#also. the article in the column is not in the game at all | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

markrosewater · 4 months

Text

Elegance

Here’s my original article for Elegance.

This is a topic I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. Ironically, the words needed to explain the concept kept the column from being elegant. So I did what all artists do. I found a way to say a lot in a little space.

Enjoy,

Mark Rosewater

[NOTE: EACH OF THE ABOVE FIFTY WORDS IS HYPERLINKED. BELOW IS THE FIFTY HYPER LINKS. THE HEADERS SHOULDN’T BE ON THE LINKED PAGE. I’M JUST INCLUDING THEM SO YOU KNOW WHAT EACH LINK IS.]

ELEGANCE

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary has five definitions for elegance:

• refined grace or dignified propriety

• tasteful richness of design or ornamentation

• dignified, gracefulness or restrained beauty of style

• scientific precision, neatness and simplicity

• something that is elegant

The common elements appear to be dignity, simplicity, and taste.

THIS

Elegance requires thinking, but it also requires feeling. Elegant prose is judged by how it makes the reader feel. It needs to generate a sense of calm that puts the reader at ease. Everything in your writing should feel as if it was carefully positioned to create the proper effect.

Pound for pound, the writer’s greatest writing tool is the verb. Nouns add substance and adjectives add flourish, but it’s the verb that drives the sentence. Choose a strong, descriptive verb and the sentence has flair and purpose. Choose a weak one and the sentence lacks any sense of drama.

Here’s a little game to test an elegance relevant skill (based on an old game called Inklings). Randomly choose a noun. Try to convey that noun to the other players using the least number of letters possible. You’ll be surprised how much you can communicate in just a few letters.

TOPIC

One of the greatest stumbling blocks to elegance is the inability to choose a single focus. Elegance requires simplicity. Simplicity requires a single purpose of thought. This means that elegance starts before you write a single word. A good sculptor must know his image before he picks up his chisel.

I’VE

One of the common misconceptions of elegance is that it requires a writer to be fancy. Elegance though is more about familiarity than formality. You shouldn’t be afraid of friendlier language such as slang or contractions, assuming that such language adds an element of ease rather than one of laziness.

WANTED

An important element of elegance is a sense of passion. Brevity does not mean pulling away emotionally from words, but rather the opposite. When you find yourself limited to fewer words, you must pack each individual word with extra emotional punch. You are not reducing your message, simply your messenger.

A good tool in understanding elegance is studying poetry. Poetry is the most concise of all written art forms. It strives to maximize impact while minimizing expression. Each word carries the burden of evoking some essence of the poet’s message. If it cannot carry its own weight, it is excised.

WRITE

To be an elegant writer, you have to become a student of prose. You have to study the mechanics of language to understand how it can be shaped. Once you have learned how to transfer the feeling in your head into meaningful words, you are on the path to elegance.

ABOUT

Be careful not to fall in love with ambiguity. While intoxicating in its beauty, it is the enemy of elegance. Remember, the goal is not to make the reader struggle for comprehension. Rather it is to lead them to the obvious conclusion. Elegance should be used to illuminate, not confuse.

FOR

Elegant prose requires connecting with your reader. To do this, you have to understand who that reader is. Nothing should come before this task. It needs to be done before writing can begin. I like to compare this to planning a trip. Maps are useless until you know your destination.

Another major key to elegance is the understanding of the importance of the tiniest detail. Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a piece of prose is only as tight as its messiest detail. A good writer doesn’t stop at the nouns, verbs and adjectives.

LONG

Don’t confuse elegance with brevity. Elegant things are short not because they have to be but because the difficulty to craft an elegant piece of prose combined with the limitations of time forces writers to be brief. Elegant novels, for example, do exist, but they are few and far between.

TIME

To quote Roman orator (and letter writer) Marcus T. Cicero, “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”

Simplicity takes more time not less. Anyone can get a point across with ten thousand words. But a true artist can do it in ten (or possibly fifty).

IRONICALLY

Irony is a potent tool for commentary. Its genius lies in the fact that it comments not on what is, but rather on what isn’t. Like all good humor, irony makes you laugh. But like the best type of humor, it also makes you think. It’s both funny and funny.

THE

Elegance in writing is about more than words. Equally important is how the words are woven together. Tempo, pacing, rhythm – these are the tools that set the mood for the piece. Try reading aloud your text. The natural beat of language is more suited for the ear than the eye.

WORDS

To realize the power of words, you must first understand how they work. Art is expressive; words are connotative. That is, words draw their power from their ability to extract different ideas from different people. A circle is a circle, but the concept of “scary” varies from person to person.

NEEDED

Elegance is not the result of any one attribute. It is the combination of numerous factors coming together in harmony. This is why it’s such a hard skill to master. Most people can pat their head or rub their tummy. But put them together and it’s not quite so easy.

An elegant piece of prose needs to hit the reader at a gut level. Often they won’t know exactly why they like it, but they will recognize that something about the piece moves them. There are many types of writing where subtlety is lost. Elegant writing isn’t one of them.

EXPLAIN

There are many ways for you to explain an idea. The most elegant one though is not through definition but by example. By connecting your idea to one already known by the reader, you’re leaving the work of teaching to someone in the past. Education is hard. Comparison is easy.

THE

If writing is like building a house, the structure is like the foundation. Its design will dictate how the house is built. If it’s faulty, no amount of fancy brickwork will undo the damage. So take the time to ensure your structure is building the kind of prose you want.

CONCEPT

Never underestimate the power of a concept. An important part of elegance is condensing big ideas into little words. This is far from an easy task. It often takes a genius an entire lifetime to create a truly innovative concept. So take advantage of all their hard work and inspiration.

KEPT

A common barrier to elegance is the belief that only one way will work. Often a writer is unable to abandon a beloved piece of prose even when evidence demonstrates otherwise. If something doesn’t add to the larger sense of the piece, you have to learn to let it go.

THE

Readers notice things at a minute level far beyond their mind’s ability to interpret. This means that although they may not consciously notice many of your tiny details, they will do so unconsciously. Aesthetics teach us that it’s this unconscious structure that will determine whether or not it feels “right”.

COLUMN

All communicators, whether through speaking or print, need to find a voice. A voice provides familiarity and it teaches the listener or reader how to more quickly absorb the information. Elegance is all about the conservation of ideas. Having a pre-learned voice to guide you is a very valuable tool.

FROM

I’ve spent some time talking about understanding your reader. But there is one more person who is even more important to understand – yourself. Writing is about sharing your ideas with others. If you haven’t spent the time to figure out what you think, how can you possibly communicate it?

BEING

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Or so the saying goes. What the cliché forgets to mention is how many words a single word is worth. For example, take the word “being”. To capture the essence of what “being” represents is tens of thousands of words if not more.

ELEGANT

What is the value of being elegant? Why should you care? Elegance adds aesthetics. It evokes poetry. It grants beauty. Elegant prose draws the reader closer because it gives them something to not just learn but to admire. Good prose stimulates the head, but elegant prose resonates in the heart.

Who, what, where, when, how - all important questions. But for a writer they pale next to why. If you don’t understand the reasoning beneath the surface, the other details are irrelevant. The act of elegance is cementing the why. It’s taking the purpose and engraining it into the piece.

Elegance is a very personal thing. If something doesn’t resonate with you, there’s no way for it to resonate with your reader. Writing is an art, not a science. There is no rulebook for how things must be done. If your instincts are telling you that something isn’t working, listen.

DID

An important tool in your toolbox is time. Elegance cannot be rushed. Mental ruts only get deeper the harder you focus on them. Make sure to work time into your schedule so you are able to walk away from your writing. An hour next week is worth a day today.

WHAT

Don’t let attention to detail pull you away from having a larger sense of what you’re writing. Take this column as an example. While I spent a lot of time fine tuning each entry I never lost sight of the effect they created when all the entries were put together.

ALL

Elegance requires taking a holistic view of writing. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph is a piece in a larger puzzle. It’s not enough to understand the impact of a single element. You must understand how any two elements interact if you want to understand the potency of your text.

ARTISTS

Elegance and art are very intertwined. Both seek to achieve a similar goal: to illuminate and inspire with a conservation of expression. If you’re trying to be elegant, I think it helps to think of yourself as an artist. The instinct for the latter mirrors the needs of the former.

An important part of any writing is understanding the feeling you’re trying to evoke. And then realizing what mechanic tools you have available to evoke that feeling. Diction, verb tense, sentence length, alliteration, word flow, phonetic juxtaposition – each of these will control the mood and tone of your piece.

A writer’s life is the ultimate fodder. Don’t be ashamed to plumb your own experiences. You understand them deeper and more personally than anyone else. No painter would refuse to use his finest paints. And, as a bonus, by using your own experiences, you will become better educated about yourself.

FOUND

Don’t forget that the act of revealing is also an act of exploration. Don’t be afraid if you learn more than the reader you’re trying to educate. Writing is not an exact science. (Or even an exact art.) Often you will find that the road to salvation has a fork.

Your future is paved with your past. If you want to learn how to grow as a writer, you need to look back at what you’ve written. With time and a detached eye, your will find your mistakes become clearer. Remember that it’s failure, not success, that bests drives education.

WAY

The problem with looking for a single solution is that you’ll never find more than one. And the first one isn’t always the best. But if you’re open to the possibility that every problem has an infinite number of answers, you’ll have the freedom of choosing the solution you want.

Sentences are filled with freeloaders. Because writers seem to love overwriting. (I include myself in this camp.) Make sure to create time for the editor side of you to prune unnecessary words. If a word can be excised without any harm to the sentence, it has no right being there.

SAY

I’m spending my time today talking about elegance in prose, but most of what I’m saying is applicable in speech. The key difference is that prose has less defining attributes like appearance or tone. The key to elegant speech is making people focus on the words rather than everything else.

It’s ironic that something designed to be so simple can be so complex. But that, my faithful readers, is the joy (and mystery) of elegance. Like an onion, elegance has numerous layers that reveal themselves as you slowly peel them away. Oh yeah, and it can sometimes make you cry.

LOT

An interesting exercise is to look at each word you’re using and think about how much content is loaded in that word. Then explore what other words exist that fulfill the same role but with added content. Once you’ve found the word you can’t best, move onto the next word.

A good way to get better at understanding elegance is to look for it in every day life. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised where and how often you find it. Study each example carefully and try to see if you can put your finger on what makes it work.

Writing is a shared endeavor. No one owns the words. If someone uses a technique that works, there’s no shame in borrowing it. Like science, writing creates technology that’s brought back to the group to spur further advancements. Elegance is hard enough to accomplish without refusing to use the toolbox.

LITTLE

How big should a piece of text be if you want it to be elegant? The answer is as big as it needs to be – and not a word more. Just think of it as playing the game Jenga. Keep pulling words out of your prose until it collapses.

SPACE

One of the most important lessons in art is learning the value of negative space, the idea that the eyes are equally drawn to what isn’t there. Prose has a very similar quality. When writing pay careful attention to what you aren’t saying. Often it will speak the loudest volume.

ENJOY

For some reason people tend to equate dignity with seriousness. And as such they come to the false conclusion that elegance has no room for humor. Ironic as humor is one of the most elegant of styles. A good joke is no longer than is necessary to do its job.

MARK

As is always true when I head off the beaten path, I am curious to hear your feedback. What did you think of this article? Was it entertaining? Was it educational? Did you actually read all fifty links? And if not, why not?

Tell me. Inquiring mind wants to know.

ROSEWATER

I couldn’t end this week’s column without my trademark closing. I mean, how inelegant would that be?

Join me next week when I go from being a letter man to a Letterman.

Until then, may you learn to appreciate now just the “what” but the “how” and “why”.

Mark Rosewater

417 notes · View notes

if-whats-new · 1 month

Text

What's New In IF? Issue 17 (2024)

By Erika, Marjorie, Axelle, and Noi

Now Available!

Itch.io. - Keep Reading below

Note: Due to the links limit per post (100), some links included in the zine won't appear in this version. It is, however, on both the PDF and .txt versions on itch.

~ EDITORIAL ~

Another Milestone!

This week, we were surprised to see we passed a few milestones! Our reader base grew quite drastically, ever since we started this zine four months ago. It is being shared in places we didn't even know discussed IF!

We are very grateful for your unwavering support! It means so much to see people cheering for us, and most remarkably helping us!

Without you all, this zine wouldn't exist!

On to the zine!!

We had a wonderful discussion with Barbara Truelove this week, who let us bombard her inbox with many many questions!

In our exchanges we learned some really neat stuff about her work and her trajectory as a creator. And if you want to know what we learned... check out our interview with Barbara Truelove on Small Talk...

We hope you enjoy this extra long issue!

ERIKA, MARJORIE, AXELLE, AND NOI

~ BE PART OF THE ZINE ~

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? HAS EXPANDED!

Since the release of issue #14, we've enacted some changes with the zine. It is now expanded with interviews of creators from all around the IF world, as well as direct contributions from you, our readers!

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Excited as we are about next week's interview and have questions for our guest? Or want to see a certain author answer questions next? Message us!

SMALL TALK... IS WAITING!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : Bitsy Jam ~

Tiny bites of games, with a retro feel…

The Bitsy Jam is a series of short unranked game jams, focusing on the use of the bitsy program and its forks (e.g. mosi, bipsi, ...). The jam is organized by Adam Le Doux, the creator of bitsy.

Happening monthly, based on a previously voted theme (follow Ledoux!), the Bitsy Jam brings together creators from all corners of the game development world for two weeks, to create itsy bitsy games.

Bitsy is a program to create interactive and visual short games, with a retro-pixel feel on a 2D format. Allowing for short and linear stories, as well as lengthy puzzly branching games, bitsy is a great starting point for tiny interactive fiction and pixel art.

Bisty was used in many prominent creators like cecile richard, dreamingamaris, christine mi and @cerberus-writes. A fork was used in the 2023 ECTOCOMP winning game InGirum.

The current edition (#82) is ending in two days, with the theme INTENTIONALLY BAD!

~ ENDED ~

If you like “murderboys”, the 72h Murderboys Mayhem Jam ended last weekend, with 15 entries. Check them out!

Currently in closed voting, the Ukrainian Visual Novel Jam saw 49 entries submitted last weekend. Come show your support before the results!

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

You can now check out the entries submitted to the IntroComp and vote for your favorite demo!

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

If you are looking for a challenge, the yearly Velox Fabula just started! For the next ten days, this ranked jam is looking for visual novel submissions around a theme: “You Shouldn't Be Here”.

If you still want thrills but in a chiller way, the Tales to Thrill Jam also just started. Take your pick from the three themes and try your best at emulating the creepy campfire vibes!

For those who created an intent to participate at the IFComp, you have until the end of the month to submit a full game… or wait for next year! (Or you can look our for beta-openings, create an account to vote when the games are released, or offer prizes!) @ifcomp

Less than a week left to create a short game with only One Choice, for the Single Choice Jam!

For the francophones, the French IF community is organizing a summer-long camp to create parsers. Join the Confiture de Parser if you're interested!

Ending at the end of August, is the summer-long unranked SuNoFes Jam (Summer Novel Festival), where you can only submit one IF/VN game!

On the CoG Forum, Halloween is already there! Until Oct 31st, submit to the Halloween Jam - it has funky themes!

Looking for motivation to try your hands at Visual Novels? The Phantasia Jam just started, and will run until Halloween! Three months to create a fantasy VN, with the theme of “Hidden Magic”.

Do you understand or write Ukrainian? Until the end of the year, the Ukrainian IF Festival is happening on itch.io!

~ OTHER ~

Over on the IntFiction Forum, the Review-a-thon is continuing its initiative to get more reviews for games. Check out this post by Tabitha if you want to participate! It ends on the 30th. This is also a sponsored event, aiming to raise funds for one of the Forum members.

The Interactive Fiction Showcase is still running! If you have completed an IF piece this year, consider submitting it! It is happening only on itch!

SMALL TALK…

WITH BARBARA TRUELOE (@barbwritesstuff - Web)

Joining us today is werewolf enthusiast, IF creator and author: Barbara Truelove - Author of the “Blood Moon”, “Thicker Than” and more!

Links included in this interview were not included due to the Tumblr links limits. Please download the itch.io version!

⟶ Welcome Barbara on Small Talk…!

Happy to be here!

⟶ Let’s jump right in! Who are you and how did you find IF?

The line I usually use is: I'm an Australian writer, game developer, and a werewolf enthusiast. I think that sums me up pretty well. I've been writing since I was little (my mum has the scrappy, incomprehensible notebooks to prove it) and have always had a particular soft spot for stories about monsters.

My journey to IF was a bit meandering. Compressing things as much as I can: In 2018 I wrote a book [Crying Wolf]. It was about werewolves in prison and I ended up selling it in 2019 to a small, independent publisher. I was editing it throughout the later half of 2019. Unfortunately, in hindsight, I don't think the editor and I were very well suited for each other. The process left me feeling really insecure about my writing. So insecure that I actually stopped writing for a while.

In 2020, I moved to South Korea. Covid arrived in the country only a couple of weeks before I did. The pandemic made it much harder for me to make friends, so I ended up playing more games and stumbled across IF. I've always liked interactive stories (I had an unhealthy love for Dragon Age: Origins back in the day) and in October 2020 I decided to try and write my own. I used ChoiceScript, because it seemed like the easiest coding language to learn, and almost gave up half a dozen times that first night. But, I was having fun writing again which was amazing.

A month later, I posted the first couple of chapters of Blood Moon which is my first Interactive Fiction project. About half a dozen people messaged me telling me they loved it and encouraging me to continue, and so I did. It might seem corny and cliche, but I'll be forever grateful for this community. IF made me enjoy writing again. Writing interactive stories is so stupidly fun, and it was wonderful having a creative outlet and a little online community during the pandemic.

⟶ Anything about IF you’d like to nerd about to start?

IF is in such a weird, odd space in the market. Is it a book? Is it a game? Is it both? Is it neither? When I'm talking about it in person I always find myself saying stuff along the lines of: “It's like those old choose-your-own-adventure books from the 90s but on your phone”. This hazy definition makes it hard in some ways. For example, the Hugo awards are happening very soon [tomorrow]. There is an interactive fiction/game category, which is awesome, but the nominations are things like Baldur's Gate 3. Obviously, that's a game. A very gamey game. IFs like the kind made in ChoiceScript or Twine aren't going to compete.

I hope IF grows in popularity and we start to see a distinct niche for it in mainstream pop culture and media. I think that would be nice. Not saying we have to get our own Hugo Award... but I'm not not saying that either. Shoot for the moon and all that.

⟶ Could you tell us a bit more about your interactive work?

My IF projects are:

Blood Moon - A ChoiceScript game about dating werewolves and fighting vampires.

Thicker Than - Another ChoiceScript game and sequel to Blood Moon. It's about surviving vampire politics as a young fledgling. Currently in development.

Something A Little Super - A game I made in Ren'py, free on itch.io. It's about raising a super powered child. A love letter to my favourite superhero: Martha Kent.

A Fairy Tale - A Visual Novel made in Ren'py, also free on itch.io. You play as a young fairy noble seeking an advantageous marriage. It's very silly. Murder is optional.

Drown With Me - A dark mermaid tale made with Ren'py. Development on his game is currently on hold.

⟶ Your ChoiceScript games are pretty chunky and inter-connected. How do you manage creating such intricate stories and keep track of everything?

I'm a VERY bad planner. I write in Choicescript and use CSIDE. I have a thousand little notebooks filled with badly scribbled ideas. I usually have a rough idea about where a story is going but I won't know 100% how it'll happen until I'm writing it. Editing is my best friend. I also just use a lot of variables and (when in doubt) go back and look at my variable list to remember what I was doing and what different choices players may have made.

Variables are still a tricky thing to keep track of! I don't have a good system for it, honestly. I just use my brain which sometimes makes mistakes or forgets about certain choices, and the variable list. But that's what editing is for. I try not to be too hard on myself if my first draft isn't perfect. I'm really grateful for readers who send me discrepancies or things they've encountered that don't make sense in my demos and WIPs.

⟶ When you started Blood Moon, did you ever think it would end up being published under Hosted Games?

When I started Blood Moon, I didn't know what I was doing. I had no idea if I'd be able to finish it, let alone get it published. The whole thing was a learning process. Hosted Games is very upfront about the requirements of publication. I followed those and submitted the game when it was finished. They reviewed my submission, asked for a few minor edits, and then gave me a publication date. Overall, I think the whole process went very smoothly.

⟶ What about Thicker Than? When did you know you wanted to write a sequel?

I didn't think there would be a sequel, just because I didn't think I would be able to do that much writing again. But then the idea of flipping the script and telling a story from a vampire's perspective happened and I just couldn't hold myself back. 😅 This happened after I'd finished writing Blood Moon, but before Blood Moon came out. I wrote a short demo for Thicker Than, but didn't start work in earnest until after Blood Moon's release.

⟶ Blood Moon is told from the perspective of werewolves, while Thicker Than is from the vampire's. How was changing that perspective between the different titles?

It was so fun!

The werewolves are very modern and have a strong rough 'n tumble found family vibe. They'd go to hell and back for each other, that they're not afraid to have distinct and loud personalities, and that they're low-key epic. They don't realise how scary they are because they're used to being the biggest, meanest thing around.

The vampires are shady, sneaky, and old fashioned, both in the way they talk and the way they do business. The most powerful vampires are really powerful, but the average vampire is much more humble and blending in is how they survive. They've also hilariously bad at team work.

The fact that these two monsters are so different makes them so fun to write. They really are the opposite sides of the same coin. Two types of paranormal monster living in the same city, but with very different struggles, cultures, and experiences. I really wanted to show that difference and give the vampires (who were very unsympathetic in Blood Moon) their due... without taking away their darkness.

⟶ You are really passionate about werewolves. What's so cool about them?

Werewolves are fun! They're my go-to monster. But I like all kinds of monsters. Vampires, fairies, evil robots. I'm a fan of stories that explore humanity through the inhuman.

I think inhuman characters are fun because they can reflect us (our thoughts, our feelings, our experiences) in unique and sometimes fantastical ways. So, for example, in Blood Moon, a major theme was family. But, rather than write about humans with families, I'm writing about werewolves with packs. It makes those themes pop. But also, monsters are fun! It's fun to imagine the world as seen through the eyes of a werewolf, or a vampire, or a robot, or an alien, or a god.

⟶ Are there other themes you'd like to explore in future projects?

I never know what I'm writing about until I'm writing it, and sometimes not even then. I process my life through my writing, so the themes often reflect what I'm thinking about and feeling at the time. I can't really predict exactly what it is I'm going to zero in on and explore until I'm already doing it.

⟶ Then, what inspires and influences your creative process?

Inspiration can come from anywhere. From books I've read, to places I've been, to people I've met. I can never predict what will spark the next idea.

Blood Moon has some obvious inspirations. The city setting is inspired by Seoul. When I wrote Blood Moon I was trying to make the city setting feel generic enough that it could be any city. I wanted players to be able to imagine it was taking place in their hometown, which is why I never named the city the characters were in. But, in my mind, the inspiration for the city is Seoul. Seoul is both a remarkably beautiful and remarkably ugly place. It's polluted, built up, and bathed in neon lights with tiny traditional alleyways twisting through the modern buildings. Magical and sinister and wonderful all at once. The perfect city for vampires and werewolves.

The various characters are all pieces of myself and/or people I've met. The vampires and werewolves have been informed by all the vampires and werewolves I read and watched growing up. I drew inspiration from: Underworld, Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, Vampire the Masquerade, and (of course) Dracula. These things are what helped shape my idea of what werewolves and vampires could be throughout my teen years.

⟶ Is there anything you wished you’d known before starting creating IF or using ChoiceScript?

I chronically underestimate how much work writing IF is. When I first started Blood Moon I naively thought I would be able to finish it in 8ish months (ha! It took about 2 years.). IFs are big. Much bigger than novels. They take a lot of work and a lot of time to write. It's also hard sometimes just holding all the different narrative threads in my brain and weaving them together in fun and satisfying ways. I want the different routes to feel unique and dynamic while also not overwhelming myself with too many variations and options. That balancing act is a skill I'm still learning and developing to this day. I think I often bite off more than I can chew and have to slow things down for a while as I try to untangle and work through it all.

⟶ Are there things you wish you’d done differently with Blood Moon?

Blood Moon is not a perfect game, but I did the best I could at the time, so I'm not going to be too harsh on myself when it comes to things I could've done better.

⟶ Then, let’s focus on the positive. Do you have a favorite scene from all your games?

I don't think I could choose a favourite scene. 😅 There's a few oddballs I'm very fond of. Marco's 'octopuses' rant in Blood Moon is so weird and wonderful, I can't help but think of it. The flashback scene in Something A Little Super is exactly my brand of corny. I'm also thinking of some more epic things I've written that I really enjoyed bringing to life. There's some moments like that in my book Of Monsters and Mainframes that'll be coming out next year.

⟶ What about a scene that was particularly challenging to put together, but satisfying to complete?

The scene I worked the hardest on was probably the final showdown in Blood Moon. I really wanted it to feel satisfying, challenging, and impactful. There's this moment (spoilers!) where the player's character gets to go toe-to-toe with the BBEG [Big Bad Evil Guy/Gal], who just so happens to be a vampire. Werewolves vs Vampires! It's an iconic match up. I wanted to write something worthy of it. I couldn't really figure out a way to make it special. Originally, it was going to be outside, in the snow. That way I'd get the dramatic visual of red blood splattering on white snow. But it also felt a little cliche. Then I saw a Say Yes To The Dress clip somewhere online and suddenly I'm writing this scene not in a snowy street but in a bridal boutique. Blood splattering on white lace felt brutal and messy and visceral in all the right ways. It really made that final showdown work. I think that flash of inspiration really rescued that scene. The early drafts of it aren't half as good.

⟶ Having branches can be hard to balance. Have you ever struggled with choices for which you can’t write a path? How do you handle it?

Some stories want to branch a lot. Some stories don't. I write the stories that don't want to branch as novels. However, sometimes I'll stumble across a section of an IF that I'm struggling to give interesting branches/stories to. In those moments, I do a faux pas and don't give the player a choice. I think it's better to have a few good/exciting choices than a lot of boring choices. And, if my brain doesn't want to write a certain choice outcome, that means that outcome probably won't be fun or rewarding for the reader either. I really hope that makes sense.

⟶ Last year, you branched out, and created 3 Visual Novels in Ren’Py. What was the driver behind this switch up?

I just wanted to challenge myself and see if I could figure out a different coding style. I'm really proud of my Ren’Py games. They're short, silly, and strange, but I learnt so much doing them. Also it allowed me to experiment with shorter interactive stories.

And I might do it again! It was a lot of fun. I'm just so overloaded with writing projects right now that I can't promise anything. 😅

⟶ Since two of these are text-only, why the choice of Ren'Py over other more traditional choice-based programs like Twine?

I don’t know why, but my brain doesn't like Twine. Totally subjective opinion! I've seen other writers do amazing things with it. I just have never been able to make it go.

Ren’Py is a really powerful tool and works in a way that is easy for me to understand. I love the built in features like the menu and save functions.

⟶ Unlike your other works, Something A Little Super is more of a slice-of-life first and foremost. What inspired you to write this story?

My mum! I wanted to tell a superhero story with a twist. Something A Little Super is inspired by Superman and Martha Kent, but the main focus of the story isn't flying around, saving the world. It's about the choices that parents make while raising their kids.

I've never been a parent, so I used my mum as my main inspiration. My mum was (and still is) a superhero.

I also really wanted to explore how different parenting choices can have a big impact on who a child grows up to be. I tried to write the game in such a way that there weren't any ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ choices. All the choices are reasonable and make sense. But they do shape who the super powered kid grows up to become. I'm so proud of Something A Little Super. It's such a personal wee story in so many ways. It makes me so happy knowing people enjoyed it.

⟶ Your other releases are more anchored in fantasy: one focusing on fairies, the other having a more nautical approach. Was there something specific that inspired you?

A Fairy Tale was my first Ren'Py game. I wanted to write something small while I figured it out... and fairies are very small.

Which is a joke, but also very true. The whole premise of the game is these tiny little creatures with very short life spans that meet and find love in one night. I used Tinkerbell and Peter Pan as inspirations but the motive behind the fairies was the ability to compress everything down into a very short, but also very high stakes story.

Drown With Me is a project I wish I had time to work on. Dark mermaids are always a ton of fun. As for inspirations... that'd be pirate music.

⟶ Did you notice differences when working on those VNs compared to more traditional text-only IF?

Writing a visual novel is much more like writing and directing a stage play than writing a book. It was fun experimenting with the script style.

⟶ You don’t just create IF games, but also write novels. How do you manage to balance all these different projects?

I don't. I'm very bad at balancing my time between projects. I often overcommit and underestimate how much work a project is going to need. I need to get better at balancing my writing in general. I just always want to do so much.

⟶ Still, you are pretty consistent with your updates (1/month). How do you manage this?

I update every full moon! It's a silly thing that I started when I was writing Blood Moon. It's a fun gimmick that I've kept up with. Some months I don't write very much, and that's okay. Some months I write heaps and that's awesome! I try to be kind to myself, no matter how much or little I get done. That's the only advice I can give. Have fun and be nice to yourself.

⟶ How do you assess whether your work is enjoyed by people?

I don't know how many people enjoy my work. That's a really hard thing to know! I know there's some very lovely people who message me sometimes. I think I'm very lucky to have found people who mesh with my style of writing. The internet is a big, tangly place and it's always wonderful when you find people who are on your wavelength. It's really humbling to know there are other humans out there who think about my characters and stories.

⟶ As an outsider, it is undeniable you are pretty popular on Tumblr, where parasociality is pretty common. Have you experienced this phenomenon yourself?

There are boundaries I set when I talk to people online. I think that's important. I'm kinda private, actually, and a wee bit shy in my day-to-day life. I don't always seem that way, but when I'm online I'm usually just talking about my writing. That's what I really enjoy doing.

⟶ Have you gotten messages, like feedback or reviews, that weren’t as nice? How do you handle criticism and negative comments?

Oh, all the time. I get some very harsh feedback in my inbox. I try to take it in my stride, but some days that's easier said than done.

I divide all feedback I receive into two groups: Actionable feedback and Unactionable feedback, i.e., something I can fix, or something that I can't. Examples of unactionable feedback would be stuff like ‘I don't like werewolves’. Obviously, my story isn't the right fit for that person, and there's nothing I can do about that. I ignore unactionable feedback. If someone sends me actionable feedback, I try to do my best to fix it.

The good thing is, I get a lot more positive messages than negative.

An author I met last year said something very wise that's stuck with me. She said, no matter what, there are some people who won't like what you write. And that's fine. In fact, that's good. You want people to love or hate your work. That means they're reading it!

There is no such thing as a game/book that everyone likes. Keeping that in mind, it's much easier to read the negative feedback, find the actionable feedback in it, then get back to work.

⟶ On days that are difficult to take the feedback in, do you take breaks or get right back to work?

I let myself feel my feelings and (if I need to) I complain to my friends. 😅 But it honestly doesn't happen often. I'm pretty good at taking negative feedback, bad news, rejections, etc... in my stride. It sucks, but it's also just part of being a writer.

⟶ Do you think your traditional writing background helped you process this negative feedback this productively?

I don't think so. I think being able to take negative feedback is just a skill writers learn over time, no matter the medium. When I was in university, I did a couple of units in scriptwriting, and some of the feedback I got then was very critical. Before that, when I was in school, I did a creative writing class which was also pretty brutal. I used to write fanfiction, and people didn't pull their punches there either. It sucks, but I think it's normal to get a lot of various responses to your writing. Like I said, I ignore any feedback which is unactionable.

That said, there are times when it gets to me. Like I said before, I was very insecure about my writing after editing my first novel. It's hard some days. But writing is my art. It's how I process the world. When I stop, I feel like I'm missing something in my life. I focus on the good because I want to feel good about what I do. It's not always easy, but it's important to me.

⟶ You started your writing journey publishing a book, with another one on the way. How does writing a novel compare to creating interactive fiction?

I'm really not sure how to compare writing a novel and writing IF. In some ways, they're not that different. The main focus of both is to tell a good story. There are some nitty gritty differences, but overall I think stories are stories. I will say, some stories need to be IFs and some need to be novels. Blood Moon wouldn't work as a novel. That story wanted to branch from the moment I started writing it. Similarly, my most recent novel, Of Monsters and Mainframes wouldn't have ever worked as an IF. That story felt more direct, contained, and character focused from the first word typed.

I guess it's just whichever medium suits the story.

⟶ What advice would you give to an aspiring IF creator, based on your experiences?

Write something you're passionate about! For me, it was werewolves. It doesn't matter what the subject is, just make it something you could stay up until 4am talking about. I worry a lot of new writers feel they have to chase trends, but the only thing that does is ensure you'll be behind the curve. Write what makes you happy, and that love will shine through.

⟶ Many people rave about your work, but are there any games you rave about? Anything you would recommend to our readers?

Recommendations are so hard! I feel like I'm just going to gush about the games everyone already loves. VTM: Night Roads, Fields of Asphodel (@chrysanthemumgames), The Northern Passage (@northern-passage), Choice of the Vampire, etc.

There are so many fantastic games out there and so many WIPs!

⟶ After Thicker Than, what is on the horizon for Barbara Truelove? And where will we be able to follow your progress?

Thicker Than still needs a lot of work. It's a very big, complex game and I think I'll probably be working on it in some capacity for at least another year. IFs aren't quick and easy but they're a ton of fun! I've also got a (non-interactive) novel coming out next year with Jaysen Headley at Bindery Books titled Of Monsters and Mainframes and I've got a couple more projects I'm working away on behind the scenes. You can find me on my website, Tumblr (@barbwritesstuff), and KoFi.

HUGE THANKS TO BARBARA TRUELOVE FOR ANSWERING OUR MANY BRUNING QUESTIONS!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

The Ghost and the Golem (CScript) is the latest release from Choice of Games @choiceofgames

Oh, Vagabond (Ink) is an atmospheric short text horror adventure about what remains. @an-excess-of-eyes

Nusantara: Bermuda Triangle (Ren’Py) is an eight-year-long in the making adventure otome visual novel.

Can't Buy Me Love (Ren’Py) is a visual novel based and all about the Beatles. @brummelliana

passenger9027 (Twine) is a short sci-fi game, where you wake up in a spaceship.

The Robot (Twine) is a short sci-fi game, where you have a conversation with a robot.

TECH // LOOP (Twine) is a cyberpunk game where you play a looper.

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

Small Charms (Ren’Py) is Visual Novel project about daily use magic, a coffee date and a terrible decision. @viscereye

We Troubled Souls (CScript) is a high fantasy project involving godly and mystical beings, and survival.

to the place where death rests (Twine) is a sapphic project where a woman falls in love with the lady of/in her dreams. @bntarwarn

Intensions (CScript) is a high fantasy project where you play as a fae, with the weight of your people on your shoulders.

Vessel of Harkahn (CScript) is a fantasy project where the survival of the world resides in your locked memories. @vatiiagames

That Distant Shore (Twine) is a supernatural fantasy project where your curse will be your undoing, unless… . @exkowrites

Aphni's Quartet (Twine) is a cyber-punk fantasy project where you play a loath prophet. @marblesstorystudio

Press Play (CScript) is a slice-of-life project where you are part of a mysterious band. @pressplay-if

Tale of the Dragoons (CScript) is a fantasy project where you are a dragoon.

Carrion (Twine) is a mermen adventure game where you must defeat an ocean cult. @kinglyoverlord

~ GAMES UPDATES ~

Social Democracy (DendryNexus) has received multiple updates.

Dice & Dungeon Masters (CScript) added extra content to the demo.

Echoes of Kingdom: The Last Stand (CScript) updated with dozens of new words.

Honor Among Thieves (CScript) added extra content to the demo. @leoneliterary

The Judgement of Tarkar (CScript) came back with 2 new chapters.

Summer of Love (Twine) added a new chapter to the demo. @summeroflove-if

Dance of the Night (CScript)'s demo now includes Chapter 2.

Remnants of the Past (Twine) started its second act in this update. @remnantsofthepast-if

The Abyssal Song (Twine) added Chapter 4 to the demo. @ri-writes-if

The Bureau (CScript) added extra content to the demo. @morbethgames

The Game of War (CScript) updated with extra content.

The Night Market (Twine) added Chapter 6 to the Patreon demo. @night-market-if

Path of Martial Arts (CScript) added new paths to the demo. @nicky-if

Love in a Time of Earthquakes (CScript) completed Chapter 6.

Vendetta (CScript) updated the Patreon demo. @vendetta-if

The Bastard Crown (CScript) updated with major re-writes. @eddyiewriting

The Ultimate Magic Student (CScript) updated the Patreon demo.

Abnormal (CScript) updated the demo with major re-writes. @abnormal-aninteractivezombiegame

The Six That Thrives (Twine) added Chapter 3 to the Patreon demo. @the-six-that-thrive-if

Dragon of Steelhorn (CScript) has put out the demo for bonus chapters for beta.

~ OTHER ~

The last HG release, Halls of Sorcery has been withdrawn from sale due to AI-generated content. If you have bought the game, and have not received a refund yet, you should contact HG support.

Magehunter: Phoenix Flame's demo (CScript) will be soon removed from viewing, as it is expected to go into beta testing. This might be your last chance to play it.

Heavens’ Revolution (CScript) is looking for official beta-testers.

Drew Cook started a new series of articles: Let's Write IF. @golmac

If you are fan of podcasts about IF, Adam Cadre uploaded the latest episode of Radio K, discussing Lost Pig, Child's Play, and An Act of Murder. @adamcadre

The 55th issue of the Indipocalypse was released recently, including multiple IF games.

On IntFiction, mathbursh completed the Brief History of the SpringThing, ahead of the release of his IF History Textbook.

As always, we apologize in advance for missing any update or release from the past week. We are only volunteers using their limited free time to find as much as we can - but sometimes things pass through the cracks.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ A CYOA Poem ~

1 Catered with abundance, the player peruses the IF wares, meticulously thinking about what to take next. Go to 2.

6 There isn't a single choice. You are bombarded with options. Your commands push the story seamlessly. It only returns failed actions. Your fingers go numb from clicking, pressing, typing... Go to 7.

4 The world is simple but immersive. The world is large and neverending. You only stand in your room. You travel wide distances. It is a peaceful journey. You get hurt at every turn. Go to 5.

3 The adventure doesn't start before a character is selected. Or maybe it has already. There is so much to choose from. There is nothing to choose from. Go to 4.

7 And it's already the ending. You won't get there for another dozens of hours. You wait patiently for the next update. The experience is complete. You lurk. You ask for details. You rate. You comment. Go to 8.

END You played an IF game. Return to 1 to restart.

8 You spam everyone with links so they play it too. You never speak of that experience ever again. You make fanart and daydream about everything. Go to END.

5 You meet a bunch of characters. You are utterly alone. You romance one, or maybe six. You only find peace with yourself. You love them. You hurt them. Go to 6.

2 Yesterday was slice-of-life, tomorrow surely sci-fi. But for today, a simple fantasy will do. Go to 3.

IFLover2495

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

(Don't) Save Me by Coral Nulla @nullamirrors (Decker - itch.io - IFDB)

What happens to the ‘manic pixie girl’ at the end of the story? This is what the game tries to find out, giving a voice to the trope we love but never wonder what is under the surface. A wacky adventure filled with choices, with a funky UI.

//recommended by anonymous//

Swooning over Stans by sovonight @gfdatingsim (Ren'Py - itch.io - VNDB)

“Recent memes reminded me of the insanity that is this game. You barely need to know any lore of Gravity Fall to reach the endings and feel fulfilled by this weird fan-game. And it's not just SO GOOD story-wise, it's so freaking well made too! Fans are the best, they make the coolest shit.”

//submitted by (peace sign emoji)//

The Dying of the Light by Amanda Walker (Inform7 - itch.io - IFDB)

A heartbreaking text-adventure told from the perspective of an older woman with dementia, as she struggles to communicate her needs, wants, and fears.

Though fighting the engine may be frustrating, it displays an effective manner to convey the difficulties of dementia.

Linear progression. Input HINT for help.

//recommended by C.//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserve some highlighting?

A old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Hi What's New in IF team! This is a tiny zine letter for you, to thank you a whole lot for including my game in your zine. It was really nice of you! and I got a whole lot of new people checking it out thanks to you. Keep up the good work! - anonymous

I hope @catskets sees this, because I really enjoyed their interview. It was so fun and insightful, and honestly, pretty inspiring. And now I have 30+ new games to play, and links to link between all the stories! - a new fan

Hi ThereIsMoreButICantFindIt, Thank you for the links, it was pretty enlightening. Please keep me in mind if you do find other sources about Modern IF! -Rich

is this section limited to authors only? because i wanted to give a shout-out to @elfroot-and-laurels, my favourite artist, who's done imo the best (fan)art of IF projects i've ever seen. -aureuslaureus

Have something to say? Send us a message entitled: Zine Letter!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank:

a new fan, aureuslaureus, C., ghostlykittenshark, Rich, (peace sign emoji), and a bunch of you anonymous users!

For sending news, interview questions, helpful tips, cool links, filled form, written Sheet line, even emails... all these help us so much to make this Zine possible!

And as always, huge thanks to all you readers to liked, shared, and commented on last week's issue! What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us! Thank you for cheering us on this journey!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We also hope you join us again next week, for we have a very special guest on the zine:

Award-winning creator, retro-IF enthusiast, parser craft writer, Drew Cook @golmac sits down with us next week!

Want to know more about his work? How he found IF? Or learn more about his non-dev projects? Send us all your burning questions!

And see you again next week!

ERIKA, MARJORIE, AXELLE, AND NOI

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 17

154 notes · View notes

traveler-at-heart · 11 months

Text

Game, Set, Match

Summary: Natasha Romanoff is a professional tennis player, struggling to go back to the top and win the US Open. Reluctant at first, she allows a sports journalist into her life... and a bit more.

Natasha Romanoff x Fem!R - Ya know it, fluffy af.

A/N: I love tennis and this was basically written for me. But @canvascoloredin is also a fan and thought, ok well, let's post it, maybe someone else will enjoy :)

“Thirty all”

She’s catching up, do something.

“Forty, thirty”

“Deuce”

“Come on, Natasha” her sister yells from the box.

Advantage, Romanoff.

Game, set, match. Natasha Romanoff.

Everything that happens after is a blur. Natasha feels like she just played the final, but in reality, it’s just the first round.

“Way to go, darling” her mother compliments when she’s back in the locker rooms, but Fury is quickly behind, not holding back.

“Three sets against an amateur and you won because she got nervous and got a double fault. That’s not good”

“I beat her, didn’t I?” Natasha averts her eyes, putting on her jacket to go to the press room.

“Barely” her trainer mumbles.

Natasha’s heart beats fast as she sits in front of all the journalists. They were warned about the questions they could ask, but still. Natasha feels all eyes on her, judging her reaction and demeanor.

“Did you worry about losing control at the start of the third set?” a man in the front row asks.

“It was the defining moment of the game, so I felt like I had to push myself harder and control the rhythm of the match. Which obviously happened”

“How was it to go back after your break? Unlike other players, you didn’t participate in any tournaments between Wimbledon and this”

“I’ve been playing tennis all my life, really, so it doesn’t feel like a big deal to me. Just because I wasn’t playing to win titles doesn’t mean I didn’t train”

Natasha hears Fury cough and has to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

Control your temper, he’s trying to say.

Well, maybe they shouldn’t ask stupid questions.

You’re sitting in the middle of the press room, eyes trained on Natasha. She’s looking anywhere but you.

I guess this means she read my column.

The conference is coming to an end, so you raise your hand and the assistant points at you.

“We have time for one more” he concedes.

“That’s enough for today” Natasha shuts it down before you can ask.

Yeah, she definitely read the article.

Natasha can’t wait to get out of there, thanking the press before sprinting out of the room. You consider following her, but a text from your boss stops you.

Go to LA Stadium, Wanda Maximoff just bageled some poor girl.

With a bit of luck, you’ll get an exclusive with Wanda.

The biggest crime of Shostakov

It was a Tuesday afternoon, well into the second week of Wimbledon, when the news broke out. Alexei Shostakov, retired tennis player, was arrested for fraud and tax evasion. While in custody, it was discovered Shostakov was in possession of drugs.

The famous Red Guardian, who once had won on that very same club, was now dragged away in a patrol car, stripped of his days of glory. For people who are well versed in the history of tennis, this doesn’t come as a complete shock. Shostakov was a notorious trouble maker, often breaking rackets, ripping his shirts open and getting expelled from a total of 15 matches during the entire run of his career.

No one seemed more affected by the news than his protegee and adoptive daughter, Natasha Romanoff. The favorite to win the world’s most important Grand Slam retired amid the breaking news. As a result, Wanda Maximoff’s path to the trophy was an easy one, taking the number 1 from Romanoff while she was at it.

If her career depends on Alexei’s ability to get back on his feet, Natasha Romanoff should retire now.

In her best form, Romanoff is stealthy, precise and absolutely lethal. Her movements reminisce those of a ballerina; one that gracefully dances across the court -doesn’t matter if it’s grass, clay or hard- to deliver blow after blow of brilliance. Natasha has raw talent, pure heart and an unbreakable spirit.

The biggest crime of Shostakov, is that he’s in the way of her greatness. Maybe it’s his ego or a compulsion to attach himself to a woman who has the capacity to break every record from the Open Era.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear she’s better off without him. For those of us who love this sport, and want Natasha to be the champion she was meant to be, this is an unique opportunity to watch her finally emerge from the shadows of the overbearing man.

The proverbial ball is in Romanoff’s court. In all her brilliance, the one thing Natasha rarely does is take risks.

It’s never too late to start.

“We’re finishing the second day of the US Open and we have some major upsets. Carol Danvers, number 3 in the world and only American in the top ten lost to Brit Peggy Carter” you say, holding the mic and looking at the camera.

“I understand there was some excitement on the man’s singles” you hear Maria say on your earpiece and you nod.

“Queens had a face off with Brooklyn today. Bucky Barnes defeated amateur Peter Parker, but get this! They played five sets, and Peter won every tiebreak. So it seems like we have some exciting new talent”

“We’ll keep an eye on him, for sure. Thanks for the report, Y/N!”

“A pleasure as usual, Maria. Greetings to everyone back on the studio”

“And cut” Darcy, your producer says. You remove the earpiece and hand over the mic. As you turn around, you spot Natasha training. It’s obvious you’re staring when Darcy speaks.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, you know? You wrote what a lot of people were thinking”

“Well, seems like she doesn’t wanna hear it”

“It’s fine. I mean, it would be better if we could get a quote from her or an interview but if she hates you that much we can get someone else to do it”

“Or, I could go and try to talk to her?”

“So you have a death wish!”

“Didn’t you just say I did nothing wrong?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean she’ll listen. I am also legally obligated to tell you that your health insurance doesn’t cover injuries caused by tennis balls. Or rackets”

“Very funny”

“Relax your wrist” Fury instructs once again and Natasha ignores him, as usual.

She hates the press, the interviews, the hoops she has to jump through just so she can play tennis.

None of it is optional and she has to follow the rules, something Natasha is particularly bad at.

“If you want to move to the next round you’re gonna have to listen to me”

Does she really want to move to the next round? Is there a point to all of this? She had lost her number one ranking and people were focusing more on her private life than her career.

Fury spots you across the court and smiles.

You nod your head towards the man and he sighs, defeated.

“Can you talk some sense into her?”

“Can anyone?” you say and he pats you on the back, leaving the court. The sun is setting and people are going home, ready to return tomorrow to watch the next round of players. You greet Natasha but she ignores you.

“You owe me a question” you try to joke, as she keeps hitting the ball so hard you think her racket will break in half.

“I know who you are and I’m not talking to you”

She looks hot when she’s pissed.

You push those thoughts away.

“Natasha”

“No, you and I are not on a first name basis. Not after you wrote all that crap about me without knowing me”

“I only spoke the truth”

“That my career is doomed and I should retire?” she finally stops throwing balls across the court and turns to look at you.

“Oh, my God! You didn’t even read it, did you?”

“I don’t need to. I know what everyone's been saying ever since Alexei was arrested. I know he was unconventional, but he was my trainer. He was beside me through the good and bad”

“I get it, ok? He’s your family. And your trainer. That’s never easy and I understand how it can be hard to see things objectively. But, Natasha, you are great in spite of him, not because of him”

That makes her pause.

“Nick Fury came out of retirement to train you. That’s how talented you are!”

The redhead serves a couple of times, staying completely silent.

“I’m not talking to you” she reminds you.

“You’re the best player out there, Natasha. And right now you’re the only thing getting in the way of your success”

Morning comes and so does the next match. Natasha is looking out the window of the suite, as people come and go around the busy streets of the tennis center.

Fury steps in, immediately aware of her nervous energy. If he asks if she’s ready, she’ll probably rip his head off. So, talking about something different might be the way to go.

“Her father was also a sports journalist,” he says, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

“Who?”

“Y/N. Richard was a single parent, so he’d always bring her to the games, even as a baby. She behaved better than most people too”

“Is he retired?”

“Nope. Cancer. Four years ago” Fury sits in front of Natasha. “Didn’t expect her to follow his steps, but that girl really knows sports. She’s working with the local station, and also writes for Sports Illustrated”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Never hurts to have a couple of friends around,” he says, sipping from his glass.

“I’m not good at making friends” Natasha looks away.

“Yeah, I know. You’re good at tennis, so…” the man checks his watch and stands up. “Let’s kick some ass”

Natasha has to face Kate Bishop, currently ranked 24. Her game is the opposite of aggressive, but she’s famous for her impeccable aim. Natasha has to control the game from the start if she wants to win.

She serves first, and as she bounces the ball, preparing her stance, Fury’s words echo in her head. All the advice he has given her for the past months, advice that she has consistently ignored.

Then, as she throws the ball, her eyes meet yours. You’re sitting in the front row, leaning forward.

In a split second, she makes a decision.

Natasha is ready to take risks.

She aims for the corner of the service box, hoping it will fall inside. Kate lunges forward, shocked at the speed of the ball.

“Ace” the umpire announces. “Fifteen love”

Natasha sees you clapping and can hear Fury shouting “That’s it, you can do this, Romanoff”

And boy, does she deliver. Kate is running across the court. Natasha’s unforced errors are incredibly low. While the crowd usually loves long games, the redhead is a legend and they’re excited to see her prowess first hand.

The game ends in 47 minutes, 6-3, 6-2.

Kate approaches the net and shakes Natasha’s hand.

“That was… incredible, Romanoff”

“Thank you, Kate”

The kind words and the genuine admiration make Natasha relax instantly.

Of course, the crowd goes wild as the redhead lifts her arms, clapping and waving.

She’s in such a good mood that she decides she’ll finally take your question. But as she enters the press room, you’re nowhere to be found.

Still, she chats and even jokes around with the journalists present.

Once again, the entire family celebrates as if Natasha had already won the Grand Slam.

“Seestra, the crowd was going craaaazy, it was like a Taylor Swift concert” Yelena tells her excitedly as they eat. Natasha’s starving, so nervous about today that she didn’t even have breakfast.

They keep chatting, talking about strategy for the next game and wondering who will go against Natasha next.

“Natalia, your father wants to talk to you” Melina interrupts, holding her phone.

“Why?” Natasha snaps, going back to her stoic self.

“He wants to congratulate you,” the woman insists.

“I’m not in the mood. Excuse me” she stands up, losing her appetite.

Out on the terrace, she watches people passing by, trying to think of anything else but Alexei.

Your words come back to her, and she starts to believe them.

You are great in spite of him.

“Hey, there you are!” you shout from the bottom of the stairs, waving. “Do you have a sec?”

Natasha nods, going down.

“First of all, wow. Brava”

“You wanted something?” she rolls her eyes, but you notice she blushes lightly.

It’s quite the view, Natasha’s body covered in sweat from the physical exertion, her sculpted arms in full display.

That tennis outfit looks really good on her.

“Oh.. yeah. Do you, uh, have time to meet a fan? She’s a little girl and you’re her favorite player”

“Of course”

“Awesome, come with me!” you take her by the hand.

Natasha tries to ignore the tingling feeling she gets as she’s dragged around the center. Some people recognise her, but you’re walking fast and they don’t have the chance to stop her for a picture.

“Hey, Ava!” you greet the little girl, who’s holding a big tennis ball and a black marker. “Natasha, meet Ava. She’s your number one fan”

“Hi,” the girl says shyly. She’s about nine, her mother standing next to her and smiling.

“Hi, Ava. It’s so nice to meet you” Natasha greets. “How are you liking the tournament so far?”

“Uh, it was great, and you were so awesome today!”

“Thank you, I really appreciate it. Would you like me to sign that?”

“Yes, please!” her arms shoot forward, anxiously.

“What other players would you like to meet?” Natasha says, as she signs the ball.

“Maybe Peter Parker… We met Carol Danvers, Bucky Barnes and also, Wanda”

Yeah, Natasha didn’t miss the way Maximoff signed the ball.

From the number 1 player to the number 1 fan.

So pretentious.

“That’s nice,” Natasha says, handing the ball back.

“Alright, let’s take a picture” you pull out your phone. Natasha kneels to be closer to Ava, and then places her tennis hat on the girl’s head.

“You can have it” Natasha smiles and is surprised when she gets a very enthusiastic hug. Her mother has to practically drag her away from where you’re standing, Ava turning around every couple of steps to wave at Natasha.

“Thank you, Nat,” you say, smiling.

“It’s not a problem. I didn’t see you in today’s press conference”

“That’s because it’s my day off” you say, surprised that she noticed your absence.

“What about that thing?” she points at the badge hanging from your neck that reads Press.

“That’s how I get in for free, duh”

“Sneaky”

“I can be” you shrug your shoulders and then turn back to your phone. “Hey, so can I send this to your PR team for them to post it?”

“You don’t have to”

“Fine, I’ll post it on my feed and tag you. Alright, gotta go. Have to cheer for Bucky” you say, taking her hand one last time. “Once again, thank you. And congrats. You were fantastic”

“I owe you a question” she calls when you’re walking away.

“I’m saving it for when you win the championship” you wink and she smiles, scratching the side of her neck nervously.

Later that day, her phone is blasting with notifications.

“Almost one million likes, Natasha” Yelena shows her the picture you uploaded of her and Ava.

“Is that good or bad?” the redhead shrugs her shoulders and her sister rolls her eyes.

“You’re so uncool!”

However, she knows enough about Instagram to find your profile, going through your feed. Most of the pictures are from different games, some hangout with friends, the most frequent ones being Barnes and a pro that plays for the Yankees, Sam Wilson.

She’s about to close the app when two things that are equally horrible happen.

First, she likes one of your pictures from two years ago.

Second, she gets a message.

OfficialWandaMaximoff: Congrats on your win today <3

Bucky just lost the second set and is down on the third one. You keep refreshing the feed as you wait next to other journalists for Wanda Maximoff.

Of course she’s in the quarter finals, that’s hardly a shock. Everyone’s waiting for her to face Natasha in the finals. When it happens, you’re obviously rooting for Nat.

Speaking of which…

@SportsBrooklyn: Good luck tomorrow!

@NatashaROfficial followed you back

@NatashaROfficial: Do you only use Instagram or can you text like a normal person?

@SportsBrooklyn: Oh, right, text you to the number I don’t have!

Wanda walks in that moment and you lock your phone. Her auburn hair is tied in a high ponytail, and she changed to her signature red windbreaker and black pants.

You’re busy taking notes when your phone pings again. To your surprise, Natasha actually gave you her phone number.

@NatashaROfficial: If you share it with anyone else I’ll choke you

@SportsBrooklyn: Kinky ;)

The press conference ends and you practically sprint out to see if you can catch the rest of Bucky’s game.

You have to settle for the screens on the Champions Bar, comforted by the fact that Bucky seems to be ahead on the third set. As soon as he wins it, you stand up, knowing the break is the perfect time to slip into the player’s box.

“I’m so sorry” you say as you crash into none other than Wanda Maximoff. She grabs your arm to steady herself, smiling to ease you.

“That’s alright. You’re in a hurry?” she says, turning at the screen.

“A bit, yeah”

“I wish someone as cute as you was rooting for me” she smiles, placing a strand of hair behind her ear. She’s flirting? Oh boy. “I noticed you looking at your phone during the press conference. Barnes is a lucky guy”

“Oh, we’re not…”

“Here I was thinking he was smarter than that”

There’s a sense of urgency to go before the break is over, but you’re also completely confused. Why is Wanda Maximoff taking an interest in a local reporter? You’re vaguely aware that her eyes drift somewhere behind you from time to time, but before you can turn and have a look, she pulls your press badge and smiles.

“If you ever want an exclusive, just let me know, Y/N…” she reads the name from your press badge and walks away, leaving you completely confused.

Natasha watches the entire interaction from her small table. She needed a break so she decided to put on a hat and glasses, to get a drink without being recognised.

Wanda was all over you, giggling and looking Natasha’s way as much as she could, to let her know this was entirely to upset her.

All Natasha wanted to do was stand up and take you away from Wanda. You were too good for someone like Maximoff.

Wanda thought she was making Natasha jealous.

She was right, but not in the way she would have wanted to.

“Maybe it’s time I retire”

“You’re 28”

“Might as well be 100 in tennis years”

“Buck” you nudge him.

You’re looking out the Brooklyn Bridge, trying to cheer up your best friend after losing in the round of 16.

“You won the Australian Open this year”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. See? I’m senile” he mumbles, still grumpy.

“You did great, and you’re still in the top five, Grumpa. Ha! See what I did there?” he rolls his eyes and you smile, pulling him back to the street. “Come on, Sam is waiting for us to have some lunch”

“Ok, but it’s on you because I’ll be broke once I retire”

“Yeah, yeah” you roll your eyes, looping your arms together and dragging him to your favorite dinner. Sam’s already there, chatting around with everyone that recognises him.

All eyes turn to you as he stands up and practically shouts.

“How’s my favorite girl?” Sam greets you and then slaps Bucky’s shoulder. “Don’t make that face, man. You won the aussie one”

“That’s what I told him”

Bucky takes his jacket off and orders a beer as soon as the waiter approaches you; even if it’s only noon, you let it slide.

You get a text from Darcy, asking if you’re watching the game.

Your mind instantly goes to Natasha. Did she lose? No, that can’t be. She was playing against Van Dyne, who was only there because of a wild card. You turn to one of the screens and ask the waiter to change the channel.

“She’s winning” you say, still not understanding what Darcy meant.

“Why does she look so upset, then?” Sam points out.

Natasha is arguing with the umpire. You recognise him immediately.

“I hate that guy,” Bucky says, echoing your thoughts.

“Jarvis… something. Stone?”

“Yeah, a total asshole. Wouldn’t give me a point I clearly won on Wimbledon because the other player was also a Brit”

The argument ends and she keeps playing. Her forehand is killer today.

“Wow” Bucky says at the same time as you gasp.

“Man, I feel so dumb right now” Sam is looking between both of you, not knowing what caused your reaction.

“Just now? It’s more like, always” Bucky teases and Sam glares. He rolls his eyes and points at the screen. “Van Dyne hit after a double bounce. That’s not allowed. But Stone clearly doesn’t give a shit. He’s giving her the point”

“Natasha stopped playing because she saw it. He claims he didn’t so in his mind, she lost this one” you keep explaining.

“If Hope had a little bit of integrity, she’d concede the point or play it again”

“Well, she’s losing so she’ll take all the help she can get” you say.

Natasha’s rage fuels her after this and she ends up winning, the second set a devastating 6-0.

However, the two men on the screen are being unsurprisingly critical of her. Your stomach turns when you hear the words “emotional” and “aggressive” thrown around.

Even if it’s a long shot, you try calling her. Phone’s off.

If you’re lucky, you’ll manage to see her once you get back to the stadium.

“Turn it off,” Natasha grumbles. Fury is watching the news in the living room.

“I wanna see the highlights of other players. Prepare for what’s coming next. If you don’t like it, leave the room” he says with a dismissive wave of his hand.

After the game, Natasha did the mandatory press conference, went back to the lockers, destroyed two rackets, took a shower and then looked out the window for the better part of the day.

She wasn’t in the mood to do anything and she didn’t want to turn on her phone. The temptation to read what the press and public had to say about her after today’s argument with the umpire was too big.

“Y/N, how are things at the US Open?” Maria Hill says. The screen splits, your image appearing on the right side.

“Exciting names on both sides for the semis. We have Thor against Banner, and T'Challa faces Namor for a spot in the semis. As for the ladies, Maximoff breezed through the match against Jean Gray”

“Well, I understand Romanoff didn’t have it so easy,” Maria says.

From her seat, Natasha holds her breath. Yelena walks in at that exact moment, watching her sister closely.

“You know, I find it unbelievable that an umpire at the US Open could make such a poor call, not once but twice. First, with the hindrance call against Natasha and then by completely ignoring the double bounce before Van Dyne hit the ball” you say, clearly upset. “We’ve seen time and time again that some umpires are not up to the standards set by Grand Slams. And to my fellow journalists who like to throw around words like emotional, better save that energy for the men that smash their rackets just because they lost a point. As we all saw, Romanoff was in her right to demand fairness and she did it with the utmost respect”

“Yes, I completely agree with you” Maria nods, clearly regretting even asking about it. “Well, let us chat tomorrow after we have the final for the men”

“Of course, Maria,” you nod.

Natasha tries really hard, but she can’t help but smile at your words.

Yelena arches her eyebrows.

Well, this is interesting.

Natasha refuses to leave her room, arguing she’s not hungry. Melina, Yelena and Fury leave her alone, but the sudden silence becomes too much. There’s no noise to stop her thoughts from spiraling.

With a sigh, she turns on her phone. Two messages come through.

Y/N: Sorry about today. That umpire sucks :(

Y/N: Bucky hates him too

Next thing she sees is a picture of Bucky and you holding your middle fingers to the screen with Jarvis’ face. Natasha chuckles at that.

She also zooms in, checking that your other hand is very close to Bucky’s. She feels a pang of jealousy that is interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Room service” a strange voice says.

“I didn’t order any..:” she says, but finds you smiling on the other side of the door.

“Gotcha”

“What are you doing here?” the redhead can’t help but smile. You’re wearing a black leather jacket, a white tee and skin tight jeans. She’s torn between admiring your figure and paying attention to what you say next.

“Little bird told me you were very upset and you might need a distraction”

“I’m gonna kill Fury”

“Not Nick. Your sister. And are we gonna find something to eat by standing here or…?”

“I’m not hungry”

“We’re going, Natasha. Go get changed” you push past her, tired of waiting around in the hallway. She’s taken aback by your forwardness. Her mother and sister would usually let her get away with anything.

“Where are we going?” she asks, hoping you won’t go all the way to her room and pick an outfit for her.

“Something casual will do”

She changes as fast as she can, taking her phone and some money with her. You nod approvingly and then open the door, peeking around the hallway.

“This little field trip is not Fury approved so let’s be discreet about it” you inform her, taking her hand to lead the way to the elevator.

“Oh, yeah, this is super discreet” Natasha complains as you lead her to an electrical carriage.

“Have a little fun, why don’t you?” you climb up, offering your hand. She takes and sits next to you. Natasha resists the urge to put a strand of hair behind your ear as you lean forward to give the address.

You feel her eyes on you, so you turn back, smiling and blushing lightly.

It’s a short ride, and soon after you enter a small diner.

“Hey, Y/N” the owner greets you. “My, this must be a special occasion” she leans towards Natasha and whispers. “She’s never brought a girl over”

“Ok, Pat! Natasha is just a friend” you clarify, blushing in the process. Natasha laughs at you.

“Why? She’s pretty. You need to start dating” Pat says, leaving two menus.

“Don’t bother” you stop Natasha as she starts reading it. “She’ll bring us whatever she wants. But it will be worth it, I promise”

“Do you come here often?”

“My dad couldn’t cook if his life depended on it. But he was always good at finding the best spots to eat. So we came here all the time during the US Open and then later when Bucky started training”

Natasha nods and looks away.

“So, you’re not dating Barnes either?” she says, looking anywhere but you. It’s embarrassing how much she cares.

“Uh.. no. He’s like a brother to me. His parents worked a lot so he’d tag along to games with us, and we grew up together” you wait until she turns to look at you. “Can I ask now?”

“Is this off the record?”

“Do you see my press badge anywhere?”

“One never knows with you people”

“Ouch, Natasha” the redhead laughs but you ask anyway. “Are you dating anyone? You’ve never been public about it”

“I’m not, no. I just don’t think I’d be able to find the balance. Between tennis and a partner. And my public and private life”

“Fair enough” you say. Pat approaches with milkshakes, cheeseburgers and fries.

“I hope you girls are hungry”

“Starving”

“Fury’s gonna kill me” Natasha sighs, but then dips a fry in the milkshake and practically moans at the taste.

Your mouth is hanging wide open, and your teeth clash at how fast you shut it when Natasha turns to you.

“You’re right, this is worth it”

The rest of the night is spent eating and talking about everything but tennis. You learn that Natasha likes to bake in her free time, and that Yelena is taking a sabbatical before moving to New York to study at NYU.

After finishing your food, you both agree that walking back will be the best idea.

“I’m so full” you complain as you enter through the back, too scared to be caught by Fury. Natasha walks in the opposite direction of the foyer. “Uh, what are you doing? I don’t want your coach all over my ass if you’re missing”

“Have a little fun, why don’t you?” she echoes your words from before and you have no choice but to follow her. You end up on a tennis court, balls scattered around the floor.

“Do you practice here?”

“If I can’t sleep” Natasha picks up a ball and a racket and hands it to you.

“Can I help you?”

“Play with me”

“I can’t even serve, Natasha”

“Well, would you like to learn?” she says with a smirk and you can’t resist it.

“Fine. But after that, you go back to your room”

“Stance first” Natasha instructs. She corrects your posture and movements a couple of times, inching closer until she’s whispering instructions in your ear. The last thing she does is put her hands over yours to make sure your grip is tight. “Show me what you got”

She steps away and you miss her presence instantly. Trying to remember everything she told you, you toss the ball in the air and swing a little too hard. You trip over your own feet, but Natasha moves forward and catches you before you fall.

“You ok?” she says and you nod.

“How did I do, coach?” you steady yourself, holding her close to you. Your eyes travel to her lips, and you’re both out of breath from laughing.

Neither one can tell who leans first, but the fact is that you do and you discover, with great pleasure and no surprise, that Natasha is an excellent kisser. Her lips are soft against yours and she pulls you closer by your waist.

“Is this a new way of interviewing people, Y/L/N?”

Oh, shit.

You break apart and turn to Fury, who looks very much not impressed.

“The only cardio you’re allowed to do until this slam is over is at the gym, Romanoff. Back to your room, now”

“I’m not a little girl you can boss around,” Natasha protests.

“Come on, you should rest. We’ll talk later” you don’t want her to start arguing with Fury, not now that she’s finally listening to him. Natasha turns to you and nods, squeezing your hand one last time before going back to the hotel.

“I don’t want her distracted,” Fury says and you nod.

“I wasn’t trying to… I won’t get in her way, Nick. I want her to win”

“Glad we understand each other. Now go home”

He turns to leave and you wait for a little bit, trying to calm down after a mindblowing kiss. As you’re about to leave, you spot a yellow bracelet on the ground. You’ve seen Natasha wearing one before, but you’re too scared of Fury to go back now.

Tomorrow will be a new day for all of you.

“Keep your leg behind the ball” Fury instructs. Natasha has been listening to every single thing he says.

Yes, she’s nervous about the semis. And Fury’s the only one that can understand the feeling or help her play better.

“I want you focused,” he says as she walks to dry her hands.

“I am”

“You know what I mean” he says and as if on cue, you walk up to the court, waving. Natasha places the racket down and approaches you. “Practice isn’t over, Romanoff!”

“Five minutes” she asks, meeting you on the edge of the court.

“Hi”

“Hi” she says back. Her eyes go down to your lips and your heart flutters.

“Uh, you left… I think this is yours” you remember to speak, showing the yellow bracelet.

“Yes, thank you. Do you mind?” Natasha extends her hand and you put it around her wrist. “Yelena gave it to me before my first match. It’s my lucky charm”

“Well, good thing I saw it”

“Maybe you’ll be my next lucky charm”

“Oh? Am I supposed to be at every game from now on?” you smile, nodding when you’re done with the bracelet.

“I really wanna kiss you” Natasha blurts out and you blush. “But…”

“There are people watching and Fury doesn’t look happy either”

“He never does. Can I call you later?”

“Yes, you definitely can”

You want to kiss her so bad, damn it.

“Come on, go back, before Fury kicks me out of the court”

Natasha nods, squeezing your hand gently.

The way Natasha looks at you makes you all kinds of flustered, so you leave in a hurry before your desire takes over and you end up kissing her in front of all these people.

Once again, you run into Wanda Maximoff, only this time she doesn’t smile at all.

“She’s quite the player, right?” she says with a cold voice, her accent a bit thicker.

“Uh- yes. Natasha is a very talented pro”

“Oh, that’s not what I meant” she takes a step forward and looks you up and down. “Natasha likes to fuck around. But she always comes back to me”

“You’re… together?” your heart drops. Natasha wouldn’t lie to you about this.

Would she?

“Look, of course she wants to get distracted and she’ll use anyone that is dumb enough to fall for it. But don’t forget, she and I have history. And that’s stronger than whatever it is you think you have with Natasha”

No one is around to save you from this horrible conversation. You don’t want to argue with Wanda, because you’re still a journalist and it’s your job to be on the players’ good side.

But the reckless part of you wants to tell her to fuck off.

You sigh and look down. Wanda takes this as a sign of defeat and smiles, leaving you standing there.

It takes a minute for you to snap out of it, and you look around, desperate to walk away from everything that just happened.

—

“You’re seriously telling me you know nothing?” you ask Bucky for the tenth time.

“I don’t pay attention to rumors” he shrugs his shoulders, and you roll your eyes at him.

He’s sitting on your couch, the movie long forgotten. You nudge him with your foot and glare.

“Your best friend is a journalist, you should know better. You’re my insider into this crap”

“I’m sorry, Y/N. I’m just not on the loop of who dates who on the women’s side. But I am not surprised Wanda scared you. Heard she can be batshit crazy”

“She didn’t scare me” you mumble. The both of you sit in silence for a while, until your phones ping simultaneuosly.

Thankfully, it’s not Nat. Right now, you don’t even know what to say to her.

“Sam. Probably to brag about his date in that fancy restaurant” Bucky tells you, but his eyes widen as he reads the message. “Wow. You need to look at this”

He hands you the phone and you read the conversation. It’s your group chat and Sam just sent a picture of Jarvis Stone, who is having dinner with none other than Wanda Maximoff.

“What the actual fu…”

“So that’s why he was being a dick to Natasha” Bucky says. “You’re not telling her about this, are you?”

“No, of course not. She has the semis tomorrow and I don’t want to distract her”

You look at your phone and press send before you chicken out.

Y/N: Can we talk tomorrow?

YBelova: Sure

—

You’re waiting by the entrance to Arthur Ashe, looking around. Even if Maximoff’s match is later, you are still dreading to spot Wanda.

“Hey” Yelena says and you jump like a coward. “Wow, relax, it’s me”

“I’m sorry to be meeting you like this. I didn’t want to bother Natasha, especially today… she has enough on her plate”

“It’s ok, you can trust me”

“I know I can… it’s not easy to ask this, but do you know if Wanda and Natasha had a… thing? Like a relationship”

“Are you asking as a journalist?” the blonde says, clearly on edge.

“No, it’s not like that! Natasha and I… we kissed. And then Wanda told me yesterday that Natasha is just fooling around because she always comes back to her… and that’s weird but then a friend sent me this. It’s from last night”

“That’s the umpire that was a jerk to Tasha” Yelena takes your phone, looking at it in desbelief. “That bitch is still pulling this shit”

“If it had been only about us, I would have waited until Natasha finished her match. But it seems to me, like Wanda is trying to play dirty here”

Yelena sighs and hands the phone back. She looks around and steps closer, lowering her voice.

“Yes, they dated. Kept it a secret. It was on and off, especially when they were playing against each other. Wanda didn’t like to lose and then, after a while, she began to mess around with Nat. She would have a fight with her before a big match, even if they weren’t playing each other. Made Natasha lose her cool and struggle. They really haven’t spoken since the AO”

“What do we do? I don’t want her to mess with Natasha. I won’t let Wanda get in her way”

“I’ll speak to Fury about this. He knows everything. I’ll let you know what he says”

“Didn’t know you two were friends now”

A voice calls from behind you.

“Seestra, hey!” Yelena steps forward to give you time to recover. “Y/N was just telling me about her time at NYU”

“Is that so?” the redhead looks between you two and you nod.

She stills makes you nervous and flustered.

“Alright, my presence is no longer required” Yelena complains, but still gives you a meaningful look as she walks away.

“I have to warm up, will you stay for the game?” she asks, stepping closer.

“Yes, of course I will. I’ll be screaming your name” you blurt out and then blush. “I mean, rooting for you. Didn’t mean it to sound like that”

“Sounds good to me” she says, coming closer. “Can I have a good luck kiss?”

You look at her smile, her beautiful green eyes. Think about all the times she’s been kind and funny and brave. And you also think about how someone played with her heart just for a stupid title.

So you nod and lean forward, kissing her gently.

Natasha deserves to win, not only because she’s the better player. She’s the better person.

“Go win this thing” you say against her lips and she smiles, pecking your lips one last time.

—

Natasha’s win is not a surprise to you, considering the level of her recent games. You still have to stick around for the Maximoff match, opting to stay far away from the press room once she wins.

So, it’s down to the two of them in the final.

You’ve never wished for Natasha to win something so much until today.

Work keeps you busy enough. Both of the men’s semis take a combined time of eight hours and you end up completely exhausted, seriously considering just sleeping in one of the locker rooms.

You haven’t heard from Natasha but it’s understandable. She’s playing for the championship tomorrow, and knowing Fury, he will be preparing her in every way possible.

As you get a cup of coffee from one of the last stands open, your phone pings again.

Natasha: Are you still here?

Y/N: Yes :(

Natasha: Meet me in court 17?

Y/N: Yes :)

When you finally get there, you find Natasha serving a couple of times, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

“Is Fury ok with you staying up so late?”

“I did everything he said today. I think I deserve this one thing” she smiles, walking towards you. “You look a bit tired”

“Jeez, thanks”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Ugh, Yelena is right, I have no game off court”

You laugh at that, taking her hands in yours.

“It’s fine, I was just teasing you” you say, looking as her eyes drift towards your lips. You both lean forward, sharing a kiss.

“Thank you” Natasha says.

“Uh, you’re welcome?”

“I don’t mean the kiss, no. Thank you for telling Yelena that thing about… Wanda”

“Oh”

Natasha walks with you to one of the chairs and you sit together.

“I haven’t spoken to her in months. And I don’t want to be with her. I need you to know that”

“But still… you said you’re not sure you want a relationship, right? It would be too much trouble”

“I think it might be worth the effort for you” she confesses and you smile.

“You do have game”

“I do?”

“Tiny bit. We’ll work on it”

She laughs, and you sit in silence for a moment.

“I made my debut in this court”

“I know”

“How…?”

You sigh. Since you’re sharing stories…

“After my dad died, I kinda took distance from the things we did together. That included all kinds of sports. It was a painful reminder. And then, as the USO was starting, I realised he had already bought our tickets. So I came here, walked around a bit. And then I saw you”

Natasha smiles, squeezing your hand.

“Your hair was shorter, and you were wearing a weird orange top with green shorts” you frown as you remember how awful it looked.

“My mom chose it for me!” the redhead buries her face in her hands and you laugh. You take them in yours as you continue the story.

“You were amazing that day. Controlled, precise… I forgot for a little while about how sad I was. And after you won, I came back everyday to watch you play”

“Thank you for telling me that. I wish I could have known your father”

“I would have liked that too”

There’s silence as you both think about your own journies, the things that brought you to this moment.

“Come on, we should go. You need your rest” you stand up, offering your hand to Natasha. She thinks for a moment before taking it, but instead of standing up she pulls you down until you’re sitting on her lap, your legs around her.

“Nat?” you gulp, blushing at how close you are.

“Tell me to stop and I’ll stop” she whispers, kissing your neck and squeezing your ass.

“Holy shit, no, don’t stop” you plead, tangling your fingers in her red hair.

“Locker room?”

“Lead the way” you kiss her frantically, hoping no one sees you.

Once you arrive there, Natasha smiles and your heart stops for a second.

“Ready to scream my name?”

—

There’s warmth. And a nice pressure. Some tingling on your back. Like a soft touch.

You open your eyes in an unknown room, trying to remember where you are. As you turn around you find Natasha fast asleep, her arm around your middle.

“Nat?” you call for her, hoping no one walks in any time soon.

“Five more minutes” she mumbles against your skin.

“Nat, wake up” you plead.

As it turns out, she only reacts when Yelena kicks the door, walking in on you naked under the sheets.

“Happy finals day seestra—-ah! Naked”

“Yelena what is wrong?” to your horror, Melina joins her daughter. “Oh, you two lovebirds!”

“WHY DOESNT ANYONE KNOCK HERE” Natasha screams, putting the sheets above her head.

“Sorry” Melina says, dragging away Yelena.

“Yeah, sorry” Yelena echoes, sounding anything but.

As you both get dressed, the memories of last night come back to you.

After your rendezvous -and almost getting caught by security- you decided it would be better to continue elsewhere. You blush as images of Natasha moaning, kissing and pleasuring you also come back.

“Hey” she approaches you as you walk to the door. “You ok? You look a little…”

“Flustered?” you say, trying to hide your blush.

“Well, yes. I’m sorry about them walking in”

“Last night was… amazing”

“Yeah?” she circles your waist with her hands and pulls you closer. “How amazing?”

“Like winning all Grand Slams in the same year kind of amazing” your hands go around her neck and you pull her for a kiss.

“Wow, that’s big talk” Natasha comments agains your lips. And as she’s about to kiss you, Fury walks in.

“Romanoff! What did I tell you about that cardio”

“For the love of God, knock!” Natasha says, defeated.

“Don’t worry, Fury, I promise she was laying down for the most part” you wink at the man.

“Stay for breakfast” Melina invites as she’s setting the suite’s table with all the room service.

“This has been sufficiently awkward, thank you. And I also imagine you have stuff to do”

“You need to stay hydrated. How much liquid did you lose?” Fury says, going around the kitchen like a headless chicken.

“Fury, I haven’t seen her this relaxed in months. My sister will be fine” Yelena comments.

“Are you coming to the game?”

“Of course. I’m on press duty”

“Come to the player’s box” Melina says.

“Would that be wise?” you ask and everyone shares a look. “What I mean is, we want to make Wanda think her plan worked, right? If she sees me there she’ll know we are on to her”

“I don’t care what she thinks. I want you there” Natasha takes your hand and you smile.

“Alright. I’ll be there. See you later” you kiss her cheek and smile.

“Byeee” Melina and Yelena say, and you realise that Natasha will have to deal with their questions.

Well, if she can deal with the press, she can deal with her family.

—

The day goes by in a blur, and as the match approaches, you feel more anxious. God, how does Natasha do this? If it were you with the world watching, you’d probably break down the minute you step into the court.

“Hello there” Yelena greets as you meet at the player’s entrance of Arthur Ashe. “Ever been here?”

“Just once, with Bucky”

It’s hard to forget the luxurious facilities where players can get food, special gifts, some physio or workout before their matches.

“He won last year, right?”

“Yes” you smile at the memory. “How is Natasha doing?”

“She’s done with warmup, she had something light to eat and she seems ready. She’s also been smiling like an idiot all day, even if Fury kept her away from her phone”

“I want her to win, so whatever it takes” you smile at the blonde, and follow her to the lounge, where Natasha is waiting with Melina. The redhead smiles as soon as she spots you and you kiss her on the cheek.

“How do you feel?”

“Like a complete wreck”

“You got this. Remember she prefers short games, she also doesn’t like to volley or come close to the net. And people say her forehand is killer but she goes too far behind her back, so use it against her”

“Y/N?” she interrupts your rambling. “All of that is fine advice, but I already have Nick on my back 24/7”

“Right, sorry”

“You know what he doesn’t provide?”

“Hm?”

“Good luck kisses”

“That’s right, it’s above my paygrade” Fury says. “Say your goodbyes now”

Melina and Yelena hug her, Fury squeezes her shoulder and then they give you some space.

“Go win this thing” you say, leaning forward and kissing her softly.

Natasha leans her forehead against yours and smiles.

She’s ready.

—

Natasha comes out first, and the crowd goes wild.

Wanda is close behind her; you catch her staring at you, clearly shocked that you’re next to Nat’s family.

“Who’s losing focus now?” Yelena says with a cheerful voice and you can’t help but smile.

The game begins and it is very clear that Natasha is playing aggressively. She has an ace on every game and there are hardly any break points for Wanda. It’s been 30 minutes and the score is 5-2.

“She’s cooked,” Fury says, looking at Wanda. You shake your head.

“Maximoff has an insane record after losing the first set, you know that”

And in fact, she does lose the first set. As always, the crowd loves to cheer on the underdog, so they go wild when Wanda wins the first two games of the second set.

“Come on, Tasha” you scream, and she looks your way, smiling. In no time, they’re tied.

“What are the odds on a tiebreak?” Yelena asks.

“It can go either way” you sigh, confirming that it will happen as they reach 6-6.

Natasha is playing fast and hard, giving no time for Wanda to recover.

But as she serves for the match, Wanda challenges the call in the most disruptive way possible.

It was in, but since Nat stopped playing the point goes to Wanda.

“That’s bullshit” Yelena says under her breath and you nod.

Sure enough, Natasha zones out and goes from match point to losing the second set.

“Dear Lord” Fury says, trying to keep a neutral expression.

“Maximoff looks exhausted, Nick. Natasha is doing great. She didn’t give away the second set. She’ll do this”

The third set begins, the first four games a close call. Deuce is called when they’re tied at 2, and you know that whoever wins this point will end up winning the match.

Every time Wanda has an advantage, Natasha comes back and breaks. Even when the Sokovian is serving, it doesn’t stop Natasha from pulling her back to 40-40. The Russian is a wall, and Wanda seems to lose hope as time passes.

And then, it happens.

Wanda has a double fault that gives Natasha the advantage. Followed by a double fault that gives her a break.

“Yes” Fury claps, trying to keep it together.

As the score approaches 5, your heart beats faster. Once again, 5-2.

Natasha serving for the match.

An ace.

The crowd goes wild.

The second ball goes out of the court when Wanda hits it.

Then, a double fault.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

It’s 30-15 and then 30-30. All Natasha needs are two more points to win.

She searches for your face in the crowd and you smile, nodding.

“You’re going to win” you say and she smiles.

Another ace.

The screens show the “championship point” sign.

Wanda doesn’t make it easy for her. She’s like a wounded animal that has nothing to lose, so she runs, she answers every throw with a groan, she comes to the net.

But when Natasha does her signature dropshot, Wanda tries to run, reaches too late and the ball bounces one, two, three times.

“Game, set, match, Romanoff”

“Fuck, YEEES” Yelena screams, standing up and cheering.

It’s all a blur, Natasha falling to the ground and covering her face. Walking to the net to shake Wanda’s hand, and then the umpire’s.

After, she walks among the crowd, trying to reach her box. Yelena is the first to jump, their mother hugging them both and crying.

Fury looks like he’s about to cry as Natasha hugs him. You’re certainly crying happy tears as you watch them.

And then, she walks past him and picks you up from the ground, kissing you in front of the entire stadium.

“Congrats, Nat” you say against her lips.

“I’ll be right back” she promises when the security guard asks her to come back for the ceremony.

“You owe me a question”

“Save it for the next championship” she says against your lips and you kiss again, in spite of the guard’s insistence and with the crowd cheering you on.

—

It’s been six more slam titles, two years of tours around the world.

Natasha still owes you a question.

You’re saving it for a time when you’re both ready, and you’ll ask her to marry you.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x you #natasha romanoff x y/n #Natasha Romanoff fic #Natasha Romanoff x you fluff

469 notes · View notes

fancyfeathers · 2 months

Text

William’s and Sherlock’s darlings

The Games We Play of Dust and Ash (Yandere Moriarty the Patriot Masterlist)

(A/N- this one was painful to write, I cried while writing this)

Spoilers for the Moriarty the Patriot timeskip

When Sherlock and William disappear, their darlings are left alone, because Mycroft’s darling is married off to him and she was the reporter’s best friend, and Albert is arrested and his darling has left to go see the world with her dead parent’s fortune, meanwhile Louis’ darling is still stuck with him as his life changes, which leaves William’s darling alone again…

William told her that he would never abandon her…

And now he was gone…

He kidnapped her, manipulated her, gaslit her, but he cared for her, she thinks.

Honestly she doesn’t know what to think as she now stands in an empty house, all alone, abandoned like she had been all her life. But then there is a knock at the front door and her steps echo through the empty halls as she goes to get it, and all she feels is emptiness from this empty nest. She opens the door to see an all too familiar face and a welcome one at that, the reporter, Sherlock’s darling. Both of them look at the other and they just look like they have seen hell. William’s darling has always seen this woman as a strong and independent woman but…

“…Miss Hudson said that Sherlock left me some stuff in case he… I…I can’t do this alone.”

“…Neither can I.”

Now it feels like William’s darling is looking at a mirror when looking at her friend. The two go to Baker Street together to pick of the box of the things Sherlock left his darling, it’s mostly letters he wrote to her but never sent, all the things he couldn’t make himself say, a few of her newspapers articles, some money, and a ring. The two go back to the old Moriarty estate together and just sit down together in silence which is broken by Sherlock’s darling…

“I don’t have a job anymore since I worked for Milverton’s paper and I doubt any news companies here would want to hire me since my main source is dead, I have some family in the states I was going to stay with until I am ready to start writing again-“

“Can I please come with you?”

A smile comes across the reporter’s face at her question.

“I was hoping you would.”

The two say goodbyes to whoever they can and have left and a week later they are on a boat across the ocean. It is on the voyage over when Sherlock’s darling is walking through the halls of the ship when she hears music, she follows it to one of the ship’s lounges to see William’s darling playing and singing. Her friend sits down on the bench next to her and listens…

“Where did you learn?”

“Albert’s wife taught me how to play and then at the opera house I used to listen in on the singers’ vocal lessons.”

“Well you certainly have a gift, good enough to play at the St. Regis in New York.”

“Thank you… I read some of your articles as well, you also have quite the hand.”

“Thank you.”

Starting a new life can be scary but at least they have each other.

Life in New York is not so bad, the two women stay with the grandparents of Sherlock’s darling in their home in upper Manhattan, a kind retired couple who takes care of the two women after such a terrifying and life changing incident. Her grandfather clears out his old and unused study for his grandchild to use so she can begin writing her new column. And then her grandmother begins to teach William’s darling about the types of music here in New York that is far different than the music she heard be played at the opera house, the two play piano that can be heard from where her grandfather works in his garden and down the hall where the reporter clicks away at her typewriter.

Soon two years had passed, the two managed to get their own apartment in lower manhattan, Sherlock’s darling had been taking small writing jobs here and there but had recently secured a job as a journalist for the New York Times, a crime journalist like she was before. Meanwhile William’s darling after years of hiding herself away and now works as a singer at a high end hotel like the reporter told her to do. The two had found themselves grow into a routine, make and have breakfast together, William’s darling will clean up the apartment and work and write some of her music while Sherlock’s darling heads out to work, then the reporter will come back in the afternoon for a late lunch, then William’s darling will leave to the hotel while the reporter finishes her work at home for the day, and then she will join her friend at the hotel after her performance and the two will have dinner there due to her friend’s role as staff at the hotel. Life was peaceful and now neither of them were alone, they had each other.

Some days were harder than others, one of them knowing they left people behind in London, the darlings of Louis and Mycroft, not telling Albert’s darling where they were so she would not feel the need to find them ever since they would take care of themselves. Sometimes the two would sit on top of the roof of their apartment building after hanging up the laundry and just wonder if they made the right choice and if they miss the mastermind and detective, William’s darling is far more prone to this and will just take her notebook up and write, doesn’t matter what, music, poetry, letters to him for her to keep, just something to get it all off her chest.

Meanwhile working for the Pinkerton agency in Brooklyn, Sherlock gets a job, there is going to be a large transaction with one of the heads of the biggest crime family in New York at a high end hotel in Manhattan, so he brings along William since has more insight how unground organizations function. They deal with the threat at the hotel silently as the owner requested as to not scare the guests and staff…

Meanwhile William’s darling and Sherlock’s darling are having a glass of wine in one of the empty event rooms at the hotel after her shift, sitting on the piano bench of the grand piano in the mostly empty room. Sherlock’s darling mentions that she left her journal open on the couch at home and told her she read one of the songs and asks her.

“Do you miss William?”

“…sometimes… I-I know he was a devil on earth… but I can’t help but think that even devils were once angels- sorry I probably sound crazy-“

“I would never tell you that you are crazy… would you mind playing one of your songs for me?”

“Sure but only if you sing with me, and don’t say you don’t know the lyrics when you snooped.”

Sherlock and William are walking down a hall in the hotel, about to leave when they both hear a piano playing from one of the rooms ahead. They shrug it off as some staff or a guest playing for fun, then William hears a voice, her voice…

“Balancing the scales

All my job entails

Making sure that they're prepared to see the world.”

He thinks he is just hearing something for a second and tries to tell himself it is nothing, but her voice… it has to be…

Sherlock definitely picks up on this and silently nods and William approaches the closed door where he hears the music and the voice…

“And all I feel is emptiness

From this emptying nest

William are you there

I was unaware

How difficult it'd be without you there

I was unprepared”

It is her, it has to be.

Then there is another voice joining in…

“Balancing the scales, balancing the scales

I did the best I could but still I have failed

Still I have failed

Balancing the scales

Want them to see the world but I'll always care”

Now William looks at the detective so see the same expression William wore on his own face.

As the piano fades away the door handle turns and the ladies turn their heads expecting it to be another of the hotel staff but instead…

William expected something when his darling saw him after years of thinking he was dead, but not the look of fear in her eyes after saying his name so sweetly in a song. She looks terrified, like she just saw a ghost and in some ways she did.

Sherlock on the other hand expected his darling’s reaction, like the look of pure rage in her eyes when she saw him alive. Their last few meeting before he disappeared were not on the greatest term as their friendship had a falling out due to Sherlock’s feels towards her and his overprotectiveness. Then not to mention by killing Milverton, she lost her job in London

In a blink of an eye and without a second thought, Sherlock’s darling grabbed her friend’s wrist and walked right out of the other doors to the room into another hallway.

It takes a second for William to process that he is crying. He abandoned her when he told her that he would never do such a thing. God what had he done?

The next day, neither woman goes to work, not even bothering to notify anyone that they would not be showing up today, they would find an excuse later. William’s darling sits on the rooftop, looking over the city as Sherlock’s darling hangs their laundry up on the line…

“Do you think you’ll go back to him now that you have the option?”

The question from her friend catches William’s darling off guard…

“I… I don’t know…”

“You do not have to, dear.”

That voice catches both women off guard, and they both look behind them at the rooftop entrance to see William standing there with his darling’s journal in hand, she must have left it at the piano.

“I only came to return this… and tell you I am sorry for abandoning you, I hurt you and I can never repair your trust in me, but I will… I will always be here if you need me.”

He sets the journal down on the bench she is sitting down and before William can turn to leave, she grabs his sleeve and he looks down at her with confusion but before he can say anything else she leaps up and wraps her arms around him, tucking her chin over his shoulder as she always had done…

“I forgive you.”

Meanwhile Sherlock’s darling is overcome with emotions that she cannot place as she looks at the two. She squeezes her eyes shut and a hand comes to rest on her shoulder. She does not have to look up to know who it was.

“I do not forgive you.”

“I wasn’t asking you to and I wasn’t apologizing, love.”

#sherlock holmes x reader #moriarty the patriot x reader #yuukoku no moriarty x reader #yuukoku no moriarty #yandere sherlock holmes x reader #yandere sherlock holmes #yandere moriarty the patriot #yandere yuukoku no moriarty #william moriarty x reader #william james moriarty x reader #yandere william james moriarty

44 notes · View notes

planetcleer · 3 months

Text

anyway regarding modern day losers club and friday nights!!!!

mike and ben both play football and are, respectively, derry high's star quarterback and best offensive lineman (and help lead the varsity team to three state championships!!!) and are super tight w the rest of the team

eddie obviously joins the cheer squad freshman year, the first boy in derry high history, after being dared on a whim by richie, and is instantly like?? REALLY into it, so he sticks with it all four years and eventually becomes co-captain. he's also fucking adored by the girls on the squad and is one of the flyers lmao

the rest of the losers have their own resident spot in the student section of the bleachers that no one dares touch, and they all pile into richie’s or bill’s car to travel to away games

stan pretends not to be into it at first but he rivals richie in sheer volume every time the beavers score. he also crochets matching scarves and hats for everyone, and is always loaded with snacks and hand warmers

richie doesn't actually sit in the bleachers, like, 98% of the time. you can find him hanging off the railing flirting with eddie at almost any given moment, and standing on the middle rung leading the student section in cheers, which is wild bc he generally has zero school pride

bev gets really into face painting and sits all of them down before games to cover them in paint and glitter. sometimes she ropes bill in to paint remarkably intricate cartoon beavers on their cheeks (richie makes jokes about it being the closest he’ll ever get to one to which no one high fives him)

bill is generally pretty quiet and attentive during the games, bc he writes for the school paper and also does sketches (think courtroom sketches lmao) for it, but he and bev will fully scream at the top of their at the refs for letting shit slide w the other team or calling stupid penalties

eddie is super protective over ben and mike. he's prone to stomping out to the field in the middle of the game to chew tf out of a rival player for tackling mike too roughly or trying to talk shit/start a fight w ben between plays. richie LIVES for this (“rock his shit eds!!!! get his ass!!!!!!!”) and mike & ben have learned by now just to let it happen but do always post up and have his back. one of the guys does shove eddie once and eddie makes a show of falling down and screaming his head off until he’s benched, and when he sees him again after the game he just winks and blows a kiss at him

the losers will make an appearance at the house party of choice after every game w the rest of the team/squad but they have their own tradition of going to the 24hr diner in town and cramming into the corner booth in the back and then all sleeping over at one of their houses

bonus unrelated headcanons:

richie is a drama/theater kid and literally ROCKS it, isn’t as big a fan of the musicals but still does really well, prefers the straight plays and improv club (same loser energy brought to his shows)

stan is either a mathlete or on the debate team and also is on the swim team!! (same loser energy brought to his meets)

bill runs track and cross country (same loser energy brought to his meets)

mike also writes for the school paper, he does a weekly history column, he and bill spend a lottt of time together working on their articles

eddie starts wearing makeup to games freshman year for fun but ends up really loving it, bev buys him his first palette, brush set, etc etc that christmas and they practice together, and eventually he starts leaning into a more fully femme style. he also stops gelling his hair (bless)

#i think abt this a lot #someday i'll finish my reddie fic in this au #eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #the losers club #ben hanscom #mike hanlon #beverly marsh #bill denbrough #stan uris #reddie #it stephen king #it 2017 #it 2019

46 notes · View notes

cybercasket · 2 months

Text

Guys. Guys Ben Drowned's canon last name isn't actually Lawman

I've known this for a while, and more I think about it, the more it makes me feel like I should say something 😭

It was a misconception that started with an older version of Ben's page on the Jadusable Wiki. (It was never used for any non-ARG version of Ben prior to this.) I remember spotting Lawman being used as Ben's last name around 2016-2018 or so, and it has been edited out of his page since 2020. (It was on the page they have for the dead child rather than the Network/entity. I think it might've happened before they moved off Fandom wiki, because I think I remember seeing comments and their new wiki doesn't have those).

During the second arc (2011-2012), Jadusable mailed some bonus material to people who donated to him. One of these bonus materials was a section from a newspaper, which describes the murder-suicide of two members of the Lawman family along with their son, with some tampering to the article that appears to have been done by BEN.

You can zoom into the image and read it, or check out it's page on the wiki here (which I highly recommend as it has some added information, like what all the censored words are.) It's a very interesting piece of lore that's fun to analyze--however, I wouldn't recommend reading it if you're super squeamish or sensitive to graphic details related to death. (The method of the killing itself isn't mentioned.)

While this seems to be about Ben on the surface, it's actually not. The only way we can tell is by the date of the newspaper: In the column to the left of the "Spring Is In The Air!" paragraph, the year 2011 is mentioned, but we know that Ben died on 4/23/2004. The wording of the Lawman event feels recent (as if they're talking about an event a few months prior), when Ben's death would've been far gone by now.

With what's likely BEN tampering on the top right (where they creatively use block-out poetry to say "You shouldn't have done that," among many other things) combined with the mention of someone's son dying, it makes a ton of sense that the wiki editors assumed that Ben is a member of this Lawman family that appears here. At some point, screenshots of the wiki ended up being circulated and the larger Creepypasta fandom accepted Lawman as being Ben's "real" last name.

Lawman is actually the last name of a different (and much less relevant) character, Tyler, who appears briefly in the first and third arcs. It's not entirely clear what happened to him or his family, and I think the Newspaper Article is intended to be fun bonus material for Jadusable's donators rather than something that's meant to supply important information about the ARG characters--something like Ben's last name would be crucial for puzzles and passwords, and would give the 50 donators who received the article an unfair advantage (and Jadusable isn't the type of creator who'd be okay with that). Regardless, it carries some interesting implications about the Behavioral Event Network, and Matt's initials are also here for some reason. It's probably one of the most head-spinning materials in the whole game.

#ben drowned #benjamin lawman #ben lawman #ben drowned arg #This is like 35% of why I didnt play in 2020 btw there was like a 2 month period where I thought the Moon Children just merced Ben's dad #I'm sorry if this post ends up being someone's introduction to the ARG because I don't know what the fuck is going on here either #creepypasta #matt hubris #jadusable #jeff the killer #lost silver #slenderman #LIKE IVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS AND IM STILL LIKE??? DID EVENT NETWORK DO THIS????? WHY IS MATT THERE????? WHAT #The time where the 'BEN makes people kts' headcanon became real for 2.5 seconds #I think Matt is here because BEN has a history of just saying the most cryptic shit about Matt specifically #People hc them as friends but I legitimately think they hate his ass #because why were they on that 'YOURTURN MATT' in arc 1 when he hasnt even had his character introduction yet. Diabolical #Ik theres that part in arc 2 where Matt is like 'I dont know what happened to my dear friend Ben... He ran away :(' but then BEN is like #'Why are you lying 🤥🤥🤥'#Lowkey thats a whole other post but also the alternative is that Matt is in the Network which doesn't make sense because Network and Matt #literally interact as separate entities throughout the entire story

24 notes · View notes

melleonis · 1 year

Text

it’s 2015 and i am

sitting on my mattress on the floor in the spare bedroom of the chicago condo my friend’s parents bought for them with oil company money. both of us have undiagnosed and unmedicated adhd. neither of us clean. the wide, shallow bathroom sink grows a yellow-black film of residue and shaved hair.

i am trying to come to terms with being dead. the year prior was a cascade of horror, a chain of a hundred different sudden sickenings in the gut, and as far as the world and most people in it are concerned, i no longer exist - which would have been more than fine with me, except that time continues to pass.

until recently, porpentine had been writing a column for rock paper shotgun called live free play hard, reviewing free indie games. itch.io is in its infancy, but unity is ten years old now and really starting to come into its own, and this is the heyday of the so-called walking simulator - Dear Esther in 2012 to Firewatch in 2016. i never played most of the big names, the ones that attracted all that sneering gamergate hatred (Gone Home excepted) - after all, they cost money, and in 2015, i didn’t have any of that. so every porpentine article was a damp, fertile patch of sometimes-delicious always-free mushrooms. i play a LOT of itch.io games that year, and i’ve been missing them lately, so i wanted to talk about them here.

live free play hard is a decade old, at this point. links are dead. games don’t quite run the same on modern computers. twine games which once had music are now silent. these are some of the survivors.

their angelical understanding by porpentine, herself. ***STROBE WARNING*** and also for a text-based game this is an intense PTSD simulator. i considered linking others of her games here: neon haze (link appears to be broken), CYBERQUEEN (about which i’ve already said a lot) or howling dogs (which is arguably still her best), but i went with t.a.u. because, well, in 2015 a PTSD simulator was what i needed.

CHYRZA by kitty horrorshow kh has probably Made It as an indie artist more than anyone else on this list? my metric for this is that there are two whole jacob geller video essays about her games. CHYRZA is pure tone: jittery unity platforming up desert monuments collecting audiologs. trust me, it’s really effective.

Bernband by Tom van den Boogaart this one still runs, but there’s a bit of slowdown in some areas. this is pure exploration through a very pixelly alien city: nightclubs, power stations, overpasses, late-night noodle bars. an empty chapel. a trumpet recital. the empty corridors and stairwells between everything. it’s stuck with me for all these years.

SABBAT by oh no problems this is the least subtle it is possible for a text game to be. it starts with animal sacrifice and gets really fucking explicit from there. as someone who had at the time cut a picture of baphomet out of the liner notes from a random black metal cd found in a des moine record store and taped it to my bedroom doorpost like a mezuzah, all i really wanted from SABBAT was the ability to have snakes for dicks, and buddy, it delivers. i remember there used to be a sort of sludgey doom metal soundtrack, but it doesn’t seem to exist anymore, and the credits link to a nonexistent soundcloud. so it goes.

HEARTWOOD by Kerry Turner hahaha man i’d completely forgotten about this game until i went back through the archives but fuck, it rules. it’s so simple. it’s pure sensation. i loved it then and i love it now.

Off-Peak by Cosmo D i think Cosmo D is still going strong these days! actually, i’m pretty sure i have unplayed games by them in my steam library, i should fix that. Off-Peak is a jazz exploration of the world’s most colorful train station. people are playing bespoke 2015 eurogames. a vendor is selling a bunch of sheet music that musicians have had to pawn, what with the way the economy is going. you understand. triplets stalk you. a man strokes a cow, menacingly. i would say it’s peak itch.io, but in point of fact it is, of course, off-peak itch.io.

anyway i lived, eventually, and went on to make art of my own, but it’s my belief - it’s my hope - that all my writing carries the spores these games and games like them put in me when i was dead and decaying and fertile ground for such things. i hope you play some of them. i hope you enjoy them. thanks for reading <3

161 notes · View notes

karatekels · 2 months

Text

WARNING: SPOILERS WILL BE COMING! 🚨

So, as we all know, part 1 of season 6 is dropping tonight! It's looking like midnight my time, and because I am a large baby, that is past my bedtime.

I'm going to be binging the episodes early tomorrow morning, and posting my ranting rambling thoughts here - maybe I'll just use this post? - the way I did for the first five episodes of my rewatch.

I will hide them under a cut, and I don't plan on posting anything about the new season outside of this post for a week or so.

Basically, if you want to avoid spoilers: read with caution!

Episode 1: Peacetime in the Valley

…God I really love how they do music on this show.

Okay this peace better die real fucking quick because I’m annoyed.

CHOZEN IN A SHORT ROBE, NOW WE’RE TALKING.

Looking at this newspaper clipping, I wonder if we’re supposed to care about little details or if they just didn’t really care and it’s completely random. If it’s NOT random, I have thoughts:

Why is the photographer who took Terry’s mugshot only named by their initials. Anyone know a B.T.?

…okay, looking at the column on the left, this had better be a joke. CLOWN MURDER?!

And then the article itself is cobbled together. Unless this is just a fake newspaper as a plant, then this is pretty week bud.

Coincidentally, if you or any other showrunner would like to hire me to write fake newspaper articles for your show or movie so that people like me don’t tear you apart online, I am available!

Okay so Tory and Robby are clearly still together, and the only thing that isn’t complete peace is Kenny and Anthony only looking at each other from a distance?

DANIEL’S SMUG SMILE AS THE COBRA KAI LOGO GETS THROWN AWAY GO FUCK YOURSELF SIR.

Amanda YES, bring up Terry getting the charges dropped!

Kreese vs. US Marshals eh?

Stop talking about my man without showing him, Daniel.

Oh good, already tension between Daniel and Johnny’s views on things.

OH JOHNNY LOOKS GENUINELY DEVASTATED THAT THEY DEMOLISHED THE ABANDONED WAREHOUSE.

…wow we really are just forgiving Benedict Penis Breath for some reason, huh?

IT DID NOT TAKE AWHILE FOR YOU TWO TO TALK AGAIN, ROBBY. YOU LITERALLY JUST HAD A FIGHT AND THAT SEEMED TO FIX EVERYTHING??

…Johnny wants to use fire on the children? I can think of a couple that can be guinea pigs *cough*KYLER*cough*

Ohhhhhh… Daniel picking Chozen over Johnny isn’t gonna end well. What if instead we got rid of Daniel and Johnny and Chozen hung out.

– insert Sekai Taikai exposition here –

And the new name of the dojo iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis… I MEAN, WE’VE ALL BEEN CALLING IT MIYAGI-FANG FOREVER.

Of course Daniel is angry (I mean it is a stupid picture of Mr. Miyagi but still)

…Chozen going against Johnny here really doesn’t check out. But I am here for a Chozen vs. Johnny fight.

The worst double-date in history! WHO CARES IF SHE DOESN’T WANT TO LEARN MIYAGI-DO??

Robby, don’t you dare speak ill of the precious Kenny/Silver mentorship dynamic you JERK.

Daniel (and Chozen) being so dismissive of Johnny’s feelings makes me sad

Oh DIP OMINOUS TEXT MESSAGE GOOD THING YOU BOUGHT THAT AXE.

Tory looks so sad and I hate it. Eat your waffle cone, Miguel.

Robby why in the hell would interrupting the game make Kenny want to listen to you? Also lmao look who’s taller now Kenny grew like 2 feet.

HI SHAWN. …Being ominous in an arcade is great.

Daniel preaching balance when he’s simultaneously…Daniel is infuriating.

…Chozen alcoholism subplot? ANDNO KUMIKO?! BUT I SHIP IT SO HARD!

Oh Johnny really brought the axe huh?

OH MY GOD STINGRAY I’M DYING.

Shawn your child brother is starting high school please do not take him to a strip club.

ROBBY WHY WOULD YOU APPROACH WHILE THEY HAVE BATS.

WE DON’T WANT TO FIGHT, he says while joining the fight!

…am I Stingray? “Because it’s awesome” – I WILL BELIEVE IN COBRA KAI FOREVER.

And he appreciates that Amanda is a smokeshow.

Don’t you dare disrespect ponytail dude, Shawn Payne.

Did the prison system actually help Shawn? SHOCKING.

Daniel being the bigger person? Only took HOW MANY DECADES?!

…so we’re calling it Miyagi-Do? Even though it’s not just Miyagi-Do? THIS IS DUMB.

We don’t get to see how Kreese got to Korea? REALLY?!

Episode 2: The Prize

NICK! YAY TERRY BACKSTORY! (Also Barrett yay but I mean… TERRY)

Kreese defending her is so cute OH MY GOD SHE’S IN THE AIR CHILL OUT GRAMPS.

Oh good, sewage in the cooking pots.

Not a real talk about money on this show! Oh, we’re cutting away?

…Why did we linger on that one student when Kim said “Silver is gone now”? Am I just looking for hope where there isn’t any?

I’m sorry, how old is this man going to be now? HE LOOKED 80 IN THE LATE 60S.

Does Amanda just dress like that everyday? Daniel is a lucky man.

I would watch an entire YouTube series in the vein of Trixie & Katya’s “I Like to Watch” that’s just Chozen watching reality shows.

“Your incompetence is why I must stay alive” is a brutal fucking line.

Kyler and his gaggle of 45 year old college freshmen. Or just Brucks.

…please think Chozen and Johnny are a gay couple, Mr. Realtor. Okay no, but Johnny blowing this up pretty spectacularly is pretty great.

Why do I feel like this is going to culminate in Kreese stabbing Immortal Kim because he’s “worthy of taking control”?

OR THE SNAKE COULD BITE HIM UMMMM.

As someone who has been in university in some capacity for like a decade, this… was not my experience. Though watching Kyler get shit on is kind of fun.

OH NO DUTCH REFERENCE. HE’S STILL IN PRISON THOUGH THAT’S GOOD.

Deus ex Johnny-fan ftw!

NOT HALLUCINATION NICK MARINI!

…Okay, so we are just gonna double down on the homoeroticism with men being each other’s weaknesses? I mean I’m here for it.

Frats have always seemed so stupid to me, with hazing and shit. Even for morons like Kyler. Never thought I’d see the day where I’m rooting for Kyler but I guess here we are. DESTROY THE DOUCHEBAGS. (Though how is anyone getting into college with this ASSAULT)

American tourist loses mind in cave, talks to snake. Film at 11.

Kyler acknowledging he’s a moron? I’m here for it. NO NOT ANOTHER FRAT COME ON.

LMAO Johnny insisting he has a job – AND IT WORKS HE JUST STARTS SELLING CARS.

Amanda is right though, what’s in the briefcase, Johnny?

Kim Da-Eun is gonna JUMP Kreese’s bones istg

Episode 3: Sleeper

Chozen freeloading is hilarious

“Chicks dig me” as a response to possibly having a daughter is crazy.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?!

…the cobra is still in your dealership, Daniel?

“I’m a girl dad” – Johnny Lawrence, 2024 (or whatever year this is supposed to be I can’t remember)

…okay this episode is called Sleeper and we’re seeing that same student we did in the last episode when they said “Silver is gone now” DID TERRY HAVE A BASTARD CHILD AND NOT KNOW ABOUT IT?!

You tell ‘em, Devon.

Lol “LEE, CALL YOUR DAD, YOU’RE HANDLING THIS PROBLEM AT YOUR HOUSE.”

Please don’t be a stupid retcon of Miyagi’s character please don’t be a stupid retcon of Miyagi’s character please don’t be a stupid retcon of Miyagi’s character please don’t be a stupid retcon of Miyagi’s character please don’t be a stupid retcon of Miyagi’s character

Got a lot of mystery boxes in this episode, huh?

…”we can have a girls’ night,” says the 50-something year old man to the 3 teenaged girls he isn’t related to. I do love his relationship with Devon though. It’s a shame she’s going to die in a freak karate accident so that Johnny can name his daughter after her.

THE HORRORS LOCKED AWAY IN A HIDDEN COMPARTMENT ARE THAT HE WAS A BOXER?!

…oh and he beat the shit out of people.

AND HE CHANGED HIS NAME?! OKAY SHIT’S GETTING INTERESTING.

Lmao the Ouija board fakeout

Yeah good Daniel, leave your dolled-up wife in the shady gym.

OH MY GOD JOHNNY PLEASE STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING.

Kreese is really just trying to make a bunch of killing machines (or at least one, anyway), huh?

The Big 3 weren’t lying when they said they were going all out this season with the fights.

Also is Kreese just fine with the snake bite? He’s fine?

Oh noooo, Mr. Miyagi wasn’t a perfect human I’m SHOCKED.

Johnny is SO happy they’re fighting I love it – OH NO BOOOOOOOOOO PEACE. Go get matching tattoos or something you dorks.

Oh no Daniel, is your perfect worldview crumbling? Was surrogate daddy not as perfect as you thought?

YES, CHOZEN. WHAT DID HAPPEN IN CANCUN?

Nooo Chozen don’t leave even if it is for Kumiko I’LL MISS YOU.

Yes, let’s end the episode on “girls are easy”

Oh no wait, more Daniel mourning the loss of his innocence

Were the rumours right? We’re going to Spain? LET’S GOOOOOOO – wait how are they going to afford everyone going?

And we’re down to six – Miguel, Robby, Hawk, Sam, Tory… Kenny/Demetri/Devon?

Episode 4: Underdogs

Hawk thinks patriotism will earn him a spot? God I hate that mohawk.

“Each and every one of you has a shot, even though many of you are either our children, close enough to be our children, or are our clear favourites”

SHUT UP DEVON IF ANTHONY GETS PICKED I’M GOING TO KILL SOMEONE.

Johnny assuming he’s as good as a partner at the dealership is KILLING me

THANK YOU FOR TELLING HIM NO ABOUT ANTHONY, JOHNNY.

Why is Daniel so against them… actually earning their spots?

Hi Mike!

Lol flashback – but why not show Terry?

YES DEVON MY QUEEN.

AWWW, Penis Breath is so happy with his new name.

SERIOUSLY? ANTHONY?

If Anthony makes it I’m killing myself.

Devon speaking up for all neglected minor characters everywhere.

What in the actual fuck is going on. Go away Yasmine you suck. OKAY BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF DEMETRI’S HAPPINESS. …maybe her dumping him would’ve been better she is the WORST.

Binary Bros. will be the couple with the drama this season.

This capture the flag game seems fun but Mike can’t look at everyone at once…

I mean your son IS going to bleed and get the shit kicked out of him, Daniel. Wake up. No? Gonna keep feeding him your bs? Cool.

Barnes has quite the craftsmanship.

JOHNNY VS MIKE LET’S GOOOOOOOO… but away from the saw please.

HEY HE SAID THE THING.

…we’re really just gonna call each other bad boys with a straight face?

Okay Devon, enough with the negative self-talk. You’re sounding like me.

NOOOOOO Binary Bros. are fighting!

Kenny is kind of cocky af and I hope he doesn’t get it.

Smart move would’ve been to go up top and see if you can spot the flag…

OH WE TOOK KENNY OUT WITH A CHEAP TRICK…that’s not funny.

Oh SHIT Demetri is being an asshat. Why is NO ONE asking bout Hawk?

MAN now Devon has to feel bad because someone else chea– OH MY GOD IT WAS HER.

Episode 5: Best of the Best

Why does Tory’s mom healing feel so ominous why does Tory’s mom healing feel so ominous why does Tory’s mom healing feel so ominous why does Tory’s mom healing feel so ominous

Oh look Kreese has come for a visit.

And yet another blonde champion has turned against Kreese.

OH MY GOD, DEMETRI SHUT UP.

Robby you lovestruck little fool it’s adorable.

I really love Terry (duh) but Johnny is 100% my favourite Sensei.

HEY LEAVE THAT CANADIAN DUMMY ALONE, EH?

What about your worst impulses, Danny Boy? S H U T U P and appreciate your hot wife for once, Jesus!

…Carmen is going to go into labour in this episode isn’t she.

AND there it is! Nope wait, false alarm. Everybody go hug Miguel.

NO NO NO DON’T BE DEAD NO NO NO

GOD FUCKING DAMNIT

HER FIST WAS CLENCHED – WAS IT KREESE?

Why does Sam and Miguel’s relationship seem so focused on beating Robby and Tory? While Robby and Tory seem actually into each other?

Daniel you suck, you hypocritical, self-righteous twat.

This is some mighty fine acting, Miss Peyton List. Best crier on the show since Xolo!

JOHNNY YOU HAVE A BABY ON THE WAY CAN YOU NOT YANK THE STEERING WHEEL.

…he’s right though. SHUT UP DANIEL.

Okay but Johnny this is really stupid you’ve sold cars for four minutes.

LMAO “YOU’RE FINALLY LEAVING HIM” GOD AMANDA LISTEN TO JOHNNY HE’S RIGHT.

Johnny gonna embrace boxing with the students? Daniel can’t really say anything about it not being about Mr. Miyagi then.

She kept… the bottlecap… I AM NOT OKAY.

You did not try, Daniel. Shut the fuck up. I’m mad at you. Go away. Get your head outta your ass.

You don’t get to know everything about anyone, Daniel. Especially when you’ve got your head so far in the sand you can’t even come to grips with who YOU are.

Amanda go find Tory. GO FIND TORY, AMANDA.

Okay there’s Tory. USE THAT MOTIVATION, ROBBY.

Can Robby get a decent haircut for once please? He’s a cute kid, his head deserves better.

Good for you, Robby. (Also why do I feel like he’s going to change his last name to Lawrence once the baby is born and then they’ll all just be one big happy sappy family)

I’m sure that Tory seeing both of Sam’s living and supportive parents there won’t screw her up at all.

Oh that’s gonna be Tory’s therapist or something for Amanda isn’t it UH OH.

YEAH YOU NEED TO STOP THE FIGHT.

OH SHIT. Not Danny striking first.

FUCKING GOOD ENOUGH WITH THIS KUMBAYA SHIT.

…Kenny’s gonna be mad about that – oh wait he’s not there and I’m sure it’s going well for him.

Not the bloodstained headband.

…Hawk really kept the dumb mohawk for the tournament huh?

Tory and Kenny gonna be fighting for Korea with Kreese?

(Why is Kreese there? This is televised? The police??)

LET’S FUCKING GO TORY.

#cobra kai #thomas ian griffith #cobra kai season 6 #cobra kai spoilers #i will be screaming if we get any of him #please give us Terry backstory at least #nick marini #it's all up to you #no pressure

26 notes · View notes

alki-studio · 3 months

Text

Bookbinding Process (1/2): The Wolf Queen, from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I have a very exciting comission— I’m binding The Wolf Queen, an in-game novel from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. I’ve never played the game, but my client told me they enjoy collecting and reading the books in the game. According to the Elder Scrolls wiki, there are apparently 820 of them! I’m binding the one of the longer stories, which is actually broken up into 8 volumes.

In researching, it seems that the volumes seem to take on completely different binding styles, but we agreed on the style shown here. We also decided to condense these volumes into 1 book— the entire story is only about 12k words, and while the handwritten large text works well for reading the story on a small in-game window on your monitor, it’s not really practical for a physical book. That, and even if I were to print these true to size for the game, each volume would still be about 40 pages, which only equates to 10 sheets of folded paper, so it wouldn’t make for a very robust collection on the shelf.

You can see that these books in this game are actually quite weathered, and it seems like all the paper is unevenly torn. If we were to equate Skyrim’s time period with our own based on technology, it’s likely these pages would have been parchment. The in-game textures definitely support this, even for the bindings that seem to be a few centuries ahead of their time.

We agreed that antiqued cotton paper would be a suitable alternative, as enough parchment for this project would run a couple thousand dollars as-is, and I don’t believe I have the equipment necessary to print on it. I needed something with a quick turnaround for this project, so I went with this paper in the ‘Vintage Deckle’ finish in the A4 size. According to one review, it’s also short-grained, so it’s actually ideal for bookbinding.

Typesetting

I’m using Adobe InDesign to typeset this, but it can also be done with Word and other alternatives.

Here’s a guide by ArmoredSuperHeavy on tumblr.

I think Bethesda owns the font used in the Elder Scrolls games, but there is a dupe of it on dafont.com called Cyrodiil. However, it definitely feels and reads more as a modern font; it was designed with readability after all. I’m definitely going for something that feels like a Celtic manuscript, based both on the decorative Celtic knot tooling, and the Gaelic look of the font. I eventually found Kelmscott, which carries the same Gaelic characteristics as Cyrodiil, and is still relatively easy to read, but feels more calligraphic.

I also downloaded Medieval Victoriana for the decorative first letters of each chapter.

To typeset the text, I followed a tutorial article by Grace Fussell and Adobe’s guide for creating book files.

I wanted the text to look dense and almost glyphic, as many old medieval manuscripts do, while still being easy enough to read. I played around with the paragraph tools and eventually settled on this layout. While certainly not all manuscripts have multiple columns, I want this typesetting to really break the boundaries seen in most modern prints of books, so I decided on this two-column format. Some manuscripts keep the text frame smaller and in the center of the page, much like you see in later centuries when the printing area was restricted by a press, but once again, I want to emphasize the look of ‘handwritten’ manuscript, so I made sure to use wide margins.

Some other fun details I added were glyphs at the beginning of each chapter, and surrounding the page numbers.

I exported the file for print with InDesign’s ‘Print Booklet’ feature, with the 2-up perfect bound with a signature size of 8 (2 pieces of paper/4 spreads/8 text pages).

Text Block

Here’s the printed and folded signatures! I’m really pleased with how these came out— it has the exact weathered look I was trying to emulate from in-game. As an added bonus, since the source material wasn’t particularly long, the thickness of the paper (150gsm) gave the text block a good amount of volume.

Out of lack of good online reference, my client ended up sending me photos of the book in-game. I was excited to realize this book seems to be bound on cords or leather straps— kind of difficult to tell from the model. We decided to go with a slit leather strap.

I couldn’t find a great reference image of the stitch for this, but I used the same technique of punching and sewing my signatures as this double cord instructional from The Thames and Hudson Manual of Book Binding.

Endpaper

I definitely wanted to go for a more traditional endpaper, so I looked at what I had in my stash of marbled paper. I was initially drawn to this Renato Crepaldi peackock marble I got from Hollander’s, which has a beautiful red that screams “medieval” to me, but Skyrim is a cold place, so I was also drawn to go for this blizzard-esque marble. Though, I ultimately decided on this dark blue/indigo paper I got from the Paper Source.

I went for the indigo because the protagonist of this novel I’m binding, Potema Septim, the Wolf Queen herself, is associated with the color purple. Since the goal of this binding was to recreate an in-game item as it would be in-game, a bookbinder in Skyrim would also most likely want to make design choices reflecting the contents of this specific book. Or maybe they’d be illiterate and just go for the red. Either way, my client also liked the dark indigo, so that’s what we went with.

This endpaper is the cover weight of De Milo Design’s line of paper called Sustain & Heal. It’s fair trade, handmade in Bangladesh, from jute fibers.

It also has deckled edges, so I made sure to align my cuts to use that, and I tore the rest by hand to keep the natural edges consistent. This is a bit of an unconventional aesthetic choice, but it stemmed from that it’d be odd if the fly leafs were straight cut with the rest of the text block so extremely deckled.

Headbands

Keeping with the purple/indigo/blue theme, I made two-colored headbands around jute cord with DCM embroidery floss in colors 31 and 796. I basically used the technique outlined here. In retrospect though I’d recommend doing a big double endband or something bulky with this paper, since the deckled edges tend to push the endband back towards the spine and hide it.

Please continue reading here!

Process: Part 1 | Part 2 | Final Result

#bookbinding #bibliophile #alki studio #commission #skyrim #the elder scrolls #the wolf queen #potema

20 notes · View notes

karayage-spoiler · 7 months

Text

Impressive dialog and translation of Outer Wilds

This post is about the latest updates to my Outer Wilds fan site. (As a pilot project)

🔗No - Impressive Dialogues and Translations

In this post, titled "Impressive Dialogues and Translations", I wrote an article comparing the translated Japanese text of the game with the original English text and what I found particularly interesting. Due to the length of the article, only a portion of it is presented in this post. All the content can be found at the link.

The phrase "Give me the dirt" in the conversation with Tuff was unfamiliar to me (I am 99% Japanese speaker).

Gabbro "You know, I kind of wish I’d built a hammock here before we ended up in this time loop."

The dialogue where Gabbro talks about their hammocks is a bit vaguely translated in the Japanese version. Therefore I did not know they rebuild their hammock every time.

Feldspar "Hornfels would have my very handsome head if they knew I’d been riding the cyclones again."

I chuckled when I learned that in the dialogue when reporting to Feldspar about the secret of the tornado, Feldspar described their own faces as "handsome". This text is also a safe translation in the Japanese version.

I find it amusing that the slightly cynical Cassava described Avens and Mallow as "gooey". The Japanese English dictionary also lists "gooey" as one of the words used to describe the stickiness of natto.

Pye's phrase "I'm a gas" was also new to me. I wonder if she chose this phrase to allude to the gas explosion, since they were talking about an explosion.

This is an illustration of the column at the end of the text of my article. In the game, all Nomai words are displayed through a translation tool. This means that the names of planets, etc. are all replaced by the Hearthian language. It occurred to me that it is possible that the Nomai language does not use names like "Brittle Hollow" or "Timber Hearth" but names of a completely different origin.

Since the inhabitants of The Stranger showed no interest in the game's star systems, they may not have given their planets unique names. However, I could not rule out the possibility that some of the inhabitants personally (as their own secret) referred to certain planets by special names.

----

That's all for this post. Thanks for reading.

#outer wilds #outerwilds #echoes of the eye #outer wilds spoilers

45 notes · View notes

brf-rumortrackinganon · 2 years

Text

Bower's Revenge: Confirmed

Harry supported or endorsed Meghan's Vanity Fair article. (But we all knew that anyway because he didn’t dump her when it came out.)

"Contrary to Omid Scobie's assertion that Meghan wanted 'to tell the world "I'm in love" and did the 'interview with Harry's blessing,' Kashner arrived in the pouring rain at Meghan's home knowing that his interviewee was under strict orders from both Harry and Keleigh Thomas Morgan. Aware that Diana and Sarah Ferguson had destroyed themselves in interviews, Harry had ordered Meghan to maintain tight-lipped silence about sensitive subjects - Donald Trump, race, their relationship and especially himself. He was not to be mentioned." (p157)

Meghan is a kleptomaniac.

Bower writes that she took the shoes from the Reitman’s photoshoot. He also kinda dances around the possibility that she may have taken items from her time with the royals for future profit – whether hers or others’ – which the BRF knew about or suspected, hence why she never got any substantial loans from The Queen or William (for Diana's pieces).

Meghan hated her engagement ring from the word "yes" and has wanted to redesign it immediately. #noshitcaptainobvious

“Harry gave her a ring that he had commissioned, with two of Diana’s diamonds set in yellow Botswana gold. He was particularly proud of his design. Meghan did not conceal her excitement, even though she was secretly determined to have the ring redesigned as soon as possible.” (p156)

Meghan convinced Harry to go off his meds and stop therapy.

Bower confirms that Harry was in therapy or receiving mental health care that was working well before he met Meghan and that Meghan either convinced him to reconsider or introduced him to more holistic homeopathic remedies for his mental wellness.

Meghan cheated on Cory with Rory/other golf players.

“’I saw Rory McIlroy. I walked over and he was with Meghan Markle…’ By midnight, as the golfer and Meghan were photographed sitting close together, Fitzpatrick was hosting a party of 20. The following morning, McIlroy arrived at the Ringwood golf course 30 miles away to play in a new competition. Worse for wear after a hectic night, he fell back to 101st place. Nevertheless, he refused to sleep as usual near the golf course to be ready the following day. Instead he drove back to New York to see Meghan. His performance suffered. ‘I wasn’t quite on my game,’ he confessed. ‘I was enjoying myself.’” (p67)

“Asked by Cory Vitiello whether she was having a relationship with McIlroy, Meghan insisted their time together was innocent.” (p68) #birdsflyandmeghanlies

“Meghan left the hotel for dinner with Rory McIlroy at the upmarket restaurant Fade Street Social. She was spotted looking ‘smitten,’ gazing intently at McIlroy. ‘They sat beside each other looking very cozy and chatted all night,’ reported Alexandra Ryan in a newspaper gossip column. That was Meghan’s third night in Dublin. On a previous night John Fitzpatrick would describe his dinner with her, and later implied that she and McIlroy had secretly met. Meghan’s Irish friends assumed that she and McIlroy had also met unseen, earlier during her visit.” (p70)

Meghan wanted to be a sports WAG; Harry was a last option when the athletes weren’t interested.

Bower confirms that Meghan went after several athletes while dating Cory, including both Rory McIlroy and Ashley Cole.

Meghan wanted to be a TV chef/foodie so she hooked up with Cory to achieve legitimacy in that realm.

“…Nick Ede, a fixer paid by Sunshine Sachs to book her appearance at the TV gala, had also arranged for her to meet Jonathan Shalit, a successful and likeable TV agent. ‘I want to be a TV celebrity chef like Gordon Ramsay,’ Meghan told Shalit in his office. Or, she volunteered, she would be happy to appear in any other non-scripted TV show. Shalit was excited. She was charming, good-looking, and admired by the small audience for Suits. He was unaware that while Meghan liked eating good food, her cooking skills were limited. Other than blender-made vegetable soup her specialties were plain pasta, roast chicken, barbecued hamburgers and steak. The rest of her food was bought ready-made. Rather than cook, she imagined fronting a TV program to tour the world tasting food.” (p61)

Meghan demanded many versions of the banana bread for the Aussie block party from Admiral House’s kitchen team and passed it off the next day as her own bake.

See above.

Meghan doesn’t really have any Hollywood friends. They are all PR acquaintances with quid pro quo.

“Over the next few days, [Sam Kashner, the VF author] called those who Meghan had recommended as her friends. Serena Williams denied she was Meghan’s friend but just an acquaintance.” (p159)

Harry adopted Meghan’s American wokeism personality, which lost him all his friends.

Harry proposed LONG before the engagement was announced.

Bower writes that Harry proposed while the Queen was at Balmoral and before the Vanity Fair interview, which would’ve been sometime July 2017. They received the Queen’s formal approval for the engagement in late October 2017.

Which is a verrrrry different story than the one Harry tells in Spare…Harry says he proposed in October after getting the Queen’s approval and they announced it 2 weeks later.

Direct quotes from Bower in the inconsistencies post 4 posts back.

Harry and Meghan intended for the Sussex Royal charity to be profitable and pay for their lives.

Bower writes that how the foundation was organized went against Meghan’s intentions, which caused a tantrum because it removed her from the foundation’s direct oversight and leadership. Bower also alleges that Meghan was angry over not having any say in who the foundation’s appointed directors were.

Meghan is a fauxmanitarian, doesn’t really believe in supporting humanitarian causes altruistically.

Bower writes that Vanity Fair couldn’t confirm or substantiate the charity work Meghan claimed in the interview she did and therefore did not include her charity work in the article. The VF author agreed and supported this after Revenge was published.

Meghan never intended to be a part of the BRF, she always wanted to cut and run as soon as she could.

“Unwilling to grasp that she could not share the spotlight with the Queen, Meghan had accelerated her return to California.” (p380)

Meghan has and has had several aliases on social media.

Meghan schemed and entrapped Harry by preying on his emotional vulnerability.

“Since she had carefully researched Harry’s life, Meghan kenw exactly how to make him feel loved and appreciated. So long as she looked at him with intense affection and trust, she would not trigger his insecurity or paranoia. To reassure him that he was admired for himself she would tell him what he wanted to hear, especially about the importance of his ambitions and principles.” (p122)

Meghan pockets the donations to Archewell for herself.

Bower writes that the secrecy of Delaware’s laws for charities and foundations meant that owners/creators are in control of any money used, earned, received and that foundations/charities have no obligations to report any monies received. Bower also specifically says that they intended to use Archewell as their income.

Meghan cheated on Cory with Harry.

Bower says that Meghan was furious at Sunshine Sachs over the VF article printing that she met Harry in May 2016 and demanded they fix it. VF later issued a correction that the Sussexes met in July 2016.

Bower also says that Meghan broke up with Cory after spending time with Harry and “Two weeks later [from the bananagram IG photo on 3 July 2016] Harry secretly flew to Toronto. He stayed for about one week in the house of a friend of Meghan’s, probably Jessica Mulroney. With Cory still sharing her home, the situation for Meghan was tricky by manageable.” (p122)

Meghan manipulated Harry to release the KP statement by preying on his fears and anxiety of Diana being harassed / stalked to death by the paps.

“For her part Meghan knew by then that she was pushing a man eager for revenge against the media and his family. … Even more pertinently he blamed Diana’s death on the media. Feeling ‘deeply disappointed’ that he had been unable to protect his mother he eagerly declared war against his enemy – the newspapers – to protect Meghan. Nothing could be done without the assistance of his key aide, Jason Knauf. ... In order to pacify Meghan’s anger, Knauf agreed to issue a statement on Harry’s behalf damning the media for their description of Meghan. Harry dictated the sentiments for Knauf to fashion into a statement. Committing Knauf to a conundrum, Meghan demanded that the statement should reflect the parallel between her potential fate and Diana’s. Knauf suggested that over-dramatizing Meghan’s distress would backfire but Harry was adamant. If Meghan’s wish to be equated with Diana was not satisfied, insisted Harry, he would probably lose her. Knauf acquiesced.” (p135)

Meghan wanted a bigger, emerald tiara for the wedding.

“No member of Buckingham Palace’s staff is closer to the Queen than Angela Kelly…Kelly’s many duties included caring for the royal collection of tiaras. Invited to the palace’s secure room, Meghan alighted on a tiara sparkling with emeralds. Her choice was approved by Harry. Kelly suggested that its Russian origin made it unsuitable. Harry became angry.”

Also confirmed by Harry in Spare.

Meghan never wanted to do the Fiji market visit. She wanted to lay out at the hotel with Jess all day but was forced to keep the engagement. She bailed after 10 minutes for “security” purposes.

Bower writes that Meghan had some kind of falling out with UN Women and was angry that they were involved in the Fiji market or were supporting her visit.

It sounds like Meghan wanted the same UN Women gig that Emma Watson had and quit the partnership when it didn’t happen.

Meghan was emotionally / verbally abusive to Charlotte during bridesmaid dress fitting.

“[Meghan] was uninterested in royal tradition [girls wearing tights]. Her insistence was supported by Jessica Mulroney, present as an advisor and the mother of another bridesmaid, Ivy. Some would say that Meghan compared Ivy favorably against Charlotte. Others were surprised by Meghan’s close attachment to Mulroney.” (p189, iPhone version)

Meghan yelled at/bullied Cambridge staff.

“By then, Kate was irritated by complaints of Meghan bullying her staff.” (p189, iPhone version)

Harry and Meghan bungled Archie’s birth announcement to earn a profit from it.

“To build up Meghan’s profile in America, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King had an exclusive agreement with Meghan to produce a glowing CBS TV documentary about her first year of marriage. It would be transmitted at peak time, soon after the birth of her baby. In exchange, Meghan guaranteed that no other TV network would get access to her or the child…Harry agreed that Buckingham Palace be given no choice. CBS would be given the exclusive rights to film the Queen being introduced to baby Archie.” (p262, iPhone version)

Charles fled Windsor after Philip’s funeral to avoid dealing with Harry.

“After [Philip’s funeral] service, eager for signs of reconciliation, the media seized on Kate’s maneuver to engineer a conversation between [William and Harry]. Cameras followed them as they walked up the hill towards the castle....The three princes spoke briefly before Charles drove to his cottage in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. William was handed the burden of rescuing the monarchy from the damage caused by his brother” (p.356-357, iPhone version)

Harry’s Home Office lawsuit will be used as an excuse to avoid the Jubilee and/or public acknowledgement of the Sussexes’ demotion.

“Although the Queen had invited Harry and Meghan to join the nation’s extravaganza [Platinum Jubilee], the couple appeared to seek reasons to avoid humiliation. As private citizens they could not expect to be invited on to the Buckingham Palace balcony or ride in the carriages. Isolated on the periphery, the image would undermine their royal status in America. To forge a valid excuse, Harry applied to the High Court in London for an order to compel the Metropolitan Police to provide protection for himself during his visit or allow him to pay for police protection. Predictably, his $400,000 case failed. As a private citizen harry was told he could not force the government to provide police protection.” (p371, iPhone version)

Harry to betray his family in memoirs.

“Most Britons could not understand Harry’s hostility towards his country and family…No one realized how his hostility had grown during his conversations with John Moehringer, the ghost-writer of his memoirs. To secure vast sales and recoup the huge advance, the publishers had encouraged Harry to criticize his family in the most extreme terms possible. Easily persuaded, Harry edge towards betraying his father, Camilla, the Cambridges and even the Queen. And then the deed was done. To earn out the publisher’s advance, nothing and no one had been sacrosanct.” (p.372, iPhone version)

And alllll of Spare.

Sussex children to be used for access / prominent placement at the jubilee.

Bower writes, “But festering was their fury that the Palace had refused all of their demands for a prominent role at the Jubilee in return for returning to Britain with their children.” (p379, iPhone version)

Secret Windsor meeting in April 2022 to discuss return for the jubilee.

“To achieve this goal [Harry and Meghan to appear on Buckingham Palace’s balcony with the Queen during Jubilee celebrations] Harry badgered the Queen’s resistant advisors. When this failed he asked the Queen if he could visit her in Windsor on his way to the Netherlands. To secure her agreement, Harry appeared to give the impression that the meeting would offer an ‘olive branch’ to ‘clear the air’…[It] was civilized but failed to resolve the fraught relations created by their Oprah Winfrey interview.” (p378, iPhone version)

#tom bower #revenge #confirmed #all the shade #and i oop #she took the blender for vegetable soup

203 notes · View notes

amphibianauthor · 2 months

Text

Ao3 Coding References

I recently made a code-heavy choose your own adventure fic, and I wanted to compile all of the really helpful resources I've found along the way. I know little to nothing about HTML but having all of these resources were amazingly helpful.

Basics:

This Ao3 Posting Doc converts Google doc into HTML, adding bold, underline, italics, strikethrough, paragraph breaks, and centered text. Major game changer for heavy HTML works

The Fic Writer's Guide to Formatting by AnisaAnisa: This is a masterpost in itself, covering links, images, boxes, borders, fonts etc. So I'm putting it here since it's amazingly helpful

HTML References by W3 schools- I've linked the HTML colors here, but this is a platform designed to help people learn/reference HTML

This got long: Text resources, fancy formatting & other website formats below the cut

Text resources:

Font's chapter: The Fic Writer's Guide to Formatting: okay I know I already linked it above, but listen it's very good so I'm linking again

Fonts colors and work skins oh my by Charles_Rockafeller takes fonts to a different level.

Multicolored text skin by ElectricAlice GRADIENT TEXT

All the Emoji by CodenameCarrot while Ao3 has signifigantly improved on hosting emojis, this code helps with using some more unconventional emojis. Amazing resource.

Upsidedown text and Zalgo text generators - these specific text generators allow for you to see their direct HTML codes

Workskin for showing and hiding spoilers by ElectricAlice makes text appear when hovered/clicked. Amazing for Trigger Warnings

Make text appear when you click [Work skin] by Khashana clickable end notes buttons for your work, similar to the spoiler button text

Desktop/mobile friendly short tooltips workskin by Simbaline

How to make Linked Footnotes on Ao3 by La_Temperanza

User-selectable Names in a Fanfic work by fiend Ever want people to select between different names in a fanfic? I could also see this used as ability to switch gender in a fanfic.

AO3 Comic Text Effects using CSS by DemigodofAgni Ever want a giant comicbook POW in your fic?

How to override the Archive's Chapter Headers by C Ryan Smith

Fancy Formatting:

Embedding youtube videos on ao3 to scale with the screen by pigalle add youtube videos mid fic

Conlangs and Accessibility by Addleton this fic instructs how to have accessible translations in fic

How to mimic letters, fliers and stationary without using images by La_Temperanza Really helped with box formatting

Decorations for Fic (HTML/CSS): Fanart, Dividers, Embedded Songs and More by Jnsn this has SO MANY cool coding features, including a chessboard that moves when you hover over it

How to make a News Website Article Skin on Ao3 by ElectricAlice

Screenplay skin by astronought

How to make custom Page Dividers by La_Temperanza

How to make Images Fit on Mobile Browsers by La_Temperanza great image adding code

How to Wrap text around images by La_Temperanza image text wrapping

How to insert Gmail emails in your fic by DemigodofAgni

How to mimic Email Windows by La_Temperanza

How to make a Choose Your Own Adventure Fic by La_Temperanza allows for clickable links and hidden text.

Personal Experiment with HTML and CSS by MohnblumenKind This has a variety of help, Chapter 6 & 7 were great for choose your own adventure, Chapter 4 talks about columns and skins, and Chapter 10 even has a newspaper made entirely from site code.

Learn to Microsoft Excel by ssc_lmth insert a spreadsheet in your fic

Ao3 Work skin: a simple scoreboard by revanchist shows how to code a scoreboard

Colossal Cave Adventure by gifbot Working Keyboard anyone?

How to make a rounded playlist by La_Temperanza Ever want to show a character's music playlist within your fic

Tabbing experiment by gifbot (clickable tabs)

Repository by gaudersan google searches, ao3 stats, instagram and text messages galore

Workskin for in Universe Investigative/Mission Report with Redaction by wafflelate case files/CSI reports

CSS in Testing/Bleed Gold by InfinitysWraith Masterclass in cool formatting, including overidding default headers, Doors opening animation, Grid interactive photos, Hovering to change a photo, Retroactive text etc.

CSS in Testing:Second in Series by InfinitysWraith: Interactive keypads, Mock news site and interactive locking mechanism.

Other Websites:

Texting

--How to make iOS Text Messages on Ao3 by CodenameCarrot, La_Temperanza

--A Quick Generator for Embeddable iOS Text Messages by 221b_ee

--imessage Skin by Adzaema

--Retro imessage by Adzaema

--Basic Text Message Work Skin by ProfessorMotz

-- Bubble platform [workskin] by Khashana

Tumblr

--Tumblr style CSS Tweaks by Aposiopesis

--Ao3 Workskin Testing and Tutorials by junietuesday25 tumblr DM

--How to make Tumblr Posts on Ao3 by phyyripo

Twitter

--Repository - Twitter by gadaursan

-- How to mimic Social Media in an Ao3 work by aerynevenstar

--Twitter Work Skin Template by etc e tal

--Twitter Workskin: Tweets and Profile by starskin

--Twitter Mock-Up by TheBrookesNook

Ao3

--How to mimic Authors notes and Kudos/Comment Buttons by La_Temperanza

--How to mimic AO3 Comments by bittermoons

--How to add mobile Ao3 in your fic by DemigodofAgni

--How to make a fanfic style header Ao3 style by ElectricAlice

Facebook/Instagram/Whatsapp

--Whatsapp Group Chat builder by FestiveFerret

--How to make Facebook Messenger Chat on Ao3 by ran_a_dom

--Whatsapp Work Skin Template Revamped by etc e tal

--Whatsapp group chat skin by ovely

--Instagram DMs for Ao3 by monarch_rhapsodies

--How to make Instagram DM mockup by xslytherclawx

Snapchat

--Snapchat skin by Azdaema

--Snapchat Template for Ao3 by starskin

Reddit/Forum

--UPDATED Reddit Skin by diamine

--2020 Reddit Work Skin by timstokerlovebot

--Reddit Work Skin CSS & HTML by knave_of_swords

--How to mimic Social Media in an Ao3 work by aerynevenstar

--template Reddit Skin by spookedcroon

--Ao3 workskin for Forum Thread by fencesit

--How to mimic 4chan posts without just taking screenshots of 4chan

Twitch/Youtube

--Mimicking Twitch Chat for fics by Ultraviollett

--Workskin testing by tohmas [Youtube comments]

Discord/Slack/Zoom

--2023 Discord Theme Workskin by TrojanTeapot

--Discord Work Skin by unpredictableArtist

--Discord (Dark Theme) Workskin by Heterochromia_Mars

--Ao3 Workskin Testing and Tutorials by junietuesday25

--Slack Workskin by Khashana

--Zoom inspired Ao3 skin by mystyrust

Video Game Dialog Mimics

--Dialog [workskin] by Clover_Zero

--Dialogue Workskin (with parallax BG effect) by mystyrust

--My S Ranks--System Windows by unpredictableArtist [computer dialog workskin]

--Tutorial: Ace Attorney Work Skin by QuailFence

--Among Us Ao3 skin by mystyrust

--How to Mimic Undertale Fonts on Ao3 by La_Temperanza

--Tutorial:Rain Code Work Skin by faish

Misc. Sites

--How to mimic Deadpool Thinking boxes by La_Temperanza

--FetLife Skin [Work Skin] by Khashana

--Replika workskin by FaeriMagic

--Disco Elysium workskin by SarunoHadaki

--StarTrek PADD workskin by duskyspirit

--Wikipedia article work skin by styletests

--Yelp Reviews by kiwiana

--Amazon Reviews by kiwiana

--MDZS-themed letters by allollipoppins

--A Newbie's Guide to Podficcing by Adzaema [skin for podfics]

Bonus: Ever wanted to see how crazy HTML can be on AO3? Try playing But can it run Doom? or Tropémon by gifbot

Happy Creating!

Last updated: Aug 19 2024

#archive of our own #html coding #fanfic #Hopefully I'll update this list as I find more resources #ao3 #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #ao3fic

12 notes · View notes

if-whats-new · 2 months

Text

What's New In IF? Issue 16 (2024)

By Erika, Marjorie, Axelle, and Noi

Now Available!

Itch.io. - Keep Reading below

Want to learn a neat fun fact? Check out the itch.io version ;)

Note: Due to the links limit per post (100), some links included in the zine won't appear in this version. It is, however, on both the PDF and .txt versions on itch.

~ EDITORIAL ~

Extra, you say?

We had a blast this week talking to Catsket, an incredibly talented VN creator who “sat down” with us to answer every little questions we had! We got to see a little bit of their surreal world, learn more about how they work, and more! Heartfelt thanks to Catsket, for taking the time! So check out our Small Talk… with Catsket!

Of course, this issue can't be Extra without, well… something extra! Since we announce the changes with the zine, opening it up to your suggestions, and your input, someone actually took us up on our offer and submitted a short essay. So this week, we didn't just get a really neat interview, we also get to officially open… The Column! ~

And this week again, a bunch of releases and updates to check out!

We hope you enjoy this extra long issue!

ERIKA, MARJORIE, AXELLE, AND NOI

~ BE PART OF THE ZINE ~

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? HAS EXPANDED!

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Excited as we are about next week's interview and have questions for our guest? Or want to see a certain author answer questions next? Message us!

SMALL TALK... IS WAITING!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : Single Choice Jam ~

Only One Choice, and that's it!

The Single Choice Jam is a month-long unranked yearly jam with a gameplay restriction: entries can only give ONE single choice to the player through the whole playthrough.

Whether it is at the start, in the middle, or in the end - if it's even there at all! - the point of the jam is to find a fun way to restrict the player's agency to its utmost limit!

Open to all forms of Interactive Fiction, the Single Choice Jam makes allowance for those different formats: for parsers, it's all about actionable verbs in coded rooms; while for hyperlinks/choice, the count to keep track is in the selectable options!

If you are looking to try out the Interactive medium, this is the perfect avenue to start with the kinetic format or limited branching (only one choice)!

And if you are still unsure about what to do, there are plenty of inspiration to be found in the previous edition of the jam.

~ ENDED ~

The results of the ParserComp were released this week! Congratulations to the winners!

Also ended this week was the Decker Fantasy Camp where a bunch of creators made some really cool things with Decker!

And the chill unranked jam of the Interactive Fiction Club ended last weekend. There are nine short entries to try out!

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

You can now check out the entries submitted to the IntroComp and vote for your favorite demo!

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Do you understand or write Ukrainian? Until the end of the year, the Ukrainian IF Festival is happening on itch.io! But there are only just this weekend left for the VN version of this jam!

Happening and ending this weekend is a short horror jam about the “murderboys”. If you have male OCs that want to kill… maybe go submit!

For the francophones, the French IF community is organizing a summer-long camp to create parsers. Join the Confiture de Parser if you're interested!

Ending in about a month, is the summer-long unranked SuNoFes Jam (Summer Novel Festival), where you can only submit one IF/VN game!

Until mid-August, you can participate in the 82th edition of the Bitsy Jam. The theme this month is: INTENTIONALLY BAD~!

Looking for motivation to try your hands at Visual Novels? The Phantasia Jam just started, and will run until Halloween! Three months to create a fantasy VN, with the theme of “Hidden Magic”.

On the CoG Forum, Halloween has already started! From now until Oct 31st, submit to the Halloween Jam - it has funky themes!

~ OTHER ~

Over on the IntFiction Forum, the Review-a-thon is continuing its initiative to get more reviews for games. Check out this post by Tabitha if you want to participate! This is also a sponsored event, aiming to raise funds for one of the Forum members.

The Interactive Fiction Showcase is still running! If you have completed an IF piece this year, consider submitting it! It is happening only on itch!

SMALL TALK…

WITH CATSKET (@catskets / @artwithoutblood - Itch.io)

Joining us today is Alien catgirl, prolific author, and community leader: Catsket Author of the “Art Without Blood” multi-media series.

Links included in this interview were not included due to the Tumblr links limits. Please download the itch.io version!

⟶ Hello Catsket, and thank you for sitting down with us!

Thank you so much for giving me a chair. I usually have to sit on a pile of bones or even my own tail, which starts to hurt after a while.

⟶ Shall we start by telling us a bit more about yourself and how you found the IF medium?

I'm Catsket, a self-proclaimed alien vampire catgirl. I started making amateur visual novels when I was in high school. I played a horror one when I was 15 that I thought was so bad that I felt compelled by some unknown force to try to make one that was better. I'm not sure if I've succeeded yet, but it ended up sending me on a path to get a bachelor's degree in game design that I proudly earned last year!

I took a narrative design class in college and my professor was very into interactive fiction. We had to play Plundered Hearts for a game history class. That's what did it, really. I had to do a podcast episode about Zork, write an IF adaptation of The King in Yellow, and make presentations on text adventure romance, among other things.

I do visual novels primarily because I started out as an artist and through writing them, I learned that I loved to write. But I delve into shorter text-based pieces as well from time to time. I just can't stop putting silly, dithered doodles into everything I make. Sorry, mom.

⟶ Do you think having this game/narrative design background shaped the way you create? Would you recommend this path to aspiring IF authors?

I feel that going through the process of getting a game design degree helped me solidify myself. What I wanted to create, what genres I wanted to hit, and even how to market myself. The most important part of it was teaching me how to manage my time and how to allow myself to enter the process of imperfect iteration and fast prototyping just to say I finished something. When you're first learning to make games or even IF, you need to make smaller projects so you can find yourself and your own ability around your schedule.

I found my formal education to be useful for historical purposes and for finding connections. I learned a lot about games and development that I was not able to thanks to access to a games and games magazine library. But I think that unless you're truly game-ifying your creations that a formal education in game design is not necessary. Learning about puzzle design obviously will help with writing puzzles. What will really teach you, though, is through thinking across the disciplines. Play some IF, read some books, play a few video games, watch a few movies. Allow yourself to become a light that touches all cornerstones of media.

⟶ On itch, you have released over 30 narrative games. Can you tell us a bit more about your body of work?

30 already? I'm not even keeping count.

My body of work is primarily surreal and melancholy. I wouldn't really call a large body of my work horror games, but they're in-between of awake and asleep that makes the whole thing very dreamy and like a big dissociation when playing. It's a sort of “oh, this is weird, but everyone else thinks it's normal, so I should…try to pretend that it is?” You're kind of like an outsider to all of these people and worlds, even if you're playing as someone deeply set into them. There's text-based stuff, there's visual novel, there's narrative RPG Maker game, whatever I'm able to do. I'm not a good programmer, but I sure as hell can bullshit, which is the primary reason why my work has settled into IF or VN.

⟶ You’ve even described your work as “melancholy, surreal, dialogue-driven”. What influenced you to have such dark vibes in your games?

Of course! My inspirations are hard to pin down, even for myself. I was mostly inspired by my experiences as a teenager when I played games or watched online content that I was way too young to be watching. I'm really into weird ambient and industrial music (Svarte Greiner, Broadcast, Gazelle Twin) and have been, in the past two years, immersed myself in the musical and visual world of Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota and Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter). My dad used to read to me old C.S. Lewis books. My favorite video games ever made are Bloodborne and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Event Horizon is my favorite movie. I was never a Christian, but I witnessed what the thorns of religion did to my friends and my family.

I write in a stream of consciousness (whoops!) and that's part of why it's so dreamy. I barely edit, and I write down whatever comes from my dreams. I just find it easier to write about the dark rather than happy things. Plus, romance is boring if there is no blood. To me, at least. What's a girl to do?

⟶ Are your first drafts often your final drafts, then? Can you tell us a bit more about how a lambda Catsket project happens?

More times than not, the first draft is the final one with minimal edits or huge revisions. It's how I've adapted as an artist in the capitalist machine. This necessity to make quick projects for relevancy or otherwise to make a living. Or it's game jams and competitions that have me making stuff quickly. It's unfortunate, but it's how we have to adapt sometimes. These are the desolate wastes, after all.

I get inspired a lot by jams and competitions! But what inspires those entries is usually previous inspirations mentioned above, spite, or my love for characters from other media. Everything we make is an iteration upon something we already love or hate. We are an accumulated mass made up of every experience we have ever had, from something as fast as a scroll or a deeply traumatic memory. It's hard to parse particular events.

I usually start out by writing a majority of the script in a single fever dream or drawing all of the art without realizing it. I'm not the biggest planner, it's very much a straight shot from start to finish. If I leave something alone for even a day, I never return to it. I get caught up in another project. It's the focus that gets it from a concept onto any platform. Anything that I took a break on I have not returned to.

⟶ Every one of your characters feels so unique, both in design and how they speak. How do you make them all so distinct, and write such natural, flowy dialogue?

I really wish I had good advice for writing characters or writing dialogue. Part of it is just building who they are as a person. I like to parade off of interactions with people I've had in real time. Always reread your work, not just in your head but out loud. You normally get the kinks out, and you might be able to rewrite it to sound more like something a person would actually say. I have certain words I use for certain characters or other cadences. That's really how I go about it. Remember everything your character has ever experienced and package it into how they present now. That's my best way to say it. It might not be helpful, but I feel it just comes with practice! <3

⟶ That is very sound advice. Do you think using voice acting in your projects helps you with the flow and cadence?

It does help, definitely! But, to be honest, I hate having voice acting in my work. Now, hold on!

I love the voice actors I've been using for my projects. But I have this crazy anxiety when I hear people reading my work out loud or reading written work as my characters. It squicks me out, and I almost start panicking! I usually need the help of a friend or the voice actor themselves to parse through the voice lines they did and implement them into games. They're all very skilled and amazing voice actors! It's just a struggle. I'm trying to get over the stage fright, but even if you're confident in your work, it doesn't mean that you're free.

⟶ Returning to character design, how do you make them and, since many appear in multiple games, ensure they fit in any story?

Can I answer with “have a bitchin' Pinterest board”?

Designing characters, whether through visuals or just through text, is something I feel I'm not really strong with, so I fake it by tying them to limited color schemes. Every character of mine, if you look closely, is just black and white with a single color splash. I'm really inspired by obscure styles and high fashion, but I try not to bring the pretentiousness that fashion can harbor.

Just scrape together a mood board. Think of whether or not you'd see these characters you're making in a long line somewhere in NYC. Imagine going up to them and asking them what they're in line for?

This is a signing for an ambient noise artist's third studio album release, they're charging me $30 to sign a cassette and ask him what his favorite color is. This is a clothing pop up for a thrift store that specializes in band tour shirts from the 80s that have coffee stains in the pits. This is a line for a popular Chinese mobile game to earn plastic by participating in a hide and seek game.

It's genuinely a question I ask! Pick the colors, combine outfits you find online (and in your own closet), and imagine where you'd see them. It ties together their personality too.

⟶ Is there a particular fashion trend or period that inspires you the most? Or are your characters wearing an amalgam of everything?

Like in style of literature, I also love all sorts of gothic fashion (trad, vampire, romantic, etc). Also ouji and lolita fashion. Sometimes whatever characters in horror games and movies wear, because damn, it's stylish! I'm inspired by a lot of fashion from the 60s and 70s and wished I liked colors enough to wear it as well. I need my characters to look like they just slipped on a banana peel and fell into the bins of a thrift store. I lived in New York City for college. People wear amazing things. I used to write down what people would wear or try to sketch them in hopes of using the experiences of real people to create characters. Reality is reflected in fiction.

⟶ Returning to your games, a majority of your output is part of the Art without Blood series. What is the reason behind this series of narrative bites?

Art Without Blood is my main universe, meant to be a dream world of magical realism and whatever horrors come to me at 4 in the morning. My tagline for it is “demons, decay, and everything in-between”. It has vampires, it has demons, it has mermaids, and, more importantly, it has humanoids, born from the ancient centipedes, that live in caverns in Northern Canada who wear religious masks made of chitin to conceal their inhuman facial features.

The main game in the “series”, which I just realized a day 0 demo of, is about trying to cure yourself of an eldritch disease that will lead to your body becoming a breeding ground for sentient eyeballs. They'll line your innards and spill onto your skin and infect anyone who even gazes upon them. You can cure it, or the beings that gave it to you can give you their solutions, each of which may be far worse than death.

I found it was just easy to tie them all together. Similar themes, similar aesthetics (reds, pinks, and black slapped together with a pattern dither under 32 colors), similar engines, and similar music. I find a way to fit it into the universe to create a unified body of work. It's easier to host a bunch of games on one Tumblr/Twitter/etc than make a new one for every game.

Plus, it's fun to connect everything together! There's a piece of a game in each one that connects it to the other until it's that picture of Charlie Day in the mail room, cigarette in his hand, eyes wide and red, with his hand against a conspiracy board he made until his body forced him to sleep.

⟶ Your program of predilection seems to be Ren'Py. What about this system that attracted you the most over other IF programs? Would you recommend it?

I've never been very good at programming. I wish I was. I don't know what a for-loop is. Ren'py always advertised itself as a very easy-to-use visual novel engine, and I agree. It's minimal code until you get into UI, minigames, or five million variables. It's definitely a great programmer for beginner VN developers, and the NVL [novel] mode can be really helpful for writing more traditional text-based IF, as it allows longer paragraphs and presents itself, well, like a novel. You can put pretty pictures in the background, adjust your CPS [character per second], easily put in music…all to further immerse yourself. It's easy, and there are hundreds of tutorials and resources on the Lemma Soft forums, on itch.io, and in other places.

I've also done a few Decker and Twine IF projects (ex: A Description of the Newest Sculpture in the Gallery and Photographs from the Summer of 1987), but Decker's replication of Hypercard rarely fits my visions, and Twine's CSS makes me want to eat a rock or two. Maybe ten. Maybe one hundred. Plus, I end up adding art to everything! I'm sorry, there's a monster in my blood that moves my hand to do so! It's just easy to do in Ren'py.

⟶ You've done a couple of games with other creators (like La Terreur sur Roue). How does making games with a team compared with solo work compare? Do you prefer one over the other?

I think there's this thought process that lots of indie devs have that if they do not do everything by themselves that they are not worthy of the title of indie dev, solo dev, whatever you want to call it. But even a lot of the “solo” developers that people look up to had to get a little help from their friends. That's okay. So, I prefer to work “alone”, but I'm not really working alone. I need the help of my audio peeps, even if my projects are universally recognized as just Catsket. I have the input of my friends and my community. I don't feel like I'm really alone.

A lot of people fear group work. They don't want to lose the creative control that they think they have, feel like their work will get recognized but the face behind the work will not. I think that's what the grace of IF is to a lot of writers. Most of it is done solo. I understand that sentiment, but you can't do it all on your own. It's okay to ask for help.

Also, I did university doing group game projects. It sucked.

⟶ Are there creators you absolutely adore working with?

A majority of my work is just Zack Valence and I, but I really think the folks working over at Snacktime Games are great. I've worked with them on My Burning Passion, which was our joke Global Game Jam entry, as well as a few unreleased prototypes. We do regular group coworking calls, and the work they're doing is amazing. Their newest game, Signal Creek, follows three individuals facing the past in an abandoned mall. It's a narrative adventure game being made in Godot, and it's awesome so far!

⟶ Which game you've published so far do you like the most and why?

10:16 is easily my favorite. It's rough around the edges, but it was the project that helped solidify Zack Valence as a contributor to all of my projects. He's a fantastic musician and voice actor, and initially he just wanted to do music. But then he realized that Dorian, the main “antagonist” was a couple eons-old freak, so he came into my DMs and said something along the lines of “y'know how all really old characters in fantasy series are British? Yeah, and I'm a British voice actor. Let me in” or something like that. Since then, he's been helping me with music, voice acting, and other audio needs. He's fantastic if you ever need some voices or tunes for your work!

It also just I think perfectly encapsulates my work. Random goth man that people mistake for a woman. A dark, desolate space in-between the living and the dead. There is nothing chasing you, but there's something underlying that will gnaw at the chain around your neck. A feeling of dread in a strange world that acts so normal. I still love the art I did for it, and it's one of my most well-known! It was an absolute joy to write and put together. I think it's a great starting off point.

⟶ Speaking of Zack Valence, he is not just prominent in your work, but his work was a requirement for audio-inclusive entries for the Zack Jam. How did that jam come to be? And why this requirement?

The Discord community for Art Without Blood realized that we had multiple original characters with Zack-adjacent names. Zack, Zechariahs, Z, and Zachary were just a few. We thought: “why not just…I don't know, make a jam where your main character must be a Zack?” The jam was a blast to host, because Zack Valence made a few original tracks to be used only for the Zack jam. It was super fun, and I hope to host it again every January!

⟶ This is not the only jam you've organized over the past year. Can you tell us how you got into organizing game jams?

Yes! I love hosting game jams. It's my way of giving people an incentive to start working on something. Give them a theme, give them a deadline, and give them some hope. Some great stuff is made when you just give people a limit. If they don't have that, they'll be forever in the clouds. I grew increasingly frustrated with a subset of the visual novel community roleplaying being a developer without pushing something completed out. Even if it's small, it's still a game, and that's what matters. You need to start by making small games. Make sure they're polished, but do not lament if they are shitty.

Earlier this year was the Bluebeard Jam, which was inspired by a conversation I had with Sophia de Augustine about recurring Bluebeard themes in interactive fiction. The entries were mostly text IF, but we also received some really creative games, including a VR game, a journaling game, and a notebook format.

Hosted alongside Omegabutton and KnickKnack PJ were the Worst Visual Novel Ever Challenge and Fix The Worst Visual Novels! Jam events. The idea came from a Twitter post. You make a really, really bad VN, and then you iterate on either your own project or another's in a second part to make it better. We got some absolute gems. It's unfortunate that the fix-it jam didn't receive as many participants, but I understand why. It's more fun to make bad things than to go back and repair your mistakes. There's more shock factory and more wow if you make something purposefully bad. It'll sometimes get you more clicks. Plus, it's easier.

By the time this edition releases, the Murderboy Mayhem 2024 jam will be near its end. It's a simple premise: write a murderous boy as your focal point. The first time we ran this, most of the entries were done by people who had never made a game before.

Upcoming, we have the Tales to Thrill jam that I'm hosting alongside Epykslion, Espoir du Vide, and HelloYinny. It's a three-week visual novel jam where writers can choose one of three themes to incorporate into a story. Very simple yet very effective.

The themes usually come out of thin air. Pull them out of a hat and toss the bunny out.

⟶ Many of these jams include a link to the Sacred Veins community. Can you tell us a bit more about it? How did this server come to be and why did you create it?

I had been in servers previously that were for IF and visual novels that said they were developer-centric, but the ratio was more like 30 fans to every 1 developer. It was sort of stuffy. People tried being parasocial or attaching themselves to have “big friends” in an insanely niche genre.

Sacred Veins is a play on one of my favorite maps in Identity V, the Sacred Heart Hospital. It has all of this pretty Catholic imagery, but what we do is nothing of the sort. It's an 18+ space for upcoming and new developers of narrative games. Many are writing VNs, but there's also lots of IF creators, physical game writers, and other creatives. The ethos is that we want to make stories no matter what pen or pencil we wield. It's great, because we can all be fans of each other's work while also respecting the boundaries. We help each other out, share resources, and playtest for one another. Sacred Veins is where I try to hold monthly game jams. Sometimes it has to be every other month to make way for some of the bigger comps (IFcomp, Spooktober, etc).

There's lots of spaces for developers, but there aren't a lot for the weirdos wanting to make something grimy. Or maybe something very self-indulgent. Sacred Veins is for that.

⟶ Are you part of other creative communities that are similar to Sacred Veins that you enjoy?

Besides professional spaces for career development, I really love hanging around Neo-Interactives. Everyone is super nice, and I think joining their community and getting to know everyone there is an absolute treat.

⟶ Many of your own games were created through game jams, with a few submitted to competitions. Have there been differences in the way you experience ranked and unranked events?

Not at all! I don't enter ranked events for the desire to place. I treat it the same as an unranked competition. I ended up winning Velox Formido without realizing it was a ranked competition!

I might put in a bit more polish and effort, but I fear if I try entering from a competitive standpoint that I'll be anxious and constantly comparing myself to other individuals. What matters most to me is that I made something, and I enjoyed making it.

⟶ We talked about your inspirations when it came to writing and art, but are there any IF/VN games you would recommend to our readers?

Helpmeet Beneath the Skylight is a game that I am genuinely surprised no one has played. There's only 7 reviews on itch.io, but it might single handedly be the most important to my work. It's part IF and part 3D exploration but nonetheless a narrative story about “parlours, pretences, and parasites”.

I also love a lot of stuff coming out of the DOMINO CLUB collective, but Dust Breeding might be my favorite.

Shoutout to a bunch of Bitsy games here, including houserot, UNDER A STAR CALLED SUN, and Mr. Rainer's Solve-it Service, which combines Twine with embedded Bitsy games.

⟶ How'd you come up with “catsket” as your username?

The username was given to me by an old friend after brainstorming something macabre and feline-related. I already knew that my whole aesthetic was going for something dark with splashes of vampires and Victorian waifs who haunt old homes in New England. Catsket was the pun we came up with. It's kind of awful, though, because my phone now autocorrects “casket” to “catsket” and it's embarrassing.

⟶ What are you working on currently? What can we expect next from you? And where can we follow this progress?

I'm currently working on Day 1 of Art Without Blood, whose progress you can follow on Tumblr (@artwithoutblood). This will be the last free update. Days 2-7 will be paid. I have a few side projects that are manifesting when I'm not being obsessed with Pressure by Urbanshade: Hadal Division. Hopefully, I can get to my 3D game about dreams and the IF alternate universe to 10:16.

[ Catsket is and will be hosting a few game jams. ]

⟶ Finally, if you could give one single advice to future creators, what would it be?

Just make shit. It's blunt, it's a bit crude, but just make things. They don't have to be good. Just make stuff! And have fun! Don't do things you don't want to do.

HUGE THANKS TO CATSKET FOR LETTING US SPAM THEM WITH MESSAGES THIS WEEK!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

and don't forget to floss (Twine) is a short game about the pressure we put on ourselves.

Clothes Commissar (Twine) lets you play as a woman who aims to raise the American clothing standards in 1934.

MetaMori (Ren’Py) is a game about death and helping ghosts find peace.

My Name is (not) Alice (Twine) is a horror game where you are forced to play games to escape your captor.

Try Losing One (Unity) is an emotional visual novel about breakups.

Three Days (Twine) is a creepy short game where your path crosses a Banshee.

PLEASE THE EMPLOYERS (GDEVELOP) is a short strategy game where you play a new boss trying to keep it all together.

You're at a party (Ink) is an interactive exploration of queer relationships. Website:

Catherine Pendant la Saint Barthelemy (Twine) is an historical retelling of the massacre through Catherine de Médicis's POV.

Halls of Sorcery (CScript) is the last Hosted Games release, set in medieval fantasy.

Saint Ceri (Unity) is a romance VN where you are a saintess for the Deity of love with a non-existent love life. @maneki-mushi

Un dernier coup de fil (Ink) is the game version of an interactive play, which was performed at the CNAM ENJMIN Angoulême in 2023.

Tempus Libertatis (CScript) is a fantasy game where you control a common person experiencing grueling periods of conflict.

Lull of the Sea (Twine) is a fantasy adventure game where you play a champion tasked to hunt and defeat the Seaborn.

A Story in Letters (Twine) is a slice-of-life puzzle prototype, dealing with death, grief and how we talk about the ones we lost.

Butterfly//Circuit (Ren’Py) is a cybergothic dystopian psychological thriller where nothing is truly as it seems. @wiregrrrl

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

The Kill Petition (Twine) is a dark comedy intrigue project, where you play a prosecutor in a very unusual law system. @thekillpetition-if

Peninsula Campain (CScript) is the sequel to First Bull Run, set during the eponymous American Civil War campaign of 1826.

The Bakshi Family (CScript) is a comedic slice-of-life inspired by the sitcom Full House.

Vestiges of the Hallowing (Twine) is a fantasy mystery project where you investigate strange murders, with your unique condition. @buttercupfiction

Excellent Cadavers (Twine) is a crime focused project set in the 70s. @darkfictionjude

A Crown of Ash (Twine) is the expansion of the Neo-Twiny entry of the same name, involving a gay arranged marriage trope. @a-crown-of-ash-if

Only Flesh and Blood (Ren’Py) is a Call of Duty inspired visual novel with dark themes. @gauloiseblue Website:

O, Your Heavenly Stars! (Twine) lets you play an actor during Hollywood's Golden Age. @darkfictionjude

Starways Saga (CScript) is a sci-fi project where your goal is to become a space pilot.

~ GAMES UPDATES ~

Reaper's Bay (Twine) has updated the Patreon demo. @reapersbayif

Wake to weep (CScript) added extra content to the demo.

Birds of a Rose (CScript)'s demo includes extra routes. @reinekes-fox

The Second Sight (CScript) updated the Patreon demo with Chapter 5. @spoiledblogif

The Brightest Star (CScript) added Chapter 2 to the demo. @brightest-stars-if

Ordinor Ultor (Twine) added a lot of new content with the new update. @ordinorultor-if

The Good People (Na Doine Maithe) (Ren’Py) uploaded the new demo. @moiraimyths

Fellow Traveler (Twine) completed Episode 2 of the demo. @robotvampire

HYDRANGEA (Ren’Py) updated the game to include voice acting. @meidenzone

As the Ocean lures (Twine) added Chapter 2 to the demo. @aurelim Website:

Saturnine (CScript) updated the demo with Chapter 11. @satur9-if

Remember, You will Die (CScript) added a fourth chapter to the demo.

Trouble Brewing (Twine) added Chapter 5 to the demo. @troublebrewing-if

Shepherd of Haven (CScript) updated the Patreon demo with new routes. @shepherds-of-haven

The Ascendent (CScript) added extra content to the demo. Website:

Era of the Archdemon (CScript) has completed Chapter 3.

Katewing's Adventure (CScript) is looking for beta-testers for feedback on the rewrites.

Prismatic (CScript) added a second chapter to the demo. @prismaticif

The Game of War (CScript) updated the demo with extra content. Website:

Eschaton: The Rebirth (CScript) has completed Shiva's route in Chapter 2.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (CScript) made Chapter 5.2 public. @doriana-gray-games

The One Chosen (CScript) added Chapter 31 to the demo. @parrotwatcher

Obsolete Stars (CScript) added extra content to the demo. @obsolete-stars-if

~ OTHER ~

The new issue of the Amare Fortnightly Bulletin is out! If you're looking for Amare games, check out issue 21! @amaregames

If you are interested in reading academic writing about narration and interactive fictions, but find 300+ pages dissertations overwhelming, Josh Grams wrote down some notes on Stacey Mason's Responsiveness in Narrative Systems.

BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL (Ren’Py) is looking for a programmer (paid work). Find more about it here. @foxglovegames

Honor Bound (CScript) has moved to its revision period, and is looking for as much feedback on the pre-released chapters as possible ahead of the official beta. @hpowellsmith

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ I created games for myself but… ~

It’s been three years. Three years since I deleted my dev account and removed everything I posted about my games. To the best of my ability, I deleted my presence from the internet, one day, without notice.

And not one day passes by without feeling relief. A strange thing to admit, maybe, but nonetheless true.

It's been long enough that people have stopped trying to contact me. I'm now only passing mentions and a mystery - which is more than I deserve…

Seeing cries from readers wanting closure from incomplete projects kind of prompted me to write this. I hope understanding is what people take from this column.

I used to create narrative games, mainly short ones, mostly text only. I found this community by chance, really, while trying to find writing groups for more traditional formats. The interactivity aspect seemed fun, and my creativity grew to a whole new level. People were supportive and there was this cool sense of comradery - all of us n the trenches, trying to figure out this medium (and ourselves).

Over the years, the community expanded and changed - as every group does. And I saw less and less of myself within it. By the end, I almost despised it. Or more that I despised what I had become.

So I deleted everything.

When it came to this point, I had been frustrated for a long while, and realized the toll it had had on myself and my relationships with both other members of the community and my own projects. I was frustrated with my writing style, my capabilities to tell the stories I wanted to share, but most of all… I couldn't handle the (lack of) responses anymore.

I honestly never thought any of this would ever affect me. I had learnt early on about traditional publishing that getting any kind of return about your work is pretty abysmal. And it was with this care-free attitude that I started making games: I didn't need anything but my words and my scrapped-together code.

For a long time, I didn't understand other creators talking at length about their struggles, how they had troubles staying motivated or cared so deeply about what others said about their projects.

I'd roll my eyes at them when they would complain specifically about not getting comments or messages about their games, thinking they were just not as passionate about making things as I was, or making excuses for their lack of progress.

In retrospect, I didn't understand because I was still finding joy, then, in what I was doing. I could write what I wanted without problems, I liked what I was working on, and found any problem fun to solve! The simple act of creating was enough for me.

So I'd just do my own thing, write what I wanted, tell the stories fighting in my mind, throw them out into the web wilderness, and essentially forget about them. And that worked for me for the longest time.

Only… that attitude was starting to become a problem. Though I would keep all these feelings bottled up, since I felt too superior about myself to start this kind of drama, I still started to resent others. In their vulnerable state, they bravely and openly admitted what I was afraid of even admitting to myself.

Instead, I blindly prided myself with the adages: “I create for myself”, “I don't care for numbers” and “It's all just for the vibes”. I wore my disdain for those who chased any kernel of appreciation like a badge of honor on my cocky chest, often delighting internally in seeing others struggling. I made it all part of my identity as a creator.

The carefree attitude I displayed, the lack of compassion I privately had towards other, this… “superior” sense of self I had… all of this only simply hid my insecurities, all the troubles I had with my own work that I kept ignoring. Lies I told myself to cover any glimmers of hardship.

A cowardly and destructive way to deal with my emotions. Though, less cowardly than other insecure authors who would send each other hate with sockpuppets. At least, I kept all this to myself.

As much as I touted that I didn't care about it all… I would often catch myself staring at analytics, checking them more and more regularly, refreshing the page for notifications, comparing my abysmal responses to the newer and more popular authors.

So I struggled for a long while with this dissonance within myself, pushing forward this nonchalant and carefree image of myself, while suppressing this deep desire of being vocally perceived by others - not like I accepted this as a need of mine at the time.

And that reflected in my creative process. I would swear at myself for making even the smallest of mistakes in my first drafts. I started deleting sound projects, ones I used to be excited about, because of minor details that would bug me, believing those to be the reason why my games weren't good enough to warrant a reaction. That I wasn't good enough to warrant a glance.

The moment where it all shifted for me was during a competition, in which I had not only done poorly but someone who had looked up to me until then, whom I supported in their creative endeavors, took a top spot in the ranking. While I was getting eviscerated in the comments, they were showered with praise. What should have been a celebration, seeing my pupil shining so brightly, so deservingly, became utterly sour to me.

I sat in front of the screen for many hours in complete disbelief - not just about my failures, but my reaction to the whole thing. It was the cold shower, the hard look into the mirror, the rude awakening I needed. And I broke down, disgusted in myself.

It shouldn't be a surprise to read that I had burnt out by then. I was pushing myself to the absolute of my limits, hanging on by a thread, while I stupidly forced myself to keep up with this charade.

I wasn't happy anymore. In truth, I hadn't been in a long time. The lies I told myself to keep the ball rolling no matter what had come back running, and were taking a big toll on me. And I was unwilling to see…

Even if I kept saying I was “creating for myself”, this was actually just the half of it. Let's be honest here, no one putting their work out there just “create for themselves” - if they truly did, they wouldn't feel the need to share it with the world. No, instead, they'd just create, put it in a drawer or on a shelf, and that would be the end of it.

We might create for ourselves, but really, we share our work with others. For the simple and small reason of trying to create some sort of connection with them. No matter the medium, we share our crafts to invoke a reaction, to make people stop for a second and feel something (good or bad, it doesn't matter).

Of course, we all share our work for different reasons, whether it is to be seen and perceived, to make people think, to educate them, to reassure them, to make them feel nostalgic or maybe hopeful. But it still results in creating that connection, between the creator and the user. That intangible and ephemeral link between two strangers, unknowingly tied for just a moment with that piece, never knowing of the other's feelings.

Of course, quite a few users will take a moment and share their feelings about the work, through numerical ratings, short or lengthy comments, full-on reviews, or even sending the work to others. Making in turn that connection more real and less ephemeral.

We rejoice when this happen, full of glee when someone points out a detail or connects the dots, molt from the warmth of happiness when others rave about our craft, beaming with pride when its value is recognized. We feel seen, perceived, and maybe even a bit understood.

It is this connection that keep us, whether we like it or not, to work on our craft, to strive to do better, to grow as creators. The hope that maybe one person will experience our work and be like: “I get it, and I see you.”

It is incredibly rewarding to have even strangers acknowledge your existence as a creator, praise the efforts put into the craft, see the value in what you are doing and making sure you know it is being noticed. Even if you don't expect any engagement.

Though, oftentimes, it is with utter and complete silence that our craft is met. Even when posting in the right channels and using the correct tips and tricks, many creators end up screaming into the void.

Of course, we should probably not expect engagement, as rewards for our efforts, expect people to enjoy something because we are passionate about it (though it does show), expect some stroke of luck that the algorithm will pick up our project and not another, that a reblog chain will go through that one influencing party and blow up. Popularity is as fickle as it is unpredictable.

But managing your expectations, and even more your own dicey emotions and feelings is not an painless task either. You can't really stop yourself from feelings things (not like you should try…)

And it's quite easy to be swept up by the shining promises of one-off successes when it is all you can see - failure is ever so present but hides in the shadow, waiting for your eventual arrival. Sensible expectations are hard to make when you can't see the “normal”.

It can be very lonely creating things, even if you don't expect people to interact with your work. Even when part of a community that you engage with regularly, it's not really fun to have conversation (via your craft) when you are the only contributor. Monologues are, after a while, really boring.

I didn't throw away everything just after that ranked event. As bitter as I was about it all, I didn't want to be seen as some sort of bad loser who can't handle it. Even though I was and couldn't. I was tempted for a while, to burn all the bridges and drop out, but chickened out at the last moment.

Instead, I took a long break first, to reflect on all the years spent in the community, my contribution to it, and my work. It was bittersweet to go down memory lane, see my first interaction with the community. It was also so striking how everything had changed…

It was actually during that time that I played my own work, for the first time for most of them.

Through it, I saw myself. The good. The less-than-good. And the increasingly ugly. It was becoming all the more obvious that what had transpired within me, the change that happened, was right there, in my words. The excitement turned bitter, the love to hate. I could not believe who I had become: at best, a shell of myself… but that would be too kind still.

Thus, I decided to quit. I had tainted enough of myself and my enjoyment of the craft to stay and repair what I had broken - I felt too far gone to have any chance of salvation. But I just didn't want to just leave it all behind me, I needed everything to be gone. I think I was afraid, somehow, that my “legacy” would be this string of game about growing underlying resentment. It didn't feel right to the space I deserting - they were not the cause of it and didn't deserve the image I painted of them.

And so, three years ago, I deleted my accounts everywhere I had landed, cleared out the games I made, removed all my posts. And just… disappeared.

I stayed away from the community, to sort my feelings out. Taking a long break to find myself again. I still don't really enjoy creating anymore - I burnt myself out too strongly. I don't expect I will for a long while still. But I've learnt to deal with my emotions a bit better. It's easier not to resent others when you are not making anything.

While I am still not as present as I used to be (and I don't think I'll ever be as involved again), I have been trying to learn from my experiences and sort of do my part as an enjoyer of narrative games.

In the past, I felt incredibly lonely, even when surrounded by amazing people. I was there, and people knew I was there, but I never really felt seen from the interactions I had with them. So I am trying, in my own ways, to rectify this a bit for others.

It's often not a lot, and I'm sure I don't do it correctly most of the time, but if I can make the day of at least one person with a few words, if I can make them feel seen like I wished I was, then any effort is worth it.

I might have created games for myself, but I shared them with others to form connections. What's the point of craft otherwise?

A FORMER CREATOR

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Arcadie: Second Born by Sofia d’Asb @sofia-d-asb (Twine - itch.io - IFDB)

“The game is complex in a way that choices and differences in views with the cast of characters have an impact with your relations to them and the overall ending of the game. It had been nerve-wracking honestly with the varied reactions to choices. Dynamics in the game brought the story's world to life.”

//submitted by WitheredSnow//

VESSELS by CatTrigger @cattrigger (Unity - itch.io - VNDB)

An atmospheric horror micro VN made for the O2A2 jam, where you are tasked with investigating a disappearance in the deep and creepy tunnels of the company. Will you find the truth and make it out alive? A great example of pacing and thrilling build-up with few words.

//recommended by anonymous//

Superluminal Vagrant Twin by C.E.J. Pacian (Inform 7 - itch.io - VNDB)

“Stuck between the limited actions and the seemingly endless travel possibilities, SVT is an incredible journey through the universe. It might be minimalist in gameplay and prose, but it has so much charm and heart. It's an excellent introduction to IF, even with its more experimental aspects. With little… SVT gives you the world.” Transcript: https://www.allthingsjacq.com/intfic_clubfloyd_20190616.html

//submitted by Ergot//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserve some highlighting? A old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone? Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Joey Tanden's interview in the last issue was so interesting! I'd never been interested in all the coding aspect of games, but it was so detailed, yet easy to understand. I didn't know there were so many flavours of text-adventures! - MaudIFStorm

has someone done some sort of drama recap of IF comps? because looking into that withdrawn VN from #14, such juicy tea! and I WANT MOAR! also eyeing the comp now o-o - Dramaramaram

For Rich, Aaron Reed has some game deep dives on his blog. Mathbrush has covered competitions, and Emily Short wrote a general brief history up to 2016. You might also find this article interesting. - ThereIsMoreButICantFindIt

Ey'll think it's so cringe, but it's payback for what ey did when ey celebrated mine hehehe :P I know you're reading this Bôo every SAT, so happy birthday to my little boo <333333 - Lola

this shoutout section is so freaking lovely, yall are so nice and i hope i get to be on there next!!! i'd like to send lots of love to the first author i've followed here and made me love IF: nell of Body Count (@bodycountgame). i hope you're doing well!!! - ApoBody

Reading the zine makes me both happy and sad. I get to check out new stuff, and then remember there's essentially no proper community here… - anonymous

Have something to say? Send us a message entitled: Zine Letter!

Before we end this issue, we would like to thank:

A Former Creator, ApoBody, Dramaramaram, Ergot, Lola, MaudIFStorm, ThereIsMoreButICantFindIt, WitheredSnow, and a bunch of you anonymous users!

For sending news, helpful tips, cool links, filled form, written Sheet line, even emails… all these help us so much to make this Zine possible!

To the wonderful users who sent us cool recommendations, thank you! We will do our best to include them in the next issues!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As final parting words, we would like to hint at a major addition a future issue:

Writer, game developer, werewolf enthusiast we'll be talking to Barbara Truelove (@barbwritesstuff) on Small Talk…!

Want to know more about her work? How she came into IF? Or her game dev experiences? Send us all your burning questions!

And see you again next week!

ERIKA, MARJORIE, AXELLE, AND NOI

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 16

102 notes · View notes