay, I’m going to help you turn on your side. I can’t see what’s causing the bleeding.”

Aitor gave a stiff nod to show he’d heard. His hands were gripped tightly on his vest while his face was pale. Aiden glanced to the side, seeing Aitor’s boots grinding weakly against the foliage.

“Brace yourself.” Aiden placed a hand on Aitor’s arm while the other went behind his shoulder. He pushed, lifting his right side off the ground. Aitor couldn’t hold back the stream of breathless curses leaving him. Carefully he eased Aitor onto his side, giving a sharp curse as the damage became apparent.

Sticking out of his lower back was a piece of metal. It was a few inches wide and had managed to stab into Aitor where his vest didn’t cover him. His shirt was soaked in blood and as he was turned, the blood began to drip down the metal onto the ground.

“Fuck. Okay. Okayokayokay,” Aiden rambled. He didn’t know how deep the metal was. He didn’t even know if it had pierced something life threatening or was close to doing so.

“Wh… What…?” Aitor asked, sounding weaker now. His breathing had picked up into shorter pants.

“It's a piece of metal. It must have been hiding under all the vines. I don’t… I don’t think it hit anything vital.” Aiden was lying through his teeth. It wouldn’t help anyone if they were both freaking out over it though. “What… What should I do?”

Aitor took a deep breath, cringing but not crying out. Slowly he began to turn over further, drawing his knees up closer. “‘M gonna get up. Nothing else to do.” Aiden was relieved when Aitor’s voice came stronger, though still tense.

“Okay.” Aiden’s hands hovered nervously around the Lieutenant as he began to shakily stand. “I’ve got you,” he assured as Aitor wobbled. Aiden quickly put one of his arms across his shoulders, slouching a little so the shorter man didn’t have to stretch up. “How’s that?”

He received a nod. Aitor lifted his head, half lidded eyes searching the overpass. 

“Where’s… Where’s my squad?”

Aiden pointed to an abandoned car with three bodies propped up against it. “They’re alive.”

Aitor suddenly took a few steps, barking out a pained sound but staying up as Aiden rushed to follow. His eyes had focused on them. “Where’s… Hussain?”

“Hussain?” Aiden looked back at the three bodies he’d gathered. 

The image of the one PK flying off the overpass came to mind. “He… There’s nothing we can do for him now.”

Aitor looked like he wanted to question him further but as he looked at Aiden’s face, brows furrowed and mouth set in a grim line, he decided Aiden must be right.

“Help… me over there,” he grit out. His hand patted at his leg pocket. Aiden glanced back at him, understanding dawning on him as Aitor pulled out a radio set to a PK frequency. 

“This is… This is Aitor. Requesting medical at the overpass... Make it quick.”

Once within a meter of the squad, Aitor broke away from Aiden. He managed a couple shaky steps before his knees crumpled. His hand flew to his side, gripping, but not getting too close to the actual injury as he groaned.

“Hey! Hey easy!” Aiden snapped, helping to control the descent so Aitor wouldn’t bust his knees open next. Aitor ignored him and held his fingerless gloved hand up to each of their noses.

“All… breathing…” His voice was distracted. Like he wasn’t talking to anyone in particular.

“Yeah, they’ll be fine. It’s you who’s bleeding everywhere.” It was true. The blood was now soaking into Aitor’s pants. “Help’s on the way. Hang on.”

Aitor sat down heavily on his hip, unknowingly leaning against Aiden to keep himself from falling over completely. He nodded again, putting more and more weight on Aiden. It took too long for Aiden to realize Aitor was passing out. 

“You’re going to be okay,” Aiden murmured, bringing out a cloth to press around the metal shard now that Aitor wasn't on the move. “Just rest. They’re on the way.”

[zydrateacademy]

Dying Light 2 Review

I actually played DL2 when it was released and played a solid 11 hours on it but for some reason it didn’t hold me. My memory doesn’t go that far back but I do remember the nights being fairly lackluster rather than the terrifying extended stealth endeavor that they were in the first game. The howlers replaced the deadly volatiles and started chases that were ultimately made the night more annoying to traverse than exciting. Ultimately my interests ended up drifting elsewhere, leading to a pretty quick uninstall. Last month they added the 1.11 “Good Night, Good Luck” update which removed howlers (they still prowl around here and there to spit at you) and gave the night back to volatiles. You’d think a nearly unkillable beast prowling the night would make the game less enjoyable but... that’s not the case.

I will say they did make the early game a bit overwhelming. As you don’t fully have the tools available to help you run away from them. Many of the early-game missions force the night upon you, unlike the gradual reveal the first game gave us. So newer players might have a rough time but luckily, I’m not fresh off the boat here. I played and beat the first game and I had some previous experience with Old Villedor, and while I was indeed overwhelmed at times with volatiles being in my way during important story missions, I wasn’t ever killed by one outright. So this update brought DL2 back to the first game’s roots, which was excellent.

So game-wise, for any potential newcomers from the update (and I know I’m a month late here), what we have here is a parkour hack and slash adventure with RPG elements and zombies. The RPG elements are second-note here, your leveling up just mostly gives you a multitude of traversal and combat abilities to make playing a bit easier over time. Later one you are given “Legend” levels, which act like paragon points from other games that just add raw percentages to your weapon damage which in turn allows you to take on those pesky volatiles with increasing regularity.

Ultimately the game is a lot of jumping and climbing but there’s two settings that can help newer players, letting the controls respond more automatically rather than constant inputs. For me it’s muscle memory at this point so I leave it on the more responsive mode that requires more inputs. I always just end up holding C when I fall off a ledge as it activates the landing roll which negates damage.

The gameplay loop is somewhat familiar to any Ubi-like players. There’s towers yes but later in the game and they’re mostly optional. At the time radio towers were unlocked, which were designed to help you locate the items that increase your health and stamina... I was already maxed out. There’s also windmills but they’re more important than they seem, because they not only give you one little safe zone. Unlocking them can also add 1-3 other safe zones in the immediate area (themed after which faction you end up siding with), which will always come in handy when running away from stuff in the night.

Another part of the loop is just looting buildings by day and hollows by night, as zombies have a behavior where they avoid the sun largely. So daytime is a bit emptier feeling than in the first game while at night it’s much livelier, but also makes exploring buildings a bit easier. Unfortunately the tradeoff is that daytime is more boring than the first game.

My complaint with this style is that the gameplay loop becomes fairly same-y after a while. I’ve been recording my playthrough for youtube and man, there’s a lot of looking at boxing and pressing F to look bracelets and wires. I’ve come to not even bother recording taking over most electrical stations or water towers because they’re just parkour puzzles without a lot of action happening. And they have variable complexity so it’s not fun to watch or to play when I’m standing around for three minutes scratching my head wondering where to go next. There’s a lot of that as well, the metros follow mostly the same layout so there’s nothing new to explore. It’s just hitting generators and looting backpacks.

The story shines a bit more here, and I feel there’s more of it. There is however a flaw in the writing that others may have already pointed out. There’s two major factions, the survivors and the Peacekeepers. The PK’s are coded as fascist-like but only through dialog. The first time you run into them they’re not committing any major crimes, the first cutscene they’re introduced they’re just roughing up some zombies. All their actual crimes happen off-screen when they attack the survivors to the point where I wonder if it’s really them at all. Early in the story the survivors lie to Aiden enough to the point of almost killing him multiple times (they’re introduced by lynching him), which eventually lose my sympathy very quickly when it comes time to choose which faction to hand major resources over to. My first playthrough is full Peacekeeper, all the way. I’ll explore the survivor side on the NG+ but I’ll miss killing Barney.

This is a lot of words to say: I really like the game now. I’m sticking with it and I actually want to see it through. I don’t know what all they changed beyond the night update when I was away from it for more than a year but I’m all about it, now. So, kudos to the team.

[dicktat]

Okay mutuals I absolutely need to know

Didn’t add a third option cuz yeah yeah yeah some of you fucks are gonna get smart with me. But between these two factions in old Villedor which one is more tolerable. Mooties let’s go

[shatteredhourglass]

3/? abandoned wip yeeting. this one was a barney/aiden dl2 wip with a whole lotta weird hypnosis very-dubcon shenanigans going on. i don’t know. trans barney. nsfw

"Hypnosis," Aiden repeats dryly.

He already knows he's going to entertain the guy - he's kind of resigned himself to being everyone's errand boy these days - so he takes the device when it's held out, sticks it in his pocket. 

----

"Took you long enough," Barney says from where he's draped somewhat artfully over a ripped old couch, the cushions leaking stuffing onto the floor.

"Where's Sophie?"

"Hermann's been kind of... overprotective, after the PK shit," Barney says. "Douchebags. They got what they fucking deserved. Anyway, I take care of some of the boring shit now."

"Didn't take you for someone who cared about responsibility," Aiden responds, crossing the room. He doesn't sit down next to Barney - that's too close, but he stops about a foot away.

"Fuck you," Barney says, and then sighs. "I'm bored, man. Did you bring any booze?"

"Nope," Aiden says.

Barney lets out a groan and Aiden somehow refrains from rolling his eyes. What a drama queen.

----

"Barney? Barney, hey," Aiden says, snapping his fingers in front of Barney's nose. "Talk to me."

----

"Are you really here because you want to help Sophie or are you slacking off?"

It's a joke, but it feels a lot less funny when Barney's hazy reply is, "I wanted to be here because you were coming."

----

"Show me," Aiden says.

Barney's wearing the same neon-striped boxers he always wears but even from here Aiden can smell the arousal on him - his senses have been getting more powerful since he entered Villedor but it's usually for violence, not sex. He can't tear his eyes away as Barney slides his underwear off, flicks it to the side in one smooth movement. He's not shaved and there's something amusing about it, with how particular he is about the hair on his head.

Show me had been more of a general statement to get naked so Aiden's not expecting Barney to open his legs wide, use his own fingers to spread himself open for Aiden to see. God, it's fucking hot. Aiden's fingers fingers clench on the armchair, the wood groaning under the strain as his dick throbs inside his pants.

Sure, they've slept together before - more than once, and Aiden's regretted it every time but not enough to stop. 

----

Barney settles into the V of his legs, leans back against Aiden's chest. He's so relaxed he's almost boneless, legs falling open without a word. He doesn't do anything, just  nestles himself between Aiden's thighs comfortably. It's noticeably quiet on the rooftop (the undead below and screaming victims, of course, do not count) and Aiden's headache eases instantly.

"That's it, Barney," he murmurs, fingers trailing down the trail of dark hair on Barney's stomach.

He's wet when Aiden's fingers slide against him, callouses catching on surprisingly soft skin.

[crane--here]

OH MY GODDD YOUR THEORY IS DRIVING ME INSANEEEEEE. SO! if you don't mind me expanding on it...

to be honest for the longest time i believed that the photos were JUST an easter egg for the eager fans and nothing more, mostly because i couldn't find any explanation as to how it fits within the game's lore. but your reasoning works SO well

THE IDEA THAT KYLE WAS THE ONE WHO PUT THEM UP THERE... I'M SO EMO. and let's be honest he IS the kind of guy to do that!!! he's sentimental as fuck! of course he would put up photos of his found family after all those years- hell even if he wouldn't think they survived (as much as his heart hoped otherwise) he WOULD put them up for remembrance!!! to immortalize their image in some way because he just cares so so SO much. i want it to be true so bad now... especially since we've been getting hints from techland that 1, he's not dead and 2 - he might've been in villedor before

(i touched on it a little bit here too)

it's such a good setup for his comeback???

i'm begging - PRAYING even - that most residents of the tower somehow made it out. after all it seems that harran was never nuked in the first place, as per the newspaper clipping we get from the prologue:

harran was STILL standing 5 years later!!! SOMEHOW!!! coupled with the fact that we know spike took many of the survivors with him when he fled the city (with kyle, lena, and camden staying in hopes of finding the cure; brecken and alfie most likely stayed to help as well) i have high hopes

but we know the situation was dire by the end of the following, which is why i'm not excluding the possibility that they really might've not survived :(. but who knows - spike is alive after all this time (also i find it funny that he's. canonically like 72 years old in dl2. go grandpa go!); the twins are alive and well too

also i want to add that this entire paragraph killed me on the spot. kudos to you

Dying Light Easter Egg Speculations

That one picture with photos on it that can be found on Bazaar is one of my fav parts of Dying Light 2. Mostly because of how mysterious it is considering the lore of the game. So, as it really sparked my imagination, let me speculate a little.

SPOILERS TO DYING LIGHT

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