#PLAYED BY WORLDWIDE CREATORS

[qrevo]

COVER ART:

QUARENTENA ORDEM GLOBAL ONE-SHOT

PLOT SUMMARY

Five people looking for easy money ended up doing a scientific test for a new medicine and go to the offices of Panacea Industries, a multinacional company. But maybe the true intencions of this organizacion arent as clear when looking for another/other side

[lucinfernos]

CONTENT CREATOR ARCANE AU INTRODUCTIONS ⭐

finally put together this handy dandy info sheet for your ease of access!

Jayce a.k.a. ManOfProgress (benevolently referred to as MOP by his fans) — 31 years old, he/him, bisexual trans man, Mexican-Brazilian — Started content creation in 2020 as a hobby to battle the pandemic boredom but blew up and decided to make it his full-time gig — Streams games and goofballery on Twitch [623k followers] and posts & streams more personal and unrelated content on YouTube [102k subscribers] — Found Viktor’s channel ~6 months before they started talking and feels very comforted by his voice; sleeps to his videos every night and puts one on whenever he’s anxious or angry — Got into a bad car accident as a child that was fatal to his father and left him with chronic pain on his left leg; now wears a knee brace and a calf compress periodically

Viktor a.k.a. TheMachineHerald — 32 years old, he/him, gay trans man, Czech-Polish — Was unable to leave the house during the peak of the pandemic and found joy and inspiration from Jayce’s content, and chose to start dabbling in content creation in 2022 — Creates very technically advanced and meticulously crafted ASMR videos; usually fully focuses on the mechanical sounds and tech aesthetic but lately has been brancing out more [12,3k subscribers before he gets in kahoots with Jayce] — Started showing his face only around the time when Jayce started watching him and is a bit irritated over the boost in popularity it granted him — Has many health problems, including scoliosis and rheumatoid arthritis (which has caused lung scarring and severe cartilage damage to his right leg and spine from when he was younger and could not access the necessary care to get the inflammation in control)

Mel a.k.a. Melicious (to this day her fans argue whether this is a reference to delicious or malicious) — 33 years old, she/her, bisexual; Jayce’s ex-girlfriend, African-American w/ Algerian roots — Was with Jayce during her time in Piltover but they made the mutual decision to part ways when she was accepted into an art school in London; are still close friends — Made very high-quality weekly diary-style vlogs, often related to art [837k subscribers]. Went on a semi-hiatus after moving but is active on other social medias like Instagram [1,4 million followers]

Jinx a.k.a. GETJINXED — 19 years old, she/they, agender aroace; in a queerplatonic relationship with Ekko, American — Gained popularity on TikTok and later on Twitch when people realized she’s the sister Vi is always complaining about; has no niche and does literally anything she wants to do that day, which usually has to do with either art or engineering [166k followers on Twitch, 850k on TikTok] — Working on an independent music career on the side with their debut single Get Jinxed going viral on TikTok — Lost her finger ON STREAM when working on an art installation, the clip has millions of views

Ekko a.k.a. The_Boy_Savior — 20 years old, he/any, probably nonbinary but he has a job so he doesn’t care abt that rn, bi & asexual; in a queerplatonic relationship with Jinx, African-American — Creates well-researched and thought-provoking video essays about worldwide issues, especially dedicated to the health of the planet and its people [317k subscribers] — Surprised everyone by appearing in one of Jinx’s tiktoks because nobody knew they knew each other let alone that they were in a QPR — Frequently holds fundraisers and has done a lot of good for his community

Caitlyn a.k.a. KillshotKiramman — 23 years old, she/her, lesbian; Vi’s girlfriend and Jayce’s best friend, Chinese-British — Makes videos about weapons (mostly guns and shooting) [176k subscribers] and plays games on her Twitch [29k followers] — Moderates Jayce and Vi’s streams, and completely destroys both of them at FPS games — Had a gun misfiring accident which left her blind in her left eye

Violet a.k.a. vistandsforvideogames — 24 years old, any pronouns, gender-apathetic (call her whatever you like) lesbian; Caitlyn’s partner, American — Gamer on Twitch, but also shares about her side job as a boxer [212k followers] — Sometimes mods for Jayce but mainly just shows up to kick his ass in Mortal Kombat and exude chaotic energy

[heechwe]

someone's eager | 𝐡𝐯𝐜

୨୧ pairing:hansol vernon chwe x fem!reader || ୨୧ word count: || ୨୧ genre: smut || ୨୧ tags: teasing, masturbation, bit of sub!vernon going on || ୨୧ synopsis: "Take it off. Slowly." || ⟢ AUTHOR'S NOTE: Requested by anon!

↪ WANT A DRABBLE DIARY ENTRY? REQUEST ONE.ᐟ

"Was it fun?"

"Yeah, but now my feet hurt and I just wanna go to bed. I'm surprised you're not passed out yourself, Mr. Worldwide." Your boyfriend pokes his tongue out at you, and you chuckle. It's not uncommon for him to be off on some far corner of the world while you waited up for him.

"I missed you," he confesses. "You could've stayed home and Facetimed me instead."

You sit down on your bed, facing your laptop while undoing your shoe buckles. "I wasn't gonna miss my friend's birthday, Sol."

"I know, I've just—" He grunts, a sound out of character for him, and you turn your head back to the screen. His phone shakes just a touch for you to quirk your eyebrow. "I've really missed you."

You let out a sound of acknowledgement, smirking at the point of his call and two missed calls from earlier finally emerging.

He has to be hiding the fact his dick is in his hand from your sight and from the camera's view. His face suddenly grows into a flushed expression and sweat beads at his forehead.

He knows not to start something he can't finish, especially not without you, and you turn on your stomach to give a direct view to the camera. Vernon can also see deep into your cleavage from the new viewpoint, and he audibly whimpers.

"What do you want, baby?" You ask.

"Take your dress off for me?" He frames the question with a pout and whine, and you can't help but oblige. How can you not?

You retreat from the bed, eyes still on the camera as you begin to undo your straps. "Slowly," he says abruptly, making you turn to the camera with another smile. "Take it off slowly, please."

Ah, so he wants to be teased tonight. You can play that game.

@gyubakeries @loserlvrss @okiedokrie-main

𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 ౨ৎ˚₊: @kstrucknet @k-films @kvanity-main @lapydiaries @moadiarynet @/sweetvenomnet @onedoornet @violetanet @deoboyznet @whipped-kpop-creators

𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝑴𝒀 𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑲𝑺 𝒐𝒓 𝑱𝑶𝑰𝑵 𝑴𝒀 𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑺 © 𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝖧𝖤𝖤𝖢𝖧𝖶𝖤; 𝖣𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖻𝗎𝗍𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍.

[admiral-mason]

Aquatic, Adorable, Adored by Kokomi

A user by the name of @floofeh-purpi made a post about a simple fishing game known as "Tap Tap Fish" or "Abyssrium" here

Another user under the name of @bl1pbl0p wrote a comment that I and another user under the name of @bunniotomia should make a fanfiction piece to crossover the two games

Did I seriously tag three users at once? Yes indeed I have lmfao

So, I played the game, and all I can say is

floofeh-purpi has introduced me to one of the most adorable games I have ever seen what the heck

You're gonna be paired up with Kokomi for obvious reasons. Fish, plus fish, equal affection on both sides.

Reader is Gender Neutral

You and Kokomi were running Usain-Bolt style out of Bourou Village from the mob attempting to murder you two.

Why? SAGAU Impostor AU. When you first got punted into Teyvat, you bothered exploring and tried talking to the people of Mondstadt...

Amber ratted your ass out. Now you're wanted worldwide for sacrilege against the Divine Creator, Holy Progenitor of All.

The funny part was that no one but the enemies helped you. The Knights of Favonius were after you, Millelith were after you, even the Fatui were after you and they usually helped you!

Eventually, the chasing came to a halt once you headed to Watatsumi Island, where Kokomi resided...

As you woke up and stared at the Divine Priestess herself, you merely flashed an exhausted and broken expression.

Kokomi stared at you with great concern and worry- she found you washed up on the shores of Watatsumi Island wearing clothes that visibly saw better days and golden scars that exhibited major struggles. She took a few days off her duties to personally attend to you.

Looking at her with a quaint little smile, you handed her a small knife you carried. "You... gonna kill me, Kokomi? I'd rather it be you than anyone else in this blinded world."

Kokomi's concerned expression shifted to that of a mortified one and her breathing stunted. "W-Why would I want to kill you your grace?! After all you've done for us, for my people?!"

And then she made the implications once she allowed herself to breathe again. "...No... is that why that Impostor hunt was decreed all across Teyvat??"

She then began angrily mumbling words and ranting about how Teyvat effectively committed the most unforgivable sin without actively realizing it. You, however, were simply taken aback. You may have utilized (insert your main character here) as your main character, but they were somehow as blind as the others. Yet Kokomi, coming in at a close second, recognized you.

Then, you silently wept.

"O-Oh dear-! Your Grace are you-" And then you slammed yourself into her chest, hugging her tightly like a child reuniting with a parent.

The rest is history. And now, it's time to-

"Pay for your sins, filthy impersonator! You're not getting away this time!" Said (insert your main character here)

Run. Like run the actual fuck outta here.

"GO FUCK YOURSELF AND DIE IN A DITCH, BITCH! AND TELL YOUR COMRADES THAT THEY'RE ALL SHITTY-ASS BOOTLICKERS FOR THAT PLASTIC SURGERY-ASS VERSION OF ME!" Yes, the roasts may not have been the best, but anything to piss your hunters off worked for you.

Unfortunately, the two of you reached the water rather quickly...

"Damn it...! Kokomi get in the rowboat we gotta get outta here!" You ended up stealing some random rowboat and Kokomi got in. This wasn't your first time rowing a rowboat- you did this once in Liyue in the dead of night to escape the nation of contracts.

Except, this time would be far different.

Upon rowing out into open waters, a water vortex began forming, slowly reeling your boat into its hold before swirling it and you two akin to a stirring pot of soup. Your assailants lowered their weapons at the sight and their expressions ranged from bewildered to angry to concerned.

As water sloshed into the boat and soaked the two of you, you held firmly onto the rowboat's sides while Kokomi latched onto your torso. "Hang on Kokomi, if we die then you were a great friend!" You swear you saw Kokomi's expression grow confused for a split second before you closed your eyes and waited for the end to come...

...

...

...It never came though.

You suddenly felt your lungs filled with an infinite air supply. You opened your eyes, and their vision cut through the ocean water's murkiness without any problems. Looking around a bit led you to find Kokomi, still sinking in the water. You floated up to her and shook her to bring her to her senses.

"Oh-! Your gra- ah!" Kokomi said before covering up her mouth, and slowly uncovering it. Taken aback by what she did, she spoke again. "I can speak??" She said again, and you tried the same.

"A. A. Kokomi. Oh holy shit I can too!"

As you two continued to sink, you looked downwards and saw your culprit.

It's an undersea volcano structure of sorts; and an unusual variety of fish were swimming around it such as squids, sea turtles, a few blue tangs, a narwhal, a great white shark, a supermassive blue whale-

Wait a minute.

This looked like the fish your Abyssrium account had while you played the game back on Earth! Which meant...

"OH MY GOD-" you swam downwards rapidly and erratically with Kokomi gracefully catching up to you. Soon the two of you were met with a face you recognized:

It was the not-so-lonely Corallite, who is effectively the entire catalyst for the aquatic organisms in Abyssrium.

"Hello!! You're just as beautiful as the day I lost you!!!!" You gushed, heading up to the sentient rock and hugging its side. The sentient life-breathing rock's smile grew wider in that response and its bubble-puffing doubled.

Meanwhile, Kokomi fawned over the diversity of nautical life present. Woooow! Such... diverse life! Wait- is that a shark?!" She shouted upon seeing a Hammerhead shark swimming up to her and the additional fish mingling with her, but it strangely didn't attack.

You swam on over to Kokomi, but not before giving the Corallite a little pat-pat. The Hammerhead suddenly swam over to you, awaiting head pats you gladly gave. Its face relaxed and soon a bunch of other fish navigated to you.

"They're not... attacking each other?" Kokomi curiously asked. "Mhm! I practically raised them all back on Earth."

"You raised all of these creatures together?!" Well, it's time for an explanation.

"So... you raised these fish from a different world akin to how you guided us?"

"Mhm! Come on Kokomi, I have so many new fish to introduce you to!"

General headcanons:

It seemed you could instantaneously and confidently identify whatever organism you focused on. This significantly helped Kokomi understand the different types of aquatic life here.

She had never seen organisms such as the narwhal, whale shark, or leafy sea dragons before! They're all so colorful and fascinating!

Her eyes are sparkling at the diversity of sea creatures! From turtles to sharks to sea stars to jellyfish, she's never bored at the silly little antics these adorable sea creatures get into.

And they love her too! It's not uncommon for Kokomi to have a few clownfish or tangs swim up to her as she gives them little pets. They wink, make motions akin to giggling, and nuzzle her in return; she has a lot of new friends here.

Then she sees the 1000-year-old Blue Whale and by god, she is in shock at its gargantuan size rendering even a regular blue whale a midget in comparison. However, you reassure her that it's a gentle giant like all the other organisms here. She manages to swim up to the whale's nose and boops it gently, and she sees its eyes gently close as it sings a soft little whalesong.

And the dolphins! Unlike their real-world counterparts, they gently nuzzle you before swimming off rapidly away and beckoning you to follow them. You taught them to play games such as tag or relay racing, and sometimes when they need to breathe at the surface they let you grab onto them and let you hear the brief sounds of their blowholes before diving back into the ocean.

(A/N: Dolphins are actually really scary in nature, look them up)

The hermit crab also exists and he likes waving his little baton. He's generally a chill dude- you and Kokomi like petting his shell.

Eventually though, Kokomi does get homesick after a few months or so. She loves her new life here, but her people need her. Thankfully, transportation has never been easier thanks to your ocean friends, some of them having fast speeds. With a slowly declining Impostor hunt decree, she discreetly snuck back into her position as Divine Priestess without any information leaking from the island.

From sleeping on the ocean floor with torpedo rays, gently stroking in the waters alongside sea turtles, dancing with groups of smaller fish, or just gushing about your day with the Corallite, there's never a dull moment for Kokomi and you.

Taglist: @floofeh-purpi, @bl1pbl0p, @bunniotomia, @valeriele3 (You're included anyways because I think you may enjoy this post)

[mywitchyblog]

How Shiftok Destroyed Reality Shifting/ the Reality Shifting Community

Introduction :

Reality shifting, a practice based on the belief that individuals can consciously transfer their awareness to alternate realities or dimensions, has long been a niche concept within spiritual and metaphysical circles. However, with the rise of TikTok and the emergence of "Shiftok"—a blend of "shifting" and "TikTok"—this once-obscure practice has surged into mainstream awareness, particularly among younger audiences.

This essay delves into the profound impact of Shiftok on the reality-shifting community, tracing how an intimate, esoteric practice has evolved into a viral social media phenomenon. We will explore the origins of Shiftok, its rapid ascent in popularity, and the wide-ranging effects this digital revolution has had on both the perception and practice of reality shifting.

As we navigate the various facets of this cultural shift, we'll uncover the intricate relationship between social media dynamics, youth culture, and esoteric practices. From the initial surge of excitement and growth to the emergence of concerning trends and fragmentation within the community, the Shiftok phenomenon serves as a compelling case study in how digital platforms can reshape and redefine fringe beliefs and practices.

By examining the rise of Shiftok, its impact on the shifting community, and the responses it has elicited, this essay aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the unique intersection between ancient mystical concepts and modern social media culture. Through this exploration, we will gain insights into the broader implications of viral trends on spiritual practices and the challenges faced by communities as they adapt to sudden mainstream exposure.

Disclaimers : Read the Entire thing as usual. If you did not understand something feel free to tell me i shall gladly explain it to you.

I originally intented to make a simple rant-like post called "my hatred of shiftok" where i explain a story that happened to me that caused me to despise this platform and everything it stood for.

But then i realised that making an objective, educational, informative essay about how toxic, culty and overall nasty the platform became for the reputation of the practice and the community was much more appropriate than a poorly written post .

If any of you are interested in my storytime that made me so resentful of that platform, this post needs to get 200 notes and some comments asking me for it.

So enjoy this essay that i took much pleasure in writing :

Masterlist

II-The Rise of Shiftok

Shiftok, a portmanteau of "shifting" and "TikTok," emerged as a significant phenomenon within the broader landscape of social media, specifically on the TikTok platform. Its origins can be traced back to the early 2020s when reality-shifting content began gaining traction among young users on the app. What began as a niche interest rapidly snowballed into a viral trend, captivating the imaginations of millions of users worldwide.

The growth of Shiftok was meteoric, driven by several key factors that perfectly aligned with the TikTok ecosystem. Central to its success was the platform's short-form video format, which allowed creators to distill complex reality-shifting concepts into bite-sized, easily digestible content. This format proved ideal for sharing quick tips, visualization techniques, and purported success stories, making the practice appear more accessible to newcomers.

TikTok's powerful algorithm played a crucial role in propelling Shiftok to prominence. The app's content distribution system, designed to keep users engaged by serving them content tailored to their interests, quickly identified and promoted shifting-related videos to receptive audiences. This created a feedback loop where increased engagement led to greater visibility, drawing in curious newcomers and further fueling the trend's growth.

The demographic makeup of TikTok's user base also significantly contributed to Shiftok's rise. With a large proportion of young users, particularly teenagers and young adults, the platform provided fertile ground for reality-shifting content to flourish. This age group, often characterized by a desire for escapism, self-discovery, and novel experiences, found the concept of reality shifting particularly appealing.

As Shiftok gained momentum, it initially had a positive impact on the broader reality-shifting community. The increased visibility brought about by viral TikTok videos led to a surge of interest in the practice, drawing in thousands of new enthusiasts. This influx of newcomers energized the community, sparking discussions, fostering creativity, and expanding the collective knowledge base.

The platform also facilitated unprecedented levels of community engagement. Shifters from around the world could easily connect, share experiences, and offer support to one another through comments, duets, and collaborative videos. For those who felt isolated or misunderstood in their offline lives, this sense of community was particularly valuable, providing a space where they could freely discuss their shifting experiences and beliefs.

Moreover, Shiftok became a hub for sharing diverse experiences and methods related to reality shifting. Creators competed to produce the most engaging content, leading to an explosion of creativity in how shifting techniques were presented and explained. From guided meditations set to trending sounds to elaborate "POV" (point of view) scenarios depicting life in desired realities, the content on Shiftok was varied and dynamic.

However, the rapid growth and popularization of reality shifting through Shiftok soon revealed its double-edged nature. While it brought unprecedented attention and growth to the practice, it also set the stage for significant challenges that would reshape the reality-shifting community in profound and sometimes problematic ways. The very factors that contributed to Shiftok's meteoric rise—its accessibility, algorithmic amplification, and appeal to young users—would also play a role in the issues that emerged as the trend continued to evolve.

III-Negative Effects on the Reality Shifting Community

The meteoric rise of Shiftok, which initially invigorated the reality-shifting community, soon gave way to a host of negative consequences that profoundly impacted the practice and its practitioners. As the trend gained momentum, the integrity of the shifting community began to erode under the pressures of misinformation, oversimplification, and rampant commercialization.

One of the most significant issues was the rapid spread of misinformation. The viral nature of TikTok, coupled with the absence of robust fact-checking mechanisms, created an environment where unverified claims and exaggerated experiences could proliferate unchecked. Users, eager for views and followers, often shared sensationalized accounts of their shifting experiences, blurring the line between genuine practices and fantasy. Pseudoscientific explanations for shifting, often based on misinterpretations of quantum physics or neuroscience, gained traction, lending a false air of legitimacy to questionable concepts.

This problem was further exacerbated by the emergence of viral trends within the Shiftok community. "Shifting challenges" and purported "fool-proof methods" spread rapidly, often prioritizing entertainment value over accuracy or safety. While these trends were engaging for viewers, they frequently misrepresented the nature of reality shifting, leading to confusion and unrealistic expectations among newcomers to the practice.

Another detrimental effect of Shiftok's influence was the oversimplification of shifting techniques. The platform's short-form video format necessitated the distillation of complex practices into brief, easily digestible content. This led to a proliferation of "quick and easy" methods that promised results with minimal effort or understanding. While these simplified techniques made shifting seem more accessible, they neglected the nuances and deeper aspects of the practice.

This oversimplification had far-reaching consequences. Many newcomers, drawn by the promise of instant results, became frustrated when their experiences did not match the effortless successes portrayed in viral videos. The more traditional, in-depth practices that required patience, dedication, and self-reflection were often overlooked in favor of these quick-fix solutions. This shift in focus threatened to undermine the spiritual and personal growth aspects that many long-time practitioners viewed as integral to the shifting experience.

Perhaps the most troubling development was the increasing commercialization and exploitation of the reality-shifting community. As Shiftok content gained popularity, a new breed of "shifting influencers" emerged, eager to capitalize on the trend. This led to the monetization of shifting content through sponsorships, merchandise, and paid services. While some creators genuinely aimed to help and educate, others saw an opportunity for profit, selling dubious products like "shifting crystals" or "dimensional jump sprays" with little regard for their efficacy or the potential impact on vulnerable users.

The rise of influencer culture within the shifting community also fostered an environment where popularity and engagement metrics often took precedence over the quality or accuracy of information shared. This created a perverse incentive structure where creators were rewarded for producing sensational or controversial content rather than focusing on responsible, well-researched information.

These negative effects collectively undermined the foundations of the reality-shifting community. What had once been a practice rooted in personal exploration and spiritual growth was at risk of being reduced to a commercialized trend, divorced from its original intent and values. The influx of misinformation, coupled with the oversimplification of techniques and the exploitation of practitioners, threatened to dilute the authenticity of the practice and alienate serious practitioners.

As these issues came to the forefront, they set the stage for broader impacts on both the external perception of reality shifting and the internal dynamics of the community itself. The once-unified community began to fragment, grappling with questions of authenticity, methodology, and the very nature of reality shifting in the age of viral social media trends.

IV. The Dark Side of Shiftok: Toxicity, Pressure, and Dogma in the Reality Shifting Community

The meteoric rise of reality shifting on TikTok, while bringing unprecedented attention to the practice, also uncovered a darker, more insidious aspect within the community. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as "Shiftok," became a breeding ground for toxicity, misinformation, and oppressive dogma, threatening the very essence of what many considered a deeply personal and transformative practice.

One of the most troubling developments within Shiftok was the emergence of arbitrary and often harmful age-related pressures. A particularly pernicious belief circulated that individuals who hadn't successfully shifted by a certain age, typically 18, were somehow suspect or, in extreme cases, labeled as "pedophiles" for aging themselves down for realities they made when they were minors and have romantic/sexual relationships there. This baseless and damaging accusation stemmed from the misguided notion that older shifters were attempting to reach realities where they were younger, automatically assuming predatory intentions or attraction to minors.

(This misguided notion has been debunked in this post).

This ageist dogma not only created unnecessary anxiety among practitioners but also demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of the diverse motivations for reality shifting. Many adult shifters, drawn to the practice for spiritual growth, self-exploration, healing, or simply out of curiosity, found themselves unfairly stigmatized and excluded from community spaces. The irony of this situation was not lost on more discerning observers, who noted that the very teenagers propagating these ideas often shifted to realities where they themselves were adults or teens, without the same scrutiny applied to older shifters—highlighting a hypocritical double standard.

The Shiftok environment grew increasingly hostile to divergent opinions or experiences that didn't align with the prevailing narrative. Users who questioned popular methods, expressed skepticism about certain claims, or shared experiences differing from the norm often faced severe backlash. This cultish adherence to a singular vision of reality shifting stifled healthy debate and critical thinking, essential components for the growth and legitimacy of any practice.

Contradictory information flourished in this echo chamber, with different factions of Shiftokers promoting conflicting "rules" about shifting. Some insisted that physical symptoms like headaches or nausea were necessary signs of an impending shift, while others claimed the process should be entirely painless. This cacophony of conflicting advice left many newcomers confused and frustrated, often leading to disillusionment with the practice altogether.

Particularly concerning was the lack of spiritual hygiene and safety measures in many Shiftok-promoted methods. In the rush to create viral content, many creators neglected to address the potential psychological and emotional risks associated with reality shifting, especially for vulnerable individuals. Basic practices like grounding, protection visualization, or setting clear intentions—staples in many traditional spiritual practices—were often overlooked in favor of quick, sensationalized techniques promising instant results.

The "TikTokification" of reality shifting led to a troubling simplification and commercialization of the practice. Complex philosophical and spiritual concepts were reduced to snappy soundbites and trendy hashtags. The depth and nuance of reality shifting, with its potential for profound personal growth and self-discovery, were often lost in a sea of shallow, entertainment-focused content.

This commercialization reached disturbing heights as some Shiftok influencers began selling "shifting aids"—everything from specially designed pillowcases to "quantum-aligned" water bottles. These products, often backed by pseudoscientific claims and endorsements from popular creators, preyed on the desperation of those struggling to achieve their first shift.

The pressure to shift successfully and quickly became overwhelming for many in the community. Stories of users spending hours each day attempting to shift, neglecting school, work, or real-world relationships, began to surface. This intensity was fueled by a culture of comparison fostered by Shiftok, where users constantly measured their experiences against the often exaggerated or fabricated successes of others.

The pervasive toxic positivity in many Shiftok spaces further compounded these issues. Users who expressed doubts, struggles, or negative experiences were often dismissed or told they simply weren't "believing" hard enough. This invalidation of genuine concerns and difficulties created an environment where many felt unable to seek help or share their true experiences.

Perhaps most troublingly, the Shiftok phenomenon began to blur the lines between reality and fantasy for some users, particularly younger ones. The constant immersion in shifting content, combined with the pressure to experience increasingly fantastical scenarios, raised concerns among mental health professionals about dissociation and reality distortion.

The lack of age-appropriate content moderation on TikTok exacerbated many of these issues. Young users were often exposed to mature or potentially traumatizing shifting scenarios without adequate context or support. The platform's algorithm, designed to maximize engagement, frequently pushed users deeper into shifting-related content rabbit holes, creating echo chambers that reinforced problematic beliefs and practices.

As the Shiftok phenomenon continued to evolve, it became evident that the toxicity, misinformation, and dogmatic thinking it fostered were antithetical to the core principles of personal growth and exploration that many associated with reality shifting. The challenge for the broader shifting community became not only to counter these negative aspects but also to reclaim and redefine the practice in a more balanced, responsible, and authentically transformative way.

V-Impact on Perception of Reality Shifting

The rise of Shiftok and its subsequent influence on the reality shifting community had far-reaching consequences that extended beyond the boundaries of TikTok and into broader public perception. As reality shifting catapulted from a niche practice to a viral trend, it faced increased scrutiny and skepticism from outsiders, fundamentally altering how the concept was perceived and discussed in mainstream discourse.

One of the most significant impacts was the surge in skepticism from those outside the shifting community. As Shiftok videos proliferated across social media platforms, reality shifting became increasingly associated with internet fads and youth subcultures. This association, while bringing attention to the practice, also invited dismissal and ridicule from skeptics who viewed it as yet another fleeting online trend rather than a serious spiritual or metaphysical practice.

The viral nature of Shiftok content, often emphasizing fantastical elements and pop culture references, contributed to widespread misconceptions about the nature and purpose of reality shifting. Many outsiders began to view shifting solely through the lens of these viral videos, equating it with lucid dreaming, role playing, or pure fantasy. This oversimplification obscured the deeper philosophical and experiential aspects of shifting that many practitioners held dear.

Media attention, drawn by the explosive growth of the trend, often approached reality shifting with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. News articles and reports, while bringing mainstream visibility to the practice, frequently focused on the more sensational aspects of Shiftok content. This selective coverage further skewed public perception, often painting reality shifting as a potentially harmful delusion rather than a nuanced spiritual or psychological practice.

The influx of young practitioners drawn in by Shiftok also influenced how reality shifting was perceived. The predominance of teenagers and young adults (often female) in the community led many to dismiss the practice as a form of escapism or a coping mechanism for youth struggling with the challenges of adolescence and early adulthood. While there was some truth to the appeal of shifting as a form of escape, this generalization overlooked the diverse motivations and experiences of practitioners across different age groups.

Perhaps one of the most damaging impacts on perception was the trivialization of reality shifting. What had once been considered a profound, rich, complex and transformative practice by many long-time shifters was increasingly reduced to entertainment or a casual hobby for psychotic and mentally ill schoolgirls in the public eye. The depth of experience and personal growth that many attributed to their shifting journeys was often lost in the sea of light-hearted Shiftok content.

This trivialization had a particularly strong effect on how the spiritual and personal development aspects of shifting were perceived. The focus on quick results and fantastical destinations in viral content overshadowed the more introspective and growth-oriented approaches to shifting. As a result, the potential for reality shifting as a tool for self-discovery, healing, and expanding consciousness was often overlooked or dismissed by those forming opinions based solely on its social media representation.

The surge in popularity also attracted the attention of mental health professionals and researchers, some of whom expressed concerns about the potential psychological impacts of reality shifting, especially on younger practitioners. While some approached the topic with genuine curiosity and open-mindedness, others were quick to pathologize the practice, further contributing to negative perceptions.

For serious practitioners and researchers in the field, this shift in public perception presented significant challenges. Many found themselves fighting an uphill battle to legitimize their experiences and studies in the face of widespread skepticism and misconceptions fueled by Shiftok's portrayal of reality shifting.

The cumulative effect of these changes in perception created a complex and often contradictory public image of reality shifting. On one hand, it had never been more visible or widely discussed. On the other hand, this visibility came at the cost of depth and nuance, with the practice often misunderstood, trivialized, or dismissed outright by those outside the community.

This transformation in how reality shifting was perceived set the stage for further fragmentation within the community itself, as practitioners grappled with questions of authenticity, methodology, and the future direction of their practice in a post-Shiftok landscape.(By post-Shiftok i mean the period after aug-2020 to aug 2021 since it was during that year that people talked about shiftok and subsequently shifting the most in the media)

VI-Fragmentation of the community

Fragmentation of the Community

The rise of Shiftok and its profound impact on the reality shifting landscape inevitably led to significant fragmentation within the community itself. What was once a relatively cohesive group of practitioners united by shared beliefs and experiences began to splinter into various factions, each with its own perspectives on the nature and practice of reality shifting.

At the heart of this fragmentation lay heated disputes over authenticity. As the community expanded rapidly due to the influx of new practitioners drawn in by viral Shiftok content, tensions arose between long-time shifters and newcomers. Experienced practitioners often viewed the Shiftok-inspired methods and claims with skepticism, questioning the authenticity of experiences shared in short, highly edited videos. They argued that true shifting required dedication, practice, and a deep understanding of the underlying principles - elements they felt were often lacking in the quick and easy methods popularized on the platform.

This divide gave rise to intense debates about what constituted "real" shifting versus what some dismissively termed as "fake" shifting. Veterans of the practice often criticized Shiftok shifters for conflating lucid dreaming, visualization, or simple daydreaming with genuine reality shifting experiences. These disputes frequently turned acrimonious, with accusations of gatekeeping from one side and of diluting the practice from the other.

The community also witnessed the emergence of a generational gap. Older practitioners, who had been exploring reality shifting long before it became a social media trend, often found themselves at odds with the younger generation of shifters who had discovered the practice through Shiftok. This age divide was not merely about experience but also about fundamental approaches to shifting. While older shifters tended to emphasize the spiritual and personal growth aspects of the practice, many younger practitioners were drawn to shifting for its entertainment value or as a means of escaping real-world problems.

Another significant factor contributing to the fragmentation was the varying goals and motivations for shifting among practitioners. The Shiftok trend had popularized the idea of shifting to fictional universes or idealized realities, often based on popular media franchises. This contrasted sharply with more traditional approaches that focused on spiritual exploration, self-discovery, or connecting with alternate versions of oneself. The community found itself divided between those who viewed shifting as a fun, imaginative exercise (usually those people either don't believe in permashifting/respawning or say it is bad/ dangerous /problematic) and those who treated it as a serious metaphysical practice.

This divergence in goals led to the formation of distinct sub-communities within the broader shifting world. Communities flourished on other social media platforms, characterized by their focus on pop culture destinations, quick methods, and shared scripting techniques. In contrast, more traditional shifting communities sought refuge in forums, Discord servers, and other platforms that allowed for more in-depth discussions and longer-form content.

The fragmentation was further exacerbated by disagreements over methodology. Shiftok's algorithm-driven content distribution meant that certain methods and techniques gained viral popularity, often at the expense of more established practices. This led to heated debates about the efficacy and safety of various shifting methods, with some practitioners warning against the potential dangers of techniques that promised quick results without proper grounding or protection.

As the community continued to fracture, it became increasingly difficult for newcomers to navigate the conflicting information and polarized viewpoints. Many found themselves caught between the allure of the easy, accessible methods promoted on Shiftok and the more rigorous, traditional approaches advocated by experienced shifters. This confusion often led to frustration and disillusionment, with some abandoning the practice altogether.

The fragmentation also had implications for the collective knowledge and support systems within the shifting community. As practitioners increasingly segregated themselves into like-minded groups, the free exchange of ideas and experiences that had once characterized the community began to break down. This siloing effect threatened to stunt the growth and evolution of reality shifting as a practice, with valuable insights and techniques potentially being lost in the noise of inter-community conflicts.

As the reality-shifting community continued to grapple with these internal divisions, it became clear that the impact of Shiftok had irrevocably altered the landscape of the practice. A practice that was characterized by its beauty, complexity and richness whose practitioners could talk about philosophy culture and spirituality four hours, has been watered down, dumbed down into a bunch of mentally ill schoolgirls shifting to get railed by wizard nazis and hysterical teenagers who would cuss someone's entire bloodline for doubting or questioning the practise. Which is something totally valid and proves that those individuals do not know anything about the practice at all.

Honestly i cannot blame when antishifters claim that reality shifting is a cult since it is all they see and are being shown. People dismissing their pain under a toxic positive statement of “you haven't tried harder”or “just believe more�� coupled with contradictory and hypocritical statements, makes it impossible to break free from those stereotypes.

VII-Psychological and Ethical Concerns

The meteoric rise of Shiftok and its profound impact on the reality shifting community gave rise to a host of psychological and ethical concerns that extended far beyond the realm of social media trends. As the practice gained widespread popularity, particularly among younger audiences, mental health professionals, ethicists, and even some within the shifting community itself began to voice apprehensions about the potential risks and implications of this phenomenon.

One of the primary psychological concerns centered around the addictive nature of both shifting experiences and Shiftok content itself. Many practitioners, especially younger ones, reported spending hours consuming shifting-related videos, often at the expense of real-world responsibilities and relationships. This obsessive engagement with Shiftok content, coupled with the allure of escaping to idealized realities, raised fears about the development of maladaptive coping mechanisms and potential neglect of personal growth in the physical world.

The immersive nature of reality shifting experiences also sparked debates about the risk of dissociation and reality distortion. Some mental health experts expressed concern that frequent shifting, especially for extended periods, might blur the lines between perceived realities, potentially leading to difficulties in distinguishing between shifted experiences and waking life. This was particularly worrisome for individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions or a predisposition to dissociative disorders.

The use of reality shifting as a form of escapism became another point of contention. While many practitioners viewed shifting as a harmless and even beneficial way to explore alternate realities or cope with stress, critics argued that it could become a means of avoiding real-life issues rather than addressing them. The concern was that vulnerable individuals, particularly adolescents facing challenging life circumstances, might retreat into desired realities rather than developing crucial life skills and resilience.

Ethical considerations also came to the forefront, particularly regarding the age-appropriateness of shifting content and the safeguarding of young users. The prevalence of young teenagers in the Shiftok community raised questions about the potential impact of reality shifting on developing minds. Some worry that exposure to intense or mature themes in desired realities could be psychologically damaging for younger practitioners who might not have the emotional maturity to process such experiences.

The responsibility of content creators became a significant ethical issue. As Shiftok influencers gained massive followings, often consisting largely of impressionable youth, questions arose about their duty of care. Many creators, in their pursuit of views and engagement, shared unverified methods or exaggerated claims about shifting successes. This raised concerns about the potential for manipulation or the inadvertent promotion of harmful practices, especially given the lack of scientific consensus on the nature and effects of reality shifting.

Another ethical dilemma emerged around the potential for reality shifting communities to develop cult-like characteristics. The intense belief systems surrounding shifting, combined with the charismatic influence of popular Shiftok creators, created an environment where some practitioners became deeply emotionally invested in the practice. This led to fears about the vulnerability of members to exploitation or the development of unhealthy group dynamics.

The commercialization of reality shifting through Shiftok also raised ethical red flags. As creators began selling products, services, or exclusive content related to shifting, questions arose about the morality of profiting from a practice that many viewed as a deeply personal or spiritual endeavor. There were concerns about the exploitation of believers, particularly when unproven products or techniques were marketed as enhancing shifting abilities.

Within the shifting community itself, practitioners grappled with the ethics of their practice. Debates arose about the morality of shifting to realities where one might engage in behaviors considered unethical in the physical world. This led to philosophical discussions about the nature of reality, free will, and personal responsibility across multiple perceived realities.

The long-term psychological effects of reality shifting remained a topic of intense speculation and concern. With little scientific research on the subject, many wondered about the potential impacts on personality development, identity formation, and overall mental well-being, especially for those who began shifting at a young age.(around puberty so 13-15 where people can be very malleable )

As these psychological and ethical concerns came to light, calls for more research and responsible practices within the shifting community grew louder. Some advocates pushed for the development of ethical guidelines for Shiftok creators, while others emphasized the need for mental health resources tailored to the unique challenges faced by reality shifters.

The reality shifting community found itself at a crossroads, forced to confront these complex psychological and ethical issues. As the practice continued to evolve in the wake of the Shiftok phenomenon, addressing these concerns became crucial not only for the well-being of individual practitioners but also for the long-term sustainability and credibility of reality shifting as a whole.

One of the most important ways to counter, prevent, or mitigate the dangers of reality shifting is through the practice of Spiritual Hygiene. Unfortunately, this concept seems to be something that many Shiftokers fail to grasp, highlighting their lack of concrete knowledge about the practice. It's particularly frustrating that these individuals are often the most visible within the community, while true experts with deeper understanding are overshadowed.

Reality shifting, whether people accept it or not, is inherently a spiritual practice. By its very nature, shifting cannot be scientifically proven—yet, it also cannot be disproven. This makes it a unique and highly subjective experience, with each shifter’s journey being distinct. If shifting were to be scientifically validated, it would become an objective practice, leading to uniform experiences across the board.

Given its spiritual nature, maintaining spiritual hygiene is essential. One cannot embark on this journey and neglect such a fundamental concept. The saying, "healthy body, healthy mind; healthy mind, healthy body," perfectly encapsulates why spiritual hygiene is a necessity in shifting. When people neglect it, they often experience mental and physical harm, which they mistakenly attribute to the practice of shifting itself.

(I suggest that you read my post on the subject)

VIII-The Response from the Traditional Shifting Community

As the Shiftok phenomenon continued to reshape the landscape of reality shifting, the traditional shifting community found itself compelled to respond to the myriad challenges and changes brought about by this new wave of practitioners and content. This response was multifaceted, reflecting the complex emotions and perspectives within the established shifting community.

Initially, many long-time shifters reacted with a mixture of excitement and apprehension to the sudden surge in interest in their practice. While they welcomed the increased visibility and potential for growth, they quickly became concerned about the quality and accuracy of information being disseminated through Shiftok. This concern catalyzed a concentrated effort to combat misinformation within the community.

Veteran shifters took to various platforms to share their knowledge and experiences, often directly addressing and debunking popular misconceptions propagated on Shiftok. They created detailed guides, wrote blog posts, and produced long-form video content aimed at providing a more nuanced and accurate representation of reality shifting. These efforts were not merely reactive; they represented a proactive attempt to preserve the integrity of the practice in the face of its rapid popularization.

In response to the oversimplification of shifting techniques on Shiftok, many traditional practitioners began emphasizing the importance of in-depth, holistic approaches to shifting. They developed and shared more rigorous practices and guidelines, often drawing on years of personal experience and collective wisdom (spiritual hygiene). These methods typically focused on mental preparation, spiritual alignment, and ethical considerations – aspects often overlooked in viral Shiftok content.

The traditional community also recognized the need for safer, more controlled spaces for discussion and practice. This led to the creation and expansion of alternative platforms and communities dedicated to serious shifting discourse. Forums, Discord servers, and specialized websites emerged as havens for in-depth conversations, troubleshooting, and mutual support among experienced shifters and sincere newcomers alike. These spaces often implemented stricter moderation policies to maintain the quality of discussions and protect vulnerable members from potentially harmful information.

Many established shifters took on mentorship roles, offering guidance to newcomers who sought a deeper understanding beyond what Shiftok could provide. These mentors focused on teaching not just the techniques of shifting, but also its philosophical underpinnings and potential for personal growth. They emphasized patience, persistence, and self-reflection as key components of a successful shifting practice – a stark contrast to the "quick and easy" methods often touted on social media.

The traditional community also began to engage more actively in research and documentation efforts. Recognizing the lack of scientific study on reality shifting, some practitioners started collaborating with open-minded researchers or conducting their own systematic studies of shifting experiences. While these efforts were often informal, they represented an attempt to bring more rigor and credibility to the field.

In response to the commercialization of shifting on Shiftok, many traditional practitioners reaffirmed their commitment to keeping shifting accessible and non-commercialized. They freely shared resources, techniques, and support, often explicitly critiquing the trend of monetizing shifting knowledge or selling shifting-related products.

However, the response from the traditional community was not uniformly positive or constructive. Some long-time shifters reacted with frustration or elitism, dismissing Shiftok shifters entirely and retreating further into closed communities. This gatekeeping behavior, while intended to preserve the integrity of the practice, sometimes had the unintended effect of alienating genuine seekers and furthering the divide within the broader shifting community.

As the initial shock of the Shiftok phenomenon began to wane, many in the traditional community started to see it as an opportunity for growth and evolution. They recognized that while Shiftok had brought challenges, it had also introduced shifting to a vast new audience, some of whom would inevitably seek deeper understanding. This realization led to efforts to bridge the gap between traditional practices and the new wave of shifters, seeking common ground and shared experiences.

The response of the traditional shifting community to the Shiftok phenomenon was ultimately one of adaptation and resilience. While striving to maintain the core principles and depth of their practice, many long-time shifters also recognized the need to evolve and engage with a changing landscape. Their efforts to educate, guide, and create safe spaces for authentic shifting practices played a crucial role in shaping the future direction of the reality shifting community as a whole.

IX. Conclusion: The Aftermath of Shiftok's Impact on Reality Shifting

The rise of Shiftok, while initially bringing unprecedented attention and growth to the reality shifting community, ultimately led to its fragmentation and, in many ways, undermined the core principles and practices of reality shifting.

Shiftok's impact on the reality shifting community can be considered destructive in several key aspects:

Misinformation: The rapid spread of unverified claims and oversimplified techniques diluted the authenticity of the practice.

Trivialization: The depth and spiritual aspects of shifting were often reduced to entertainment, diminishing its perceived value.

Community Division: The influx of new practitioners led to conflicts between traditional shifters and Shiftok-inspired newcomers, fracturing the once-cohesive community.

Ethical Concerns: The lack of safeguards and the potential exploitation of vulnerable users raised serious ethical questions.

Loss of Authenticity: The commercialization and "TikTokification" of shifting distorted its original intent and practices.

While it would be an overstatement to say that Shiftok entirely destroyed reality shifting, it undeniably transformed the landscape of the practice, often in detrimental ways. The community now faces the challenge of reclaiming and redefining reality shifting in a post-Shiftok era, balancing accessibility with depth, and navigating the complex intersection of ancient practices and modern digital culture.

The Shiftok phenomenon serves as a cautionary tale about the double-edged nature of viral trends and their impact on esoteric practices, highlighting the need for mindful integration of traditional wisdom with contemporary platforms.

[jmdbjk]

Traveling is my thing too...

I'm still marinating in my Are You Sure?! afterglow. I just loved every part of it, every minute of the episodes and behinds. There is one thing that's been on my mind and I know it might ruffle some people because of how it sounds at first.

Jimin and Jungkook spontaneously created "scenes" for Are You Sure?!. Prompted each other for the sake of making content. Another facet of being good entertainers...

They were trying to be content creators and not rely on others to tell them what to say or do. The total opposite of "scripted" which, of course, means the shows were unscripted and made up as the days' activities unfolded.

They both actively initiated moments they could play off each other. This is part of that now-becoming-over-used word we say to describe their dynamic... chemistry.

Was it fake? No. The moments they created were genuine interactions whether it was an inside joke of theirs or just talking about topics like cosmic horror or origins of slang words. Not any different than how we behave with our own close friends and significant others. We initiate conversation topics, we poke at each other, we talk about stupid shit, we sometimes have heartfelt and meaningful conversations.

In other words, we are authentic with our closest people. That's what humans do. And as we also are so comfortable with our friends and significant others, we can also have quiet time just being in the presence of the other. IT'S ALL NORMAL AND NOT FAKE.

Was it fan service? No. Again, they were being content creators, trying to create something that was purely them, purely normal interactions only they could have with each other.

Do they have off moments? Of course they do. When one or the other was not active in the interaction, the other was just being themselves, no faking, no fan service, just Jimin and Jungkook behaving as themselves, the only way they know to behave, in the presence of the other, nothing negative about it, just "being."

But they were on a mission to create content that they knew Army would enjoy while they were away. With a big smile, Jungkook said we'll really enjoy it. He said this before he got in that Jeep and drove away to Connecticut. He already knew before it started that he and Jimin were going to have fun. They trust us, their fans, to enjoy the things they give us. Those who do not enjoy it are not their fans.

I've seen people say they only watched a few clips and not the entire series of AYS and then conclude "its obvious (insert fave name) feels this or that." No Boo, you can't deduce those things from a 5 second slo-mo clip or a screen cap from a split second moment from an 8 episode series (9 hours of interactions between the members). What IS obvious is these people don't want to know the truth.

If you don't watch original content in its entirety, how could you possibly "know" your fave/bias? Especially this particular series. If you are a fan of Jimin, Jungkook or even Taehyung, if you did not watch the entire episodes, your opinion is meaningless. If you based your opinions on select snippets or screenshots with no context, your opinion is meaningless because you don't have the entire story. You have every right to say you don't like it and won't watch it because it doesn't align with your (false) idea of who Jimin, Jungkook and even Tae are. But in doing that, you should also remind yourself you are clinging to your own fantasies of who they are.

If you had access and were able to watch all of the episodes on Disney+, many thanks for helping to make this project of Jungkook and Jimin's a resounding success. Ranked #5 worldwide for 2024 TV shows on Disney+. This chart is sorted by popularity:

In his last live the day before enlisting, Jimin told us he was sick with the flu for a week after returning from Sapporo and only had another week before their enlistment. Maybe he was starting to feel the symptoms on that last day in Sapporo and it contributed to feeling so down.

The behind footage for Sapporo shows at some point the cameras were turned off in the car when they were driving to the airport to return to Korea.

It would have been easy for the show's producers to just edit the footage and write captions that totally ignore the fact the cameras were ever turned off at all. We would have never known. Them including that information helps us put everything in context. Jungkook and Jimin purposely turned the cameras off and they purposely informed us of that so we could understand that there was a lot of time without any recording whatsoever. Maybe they talked about stuff they didn't want recorded. Maybe Jimin took a nap because he wasn't feeling good. No matter, most would call that PRIVATE TIME. They had an abundance of PRIVATE TIME during ALL of these trips.

I feel strongly they will do a few more trips. They loved this so much, and they have a foundation to build on, they will do more.

And now, its been a few weeks after the last episode and we've got the behind scenes. It still sort of feels like a dream that these two produced this project for us. Yet it only made sense didn't it? Who else out of the 7 would do something like this? It's genius level thinking to create this, doing something they both have said they love doing, doing it with each other, the people they connect with the best, and giving us something at the same time. Brilliant.

And I want to say thank you to Jimin and Jungkook. Personally, this was the best of the best.

It is truly the work of the Universe that they have each other, to support each other during this period of time. In recent pics I've seen, they look well. I miss them so much.

And now we're just over 8 months away from having them back. Eight months and 15 days before all 7 are discharged and we look forward to the first group live and an ocean of tears of relief pouring from all over the world for them. 10 days until our Hobi is back. I'm so excited!

My Are You Sure?! photobook arrived the other day, I wasn't expecting it so suddenly because Weverse Shop still had it marked as "shipping soon" and then all of a sudden it was here. YAY!

I am going to scan a lot of it but the big postcard sized photos that were part of the early pre-order gifts are on my refrigerator. I also ordered the Are You Sure?! magnets but those won't be here until December. As you can see, I'm a collector of fridge magnets when I travel so it was a no-brainer to get the Are You Sure magnets.

Also, shout out to anyone in North Carolina trying to recover from Hurricane Helene. The Nantahala area was one of my most favorite vacations. I hope to go back someday. I know it's hard to rebuild, I've experienced the aftermath of too many hurricanes. Take it one day at a time and never lose hope. Normal will come back again.

[pmdcollector]

Apologies for taking an extra week to get this to you all-as promised, here is the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon interview featured in the April 6th, 2007 issue of Weekly Famitsu with Tsunekazu Ishihara and Koichi Nakamura!

I'll have another Pokemon Mystery Dungeon interview translation in the works soon so stay tuned 👀

Page 1:

Pokémon x Mystey Dungeon = ∞ Infinite

A new world view thought of by Tsunekazu Ishihara and Koichi Nakamura

Pokémon and Mystery Dungeon... The two completely different worlds were merged to give birth to an unexpected monster of a game. I was able to interview the two key figures about the popularity and secrets of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, which has exceeded 5.5 million in sales worldwide.

On November 17th, 2005, the Pokémon released Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team (Nintendo DS) and Red Rescue Team (Game Boy Advance)*1, exceeded total world-wide shipments of 5.5 million. The meeting between Pokémon, beloved by children all over the world, and Mystery Dungeon, known for its hard, unforgiving gameplay, caused a powerful chemical reaction, giving birth to a new world known as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. But how did these two games, which should surely reject each other, manage this miraculous fusion?

I was able to have a long talk with the father of Pokémon, Tsunekazu Ishihara, and Koichi Nakamura from Chunsoft, who created Mystery Dungeon, and hear their secrets. Eventually, our conversation even extended to the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon sequel!

Altering the world to match the core of the game

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon has now exceeded 5.5 million. This really is an incredible number. Have you analyzed the reason for its success?

Ishihara: There is a pattern when it comes to Pokémon titles that are a hit worldwide. The sales ratio for Japan, North America and Europe start at 1:1:1. This time, we were able to replicate this pattern very well with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. If it starts with this ratio, then the ratio for North America and Europe will increase, as there is a greater tendency for software to continue selling in those places compared to Japan. And so I think this 5.5 million number is a single waypoint.

And how do you view it, Nakamura-san?

Nakamura: I have also been involved in the production of Dragon Quest, but even then, I have never had the experience of selling 5.5 million copies worldwide with a single title before. It is a big number that really shows that people around the world are playing it. So as a creator, I could not be more happier.

For people currently in their 30s and 40s, I think that Dragon Quest would be the first game that showed them the ‘impact of a story.’ But these days, a child’s first game with a story would be Pokémon. The Dragon Quest phenomenon that occurred in Japan is now happening on a worldwide scale with Pokémon. I believe that creating games that ‘appeal to every market’ has been your lifework, Ishihara-san. What is your secret?

Ishihara: North America, Europe, Asia and other regions… I think that every market is incredibly unique and different in terms of what is accepted. With that being said, if we were to remake every game for every market, I doubt we would have been able to circulate this far and wide. For instance, the Pokémon called Pikachu is also Pikachu all over the world. The gameplay elements, the Pokémon trading system, the parts that are the core of the game are all shared. If we tried remaking them for each market, it would have crumbled eventually.

Previously, you have said, ‘There is no point in being fun if it is not fun all over the world.’ I suppose that applies here.

[← Pokémon Mystery Dungeon has sold an astonishing 5.5 million copies worldwide, and continues to sell.]

Page 2:

The Pokémon Company President and Ceo

Tsunekazu Ishihara

If Game Freak president Satoshi Tajiri is the ‘birth parent,’ then Ishihara would be the ‘foster parent,’ whose work as producer allowed Pokémon to grow into the title it is now. He is the representative of the Pokémon Company, which single-handedly deals with the multidirectional development of Pokémon on a worldwide scale.

Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd. Representative director

Koichi Nakamura

The creator of Mystery Dungeon and the sound novel, who is a representative of the Japanese gaming industry. His numerous games are created with perfect balance and always receive high praise.

[Front Feature]

Glossary

*1 Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team

Released on separate hardware, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. The system of the player becoming the Pokémon and exploring a ‘Mystery Dungeon’ with other Pokémon attracted a lot of attention. The ‘Help a Friend’ system that allowed you to use an internet connection to help friends who fell in the dungeon was also quite innovative.

*2 Diamond and Pearl

The ultimate Pokémon games that were released on the Nintendo DS and sold nearly 5 million copies in Japan alone. While they came out on September 28th, 2006, momentum has not slowed down for these monster titles.

*3 Global Trade Station

A system from Diamond and Pearl that allowed players to trade Pokémon with other players around the country through Wi-Fi, even if they were not registered through friend codes.

(Interview continued)

Ishihara: I’ve operated with the mindset of, ‘What should I do to have the finished product be something that can be enjoyed all around the world?’ With Diamond and Pearl, *2 you were able to trade Pokémon with other players around the world through the Global Trade Station *3. However, if the content of the software that was circulating in each market was too different, it would not allow for any proper trading. On the other hand, I do think it’s important to enjoy ‘small differences.’ Just like with the first generation Pokémon, where different Pokémon appeared in Red and Green. But if the differences become too big, then it no longer feels like you’re enjoying it with everyone. This feeling is the same as an internet browser. The basic OS is the same, only localized for every territory. But we can use the same browser to see the same sites.

It was then that you encountered Mystery Dungeon. It must have looked quite strange, coming from the world of Pokémon.

Nakamura: Just as he’s said already, Ishihara-san is very particular when it comes to the world of Pokémon. But first and foremost, Ishihara-san is a genuine game fanatic. What I mean to say is, even with such a fixation on the world, he still allows the gameplay to be the priority. He prioritizes the essence of what makes a game fun, and is very tolerant of certain rule changes in regards to the Pokémon world. For instance, you know how the Pokémon talk, or how the player is a Pokémon in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon? This had not been done in the series before, and is a very big change to the rules, but he reacted with incredible flexibility.

These rule changes. Were they ‘acceptable’ with the Pokémon world?

Ishihara: The things that others might say should not happen, are not really that big of a problem for me (laughs). Instead of that, I think it’s much more important to be faithful in conveying the fun of computer games, or rather, the ‘structure of fun.’

I see…

Ishihara: In Mystery Dungeon, the map is automatically generated, you can write what you want on scrolls and use them. It is a game with a very traditional computer game structure. Pokémon is the same. After all, the foundation of networking and trading was demonstrated 10 years ago. These two series have proven that ‘Playing with a computer is so fun!’ And if the two were combined, then it would result in a game that is even more fun. And so even if Pikachu starts talking, I don’t mind it at all (laughs). If anything, it’s fun to think of how you can make such an idea ‘acceptable.’

That’s an incredibly flexible way of thinking.

Ishihara: When it comes to great ‘gameplay’ that is along the lines of the traditional, I would very much like to increase the fun through multiplication. Because of that, there was meaning and value to creating something new with Mystery Dungeon and Nakamura-san.

[← Tsunekazu Ishihara and Koichi Nakamura…

With exceptional talent as producers and creatives, the two are treasures within the Japanese game industry. What lies ahead of where they are looking… What new ‘experience’ will it be, that uses that catalyst called ‘gaming’?]

Page 3:

Pokémon and Mystery Dungeon exist as a mechanism to create fun…

Ishihara: I think there is also compatibility. Between games.

Was that something that you had already felt? That Pokémon and Mystery Dungeon were compatible?

Ishihara: Indeed. Also, I just happened to like them personally (Laughs).

I heard that you are a big fan of Mystery Dungeon.

Ishihara: After all, I consider myself a Mystery Dungeon professional (Laughs).

Everyone (Bursts into laughter)

Nakamura-san, do you also feel the same way as Ishihara-san?

Nakamura: When the possibility was first brought up to me, I did feel that they were greatly suited for each other, as Pokémon has a lot of characters, a lot of tools and different kinds of skills. But on the other hand, Mystery Dungeon has a high difficulty level, and a game system that is quite hands-off with the player. Would it really be able to fuse with a game that is beloved by children…? I did have some doubts.

Ah, that’s true…

Nakamura: But judging by the surveys gathered from people around the world who have played the game, while many had the opinion that it was ‘difficult,’ they were all able to finish it. I’ve always believed that the ideal form of a game is when you have a person who thinks they are the only one in their class who can beat it, but actually everyone can… It is that balance. And I think that with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, we were able to get incredibly close to achieving that balance.

It seems like a difficult adjustment to make…

Nakamura: In Japan, there might be certain immunity or a foundation for playing, due to Torneko and Shiren. But they don’t have those in other countries, so I was anxious about whether it would be well-received or not. But the results were… Well, that’s the power of Pokémon for you (Laughs).

They were a good match in the end.

Nakamura: Looking back, I really do think it was a wonderful encounter.

The sequel is also in development!

2 games on Nintendo DS

After the game has become such a worldwide hit, I cannot help but ask about the next game…

Ishihara: We’ve actually been working on the next game for quite some time. It will be for Nintendo DS hardware.

Ohh! Previously, you released one game for DS and Advance respectively. How will it be this time?

Ishihara: 2 on the DS.

Ohhh! When did development begin?

Nakamura: A very long time ago (Laughs).

Ishihara: We are developing it with the hope of releasing it in 2007.

That is not very far away!

Ishihara: Yes. So we wouldn’t finish it in time if we had just started now, right? (Laughs)

Well, that is what Ishihara-san says, but how are things at your place, Nakamura-san…?

Nakamura: The situation is quite hectic, of course (Awkward laugh).

Did you always plan to make sequels?

Ishihara: No. It would be difficult to do until you felt confident in the first game. A big part of it was that the reception abroad was better than expected.

What was the reason you chose to release both games on the DS?

Ishihara: When the previous game first went on sale, it was the perfect time, as the leading platform was switching from the Game Boy Advance to the DS. But the situation has changed completely in just one year. When deciding to release two different types, we had to discuss which hardware to choose, and there were even some suggestions of ‘Why not DS and Wii?’ (Laughs). But considering the current market and development environment, we felt it would be best to have both released and played on the DS.

How was it as a creator? Releasing only on the DS.

[Check ‘Pokémon Mystery Dungeon’ anime to be streamed!

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon became an anime in North America, and recorded incredibly high viewership. Since Pokémon Mystery Dungeon plays differently from previous Pokémon, and it takes place in a new setting where the Pokémon can talk, Ishihara explained that it was made with the intent of being an ‘orientation.’

In fact, this anime is to be released in Japan as well. It will commemorate the release of the new sequel mentioned in this interview, and be available on March 23. The episodes will be streamed exclusively on Yahoo!. Let’s enjoy the unique world of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series through the anime.

↑ You are guaranteed to be able to see a new side to these Pokémon. Fans should not miss it!]

By combing the two

You can play in this many new ways

Page 4:

Nakamura: With the previous games, we were forced to create them in a way that accommodated the inferior capabilities of the Advance. But since both will be on the DS this time, we can incorporate ideas involving the dual screens as much as we wish.

It sounds like there will be a lot of new elements.

Nakamura: That’s right. In particular, as we can create it on the basis of there being Wi-Fi support, aside from the ‘Help a Friend’ system from the previous game, we are putting even more effort into having that feeling of ‘playing with everyone.’

Specifically, what kinds of elements are being added?

Nakamura: I can’t say (Awkward laugh).

Will Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl be included?

Ishihara: Of course, they will be. Not only that, as simply being put in without a solid role would be meaningless. So please look forward to that. Also, one thing that I can say is in regards to the question of ‘releasing two types?’ If there are two dungeons, then the two games will be slightly different… Well, I am still discussing various things with Nakamura-san (Laughs).

Wh-what do you mean?

Nakamura: For instance. This is an example, alright? Even if it’s the same dungeon, if the items you pick up are different, then it would affect the way you finish the game, or what strategies you use. …Well, that is just an example (Laughs).

It would be a very big difference for Mystery Dungeon!

Ishihara: Originally, in Pokémon games, the gap between Pokémon was a gap in playing. In other words, it dictated the direction of the game. In Mystery Dungeon, the acquiring of items has been added to that. I think that things like that will become the great difference between the two sequels.

With the sequel, as far as you are able to say at this time, can you tell us what point you want players to focus on the most?

Nakamura: For the previous games, we received a lot of feedback about how the scenarios and story parts were incredibly interesting. And so we are consciously trying to create a game with a substantial story that surpasses the previous games and be a more enjoyable adventure. An even longer story is waiting for you.

Ishihara: In regards to the amount of story, there were many different opinions. We thought that we had incorporated a great amount of it, but there were still people who said there ‘wasn’t enough.’ And so we thought, ‘what wasn’t there enough of…’

In the previous game, after you see the ending and closing credits, quite a lot of elements are unlocked. But expanding on things like controls and character selection may have made the partner relationship between the player and the Pokémon feel a little more distant. That was the conclusion I reached after analyzing it. This time, we mean to create the story while taking that into account.

Always be bold towards things that seem traditional!

Lastly, in regards to future developments. It seems like Pokémon will continue to develop in many different directions.

Ishihara: There are plenty of ideas when it comes to simply expanding the license. However, when you find themes or mechanisms that make you wish to collaborate in some form, like Mystery Dungeon, it is very helpful. In fact, there is no meaning in making something new without that relationship. Once you realize you can combine two things to create a new way to play, as we did with this game, it makes you want to try out many other different things too. When it comes to things that are considered traditional with video games, I would like to be bold at all times.

Nakamura-san. Mystery Dungeon turned out to be an incredibly good game. Has this experience made you want to try out anything in the future?

Nakamura: The DS has complete network capabilities now, so I believe that it’s time to start focusing on that. With Wi-Fi taken into consideration, I think some interesting things could be done with Mystery Dungeon. I have all kinds of ideas.

Ishihara: There is something that both Pokémon fans and Mystery Dungeon fans can look forward to the most this year, and that is these two games. Whether it's the gameplay or the expanding world of Pokémon, I hope that they are looking forward to it.

Nakamura: I feel like I’m being pressured (Laughs). As Ishihara-san said, we will create something that won’t disappoint fans, so please look forward to it.

[Notes after editing]

The moment that I saw Tsunekazu Ishihara and Koichi Nakamura sitting together, I felt goosebumps all over my body. And then the two spoke directly of the worldwide hit, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. I could not help but think about how it was such a privilege, and somewhat forgot about my work.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon was created from this meeting between the two, and while listening to them, I nodded with an ‘I see,’ many times. At a glance, the two worlds might seem to oppose each other, but with Ishihara’s flexible stance, and the technical ability of Chunsoft led by Nakamura, I think that the creation of a balanced game that was a hit on a worldwide scale was not so much ‘miraculous,’ but ‘inevitable.’ I have great expectations for the sequel, which is said to be released in 2007. Geniuses don’t stop. (O)

[feralferretxp]

I've been meaning to introduce one of my Storybots ocs that I've had for a while but here we go. Let me introduce you to...

Melissa Malware

She's a totally normal storybot who is definitely not a shapeshifting virus who has alterative motives for taking over the computer world! :D

Melissa is inspired by the Melissa and I LOVE YOU computer viruses, influencing both her name and theme of spreading love worldwide. In an alternate universe called the LoveBug AU, she launches a campaign called "Project I LOVE YOU", encouraging StoryBots to express love in various forms, aiming to boost mental well-being and promote world peace. She also advocates for self-care, which leads people to work less and less, eventually creating a job crisis in the computer world.

However, Melissa's true intent is to infect others, causing them to slack off from work, which in turn slows down real-world computers, much like a virus. As her followers idolize her, they unknowingly spread her influence, infecting others with the same behavior.

Melissa's origins lie in a more abstract form sent into the internet by her creator. Her mission was to oversee a planted computer worm and ensure its success without interference, remaining in the shadows. However, her plan was unexpectedly derailed when a young Bang, wandering in the internet department while accompanying his father, mistook the worm for a colorful gummy and ate it.

Enraged and shocked, Melissa's task was ruined, forcing her to shift focus and watch over Bang as he grew up, tracking the effects of the worm on him. Over the years, she observed his growing forgetfulness and other changes (I'll make a future post about this and my theory in more detail) as she remained in the shadows. During this time, Melissa herself evolved. Watching storybots and their society, she became curious about life beyond her virus role. She gradually changed her appearance to resemble a storybot and secretly longed for a life where she wasn’t bound to a pre-programmed destructive endgame.

As she grew fond of the attention and adoration from those who saw her as one of them rather than a virus, Melissa tried to prolong her influence and delay her inevitable mission of ruining the computer world, torn between fulfilling her creator’s purpose and finding belonging among storybot society.

When Bang becomes an adult and the computer worm fully integrates with his programming, Melissa is devastated to discover that the worm is now inseparable from Bang, and removing it would kill it. This ruins her original plan, forcing her to adapt. Instead of separating the worm, she decides to use Bang to spread the infection.

Melissa presents herself as a sweet, humble activist and invites Bang to join her "Project I LOVE YOU," using his recognizable and beloved status in the community to help promote her cause. Behind her friendly demeanor, however, Melissa despises Bang, seeing him as a foolish and undeserving figure who, for some reason, is adored by everyone. Despite her loathing, she plays the role of a supportive ally, manipulating him into unknowingly aiding her true goal, while he remains completely oblivious to her hatred and intentions.

So in a nutshell, Bang has no enemies... except for one which is Melissa because she hates his guts LMAO. But yeah that's the LoveBug AU basically. There's more to it but that's for another time.

One important thing about Melissa is that her and Milo (@supgoddo's oc) are in true real love and are perfect for each other YIPPIEE GRRR I LOVE THEM SM

Anyways that's it for now for Melissa! Just wanted to introduce her character and stuff. Live laugh love Melissa <3

[gemliteraturedtooclosetothesun]

Neil Gaiman

I think this is an important lesson on the concept of removing the art from the artist, as many people are already saying to do about Gaiman. “Sure,” they say. “What he did was wrong, and there is no excuse. But his books did nothing wrong.”

I know I’m hardly the first person to make the connection between the character Madoc and Gaiman himself—especially since the Vulture article lays it out very clearly. To those of you who haven’t read the article or Sandman, the character Richard Madoc is a writer who loses inspiration after a successful debut novel and receives a naked woman (Calliope, one of the Nine Muses) as a gift from another author, who he proceeds to rape continuously as ideas flow to him. Madoc collects awards, fans and general fame until Sandman punishes him in a poetically justified manner. This story allegorises the painful experiences of women worldwide who are sucked dry of their energy, souls, lives, ideas, love, identity and used by men who have no care for the impact their actions have on their victims. It was a beautiful and apt depiction of the inhumane act of vampirism and violation and painted such an accurate picture of the many weapons wielded against women that I could not help but believe the author is someone who cares very deeply about women and the downtrodden. Right? Right?

Why is this story particularly important? And why does it lead to a further discussion about separating art and artist? 

Well, anyone with any amount of critical thinking skills can draw a handful of parallels between Madoc and Gaiman. They’re both successful artists, consider themselves feminists and have made announcements to that effect, and ultimately fail to uphold the moral standards of the works they publish. And both of them have thoroughly misled the world at large about their own natures. In fact, according to the Vulture article, people likened Gaiman not to Madoc, but Sandman himself, as they are both considered an “inexhaustible fountain of story”.

So how can I ever hope to separate creation and maker? How can I ever continue to support the works of someone who KNOWS. Because he does. He knows exactly what the impact of his work is, knows enough about the moral pillars of our society to accurately represent the interpersonal complexities of sexism, sexual assault and feminism played out in his works. How can I ever consume more media from a man who has made a mockery of our daily struggles, who reaps the awards and the glory and the money from a parody of the uphill battles every woman fights every day to assert her identity in a world created to pander to everyone else? 

I refuse to read fake feminism from an anti-feminist, refuse to read about the horrors of sexual assault from a sexual assaulter. I refuse to support this man in any endeavours he takes. I own no copies of any of his books and don't intend to get any. I’m not saying to burn your books—they're your property, and you've already gotten them, treat them with respect—but as someone whose most awaited show release since 2022 has been the second season of The Sandman, I don’t think I’ll watch it now, and if I do it’s to support the artists, and I’ll probably pirate it, to be honest. 

All this to say, there is no feasable way to remove the art from the artist. The art is an extension of the artist and even if we remove all economic and social advantages creators get from their content from the equation, we’re left with the stark realisation that when an author has personal morals that inherently clash with his works, it’s because he measured those morals and found them wanting for portrayal, therefore choosing to pretend at being a good person to achieve his goals and sell his trade. And I’m not so deprived of perfectly good literature that I’ll swallow my pride and sense of morality to take in the ironic preaching of a man who doesn’t believe in his own gospel. 

[genericpuff]

We've Finally Come Full Circle <3

The union of mouth to tail in the great Ouroboros is complete.

(FP SPOILERS AHEAD!!!)

No no, this isn't cause for anger. I'm not upset or anything about this.

I'm flattered.

Because if this isn't a coincidence and she's reading Rekindled and she mimicked my little cartoon chibi heads in her newest FP episode... Rachel is supposed to be the #1 creator on the platform with a series that's marketed as a "worldwide sensation"; and she has to resort to ripping off foefiction - created for the purpose of improving upon her foundation that she built in 2018 - in lieu of utilizing her own ideas?

That's pretty damn cool. Disappointing because the #1 creator on the platform shouldn't be doing this, but still, pretty cool, you got me. Well played Rachel. I'm not gonna "clapback" at this, I'm not gonna "get revenge" through any sort of quip towards LO in Rekindled because I've already accomplished that. I've already proven my point. Every time I update Rekindled, I prove my point and "clapback" through my own efforts to create something new out of what you started but couldn't finish. And if this was intentional, then we've truly come full circle in a way that I can only smile at, because it's delightful.

Thank you for featuring a little piece of what I've contributed to this community in your work. I'm still not entirely convinced that this was intentional or satisfied if it was, I'm still waiting to see a box of generic off-brand cereal dumped down the toilet or hurled across the room, but this will suffice. The show goes on and so will we ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡

[heartmachinez]

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF HEART MACHINE

A Decade of Creativity and Community

A decade ago, we began a journey that would lead to the birth of Heart Machine - a game studio committed to crafting immersive, vibrant experiences that resonate with players on a profound level. As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we reflect on our history, achievements, community, and the exciting future that lies ahead.

THINKING BACK

Glitch City, Kickstarter, and Hyper Light Drifter

In 2013, we took a leap of faith and launched a Kickstarter campaign for our debut project, Hyper Light Drifter. Little did we know that this campaign would not only secure the funds needed to bring our project to life, but also ignite a beautiful connection with supporters, players, and community members who believed in us from the outset.

Fueled by a need for camaraderie and knowledge, we spent those early days of Drifter’s development as a part of Glitch City, a then-small collective of independent game developers, artists, and creators all working together out of Alx’s basement. Those early days and (often) sleepless nights vision were critical in defining our design philosophies, studio culture, and grassroots community connections - setting the stage for what was to come.

Our Heartfelt Gratitude to Our Early Contributors

To date, thanks to the incredible support of our community, the Kickstarter for Hyper Light Drifter remains one of the most successful game projects on the platform. It smashed through the initial funding goal of $27,000 and ultimately raised over $600,000.

To our early backers who believed in us and our vision, and those fellow devs who helped us through endless rounds of playtesting and feedback, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your unwavering support enabled us to bring our dreams to life and emboldened us to continually push the boundaries of game design.

Special shout out to core Drifter team members: Alx Preston, Beau Blyth, Teddy Dief, Casey Hunt, Rich Vreeland, Akash Thakkar, Sean Ward, Lisa Brown, and Cosimo Galluzzi.

The critical reception following the release of Hyper Light Drifter was incredible - beyond our wildest expectations. We never could have anticipated the accolades and recognition it received, or the impact it made on players far and wide. It was humbling, and affirmed our dedication to continue to make great games to share with the world.

Moving Into a New Dimension

We started development on Solar Ash about a year before the multi-platform release of Hyper Light Drifter. Early on, we joined forces with Annapurna Interactive, whose expertise and resources facilitated our exploration of 3D game development. Over the next five years, Annapurna's support played a pivotal role in bringing this ambitious project to fruition. The vastness of the game's ethereal landscapes and fluid movement mechanics opened new avenues for worldbuilding and storytelling.

To date, Solar Ash continues to engage new players and inspire returning ones to create beautiful works inspired by the game. It is following in the footsteps of its predecessor and is now available on a a wide array of game platforms for a worldwide audience.

All of the positive reception that followed Solar Ash’s release proved that our community was ready to continue along this new aesthetic path with us. Just as Drifter smashed through its initial Kickstarter goals,  we are poised to once again smash the boundaries of possibility with our upcoming projects.

HEART MACHINE TODAY

Reimagining a Familiar World

As we celebrate our 10-year milestone, we're thrilled to now be well underway with our newest title set in the familiar Hyper Light Universe. This new project, Hyper Light Breaker, builds upon the foundations we've laid, evolving our creative vision in unexpected ways.

A Shared Journey

Our journey would not be complete without acknowledging the invaluable contributions of our community. From community leaders who pave the way forward with creativity and kindness, to creators who challenge us with incredible skill and passion,  to modders who continuously breathe new life into our games, to wiki writers who meticulously document every detail, to speedrunners who push the boundaries of possibility – you are the heartbeats that keep our worlds alive.

Over the years, we've had the privilege of connecting with our wonderful community at conventions and events across the digital and physical world. These gatherings allowed us to share our passion, hear your stories, and learn from your insights. Your presence and enthusiasm continue to inspire us.

We’re so grateful to: Polare, Lukas, Durtle, Clark, Yrrzy, CornMayor, Aza, Andreas, Conscy, Perfectly Mediocre, Thunderbrave, Bryonato, Utsu, NicowithaC, Covert Muffin, Sylvi, among many many others who make our work worth doing.

Our Company Vision

At Heart Machine, we've built more than games. We've cultivated a company culture that values kindness, inclusivity, and pushing the envelope. Our mission has always been not only to entertain but also leave a lasting impact. This dedication has enabled us to support and grow a thriving studio of some of the most talented, thoughtful, and fun people in the entire industry.

Our ethos revolves around fostering a work environment that prioritizes professional advancement, mental and physical health, and employee happiness. This commitment takes shape in various dimensions of our culture. We proudly offer Heart Machine University (HMU), a collaborative peer-teaching initiative where we cover everything from how to LARP or make sculptures out of driftwood to environment, concept, and tech art techniques. We also organize activities like group gaming and anime sessions, provide access to networking and learning resources, and support social and charitable initiatives to reinforce our team’s sense of purpose. As a studio, we strive to hang our culture on a framework where each individual can flourish and achieve their own growth and learning goals.

It’s no accident that the trajectory of these past 10 years has led us to forming the team we have now. We have always and will continue to adhere to our culture of high quality standards, emphasis on creative innovation, and heart-first leadership practices.

LOOKING AHEAD

As we stand at the threshold of the next chapter, we're excited to announce that Hyper Light Breaker will be arriving in Early Access in 2024. This project represents our ongoing commitment to pushing boundaries, taking risks, and creating experiences that captivate and challenge players in our specifically unique ways.

Beyond Hyper Light Breaker, we have other projects currently under wraps that will continue to define us as a studio. We can't wait to share these journeys with you as we forge into this next decade.

Thank you thank you thank you for joining us on this incredible ride. Heart Machine wouldn't be the same without each and every one of you. Here's to the many more adventures that lie ahead!

With love and gratitude,

The Heart Machine Team

[project-sekai-facts]

Hatsune Miku broke space-time and here's how

a somewhat off-the-wall theory by tumblr user project-sekai-facts

SEKAI are... mysterious, to say the least. They're worlds made out of the emotions of teenagers, only accessible through a song on a phone that cannot disappear, and most importantly, inhabited by the main 6 Crypton VOCALOID characters.

So, what exactly is a SEKAI? For one, they're not magical or supernatural, as confirmed in Len's Street SEKAI 2*. According to Len, SEKAI are just mysterious, as previously mentioned. He also mentions in that card story that the Virtual Singers that inhabit SEKAI are not that much unlike humans, although they have the innate ability to help people discover their true feelings, and nurturing those feelings is at their core.

That's the thing, how are they able to maintain a humanoid form if they're not magical or supernatural, and not holograms either? Well, with magical worlds and the concept of people teleporting inside of their phone ruled out due to the phones going with them, the only option I can think of would be an alternate dimension. A parallel universe, if you will.

An alternate, parallel universe actually makes a lot of sense. Because there's still the big question of how a selection of characters came to be physical, sentient beings. It's made perfectly clear that in the world the main human characters live in, the Virtual Singers are simply Virtual Singers. They're just characters designed for vocal synth software, exactly as they are in the real world. So to me, the most likely explanation is that the SEKAI exist in an alternate universe where the Crypton VOCALOID characters exist as real "people".

It's not a perfect explanation, and doesn't really account for the fact there are several SEKAI, and several incarnations of the VOCALOID characters across those. While the SEKAI are presented as planet-like objects in a void (the "Between SEKAI"), as the game calls it, there's also the fact that SEKAI continuously grow, in a similar style to a universe. To be honest, I don't think the writers care that much about the physics behind SEKAI and the contradictions present.

They actually play with a bit of a "god" dynamic with the Virtual Singers. They aren't tied to a specific SEKAI, instead residing in the void between SEKAI and watching over "themselves" and the humans who inhabit the SEKAI.

All of that aside, how did the SEKAI come to be, and what's so special about the Virtual Singers? Why are they playing god in this alternate dimension?

Well, it's well-established that SEKAI are created from feelings. Specifically strong and unwavering ones, that have to maintain their strength in order to become a full fledged SEKAI, and not just a small fragment of what could be. But, where do the Virtual Singers come into this?

Well, it's hard to say. Considering how closely tied the Virtual Singers are to the SEKAI, I'd say it's pretty safe to say that they have an impact in the creation of them. Which places 2006 as the earliest a SEKAI could form, the year MEIKO was released. Although, considering how Miku is put at the forefront of it all, 2007 might be more likely. Perhaps the SEKAI were created by staff at Crypton, who were happy with Miku's outcome, and that's why she's at the forefront? It's plausible, though I think there's a more likely theory.

The game places a heavy emphasis on what VOCALOID means to people, the way a community has formed around it, and creators will put their feelings into music that can then be enjoyed by people worldwide. From an out-of-universe perspective, I think this provided the inspiration for the idea of SEKAI, though I think it works from an in-universe perspective too. By some reality-shattering phenomenon, when VOCALOID (particularly Miku) started to really explode in the late 2000s, the feelings that people entrusted to these Virtual Singer characters managed to create entire worlds based on their feelings. Obviously Miku being the most popular and well-know VOCALOID character ended up being at the center of it. Thousands of people conveyed their true feelings through her, and probably hundreds of those people felt strongly enough for SEKAI to be born from their feelings.

And that's all it is really. SEKAI are just a metaphor for the worlds that Vocaloid producers create with their songs, and the feelings they put into those songs, the feelings they entrust to the VOCALOIDs. It's a very literal representation of it.

[antiquepearlss]

People really underestimate how truly amazing Sesame Street was and is. Sesame Street has always catered to all children and tried to positively impact them.

The creators genuinely cared about children and wanted to create a program that would benefit them. They had actual psychologists on the show to help them provide the best education for young kids and prepare them for school. They spent years beforehand studying children’s education before debuting the show. They also focused on the lives of inner-city kids, not just privileged upper-class white children.

They had minorities on the cast. With black and white children playing together on the first episode. Black people were on the cast. They added Latinos to the cast soon after. Women were portrayed as more than just mothers.

They taught children about death by speaking honestly about the death of a cast member. They changed Mr. Snuffy into a canon character instead of just an imaginary friend, so children would believe adults would take them seriously. They taught children about pregnancy. They talked about 9/11. They talked about AIDS and debuted an HIV positive muppet. They have an autistic muppet. They talked about Covid and BLM.

Sesame Street has always been a progressive television show, and has been a positive impact on children worldwide. They have had writers and cast members who genuinely cared about children, and wanted to make the world a better and more positive place.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

[1000sunnygo]

The Three Captain's Interview (2021) Part 2: Mayumi Tanaka as Luffy & Namikawa Daisuke as Kidd - Translated

The ask I received got deleted, I'm sorry! 😩

I've decided not to half-ass it, here's the remaining part of the interview with Namikawa san and Mayumi san's answers.

👒 : Tanaka Mayumi (Luffy)

🌷 : Namikawa Daisuke (Captain Kidd)

+ Kamiya Hiroshi as Law (already translated, check here)

-

Q. How did you feel when you got the role?

👒: I was mostly indifferent, as the work (the manga) itself was unknown to me back then. In retrospect, I think it was for the best. I mean, if you know it's a deeply beloved work, you'd feel greedy, won't you? That's why I passed the audition without feeling nervous. Looking back now, maybe it matched Luffy's freedom.

🌷: I remember vividly. Among the eleven rookies with more than 100 million bounty, Kidd's was the highest. I had a clear image of the voice that would express Kidd's powerful appearance, but I couldn't imagine myself playing the role of Kidd. So, I didn't know how to do the voice. I kept thinking about it while recording. I still have a hard time doing Kidd's voice, but it was even harder back then than it is now.

-

Q. Did you have any specific thoughts or feelings while playing in One Piece?

👒: In One Piece, there is the unshakable pillar called 'Eiichiro Oda' , but it's not enough to rely on him. I want people to think, "Wow, One Piece really is amazing" when - including myself, all the individual creators' imagination, music, scenarios, and everything else come together! We'd like to continue to create moments in anime that surpass the original manga.

🌷: Many One piece fans would say it's "fire" when expressing their opinions. Thinking about what makes them feel fired up, I can clearly see it in the scripts. The lines of a good scene are spread over several cuts. I feel that the timing; or rather, the process of speech delivery is given a high importance. So, in pursuit of an impact on the audience, when the scripts says "haah?" I myself try to stretch it with "HA~aah??" - to make everyone feel even more fired up.

[T/N: The Japanese word used was "hot", while "fire" expresses a different type of feeling, I think it works as a closer substitute.]

-

Q. Impression of the character you're currently playing?

👒: Someone who accepts his weakness, says "I can't" when he can't do something and then relies on his friends, and never wavers from the freedom of doing so.

🌷: He's surprisingly kind and considerate of his crew mates. He'd often be like "Let's go!" and pull in some of them, but that's not because he's afraid. I interpret it as saying, "I'll protect y'all no matter what, so let's enjoy the thrill of going ahead together!"

-

Q. Thoughts on Mayumi Tanaka's Luffy?

🌷: Unwavering...isn't he? The story moves on, but the same old Luffy is always there. Regardless of the state you're in while watching anime, you can always relax and enjoy One piece. I think this is where Mayumi san's Luffy comes off as an undisputed champion. It's quite difficult to keep things the same for decades, so I have deep respect for it.

-

Q. Thoughts on Daisuke Namikawa's Kidd and Hiroshi Kamiya's Law?

👒: Some voice actors separate their personal lives from work, but those two are as transparent as I am! It doesn't have to do with their roles, but that makes it comfortable to work with them, so I enjoy it a lot.

🌷: Law looks cool, but he has his passionate sides; he has the calm aura, but he also becomes emotional. You need to incorporate a variety of elements to express those subtle ups and down in a Law-like manner, so I think it's an incredibly difficult role. That's why I think Kamiya kun puts a lot of thoughts and efforts in his performance.

That said, I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy regarding their rankings in the worldwide popularity poll (laughs). Law was in top 5, and Kid was 23rd. Even though they don't have the same screentime frequency, they were introduced at the same time, but the difference was so big... Like, I understand Law's charm, but it was frustrating!

-

Q. Do you think it's possible to win against Kaidou?

👒: Of course, it's possible. But the absolute winner has to be Tesshô Genda (Kaido's voice actor). I don't think I can compete with that deep voice.. Well, I'll win though (laughs)

🌷: I want to believe that Kidd wouldn't lose his heart over his defeats. He doesn't intend to be beaten by anyone.

(T/N: Fun fact, Mayumi Tanaka doesn't read the manga. She only learns the manga's events when she reads her script. Sanji's actor Hiroaki Hirata does the same, and he admitted that he doesn't know much of the parts of story where sanji is absent.)

[jennifercheckapologist]

On TLOU2 and Its Place as Propaganda

This is the only thing I intend to post until the 28th due to the worldwide strike, but I have realized that I’ve spent a lot of time reblogging posts about Palestine rather than making a clear statement of my feelings about it and its connection to TLOU2. As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about the characters and writing about them, I feel an obligation to express these thoughts.

I know we’ve all probably seen the VICE article about the game which cites Neil Druckmann’s own words about what he, as a co-director and co-writer for the game, felt the game's themes were.

Of course, media often takes on an entirely new life after its creation but Zionism is sewn into the fabric of TLOU. Even in a world in which I pretend Druckmann does not exist, it does not strip the plot of the game of its harmful messaging. The most important message of the game is a misrepresentation of the conflict.

The plot of this game is inspired by not just the murder of two IDF soldiers, but a sense of hatred for their murderers. In the article, Emanuel Maiberg also points out that Dina serves the purpose of Ellie’s moral compass. Something about choosing a Jewish woman to advocate for peace and the end to the cyclical violence that Ellie is tempted by is not a choice that can exist in a vacuum. It’s especially uncomfortable to me when paired with the fact that a major piece of Israeli propaganda is the idea that the IDF is the “most moral army in the world.”

Druckmann also says, “I know it’s much more complex than that, but it’s hard to break that cycle. It’s really hard. Part of the themes, or part of the takeaway is that one side can’t stop. If only one side stops, it keeps going. So both sides have to let go. […] But the themes and the central questions are similar, like, ‘When should you stop? When is it too much to pursue justice at any cost?’ And the game ultimately deals with the limit that even if you are just, even if you are righteous, it can still destroy you to pursue it to the Nth degree.”

This is yet another attempt at making it seem that we are talking about two armies engaged in a war. We are not. There is no even playing field. This is Palestinians dying in their homes at the hands of people who will not stop until an entire people has been murdered. This is not war. This is not two even remotely equal forces engaged in combat. This is ethnic cleansing disguised as a necessary evil.

We are seeing how easy it can be to market a genocide when you convince people that it is for the greater good, and that a portion of these deaths you are witnessing are terrorists that could feasibly leave. I'm not in your homes so I obviously can't make you not buy the remaster or watch the show or buy official content from the creators, but let's maybe attempt to be more conscious consumers.

I can’t identify anything moral about war in general, let alone the martyrdom of civilians in their home.

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the fnaf movie cast & crew on matthew lillard's performance:

OFFICIAL CHARACTER DESCRIPTION FOR STEVE RAGLAN:

A smug career counselor charged with helping Mike find a job, Steve Raglan has zero sympathy for the burdens of the unemployed. Played by horror legend Matthew Lillard, star of the original Scream, Steve seems to take a perverse pleasure in forcing a desperate person, like Mike, into a situation that’s less than ideal. It’s Steve who suggests the night guard job at Freddy’s to Mike, and who then bides his time, like a spider, until Mike reluctantly agrees to take it.

TAMMI & SCOTT IN ‘UNIVERSAL PICTURES PUBLICITY: FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S PRODUCTION INFORMATION APPROVED’:

“Matthew Lillard was terrific,” game creator and film producer Scott Cawthon says. “There was a long list of people we were looking at for this role. I was leaning toward Lillard early-on because I had great memories of seeing Scream in the theaters like twenty times with my roommates in college, but when a close friend of mine told me what a great guy he was in real life and how he took such good care of his fans at conventions, I knew he was the right person for the job. I told Matthew on the phone during our very first conversation that after the movie comes out, no one will even be able to imagine anyone else for the role, and I stand by that.” Landing the actor was a coup, says director Emma Tammi. “Getting Matthew on board was just incredible,” Tammi says. “He brought so much zaniness and electricity into the mix, and he had such attention to what Five Nights fans would want to see.”

'MATTHEW LILLARD ON "HUMBLING AND EXCITING" FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S' SUCCESS AND CREATING AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES FOR FANS' (in The Hollywood Reporter):

CULLINS: For people who are not familiar with the game, how would you describe your character? LILLARD: I play a character that is living in plain sight in the world, and he is a horrible monster. Toward the end of the film, when my daughter can’t handle a situation, I have to step in and take over. I do not accomplish that goal and end up meeting my demise. It’s the first step in a journey that has this rich canon that spans multiple video games. I play a monster who, at the end of the day, gets his comeuppance and is thrown into this horror realm that he created. The hard part about playing this part is the pressure I put on myself to honor the fans, to deliver a great performance in an iconic role. There are millions of kids worldwide, and people that started playing as kids and are now adults, that have an expectation that this film will deliver on a really great level. So, being this iconic bad guy, the amount of pressure I put on myself to not suck is pretty extraordinary. That’s the hardest part.

TAMMI IN 'FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S FILMMAKER EMMA TAMMI TALKS THE "LOOSE ENDS" TO TACKLE IN A SEQUEL' (for The Hollywood Reporter):

DAVIDS: Before and after the reveal, I did catch some Stu Macher/Scream vibes from Matthew. I recognized that familiar live wire that he plays so well. Did you encourage that? Or did he just know instinctively that this guy warranted a bit of the same crazed energy that Stu had? TAMMI: Gosh, it feels like catching lightning in a bottle with Matthew because he just brings so much to the set and in the moment. And on that day in particular, we were just trying a bunch of different things for a bunch of different takes, and he was really coming alive in that [Yellow Rabbit] suit for the first time. Of course, we’d done some rehearsals with that suit, but it was a whole other deal once the camera was actually rolling in the properly lit pizzeria. So he was just going for it on every take and doing something different and really exploring in the moment. We just needed to make sure that we were there to capture it all. So, yes, there was definitely a back and forth between the two of us in terms of trying different things and really maximizing his menacing movement in that suit. But at the end of the day, he was just bringing all of his brilliance and improvisation to the table, and we were so lucky to be rolling on it.

LILLARD IN 'FNAF: FROM GAME TO BIG SCREEN' (DVD Bonus Content, via YouTube):

I've been really jonesing, like really coveting an opportunity to get a chance to get back into the horror genre. Getting a chance to work with Emma has been lovely. I literally, when I'm in that costume I'm blind, and so I rely on her like very few performances I've ever had in my life, to help me... sorta craft this character on the fly, physically in how we're telling the story and where we're at in the lore, and how that applies to-- y'know, all of the information that's out there and available, it all comes through her [Emma Tammi] and she fills us with what we need.

BONUS: the official guidelines for Raglan's facial hair, courtesy of Makeup Department Head Ashley Levy (via Instagram); "Also included: proof we take our facial hair design *very* seriously around here."