#V1: Universe/Door 12

[lokiverserp]

Lisan (D12) : ...it's mandatory on Lua. And, if you do not inform at least one of Goose's ..tribe, on the way out of the Throne room? They have been known to attempt (and often succeed) to maul you; head and shoulders first, on the way back in.

Your daily dose of cat memes

[scourgeofmyownbrain]

Only one guy on here has two eyes, and even then, they're fake eyes. It's big-tits-McGee, Mr. logic man extraordinaire, Geneva Suggestion Believer himself: Shockwave! Yep, all 12 of him, a reasonable amount of alternates to have, unlike some people... Shockwave Height Chart, everyone, fuckin wee.

Edit: I didn't like the old scaling I had so I changed it. The old chart is at the end of this post.

Quick Disclaimer, if any of the images look weird, it's because I had to stitch a few separate images together to create a full body shot of the character.

Here are links to my Bumblebee Chart, my Optimus Chart, my Megatron Chart, and my Soundwave Chart. !!NEW!! -> Ratchet & Ironhide. Please go gawk at how many Optimus designs there are, sweet fuck, there are so many. For future reference, all these charts will be filed under my "Transformers Height Charts" tag and my "aka the adventures of a..." tag.

Master Post

Explanations and Sources below the cut.

Unicron Trilogy Energon - ~14 feet 3 inches (No actual source, and Energon doesn't have any listed heights anywhere. For the uneducated, the Unicron Trilogy has given each of its 3 seasons separate names and 3 separate art styles. This is the design used in Energon (S2) though he only shows up in Energon. I was able to compare him to Optimus, and using Cybertron's listed heights, I got this number. I am in physical pain, it does not get better from here. Hilarious side note, his Japanese name is Laserwave, which contains the missing "wave" of Shockwave in this iteration's name.)

Earth Spark - ~15 feet (No actual source for ES, but using a barn door to get Bumblebee's height, then Optimus's, then Megatron's height, I was able to make a guess at Shockwave's. Shockwave comes up to about Megatron's chin; I lost the screenshot I used. It's so convoluted, I know, but it's all I have, also, tiny universe, everyone is so small)

TFA Longarm/V1 - 15 feet 2 inches (Animated has no actual numbers, but the lovely @phoenix-inanis has provided a frankly astounding resource with their own calculations for the heights of all the TFA characters. Go look at it, it's wonderful -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Gen 1 - ~18 feet (TFWiki, uuuuh I've got nothing to add)

Netflix Cybertron Trilogy - ~18 feet (I have no source for this, other than assuming that because this design is identical to Gen 1, they are the same height. That's it, really)

Knight/Capel-Verse - ~18 feet (No source, and he never stands next to anyone I can measure him against, but because the TFOne director has said that this movie is both canon to the LA movies and its own separate canon, I am assuming the height I figured out for TFOne applies to this universe as well. Until proven otherwise. Capel directed the ROTB movie if you're wondering why his name is there)

One - ~18 feet (No source, I got this number by comparing him to Optimus. Now, I am aware of the TFO heights listed on the wiki, but I reject those numbers on principal. A: Those numbers are sourced from the Walmart Promotional AR Experience that came out before the movie. B: There are three decimal points, and that number does not convert into a whole number in meters (which is originally what I thought was weird about it). C: The director has said that this movie is both canon to the LA movies and its own separate canon, so I have elected to use the few given heights we have from KCV and worked from there. My Optimus post has slightly more context if you want it)

Cyberverse - 20 feet (This comes from a screenshot of this video which has the Cyberverse height chart everyone uses, though the quality of the screenshot is iffy.)

Aligned Cont. WF/FOC/TFP - 26 feet 2 inches (This number comes from Fandom and I completely believe it, even if they don't list their source, because the entirety of this universe is freakishly tall. Go look at my other charts, all the ALC designs are monstrous compared to the others)

TFA V2 - 29 feet 11 inches (Once again, phoenix-inanis did a fuck ton of work, go look at it, it's wonderful -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Bayverse - ~30 feet (Ok, so I don't have a source for this one. There used to be one, BV Shockwave used to be listed as 40 feet tall bc of an article done to promote the movie, but that is no longer listed for reasons not known to me, and making some comparisons to Optimus, I have found them to be kinda close in height. It's very hard to actually validate any of this. Shockwave never stands normally next to anything I can use as a ruler at any point in the movie. He's always at a dramatic angle or partially covered by something in the shot. It's so violently frustrating. I am confident he is around this height though, I just can't figure out how much taller than Optimus he is)

And that's it. I didn't have to leave any designs out, all of them are included here (hopefully). It was so nice to work with a character where I wasn't drowning in 20+ designs across every goddamn universe.

Edit: Here are the different layers separated.

vvv Old scale vvv

[bizarrelovesquare]

Dan posted this video that gave us a HUGE peek into Martin's notes about episodes they're working on...

Screenshots (with about 90% ID of what's visible, bless his handwriting) under the cut! Fair warning, it's long, but there's a lot going on here, and it's so much to think about!

picture 1: ????? chicken head funnier

picture 2: (first page) Reactionator

? Speakers all over town People's phones Therapist Doof & Candace

Therapist thinks she is crazy but is tactful

The shrink is delusional ? ? exercise that is the catalyst for Cand. being delusional

Candace "It's A Wonderful Life" -- After actual bust C sees everyone doing much worse she feels sad

Family - I think you discuss it Cruise Ship - P&F Van/Doof Last chance to Candace A / Perry back

(second page) Doof's DEI W/A C's Therapist

Doof same therapist

Ferb is next a speech therapist

Doof trauma-dumping on therapist

Therapist "The real self-destruct button is in your head"

Therapist does ex(?)nemesis - therapist

Therapist sees - "WAIT, I GET IT, what Candace is doing gets taken away by what HE'S DOING--"

(note going down side of page) GUEST ON DOOFENPUSS

Doof ? regular ? ? - but she can't ? this because of C ? Confidential ALL DANVILLE Doof and Vanessa on cruise ALL CHARACTERS ? Reactionator blackmail secret I ever tell you w/Lindana whose solved mysteries

picture 3: (script on the table) (our first potential season 6 title?) PHINEAS AND FERB

"VANESSAY"

Written by Martin Olson & Olivia Olson

picture 4: Vanessay

Change tennis to playground

Roger & slushy guy not zapped

Rog. - reflects ray w/ his teeth - set up teeth first Doof: strong jaw -

Agent T thumbnotes "Up the chimney is a weird visual pun" Stacy: "You know we have a front door."

C & Stacy w/ambient sounds joke sequence - cut down?

Mono - "Four seasons of this show" Why did I ? ? ?

To Liv for Vanessay Playground - see how ? ? trap sets scene - a handled window box

Stacy: "Hey ? I ? ANIMAL NOISES!" CUT TO BLACK

Stacy pushes ? out of doorway

Dimin: after "Shorty" - No prize is worth this!

picture 5: T For Teen For Liv - SC 916 Perry leaps into air & does triple flip & lands ready to fight

Pitch n buttons for each

Exec note - Thurs - T For Teens 1:48 end of C/Stacy annual ? sudden cut to end ? w "napkins"

MEAP - PT2 S&P CONCERNS

(I cannot make this bit out to save my life. Martin what in the world my dude)

picture 6: Meap pt 2 - thumbnotes

22 to Meap - "Uh-uh! An ship ? us away!" (clumsy)

Fix pronunciation "St. Lois" joke C is shushed by Meap

Tidy up - don't have everyone say "Don't forget to flush"

C pressing red button to explode ? ship sucks

Brenda joke sexist "No one tracks you through the universe more than your wife"

picture 7: 501 PT1 Exec notes - bigger intro of Doof instead of him on yearbook 10:27 Buf. throw away Constitution Irving beat #2 too quick to nerd

Deconstructing thumbatic

Instead of "psychosis" "phantasma"

607 - Isa hair - 704 OWCA shredding SC

C feels good - "? ? that every day"

12 min: Viewers see The Murder Board

Biblio Blast anim. notes Perry incompetent - smashes into Doof's roof Cut down - plants surrounding/attacking Cut down Doof/Per table start w/Doof "We have to HIT SELF DESTRUCT"

picture 8: (page 1) song by the paver the wind makes love w/each other again

around us - it all seems so real meaning confounds us - cuz nothing's revealed we're SW in love w/each other again

Middle 1: From nothing we hustle Towards each other again Our love seems to circle Without any end

V3: The cloud of unknowing has such beautiful colors But where is it all going ? towards one another? we're SW - in love w/each other again

Middle 2: We seek out each other Every time we appear Sometimes we find another Before we disappear

INSTRUMENTAL W/DANCING SKELETON

(page 2) Middle 3: The breeze says to hug her And show how we feel Slowly healing each other Every turn of the wheel

Repeat V1: So basically - We're SW Along by the river We sit on a porch and The wind makes us shiver We're SW in love w/ each other again We're SW in love w/ each other again

JOSH - The paver of

picture 9: While Dance

says to hug her how we feel healing each other turn of the wheel

Repeat V1: (So basically)

We're SW Alone by the river We sit on the ? and The wind makes us shiver We're SW In love w/each other again

picture 10: Swampy

is trapped

back build something

element

State Triangle

"It's like the Berm[uda Triangle] totally different

(Teen lounge) & P&F build

too much like

Dan wants PLANE to

Doof is the ship

Jon said we turn strong where Doof is in the clouds - there's

picture 11: It's a whole new summer Perry (reblog if u cried)

Earthquake

Mom is laughing so hard she can't look

Staring contest - Try not to laugh

Candace has to be ? at Jeremy's larping tournament but she laughs

picture 12: Perry sick, "Can you take

Candace P&F canoe race

Laughtrack-inator Start ? - reveal Doof hits them w/a Doof keeps cranking it up

Doof rises wall of ? behind at ?

Laugh-inator Cut to surgeon heart

Norm: Good mg. sir Doof: But I programmed you to

picture 13: (this is another view of the page in picture 2, but this one reveals slightly more at the bottom, nothing too noteworthy added except for this)

LINDANA 80'S COP MOVIE - GUEST ON DOOFENPUS

[cc4suzie]

Mods in Use, 12/13/24

MC Command Center by deaderpool WickedWhims by TurboDriver WW Inapp Unlock Interactions Queue Extender by TurboDriver FixSocialBunnySimulationLag by TurboDriver Basemental Drugs by basemental Kijiko No Eyelashes Auto Shorter Teens by Menaceman44 No more “awful holiday” sad moodlet by Sigma1202 SNB Bank by SimRealist TELEPORT ANY SIM on sims4studio CAS Unlocks Control Any Sim [Github] Extreme Violence by Sacrificial Mods

Pandasama High Chair Lock Child Birth Mod Roburky Meaningful Stories by @roburkyplaysthesims ____________________________________________ Lumpinou Relationship & Preg. Overhaul by Lumpinou [ ALT Romantic Satisfaction Metric Only for Officially Committed Relationships   ____________________________________________

Twisted Mexi Better BuildBuy T.O.O.L. Better Exceptions BURNOUT TOGGLE Smarter Pie Menu: Searchable ____________________________________________

Weerbesu More Columns in CAS UI Cheats Extension Longer Parties & More Guests Improved Autonomy During Loading Screens No Empty Venues When Arriving

____________________________________________ scumbumbomods SELF-CONFIGURABLE ADJUSTED BREAKAGE (SCAB)

____________________________________________

Mizoreyukii SimCity Loans 2.0 Walk Normal Bed Cuddle by thepancake1 and MizoreYukii MizoreYukii_StandStillInCAS_OccultsOnly ____________________________________________

Zer0-sims4-dumpster University Costs More University - Rejection Higher scholarships ____________________________________________ LittleMsSam

Transfer Inventory Quick Shower & Quick Bath Slower Writing Slower Songwriting   Slower Painting   Spend The Weekend With Pregnancy Overhaul 1st & 2nd Tri can do more Social Activities (send child to daycare) Weather NPC Deaths Can I come over? Sleep All Night No Kids Outdoor Objects in Rain or Heavy Snow More Umbrella Variations in the World Better Nanny (Second Nanny & more) School Holiday (New Holiday Tradition) [ alt ] Ask to Cook/Bake/Grill/Mix Drink! LittleMsSam’s Food Delivery Service Small Invite to Hangout Overhaul Small Laundry Overhaul Change into Everyday when inside More Visitors | Custom Lot Trait HSY Calendar Tweaks Choose Your Roommate (Discover University) Personal Objects No Auto Food Grab after Cooking Call a Babysitter  Automatic Thermostat (Seasons) My favorite raincoat RBF - NPC Relationship Autonomy Fix Choose Leftover RBF - Gardening Workaround Fix More Away Actions RSM - Prefer Leftover More Servings Options - Cakes In Baking Menu Part

____________________________________________ Lotharihoe NO SHOE SIGN ANIMATION  BUST THE DUST OVERHAUL  BETTER REACTIONS   No Lot Trait VFX Vampire Invasion Fix ____________________________________________ Carl’s Sim Guide Fertilize & Evolve All Mod by Carl’s Sim Guide ____________________________________________ K-Hipping K-Hippie Terrain Mods

____________________________________________ jessmodssometimes “Poorly decorated” Moodlet remover  by jessmodssometimes ____________________________________________ PolarbearSims NO ASK FOR ADVICE — PARENTHOOD BY POLARBEARSIMS ____________________________________________ Ravasheen ISO Love Photos – Full Control Camera by Ravasheen [RVSN] ____________________________________________ NatetheLoser High School Years Mod - Dress Normal at the Thrift Store Fear Dark In The Dark ____________________________________________ Cepzid Kids can workout by cepzid No New Random Townie Generated by Cepzid ____________________________________________ Lot 51 Lot 51 Fashion Authority Lot 51 Core Library ____________________________________________ bienchens no property owner events door knock notification  betteratworkactions dogwalkersinotherworlds eatatdiningtable  lessautonomouscrossstitching  Less Homesick No Autonomous Push ups and Sit ups  ____________________________________________ PLZSAYSIKE NO MORE PASSING OUT FROM LOW ENERGY  More books in the library 

Misc: Background stories v1 by adeepindigo Lovestruck Attraction Overhaul Career Overhaul Suite  by Kuttoe More Students At High School Show Sim Info by Frankk’s Mods The Time Out Mod No Toddler Umbrella Only Children and Elders Pee Themselves invite any family members (EP13) No Bicycle Helmet Set Family Relationships Steady Sit by Amellce Club Utils NO EA MAKEUP: A MINI OVERRIDE by ellesimsworld

Fixes:

FIREWORKS FIX by simvasion Better Hospital Staff by Simvasion No dryer fire by VickySims (edited to 5%) No more checking on crying babies, toddlers or infants! by Caigel NO CONSTANT PHONE by lazarusinashes mods Take It Off: No Shoes! No Accessories! By Andirz More layoffs by @alice-in-strangetown Chat still 120 by YAKFARM Slower Relationship Satisfaction Decay by Simularity Lot Trait:  Arcade Basketball Court Bowling Alley Bubble Bar Campground Skating Rink Yoga Studio Lot traits

Custom Career:  Ballet Skill + Career by janesimsten SimU Online Degrees by midnitetech SimU Online Skill Classes by midnitetech NPC High School Years Careers and NPC Definition By Gauntlet101010 Body Hair:  Disable all body hairs for female sims Visual:  Map replacements by 20th Century Plumbob CC Wrench Override ♡ by @dandysimsxx Lighting: MilkThistle, lighting mod by @softerhaze In-Game Sim-Lighting for TS4  by simplyanjuta EVEN BETTER IN-GAME LIGHTING MOD v1.0 by @northernsiberiawinds

[sovonight]

hi sovo! i'm about to replay kotor 2 and i was wondering if you play with any mods? aside from the restored content mod of course :) thanks! <3

yeah of course! i use a bunch, and i actually saved a list of everything i installed when i re-modded my copy of kotor 2 a little while back. here it is!

> Essential Mods

TSLRCM 1.8.5 (Restored Content Mod) | tslrcm185_2020.exe

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/578-tsl-restored-content-mod/

the mod. the myth. the legend

UNIWS (Universal Widescreen)

https://www.wsgf.org/article/universal-widescreen-uniws-patcher

enables widescreen. apparently this isn't necessary for the steam version, but i still remember having to install it?? weird

Widescreen UI Fix for Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords 4.1 | Widescreen UI for Steam.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/332-widescreen-ui-fix-for-knights-of-the-old-republic-2-the-sith-lords/

fixes a few instances of GUI stretching at widescreen resolutions

Improved Widescreen Experience 1.0.0 | kotor2-wsui_1_0_0.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/839-improved-widescreen-experience/

fixes more instances of GUI stretching at widescreen resolutions

KotOR 2 Remastered (AI Upscaled) Cutscenes 1.0.0 | 1080p.zip, 1080p Patch.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1522-kotor-2-remastered-ai-upscaled-cutscenes/

______________________________________________________________

> Personally Essential Mods

Textures Improvement Project 0.4.1 | TIP_0.4.1.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/462-textures-improvement-project/

makes game textures utilize game shaders

Unofficial TSLRCM Tweak Pack 1.2.4 | URCMTP 1.2.4.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/296-unofficial-tslrcm-tweak-pack/

rolls back a few of tslrcm’s changes/additions

installed kaevee removal (pt 1 & 2) and gand check

KOTOR 2 Community Patch 1.5.1 | KOTOR 2 Community Patch v1.5.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1280-kotor-2-community-patch/

a combination of a bunch of bugfix mods, making the ultimate bugfix mod

got an error "Unable to locate archive "....\Steam\SteamApps\common\Modules\001EBO.mod" to modify or insert file "sensor_droid.utc" into, skipping..."

fixed by making a Modules folder in SteamApps\common and copying 001EBO.mod there, then moving the .mod file back

TSL Improved Party Outfits 1.0.1 | TSL Improved Party Outfits.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1012-tsl-improved-party-outfits/

makes companion’s default outfits more useful in combat

lets me justify keeping atton in his iconic jacket all the way through the game. jedi robes? never heard of em

also installed improved Handmaiden's Robe

Player & Party Underwear 2.0 | TSL_Player_and_Party_Under_wear_v2_by_RedRob41

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/344-player-party-underwear/

gives companions unique underwear that matches their default outfits

installed atton, baodur, disciple opt 1, “male standard fixed”, and “dancer muscles match standard underwear”

______________________________________________________________

> Expedite/Improve Gameplay Mods

Thorium charge mod | thorium_charge_mod.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/147-thorium-charge-mod/

adds a thorium charge right next to the mandalorian cache door on dxun

Remote Influence | remote_influence.zip

https://www.gamefront.com/games/knights-of-the-old-republic-ii/file/remote-tells-influence

talking to bao-dur's remote lets you find out everyone's influence stat

i don’t really use it but it’s nice to have the option to see how i’m doing, especially with "modified influence" installed

Modified Influence System 1.0 | Modified Influence.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/99-modified-influence-system/

gives influence opportunities different weights. normally each one gives 8 points, but now they'll reward small (2 points), regular (6 points), or high (12 points). game isn't balanced for this, so it might become impossible to turn certain companions into jedi

i have it installed because i LOVE weighted approval point systems and i’m willing to take the risk bc the only companion i absolutely care about turning into a jedi is atton, who i’m pretty sure i have down pat

TSL Prestige Class Saving Throw fixes 1.0 | TSL_prestige_save_fixes.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/828-tsl-prestige-class-saving-throw-fixes/

fixes jedi master/sith lord saving throws, optionally standardizes jedi weapon master/sith marauder saving throws

i always make cela a jedi master so this one was instant

Workbench Crystal Attunement 1.2 | WCA1.2.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/18-workbench-crystal-attunement/

with wisdom >= 16 you can attune your personal crystal without having to talk to kreia

chose version b, which also removes the "learn how to use the workbench" option

Dahnis Flirt Option for Female PC 1.0 | Dahnis Flirt Option for Female PC.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1400-dahnis-flirt-option-for-female-pc/

lets you flirt with the pazaak twi'lek on nar shaddaa

TSL Ebon Hawk Downloadable Map 1.2.1 | TSL EHDM v1.2.1.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1406-tsl-ebon-hawk-downloadable-map/

gives you an option to get rid of that blurry “undiscovered area” edge on the ebon hawk's map

______________________________________________________________

> Story/Cutscene Mods

Extended Enclave (TSLRCM add-on) 2.5.1 | ExtendedEnclave2.5.1.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/428-extended-enclave-tslrcm-add-on/

extends rebuilt enclave sequence (when you return to dantooine after gathering the jedi masters)

Extended Carth Meeting 1.2 | Extended Carth Meeting 1.2.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/366-extended-carth-meeting/

extends the meeting with carth after the ravager

Kreia's Fall cutscene (in-game) 1.1 |  Kreia_Fall_In-game_1.1.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1228-kreias-fall-cutscene-in-game/

makes kreia's fall an in-game cutscene instead of a bik movie

______________________________________________________________

> Atton Textures

for reference, these are the textures atton uses:

P_AttnH1 – face

P_AttnH1D1 – face, partial dark side

P_AttnH1D2 – face, dark side

P_AttonBA – ribbed jacket outfit

P_AttonBAD01 – ribbed jacket outfit, dark side

Atton - Faithful HD Reskin 1.1.1 | HD Atton Reskin 1.1.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1121-atton-faithful-hd-reskin/

this is the best atton outfit reskin out there. this is it. it just don't get any better than this

covers textures 4-5

Shirtless Atton Retex 1.2 | Shirtless Atton Retex v1-2.zip

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8294q454ax3zysc/AABuIMjKRl16cDcjjU90GnsPa?dl=0

self promo time it is MY mod and it is VERY canon compliant

covers textures 4-5, can be combined with the HD reskin above for maximum effect

also up on deadlystream and nexusmods if you find yourself wanting to leave a comment about how perfect and faithful it is to his character bc clearly the option that artfully rips his shirt draws an additional, visual parallel between himself and darth “sleeps-with-vibroblades” sion which ultimately deepens kotor 2′s rich storyline--

arrenkae’s reskins | P_AttnH1.tga

https://arrenkae.tumblr.com/post/137520491505/yoooo-guys-im-going-to-share-some-stuff-heres

includes atton, disciple, mira, Exile head PFHH01 retextures

covers texture 1, so you’ll still see the vanilla ds transition unless you wanna add in textures 2-3 from the reskin below to get a subtler transition

tiredschutta’s reskin | Atton (vanilla).zip

https://web.archive.org/web/20190225073107/https://tiredschutta.tumblr.com/post/182894978091/no-one-me-%EF%BE%89-%E3%83%AE-%EF%BE%89%EF%BE%9F-heres-an-atton-reskin

i think they’ve changed names since that post so i can’t link directly to it-- the dropbox links still work though

atton (vanilla): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s9kwbnhp9vqcvxp/AABAytlbyqPm2-pTQCjgDqKna?dl=0

atton (veryveryveryslightlydarker): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4r9dmlm9klvlame/AAARZkvrImX9U0vHHJbYBvuAa?dl=0

covers textures 1-3, and has a subtler ds transition than vanilla bc his skin doesn’t go as grey

______________________________________________________________

> Texture/Model Mods, part 1

grouped bc these don’t use tslpatcher, they’re all direct drag n drop

TSL Better Male Twi'lek Heads 1.3.1 | TSL Twilek Heads v1.3.1.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1432-tsl-better-male-twilek-heads/

improves head mesh & textures

chose option a (slim neck, no collar clipping)

Side Opening Doors on Malachor | Malachor_Side_Door.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/593-side-opening-doors-on-malachor/

changes the direction in which doors open on malachor

originally they slide open vertically; now they slide open sideways as the door design suggests

Telos Citadel Station Skybox by Quanon 1.0 | Telos_Backdrop.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/311-telos-citadel-station-skybox-by-quanon/

improves skybox outside the windows of telos citadel station

Peragus Administration Level Room Model Fixes 1.0.0 | [TSL]_Peragus_Administration_Level_Room_Model_Fixes.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1275-peragus-administration-level-room-model-fixes/

fixes geometry of room, realigns scrolling text

TSL Backdrop Improvements 1.4 | TSL_Backdrop_Improvements-922-1-4.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/949-tsl-backdrop-improvements/

improves space scenes with new textures

already includes the textures in [TSL] HIGH QUALITY STARS AND NEBULAS (TSL_HQStarsAndNebulas_1_3.zip)

already includes HIGH QUALITY RAVAGER BACKDROP (HQRavagerBackdrop.zip)

[!!!] contains 351NARsb.mdl which for me caused a weird geometry glitch on goto’s yacht -- deleted that one file

Kotor 1 Texture to Kotor 2 Game Bridge 1.0.0 | Kotor 2 to Kotor 1 Game Bridge.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1330-kotor-1-texture-to-kotor-2-game-bridge/

kotor 1 files were downgraded for kotor 2, this mod puts the original quality files back in

possible transparency issues with vogga-- lengthy discussion in the comments of the file about possible fixes, but i chose to just delete the 4 hutt files

Invisible Headgear | invisible_head_gear_tsl.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/690-invisible-headgear/

makes any gear that blocks atton’s face from view illegal

Malachor Exterior Reskin By Quanon V1.3 | Malachor_Exterior_ReskinV1.3.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/423-malachor-exterior-reskin-by-quanon/

Replacement Texture for Lightning on Malachor V 1.2 | Malachor5Lightning.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/298-replacement-texture-for-lightning-on-malachor-v/

two versions, i chose the flare version

Star Wars KOTOR 2 "Realistic Nar Shaddaa Skybox" | rnssb1.zip

https://www.gamefront.com/games/knights-of-the-old-republic-ii/file/realistic-nar-shaddaa-skybox

Hi-Res Beam Effects 2.0 | DI_HRBM_2.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/221-hi-res-beam-effects/

replaces Force Drain, Force Lightning, Death Field, cold ray, ion, and neural pacifier beam effects

Fire and Ice HD, Whee! v2.1 | FireandIceHDWhee.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/454-fire-and-ice-hd-whee/

replaces flamethrower flame effect

My Realistic Improved Effect Retexture Mod 1.0 | Improved_Realistic_Effect_Retexture_Mod.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/513-my-realistic-improved-effect-retexture-mod/

replaces a lot of stuff, i only use the spark texture

JC's Supermodel Fix for K2 1.6 | JC's Supermodel Fix for K2 v1.6.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1141-jcs-supermodel-fix-for-k2/

fixes combat animations, optional running fix to match kotor 1

Boma Beast Teeth Fix 1.0 | Boma Beast Teeth Fix.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/338-boma-beast-teeth-fix/

Achilles TSL Robe Mod (TSLRCM Edition) | Achilles Robe Mod for TSLRCM.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/339-achilles-tsl-robe-mod-tslrcm-edition/

went through and picked out the textures i wanted

TSL HD Cockpit Skyboxes 3.1 | TSL HD Cockpit Skyboxes - High Resolution.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/931-tsl-hd-cockpit-skyboxes/

added the optional nar shaddaa realistic skybox

KOTOR2 More Subtle Animated Ebon Hawk Monitors (still not including Galaxy Map) 1.2 | SH_EH_Animated_Monitors_Subtler_Look.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1237-more-subtle-animated-ebon-hawk-monitors-still-not-including-galaxy-map/

[TSL] Animated Computer Panel 1.1.0 | [TSL]Animated_PLC_comPanel_v1.1.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1385-tsl-animated-computer-panel/

chose solid monitor, but honestly couldn’t tell the difference between the options unless i looked closely

Improved Dantooine Skybox 1.0.1 | Improved Dantooine Skybox.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1372-improved-dantooine-skybox/

Mira Shirt Edit 1.0 | mira shirt edit.zip

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tymwnez3yjrckul/AAAJhTKJJPXNszX32kXJ98gfa?dl=0

gives mira a top to layer with, either sweetheart neckline or v-neckline

also on deadlystream and nexusmods in case the dropbox link ever fails

______________________________________________________________

> Texture/Model Mods, part 2

grouped bc these use tslpatcher instead of the usual drag n drop

TSL Default Replacement Hilt Megapack 8.1 | TSL_DRHM_8.1.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/496-tsl-default-replacement-hilt-megapack/

replaces default lightsaber hilts, updates icons

High Quality Blasters 1.1 | TSL_High_Quality_Blasters.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/915-high-quality-blasters/

replaces blaster models & textures

TSL Galaxy Map Fix Pack 1.0 | TSLGalaxyMapFixPack.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1057-tsl-galaxy-map-fix-pack/

moves planets to canonical locations and animates it

chose vanilla/tslrcm option

Fixed Hologram Models and Admiralty Redux for TSLRCM 1.61 | [TSL]_Fixed_Hologram_Models_and_Admiralty_Redux_for_TSLRCM_v1.61

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1201-fixed-hologram-models-and-admiralty-redux-for-tslrcm/

fixes the hologram models, swaps some heads around, and puts hologram!carth in an unfortunate hat

Realistic Visual Effects | visual_effects_tsl.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/735-realistic-visual-effects/

gets rid of visual combat/force ability effects

sure these effects communicate what abilities are being activated on screen but as someone who plays kotor 2 as a love story with a video game attached to it they're meaningless to me

Luxa Hair Fix | TSL_Luxa_Fix_by_RedRob41.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/452-luxa-hair-fix/

fuck that "this mod can adjust her body model so that her figure is much more shapely" shit i am here for NEAT HAIR ONLY

[TSL] NPC Overhaul Mod 1.22 | OverhaulTSL.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/345-tsl-npc-overhaul-mod/

differentiates npcs to prevent the clone effect

seems to cause issues for a few people (?) and takes literally forever to install; i installed it bc i guess i love pain but i don’t think i’d do it again

______________________________________________________________

> non-mod changes

fix inability to move after combat:

choose screen resolution @ 59 or 60 fps, no higher

OR enable vsync

fix lightsaber texture not showing up in certain lighting:

in swkotor2.ini, edit to "Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1"

fix dxun fog:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftSrN9hMJ1M

enable console:

in swkotor2.ini, add "EnableCheats=1"

enable screenshots:

in swkotor2.ini, edit to "EnableScreenShot=1"

[internetkatze]

Tagged by @obstinaterixatrix !!

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!  

---

I have fewer that 20 published, But I guess I can list some of the unpublished ones too ;) 

1. Untitled WIP (Wandersong, unpublished 2021) The flight home was long enough that, despite Miriam's unease, by the time they had made it to her house, the worst of her anxiety had been replaced by a heavy blanket of exhausted resignation.

2.  Echoing Notes (Wandersong 2020) The world was ending, until it wasn’t. The sun rose again, against all odds, casting its beams of light across an improbable planet, bathing its inhabitants in the most welcome daybreak.

3. Still The World Keeps Turning (Doctor Who, 2020)  She sees the world afire, again.

4. OSTINATI (Wandersong, unpublished 2020)  An unfamiliar face greeted the Bard as they made their way up the hill towards Langtree Village.

5. Split Complementaries, And Other Approaches to Musical Composition (Wandersong, unpublished 2020)  Kiwi rose with the sun, impossible though it was to see through the Chismest haze; the date on the calendar hesitantly suggested it might have been early summer, although the weather all but shouted otherwise.

6. What Do You Want To Hear? (Doctor Who, 2020) "So, Doc, any thoughts yet?"

7. Untitled WIP (Doctor Who, 2020)  The wonderful thing about time is that it never stops, so if you happen to find yourself in a bad situation, eventually you will be carried away from it into hopefully a better situation.

8. An Urgent Request (Good Omens, 2020)  The door crashed open, jangling the entrance bell with all the alarm of an air raid siren.

9. Fracture (Doctor Who, 2020)  He scans the horizon, under the Australian sun, brimming with anticipation.

10. New Year’s Fic (Good Omens, unpublished 2019)  And now it was 2009.

11. As a River Flows on a Pathway to the Sea (Good Omens, unpublished 2019)  Geological timescales are a funny thing, to angels.

12. Black Magic on Mulholland Drive (Lucifer/Good Omens crossover, unpublished 2019) A sunny morning in LA is par for the course. A rainy morning in LA, while uncommon, isn't entirely outside of the realm of possibility*. A foggy morning in LA, however, suggests something surreal is afoot.

13. Heaven’s Over Us (Good Omens, 2019)  Aziraphale stood at the edge of a precipice.

14. Aziraphale Gets A Smartphone (Good Omens, 2019)  If one were to believe that the universe isn't just one single instance of existence created by God according to the ineffable plan, but rather a collection of several universes—a multiverse, if you will—one might believe that each of the other universes contains something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike any other.

15. About Face (Good Omens, 2019)  By the time they arrived at the front door of Crowley’s flat, it was the dead hour, too late to be night and too early to be dawn. 

16. Identity, Ineffability, and Other Things we Don’t Understand (Good Omens, 2019)  "Crowley."

17. V1 (Good Omens, unpublished 2019) The problem, Crowley had decided, was feelings.

18. Hard Landing (Good Omens, 2019)  The problem, Aziraphale had decided, was feelings.

19. Adventures in Attempting to Purchase a Book From that Weird Old Soho Bookshop, A.Z. Fell & Co. (Good Omens, 2019)  [New Topic] Does Anyone Have A Copy Of Clockwork House Vol. 6?

20. The Question of Who (Sherlock, 2012)  "I've told you before. You see, but you don't observe."

Also as a bonus have two original stories:

1. Untitled WIP (original, 2019) A star shot through the sky and landed right outside my window, at a horrible hour of the morning.

2. Untitled WIP (original, 2019)  There was a witch at the top of the mountain, or so I had been told; I had never been there—I had neither the means nor inclination.  

---

Patterns, hm... Well, I certainly like to go for either a highly descriptive line that establishes the scenario right away, or a short and catchy line that’s intriguing enough to make you want to read the next line, which is then usually the highly descriptive line. Generally speaking I do favour a compact writing style that fits as much information as possible into as few words as possible in each sentence, so it’s not surprising my opening lines are like that too.

I’m often tempted to open with a line of dialogue, but I’ve heard that’s offputting, so I try to avoid it. Still, there are some cases when that works best, usually when the dialogue itself establishes some important information right away. (In the case of #16, that’s an entirely dialogue-only piece, so the first line establishes it’s Aziraphale who speaks first.)

It’s kind of hard to pick a favourite because I’m very fond of all of these for different reasons. For example, 4 looks very plain, but leads into scenario where the “unfamiliar face” is quickly established to be someone the Bard should know, but doesn’t. And then later the same line gets repeated again in different contexts, developing the theme further. I love 9 because not only does it quickly locate where in the timeline this canon divergence begins, it also establishes a metaphor that, when combined with the next two lines, becomes relevant to the entire fic. 12 and 14 were both jokes I wrote to myself to make myself laugh and fell in love with especially as I developed the jokes further. 17 and 18 make a pair.... except I never actually published 17 so the joke is lost too RIP

Honestly I think the main takeaway here is I should actually finish my WIPs sometime lmao

TAGGING: @wyvernquill @fremulon @gottagobuycheese @theoldaquarian @theplatinthehat @picnokinesis @maskedhero 

IDK HOW MANY MORE FRIENDS WRITE FIC TBH and i dont remember everyones usernames either if you’re reading this and u write stuff consider urself tagged

[nyc-uws]

12 Shocking Things I Learned by Working as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel

You’ll never look at hotel staff the same way again.

Bloomberg Brandon Presser

Old-school service is alive and well at the Plaza: High tea treats are served in brass birdcages, tuxedo-clad bellman whisk away luggage to gilded suites, and chefs bear toques that tower above their heads. But in the age of Amazon Prime—when we all want everything now—what is it really like blending vestigial aristocratic assistance with light-speed wish fulfillment? In order to properly find out, I accepted an offer from New York’s iconic Plaza Hotel to join its team of butlers, a coterie of 10 servicemen (and one woman!) who trot around the property’s 20 floors day and night, making sure 282 rooms’ worth of guests feel like royalty. For two hot days in July 2017, I raced around with a team that, like the city itself, seemingly never sleeps—hearing tales of the trade from the department’s director, Emma, and serving guests alongside some of her most experienced staffers.

This is an elite crew: It bears a combined 147 years of experience, and many have served as house managers for affluent families all over the world. Me? I got express credentials for my two-day residency—unprecedented for the Plaza. They included a detailed orientation of the property and a uniform fitting for my hotel-issued attire (gold-plated name tag and all).

Over my short tenure, I delivered laundry to Middle Eastern princesses and fetched lobsters out of wishing wells—and listened to colleagues delight in the oddities of their jobs, from fielding requests for Viagra or comforting a weeping woman over spilled blueberries. Serving the world’s rich and famous, it turns out, plumbs the depths of an alternative universe that readily embraces the absurd without even batting an eye. And that was only the beginning of what I learned.

Here, 12 secrets to keep in mind the next time you check into a five-star hotel.

One VIP List You Don’t Want to Be On

Hundreds of butler requests roll in each shift—mostly to fill ice buckets, handle laundry, and shine shoes. Complimentary packing and unpacking requests are also common, though they can turn into day-long affairs. A surprising number of international guests will purchase adjoining suites: one to sleep in and one for their luggage.

By matter of corporate philosophy, every guest should feel like a VIP at the Plaza. But a hierarchy still exists among those who check-in at reception. At the top of the pyramid are kings, queens, and heads of state—or as butlers call them: V1s, and they are ever-present on the property. Then come high-payers, long-stayers, guests booking a large block of rooms, and recognizable celebs. They’re called DVs, or distinguished visitors. On the bottom of the VIP totem pole is the SA group, known complainers or otherwise difficult and demanding guests who require “special assistance.”

Bath Time Can Be Awkward

Another common request for the butler team is to draw baths with a signature blend of salt, oil, and roses—especially during the colder months of the year. But the butler’s duties aren’t necessarily complete once the tub is full. Bal, the Plaza’s resident bath-time specialist, said that 95 percent of the time, he’s asked to remain within arm’s reach as bathers suds-up. Most of them, he said, want more hot water or scented oil, and are happy to keep him on hand while they relax in the nude. He is often left to pull the plug from the drain, elbow-deep in leftover water.

It gets weirder. One of my butler colleagues at a previous job in London was asked to ship in and set up a guest’s order of fresh oysters in the bathtub. He diligently filled the tub with ice and laid the oysters out, only to discover that the guest wanted the oysters placed in the tub around his soaking body. Eventually, the client seemed satisfied: He purchased the room next door for his butler so he’d always be near.

Hotel Guests Are Pretty Predictable …

The Plaza’s guest relations team researches everyone staying at the hotel on an individual basis, using a variety of social media tools. (The favorite is LinkedIn.com.) Butlers, on the other hand, often use past trends to size people up on the spot. They send electric kettles to the rooms of arriving Asian guests, who often bring noodles from home to cook in their suite. They keep an eye on the minibar when tending to Americans in their thirties and forties—they’re considered the partiers of the hotel, likeliest to plow through the booze. Middle Eastern VIPs get what is called an “Arabic Amenity”—a tray of dates, dried fruit, and nuts; they tend to prefer these to chocolates, cakes, or other sweet desserts. And the butler staff knows to immediately ask Western businessmen if they have shirts or suits that needs servicing upon checking in; they’re always the ones who treble the quantity of laundry in the basement.

… Except When They’re Totally Unpredictable

Despite the overwhelming regularity of guest behaviors, travelers can mystify even the most experienced of butlers. During my shifts, lobster shells kept appearing in the fountains of the hotel’s interior courtyard. Every day, the staff would fish them out, only to find a new one a few hours later. It turned out that a Middle Eastern prince was ordering cooked lobster from room service for every meal and then throwing the empty shells out the window to land in a fountain below. (Emma asked him to stop—nicely—but pieced together the mystery only on the day of his departure.)

Another time, a woman called Emma hysterically crying “as though her husband died and she just discovered the body.” When Emma finally calmed her down, she comprehended the real reason for the guest’s tears: There was no more Kleenex in her suite, and her young daughter had been forced to blow her nose on toilet paper.

Sex, Drugs and … Come Again?

As at any hotel, requests for drugs and prostitutes do happen—but not frequently. Bal has been asked for drugs only two or three times in his 10 years at the Plaza, and he is careful to stick within the boundaries of the law. Condom needs are another story: Mouhsine, one of the other butlers, always carries a pack with him, especially in the evenings. On being called to fulfill one such late-night request, no one answered the door after several knocks; he gently entered the room to find the two guests in the “go” position, waiting to be walked-in on.

Far more interesting than sex and drugs are the more outlandish client requests. Recently, Emma fielded a service call from a woman searching for some missing chocolate-covered blueberries, which had fallen off a window ledge. Emma offered to obtain replacements from the same brand and store, but the guest was adamant about retrieving her exact snack. Emma and the security team trawled the hotel’s interior courtyard for hours, blueberry-hunting, to no avail. During my brief tenure, the weirdest request was for two liters of intravenous saline solution—meant for a doctor’s ailing wife, who was presumably on the wrong side of a stunning hangover.

Some requests are even more bizarre. One butler told the story of how he was asked to replace all the furniture in a suite because the guest didn’t like the color blue. Another was sent off to scout the city’s reliquaries for a justice of the peace trophy—a prize for a newly minted lawyer. Another arranged for a live tarantula flown in from Africa to be served as a meal. Of course, butlers always deliver with a straight face.

Mind the Pillowcases

Missing pillowcases can be a real issue at the Plaza. But it’s not the tourists that have sticky fingers. And it’s not hotel pillowcases that are getting stolen. At least once a week, a white pillowcase that was brought from a guest’s home gets mistaken for a hotel-issued version and is sent out for cleaning. Sometimes they’re never seen again, in which case Emma dispatches a bellman to purchase new coverings, drawing on the hotel’s coffers, no matter the price.

Christmastime: Not so Merry

“Party season,” which spans October to December, feels like a constant carousel of functions, banquets, and events at the Plaza. Every evening, there are four or five requests for assistance at looping bow ties and zipping up cocktail dresses. And in the last few years, requests for holiday-themed decorations in the rooms have become so commonplace that the hotel now offers a standard Christmas package that includes a fresh, fully decorated tree, assembled by the butlers pre-check-in for $500.

The Customer Is Not Always Right

Complaints follow regular patterns. Every day, a guest will complain about too-slow laundry service. Though forms clearly offer standard and expedited return times, they’re not fast enough for some.

Minibar charges also lead to regular disputes. A full raid of your room’s bar runs $600 at the Plaza—something that happens at least once a week. The likelihood that guests will not want to pay is almost guaranteed.

This requires butlers to document everything with pocket cameras, whether it’s open booze bottles spread across the room, stains on laundry that existed before washing, or evidence of damaged furniture. Every ticket is verified on a computer and photos are attached, so when TripAdvisor.com lights up with a fiery review, the butlers are able to provide evidence to dispel any falsehoods.

The Easiest Way to Get Banned

It’s a lot easier than you might think. The hotel has a strict anti-discrimination policy, and zero tolerance is given to guests who mistreat the staff because of race, gender, age, or creed. Even now, guests sometimes request that staff of a certain ethnic extraction not be allowed to service their rooms; others will ask service members if they are legal in America. Emma, the director of the butler team, cited several incidents of sexism, too, such as the time guests asked to speak with a manager but grew angrier when she showed up instead of a man.

The refusal of services goes all the way up the ladder to DVs. At least two specific celebrities are permanently banned from the Plaza—one, a pop diva expelled for excessive drug and alcohol use and a belligerent attitude towards the staff, the other a sitcom star who took his anger issues out on a suite’s worth of furnishings.  

Afternoon Tea Leftovers Don’t Go to Waste

Hidden within the Plaza’s secret back-of-house corridors and tunnels is a cafeteria reserved for the staff. Open during lunch, dinner, and late-night hours for (surprisingly good!) hot meal service, the canteen offers bagels and drinks for the peckish throughout the entirety of the day. But the savviest snackers know to visit the cafeteria at exactly 5:30 p.m., because that’s when the leftovers from high tea at the Palm Court upstairs are put out for the staff. (They serve only the food that was prepped but not plated.) Emma said she practically lives off mini cucumber sandwiches. I liked the tiny blueberry cheesecakes.

A Good Tip Can Make It Worthwhile

New York City’s hospitality workers are protected under a spectrum of different unions. While bellmen and room service are considered “tipping staff,” the butlers do not expect fiscal rewards for their work, beyond the Plaza’s paycheck. But Bal and his colleagues still see a few ex-presidents from time to time.

His biggest tip during the last 10 years? It came from a French model-actress keen on setting up a romantic weekend for her boyfriend, a well-known fashion magnate. Bal placed flowers on every flat surface throughout their suite, organized lunch in a helicopter over Central Park, and tracked down a very specific, very expensive bottle from a specialist store off-site. By the end of the weekend, she handed him $8,000 in cash.

Seven months later, the founder of the fashion label was back at the hotel with a different girlfriend.

When to Call It a Night

The Plaza maintains a Betsey Johnson-designed suite in honor of Eloise, the capricious six-year-old that fictionally lived on the property. It was here that Nimer, another member of the butler team, had his most bizarre service experience to date. A request was put in for someone to come up and read the beloved children’s book as a bedtime story, but when Nimer arrived there were no children to be found. Four thirtysomethings were neatly tucked into one, large bed. Concealing his shock, Nimer read to them for 90 minutes—then tracked down Eloise on video, in case they hadn’t had enough.

This post originally appeared on Bloomberg and was published August 8, 2017.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/12-shocking-things-i-learned-by-working-as-a-butler-at-the-plaza-hotel?utm_source=pocket-newtab

[architectnews]

Dezeen Awards 2020 architecture project category winners revealed

The 12 winning architecture projects for Dezeen Awards 2020 have been revealed. Winners include a Vietnamese house with a vegetable garden on the roof, a primary school in Iran and a boutique hotel in Bali.

Other winners, unveiled in the Dezeen Awards 2020 architecture show hosted by LionHeart, include an apartment block in China, a black pavilion filled with glass yams and a public square in Copenhagen with parking for 2,000 bikes.

The Red Roof by TAA Design was named overall architecture project of the year.

The winners were decided by a master jury consisting of London-based Sally Mackereth, Mariam Kamara of Studio Masomi, Alexandra Hagen of White Arkitekter, Penda China's Sun Dayong and Issa Diabaté of Ivory Coast-based Koffi Diabate Architects.

There were 1,455 entries for the architecture categories at this year's Dezeen Awards, which is sponsored by Allermuir, V1, LSA, Hem and Grohe . Of these, 64 were shortlisted by our jury of 25 leading figures from the world of architecture.

The winners of the interiors categories will be announced on 24 November and the design winners will be unveiled on 25 November.

To find out about Dezeen Awards 2021, subscribe to our newsletter.

See the winning architecture projects on the Dezeen Awards website or read on below:

Urban house of the year: Thang House by Vo Trong Nghia Architects

Recycled water from a ground-floor fish pond is used to nourish fruit trees on the roof of this house in Danang City, Vietnam, by Vo Trong Nghia Architects.

Formed from brick and stone boxes stacked around a green courtyard, Thang House is the latest in the practice's House for Trees series.

Judges on the architecture panel were impressed with the "ambition of replacing the footprint of the house with greenery."

"It's beautiful and has a benefit to its surroundings," judges said.

Highly commended: Daita2019 by Suzuko Yamada Architects.

Rural house of the year: The Red Roof by TAA Design

The green roof of this house in Quang Ngai, Vietnam, has been made from stepped planters finished in red plaster and tiles.

Called The Red Roof, the home has been designed for a couple who have lived in this rapidly-developing area of Vietnam for decades.

"Small projects like this one show that great design can be made available to ordinary people," said the judges on the architecture master jury. "It is a small, humble gesture that has a very powerful reach."

Highly commended: Casa Naila by BAAQ.

Housing project of the year: The Borderless Community by Fei Architects

This project is an apartment block in Guangzhou, China. The studio designed the project for seven occupants, so-called slash youths, which can be described as a younger generation of Chinese people who embrace creative jobs and digital entrepreneurship.

The judges liked this project because "there is something very optimistic and hopeful about this project."

They added: "Apartment buildings can be seen as isolated spaces but this helps us go back – to a neighbourhood feeling where there are moments of interconnection."

Residential rebirth project of the year: Qishe Courtyard by Arch Studio

This project is a former abandoned hutong that has been converted into a house with curving glass walls arranged around internal courtyards in Beijing.

The courtyards originally contained seven wooden structures that were intact, but the roofs, walls and windows had fallen into disrepair. Instead of restoring the structures to their original form, the architects preserved the original materials but improved the circulation to connect the spaces into a single home.

The judges said this project is a "collision of old and new." They added that it "preserves history for the future, whilst adding a sculptural element of modern times."

Civic building of the year: Noor E Mobin Primary School by FEA Studio

This school in Iran has been designed as an "educational neighbourhood" for children.

The vision of the Noor E Mobin pedagogical plan is to bring up fully-fledged human beings as responsible citizens: people who have high self-esteem with a constructive mentality for their surrounding environment.

"The school creates refuge. There's an intimacy and comfort about the scheme when comparing it to the vastness and harshness of the landscape," said the judges. "It makes the school a small city or community for the children."

Cultural building of the year: Phoenix Central Park by Durbach Block Jaggers Architects and John Wardle Architects

Phoenix Central Park is a gallery and performance space. The spaces are intended to work together, to have visual arts interwoven with the performing arts.

John Wardle Architects designed the gallery in the east wing, while Durbach Block Jaggers designed the performance space. The components are linked centrally by a courtyard and garden.

The architecture master jury said that "this is a building that exhibits and creates culture, wanting people to invest in buildings that celebrate performing arts."

Business building of the year: Lasvit Headquarters by Ov-a Architekti

This project is a translucent glass house for glass company Lasvit's Czech Republic headquarters.

Historical houses, where glassworkers used to reside more than 200 years ago, were renovated and transformed into the headquarters.

The whole compound also features two modern, newly-built buildings – the Black house and the Glass house – which are a metaphor for darkness and light.

"This project combines head, hand and heart," said the judges. "The building displays a proud heritage about what the company does in terms of craft, and celebrates the reuse of old buildings."

Hospitality building of the year: The Tiing by Nic Brunsdon

The design of this 14-room boutique hotel on the northern coast of Bali deliberately leans on traditional materials and construction techniques due to its remote location, while providing a robust conceptual framework; a rugged regionalism.

Concrete and bamboo are abundant, so the studio worked with these materials throughout; for doors, shutters, walls, fences, details, and importantly, as the formwork for the project's heavy organising walls, expressing the texture of the material in the patina of the concrete.

"This project has a strong connection with the immediate environment," said the judges. "It lets the landscape be part of the design."

Highly commended: Kasiiya Papagayo by AW².

Rebirth project of the year: Party and Public Service Center by LUO Studio

LUO Studio has transformed abandoned concrete foundations into a community centre in Yuanheguan, China.

The studio extended the deserted foundations and concrete columns of a former residential project, adding a timber-framed upper storey to minimise its load.

The architecture master jury said that "this project shows a respect for the existing structure whilst creating a new centre that serves people. Small buildings such as this can make very powerful statements."

Small building of the year: In Absence by Edition Office and Yhonnie Scarce

Hundreds of black glass yams line the interior of this cylindrical pavilion for the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia. The purpose of the annual commission is to highlight the erasure of Indigenous knowledge and memory from Australia's national story.

The void within the centre of the work – the false absence of a people – leads the audience inwards to a twin pair of chambers that enable a space for deep listening and knowledge-sharing.

"The project is compelling as a gesture in terms of materiality, and also as a space which leads to reflection", said the judges on the architecture master jury. "It's a beacon of hope; powerful and visceral."

Landscape project of the year: Karen Blixens Plads by COBE

Karen Blixens Plads in Copenhagen is an undulating plaza with sheltered parking for over 2,000 bicycles. The 20,000-square-metre public park is situated between the University of Copenhagen and Amager Common, an area of wetlands, fields and lakes just outside of the city.

The judges said that "it's impressive - how they made this project feel like a breath of fresh air; it's egalitarian in spirit whilst triggering curiosity."

"A mix of landscape design and architecture, it offers a great solution to the problem of bike storage in Copenhagen," they added.

Infrastructure project of the year: Cycling Through Trees by BuroLandschap and De Gregorio & Partners for Visit Limburg

Cycling Through Trees is a tight double-circle cycle path with iconic allure that runs through the crowns of the trees in Belgium.

The path is 700-metre-long, and rises gradually with a slope of maximum four per cent to a height of 10 meters.

The judges liked this project because of its "simple gesture that lifts you up beyond the canopy of trees and allows you to contemplate the forest."

"It perfectly fits the environment and yet provides a great viewpoint," they said.

The post Dezeen Awards 2020 architecture project category winners revealed appeared first on Dezeen.

[humanengineers]

Inside Amazon's Smart Warehouse Source | YouTube | Tech Vision Amazon is the world’s biggest retailer, and its CEO Jeff Bezos the world’s richest man, for one very good reason. His company is better than anyone else, ever, at giving people what they want, quickly. Amazon acquired its undisputed status as heavyweight champion of the retail universe thanks largely to its lightning-fast delivery times. The astonishing feat of ferrying hundreds of millions of items, from guitar strings to saucepans to car parts, directly to your door, inside 24 hours, is nothing short of a modern logistical miracle https://humanengineers.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HR-V1-12.jpg https://tinyurl.com/yeubo7ko https://humanengineers.com/inside-amazons-smart-warehouse/?feed_id=16166&_unique_id=61277db6e3b85

[fyeahfantasticfour]

What are some really good stories for Reed being emotional and loving? I need some for the feels.

Oh, there are just tons! But here are some I especially like:

Fantastic Four: The Wedding Special – A joyous celebration of Reed and Sue’s decades-long marriage. It’s very, very cute.

Fantastic Four in…¡Ataque del MODOK! – Reed and Sue’s romantic island getaway is interrupted by MODOK. 

Cut for length.

Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #30: This takes place in a different universe, but it’s so good! Johnny’s upset with Reed because he feels the FF aren’t doing enough to help the people of Earth.

Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #38: Takes place in (the same) different universe, but it’s all about Ben and Reed’s relationship and Reed’s overwhelming guilt.

Marvel Fanfare v1 #2: “Annihilation”: Reed desperately tries to cure Ben.

Fantastic Four vs the X-Men #1-4: A diary surfaces that implies that the rocket crash was intentional human experimentation on Reed’s part (spoilers: it wasn’t), and Reed is devastated when the FF all turn their backs on him. 

Fantastic Four Unplugged #2: “Will Power”: After Reed is seemingly murdered by Doom, the surviving members of the FF attend the reading of his will. 

Fantastic Four v3 #2: “Be It Ever So Humble” – There are many extremely cute moments between Reed, Sue, and Franklin in this issue.

Fantastic Four v3 #10-12 – Reed loses his genius, which allows him to focus entirely on his family, the way he’s always wanted.

Fantastic Four Special 2005: Does Reed being caring toward Doom count? This is the issue where they basically go on a date and talk about their issues. There’s even a string quartet, candles, everything. It’s very romantic.

Fantastic Four v3 #60: “Inside Out” – Really, just read all of Waid’s run (this is the first issue) because there’s a lot of sad/caring Reed, but this is the issue with those panels featuring Reed putting Val to bed while telling her a bedtime story about the FF’s origins. I’d also recommend Sentient (v3 #62-64), which is about Reed’s relationship with Franklin, Hereafter (v1 #509-511), which is all about Reed coping extremely badly with Ben’s death, and Tag (#524), where the FF’s powers start hopping from person to person and Reed’s guilt makes a reappearance.

Marvel Knights 4 #1-4: “Wolf at the Door, Pts. 1-4”: The FF lose their fortune and their home, and Reed blames himself.

Marvel Knights 4 #28: “Private Lives, Public Faces” – Reed carries out his promise to be there for a man who is dying of cancer. (Warning, though – Sue’s storyline deals with her protecting one of her employees from a pretty gruesome case of serial marital rape.)

Fantastic Four v1 #527: “Distant Music” – Witnessing the birth and death of a planet leaves Reed musing on time, mortality, his family. I like this whole arc a lot (#527-532) and there’s a beautiful moment between Reed and his kids in the final issue.

Fantastic Four v1 #562: “Death of the Invisible Woman, Part 5: Requiem” – After a future version of Sue is murdered by Doom, the FF attend her funeral, Reed comforts Sue and tells his daughter – who recently revealed she’s a supergenius – that he’s proud of her.

Spider-Man/Fantastic Four v1 #2: “Symbiosis”: This is a flashback to 1980s-era comics, and it’s about the relationship mutual admiration society between Reed and Spider-Man, who Reed helped rid himself of his alien symbiote costume.

Fantastic Four v1 #588: “Three, Epilogue: Month of Mourning” – After Johnny’s heroic death, the surviving members of the FF are left mourning the loss of their younger brother.

Amazing Spider-Man v1 #657: “Torch Song” – Peter and the Fantastic Four reminisce about Johnny following Johnny’s death.

Fantastic Four v1 #605: “End of Line” – After Reed’s father takes him to see Ben’s future, Reed decides to spend time with his version of Ben.

FF v1 #23: “Run” – Mostly from Future Franklin’s POV, but there’s a very sweet scene between him and his parents at the end.

X-23 v2 #17-19: “Misadventures in Babysitting” – Reed and Sue go out on a date to a charity fundraiser, leaving Laura Kinney (X-23, Wolverine’s clone/daughter) to babysit Franklin and Val.

Fantastic Four v4 #4: “My Funny Valentine” – Includes flashbacks to the early days of Reed and Sue’s relationship. You don’t necessarily have to read anything other than the flashbacks – if you haven’t read Fraction’s run, it might not make the most sense.

Fantastic Four v1 #645: “Time and Tide” – This is a little short story at the end of the issue, where Reed shares his love of nature with his daughter. THIS STORY IS SO CUTE!

It’s also currently the last story published in a Fantastic Four comic. 

I feel like I just threw so many comics at you, but really, these are all good!

[pranapower]

TAFE NSW Cowra opens its virtual doors to profession advisors|Cowra Guardian|Cowra, NSW

news, local-news, High schools across the Cowra region have welcomed an innovative virtual event that will equip local profession advisors, teachers, and principals with the most updated guidance about school-based and post-HSC choices at TAFE NSW. The online TAFE NSW Career Consultant Day will fight the travel and occasion constraints that COVID-19 has actually presented meaning that hundreds of profession influencers from across the state will come together virtually on August 20. TAFE NSW Deputy Regional General Supervisor Adam Bennett said that online access has seen registrations double compared to the face-to-face occasions in 2019 and that the pandemic is not crippling the circulation of critical info to school leavers. "COVID-19 has actually provided unmatched obstacles to school students and it's vital to help with access to details about how they can access first-rate abilities training. "While university might be a viable alternative for some, it is necessary that occupation education and training is thought about a 'plan A' for school leavers to pursue professions in areas that they are enthusiastic about," Mr Bennett said. The virtual event will concentrate on anticipated job opportunity, courses, university pathways, and assistance services. According to the Australian Federal government's Task Outlook, there will be a demand in industries where employment has grown strongly over the last few years including health care and social help, professional, scientific and technical services, education and training and building. Mr Bennett said that Australia's largest training company is devoted to guaranteeing that the pathway for trainees from high school into, and out of, professional education and university is as simple as possible. "School trainees need access to better, and much easier to browse, instructional pathways and a larger range of alternatives when it pertains to their post-school education - whether that's university, TAFE, private training, providors, or all 3. "The education sector has a function to play in ensuring no matter where students are in life, their eyes are opened approximately brand-new career instructions and can pursue the alternative which finest suits them" Mr Bennett stated. Career advisors and counsellors can register for the TAFE NSW virtual Profession Consultant Day by going to tafensw.edu.au/ careeradvisor or calling 131 601.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/bwXFZWxdusWHsaYjdHyRzz/e12d0342-3d81-4e60-b1ae-449a26885429.JPG/r0_278_5472_3370_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

+10:00" > August 17 2020 - 2:12 PM

TAFE NSW Cowra opens its virtual doors to profession advisors

High schools across the Cowra area have welcomed an innovative virtual occasion that will equip regional profession advisors, instructors, and principals with the most updated suggestions about school-based and post-HSC options at TAFE NSW.The online TAFE NSW Career Advisor Day will fight the travel and event restrictions that COVID-19 has actually presented suggesting that numerous profession influencers from across the state will come together practically on August 20.

TAFE NSW Deputy Regional General Manager Adam Bennett said that online access has actually seen registrations double compared to the in person occasions in 2019 which the pandemic is not crippling the flow of critical information to school leavers.

"COVID-19 has presented extraordinary obstacles to school students and it's crucial to help with access to info about how they can access first-rate skills training.

"While university might be a feasible choice for some, it is very important that professional education and training is considered a 'plan A' for school leavers to pursue careers in locations that they are enthusiastic about," Mr Bennett said.The virtual event will focus on forecasted job opportunity, courses, university pathways, and assistance services.According to the Australian Government's Job Outlook, there will be a demand in industries where work has actually grown strongly over the last few years consisting of healthcare and social support, professional, scientific and technical services, education and training and construction. Mr Bennett said that Australia's biggest training service provider is dedicated to guaranteeing that the path for students from high school into, and out of, vocational education and university is as easy as possible."School students need access to better, and much easier to navigate, instructional paths and a wider variety of alternatives when it comes to their post-school education-whether that's university, TAFE, personal training, providors, or all 3." The education sector has a function to play in making sure no matter where trainees remain in life, their eyes are opened approximately brand-new career instructions and can pursue the choice which finest suits them "Mr Bennett said.Career consultants and counsellors can register for the TAFE NSW virtual Career Consultant Day by visiting tafensw.edu.au/ careeradvisor or calling 131 601.

Follow us

[scourgeofmyownbrain]

Edit: I MADE AN UPDATED ONE GO LOOK AT THAT ONE IT'S BETTER I CITED MY SOURCES AND SHOWED MY WORK AND EVERYTHING

Ladies and Gentlemen, Bitches and Bastards, Witches and Wizards, Mothers and Fuckers. Esteemed robot enjoyers, I present to you a semi-accurate height comparison of Bumblebee across the multiverse (as of July 2024). This really helps visualize the truly staggering differences between universes, at least height-wise. Also, three of these characters are Canonically the Same Guy; guess which ones.

I spent way too much time on the chart in the back it's not even funny. I will probably make more height charts for more TF characters and universes in the future. Don't expect it soon though, because when I make these, I am fueled by pure I-Got-Bored-At-Work-And-I-Have-Decided-To-Fool-Around-With-Robot-PNGs, and that fuel supply is inconsistent at best.

Hey Fun Fact, Did you know that Generation 1 Optimus Prime is around 19 Feet Tall? Bet some of you already knew that. I have no ulterior motives for bringing this fact up, what are you talking about.

My height explanations are below the cut, because you couldn't shut me up if you tried.

In an order:

Gen 1 - ~10 feet (the wiki says greater than 3 meters so I rounded up to the first whole number because round)

Netflix Cybertron Trilogy - ~10 feet (He looks identical to Gen 1 so... the reason his photo looks weird is because I couldn't find a good full body photo with him standing straight up facing the camera so I put two images together to make the worst looking photoshop job you have ever seen)

Earth Spark - 10 feet (There is no confirmed height yet but using a screen shot of him standing in front of a barn door I was able to make a reasonable guess.)

Animated - 12 feet (I have no genuine source for this, I think this info is just someone's guesstimate, but it seems reasonable. He's a tiny two door mini car, how big could he be)

New Live Action - 15 feet (The wiki hath declared. Also do we have a name for this universe because we need one I don't want to keep saying like 6 words to differentiate this one from bayverse)

Bayverse V1 - 16 feet (This is like the first 3 movies minimum, I don't remember when he hits his growth spurt. also wiki my love)

Cyberverse - 18 feet (I'm gonna be honest, the only info we have is from a really shitty screen shot of a magazine. SO if any one has a copy of this book from the video below, a high quality scan would be greatly appreciated and I will kiss the ground you walk upon. Yes I found the video where the screen shot comes from leave me alone)

Bayverse V2 - 18 feet (movie 4-5 I can't remember which one, I'm not re-looking this up. I fucking love the bayverse tho, this is the only universe with concrete and consistent this-character-is-this-height info)

Aligned Cont. WF/FOC - 20 feet (video game info screens you god send, kiss me sweetly)

Aligned Cont. TFP/RID15 - 21 feet (I do not know exactly where these numbers were found, but I fully fucking believe them. Just by looking at these characters on the show I can verify these numbers in my mind. They made specifically this universe to be full of freakishly tall robots for some fucking reason.)

And for any one who doesn't know, the three tallest are the same guy. Like the 20 feet tall one and the 21 feet tall ones, same guy. The ones in three wildly different art styles and designs. Let that sink in...

I fucking hate the aligned continuity why is that one my favorite.

[cantstoptherant]

Can’t Stop The Discrimination|V1#1|

One thing I wish I understood more as a kid was the saying “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” It does not matter that I followed the path of “success” laid out by society - meaning being a straight A student the majority of my K-12 career, working since 16 y/o, graduating from an accredited university, and staying out of trouble with the law.  What I know does not matter in this economy (or did it ever for Blacks?).  These white people will not give me the opportunity I deserve in the job market.  Now I am left thinking, I wish I knew more people.  Then, would the color of my skin be less of a hindrance, when looking for employment?.

I have had 3 interviews last month.  Finally, after well over 100 applications this year I felt I was finally getting somewhere.  Let me outline a little bit how each one went.

#1. After a phone interview, I was asked to come in the following day for an in-person interview with 4 employees.  After about 2 hours of interviewing, I went home, sent my 4 thoughtful unique thank you letters out and thanked HR for coordinating everything.  I received one response from HR, asking me to complete a 2 part assignment.  The assignment itself was not too difficult but extremely lengthy.  Nonetheless, I completed the assignment and sent it to the company 4 days before the due date.  The hours I spent on the assignment were pretty much a full days worth of work.  

#2. Similar to company 1, I had a phone interview and was quickly asked to come for an in-person interview.  This was the company I was most excited to interview for and really saw long-term potential in.  The organization is a non-profit that helps homeless people transition back into self-sufficiency.  They claim to love to hire employees as diverse at the community they serve.  Upon arriving, the doors were closed and I couldn’t get into the building.  I noticed there was a line of people waiting to get in to receive services.  One of the employees walked over and quickly opened the door saying “We will be open in 5 minutes” and then closed the door back.  There was some special event going on where they had closed for a portion of the day.  Well the time was coming close to my interview time so I emailed my interviewer to let her know I was outside and could not get in and I am not late!  A few more minutes pass. Then, a different employee opens the door and says they are letting people in 3 at a time.  I try to grab her attention and say “Excuse me, I’m actually here for an interview with **** at 1pm. only to me dismissed with an “Uh huh uh huh we’re letting people in 3 at a time.”  I go to the back of the line and wait for my turn.  I am almost at the door when I see another employee come out and she says my name.  Quickly, I raise my hand to get her attention but she just looks past me and keeps looking around and says my name again.  I step closer and say “I’m *******” She briefly apologizes and says they usually aren’t closed at that time blah blah.  We walk through the office space and I think to myself it’s quite white in here. We enter the conference room where there is another employee interviewing me with her (which she also failed to mention).  They ask pretty general questions and I hold most of the interview myself, as they really didn’t seem to care to ask anything that would showcase my skills or qualifications.  I left feeling like it was either too easy or they had already decided they weren’t so interested.  Despite the ambiguous feeling I was very much into the company and what it stood for and new I was more than qualified for the position. When I got back home I decided to send a nice handwritten note (which I only do for the companies I really like), using some beautiful stationary from my collection. 

#3. The most recent interview was a phone interview with another non-profit.  I was immediately asked to complete an assignment before moving on to the next round of interviews.  More and more companies these days seem to be sending assignments out.  I understand it may be a fast, efficient, easy way to weed out candidates.  However, some of these assignments are really just free work.  Anyways, I complete the assignment.  This assignment ended up being about 2 days worth of work, as it was much more detailed and I realized I had been approaching it wrong, in the beginning.  So, I spent a little extra time going back over things. Once again, I send it back ahead of the due date. 

Enter Rant... 

None of these bitch ass companies have had the decency to communicate with me since.  I notice a trend these days where companies no longer need to engage in basic etiquette when it comes to the hiring process.   However, given that these companies asked a little more with homework in coming in at the drop of a dime, I did expect a little more.  I did call company #2 as I had totally drank the kool-aid and really believed in the company mission and knew that I had all the skills and requirements listed on the job description.  My voicemail was responded to in email form.  The email was your typical sandwich feedback: You’re so amazing| BUT....| You’re so amazing.  Sometimes, I would much rather just hear “You’re too brown.” -- it’s much more real.  I mean, if I was so amazing you would have hired me, no?  

One thing all of these companies had in common is that all of the people I interviewed with are White.  Okay there was one person at company 1 who was Asian.  Another commonality - Each person I talked to over the phone was overwhelmingly receptive. 

All my life...I had to fight... True story.  No, but really what I want to say is: All my life I have gotten the “You sound like a White girl” from various people. My name is not overly stereotypical of one ethnicity/race. Given the anonymity, that the phone provides, maybe my luck stops there.  Given all of this information, it is impossible for me not to questions if discrimination is a factor.  Ignorant people are still spewing stupidity about how much Blacks benefit from affirmative action.  Where are these Black people working because clearly I’m in the wrong city. White people have stolen from Blacks nonstop since they stole us from out countries.  I feel robbed and violated.  I am sure the work I provided to company 1 and company 3 will be used and credit will not be given to the source.  2017 you say? 

[englishmansdcc]

Image Comics today revealed their plans for C2E2 2018, including panels, exclusives, signings, and more.  You can find Image at booth #513 during the convention which takes place April 6-8 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

More information and cover art is courtesy of their press release.

IMAGE COMICS AT C2E2

#WeBelieve in creator-owned panels, con-exclusive variants, and signings with your favorite comics talent.

Image Comics will return to Chicago this year for C2E2 on Friday, April 6 through Sunday, April 8th. Please note: updates to the schedule may appear online during the show. Please refer to the www.imagecomics.com post for the most up-to-date information.

LIMITED* C2e2 VARIANTS SOLD AT THE IMAGE BOOTH (#513): * Quantities will be limited by customer and per day on a first come, first served basis. Please ask at the Image booth about availability. 

ANALOG #1 by Gerry Duggan & David O’Sullivan, art by O’Sullivan, $10 (+tax)

ISOLA #1 by Brenden Fletcher & Karl Kerschl, art by Kerschl, $10 (+tax)

  CONVENTION EXCLUSIVES:

AD: AFTER DEATH hardcover by Jeff Lemire & Scott Snyder, $40 (+tax)

GOD COUNTRY hardcover by Donny Cates & Geoff Shaw, $35 (+tax)

KILL OR BE KILLED, VOL. 1 hardcover by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips & Elizabeth Breitweiser, $35 (+tax)

MONSTRESS, VOL. 2 hardcover by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda, $35 (+tax)

SEVEN TO ETERNITY, VOL. 1 hardcover by Rick Remender & Jerome Opena, $35 (+tax)

MERCHANDISE: * Limited quantity available for sale at the Image booth. 

BLACK SCIENCE statue, $150 (+tax)*

“I Believe in Comics” T-shirt, sm-xxxl, $25.00 (+tax)

“I Believe in Comics” tote bag, $12.00 (+tax)

Image Comics RCCC lapel pins, $10 (+tax)

  PANELS HOSTED BY IMAGE COMICS:

Image Comics: We Believe In Character (Friday April 6th 2018, 5:30pm – 6:30pm, Room S403)

Comic artists don’t just translate scripts: they build characters. From choreographing the most subtle facial tics and body language to designing entire wardrobes, illustrators are master actors of ink on page. Giving shape to entire casts, they carve new souls on a monthly basis. The creators on this panel specialize in character design, from Leila del Duca‘s medieval romanticism on SLEEPLESS to Jeremy Haun’s rugged post-apocalyptic fantasy chic in THE REALM, and Tula Lotay’s fashion-forward covers. Come see these shapers discuss their process, including Annie Wu and Jen Bartel as they preview their upcoming Image projects, DEAD GUY FAN CLUB and BLACKBIRD.

Image Comics: We Believe In Drama (Sunday April 8th 2018, 10:45am – 11:45am, Room S403

Writers channel the crises we face everyday through layers of fiction, allowing readers to dissect universal struggles through a vibrant, askew lens. Though comics may catalyze new worlds overflowing with imagination, creators ground that surrealism in drama and catharsis. Join a panel of stellar scribes including Kyle Higgins (THE DEAD HAND), Gerry Duggan (ANALOG), Tee Franklin (BINGO LOVE), Tini Howard (HACK/SLASH: RESURRECTION) and some very special guests as they discuss the friction that gave way to their latest works.

  SIGNINGS* HOSTED AT IMAGE COMICS BOOTH (#513): *wristbands will be available for fans to pick as soon as doors open, first come, first served, at the Image booth on the day of the desired ticketed signing.

FRIDAY, APRIL 6 12-12:45 PM Daniel Warren Johnson (Skybound) 1-1:45 PM Tee Franklin 2-2:45 PM John Layman & Nick Pitarra 3-3:45 PM Rob Guillory

SATURDAY, APRIL 7 12-12:45 PM Caitlin Yarsky Tee Franklin 1-1:45 PM Andrew MacLean Kyle Starks 2-2:45 PM Jeremy Haun 3-3:45 PM Gerry Duggan Justin Jordan & Nikki Ryan

SUNDAY, APRIL 8 1-1:45 PM Tim Seeley & Tini Howard 2-2:45 PM Jason Aaron

  IMAGE CREATORS IN ARTIST ALLEY:

Aaron, Jason H17 Bivens, John U15 Browne, Ryan U4 Bunn, Cullen M12 del Duca, Leila M14 Duggan, Gerry M17 Franklin, Tee V1 Greenwood, Justin G6 Gunter, Miles Haun, Jeremy J10 Higgins, Kyle A15 Howard, Tini R12 Janson, Klaus B16

Jordan, Justin U16 Kaplan, Zack O9 Lotay, Tula T8 MacLean, Andrew G8 Mahfood, Jim N14 Norton, Mike U2 Seeley, Tim U1 Starks, Kyle S11 Towe, Jim A5 Wilson, Matt R14 Wu, Annie B10 Young, Skottie X17 Zub, Jim N17

  #C2E22018: @ImageComics announce @C2E2 plans including exclusives, panels, schedules, and more Image Comics today revealed their plans for C2E2 2018, including panels, exclusives, signings, and more.  You can find Image at booth #513 during the convention which takes place April 6-8 at 

[ralphmorgan-blog1]

12 Shocking Things I Learned by Working as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel

Old-school service is alive and well at the Plaza: High tea treats are served in brass birdcages, tuxedo-clad bellman whisk away luggage to gilded suites, and chefs bear toques that tower above their heads. But in the age of Amazon Prime—when we all want everything —what is it really like blending vestigial aristocratic assistance with light-speed wish fulfillment? 

In order to properly find out, I accepted an offer from New York’s iconic Plaza Hotel to join its team of butlers, a coterie of 10 servicemen (and one woman!) who trot around the property’s 20 floors day and night, making sure 282 rooms’ worth of guests feel like royalty. For two hot days in July, I raced around with a team that, like the city itself, seemingly never sleeps—hearing tales of the trade from the department’s director, Emma, and serving guests alongside some of her most experienced staffers.

This is an elite crew: It bears a combined 147 years of experience, and many have served as house managers for affluent families all over the world. Me? I got express credentials for my two-day residency—unprecedented for the Plaza. They included a detailed orientation of the property and a uniform fitting for my hotel-issued attire (gold-plated name tag and all).

Over my short tenure, I delivered laundry to Middle Eastern princesses and fetched lobsters out of wishing wells—and listened to colleagues delight in the oddities of their jobs, from fielding requests for Viagra or comforting a weeping woman over spilled blueberries. Serving the world’s rich and famous, it turns out, plumbs the depths of an alternative universe that readily embraces the absurd without even batting an eye. And that was only the beginning of what I learned.

Here, 12 secrets to keep in mind the next time you check into a five-star hotel. 

One VIP List You Don’t Want to Be On

Hundreds of butler requests roll in each shift—mostly to fill ice buckets, handle laundry, and shine shoes. Complimentary packing and unpacking requests are also common, though they can turn into day-long affairs. A surprising number of international guests will purchase adjoining suites: one to sleep in and one for their luggage.

By matter of corporate philosophy, every guest should feel like a VIP at the Plaza. But a hierarchy still exists among those who check-in at reception. At the top of the pyramid are kings, queens, and heads of state—or as butlers call them: V1s, and they are ever-present on the property. Then come high-payers, long-stayers, guests booking a large block of rooms, and recognizable celebs. They’re called DVs, or distinguished visitors. On the bottom of the VIP totem pole is the SA group, known complainers or otherwise difficult and demanding guests who require “special assistance.”

Bath Time Can Be Awkward 

Illustration: Zohar Lazar

Another common request for the butler team is to draw baths with a signature blend of salt, oil, and roses—especially during the colder months of the year. But the butler’s duties aren’t necessarily complete once the tub is full. Bal, the Plaza’s resident bath-time specialist, said that 95 percent of the time, he’s asked to remain within arm’s reach as bathers suds-up. Most of them, he said, want more hot water or scented oil, and are happy to keep him on hand while they relax in the nude. He is often left to pull the plug from the drain, elbow-deep in leftover water.

It gets weirder. One of my butler colleagues at a previous job in London was asked to ship in and set up a guest’s order of fresh oysters in the bathtub. He diligently filled the tub with ice and laid the oysters out, only to discover that the guest wanted the oysters placed in the tub around his soaking body. Eventually, the client seemed satisfied: He purchased the room next door for his butler so he’d always be near.

Hotel Guests Are Pretty Predictable …

The Plaza’s guest relations team researches everyone staying at the hotel on an individual basis, using a variety of social media tools. (The favorite is LinkedIn.com.) Butlers, on the other hand, often use past trends to size people up on the spot. They send electric kettles to the rooms of arriving Asian guests, who often bring noodles from home to cook in their suite. They keep an eye on the minibar when tending to Americans in their thirties and forties—they’re considered the partiers of the hotel, likeliest to plow through the booze. Middle Eastern VIPs get what is called an “Arabic Amenity”—a tray of dates, dried fruit, and nuts; they tend to prefer these to chocolates, cakes, or other sweet desserts. And the butler staff knows to immediately ask Western businessmen if they have shirts or suits that needs servicing upon checking in; they’re always the ones who treble the quantity of laundry in the basement.

… Except When They’re Totally Unpredictable

Despite the overwhelming regularity of guest behaviors, travelers can mystify even the most experienced of butlers. During my shifts, lobster shells kept appearing in the fountains of the hotel’s interior courtyard. Every day, the staff would fish them out, only to find a new one a few hours later. It turned out that a Middle Eastern prince was ordering cooked lobster from room service for every meal and then throwing the empty shells out the window to land in a fountain below. (Emma asked him to stop—nicely—but pieced together the mystery only on the day of his departure.)

Another time, a woman called Emma hysterically crying “as though her husband died and she just discovered the body.” When Emma finally calmed her down, she comprehended the real reason for the guest’s tears: There was no more Kleenex in her suite, and her young daughter had been forced to blow her nose on toilet paper.

Sex, Drugs and … Come Again?

Illustration: Zohar Lazar

As at any hotel, requests for drugs and prostitutes do happen—but not frequently. Bal has been asked for drugs only two or three times in his 10 years at the Plaza, and he is careful to stick within the boundaries of the law. Condom needs are another story: Mouhsine, one of the other butlers, always carries a pack with him, especially in the evenings. On being called to fulfill one such late-night request, no one answered the door after several knocks; he gently entered the room to find the two guests in the “go” position, waiting to be walked-in on.

Far more interesting than sex and drugs are the more outlandish client requests. Recently, Emma fielded a service call from a woman searching for some missing chocolate-covered blueberries, which had fallen off a window ledge. Emma offered to obtain replacements from the same brand and store, but the guest was adamant about retrieving her exact snack. Emma and the security team trawled the hotel’s interior courtyard for hours, blueberry-hunting, to no avail. During my brief tenure, the weirdest request was for two liters of intravenous saline solution—meant for a doctor’s ailing wife, who was presumably on the wrong side of a stunning hangover.

Some requests are even more bizarre. One butler told the story of how he was asked to replace all the furniture in a suite because the guest didn’t like the color blue. Another was sent off to scout the city’s reliquaries for a justice of the peace trophy—a prize for a newly minted lawyer. Another arranged for a live tarantula flown in from Africa to be served as a meal. Of course, butlers always deliver with a straight face.

Mind the Pillowcases

Missing pillowcases can be a real issue at the Plaza. But it’s not the tourists that have sticky fingers. And it’s not hotel pillowcases that are getting stolen. At least once a week, a white pillowcase that was brought from a guest’s home gets mistaken for a hotel-issued version and is sent out for cleaning. Sometimes they’re never seen again, in which case Emma dispatches a bellman to purchase new coverings, drawing on the hotel’s coffers, no matter the price. 

Christmastime: Not so Merry

“Party season,” which spans October to December, feels like a constant carousel of functions, banquets, and events at the Plaza. Every evening, there are four or five requests for assistance at looping bow ties and zipping up cocktail dresses. And in the last few years, requests for holiday-themed decorations in the rooms have become so commonplace that the hotel now offers a standard Christmas package that includes a fresh, fully decorated tree, assembled by the butlers pre-check-in for $500.

The Customer Is Not Always Right

Illustration: Zohar Lazar

Complaints follow regular patterns. Every day, a guest will complain about too-slow laundry service. Though forms clearly offer standard and expedited return times, they’re not fast enough for some.

Minibar charges also lead to regular disputes. A full raid of your room’s bar runs $600 at the Plaza—something that happens at least once a week. The likelihood that guests will not want to pay is almost guaranteed.

This requires butlers to document everything with pocket cameras, whether it’s open booze bottles spread across the room, stains on laundry that existed before washing, or evidence of damaged furniture. Every ticket is verified on a computer and photos are attached, so when TripAdvisor.com lights up with a fiery review, the butlers are able to provide evidence to dispel any falsehoods.

The Easiest Way to Get Banned

It’s a lot easier than you might think. The hotel has a strict anti-discrimination policy, and zero tolerance is given to guests who mistreat the staff because of race, gender, age, or creed. Even now, guests sometimes request that staff of a certain ethnic extraction not be allowed to service their rooms; others will ask service members if they are legal in America. Emma, the director of the butler team, cited several incidents of sexism, too, such as the time guests asked to speak with a manager but grew angrier when she showed up instead of a man.

The refusal of services goes all the way up the ladder to DVs. At least two specific celebrities are permanently banned from the Plaza—one, a pop diva expelled for excessive drug and alcohol use and a belligerent attitude towards the staff, the other a sitcom star who took his anger issues out on a suite’s worth of furnishings.   

Afternoon Tea Leftovers Don’t Go to Waste

Illustration: Zohar Lazar

Hidden within the Plaza’s secret back-of-house corridors and tunnels is a cafeteria reserved for the staff. Open during lunch, dinner, and late-night hours for (surprisingly good!) hot meal service, the canteen offers bagels and drinks for the peckish throughout the entirety of the day. But the savviest snackers know to visit the cafeteria at exactly 5:30 p.m., because that’s when the leftovers from high tea at the Palm Court upstairs are put out for the staff. (They serve only the food that was prepped but not plated.) Emma said she practically lives off mini cucumber sandwiches. I liked the tiny blueberry cheesecakes.

A Good Tip Can Make It Worthwhile

New York City’s hospitality workers are protected under a spectrum of different unions. While bellmen and room service are considered “tipping staff,” the butlers do not expect fiscal rewards for their work, beyond the Plaza’s paycheck. But Bal and his colleagues still see a few ex-presidents from time to time.

His biggest tip during the last 10 years? It came from a French model-actress keen on setting up a romantic weekend for her boyfriend, a well-known fashion magnate. Bal placed flowers on every flat surface throughout their suite, organized lunch in a helicopter over Central Park, and tracked down a very specific, very expensive bottle from a specialist store off-site. By the end of the weekend, she handed him $8,000 in cash.

Seven months later, the founder of the fashion label was back at the hotel with a different girlfriend. 

When to Call It a Night

Illustration: Zohar Lazar

The Plaza maintains a Betsey Johnson-designed suite in honor of Eloise, the capricious six-year-old that fictionally lived on the property. It was here that Nimer, another member of the butler team, had his most bizarre service experience to date. A request was put in for someone to come up and read the beloved children’s book as a bedtime story, but when Nimer arrived there were no children to be found. Four thirtysomethings were neatly tucked into one, large bed. Concealing his shock, Nimer read to them for 90 minutes—then tracked down Eloise on video, in case they hadn’t had enough.

More From this publisher : HERE

=> *********************************************** Original Post Here: 12 Shocking Things I Learned by Working as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel ************************************ =>

12 Shocking Things I Learned by Working as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel was originally posted by A 18 MOA Top News from around

[scourgeofmyownbrain]

Megatron has been done already, now I, Starscream, get a Multi-Universal Height Chart done! I decided to bite the bullet and do another big one (tho none compare to the behemoths of megatron and optimus.)

Wanna hear something weird? Starscream is the ONLY (and I mean only) transformer I don't like. I have nothing against those who do like him, I can understand why you do. He's your pathetic little meow meow male wife twink man in stilettoes. I get it, I just.. don't like him... personally. Which is odd bc I have at least some level of affection for every other transformer, screamy is my only exception. Idk, anyway, here he is, and uh- enjoy.

Quick Disclaimer, if any of the images look weird, it's because I had to stitch a few separate images together to create a full body shot of the character.

Master Post

Listed Heights and Explanations below the cut.

Beast Wars 2 - ~8 feet (TFWiki, idk either, I'm never watching it)

Earthspark - ~12 feet (No Source, I got this height by first measuring Bumblebee to a barn door, then comparing Bumblebee to Optimus, then Optimus to Megatron, then Megatron to Starscream. This show does not have concrete numbers, so this is the best I can do.)

Unicron Trilogy V2&3/ENG&CYB - ~14 feet (TFWiki, for the uneducated, the Unicron Trilogy has given each of its 3 seasons separate names and 3 separate art styles. These are the designs used in Energon (S2) and Cybertron (S3). The Wiki had Cybertron's numbers but not Energon's, so for my own sanity, I decided the two were the same height.)

Gen 1 - ~16 feet (TFWiki, I love it when I don't have to put in effort)

Prime Wars - ~16 feet (No source, but it's identical to G1 so it's the same height)

Netflix Cybertron Trilogy - ~16 feet (Same thing as before, identical to G1)

Cyberverse - 18 feet (This comes from a screenshot of this video, which has the Cyberverse height chart everyone uses, though the quality of the screenshot is iffy.)

Knight/Capel-Verse - ~18 feet (We have like two scenes of this bitch and he doesn't stand normally next to anyone. I'm used my TFOne heights bc the scaling should be around the same, probably. If they ever give actual numbers I will be very happy.)

One - ~18 feet (Okay, so this movie doesn't have any actual numbers, aside for some bullshit ones from a Walmart Promotional. I've been using the Knightverse Optimus number as a baseline since these were at one point said to be vaguely canon to each other. And the Bumblebee-Optimus scaling is the same. This was so hard to get, we never get a clean level shot of Starscream next to anyone. I was able to guesstimate that he's around Soundwave's and Shockwave's height, but I can't be certain.)

Unicron Trilogy V1/Armada - 19 feet 7 inches (TFWiki, technically this is for the videogame, which is it's own branch of UT canon but I don't care. The designs are identical between the game and show.)

Aligned Cont. WF/FOC/TFP/RID15 - 24 feet 7 inches (Fandom, and even if they don't cite their source, I believe it. Look- every single one of these fuckers are massive when you pay attention to the show. It's a show full of freaks.)

Animated - 25 feet 6 inches (This number actually comes from @phoenix-inanis and the glorious calculations they have done on the TFA Characters. Go check it out, because animated has literally no actual numbers -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Bayverse - 31 feet (TFWiki, everyone say thank you mr. bay for making my life easy.)

Not Pictured: Unicron Trilogy Second Pallet(s) - Armada: 19 Feet 7 inches, Energon: ~14 Feet (Only the colours changed, otherwise everything else was the same so it felt dumb to include them), Unicron Trilogy Giant Starscream - Unmeasurable (look you can't make me and it's not even a number in the first place)

Here are the layers separated.