#Thrill Zone Vortex

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

If a travel guide were to exist for Gallifrey, what would be the highlights?

Your Travel Guide for Gallifrey

Welcome to Gallifrey, the Shining World of the Seven Systems, a planet steeped in history, future, and wonder! Whether you're visiting for the burnt-orange skies, explore its ancient cities, or soak in the aura of a civilisation that's much better than yours, there's something for everyone.

🌍 Key Highlights

🏙️ The Capitol

Gallifrey's Heart: The Capitol is where the threads of Gallifreyan society—politics, culture, and science—meet. Enclosed in a gleaming dome, its High Gothic-meets-Art Deco aesthetic is impressive to off-worlders.

The Citadel: Home to the High Council, the Matrix, and corridors full of people far too important to make eye contact with you. Tour the grand chambers if you're invited.

Low Town: If you're looking for a drink and some atmosphere, nestled beneath the Capitol, this shadowy district is home to the poor/low class and disenfranchised Shobogans. It's gritty, chaotic, and a fascinating glimpse into Gallifrey's underbelly. Just keep your wits about you ...

🎓 Prydos City

The Time Academy: Prydos City is dominated by the Prydonian Academy, the prestigious institution where future Time Lords are trained. Stretching over 28 square miles, it's a maze of lecture halls, libraries, dormitories, and TARDIS bays.

Marketplace of Ideas: Prydos is famous for its unique shops, including concept stalls where you can purchase ideas from across time and space.

Streets of History: The city's streets are paved with intricate mosaics, depicting Gallifrey's rich history, so be sure to look down.

🌌 Arcadia City

The Second City: Arcadia is Gallifrey's cultural hub, known for its artistic flair and stunning desert landscapes. Situated in the Arcadian Sector, the city is surrounded by the Myridian Mountains and the Arcadian Desert.

The Palace of Arcadia: A renowned restaurant that offers some of Gallifrey's finest culinary experiences that finally don't involve fungi.

Fortified Beauty: By the Time War, Arcadia had become Gallifrey's most fortified city with grand towers and defensive walls.

🏜️ The Death Zone

A Forbidden Arena: Once an arena for the Games during the Dark Times, this pentagon-shaped valley is now a chilling reminder of Gallifrey's darker past. Surrounded by a powerful force field, it's a magnet for thrill-seekers and historians alike.

⚱️Ruined Cities of the Wild Lands

Scattered across the Wild Lands are the remains of ancient settlements, abandoned roads, and ghostly ruins from Gallifrey's earlier eras.

🌄 Natural Wonders

⛰️ Mount Cadon

Gallifrey’s Tallest Peak: Rising to the edge of the atmosphere, this legendary mountain is a must-visit for thrill-seekers. Beware of its hallucinogenic snow, which offers visions of your past, future, or that embarrassing thing you said at breakfast.

Lush Slopes: Depending on the season, the mountain is covered in vibrant flora, from lizard-eating blue flowers to hallucinogenic nuts.

🌌 The Wild Lands

Untamed Beauty: A vast expanse of red deserts, rocky mountains, and golden fields. It's home to nomadic Outsiders who've rejected Time Lord traditions—and the killer cats of Gin-Seng, who've rejected you.

The Sea of Life: With its shimmering silver waters and orange sands, this legendary body of water is said to hold mystical properties and has myths and legends attached to it Just don't drink it—it's a metaphor, okay?

🌀The Untempered Schism

A Window to Infinity: Just outside the Capitol lies the Untempered Schism, a shimmering tear in the fabric of reality where Time Lords glimpse the infinite vortex. It's a rite of passage for young initiates.

🌙 Pazithi Gallifreya

Gallifrey's Copper Moon: Pazithi glows a striking copper in the night sky. Once a hub of mining colonies during the Dark Times, it now offers tranquility for lovers and artists.

🚀 Getting Around

🚇 Sub-Surface Transtubes: Gallifrey's underground train system connects its cities. Whether you're headed to Prydos for a lecture or Arcadia for a meal, this is how most Gallifreyans travel.

🛰️ Transmat Systems: Perfect for those in a rush, Transmat systems offer near-instantaneous travel. Side effects include tingling fingers and existential questions about whether you're the “same you” after reassembly.

🚁 Aircar Skimmers: These longboat-shaped vehicles with golden sails and forcefields are relics of a bygone era but still operate regularly.

💡 Tips for Travelers

Stay Curious: From cloisters to hidden libraries, Gallifrey is a treasure trove. Keep your eyes open—you might even spot a Time Lord not glaring at you.

Mind Your Manners: Gallifreyans value decorum. A polite bow and a little self-deprecation will go a long way.

Beware the Wild Lands: Beautiful as they are, these areas are best explored with a guide—and a very healthy respect for local wildlife.

Gallifrey awaits—a world of timeless wonder, breathtaking architecture, and a history that stretches across millennia. Whether you're here to study, explore, or simply gawk as how amazing it all is, you're guaranteed an unforgettable experience.

Related:

💬|🪐🌍How is Gallifreyan geography different to Earth?: The landscape of Gallifrey.

💬|🪐💊What causes the hallucinogenic effects of the snow on Mount Cadon?: Theoretical look at why the snow on Mount Cadon is so wild, man.

💬|🌳🦁What native Gallifreyan species are there?: Overview of the fauna of Gallifrey.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any purple text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →���Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired😴

[ophanum]

NEVER SAY NEVER - ! Beyblade Burst

ft. Beyblade Burst x OC (Female Kei Tsukishima)

note: This is kind of a draft type of headcanons for what I am going to write for my wattpad fanfic that revolves around an OC. So there will be an OC sketch here, at the same time snippets of her interactions to other characters. There is also spoilers her so if you want to read by book spoiler free, think twice before reading this.

It's not technically an OC, it is if Kei Tsukishima was turned into female. But at the same time I sorta have changed some things to fit her into the world. Whatever scratches my brain ig

"I be trying to chill, they be trying to sour the thrill, no pun intended, was raised by the power of Will..." - Never Say Never by Justin Bieber ft. Jaden Smith.

Kei approaches Beyblade with the same calm, calculated demeanor she has on the volleyball court. She’s known for a quiet yet intense battle style, launching Killer Kratos with a practiced, precise technique that doesn’t waste a single movement. Unlike many Bladers who thrive on crowd reactions and showmanship, Kei maintains an air of detachment. She’s focused on reading her opponent’s moves, calculating the trajectory and velocity of their Beys before deciding her next steps. With Killer Kratos, she has a preference for defense, waiting for her opponent to make a mistake before moving in to capitalize on it with surgical precision.

Kei's Bey, Killer Kratos, is a sleek, darkly colored Bey with silver accents, resembling ancient Greek armor with sharp lines and a powerful presence. It’s a balance-type Bey with a reputation for durability and stamina, made to withstand powerful attacks and deliver counters with frightening force. Killer Kratos has two key abilities:

Kratos Shield: The outer ring of the Bey features a built-in counterweight system, allowing it to absorb and deflect attacks. When an opponent’s Bey hits it, the shield absorbs the impact and spins faster, creating a powerful defense that exhausts attackers while leaving Killer Kratos largely unfazed.

Rage Mode: When Kei feels the pressure rising, she initiates Rage Mode, a special transformation where the outer layer rotates faster, creating a high-speed, grinding effect. This mode not only gives Killer Kratos an offensive edge but also improves its stamina, enabling it to outlast and overpower Beys in lengthy battles.

Kei’s battle persona is both intimidating and fascinating to watch. Her attitude is often a mix of sarcasm and subtle, underhanded comments that throw off her opponents mentally. She’ll make remarks like, “You sure that’s the best you’ve got?” in a dry tone that both taunts and disarms her competitors. In battles, Kei is silent, her focus entirely on her Bey’s movement, yet she’s known to flash a brief, knowing smile when her opponent falls for one of her strategies. She tends to reveal very little emotion, maintaining an aura that keeps her opponents on edge and lets them wonder if she’s holding back something even more powerful.

Kei’s signature move, “Titan’s Wrath,” has a reputation among other Bladers as one of the most daunting finishing moves. The moment she activates it, Killer Kratos emits a faint aura, as if charged with energy. It ramps up in speed, creating a powerful vortex effect that pulls her opponent’s Bey into a specific strike zone. With an expertly-timed impact, Killer Kratos delivers a bone-rattling burst finish that sends her opponent’s Bey flying off the stage or straight into a wall. Titan’s Wrath is notorious for its power, and many Bladers who have faced it say that it feels like fighting an unstoppable force once Kei goes on the offensive.

Kei’s training is rigorous and highly strategic. She believes in mastering her Bey’s capabilities through hours of solo training, meticulously fine-tuning Killer Kratos’s performance. Kei studies footage of her past matches and of potential rivals, analyzing the way they launch, their Bey’s weaknesses, and any patterns they might have. She even makes notes on each battle, detailing the movements and impact points, creating a unique database on her tablet. On training days, she takes Killer Kratos to extreme conditions, testing it against heavy, aggressive Beys and even using obstacle-based training fields to refine its ability to counter powerful attacks. Her goal is to push Killer Kratos to its limits so that in a real battle, it can endure almost anything.

Kei’s outfit is a reflection of her no-nonsense personality with a hint of edge. She wears a dark, fitted jacket with an emblem of Killer Kratos on the back—a sleek, stylized representation of her Bey’s design. Her signature round glasses are present, but she adds a black athletic headband with silver stripes when she’s in “battle mode.” Her look balances functionality with a sharp, intimidating edge; her high-top sneakers and fingerless gloves let her move freely and keep her launch hand steady. She might also have custom wristbands with the Greek letter for Kratos, symbolizing strength and power, which matches her calculated, strength-focused playstyle.

Kei isn’t the type to engage easily with others, but her respect goes to Bladers who share her quiet intensity and strategic approach. She forms an unexpected friendship with Shu Kurenai, admiring his balanced and disciplined style. They occasionally train together, and their matches are intense and quietly competitive, with each pushing the other to refine their techniques. On the other hand, Kei finds herself at odds with Bladers known for flashy, reckless styles, like Valt Aoi, whose unrestrained passion in battle often irritates her. Though she acknowledges his skill, she sees his reliance on raw power as unrefined, and she relishes defeating opponents who don’t understand the nuances of strategy as she does.

Kei was born into a family with high expectations, her parents holding strict views on academic achievement as the only path to a successful future. They expect Kei to excel in her studies, pushing her to maintain high honors and encouraging pursuits that align with their ambitions for her. This strict focus on academics leaves Kei little room for personal interests, especially anything as unconventional as Beyblading. However, Kei’s curiosity and determination led her to secretly train as a Blader, her sharp intellect helping her excel in understanding Beyblade mechanics and strategies. Her academic rigor translates into a precise, analytical battle style, allowing her to calculate moves and adjust mid-battle with impressive speed.

To pursue Beyblading without her parents finding out, Kei adopts a secret identity, battling under a different name while wearing a mask that covers her lower face and a cap that hides her distinct blonde hair. She disguises her voice and keeps her identity a mystery, masking her gender and creating a reputation as an enigma in the Beyblade world. Her appearance at tournaments as this mysterious Blader adds an edge to her persona, and she’s known for her calculated, ice-cold playstyle that leaves opponents in awe. This masked persona gives her the freedom to participate in battles and tournaments, allowing her to embrace her love for Beyblade while balancing her academic responsibilities as an honors student.

Kei’s commitment to both academics and Beyblading comes at a significant cost. She often spends her days buried in books, studying to maintain her top grades, and then sneaks away at night to practice Beyblade. She trains rigorously, often going through sleepless nights and sacrificing personal time to prepare for her next battle. The intense combination of her school obligations and secret training pushes her physical limits, but Kei views it as a necessary challenge, determined to keep her life as a Blader hidden from her family. Her approach is relentless; she refuses to give anything less than her best, even if it exhausts her.

Kei’s skills eventually draw the attention of Lui Shirosagi, the notorious powerhouse known for his aggressive, almost overwhelming battle style. Lui, intrigued by her mysterious identity and exceptional skill, challenges her to a battle. Their match is one of high intensity, both Bladers pushing each other to their limits with a mixture of power, strategy, and sheer will. Kei puts up an impressive fight, her Killer Kratos using its defensive and counter moves to keep up with Lui’s fierce Lost Luinor.

--

After their unfinished battle, Lui becomes almost obsessed with facing Kei again. Though he’s usually blunt and dismissive, he respects her calculated fighting style and is irritated that their match ended without a clear victor. Lui can be seen asking around at tournaments, describing the “masked Blader” to anyone who might recognize her.

When they cross paths at tournaments, Kei stays calm and avoids eye contact, hoping Lui won’t recognize her. Lui, on the other hand, has an uncanny sense of her presence and might send a lingering, knowing glance her way, trying to confirm if she’s the same opponent he’s chasing. Lui occasionally gets uncharacteristically talkative, teasing her with comments like, “Run while you can. You won’t last next time.”

Valt is thrilled to be in on Kei’s secret, feeling honored to keep it. He constantly encourages her to embrace her Beyblading side, even if she can only do it secretly. Valt’s enthusiasm often gets him carried away, and he occasionally slips up, almost revealing her identity during tournaments with overly familiar comments.

Valt tries to persuade Kei to reveal her skills to everyone, believing she deserves recognition for her talent. Though Kei is hesitant and cautious, Valt’s constant support makes her feel like her secret life as a Blader isn’t as lonely. He might even train with her in secret, keeping her motivated and pushing her to keep going even when balancing everything gets tough.

Rantaro respects Kei’s desire to keep her Beyblading life hidden and doesn’t press her to reveal herself. Instead, he supports her in quieter ways, like giving her advice on stamina training to balance her busy schedule. Rantaro acts as a reliable friend she can go to, often reminding her not to overexert herself.

Shu respects Kei’s choice to remain hidden and never pries into her life outside of Beyblade. He understands the pressure of balancing personal passion with external expectations, so he offers tactical advice in a subtle, supportive way, helping her improve without revealing too much of her identity.

--

Kei adjusted the mask on her face, her fingers trembling slightly. The dimly lit room buzzed with anticipation, and the sounds of bladers hyping themselves up filled the space. She knew Lui was waiting for her in the stadium, impatient to resume their unfinished battle. Her heart pounded, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the feel of her Bey, Killer Kratos, in her hand.

“You’ve got this, Kei. Lui’s strong, but you’re stronger,” Valt whispered, a little too close to her ear.

She turned, giving him a half-hearted glare, but his grin was too contagious to resist. Shu stood beside him, nodding approvingly, while Rantaro and Daigo looked on with matching smiles of support. Xander, of course, was practically vibrating with excitement, throwing an encouraging thumbs-up that nearly made her chuckle despite herself.

“You guys are too loud,” she whispered back, tugging her cap down to shield her eyes. She didn’t need everyone overhearing Valt’s overly friendly pep talks. But she couldn’t deny the warmth she felt, knowing her friends were here to support her, that they knew her truth and accepted it without question.

“Hey, just make sure you don’t overdo it,” Rantaro added quietly, concern flashing in his eyes. “We know you’re balancing a lot. If it gets to be too much, just pull back.”

Kei nodded, clenching her fists as she steadied herself. The burden of her double life weighed on her every day, between managing her academic responsibilities, staying ahead in her honors classes, and sneaking away to train. There were nights she barely slept, nights when she’d stagger home after grueling training sessions only to pull out textbooks and push through hours of studying. And yet, every time she stepped into the stadium, it all felt worth it. Here, with her friends behind her, Kei felt invincible.

A loudspeaker crackled, and Lui’s voice boomed from the stadium.

“Masked Blader! Get out here and show me that you can actually keep up this time!”

Kei’s jaw tightened. Lui’s impatience didn’t faze her; if anything, it fueled her determination. She looked back at her friends, who gave her subtle, encouraging nods. She’d kept her secret for so long, and now they were her lifeline. They were the only ones who knew why she fought so hard, and they had no idea how much their support meant to her.

Taking a deep breath, she strode out into the stadium, the mask concealing her face while the crowd roared. Lui waited on the other side, his arrogant smirk sharp and challenging, as if he were already counting her out.

“Well, well, finally,” Lui sneered, giving his Bey, Lost Luinor, a careless spin in his hand. “Don’t faint on me this time, Masked Blader. I’m not here for an easy match.”

Kei felt the weight of his words but refused to let them shake her. “Don’t worry. I’m here to give you everything I’ve got,” she replied, her voice steady and confident behind the mask.

Lui laughed, but his eyes glinted with a hint of respect. “Good. Show me what you’re made of, then.”

As they readied their launchers, Kei felt a rush of adrenaline. She glanced back briefly, catching a glimpse of her friends standing at the edge of the stadium, watching her with expressions of fierce pride. Valt was giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and even Shu looked on with a slight, encouraging smile. They believed in her, and that was all she needed.

The countdown began, and Kei’s heartbeat synchronized with it, her mind clearing of everything but the battle. “Three, two, one… Let it rip!”

Killer Kratos burst into the stadium with a fierce spin, its dark colors flashing as it collided with Lost Luinor. Lui immediately went on the offensive, his Bey attacking with a brutal, unrelenting force that Kei matched with calculated precision. Every move she made was strategic, a result of countless hours of study and training, both in the books and in the stadium. Her eyes stayed sharp, tracking Luinor’s movements, blocking, countering, anticipating.

But the fight was brutal, and as it wore on, Kei felt the strain catching up with her. Her head throbbed, and her vision blurred slightly, memories of sleepless nights flashing behind her eyes. Still, she pushed on, refusing to give in, even as her body screamed for rest.

Valt’s voice broke through the crowd, strong and filled with faith: “Come on, Kei! You can do this!”

The sound of her own name being cheered lifted her spirits, reminding her that she wasn’t just fighting for herself. She was fighting for the part of her life her family wouldn’t understand, the part she’d built with her friends, who accepted her as she was, mask and all.

Killer Kratos spun faster, pushing back Lost Luinor in a flurry of energy. Lui’s eyes narrowed, impressed but stubborn, refusing to let up. Kei’s heart pounded, and she could feel herself reaching her limit, but she forced herself to hold on just a little longer.

And then, all at once, her vision went dark.

The sound of spinning Beys faded, replaced by concerned shouts and hurried footsteps. When Kei opened her eyes, she was lying on the sidelines, her friends gathered around her, worry etched into their faces.

“You overdid it again, didn’t you?” Shu asked quietly, his voice steady but laced with concern.

Kei tried to sit up, feeling the weight of exhaustion crash over her. “I had to give it my all,” she whispered, a weak smile breaking through. “Couldn’t let Lui get away with thinking he’d won.”

Lui watched from the distance, his expression unreadable as he observed her surrounded by her friends. For the first time, he seemed to see the effort behind her masked persona, and a flicker of respect softened his usual smirk.

As Kei leaned back, her friends’ voices surrounded her like a comforting shield.

“You did amazing, Kei,” Valt whispered, his voice filled with pride.

“We’re all here for you,” Daigo added softly, reaching out to steady her as she relaxed.

Kei closed her eyes, letting their words wash over her, and for the first time, she felt the weight of her double life lift, if only a little. Beneath the mask, she was still Kei, a Blader who fought not just for herself, but for the family she’d found in her friends.

[itineraryblog]

Anandi Water Park: A Refreshing Getaway in Lucknow

Looking for a fun-filled day out with family and friends? Anandi Water Park in Lucknow is your go-to destination. As one of North India’s largest water parks, Anandi offers a delightful mix of thrilling rides, serene relaxation zones, and plenty of fun for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or just looking to unwind, Anandi Water Park has something for everyone. Let’s dive into what makes this water wonderland a must-visit!

Location and Accessibility

Located on Faizabad Road in Lucknow, Anandi Water Park is easily accessible from various parts of the city. The park is about 28 kilometers from the city center, making it a quick drive for locals and tourists alike. Whether you’re traveling by car, bus, or even auto-rickshaw, getting to the park is hassle-free. For those coming from out of town, the nearest railway station is just a short drive away, and the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is approximately 40 kilometers from the park.

History and Background

Anandi Water Park has been a staple in Lucknow’s recreational scene since its establishment. Originally conceived as a small-scale water park, it has grown significantly over the years, now boasting a wide array of attractions and facilities. With continuous upgrades and the addition of new rides, the park has managed to maintain its position as a top destination for fun in the region.

Key Attractions

Family-Friendly Amenities

Anandi Water Park is designed to cater to families. The dedicated kids’ zone features smaller slides, splash pads, and shallow pools, ensuring that even the youngest visitors have a safe and enjoyable time. Family rides are abundant, allowing parents and kids to enjoy the thrills together. For those looking to relax, the park has plenty of shaded areas, lounge chairs, and cabanas where you can unwind and recharge.

Adventurous Rides

For thrill-seekers, Anandi Water Park offers a range of high-speed slides that are sure to get your adrenaline pumping. The Boomerang ride is a crowd-pleaser, where you slide down at breakneck speeds only to shoot up a steep wall before a thrilling drop. The Cyclone ride is another highlight, spinning riders around before dropping them into a swirling vortex of water. These rides are perfect for anyone looking to add a bit of adventure to their day.

Special Events and Packages

Anandi Water Park is not just a place to visit; it’s also a great venue for special occasions. The park offers tailored packages for birthday parties, corporate events, and school trips, complete with catering and entertainment options. With spacious event areas and a dedicated staff, organizing a memorable event at the park is a breeze.

Food and Dining Options

A day at the water park can work up quite an appetite, and Anandi has you covered with its wide range of dining options. From quick snacks to full meals, the on-site restaurants and food stalls offer a variety of cuisines to satisfy your cravings. There are also designated picnic areas where you can enjoy a meal with your family, making it easy to take a break and refuel before heading back to the fun.

Safety Measures

Safety is a top priority at Anandi Water Park. The park is staffed with trained lifeguards stationed at every ride and pool to ensure that everyone has a safe experience. All rides are equipped with safety gear, and the staff regularly conducts checks to ensure everything is in perfect working order. Additionally, the park follows strict COVID-19 protocols, including regular sanitization and social distancing measures.

Ticket Pricing

Anandi Water Park offers a range of ticket options to fit every budget. The general entry fee is affordable, and there are often special discounts available for groups, students, and senior citizens. The park also offers season passes for frequent visitors, allowing unlimited access throughout the year at a discounted rate.

Operating Hours

The park operates daily from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with extended hours during peak seasons. It’s best to arrive early to make the most of your day, as the park can get quite busy during weekends and holidays. Special events may also have different timings, so it’s always a good idea to check in advance.

Visitor Tips

To make your visit to Anandi Water Park even more enjoyable, here are some handy tips:

Best Time to Visit: Weekdays are generally less crowded than weekends.

What to Pack: Don’t forget your sunscreen, a towel, and a change of clothes.

Dress Code: Swimsuits are a must for all water rides, and it’s advisable to wear comfortable water shoes.

Customer Reviews and Experiences

Visitors rave about their experiences at Anandi Water Park. Many highlight the cleanliness, friendly staff, and variety of attractions as key reasons for their satisfaction. Whether it’s families enjoying a day out or thrill-seekers tackling the biggest slides, the park consistently receives positive feedback for delivering a fun and memorable experience.

Environmental Initiatives

Anandi Water Park is committed to sustainability. The park has implemented several eco-friendly practices, such as recycling waste and conserving water. These efforts ensure that visitors can enjoy the park without worrying about their environmental impact.

Conclusion

Anandi Water Park is more than just a place to cool off; it’s a destination that offers fun, excitement, and relaxation for everyone. With its wide range of attractions, family-friendly amenities, and commitment to safety, it’s no wonder this park remains a top choice for locals and tourists alike. Whether you’re planning a day out with the family or looking for a venue to host your next big event, Anandi Water Park is the perfect spot to make a splash.

More Read

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FAQs

1. Is outside food allowed? No, outside food is not allowed inside Anandi Water Park, but the park offers a variety of dining options.

2. What is the best time of year to visit? The summer months are the most popular, but visiting on a weekday can help you avoid the crowds.

3. Are lockers available for personal belongings? Yes, lockers are available for rent to store your personal items securely.

4. Is the park accessible for people with disabilities? Yes, Anandi Water Park is designed to be accessible, with ramps and other facilities for visitors with disabilities.

5. What are the nearest accommodations? Several hotels and guesthouses are located near the park, offering a range of options for those looking to stay overnight.

Thanks for enjoying my blog.

Always Stay tuned with Itinerary Plans.👩🏼‍🤝‍🧑🏿👩🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏼

[untuckworld112]

Discover the Best Water Park in Fresno

When it comes to finding a fun-filled escape in the heart of California, nothing beats a day at the best water park in Fresno. This article will delve into everything you need to know about this premier destination, ensuring your visit is packed with excitement, relaxation, and unforgettable memories.

Introduction to Fresno's Premier Water Park

Fresno is home to a water park that stands out for its thrilling rides, family-friendly attractions, and top-notch amenities. This best water park in Fresno offers a perfect blend of adrenaline-pumping excitement and leisurely relaxation, catering to visitors of all ages.

Thrilling Water Slides and Rides

The Ultimate Wave Pool Experience

One of the highlights of the park is its state-of-the-art wave pool. Designed to mimic the rolling waves of the ocean, this attraction offers endless fun for swimmers of all skill levels. Whether you’re looking to ride the waves or simply float on the gentle swells, the wave pool is a must-visit.

Exhilarating Water Slides

For those seeking an adrenaline rush, the park features a variety of high-speed water slides. From towering free-fall slides to twisting tube rides, there's no shortage of thrills. Highlights include:

The Tornado Twister: A massive funnel slide that sends riders spinning down a vortex before plunging into the pool below. The Kamikaze Drop: A heart-pounding vertical drop slide for the ultimate thrill-seekers.

The Serpent's Tail: A series of winding, looping slides that provide a fast-paced, exciting ride.

Family-Friendly Attractions

Lazy River Relaxation

For a more laid-back experience, the park's lazy river is an ideal choice. Drift along the gentle current in an inner tube, taking in the beautiful scenery and enjoying the relaxing atmosphere. It's perfect for guests of all ages and provides a nice break from the more intense attractions.

Interactive Play Areas for Kids

Families with young children will appreciate the park's interactive play areas. These zones are designed with safety and fun in mind, featuring shallow pools, mini slides, water cannons, and splash pads. Highlights include:

Pirate's Cove: A themed water playground complete with climbing nets, slides, and water-spouting treasure chests. Tadpole Lagoon: A shallow pool area with gentle slides and water features tailored for toddlers and preschoolers.

Amenities and Services

Comfortable Cabana Rentals

For those looking to make their visit extra special, the park offers private cabana rentals. These shaded retreats provide a comfortable place to relax, complete with lounge chairs, a dining table, and dedicated service staff. Cabanas are perfect for families or groups looking for a bit of privacy and luxury during their visit.

Dining Options

The park boasts a variety of dining options to satisfy any craving. From quick snacks to full meals, visitors can choose from a range of eateries offering everything from burgers and pizza to salads and ice cream. The park also accommodates dietary restrictions, ensuring that all guests can enjoy a delicious meal.

Safety and Cleanliness

The safety and well-being of guests are top priorities at the best water park in Fresno. The park is staffed with certified lifeguards and adheres to strict cleanliness protocols. Visitors can enjoy their day with peace of mind, knowing that the park is committed to maintaining a safe and hygienic environment.

Special Events and Group Packages

Seasonal Events and Celebrations

The park hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, including summer festivals, holiday-themed celebrations, and family-friendly activities. These events add an extra layer of fun and excitement to any visit, making it a memorable experience for all.

Group Packages and Birthday Parties

The park offers group packages and birthday party options, making it an ideal venue for celebrations. Packages often include discounted admission, reserved seating areas, and customizable catering options. Whether it’s a school trip, corporate event, or family reunion, the park can accommodate groups of all sizes and ensure a fantastic experience.

Plan Your Visit

Location and Hours

Conveniently located in the heart of Fresno, the park is easily accessible from major highways and public transportation. Operating hours vary by season, so it's recommended to check the park's official website for the latest information on hours and special events.

Ticket Information

Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate, with a variety of options available to suit different budgets and preferences. Season passes offer great value for frequent visitors, providing unlimited access throughout the season along with additional perks and discounts.

What to Bring

To make the most of your visit, it’s important to come prepared. Here are a few essentials to pack:

Swimwear: Appropriate swim attire is required for all water attractions. Sunscreen: Protect your skin from the sun’s rays by applying a water-resistant sunscreen. Towels: Bring plenty of towels for drying off after enjoying the water attractions. Footwear: Water shoes or flip-flops are recommended for navigating the park comfortably. Personal Items: Don’t forget your ID, cash, or credit cards, and any necessary medications.

Conclusion

The best water park in Fresno offers an unparalleled blend of excitement, relaxation, and family-friendly fun. With its diverse attractions, top-notch amenities, and commitment to safety and cleanliness, it's no wonder that this park is a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike. Plan your visit today and experience all that this fantastic water park has to offer.

[jcmarchi]

Hauntii Review - Life After Death - Game Informer

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/hauntii-review-life-after-death-game-informer/

Hauntii Review - Life After Death - Game Informer

Hauntii drew me in immediately thanks to its striking illustrated art direction and enchanting jazz noir soundtrack. A powerful opening sees the protagonist, an adorable ghost who recently died, attempting to ascend to a heavenly plane hand in hand with an angel-like guardian, only to be shackled and pulled back to the depths of Eternity. It’s an emotionally effective moment, and while the gameplay doesn’t always prove as captivating, it provides enough thrills to propel through an eye-popping journey through the afterlife.

As the ghost seeks to reunite with his winged companion, the game takes players across beautifully designed biomes in the realm of Eternity. From a dense forest village to my favorite locale, a bustling amusement park, I can’t stress enough how cool the game’s two-toned line art looks, especially in motion. Backing the visuals is a superb soundtrack that ranks among my favorites of the year. It bounces from sparse piano melodies and saxophone-fueled lo-fi beats to uplifting grandiose scores that effectively stir emotion. 

[embedded content]

Despite its serenity, Hauntii is an action game at heart and plays like a top-down twin-stick shooter. In addition to the simple thrill of blasting foes with spectral energy by aiming the right stick, shooting objects lets you “haunt” them and utilize their unique abilities. Possessing other enemies can aid in the sometimes challenging combat encounters thanks to the superior firepower they can pack. Sure, I could rely on my own might, but it’s far more satisfying and effective to obliterate foes as a bomb-spewing flower bulb or take down aerial threats with a firework-blasting theme park employee. 

Hauntii routinely pushes players to rely on possession to overcome tough bouts that sometimes feature upwards of a dozen enemies firing bullet hell-style projectile spreads. The moment-to-moment blasting wears thin after a while, but creative boss encounters add interesting wrinkles. My favorite includes possessing a bomb-laden rollercoaster to drive through a trap-laden track to reach a towering monster. 

Other haunting interactions are less involved and more bespoke, like capturing a tree to shake currency and health from its branches. In that sense, Hauntii reminds me of Super Mario Odyssey, as some objects had no practical use but provided humorous, novel interactions. Other, more creative possessions let you manipulate the level design and navigation, such as raising platforms to create elevated pathways or inhabiting cosmic sand whales to navigate a turbulent vortex. 

Each area contains a number of hidden stars to collect, used for upgrading your number of hearts, shooting ammunition, and how often you can use the evade dash. They also unlock simple yet effective vignettes revealing a core memory of the ghost’s former life. Gathering these stars channels the satisfying scavenger hunt of 3D Mario games. Some stars lie in obscure corners, while others must be earned by completing basic side quests or performing hidden challenges, like clearing an area of threats. You don’t need them all, thankfully, as these aren’t always the most exciting tasks, and some repeat, like timed races and finding a lost dog. 

Exploring is also dampened by the deliberate movement speed, which is a notch slower than I’d like. Since most zones are expansive and require multiple visits, I often mashed the dash button to expedite travel. The elaborate art design and isometric viewing angles can also make navigating certain pathways, namely elevated ones, a tricky and sometimes irritating proposition due to the perspective. I could also do without collecting various but identical currencies to unlock different hats that, while cute, I wish you could remove instead of just switching to another. 

Though Hauntii offers simplistic shooter pleasure, my favorite moments didn’t involve blowing targets to smithereens. The voice-less story of the ghost gradually regaining precious memories only to be faced with surrendering them to crossover touched me at points. I enjoyed interacting with the kooky, amusing ghosts, like a paranoid scientist concocting hair-brained schemes to capture your angel friend like a Team Rocket villain. I never tired of soaking in the swelling musical score as the camera panned out to reveal a jaw-dropping backdrop. The beautiful ending sequence stands out as a highlight of the year. Hauntii transforms the understandable anxiety and fear surrounding death into an alluring and comforting reflection of the joy of life.

[trustcapitalltd]

The Basics of Spot Trading: A Beginner’s Guide

Hey there, future forex mastermind! Ever wondered how those stock market wizards make their moves? Welcome to the exhilarating introduction to spot trading, where real-time market maneuvers can lead to fortune and fame.

Buckle up, because in this guide, we’re peeling back the curtains on the spellbinding world of spot trading. Get ready to understand the spot market, unravel the wild dance of the spot market, and arm yourself with epic strategies and risk-taming techniques. Let’s dive right into this vortex of excitement!

Getting Acquainted with the Spot Market

Imagine a market that operates in the here and now — no waiting around for future contracts, nope! Welcome to the Spot Market, where trading happens instantaneously. No need to pack your patience — just pack your trading savvy and dive in! This immediate action makes spot trading a playground for those who crave fast-paced market action and want a piece of that trading pie, pronto.

Grasping the Essence: Key Aspects of Spot Trading

Now, let’s talk about key elements of spot trading. Get ready for some juicy tidbits:

Market Players and Diversity: Picture this: a market that’s not just for the bigwigs but for everyone. From individuals strutting their trading dreams to corporate moguls and financial aficionados, the Spot Market is the ultimate level playing field. Yup, diversity is the name of the game here, and it adds a dash of unpredictability to the mix.

Liquidity: The Lifeblood of Spot Trading: Imagine strolling into a shop with unlimited choices — that’s the spot market’s superpower. With high Liquidity, you can enter or exit trades with a swish, avoiding those annoying price jumps. Your trades flow smoother than a jazz melody.

Bid and Ask:��Unveiling the Two Sides: Meet the dynamic duo — the bid price and the ask price. It’s like a dance-off between selling and buying, and the magic number that separates them is the Spread. Just a tiny entry fee for the trading ball, if you will.

Navigating Volatility: Hang on tight — we’re talking roller coaster levels of excitement. Brace yourself for the highs and lows, as the Spot Market is famous for its rapid price jumps. Volatility like that thrilling twist in your favorite book — it keeps you hooked!

Strategies for Novice Traders: Laying the Foundation

Spot trading strategies for beginners, let’s talk:

Trend Following for Riding Market Currents: Imagine catching the coolest wave and riding it like a pro surfer. That’s Trend Following for you — spotting the market’s mood and hopping on for the ride of your life.

Range Trading within Boundaries: Think of it as playing the market’s ping-pong. In Range Trading, you’re bouncing between support and resistance levels, buying low and selling high, all within the playground’s boundaries.

Breakout Strategies: Seizing Opportunities in Movement: It’s like spotting a secret passage — when the market breaks free from its comfort zone, that’s your cue to pounce! Breakout Strategies let you grab those sudden price movements by the horns.

Mastering Risk Management: Safeguarding Your Capital

Now, onto the superhero cape — Risk management in spot trading:

Prudent Position Sizing: Picture yourself at an all-you-can-eat buffet. You want to savor every bite without overstuffing, right? In trading, that’s Prudent Position Sizing, ensuring you don’t overcommit and have room to maneuver.

Harnessing Stop-Loss Orders: Think of them as your “escape the room” button. Stop-loss orders automatically slam the door shut on a trade if things go south. No emotional roller coasters — just cool-headed risk control.

Fundamental Analysis: Unearthing Market Insights

Time to put on your detective hat for some Fundamental analysis for spot trading:

Economic Indicators and Events: Ever watched the news and thought, “Hmm, that might mess with the markets?” Economic indicators, central bank shenanigans, and global events can pull off some wild tricks. Stay vigilant, Sherlock!

Choosing the Right Forex Broker: Your Trading Partner

Picking the right broker for forex? It’s like choosing your sidekick:

Regulation and Trustworthiness: A superhero broker for forex is legit and has the paperwork to prove it. Check for regulation– it’s like their superhero certification.

User-Friendly Platforms: No one wants to navigate a maze, especially not in the trading world. A user-friendly platform is your trusty sidekick, helping you make trades without pulling your hair out.

Customer Support: Sometimes you need a friendly voice when the trading waters get choppy. Customer support is your hotline to answers, like having a bat signal for trading questions.

Embark on Your Spot Trading Odyssey

As you step into the fabulous world of spot trading, remember — knowledge is your secret weapon. Armed with spot trading wisdom, risk ninja skills, and a trusty broker at your side, you’re ready to embark on this thrilling journey. Get ready for a trading adventure that’s part rocket ship, part treasure hunt — may your gains be astronomical and your market insights legendary!

*Disclaimer: Think of trading like a roller coaster — exhilarating, but not for everyone. Do your homework and consider consulting trading Yodas before diving in.*

[five-rivers]

Revisionist

For @kawaiijohn: The plan to take down Pariah goes differently; Clockwork is the one who ends up in the sarcophagus of forever sleep, while Pariah Dark is the one to help/mentor Danny. (PR239)

.

This place was creepy, Danny decided as he slunk past another dead, silent clock.  Part of him wanted to touch it, put the hands in the right place, make it go, fix it, help–  But even Danny wasn’t that stupid.  He left the clock as it was and floated over a landslide of tiny gears.  

He tried to imagine what it would have been like with everything working.  Constant sound, probably.  Ticking.  Chimes.  Would that be creepier, or no?

He wasn’t sure how long it had been since he had entered.  Time seemed almost wounded, here.  Stretched.  Beaten.  Wrong.  He should fix–

Why did he keep thinking that?  He didn’t even know how to fix clocks.  He knew Obsessions got more insistent under stress, but…  

Was he stressed?

Probably.  Probably he was stressed.  

He turned a corner into a long, vaulted gallery, a great hall.  There was glass all over the floor, shining mirror pieces.  At the opposite end, an impossibly huge figure, a figure crowned in fire, loomed over a carved sarcophagus.  

“King Pariah?” called Danny, softly.  He didn’t want to speak loudly here, but he also felt that it would be… unwise to approach.  

The man, the ghost, the king, turned, craggy face set in a deep scowl until he spotted Danny.  

“Child,” he said.  He almost never used Danny’s name.  “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” said Danny.  “The cold ones are on the move again.”  He rubbed his hands up and down his arms.  The way the ice in them called to the ice in him… it disturbed him.  “I saw one in the Wastes.  Chased them off, but…”

Pariah Dark had flown closer, and now he was leaning over Danny, tipping his chin up with his hand.  It was a bit comical, really.  Pariah’s hand was big enough to crush Danny in his palm.  

“But?” prompted Pariah.  

“I think they’re recruiting,” admitted Danny.  “They were near where Vortex was last seen, and I’ve lost track of Ember and Skulker.  They haven’t been in their haunts for at least a week.”  

It hurt to admit, but he couldn’t keep track of everyone in the Wastes.  He could barely act as a guard between the physical plane and the Ghost Zone.  People were always escaping into Amity, terrorizing the humans there so they could try and scrape together enough energy to stay out of the Ghost Zone a little bit longer.  

Pariah stroked back Danny’s hair, almost absent-mindedly.  “A week is not that long a time to ghosts, child, but in light of the rest…  Yes, you were right to bring this to me.”

Danny tried not to preen, but he knew he hadn’t entirely succeeded when Pariah chuckled at him.  

“However,” continued Pariah, more gravely, “you should not have come here.  This is not a safe place for children such as yourself.”

Danny nodded.  “Yes, sir,” he said.  “But… what is this place?”

“Long Now,” said Pariah.  His features twisted into an emotion Danny couldn’t track.  “The lair of Clockwork.”

Danny blinked and looked around.  “There’s certainly a lot of clockwork around,” he said.  

“It’s the name of a ghost,” said Pariah.  

“Who was he?  Is he?”

Pariah turned back to the sarcophagus at the end of the room.  “My betrayer.”

“Your betrayer?”

“You have not heard the story.”

“I guess not,” said Danny, shrugging.  He hadn’t been a ghost all that long.  Well, half ghost.  He got most of the privileges of a ghost, anyway, and he was strong enough that no one really bothered him about the privileges he technically didn’t have.  Especially once the king himself took an interest in him.  

His family had been thrilled.  So proud of him after all, even though he had managed to screw up in both the fields of staying alive and dying at the same time.  The transition had been rough, though, especially when he had been newly-dead and too weak to even control his powers, only useful, only helpful in that extended time in the physical plane didn’t drain him.  

Last he’d heard, the lord governor was looking into making more half-ghosts, running tests on volunteers.  More border guards.  Danny didn’t know how he felt about that.  He’d sort of liked being special.  He was one of Sam’s two best friends.  Some of her viewpoints rubbed off.  

“Hm,” said Pariah, straightening and clasping his hands behind his back.  

“You don’t need to tell me, if it’s, um.  Painful?”  He cringed.  Implying that the king was weak was not the thing to do.  

“It is an old wound,” said Pariah, dismissively.  He glanced down at Danny and, after a moment of silent contemplation, picked him up by the back of his shirt.  

Danny squeaked at the unexpected movement, but settled quickly when Pariah deposited him on one of his spiky pauldrons, his ghostly tail reflexively wrapping around one of the spikes to steady himself.  

“He was once my most trusted advisor,” said Pariah, floating closer to the sarcophagus.  “One of the very few I would call friends.  He had the power to see through time and, on rare occasion, even walk through it.”

“He was a seer?” asked Danny.  All the seers were gone, now.  The elders of their order had rebelled, even going so far, stooping so low, in their defeat as to destroy their initiates and other innocents with the potential to learn their craft.  Even Danny, many years later, knew that.

“Nothing so quaint.  Nothing so… limited.  He had the title Master of Time.”

“An Ancient,” said Danny.  At this angle, Danny could see the top of the sarcophagus, and was puzzled to see that it was carved in Pariah’s likeness.  

“Yes,” said Pariah.  “While he was yet true, before the poison of ambition took root in him, he guided me to many victories.  Where Fright Knight was my strong right hand, he was my subtle left.  But he grew jealous.”  Pariah ran a finger across the top of the sarcophagus.  “Greedy.  No longer satisfied with serving at my side.”  He finished with a snarl, great hand curling into a fist.  

Danny stayed quiet, waiting, slightly hunched.  It was entirely possible that was all Pariah wanted to reveal, and when he was angry…  Well, Pariah had never hurt Danny, outside of training, but he’d seen the aftermath of Pariah’s rages.  

“He conspired with Nocturne, Vortex, and other traitorous trash even while he still smiled at me and called me friend.  They built this thing to imprison me.  The Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep.”

“That’s terrible,” said Danny.  

“Is it not?  A terrible thing, to be forced to sleep, to not even be given the courtesy of an end in battle.  But it was not I who was imprisoned, in the end.  Those still loyal to me found them out, and I was ready for them.  It is Clockwork that sleeps here, now.  Clockwork, whose future is unmade and whose works lie ruined.  Are you loyal to me, child?”

“Of course,” said Danny, a bit surprised.  “If I’ve done something wrong,” he started, trying to shrink into himself.  

One of Pariah’s fingers found the top of his head, and Danny leaned, slightly desperate, into the stroke, shivering as Pariah gently brushed each bone of his spine.  He was good.  He was helpful.  He fixed things and kept them safe and did what was asked of him.  

“He would have claimed you,” said Pariah.  

“What?” asked Danny, confused.  Had he missed a sentence?  “Sorry.”

“Clockwork.  He would have claimed you.  I had my doubts, but now I think you are the one.”

“I don’t understand,” said Danny.  He squeaked as Pariah petted him again, and tried to suppress his pur.  Other ghosts tended not to like it.  There was too much of a heartbeat in it, they said.  It sounded too Earthly, too mechanical.  

“Too much like a clock?” murmured Pariah.  

Danny flushed as he realized he’d been projecting his thoughts through his aura.  

“I’m sorry,” said Danny.  “It’s just… it feels strange here.  Something’s wrong with…”  He trailed off.  Whatever it was, it seemed to lean in, now, tasting the words on the air.

“Tell me,” said Pariah, tones of command in his voice, prickling at Danny’s ears and core, “if you had the powers of the seers of old, how would you use them?”

“The way I use any of my powers,” said Danny.  “To keep Amity Park safe, the border secure, and to serve you.  I mean, I guess if you wanted me to help somewhere else, I’d do that, rather than the border, but…  It’s all the same, isn’t it?  It’s keeping your empire and your citizens safe.”  Serving was a kind of helping, after all, and Danny could do that.  

His hands itched.  This was a stressful situation.  He wanted to pick up the gears and start sorting them.

“Perhaps,” said Pariah, speculatively.  He ran his fingers over Danny again, then plucked him from his shoulder.  His eyes probed Danny, and Danny repressed the urge to squirm in his grasp.  “You have never met Clockwork.”

“No, my lord,” said Danny.  “I’m– I don’t think I would have even been born.”

“And yet…”  Pariah tapped Danny’s chest and Danny flinched.  “I wonder if it is only because of his powers, because he saw you.”  Pariah’s eyes narrowed.  “Something he wanted.”

Danny didn’t understand what was going on, but from the way the ectoplasm seemed to charge and still, he didn’t have strong hopes for his continued existence.  Well, it had been a good run, overall.  He’d gotten a second chance at it, and that wasn’t something everyone could claim.  Pariah probably wouldn’t take whatever this was out on his family, at least, so there was that.  

“You will learn how to be a seer,” decided Pariah.  

“What?” managed Danny

“You can feel it here, can’t you, child?  Clockwork’s power.  In another existence, he may have claimed you, and that mark is still there.  Lingering across possibilities.”

Danny blanched.  He didn’t like the idea of being marked by a traitor.  

“You can take his power,” said Pariah, unconcerned about Danny’s discomfort, “learn it.  Make it your own.”  He stroked Danny again.  “Use it for me.  In my name.  For my eternal empire as it spills through shadows and across stars.”

“Y-yes,” said Danny, trembling.  He core felt like it was about to shake itself apart, to say nothing of his heart.  There was something shaking behind him, too.  Something large and made of stone.  “For your glory, and the good of the empire.”

“You will be my advisor and aide,” said Pariah.  He seemed to be enjoying this.  “Clockwork’s replacement.”

Danny nodded vigorously, Obsession reaching out little greedy hands at the word aide.  Aide.  Someone who helped.  He wanted that.  He wanted to do that.  

“But you will not betray me.”

“No, my lord,” said Danny.  “I won’t.  I won’t.  I promise.”

“Clockwork said that, too,” said Pariah.  “But that’s alright,” he continued, soothingly.  “I know you will not follow in his footsteps, my child.”  He reached up to his burning crown and pulled a single tongue of fire from it.  He brought it down in front of Danny.  “Take it.”

Danny reached out with both hands.  As soon as made contact with the fire, it sunk into his gloves and then, in a split-second flash of agony, his skin, his muscle, his bones, his core.  

His core did not care for fire.  It spasmed.  But with a motion from Pariah it grew quiescent, calm.  

Danny stared at his hands, feeling dazed.  

“And so, all that Clockwork desired is mine,” said Pariah, softly.  “As it always has been.  Now,” said Pariah, “you will stay in Long Now.  You will learn.  You will absorb.  You will stay loyal.”

“Yes,” said Danny, still not feeling entirely present.  He raised his hand to his chest as something shifted inside him.  A binding?  Was he bound?  He’d thought it was supposed to be more violent.  “You said it wasn’t safe?”

“Few places are, child.  Learn quickly.  Do not disappoint me.”  He put Danny down and, without another word, left.  

Danny was… staying here, he guessed.  In the lair of a sleeping Ancient that betrayed the king he served.  And Danny was supposed to miraculously learn how to see through time, somehow?

He was… how long was he supposed to stay here?  Would Pariah send someone?  What about his other duties?

His Obsession pressed at him, urging him to give in to wild frenzy and mania, like a ghost freshly formed.  Fixhelpfixhelpfixhelpobey.

(He was freshly formed, to be fair, but people rarely were.)

Under the circumstances, it might not be a bad idea.  

He reached for one of the glass shards on the floor.  Learning had to start somewhere.  Might as well start with cleaning this place up.

[softpine]

speaking of lis... what do you think about chloe's relationship with rachel? and with max? bonus question: who's your favorite character? love your story btw ❤️

oh my godddd thank you for asking because i have Thoughts and since i couldn't get streaming to work for me, they're just rattling around in my head all day fjksjds

my favorite character is chloe 💙 she is the definition of misunderstood, to the point where i don’t even think she understands most of her emotions or actions. she’s like a wild animal – hurt, distrustful, impulsive, and defensive, but when she finally lets you in, she’s never ever leaving you. episode 2 and 3 do a great job of showing you who chloe really is. they display all her most unfavorable behaviors and show you exactly why she is the way she is (trauma, leading to fear of abandonment & self-destructive tendencies...). then, immediately afterwards, everything you’ve seen of chloe is contrasted with the most favorable parts of her personality: her spontaneity, fearlessness, wit, and protectiveness. by the end, you love her for all her qualities, because they make her who she is 🥺

that leads me to rachel... okay so my opinion of rachel is 100% based on the first game, not at all by the prequel. before the storm felt like fanfiction to me, so i disregard it entirely fjksjd but rachel in the first game is extremely compelling to me. she truly was a chameleon. i don’t think anyone knew rachel for who she really was, not even chloe or frank, and especially not mr. jefferson. i think she was quick to fall in love, but not quick to trust. she showed just enough of her personality to get by, and she let everyone fill in the blanks on their own. this is why i believe everyone loved her; because she was able to be a blank slate. and when she went missing, this blank slate that she had cultivated so carefully ended up biting her in the ass, because everyone filled that slate with whatever theory matched their perception of rachel the best. chloe was the only person left standing who didn’t care what rachel did, how badly she betrayed her, or what her true intentions were. she just wanted to find rachel so they could figure it all out together. sadly, we’ll never know (and more importantly, chloe will never know) what was real between them. any attempt to guess how much chloe meant to rachel will be fruitless, because we’re just trying to fill in the blank slate like everyone else.

and then we have max. to be perfectly honest, max is not a strong character on her own. if left to her own devices, she falls prey to peer pressure (vortex club universe), doesn’t apply herself even when she feels passionate about it (not entering the photo contest), and she’s kind of a coward (can’t bring herself to stay in touch with chloe after she moves, or to reconnect with her later). but chloe has a way of pushing her out of her comfort zone for the better. max loves adventure, she’s just too scared to seek it out on her own. you can see it in her diary entries after every reckless or thrilling thing she does with chloe. she needs someone like her to bring that side of herself out, and it helps that she already trusts chloe completely because of their past. on the other hand, max is the voice of reason when chloe’s ideas get a little too deranged. without max’s intervention, chloe can literally become a murderer, so... they truly are yin and yang. they need each other! not only that, they like each other. they can be silly or sincere, they can fight and make up, they can scheme & carry out their plans, and they can trust and rely on each other completely after everything they’ve been through. i know there’s no such thing as a perfect couple, but to me, they’re about as close as you can get 😌

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

What if, for wahtever reason, the captains swaped their magic? Who do you think would panic the most about their new (temporary) attribute? Who would cause the most accidental destruction? Who would actually get a somewhat decent hold on their new magic by the time they got back to normal? Who would even like it? (feel free to include Julius and Marx, or even the king if you want)

There are so many possibilities! (And yes I'm including Marx and Julius), and simply because it'd be an extensive list to go through every possible scenario with each person with every other magic type available, I'm just going to give a general idea of what I think (because the first person would have 10 options, the second 9, third 8... Which would give 10! possibilities, which is about 3,6 million in total. Unless I can't math. Please, I'm not a mathematician so feel free to point out if I can't, indeed, maths.)

Anyways... I think that those with mana that requires a lot of skill to operate (concentration and precision), would do the best. Of course having a magic type that's wildly different form their own, would pose problems, but generally speaking because mana control is good, I'd say they'd do well.

And since I think it was stated that Mercury Magic requires a lot of precision and skill to use, I think that Nozel would do very well with not causing havoc. Charlotte I like to think would do fairly well too, because she's had to operate around having a fundamentally mana changing curse throughout her life.

Marx I want to see with Time Magic. But I think he'd do... okay with most manas. For some reason I think he'd struggle the most with Fire Magic.

Julius... Give him any type and he's like a kid in the candy store. He loves it. Probably breaks something.

Jack. He's thrilled as well. And/or a bit frustrated, depends entirely on how effectively the mana can slice things, or how "useful" he deems it.

Rill... panics (relatively) easily, and will cause destruction unintentionally.

Kaiser... I think he'd be pretty chill as well. Might cause some damage, but since I like to think that his Vortex Magic (?) would also require good control, he'd do well.

Fue I think would struggle with Mercury, and maybe Dream. Actually yes Dream. I think he's ... an orderly person who relies on structure and creating "dreams" would probably be out of his comfort zone. Or then he'd conjured everything he thinks of. (I'm not really sure how Dorothy's magic works.)

Dorothy ... If she has a dream about fighting someone? Like you might kick someone in your sleep. Probably does pretty good.

William would try to upkeep poker face, but would be stressing a lot, I think. And given how he wasn't exactly supposed to keep Light Magic in check with Patri, because it was Patri's Magic, I don't think there's added benefit of having experience from keeping other types of magic in check. But he'd have some... idea of how they might feel, because it was still his body casting those spells. So, he'd do pretty good, I'd say.

Yami would be thrilled as well. Give him Fire Magic and watch him have a barbeque. He would maybe think about sparring with Mereo; fire against fire, but wouldn't go through with it.

Overall I think they'd do pretty good. And in fact, it might work as a useful Mana Usage and Adaptation exercise.

[jesawyer]

Unsolicited Opinions on Improvements for Mordhau’s Frontline Mode

In spite of not being particularly good at them, I’ve been a fan of competitive team-based, objective-oriented FPSes going back to Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and Battlefield: 1942.  When they’re good, they’re great.  The thrill of victory/agony of defeat on map like W:ET’s Fuel Dump is hard to match in either a single player game or a standard DM/TDM environment.

When I saw that Mordhau was coming out with a team-based, objective-oriented mode (Frontline), I was thrilled.  Mordhau’s combat is challenging and I always appreciate when something is...

There are problems with balance (HORSES) and, as with any online competitive game, the in-game chat being a vortex of brain-destroying negative energy, but the developers at Triternion have already discussed plans to address those issues.  And while they’ve also discussed plans to look at Frontline, that’s not going to stop me, who has no experience working directly on team-based, objective-oriented FPSes (other than giving advice on Armored Warfare, I guess... ), from giving my unsolicited opinions on how Frontline could be improved as a mode of gameplay.

I’m an RPG designer, so if anyone reading this wants to dismiss these ideas immediately, feel free.  Take ‘em or leave ‘em, baby!

Things I’m not Going to Address (Except Here)

It’s worth saying things that I’m not going to really dive into because I don’t think they’re problems with Frontline as a mode.  First, weapon balance.  I have opinions on how weapons and weapon costs are balanced in Mordhau as a whole, but I don’t think any Frontline map is made or broken because of overall weapon balance.  Horses and firebombs are sort of the exception here, but Triternion has already acknowledged problems with both, so there’s no point to beating on that billhooked horse.

Second, in-game chat being a cesspool of idiocy.  I mean, it absolutely is, but it’s also 100% unnecessary for playing Frontline.  Because Frontline has a single conflict point at any given moment of the game, it’s really rare that any deep team coordination is required.  And if the mode evolves to require better coordination, it would be better served by the existing voiced in-character quick bark system (which is not dissimilar in overall structure to Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory’s) than by requiring characters to type in / read text chat.

As a reminder, you can disable the chat log entirely from the options menu.  In my experience, it is only an improvement.

Asymmetry

One of the first enormous hurdles to achieving good gameplay balance on any Frontline map is that every Frontline map has either asymmetrical map layouts, asymmetrical objectives, or asymmetrical map layouts and objectives.

It’s hard to un-ring the bell on these design decisions, but it’s important to recognize that when both the layouts and objectives are asymmetrical, it’s significantly more challenging for designers to achieve what feels like (to players) a fair set of challenges for both teams.

On maps where the layouts are close to symmetrical (e.g. Mountain Peak), it’s important to ensure that the final stage objectives feel like they require a similar amount of time, effort, and focus to complete.  Of course, Mountain Peak’s final stage objectives don’t require a similar amount of time, effort, and focus to complete, so whether your team wins or loses once pushed back to their final spawn can feel like a tooth-and-nail struggle (pushing the ram to red) or like you suddenly lose out of nowhere without even seeing the final objective fall (burning tents in blue).

To compare these two objective types, we can look at how they work in games like Overwatch or W:ET.  The ram at red is like an Overwatch payload and other than the fact that it moves, it’s not much different from flag objectives in Frontline.  Blue players stand around the ram and it moves -- unless red players stand in the area and/or kill the blue players in the area.  Unlike an Overwatch payload (or the train car on W:ET’s Rail Gun), the defending team cannot reverse the direction of the ram once it starts moving.  They can only stop it (reclaiming their nearest flag will also halt forward progress).  The ram is easy to track and players from both teams can try to dogpile onto it (or the nearby flag).

In contrast, the tents that blue has to defend are spread out over a relatively large area.  A single red player can throw a torch and light up a tent and there’s not much blue can do to stop it.  Of course, red can just forget to do it, which is a real and separate problem, but all of these problems contribute to making the final objectives feel massively different in terms of the effort and coordination required to accomplish them.

It would probably be easier to change the objectives on Mountain Peak than to try to use map layout as a balancing factor.  On maps like Grad, where the layout is so totally asymmetrical, making the final objectives more symmetrical could help a lot.  Even if both red and blue had to destroy three carts, the layouts of the final objective zones are so fundamentally different that the experience would be inherently different.  And that’s really the goal, right?  That it feels different winning as blue than it does winning as red?  I believe most players would rather have symmetrical objectives that feel more balanced for each side than to have asymmetrical objectives that feel massively lopsided in execution.

Map Refinement

This is related to asymmetry, but is a separate issue.  There’s a lot that could be edited out or changed on each of the existing Frontline maps to make gameplay more enjoyable.  A relatively minor, but significant, change on Taiga’s layout made a huge impact on the viability of blue taking the central flag.  There are two types of map refinements that are important: large scale and polish.

Large scale issues are things like Grad’s subterranean dungeon.  I would argue it doesn’t need to exist at all, but a reasonable argument could me made that having another path into the castle is valuable for red.  Still, it could be cut in half in terms of overall complexity/size and it would still accomplish the same goal.

Another large scale issue is the distance of blue’s spawn from the center of Crossroads relative to the distance from red’s spawn.  Blue’s is quite a bit farther away and their path is obstructed far more than red’s.  Additionally, red horses can (and do, nonstop, every match) run circles through blue’s spawn.  I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect that the base spawn of each team should be blocked from continuous horse access.

In general, looking at each team’s spawns relative to the capture point between them, consider if each team has a similar burden to access the capture circle in terms of distance, obstruction, and vulnerability to enemy harrying tactics (i.e., prior to even entering the circle).  If they don’t, address those as part of large scale map changes.

Polish issues are things like the myriad small collision hangups that exist on almost every map.  E.g. on Crossroads, overhead clearance between the ground and stairs in the central fort, the chunk of debris on the ground just around the NE corner of the base of the central fort, and red’s ramps over the palisade wall.  Making movement collision accurately model every bump and nook and cranny produces frustrating experiences for players.  Smooth out the collision to produce walking surfaces that don’t stop player movement because of minor, almost imperceptible height differences.  If smoothing the collision out makes it differ too much from the world geometry, change them both.

Catapults, Trebs, and Similar Instant Death Machines

Speaking personally, I don’t think these add any value to Frontline.  When I get killed by one of them, 3/4 times I had no indication that danger was imminent and in many situations there was nothing I could to avoid death.  E.g. on Grad, it’s easy for red to launch catapult shot over the wall into the smithy, giving even players who are looking in that direction less than half a second to react (i.e., realize they will die) to the enormous stone sphere as it crests the wall.

If these siege weapons continue to be a part of Grad, Camp, and other maps, please give players an audio/visual cue - regardless of where they’re looking - that death is inbound.

Airstrikes and artillery in W:ET are preceded by colored smoke and distinctive sounds that give players a window of opportunity to get out of the way.  I’m not saying there should be smoke where they will land, but a better audio cue would go a long way to making siege weapon deaths feel less random and arbitrary.  Yes, silent death from a catapult is realistic, but it’s obnoxious from a gameplay perspective and can instantly change an objective from being threatened to being completely cleared.

Better Audio Cues

Players have a difficult time focusing on Frontline.  It’s just human nature.  There’s a reason why Overwatch focuses everyone toward a single payload that they stand on.

Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory used voice of god-style announcements to indicate when major map-critical events were occurring and to tell players what they were supposed to be doing.  At the start of Fuel Dump, the Axis announcer says, “Don’t let them construct the bridge! Construct the command post!”  When the Allies construct the bridge, the announcer yells, “Bridge constructed! Destroy it!” The announcer keeps track of every major game state and constantly reminds the players where they stand on the map.  When dynamite is planted on an objective, everyone in the game is made aware of it and it focuses their efforts on defusing it / ensuring it goes off.  Critically, there is a window in which the defending team can rush to the objective and stop / reverse what has been set in motion.  

In Frontline, when enemies are attacking a flag, players on the defending team don’t get an audio cue until the tide has turned in the attackers’ favor.  But by that point, if a player is not already involved in the defense of the flag, it’s unlikely that they can reach the flag in time to make a difference.  Better and more audio cues about the state of an objective would help focus players more on the objectives than they currently do (not much).

Audio cues can also apply to player-initiated barks being broadcast across the team.  Yes, spam can be a problem, but muting players should be an easy process in any competitive online game.  Mordhau already has a robust set of voice barks, but they’re only heard in proximity to the player and most of them aren’t useful in any practical sense.  Being able to yell for help isn’t that appealing when it’s limited to a 15′ radius around you and everyone in that radius can already see someone feint morphing a maul into your face.

However, being able to call for help or reinforcements and having it broadcast to the team with an on-screen indicator of your location or the nearest active objective -- that could be quite helpful.  Arguably one screen of the commands could be reorganized to only and always be team-wide barks: Hold, Follow Me, Help, and Charge.  Need Healing or Need Repairs could also be added to the list.

Point Scoring and Display

Even players who elect to play Frontline are often awful at actually focusing on the objectives.  A lot of players go into it as though it’s TDM.  How many times have you seen Crossroads end and the losing team has a proud player at the top of the leaderboard with a 50:3 K:D due to running down the enemy team’s spawn with a horse for the whole match?

K:D is a fine metric for success in DM or TDM, but it’s not the point of Frontline -- at least, it isn’t when it’s away from the objectives.  I think there are a variety of changes that could be made to scoring and to the display of scores to help focus people on the objectives.

First, killing and, arguably, dying on or near an active objective should be weighted as more valuable than killing random enemies 75m away from an active objective. Players currently accrue points for neutralizing and capturing an objective, but if the needle isn’t moving, they don’t earn any points for fighting on the objective.  This discourages proactive defense and doesn’t motivate attacking players to push fights into the objective unless the odds are already heavily in their favor.

Damaging blockades (with anything other than firebombs, anyway) and repairing them are tedious, often dangerous activities that arguably do more to aid/hinder access to the objective than killing an individual unit.  Since firebomb damage is being tuned, it may be worth considering increasing the score bonus for damaging or repairing blockades to encourage more players to prioritize taking down barriers before entering melee with people in the general vicinity.

For Frontline, consider highlighting score in a lighter color (vs. K/D/A) and either adding additional stats (healing, capture, and repair/destruction score contributions) or only showing the player’s K/D/A (no one else’s) to de-emphasize the importance of K/D/A.  I’ve seen a lot of posts online where players post screenshots of someone “scandalously” at the top of a Frontline scoreboard with a poor or mediocre K/D/A.   Yes, it’s not DM/TDM, it’s Frontline.  The point is ostensibly about pushing objectives and helping your teammates do that.  The way points are scored and displayed should emphasize that, with K/D/A only being one element.

Supply Boxes and Their Placement

I have pretty mixed feelings about deployable objects in games of this type, but rather than advocate removing any of those things, I’m going to suggest rethinking the inclusion of supply boxes and, if they stay in the game, where they are placed.  Supply boxes are the easiest way to build ballistae and for that reason, where they are placed can have a huge impact on the defensive capabilities of the team controlling the space around the supply boxes.

If the developers’ intention is that ballistae should be used mostly defensively, supply boxes should be placed primarily away from central objectives, and not close to lines of sight that point toward central objectives.  This promotes back-and-forth gameplay across the center, rather than entrenching the dominant team’s position at the center.

Transparency and Tuning in Objective Capture Mechanics

It’s not currently obvious to most players how the capture mechanics on an objective work.  What changes the objective from Attacking to Capturing?  What ratio of attackers vs. defenders are required?  Some UI changes could help highlight exactly what’s happening.

Finally, I urge the developers to think about the timing of captures and how that works with spawning mechanics.  It’s common for a defender on an objective to die, be unable to respawn before the objective is considered “Losing” and, after respawning, be able to reach the objective before it is fully captured by the enemy.

Is this the desired pacing of objective captures?  I would guess that something more forgiving is desired.  Once an objective is “Losing”, if it’s technically impossible for respawning defenders to reach the objective in time to prevent it from being fully captured, it can be extremely frustrating.  Tuning the pacing of objective captures can help make the back and forth feel less hopeless, more satisfying.

Thanks for reading.

[letstalksymphogear]

Symphogear, Ep. 1 (Cont)

So obviously, Hibiki lived. What, you thought she died? Nah, not yet.

The show punts us back to the present.

And Hibiki’s in a brand new school! Looks good. It looks better than most University campuses. So it be in the psuedo-future, where pods and towers and glass are everywhere, and god knows how the condensation works in the building.

And it’s a music academy! Because fuck you, this is a musical anime. What, you thought she was going to a technical school? Trade school? No buddy. Better get with the choir ‘cause we singin’ out here.

All the teachers hate Hibiki, because she’s the world’s biggest goof.

This is karmically balanced by her having such a swanky dormitory that it outrivals most high end studio apartments. Look at this shit. Look how many square feet that is. A family could live in here. Is she paying for this? How can you afford this?

“i saved my money”

Her roommate? It should be obvious.

Her soon-to-be wife. This is not an exaggeration. She literally acts like her housewife. This is something even the voice actresses keep in mind. It’s that ingrained.

I... what? But. But they do...

She loves her idiot girlfriend.

Tsubasa is going solo for depressingly obvious reasons. Also, she goes to this school! Nobody really cares, though. It’s sorta weird really, you’d think more people would freak out that a pop star of national acclaim would be getting classes at their school, but nah! Not a damn person cares. It’s just the usual.

Oh right. Hibiki cares. That’s real fucking creepy, Hibiki.

This scar is important. It’s what she got after the whole incident. You might say it’s going to show off her... forte! Eh? Eh...? ‘Cause, ‘cause it’s a forte symbol, and it means force in italian, and it means she’s gonna get stronger, and... okay. Okay, I’ll shut up.

Harry Potter jokes aside, Hibiki isn’t just tailing Tsubasa to be a creepy stalker. She wants answers; mainly an explanation for what the fuck happened during that whole Noisefest 2017 thing, and why they were in admittedly cool outfits singing to themselves without any music (because presumably the music is only in our perspective, not theirs).

Hibiki’s really hung up about not dying, and she’s worried the whole Symphogear revelation was just part of a near death hallucination. Like seeing angels right before dying, except a bit more anime.

Anyway, time to go to sleep together with your bestest friend in the whole wide world who clearly would not marry you at the drop of a dime.

In the top bunk of a bunk bed. Clearly heterosexual behavior. Straight as straight can be.

Meanwhile the Noise are wrecking shop in some undisclosed location somewhere as the military keeps attacking them.

This is a bad time to point out that guns, bullets, and all conventional artillery and means of warfare have no effect on the Noise. This is also a bad time to remind you that this is not the first altercation; so much so that civilians are on a first name basis with them.

“i am literally being thrown into a meat grinder”

Tsubasa shows up explicitly to clown on the military, putting the F. U. in SNAFU.

Tsubasa is currently an angsty gay mess. Her girlfriend’s gone, she’s in the same school as the person she sacrificed her life for, and she’s real fucking lonely. Also her family sucks ass. I mean real ass. Not the traditional ass. We’re talking advanced ass.

Abridged footage of Tsubasa defeating the Noise.

“why the fuck were we even sent out to begin with”

Meanwhile at Lydian, where fully stocked healthy buffet options are just The Norm in this cafeteria. You know, just making more higher tier casual food restaurants be put to shame by this.

Hibiki eats the SHIT out of things. Spiritually, she’s basically Goku.

Tsubasa comes in and some girls sorta lose their shit but otherwise they’re really keeping it together for being near a celebrity. Hibiki gets up and-

“uhhhhhhhh hi”

Awkward sniffing noises.

“aw damn shits gettin real too bad i cant watch this i got a four course meal to get to HA CHA CHA”

And in a single hand gesture, Tsubasa absolutely destroys the shit out of Hibiki.

Annihilated. Never living that one down. Total destruction of her ego.

You know it’s bad when even your girlfriend-to-be roasts you for it.

Yeah, pirating is the only way to get the- I mean! Digital goods are only to be retrieved through purchase.

Anyway. Our lovely little nerd sets off to buy some limited edition CDs of her favorite idol and also her classmate, Tsubasa; the clipped wing of Zwei Wing. A fitting, but unfortunatre title. Hibiki is all giddy about this until her Hibiki sense tingles.

The patented HibikiSense technology only goes off in two scenarios: When she’s hungry, and when she’s in danger. Using her limited, but sharpened, braincells, Hibiki understands that she already ate several times. So the only thing left is-

You know, you’d think there’d be zone warnings about this kind of stuff it happens on the regular. But this is Hibiki, so she probably never paid attention to them.

Intense fax noises in brain.

Hibiki, being A Good Person, goes out of her way to save a little girl she heard in danger.

Weirdly, the day changed rapidly, but fuck it, we all know it’s for the drama.

I want you to take a moment to process this picture. How long do you think the Noise have just been standing there to catch those two? Do you think they all collectively went “You know, they’re gonna end up here, so let’s just wait it out for a bit.” And then just stood there for hours? These are the things that keep me up at night.

Hibiki makes her run to the shelter with the girl, but failed to realize having 4 meals in succession is a real bad thing to do before running what culminates a triathlon.

Hibiki remembers Kanade’s words of advice, though. They ring out something like:

So she keeps going. And going. And going.

What a thrill...

She makes it to the roof of some... power facility complex? With strong Megaman vibes? And they hide out there, blissfully unaware that this does not stop something that has rockets phase right through them. And can, y’know, fly.

Surprise, motherfucker. Thought you saw the last of me.

Cornered, and out of options, she does what any main protagonist would do in the worst possible situation.

Whips out some good ol’ fashioned superpowers, baby!

Even the noise are confused! They literally look at each other and go “uhhh, what” and wonder what the fuck is going on!

“ohhhhhhh my GODDDDD WHY IS THIS HAPPENING MY EYES”

Naturally it’s just GOTTA be an EVENT everybody’s gotta know about.

“oh my god the gaydar’s OFF THE CHARTS”

The impact of this is that this is Kanade’s old relic, which was used as the basis of her Symphogear. This gives two implications: She’s alive (she can’t be), or someone else is wearing her duds in a hand-me-down fashion.

GUNGIR DATTO?!

“no fucking why. is. is she alive? she cant be. she died in my fucking arms. i SAW her die. how the fuck- who stole her clothes? thats impossible. oh my fucking god. my brain cant take this. who the fuck is running around in my deceased girlfriend’s clothes. im going to fuck them up so bad. im going to rewire their skeleton so they have legs for arms. theyre gonna be lanky fucking kong once i get my hands on them. ohhhh my god. i need to destress at panera or something. fuck. oh my fucking god.”

As the elemental piss stream vortex keeps pulsating out of Hibiki’s chest like a strange, pulsating flashlight of energy, her very body transforms to embrace the relic and become..

Feral? She’s turning feral? Oh shit. I didn’t remember this. Oh boy. Better go see a dentist later.

Oh Jesus Christ.

I hope you never watch AKIRA, Hibiki.

Oh. Oh, you thought this was gonna be a happy transformation? You thought wrong, viewer. Hibiki is no longer fucking around. And to think, this is just the beginning...

[transformerimagines]

One ride (Tfp Knockout x reader)

You hated being a human, especially when you were surrounded by great alien beings of immense power. They were tall, strong and capable fighters. You also had the same abilities but they were never taken into account when compared to their absolute mite. Maybe that's the reason you weren't thinking straight and ran through the ground bridge when Optimus gave the order to roll out. You were older than the teens, over 20 and with the start of a military career under your belt so you should have had this under control. Boy were you wrong.

As soon as you exited the ground bridge you realised you had set foot in a war zone, not just a war zone, an alien war zone. You tried to stay close to the autobots, remaining a little ways behind them so that they couldn't see you but gave you cover. The regular Vehicons were there, firing their weapons unsuccessfully at the autobot ranks while a red Decepticon stayed behind the barrage of them. You had seen clippings of him on the monitors so you knew that this was the Decepticon medic known as Knockout, Bee had told you stories of the narcissistic Mech who cared more about his paint job then the actual cause. To be honest, he looked like a good person to mess around with, and with that thought your target was chosen. You rushed away from your comrades to a nearby rocky hill, easily scaling the harsh stone until you came to the top of the boulder. Taking aim with the gun you had holstered, you fired a shot which headed straight for the Con medic which flew past his helm, not before scratching his paint job however. His optics turned to see you standing proudly, fiery red burning in to your skin like you imagined the pits of hell to shine. It might have been mesmerising, if he wasn't so pissed.

“You imbecilic fleshie!” He screeched while advancing towards you. You couldn't move though, still entranced by his optics. Now that he was getting closer you could fully see the shine of his frame and the way it was reflecting the environment around it. “I waxed just this morning!” He yelled again as he stood in front of you now, servo chaining to a saw. “Any last words?” His voice held a small amount of amusement despite his anger, it was at that moment that you had realised he had an accent. A very compromising accent.

“Damn,” You finally said after a few moments while looking Knockout up and down. “Aren't you enchanting.” You weren't supposed to say that, why the hell did you say that?! The inner turmoil that was consuming you quickly went away as Knockout retracted his saw, his servo coming to rest to the side of your standing form as he lowered to your face level. An optic ridge was raised as he too looked you up and down, noting how you too were also above the ‘normal’ standards of Fleshies. You were immaculate, the bone structure in your face were high and angled. The skin was soft and supple from what he could see and damn were those optics of yours, like you said, enchanting.

“Not too bad yourself,” Knockout smirked as he saw the shock come over your face at his compliment, he could see the small changes in your face colour starting as well. “I don't believe I've seen you around here before, Sweetspark, who might you be?” He questioned, his helm leaning closer to you so that you could get the inner working of the contraption and feel his hot ex-vent all over your body.

“I'm-.” You started but before you could finish a blur of blue crossed your line of sight as Arcee kicked Knockout away from you and stopped in a defensive position.

“Y/N get to the Groundbridge now!” She shouted at you before turning to fight the now armed Knockout who ran at her. This was no time to be arguing, you should be thanking Arcee for breaking you out of your trance. Thanking would have to wait though, right now you needed to scramble down the rock face and get through the swirling vortex at the bottom. Which is exactly what you did.

 -:-

 Fowler had not been happy when you had returned to base, you tried to explain your actions but the Agent had none of it and sent you home not five minutes after your return. That was where you were now, flicking through TV channels in your underwear and eating a chocolate bar while feeling sorry for yourself. You would have stayed there all night if the sound of beeping hadn't sounded from outside your house. Upon inspection, you were surprised to see a cherry red Aston Martin parked in your driveway. The idea to ignore it sounded in your mind until another beep sounded through to your house. With a sigh you pulled on your favourite hoodie and made your way to the car, bare legs growing colder in the evening air.

“You're kidding right?” You asked in a cocky manner, you expected Knockout to just transform and kill you then but you didn't expect his passenger door to open to you.

“Not at all. Fancy a ride?” He asked seductively, you could have sworn one of his headlight flashed on and off quickly but you tried to dismiss the thought.

“I try not to make a habit of going on rides with Decepticons.” You replied with a sickly sweet smile, your arms crossing over your chest as you stared at the interior of the car.

“But I'm not just any Con, I'm the enchanting Con,” You could hear him smirk just by the sound of his voice, cocky ass hole. “Now come on, I haven't got all night.” He stated impatiently as you raised your eyebrow at him.

“Why should I?” You asked him, leaning against his car door while still looking into the car. You might have been trying to get a rise out of him but you would never actually admit that.

“Do you not want to walk on the wild side?” He purred, you could feel the rev of his engine through the metal door as he spoke. This was probably the most dangerous position you had ever been in but it was such a thrill to taunt the medic. “Come on, you must want to know what it's like to ride with the bad guy. I bet the adrenaline is already running through your body at the thought.” Damn he wasn't wrong, getting into that car would have been the most thrilling way to end the night, not to mention the most dangerous way. Right now you needed a little danger, you needed to rebel after the incident today with Fowler and you didn't care about the consequences. With one final sigh you slid in to the leather seat of Knockouts passenger side, the door closing on its own and the belt wrapping around you securely.

“Just one ride.” You told him sternly while pulling down the end of your hoodie self consciously.

“That's what they all say Sweetspark,” Knockout began as he reversed out of your parking space. “That's what they all say.”

[fitllivinglifestyle]

What to do in Dubai for Adventure: 15 Awesome Activities in Dubai

Dubai is known for its opulent architecture, lavish malls, never-ending deserts, and rich culture. But there is more to the city beyond its glitz and glamour. Would you believe that the city also has an adventurous side to it? Yes, it is true. If you crave for some thrill and excitement, then here is the ultimate list of what to do in Dubai for Adventure. It is time to try something offbeat in Dubai and indulge in some awesome activities in Dubai.

Dhow Dinner Cruise

Credit: beccacantpark Flickr The Dhow dinner cruise is one of the most fascinating experiences in Dubai. Sail along the Dubai Marina on a traditionally decorated wooden boat. This 2-hour cruise lets you experience Arabian hospitality to the fullest. Take in picturesque views of the city sailing past and spot some iconic landmarks such as the Rolex Tower and the Logo Island. Spend a night under the twinkling stars while you sit back and enjoy some cultural performances such as Tanura Dance Show. Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner with mouth-watering local and international delicacies.

Hot Air Balloon Dubai

What better way to experience the deserts of Dubai than to go on a hot air balloon ride? Watch the mesmerizing view of the rising sun against the backdrop of the Hajjar Mountains from 4000 feet above the ground. If you are lucky you can spot some gazelles, camels, and Arabian oryx in the sand below. Enjoy the antics of the falcons as these intelligent birds keep you entertained. Once you touch down, enjoy a gourmet breakfast consisting of a spread of local and international dishes. >>>One of the Best places for hot air balloons

Dubai ZipLine

The longest and fastest zipline in the world is located over Dubai Marina. Measuring one kilometer, and a speed of 80 km/h, XLine has an incline of 16 degrees and is also of the steepest ziplines around the globe. Two parallel zip lines are running currently so you can enjoy the company of a friend or family member with you. You can feast your eyes on the jaw-dropping views of the Dubai Marina. The age criteria for this activity is between 12-65 years and a minor has to be accompanied by a legal guardian. The best part is that you get to carry pictures and videos of the entire activity. 

Dubai Museum of Illusions

One of the Middle East's most unique attractions, the Museum of Illusions provides you with an unforgettable experience. The place houses 80 plus exhibits that will play with your mind, challenge your senses, and leave you utterly confused. Nothing is what it looks like. Deceive your senses with various optical illusions, holograms, and photo illusions. Some of the famous attractions here are the Chair Illusion, Vortex Tunnel, the Infinity Room, and the Ames Room. 

Hatta Heritage Village

Credit PYP Flickr Visit the Hatta village to get a sneak-peek into the Emirati life centuries ago. Owned by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, this village was restored in 2001 and consists of approximately 30 buildings. Located in the Hajar mountains, this village has a fort, two watchtowers, and a mosque. The original structure of the house was made with natural materials such as mud, palm fronds, and stone and are still retained. Don't forget to visit the house of the local chief, called Bait Al Wali. The village museum houses a wonderful collection of exhibits such as weapons, furnishing, crockery, jewelry, handicrafts, and musical instruments. The palm tree farm nearby called Al-Sharia Site uses one of the oldest irrigation systems called Falaj and is a must-visit. 

Mountain Biking in Dubai

Head out of the city to enjoy a wild day out in the rugged terrains of the mountains. Mountain Biking has gained a lot of popularity in Dubai in recent years. The hilly region of Hatta is the most picturesque destination in UAE for mountain biking. The roads can easily be navigated by amateurs and professionals with difficult levels of difficulty. There are many bike rentals options in the city to cater to your needs.

Sky Dive Dubai

In recent years, skydiving has become one of the most popular adventure sports. And now you can experience this thrilling activity in Dubai. Experience a free fall at the rate of 120 miles an hour, from a height of 13000 feet above the ground. Witness breathtaking views of incredible Palm Jumeirah or the Arabian desert. You can also witness some of the fascinating sights of the city from above. You also get to carry a video of your sky diving experience that you can cherish for life. This is a prime example of what to do in Dubai that you should certainly not miss. 

Dubai Aquaventure Waterpark

Aquaventure Waterpark is one of the largest and best waterparks in UAE. It has more than 30 thrill slides and attractions. Relax at a 500-meter private beach or enjoy Dubai's longest river, the Lazy River. Ride through the twisting Aquaconda water tunnel or battle with the King of the Sea at the Tower of Poseidon. Explore the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis and get some interesting information on marine life. Visit the Lost Chambers Aquarium that houses more than 65000 aquatic animals such as sharks, stingrays, sea lions, and dolphins.

Ski Dubai Snow Park

Credit 123_456 Flickr This is your chance to experience snow bang in the middle of the desert. Located in the magnificent Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort. It is the perfect opportunity to take a break from the scorching heat of Dubai and cool off at the ski park. It has an 85-meter high mountain with different levels of slopes and an ice cave. You can take part in activities such as snowboarding, tobogganing, and skiing. There are rides such as chairlift, snow bumpers, zorb ball, and a mountain thrill ride. The most delightful part is the March of the Penguins where these exotic creatures perform various activities that will surely leave you amazed. 

Desert Safari Dubai

Deserts are synonymous with Dubai and your trip is incomplete without a trip to the vast deserts of the city. Brace yourself for a bumpy ride across the desert in a 4x4 vehicle. Indulge in some exciting activities such as quad biking, sandboarding, and dune bashing. Retire to the Bedouin campsite for some unique Emirati experience. You can take pictures in traditional Arabic garments, smoke a shisha pipe, ride a camel, and the womenfolk can get their hands painted with Henna. Enjoy some cultural performances such as Belly Dancing, Tanura Dance show, and Fire show. Relish a lip-smacking BBQ dinner with an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Put this item of what to do in Dubai on your bucket list. 

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

Credit globetraveller Flickr Located in Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world. It also holds the Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Acrylic Panel'. It houses over 30000 marine animals consisting of over 140 species. You can get up, close, and personal with sharks, piranhas, stingrays, sea horses, crabs, penguins, jellyfish, and more. There is even a terrifying King Croc weighing approximately 750 kgs and the largest collection of sand tiger sharks. 

Camel Polo in Dubai

Credit landrovermena Flickr The traditional camel race gets a makeover in the form of Camel Polo. Camels have been an integral part of the Arabian culture for a very long time. And Camel Polo is a favorite pastime of the locals for many years now. The only difference is that the traditional jockeys have been replaced with Robot jockeys that are controlled by operators driving in SUVs alongside the camels. This is through and through a complete entertaining experience. 

IMG World of Adventure

Credit rollercoasterphilosophy Flickr This majestic indoor park spans across an area of 2.5 million square feet. Enjoy some adrenaline-pumping attractions at the Marvel Zone. Get up, close, and personal with your favorite superheroes such as Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man and others. Your most loved cartoon characters such as Powerpuff Girls and Ben 10 come to life in the Cartoon Network Zone. Enter the prehistoric era in the Lost Valley zone which is home to some of the most gripping rides such as Dino Carousel, Predator, The Velociraptor, and Forbidden Territory.

Dubai Seaplane Flight

The Dubai Seaplane takes you on an aerial journey that will leave you enthralled. The ride takes around 20 or 45 minutes based on the package you choose. Take off from the dazzling waters of the Persian Gulf and enjoy the spectacular sights of Dubai's skyline. Feast your eyes on some awe-inspiring sights of the most celebrated wonders of Dubai such as the Burj Khalifa, Palm Islands, Hotel Burj Al Arab, Dubai Creek, Dubai Marina, and Hotel Atlantis, The Palm among others. There is no better way to experience the splendid beauty of Dubai. 

Water Activities at Jumeirah Beach

There are many pristine beaches in Dubai which have become a favorite hangout of locals and tourist alike. One of them is Jumeirah Beach that caters to all your water sports needs. The safety and security of people are top-notch, so you need not worry. There are multiple activities such as jet skiing, wake-boarding, banana boat ride, donut ride, fly fish, seabreacher ride, and scuba diving to name a few. This is a perfect place to spend a leisure day with your family. >>Best Beaches in Washington

Plan your Dubai Trip Now

Dubai gives you an amazing opportunity to experience a wide variety of water and land-based activities. Dubai adventures and activities are what make this city an interesting travel destination. So next time you are in this fabulous city, let go of yourself and indulge in a bit of daredevilry. This article was written by Neha Singh

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[five-rivers]

A ghost coral reef in the zone sounds rad as hell. Bruh, merfolk ghosts? Are they the sirens of legend?

I am connecting dots...

Keep connecting those dots! (Also, this ask is old enough that I no longer remember what it was originally referring to, sorry!)

.

Normally, Danny would be thrilled to be on a cruise.  He was still a little excited.  Apart from fishing trips with his dad, he’d never really been on a boat, let alone one as long as this one.  But the fact that this was the ‘ghost tours’ equivalent of the seven seas put a serious damper on his enjoyment.  

Honestly, though, he and Jazz should have known it would turn out like this.  In their entire life they'd had only one 'ghost free' vacation... and that hadn't been ghost free at all, thanks to Youngblood.

Their itinerary included presumptive sites of various famous shipwrecks, haunted beaches, the giant garbage vortex (just... why?) and, of course, Bermuda.

"Why are we going to the giant garbage vortex?" asked Jazz, glaring at the itinerary, who was much braver than Danny. Her rolling suitcase caught on a bump, but she yanked it free and sped up to keep up with their parents.

"Because of the corpses!" said Maddie, cheerfully.

"Great," she muttered. "I think I'll just stay in our cabin the whole time we're there."

"The shops inside should probably be fine," said Danny. "They've got a movie theater."

"Hm," grunted Jazz.

"I thought you would be excited!" said Jack. "Aren't you kids really into the environment and stuff?"

"Sure," said Jazz, "but we're not going to be cleaning anything up while we're there, and in the meantime it's vile and unpleasant to be around."

"We'll hardly be there long enough to take any readings," said Maddie. "Just hold your nose and bear it. The rest of the time we'll be in clear, tropical waters."

"Plus, we can try out the Fenton Plugs!" shouted Jack. "Good for your ears, your nose, and any leaks your boat might grow!" He immediately shoved two round, luridly green objects into his ears and bounced away, growing progressively louder as he went.

Jazz grumbled under her breath, but stopped arguing.

Clear tropical waters selected for how haunted they were. Plus, even taking the ghosts out of the equation, Danny knew that sites of past shipwrecks were more likely to be sites of future shipwrecks as well.

If the typical Fenton luck held, they'd definitely crash. Or sink. Or run aground. Or catch on fire. Or explode. Or whichever ones applied to cruise ships. Or all of them. Somehow.

Danny sighed and trundled after his family.

.

The first day was actually rather pleasant. They sailed by some sites of historical wrecks near the coast, but, for the most part, those had decayed, salvaged, or moved, due to them blocking some kind of shipping path. Shipping route? Whatever.

After that, they traveled along a rough path of dead coral reefs. They didn't actually get too close to the reefs. They were still protected areas, and, apparently, they were too shallow for the cruise ship to get too close to. Instead, they went out to the reefs in little boats, a few passengers at a time.

Jack and Maddie, of course, wanted to go out every time, so they could see the 'ghost coral.' But they weren't allowed, thankfully. They had to sign up and wait their turn, just like everyone else.

Danny leaned over the side of the little boat and stared down at the water, blinking at the spray.

"Come over and look through the bottom! You'll get a better view!" called Jazz.

"I'll get motion sick," said Danny, raising his voice to be heard over the boat's motors.

"More motion sick than what you're doing now?"

"Yes!"

They eventually came to a slow, stop over what looked like nothing so much as dead trees. Danny made his way back to the center of the boat, to peer through the glass bottom with the others.

Still dead trees. Sad, dead trees. And bushes. Nothing else. It was empty, void of fish, colorless and bony. Maybe they looked more like piles of bones than dead trees.

"Now," announced the captain over the loudspeaker, "this reef originally grew on the wreck of merchant ship Thessalonike, of course, it's difficult to truly determine the identity of the wreck, given that the reef is still protected..."

Danny tuned the rest of the narration out.

There was definitely a melancholy feeling in the air here, although none of the other tourists seemed to feel it.

Danny shivered, blinked, and suddenly the water below was much less empty. The water swam with tiny lights, transparent, barely-there fish with skeletons that shone through their skin, and large, diaphanous, formless things.

He blinked again and the vision was lost.

He shivered. Well. That was sure fishy. He couldn't actually sense any ghosts here, not real ghosts, so... he was going to ignore that. It wasn't his problem.

He hoped.

.

The ride back went smoothly at first, but then the boat stalled.

Hm. A stalling boat hadn't been on his list of possibilities for what could go wrong.

"We're experiencing some technical difficulties here, folks, but don't worry. We'll get moving again in a-"

The captain was cut off by a massive leak springing up from near the plexiglass bottom. Everyone shrieked.

The boat was too small, there were too many people. He couldn't go ghost here. Maybe if skirted around the control tower-

"DON'T WORRY. THIS IS A JOB FOR FENTON PLUGS!" roared Jack. He pounced on the leak shoving something green at the link.

Danny watched with some amazement as his father shoved several green, pea-sized objects at the leak. One of them apparently got in the hole, because the gushing leak stopped.

Jack put his hands on his hips. "ONCE AGAIN," he said, showing off the green shapes shoved in his ears, "FENTON INGENUITY SAVES THE DAY."

"Great job, Jack."

Behind him, the green, pea-sized object was... no longer quite so pea-sized. In fact, it had become huge and bloated and... Oh, Danny could see where this was going.

There was a loud cracking noise as the expanded Fenton Plug grew large enough to split the plexiglass window from the rest of the boat. Water rushed in.

It was a good thing everyone had life jackets on already, and that the water was warm. Even so, there was a lot of panic. Reasonable panic, yes, but panic was never productive. Better to be calm about it.

Now, he should try to float away out of sight, so he could transform... Except the ocean was flat, so out of sight wasn't really a thing. Unless he went under. But that would-

Maddie grabbed onto him, pulling him into the somewhat crushing embrace of the rest of his family.

"DON'T WORRY, DANNO. WE WON'T LET YOU GET SEPARATED FROM US!"

"Jack, maybe you should take out your Fenton Plugs..."

"WHAT?"

"YOU SHOULD TAKE OUT YOUR FENTON PLUGS."

"AND EXPOSE MYSELF TO THE HORRORS OF GHOST SWIMMER'S EAR? I DON'T THINK SO."

Yay. He felt so safe. Whatever. They'd probably be picked up by a boat from the cruise ship before too long. No need for heroics.

A shadow fell over them. Danny looked up. There were clouds in the sky. Lots of clouds. There hadn't been any clouds before.

Okay, well, it looked like whatever was going on was his problem, after all.

There were shrieks and other cries of alarm, and there was suddenly a very large wave bearing down on them. Danny barely had time to brace before it broke over them, forcing Danny down into the water. He shed his life jacket and let himself sink for several precious seconds before summoning his transformation rings and letting them turn him into a ghost.

The water around him immediately shifted, becoming greener, brighter, and full of spectral shapes. A series of pale blue bubbles gushed from his nose, despite his best efforts at keeping his breath in.

He kicked upward, tapping into his intangibility to let him go up faster.

His ankle was grabbed and yanked down. Surrounding him were what could only be described as mermaids and mermen, clad in clothes that billowed in the green water and reminded Danny of nothing so much as jellyfish. Pearls in their hair glinted brilliantly in the uncertain light.

At the edge of his vision, a great, ruined ship loomed over everything, trees of bone blooming from its ports and holes in its hull.

Alright, he decided as the mermaids chittered in his ear. This was his problem.

[bumpscosity]

Reviewing California’s great America attractions:

Demon: I don’t like things with inversions or loops so I don’t care for this ride but if you enjoy that sort of thing you’ll have a blast. Also the restraints are really uncomfortable but I’d rather be uncomfortable than unsafe.

Flight deck: I normally don’t like inverted rides but this one I LOVE. It’s not even that spectacular but it’s still a blast from start to finish, just be sure not to wear flip flops, because I saw someone lose theirs in the river in person.

Gold Striker: while this may be the only ride I’ve ever broken down on anywhere it’s still my favorite at the park. It’s a wooden coaster yet it still feels so safe. Also in the queue everyone writes on everything so you tend to see some pretty funny comments.

The Grizzly: this ones like Gold Striker but.... grander, I guess? It feels like they took GS and threw more money at it, which I have no problem with considering it’s my favorite. Not sure why I don’t like this one as much, it feels like it has less oomph if that makes any sense (Also it has a loop so maybe that’s it lol).

Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies: I don’t know if I’ve ever ridden this one (though I feel like I have) but it looks like a simple kiddie coaster. Not much to say about it

Psycho Mouse: Mouse Trap rides are TERRIFYING. It’s in a fun way but it leaves your heart POUNDING. I go on it once a trip and then regret it instantly.

Railblazer: another one I don’t think I’ve been on, those ride vehicles are scary to me and that drop is SO high. It also has plenty of inversions, I can see why I skipped this one.

Patriot: last time I went it was still Vortex, and was still a stand up ride, which have always terrified me. I passed on it then but now that it’s a a sit down I’d ride it but only if someone really wanted to go on it with me.

Woodstock's Express: another standard kiddie ride. Looks like a mundane experience.

Berserker: for some reason I really enjoy rides like this. I like Rock & Roll at Santa Cruz better, but this one is still fun.

Celebration Swings: this is a STAPLE of my visits. I usually ride this multiple time  throughout that day when I’m tired of thrill rides. It’s always really fun to do the Superman pose :). One time there was no line and I got to go on three times in a row while a peanuts stage show was going on right next to it, so I could catch glimpses of it as I went around.

Delirium: I dont like rides like this. I’ve always passed on it. My family has been on it and say it’s a good time though

Drop Tower: Scream Zone: yet another ride I’ve never been on. Drop tower rides freak me out for some reason (but tower of terror doesn’t???) so I always pass but my brother has been on it and says it’s uncomfortable but fun so take from that what you will.

Orbit: never been on this one. Looks scary but fun though.

Tiki Twirl: another staple of my visits. I wish they always did the water and fire effects though because I always love that part. The chairs are VERY uncomfortable and you definitely shouldn’t go on if you have lung problems because they squeeze you pretty hard, but I really enjoy this one.

Thunder Raceway: it’s too expensive and I always want to go on it but I have no money just make it free :(

Mass Effect: New Earth: I went into this one with INCREDIBLY low expectations because the 4D rides I’ve been on have been.... mediocre.... to say the least (see: Shrek 4D) but I actually ended up waiting in the incredibly long line TWICE. I think what sold it for me is just how much it seemed the worker loved doing it. His (I had a guy both times) commitment kept me immersed through the entire thing and it really was just a fun time from start to finish.

Flying Eagles: I’ve been on this a couple times. It’s enjoyable enough but for some reason it makes me dizzier than other rides so I tend to shy away from it.

Rapids: my brother went on it dry, walked off SOAKING. Getting wet in the middle of a park day tends to ruin the rest of there day for me and I wouldn’t want to go on it at night since it would be colder so I always end up just skipping it. Nothing against it, I’m sure it’s fun but I just haven’t ridden it.

Carousel Columbia: the line is always SUPER long so I never get a chance to ride it, but I think carousels are fine so I’m sure this one is too, I also really like how it’s two stories, I just think it’s neat.

Star Tower: same as Drop Tower. Don’t like rides like this so I’ve never been on it. I do like how it’s sorta in the middle of Gold Striker though.

Whitewater Falls: another water ride. Same review as Rapids

Xtreme Flyer: do not like this attraction one bit and I’ve never even been on it. It looks like it’s gonna break. It’s terrifying.

Barney Oldfield Speedway: never been on it but..... it’s just a lil tiny train.... very cute :)

Rue Le Dodg: just bumper cars. Never been on em though so I can’t attest to the quality.

Character Carousel: I haven’t been on most rides in Planet Snoopy including this one, but it’s just a carousel.

Centrifuge: I’ve only been on it once. Pretty basic teacup-esque ride.

Sally’s Swing Set: it’s like the Celebration Swings but smaller. Enjoyable but not as enjoyable.

[jumbledubai]

Top indoor activities in Dubai to beat the summer heat

Summer is fast approaching, and Dubai residents are already on the hunt for things to do and places to visit! While it may be too hot for the city’s outdoor attractions, there are plenty of indoor activities in Dubai to beat the heat. From escape rooms to zip-lining in sub-zero temperatures, there’s plenty of fun to be had for all ages during summer in Dubai. Read on for a list of the best places to visit in Dubai in summer!

ICE RINKS

Escape the summer heat at the coolest – pun intended – ice rinks in Dubai. Skate and glide your way through these fabulous ice rinks, one of the popular indoor activities in Dubai. If you’re keen on picking up a new skill, you can even opt for regular classes instead of skating sessions. It’s the perfect summer activity for all ages – from kids to adults – and you’ll find several ice rinks in Dubai. Dubai Mall even has an Olympic ice-rink, so you have plenty of chances to try out those cool skating tricks!

Below are the details for ice rinks in the city for those looking at summer activities in Dubai.

Dubai Ice Rink

Location: The Dubai Mall

Price: Single Skating Session: AED 40 (Kids under 100 cm), AED 75 (Adults)

Ice Rink at The Galleria

Location: Hyatt Regency Deira

Price: AED 50 (Weekdays) AED 55 (Weekend – Mornings) AED 70 (Weekends – Evenings)

Heading to The Dubai Mall? You’ll love their awesome virtual reality attraction – the VR Park. It’s not just kids that will enjoy this virtual reality and augmented reality theme park. With immersive rollercoasters, mazes and other exciting experiences, you’re sure to come back to Dubai Mall for a second round at the VR Park.

IMG WORLDS OF ADVENTURE

IMG Worlds of Adventure has quickly made its way amongst the best theme parks in Dubai. With thrilling rides for all ages and a completely indoor facility, it’s also found its spot amongst the best summer activities in Dubai. Spend the day with your favourite Marvel and Cartoon Network characters in roller coasters, 3D cinemas and more! There are four themed zones to explore and restaurants and cafes to refuel. Looking for more things to do in Dubai in summer 2019? Now, you can catch your favourite blockbusters at IMG Worlds of Adventure at the brand-new Novo Cinemas, which boasts a 12-screen multiplex. Find out ticket prices, rides and more in Bayut’s in-depth IMG Worlds of Adventure review.

SKI DUBAI

Think you can’t find snow in summer in Dubai? Ski Dubai in Mall of the Emirates is your answer. The third-largest indoor ski resort in the world, Ski Dubai is the perfect place to cool off in the infamous Dubai summers. The adrenaline-seekers can hit the slopes and the zip line, while others can head to the snow park or meet real-life penguins. One of the top places to visit in Dubai in summer, Ski Dubai also offers skiing and snowboarding classes for those who want to master the slopes! And because it’s Dubai, you’ll find multiple cafes and restaurants inside this ski resort – warm up with some delicious hot chocolate and get back to the snowy fun. With several admission packages on offer, this ski resort is definitely one of the unique Dubai indoor summer activities to try.

JUMBLE

Put your physical and mental skills to the test at Jumble! One of the best indoor activities in Dubai 2019, Jumble promises an unconventional gaming experience that’s perfect for all ages. Situated in a massive two-floor venue, Jumble describes itself as an urban maze, featuring a series of connected rooms with challenges for your team to complete. Each challenge is different – some of them require you to solve puzzles and find clues, while others need you to get active and moving. There’s never a boring moment at Jumble and it’s all about teamwork, so it’s definitely amongst the best places to visit in Dubai in summer with friends and family. Mind you, the challenges are addictive and you’ll find yourself returning for round two! You can start off with a two-hour pass or four-hour pass – and if you’re still not done after, you can opt for additional hours, too.

Location: Al Barsha 1

Timings: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Sunday – Wednesday), 10:00 am – midnight (Thursday & Friday), 10:00 am – 10:00 pm (Saturday)

Prices: AED 175 per person (2 Hour Pass), AED 225 per person (4 Hour Pass)

Contact: 800-586253

GREEN PLANET

With the Dubai Safari Park currently closed, Green Planet in City Walk offers an awesome indoor experience for those who love animals. This man-made tropical rainforest with over 3,000 plants and animals is amongst the top indoor attractions in Dubai. It’s the perfect place for parents to take their kids to over the summer, with a number of exciting animal encounters. Get up close with fascinating creatures from the animal kingdom – including sloths, toucans, piranhas, Burmese pythons and more! Head over to Dubai’s first-ever bio dome this summer, where a fun, educational and completely indoors adventure awaits.

Location: City Walk

Timings: 10:00 am – 07:00 pm (Sunday – Wednesday), 10:00 am – 08:00 pm (Thursday – Saturday)

Prices: AED 99 (Entry Ticket + Bat Cave and Piranha Experiences)

Contact: +971-4-317-3999

If you’re more of a gamer, don’t miss out on Hub Zero in City Walk, an indoor theme park with virtual reality games, thrilling rides, climbing zones, laser tag and more! It’s also one of Bayut’s top picks for the best places for teenagers in Dubai, so it’s definitely worth a visit!

BOUNCE

Enjoy a range of indoor activities in Dubai at BOUNCE, the region’s largest trampoline park (image credit: BOUNCE Facebook page)

Looking for things to do in Dubai in summer 2019? BOUNCE trampoline park in Al Quoz is your answer. This ultimate trampoline playground is the biggest of its kind in Dubai – and has something for everyone, beginners and experts. And it’s so much more than just spring-loaded fun. Turn up the fun with a game of dodgeball or basketball – while on the trampolines! For the pros, show off your expert moves in the performance section that’s built for high-skill manoeuvres. Complete a series of challenges in the XPark or bounce away in the free jump section. With so much to do, BOUNCE is definitely one of the best indoor activities in Dubai for all ages.

Location: Building #32, 4B Street, Al Quoz 1

Timings: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm (Sunday – Wednesday), 10:00 am – midnight (Thursday), 09:00 am – midnight (Friday), 09:00 AM – 09:00 PM (midnight)

Prices: AED 85 (General Access), AED 105 (Premium Access), AED 75 (Kids under 110 cm)

Contact: +971-4-321-1400

DUBAI SPORTS WORLD

This is one of the best places to visit in Dubai in summer if you are passionate about sports (image credit: Dubai Sports World Facebook pages)

For sports enthusiasts, the Dubai summers can be an obstacle. But with Dubai Sports World, you can enjoy all your favourite sports in a massive 25,000 sqm indoor venue! Dubai Sports World has earned its spot as one of the best summer spots in Dubai, with indoor facilities for basketball, football, Muay Thai, gymnastics, parkour and even Ninja Warrior! Dubai Sports World runs from June to September, and even holds coaching and fitness classes. Visitors can enter the venue for free and rent the sports pitches for an hour or more. Follow the MyBayut blog for more updates on this indoor sports venue soon.

Location: Concourse 1, between Exhibition Halls 4 and 5, Dubai World Trade Centre

Dates: 19 June – 10 September 2019

Contact: +971-4-306-4000

ESCAPE ROOMS

Round up your friends, family or colleagues and head to this team-building indoor activity in Dubai. Escape rooms are themed immersive challenges that feature mind-boggling mysteries for you to solve. Your team will be locked in a room with 60 minutes to find the clues and solve the mystery. Teamwork, mental skills and thinking outside the box are the keys to completing this thrilling activity. Every room has a different theme – you could be locked in a submarine, a museum, a detective’s apartment – so each visit has a new mystery for you to solve! Take a look at some of the escape rooms in Dubai to try.

HintHunt: Times Square Centre, +971-4-321-2242

Brain Game Dubai: #302, Kanoo Group Building, Next to ADCB Metro Station, +971-4-396-1556

Phobia Dubai: Jumeirah Lake Towers, 052-797-4916

MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS

Our final feature for the best indoor activities in Dubai is the Museum of Illusions. Watch out, this isn’t your typical museum. This family-friendly attraction is packed with optical illusions and experiences that will turn your world upside down! Enjoy spinning vortex tunnels, upside-down and anti-gravity rooms – where all is not what it seems. Completely indoors, the Museum of Illusions is great place to spend the day with your family! It’s also located in the popular Al Seef area, which boasts a number of dining and retail options, so you’ll have plenty to do after your trip to the museum!

Location: Al Seef by Meraas

Timings: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm (Sunday – Wednesday), 10:00 am – midnight (Thursday to Saturday)

Prices: AED 80 (Adult), AED 60 (Child), AED 225 (Family ticket – two adults and two children)

Contact: +971-4-357-3999

And that brings an end to the best indoor activities in Dubai during summer! We hope this article will help you plan fun outings with family and friends. If you’re looking for cool dining experiences in Dubai this summer, pay a visit to the Chillout Ice Lounge. Dine in sub-zero temperatures while being surrounded by stunning ice sculptures! Parents looking to keep their little ones busy during the holidays can check out the best kids’ activities in Dubai during summer. And stay tuned to MyBayut for more articles on the best things to do in Dubai!

Source:- www.bayut.com