#an ad i received on a mobile game.

[crownbeed]

is Duolingo okay?

[boringkate]

You can stream almost any movie or tv show (usually with subtitles) for free on anything that can run a web browser by visiting fmovies.to

If the ads are egregious then get an ad blocker. It's easy to do if you're on desktop. If you're on mobile then Firefox supports ad blocking, but Chrome doesn't. You can still block ads while using Chrome on Android though by installing Adguard.

If you want a higher quality and local copy of a movie or show then install a torrent client (I use Deluge) and find an active torrent for whatever you're looking to download. You can find torrents by going to 1337x.to, searching, choosing on of the top results, and then clicking the magnet link. If the magnet link doesn't automatically open the torrent in your torrent client then right click on it, copy the link, and past it into it (how you do this will probably vary slightly depending on what torrent client you're using).

You can also find movie torrents at yts.mx (which I like using just because it's a nice spot for browsing new releases when I'm not looking for anything in specific).

If you're worried about getting in trouble for torrenting (in canada ISPs are legally required to pass along any threatening copyright notices that they receive for your IP address, but you can and should just ignore these notices) then (instead of paying for a VPN) the website seedr.cc will torrent things for you and give them to you as regular downloads (that way your IP address isn't exposed to anyone other that seedr) (using it also means you won't need to install a torrent client). You don't get much space, but you can get more (without paying) by referring people (who also don't have to pay).

Running a random torrented windows executable can be sketchy sometimes, but you aren't going to get a virus from a pirated movie or song or a console video game rom.

[stra-tek]

Star Trek: Flip-up Communicator history

Star Trek pilot "The Cage" (1964)

The very first version. It's like those see-through game controllers from the 1990's!

Star Trek: TOS (1966-69) The iconic model. Possibly inspired the concept of mobile phones. The case is made from a chopped up Sterling Plastics pencil case.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

A bulky militaristic look. Modified from a real life army radio

Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1983)

A return to a more classic shape. I think the inner part is from some ATM machine plastic model, but I might be confusing my Trek prop trivia.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

The Search For Spock version with added buttons which remind me of ancient TV remotes.

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)

Trek's first prequel, set over 100 years before the time of Captain Kirk brought back flip-up communicators after many years of tapping badges in the 24th century.

Star Trek (2009) U.S.S. Kelvin

At the birth of his son and when the Prime and Kelvin timelines split, George Kirk's communicator is a simplified, button-free version of the classic TOS one.

Star Trek (2009) U.S.S. Enterprise

Designed with input from Nokia, the Kelvin Universe version of the classic Trek communicator. 2013's Into Darkness confirms it receives text messages, too - but I'd hate to try typing out a message with that weird button😂

Star Trek: Discovery (2017-)

Another modernisation of the classic TV series one, this time with an animated screen on place of the moire pattern from TOS. Inside that case is an iPhone for the graphics. For the first time in Trek, it's made explicit that the communicators are also universal translators enabling everyone in a room to understand everyone else (even though nobody's lips should sync up and you should hear overlapping voices which only ever happened in Star Trek Beyond)

Strange New Worlds (2022-)

And back to the TOS series version, with some very minor changes. Strange New Worlds is also the first time it's called a phone in dialogue

[dalekowrites]

After Dark's Update DevLog

Hey there! As promised, this update brings new features, some enhancements, and a few bug fixes that I believe will improve your read-gaming experience.

Features & Enhancements

Persistent Memory for Characters: your party's characters will now remember your past conversation topics and answers, making interactions feel more realistic.

Pansexual Main Character: Your main character can now be pansexual, and can now date...

Nonbinary Option for Max: ...nonbinary Max, adding more representation and customization to your gameplay.

Expanded Special Abilities: I've added seven new special abilities, bringing the total to ten. Can you find all of them?

Updated Geographical Details: I've changed some geographical data, including the pandemic's starting location. Additionally, I've revised geographical distances and character speeds for a more authentic experience. You’ll also notice new geographical and environmental details based on real-world U.S. locations!

Improved Conversations: Certain message exchanges with Rain and some conversations with Michael have been revised—now they should sound more natural and relatable.

Enhanced Gameplay Mechanics:

Collectible Card Game (Beta): I've completely revised the collectible card game. It is now in beta! While it's not fully functional yet, you can already...

Card Game with Michael: ...play with Michael, and you'll be able to fight more characters in future updates!

Revised Sun Damage and Sunscreen Mechanics: The sun damage system has been updated, and there’s now a higher skin tone level requiring sunscreen (I'm also working on modifying the sunscreen system to operate on a usage basis rather than by bottles, but this is still TBA).

New and Expanded Mobile Games: The existing mobile game has been expanded, and I’ve added a new one for you to enjoy!

Flavor Text for Name Choices: When choosing certain names, you’ll now see new flavor text to add a bit of fun and more personality to the characters.

Relationship Revisions: I've adjusted the relationship system to enhance characters' interactions and narrative flow.

Optimized Cell Phone Battery Usage: I've also revised the smartphone battery usage, to make it more realistic (and challenging, obviously!).

Bug Fixes

Various Typo Corrections: You know, things like tohse.

Portable Charger Bug: Fixed a bug where the portable charger from Abby's house would not charge at all. Your smartphone should now be powered!

Friendbook Search Bug: Resolved an issue where players could tell Michael he had been searched on Friendbook, even if he hadn't been searched. Now you actually need to search him.

Other Bug Fixes: I've fixed other minor bugs to improve the overall gameplay experience.

Known Issues

Weapon System Bugs: There are still some known bugs in the weapon system that I'm actively working on. I appreciate your patience (please don't use them on me!)

Sunscreen System Update: As mentioned above, I'm still modifying the sunscreen system to function based on uses rather than bottles. Right now it's a bit unrealistic, but I'm working on it!

Thank you for your support and feedback. Whether you have already received it (as patrons) or are waiting for it next month (as free users), I hope you enjoy this update! ♥

[ Patreon ][ Discord ][ Public Demo ]

[lttl3babybug]

hi um request thingy lil scott and lil wallace regressing at the same time 😖😖😖

Course sweetheart!! Added Mobile mention as well bc HES SUCH A SWEETHEART!! Need more content of him full stop, anywho. Did this as headcanons, hope you enjoy!! <33

Regressor!Scott & Regressor!Wallace headcanons!

(Slight cg!Mobile)

🎸Like I mentioned here Scott regresses in the age range of 1-3 or 5-8

🍸Wallace on the other hand doesn’t tend to put an age to his regression but if he HAD to he’d say 8-11 or occasionally he regresses back to teen years like 14–16 unless he has been swamped and he’ll regress to full infancy

Putting them together induces absolute chaos, as poor sweet Mobile would find out the hard way.

🍸He’d came over to visits his boyfriend and during that meeting Wallace had slipped to around 9 years old, insert convenient excuse for Mobile to leave here.

🎸🍸So naturally Scott was left looking after this very sassy and fashionable 9 year old, with Scott entertaining Wallace as best he could he ended up slipping himself, landing somewhere around the 5 years old mark.

🎸🍸Suddenly the big friend Wallace had previously been bossing around changed, his mannerisms became smaller and more reserved so he deduced that his friend was no longer a babysitter and more of a playmate so he grabbed a colouring book and some pencils

🍸Wallace pays very close attention to how he colours, making sure to stay in the lines and keep the colours as flat as possible so it was nice and pretty and he could give it to Mobile and receive his usual praise

🎸Scott on the other hand…no matter how big for small he is this little one does not believe in colouring in the lines. The sky is rainbow, the trees are purple and orange, the grass is now on fire. Upon seeing this Wallace’s face immediately goes :0

“Scott! That’s not what colour the sky is!” “Well no one gave me ‘d blue :(“

🎸🍸Naturally they stopped colouring after Wallace discovered his friends questionable design taste. They moved onto a pillow fort

🎸🍸Most of the work was done by Wallace since he was the older one in this situation but it worked pretty well! The fort faced the tv so Scott could play his video games while Wallace coloured

🎸🍸The sound of the front door prompted the two boys to poke their heads out of the fort, Wallace leaping forward at the sight of his papa. Immediately wrapping himself around him, head on his chest

“Alright buddy, hello, it’s nice to see you too” “missed you papa, did some colouring an’ built a fort with Scott!!!”

🎸🍸To mobiles surprise he was greeted with not one but two small ones now in his watch. Two very different small ones.

🎸🍸A timid and nervous 5 year old and a chatty, clingy, back talking 9 year old. Amazing

[wutherwaves]

[NOTICE] Developer Feedback Update (June 2nd, 2024)

A recent developer update was posted earlier today with important information regarding the rest of 1.0, 1.1, and future versions.

Summary of content covered and heavily paraphrased in this post:

Echo development system changes in 1.1

New Upcoming Event

Changes to 1.0 Content

Function & Control Changes

Other Changes

Compensation Rewards & Distribution / Eligibility Requirements

ECHO DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM CHANGES IN 1.1

While Kuro looks into other ways to adjust the Echo and Waveplate systems, the currently specified fixes are:

A new event to yield double the amount of Echo material called "Chord Cleansing" will occur this version.

In 1.1, Echo development will cost less Shell Credits; the reward cutscene of Tacet Fields will be removed to streamlinee farming; and the yield of Echoes and their materials will be increased.

In generally upcoming updates, a Waveplate storage system will be introduced.

NEW UPCOMING EVENT

Kuro will be using responses to the event "Overdash Club"'s design in order to better shape future events. For now, a new event to offer rewards and improve the game's experience will be introduced: "Wuthering Exploration."

This event will reward Astrite x800, Morphable Elite Class Echo I & II, Premium Tuner, and Premium Sealed Tube.

The event will begin at 10:00 on June 13th, until 04:00 June 27th (server time).

CHANGES TO 1.0 CONTENT

Content intended to release further along in 1.0 has been pushed forwards by a week. On June 6th, at 10:00 UTC+8, many new things will unlock, including:

Yinlin's Featured Convene, "When Thunder Pours"

Yinlin's Companion Story, "Solitary Path"

The event, "Alloy Smelt"

Many other events and features

This also means that 1.0 will now be ending June 28th, at 06:00 UTC+8.

Version 1.1, "Thaw of Eons," will include:

New area, Mt. Firmament

New featured resonators, Jinhsi and Changli

New boss, Jué

FUNCTION & CONTROL CHANGES

Many functional changes have either been introduced or planned.

"Combat Camera Correction" on PC has been disabled by default. Other combat camera settings have been optimized and adjusted.

In the future, a "Disengagement Warning" will be implemented for combat.

Mobile controls have received and will continue to receive improvements.

In 1.1, the prerequisite to use custom keybinds is being reduced to Union Level 2. With this, a new player tutorial to help with this will be added, as well as more keybinding options for all supported gaming modes, and a future controller mode for mobile devices.

OTHER CHANGES

Please remember to contact Customer Support or submit other forms of feedback if you encounter any bugs, crashes, or other issues. Other changes include:

Added a "Weekly Purchase Limit" in order to not accidentally buy hundreds of an item.

Audio is being improved and related bugs investigated.

Fixes for crashes and other stability issues are being implemented as investigation continues.

The event, "Depths of Illusive Realm," will receive lots of new content and changes in 1.1.

COMPENSATION REWARDS

Shell Credit x1,000,000 for echo costs

Distributed by 23:59 June 10th (UTC+8) Character Creation + Mailbox before 10:00 May 30th Valid until 05:59 July 3rd

Crystal Solvent x20 for echo waveplate costs Forging Tides x5 for Verdant Summit translation error Radiant Tides x10 for timing adjustment inconvenience

Distributed by 10:00 6/3 Mailbox Valid until 05:59 June 28th

[sburbisk-webcomic]

[Lowkey... Follow the cat.]

Melody sits at her desk, curiously inspecting each element of her equipment loadout. The matching white leather necklace and cuffs she received from Stratus as Valentine’s gifts are enchanted with “Girlfriend Privileges.” The game has given her an increased damage stat for having her phone equipped as a phone from the jump. She plugs said properly equipped Android into her desktop, seeing her phone, the cord, and her computer glow purple neon. 

“That’s neat. I wonder if I can talk to my friends without skûpe now.” Melody comments, continuing through the comments on her outfit. “Not quite yet,” the British narrator chimes through her computer speakers. “Once everyone has their mobile interface installed, you’ll be able to use the party chat function.”

“!!! Does it have text, or just voice chat?” Melody asks, a bit surprised to be addressed directly by the disembodied posh voice. 

“It contains both, at least after you’ve all finished your first quest. Initially, party chat is only text. By the way, you can give me a nickname for ease of reference.”

“Hmm.” She sees the SBurbisk app open on her phone, and takes a moment to ponder the simple design before unplugging the cord. “I’ll call you Apollo.” 

“A fine name,” Apollo says, a small microphone icon appearing in the corner of her interface as they speak. “If you long-press that SBurbisk title card there, you’ll see a menu to help you along your adventure.”

Melody navigates to the options menu, opting to toggle on the closed captions. “Glad to see that feature. More games should have that. Who would pick Ultra Hard difficulty right at the beginning?”

“Some players find the added challenge of having a near-pointless map interface to be more enjoyable.” Apollo’s narration now appears as text on her phone in addition to their voice through the speakers. 

She clicks through the gear comments on her desktop again to see Apollo’s recommendations before stepping away from her desk to put on a bra and some Adventuring Shoes. She sees her Emergency Pocket Torch, and decides to grab that as well before embarking on her quest. She uses the equipment screen to check if her stats have changed. 

“. . . A flamethrower? I use this thing to light my friends’ pre-rolls in the wind.”

“Yes. Be careful with it; you’ll notice as you venture outside that this isn’t exactly a normal city. Though I don’t think anyone will be needing their prerolls sparked, the flame on that thing would easily singe their entire face off if you tried it.”

“Heheh. Cool.” Melody grabs her daybag, already stocked with incidentals and extra snacks, as any respectable purse should be.

Apollo chimes in, “Congratulations, you are now adventure ready!” 

“Yay!” Melody says softly as she exits her house.

Upon stepping outside, she realizes what Apollo meant by this not being a “normal city.” It is, in fact, not a city at all. Despite it being about 4:30, the whole sky is sunset hues. The sun, poised almost cartoonishly atop low hills in the distance, is . . . blue? The saturated dark blue of an ink pen. The suburban landscape she would usually see is gone, her house now alone in a pastel landscape of rolling hills that almost look like scoops of soft serve. 

Melody stands outside her house, the bizarre appearance of her new environment jarring her a bit. She sees what looks like a Rather Large black cat appear from seemingly nowhere, as well as other dreamish creatures materializing about the ice-creamscape. “A kitty! I wonder if it’s friendly,” she wonders aloud, holding out one hand as though to offer the creature a treat. It approaches, the details of its floofiness becoming more definite. The dimensions of the beast are sharpening as well; Melody can tell this cat is At Least a whole foot taller than her. 

The allure of soft fur and giant paw pads turns to a bit of fright as the cat approaches. Its fangs are visible like its snout were merely skeletal, large human eyes with bright white irises and uneven pupils seem to see through her. The cat sits down a few feet in front of her, curling its luscious tail about its massive paws. 

“Hello,” the creature begins, its voice distorted and electronic. “Welcome to Land of Kawaii Illusions. I have a quest for you.”

The resonance of the cat’s voice certainly suits the terror of its face. It certainly crosses our hero’s mind that a cat this size probably has the power level of a small enraged tiger, and as such could potentially render her to shreds. She refrains from attempting to pet the six-foot cat.

“A quest? What does it entail?” Melody asks, outwardly unperturbed. 

“Accompany me to the Cave of North. There, I will instruct you on the ways of this land. Feel free to pet my soft fur.”

“Sounds a little sketchy to me. What’s your name, kitty?”

“I am called Creamsicle. What is your name, inquisitive child?”

“I’m Melody. And I’m 25, so definitely not a child. Let me ask my mobile interface.”

“You adventure log indicates ‘follow the cat?’”

“Well, let’s go then! Lead the way, Creamsicle!”

Creamsicle leads the way, an old-looking pathway appearing before them as Melody walks alongside the giant cat. She gently pets Creamsicle’s tall leg, finding its fur to be quite soft indeed. 

“So,” Melody begins, “does everything on this planet phase into existence from nowhere, or is that just because I got here like ten minutes ago?”

“As you explore the land, its locations will fill in your Adventure Map. I don’t recommend venturing beyond the tall mountains.”

“Uh. Why not? Adventuring is about exploring everywhere.”

“You would essentially fall off the edge of the planet. I attempted it myself once.”

“But isn’t there like… outer space to float into? SUrely I wouldn’t just dematerialize into nonexistance.”

“Hm. When I fell off, I fell for a very, very long time, and landed on my feet inside a strange cave. After that, I took a nap.”

“Why wouldn’t the same thing happen to me then?”

“Because you, dear Melody, were born on Earth B7x52, meaning you are made of carbon particles and other physically touchable stuff. Enough questions for now. We’ve arrived at the Cave of North.”

Before her stands indeed a “cave,” a vaguely shaped pile of. . . something rising from the hard-frozen sherbert ground. The shape looks like rocks, if rocks could be cell-shaded and transparent. There is a normal looking door, with the same purple glow she saw on her computer earlier. 

“Is this place a hologram?” Melody asks, reaching for the glowy doorknob in hesitation.

“I suppose so. I’m just a beast-cat. Come on now, open the door. My treat giver is inside.”

[next chapter pending.]

[natsumiheart]

Ever since I met you.

…Hello world! Lmao

Hi, I'm Natsumi, and I'm wondering who is even reading this but if you are, welcome to a very long post about how I got into Tears of Themis, how it helped me through such a hard time, and how I ended up falling in love with a certain detective.

I made this post for an event on hoyolab but I’m posting it here too in my trashcan! I already wanted to have a post documenting this online just for myself, even if in the future I cringe while reading it, I can look back and remember the emotions I felt through the year. I also wanted to share it with the world so that maybe people will feel like me, or come to appreciate this character that I love so much as much as I do. (you’re free to reblog btw!)

Warning: This post is mostly about Luke!

It contains spoilers about some Luke cards and some spoilers for his Blossom Chapter. There are small scenes from episodes 2 and 5 of main story as well. Oh, and Artem and Luke 2nd anniversary cards.

If you are here because you’re interested in learning or reading more about Luke and do not care much for the rest, I recommend the interlude, part 6, and The end: part 1. The other parts also talk about Luke and his stories but those are the most important in my opinion.

Due to Tumblr’s 30 image per post limit, this will be divided into 3 parts, each part added with a reblog.

______________________________

Index because this post ended up incredibly long so here are the parts laid out to read anything you’re interested in!

> Part 1: Introduction

(How did I learn about this game?)

> Part 2: Contact

(Getting the game)

> Part 3: The Beginning

(Starting the game and first impressions lol)

> Part 4: Falling

(FOR LUKE AHAH)

> Interlude: Luke Pearce’s Fear

> Part 5: Obsession

(How and why did this obsession start?)

> Part 6: Reflection

(Thinking back on Luke’s personality that attracted me)

> The end: Memories

(Extra memorable moments)

______________________________

Part 1: Introduction

I play Genshin (shocker) and I have some online friends who play it as well, so when Tears of Themis came out globally since it's made by Hoyoverse as well, most people who played genshin went to check it out. I discovered Tears of Themis through those people, and I was recommended the game by my online friends.

What was my response?

“I have no phone storage.” AAHAHAH, yes. I'm not a day one player. I only started during the second anniversary because back when the game came out despite being interested I could not play because I did not have any device that could handle the game. My phone could not handle Genshin's size either, it's not compatible to begin with- I played Genshin on the PlayStation [emoji]

However I did not forget about the game, I was just hoping that somehow one day, a miracle will happen and I will be able to play mobile games like other people LOL but what are the odds of that happening?... Well, a miracle happened 2 years later.

Bonus: I had a little beef at the time with Artem because I kept thinking drawings of him were actually of Jumin who is a very well written character I love like crazy from mystic messenger since 2016 BWAHAHA

Every masterpiece.. has its cheap copy.. IM JKJK PUT THAT KNIFE DOWN AHAHA

______________________________

Part 2: Contact

So one day I was visiting my aunt's house and met my cousin's acquaintance. I met the guy for like.. only 2 hours and during those hours my cousin told him about how I draw digitally but I have been drawing on an 8 year old phone that stays alive for like 30 mins at a time AHHAHA

The guy was like “That's it, I'm getting you an iPad to draw on.” I laughed, thinking he was joking- but then 2 days later I received TWO iPads, one for me and one for my little sister! W t f. Angels do exist on earth? And I was never able to thank him in person because he's a busy guy who only visited my village and I never saw him again o.o

Can you guess what I started doing when I got it? Download a bunch of games I wanted to try throughout the years but couldn't! Among them was Tears of Themis. My house didn't have the best Internet and had a couple hours of electricity a day so I downloaded it very slowly at my aunt's house.

I remember so clearly about how I sat next to my sister as I was downloading the game, and it started playing the second anniversary promotion video since it was starting during that time. At first I was like “aww, they proposing!” but suddenly things turned spicy and I almost dropped the iPad from my hand HAHA.

I did not know what to expect going into this game because I stayed away from spoilers and videos about it since I knew I wanted to get into it myself one day (I was interested in the main story). It made me sad too to be honest because I wanted to play it but couldn't, so I avoided it for years.

I however, did not expect at all that the game would get THAT spicy LMAO my sister noticed my reaction and she was like “What's up?” And I was like “you cannot see this” though she is older than the game’s age rating AHAHHA

______________________________

Part 3: The beginning

I was so excited getting into this game! When I started I was incredibly hooked to the main story, and at the time.. hear this.. I had a bias towards Artem because he looked like Jumin AHAHA

I was honestly more interested though in the main story than the boys, because the boys didn't make me feel much at the time- I do not have a “love at first sight” I never had that kind of experience for real life people or fictional people. (Anyone can experience it, and that's valid! It's just for me personally that never happens.)

After knowing characters and learning more about them, that's when sometimes- I fall in love with them as a character, they end up giving me so much happiness just seeing them, they give me comfort.. And they fill up my sketchbooks HAHA is this love romantic? Usually no, that's very rare!

I did not feel much for Artem (turns out the only thing he and Jumin have in common were their looks and being socially awkward, shocker-) but I had a little interest that led to me pulling for his second anniversary card when I started being able to wish. I lost- and got a standard Artem, but then I won and got his card LMAO you can get a lot of wishes starting off. However I was doing the stories of the standard SRs, along with the main story and someone.. someone was warming up a lot to my heart.

______________________________

Part 4: Falling

The boys were all very interesting and lovely characters! (The NPCs as well!!)

Artem, despite how he comes off at work, is actually just a shy guy who is bad at communication outside of work.

Vyn is actually a very interesting and well written character being very different than the rest of the cast due to his unique upbringing (honestly? His family feels like a cult, bro literally is running from a cult) and you learn more about his own psychology the more you get to know him.

Marius is literally just an artist who wants to chase the life he wants but is hindered by responsibility and his position.

And Luke- Luke stole my heart LOL

First off, he's a detective and I've already confessed online to having a thing for detectives by a drawing- that starting since I was a kid and I watched detective conan🧍‍♀️his introduction chapter.. was very interesting. It was literally the first episode, Rosa clearly knows and cares about this character right off the bat you're like hmm? What was this guy doing for 8 years? Why did he show up now after so long? Almost making him suspicious even. But he and Rosa seemed so close despite it all.

After that Luke had started showing up in the story here and there, a moment that made me go “ohh.. what a cool guy.” Was when after Marius’ case in episode 2, he shows up on a bike like “get in we outta here” and saved her from all the reporters.

His theme plays at this scene.. my heartttt

Revealing he'd been watching her and the case from afar and was literally waiting for her to get out and get her away.

I started reading the standard SRs, the first one I did was “Among the great blue” which honestly I recommend everyone doing again because I bet you all do not remember Luke saying this about Jellyfish

The card made me go *the rock eyebrow raise* GAHAH and at the time I was all innocent, not knowing anything about what Luke was going through, so when Rosa woke up and did not find him sleeping next to her (after she invaded where he's supposed to be sleeping lmao) and Luke was hunched over like “I'm fine I just accidentally swallowed gum lol” I actually believed him 💀 there were signs, but it would fly over a player's head until things are revealed ON THE FIRST FREAKING ACT OF HIS PERSONAL STORY and suddenly everything makes sense. Wow.

When I started personal story, I was just starting it because starting all of them is part of the “Rookie tasks” event you get when you start the game. Only to be punched in the gut immediately.

This is LITERALLY what you’re greeted with when you start his story 💀

I was starting to warm up to this guy and you're telling me.. he's sick and planning to leave us.. omg.

I got to choose one limited SR from the Rookie event, and I thought Luke looked adorable so I picked his card "A star in the palm" and the story.. omg that card, I'm weak. Everyone needs to see it, READ IT!

It’s illegal to be BOTH handsome and adorable smh

After that I started WANTING to do more Luke stories so I did the other standard SRs “Radiant Sunlight”, “Timely Rescue”, “Inner Sanctum”. They were all so good, my favorite being Inner Sanctum for how much it messed with my heart.

Dude is literally falling and he STILL makes sure to protect her.

I- was dying. I started pulling for Luke's anniversary card, starting to regret my choice going for Artem's. But he wouldn't come-

So I went back to main story because that's how you get the most schips, and guess what- I had reached episode 5…

______________________________

Interlude: Luke Pearce’s Fear

The way episode 5 starts, Luke joins the NXX and Rosa is incredibly surprised seeing him there introducing himself as an agent from the NSB. Meanwhile Luke… is mad.

At first he can't believe Artem would even make her do this but she confirms to him that it was her decision, and then he spills the truth about his identity, and about where he's been the past 8 years. He apologizes, for lying, for planning to leave her again, for everything.

And then this happens.

You guys, this scene made me go straight up insane. You can tell how much he had cared and loved her for all these years, and how his biggest fear is literally the main character getting hurt or something happening to her. I felt so emotional over it, that after this act I started DESPERATELY pulling for his card and I finally- finally got it

Episode 5 BTW is one of my favorites in the main story, it is 3 parts because it's THAT good. It's when people will start seeing what Luke is as a character, what's beneath the surface you see in episode 1. (Also this episode introduced the best character: Hugh Moss AHAHH)

The parallel between Rosa, and Jasmine (the reporter whose case you investigate), was not lost on me. That reporter died trying to expose the truth which is exactly what Rosa has been trying to do. I think the entire chapter literally is showing you why Luke is so scared of her continuing the path she's in.

But you know what's the best part? He's freaking terrified, yet he never forces her to leave. He says this:

People keep saying Luke is a red flag that keeps trying to control Rosa and her actions and I swear my reaction is always “Are you even paying attention?” Luke never forces Rosa, he only shows he's against it, but he always says he will support her whatever decision she makes.

A similar more light-hearted situation is the story of his summer card “Iridescent Heartbeat” where Luke is afraid of Rosa getting hurt or doing things that are too much for her so he doesn't consider doing things such as Bungee jumping or rafting. But Rosa insists that she wants to do it and when she's visibly afraid later, Luke teases her a bit (LOL)

but then holds her close to him and soothes her saying there's nothing to be afraid of cause he's there.

He encourages her to do what she wants! And when she does indeed get hurt because the rope was too tight around her leg, he does NOT put the blame on her, but on himself-

Y'ALL HOW IS THIS GUY CONTROLLING??

(The scene after kinda got on my nerves cause Rosa got “angry” that he’s not his usual “cheerful self” like girl I love you but please- can’t you see how much you getting hurt affects him? She pretends that she’s angrier than she actually is making Luke apologize over and over like 💀 but tbh it was also funny, I don’t like how she handled it but it was funny lol)

When they go rafting Luke lets Rosa take the lead and he will follow her because she wanted to prove to him that he doesn't need to plan everything, however Rosa's plan backfires, things go horribly wrong and she can't figure out how to get the raft to go straight. Luke again, does not reprimand her in any way and only helps her so she can do what she wants. Later on even after they've fallen off the raft and onto the water he immediately holds her and takes her up to the surface so worried like “are you okay???” And despite all that, he says she's right. That she's always right and he will stop trying to plan and go more with the flow. 

Luke never tried to control Rosa, he just loves her so much that he does not want to ever see her in pain or sad. He wants her to be the happiest girl in the world.

So who is Luke? Luke is the coolest mf, a guy that always jumps into action to help others with a heart so damn big that his own emotions slowly destroy him. He has felt an astronomical amount of guilt and regret since childhood- and has cared for and loved the main character just as long. The girl who is the reason he was able to keep his sanity, the girl who he always wanted to protect, and the girl who is the reason he is still here today. 

I wholeheartedly believe that without Rosa in his life, Luke would've ended up completely different, if still alive at all.

Bonus: I remember people being like, the characters have gemstones that match their color in the proposal ring, so why does Luke have Ruby instead of something like Topaz? This is why.. the ruby in the ring represents Rosa (getting emotional over here omg) and honestly that ring is freaking insane because not only did he design and make it and its box by himself for years.. but a ruby is inside the key that Rosa gave to him.

Remember how Luke when you click on the key in visit says “I wear it like this to have it as close as possible to my heart” now look at the key.. if the Ruby is Rosa, and Luke’s heart is the key, do you see what he conveyed in that ring? Yea, I’m crying too. 

______________________________

Part 5: Obsession

I have a bit of an obsession problem, I've been obsessed with stories, games, or characters and that obsession can last years of my lifetime. And it's understandable, when you're going through terrible things in your life, you get attached to what makes you feel happy and you hold on to that feeling. That's what starts that obsession.

When I got the second anniversary Artem card I did the story immediately and it was.. it was alright. Artem wants to propose, but in his attempt to keep it all secret distances himself too much and gets Rosa worried, but then wow! He proposes with the help of his coworkers and happy ending + things get a bit spicy at the end. 

But I felt like.. like I'm getting deja vu AHAHA like I've seen this kind of story a million times before. (Probably cause I did from watching a bunch of kdramas and having consumed a bunch of stories from a lot of media) It did not exactly get me to feel anything much, I'm sure it's different for Artem stans though having him propose after probably following his story for 2 years XD good on you guys have fun with your mans! 

For me though who had just started, it did not have that much of an effect. After I got the Luke anniversary card I was excited and went into the story oh so innocently not knowing back then that Luke cards are honestly heart wrenching. 

It led to me crying in bed while the sun was rising from the window as Luke says “That's because I love you.”

The way how he blocks the wind from her and lets it hit him instead at that exact moment is freaking PEAK writing.

That card showed me a lot more about this man who is so shackled by his own emotions and circumstance, that he's willing to sacrifice everything even his own wants and dreams for the one he loves.

Have you guys seen that one official art with Rosa posing as Themis? And the boys are represented by the objects around her? Luke is the sword, Artem is the balance, Vyn is the blindfold, and Marius is the snake by her leg.

It starts to make sense why Luke is holding onto her sword to the point of bleeding, he's bleeding yet he looks up to her in absolute devotion not caring for what happens to him and his eyes are only always on her. He’s willing to be her sword, to take all of the pain and protect her so she can be happy.

My life.. has not been what is considered “normal”. I'm not going to give my backstory in this post aHAHAH but at the time when I started Tears of Themis I was going through a very bad point in my life where I was close to have given up completely on my future and accepted my fate as it is. I had shut down completely, and I went back to becoming a shut-in which is honestly something I went through for four years before, it wasn't good. 

When you reach that point, you start becoming apathetic to everything.

Luke however, somehow started making me start having emotions again. Reading and learning about this character was actually affecting me in a way I have not been affected in a long time. He felt.. real, like I could feel his emotions, his love, his despair.

And that's part of why I got so attached to him and he became my comfort, because of him, I started to feel human again.

AHA CRINGE. OK enough with the sadness.

But I'll never forget how much Luke and Tears of Themis helped me keep a grip during those hard months. I'm in a better place now, it's not good- but it's better, and I still just open this game and visit Luke to help me ground myself.

One time after a bad day I accidentally touched him and he said this, I went insane-

I think that says a lot about the state of my sanity AHAHAH 

______________________________

[To be continued in reblog]

[lafaiette]

hello! I’ve been reading your posts about Pen and ☠️ man I hate when that happens, when a character or concept gets scratched from a game last minute and you can just tell. Pen is that. It sucks because from the beginning I immediately knew there was more to his character than they wanted us to believe. My only hope is that Pen’s story isn’t really done? Maybe there will be mention of him in the upcoming game? But even then would that be a satisfying resolution for Pen?

Hello! I agree, he has so much potential, AND YET. We've been given mere crumbs ☠️

I don't know if his characterization got cut during development - iirc his romance was a kickstarter milestone, so they probably added his romance content to his already developed story (and if he was supposed to be the Big Villain since from the start, then they perfectly knew they were giving us another Aadit-like romance... PATHEAAA)

His Chinese version feels much more cohesive and complete. English Pen is... heh. He's still funny and sweet (and sad), but the difference between the two versions is abysmal and, frankly, depressing. The English localizer butchered his character imo.

Perhaps, if fans keep asking for it, they will finally give us more stuff. Logan already appears in the upcoming game (which isn't really "upcoming" - it's a mobile game developed by another company to which Pathea lent the concept), so that's out of the question. Our last hope is receiving more updates and DLCs for Sandrock, and the devs just said in their Discord channel that they are aware of people's desire for more content that isn't centered on Logan and Fang. Their exact words were: "Thanks for your feedback. This is some of the most requested feedback we get. I can't say for sure if everyone will get all the content we would like but we are going to do our best to get as much done as possible."

[synthaphone]

so umm why can't you just use pokemon home 😂

oh i use pokemon HOME, lol. the thing is that i use it so often that ive identified a bunch of problems with it that drive me nuts!!!

ive listed a bunch of my issues on here before, but a big one is: im currently trying to put ribbons on a bunch of my old favorite pokemon, but you can only see what ribbons a pokemon has from the mobile app version of HOME.

so to know who still needs what ribbons, i’d have to boot up the mobile version, check which pokemon have which ribbons, and write their names and what ribbons they’re missing down- so that when i close the mobile app and open the switch app (you cant have both open simultaneously), i can remember which guys i need to move where. now with the spreadsheet, i can filter by ‘Sentimental’ (my category for my favorite individual pokemon) and ‘Pokemon that dont have the Paldea Champion Ribbon’ and be presented with a list of who is missing that ribbon

but also, im collecting info about pokemon i still have in earlier games, because i kept having moments where i’d go ‘what happened to DODE, the Dodrio that my best friend caught when she was 8 years old and then traded to me when we were in middle school?’ and have to start booting up all of my different carts across multiple generations. so why not make a comprehensive directory that spans across all of my games, that i can update to show which game a pokemon currently resides in?

also i just love making elaborate spreadsheets and being able to sort and filter data- its fun for me to be able to see all of the different species i have in Moon balls, or tag pokemon that i received from friends with notes about what i remember, and not have to worry about those tags being lost if i ever move one of those pokemon from HOME to a game (this is how the tagging system included with HOME works lol. i tried to use it! i made a bunch of tags and dutifully tagged almost all the pokemon stored in my HOME, only to find out later that if i moved one to a game and then put it back later, all the tags would be Gone and id have to reapply them all. super irritating!!)

oh another reason i just remembered- i will never remember the hidden ability for every pokemon species, and HOME doesnt have any special indicator if a pokemons ability is its hidden one. on my spreadsheet, i added a column where i can check off a box if a pokemon has its HA, in addition to the column that lists the name of the ability.

[lifenconcepts]

Your Assumptions of me ((I copied the Text)) ->

I presume you probably carried around some sort of toy as a child, you liked to do things by yourself in group projects at school, may have had a certain activity you looked forward spending with a certain person before that person and you grew apart, have a blurry concept of what interests you and more or less just point out things when you see them with “yeah I like/ don’t like that”, have had some odd fandom in the past you swore nobody has ever heard of but you probably sort of forgot now and/or realised that you aren’t the only one, played some sort of silly flash game riddled with dozens of ads, have possibly fallen for one of those “free so and so here!” Ads, in the family gay at school possibly played the mother and/or pet, have some stuff for hobbies you haven’t touched in years, constantly judge your own art despite it being absolutely beautiful, have some sort of hanging decoration on your walls, have a distinct smell of which you associate your childhood with yet can’t pinpoint it, have had certain beliefs/actions/habits you can’t really understand what caused them to form, feel more at home with animals than humans, have probably studied animal behaviour or atleast cats/dogs, own/owned a pet?, have considered something like an exotic creature such as a purple axolotl idk, have made or received a bracelet before, chose shapeshifter if asked what super power you’d like to have.

Let’s go though all of the, shall we.

01. -> I did carry around a Toy as a Child, more specifically Plush Animals. However I only did that as a very Young Kid, because I developed a bit of a Hygiene Funk, meaning I had the Desperate Need to keep all of my Belongings clean, so I stopped bringing my Toys outside with me.

02. -> Yes, very much. I still do, I fucking Hate Group Projects. I either do all the Work, or keep getting forgotten ((mostly the First Option)).

03. -> Again, True. The Activity was just playing on the Playground at School together, and the Person was a Boy, who was known as the Class Clown, and Trouble Maker of our Class. He was a nice kid either Way. We grew Apart after a While.

04. -> True. I always kinda struggle when People//Beings ask me what Interests me, because It’s all somewhat Blurry. I have no Problem what I like, or dislike though, as long as It’s actually sitting in Front of me.

05. -> For me that Fandom was Creepypastas. I know it’s not actually unpopular in English Spaces, but It sure was In Germany. Basically no one around me knew what they even were.

06. -> I did play a Bunch of Silly Games with too many Ads. I don’t know If they Count as Flash Games though. Most of them were either Mobile Games, or Games on a Website that belonged to a German Kids TV Channel, called “Toggo”.

07. -> Surprisingly, I have never actually fallen for any of those Scams. Probably because I was an overly cautious Child.

08. -> Yeah. For the Family Play, I full out refused to be Anything but a Pet. Makes a lot more Sense now. The other Kids started being Super annoyed at me after a while, and just kind of started to stop asking me to Play with them.

09. -> That Hobby is stringing Animals out of Pearls ((I don’t actually know what it’s called)). I still have the Pearls, and the Instructions on how to do it, but I just haven’t touched any of It In Years. Also Diamond Painting. I only own Four, but I still have an unfinished one, that I just haven’t finished. It’s been unfinished for 2 Years now.

10. -> I judge my Art constantly. I definitely am my own Worst Critic.

11. -> I have lots of Hanging Decorations on my Wall, including, but not Limited to, a small Fake Deer Head.

12. -> Yes, definitely. I just started calling the Smell “Nostalgia” in my Head. I mostly seem to smell it in my Grandparents House.

13. -> I can never Pinpoint how literally any of my Believes, and Habits came to be. So this is once again, very much True.

14. -> I always have too. I have certain Memories of me Being at some kind of Farm, or something of the Like, and just being Alone with the Animals, and Full on Avoiding the Humans.

15. -> I studied Animal Behaviours as a Child a Lot. It fascinated me, still does. For both Cats, and Dogs, but also the many Insect I saw In our Backyard. I especially know a Lot about Cat Behaviour, since I quite literally grew up with them.

16. -> My Mother has owned a Lot of Cats over the Years, and the occasional Dog. There has literally not been a Single Year In my Life where we did not have some Kind of Pet.

17. -> A Snake actually. I still do want to get one eventually, though only when I have the Money for It.

18. -> I made Bracelets exactly once, and for some Reason that Memory has burned Itself into my Mind. I kind of want to get Into Kandi though.

19. -> Yes. I’m Non-Human, with many Kintypes, what Super-Power did you expect me to choose ?

HOW did I get all those things right!? Also, truly, you’re so fascinating and I would just love to go for a stroll in the dark night within your mind, like an old man with a cane on an overgrown path, I want to venture into the woods and get lost and found by something so much more than just another person, to find myself within whoever finds me - do you understand?

[noblechaton]

gonna ramble a bit about the ml art style change bc ig I have more thoughts about it than I knew. tagging this as leaks but no like story stuff is gonna be mentioned bc I don't really know any lol

so going off what little we've seen of it (and in arguably the lowest possible quality at that) I think it's gonna make the show very visually pretty which isn't to say it couldn't be or wasn't in the older style(s) but that was def more inconsistent between studios and such so if this new style is the standard then like. yeah it's gonna look great

buuuuuuuut I also think it looks kinda. generic? like what's happened to a lotta brand logos that used to have personality but now all look super flat and simplified. like the Pepsi logo or whatever. it's a similar situation to the movie (I'll get into this in a bit) where like yes it looks pretty but it doesn't really look like Miraculous to me? like ik the style kinda varied somewhat between the studios but it was largely consistent enough and felt much more unique. like I could see a screencap from any timestamp of any episode and place it as Miraculous just bc of the visual style

now tho it looks less unique to me and more....like a mobile game ad? some kinda un-marketed direct to streaming movie? not trying to sound mean or anything but it just doesn't strike that same feeling the old style did for me as of yet. it feels more like an attempt to ape off a generic Pixar/Disney sorta style which the movie's style did too - and that ig is a good excuse for me to kinda dive into my thoughts there bc like. it looks way more like that movie now right? the y'know completely non-canon movie that to my knowledge wasn't received too terribly well lmao. I feel like this is on some level purposeful tho

I made a post the other day about how someone (especially the youngins) might go into season 6 thinking it's actually more of a season 1 only to presumably find that very much isn't the case pretty quick lmao - but that's still a new viewer, which makes number go up, which is a Good Thing. that s6 looks to be something of a fresh start given the whole Gabe in da Ground situation makes me believe this more since I'm pretty sure he got got in the movie too (<- does not remember the movie she saw twice) albeit in a different way. very real chance they view s6 as something of a soft launch pad with the hope of ppl who only saw the movie just jumping in without looking first. I also have an even more insane conspiracy theory that they're using movie assets at lower res for the sake of cost management but again. nutso hunch

regardless I'm kinda surprised they're changing it so drastically this deep into the series and I have no idea how the quality of animation is gonna hold up from episode to episode, season to season. presumably this is part'a why we haven't had s6 drop yet, that they've been working on it thoroughly, but it's been a good minute since s5 ended and I feel like the drought in content isn't really worth it?

like it's been so long that to me sometimes it's felt like the show straight up ended and while I don't mind a wait like this, the show then coming back looking entirely different to how it used to is gonna be jarring. I'm giving it a chance bc we haven't really seen it yet and that footage is very likely a wip of some sort but all the same I'm not terribly impressed? the emotions seem more stilted and flat, there's a few sorta redesigns that look....off (namely Adrichat, imo), and it feels too much like an attempt at cashing in on whatever success the movie might have had by bringing the look of the show more in line with it

think what gets me the most is that the style and animation of the show was one of the biggest things that drew me in beyond the bugcat of it all. it was the first CG animated show I'd seen where I felt as if the animation really worked; the world felt alive and vibrant, the city lived in and populated, but it didn't feel uncanny or like realistic in any sense, and there were plenty of gaffs and flaws throughout but I feel that only endeared the look of the show to me more - it had its own style that stood out for better or worse and I think that played more a role in the show's success than most have given credit for, and now that it's being entirely dropped in favor of a style that feels much more like some generic CG animation style I can't help but feel a bit disheartened and even nervous about the future of the series tbh

want to say that I'm not looking to hate it - I'm gonna give it a chance, and again I think it does visually look pretty, but I feel like it loses a lot of what made the show stand out to me and changes things I don't think really needed changed. time will tell but as of now I'm really not sold on it

also think having a special (or two? maybe?) in the old style just to drop us into the newer one presumably shortly after is kinda weird. wonder what happened there. bad timing? tbh using a special to introduce it mighta helped a bit but idk for sure

[that-wizard-oki]

Some Info on Plunder Hunt

Hey all, saw some folks posting about Plunder Hunt & wanted to share official statements from Hawkules.

First, here's a link to the newsletter about Plunder Hunt for general info.

Second, here's Hawkules statement (via the official P101 Discord) in regards to the feedback we've received thus far:

Begin Quote:

"Real talk.

When a sister company of ours, a game studio of three cool developers, showed us their Pirate game we got excited. We have this really cool chance to help promote the work of people we want to lift at essentially no cost/humanpower to KingsIsle developers. We can share the world that many people know and love and give a neat game a splash of recognizable Pirate101 visuals.

Launch strategy aside.

This mobile game is NOT taking resources from Pirate101. It IS a bonus. A bonus game with familiar characters. A neat option to include in your gaming world if you dig it.

If you don't like it, that's totally cool.

Please don't review bomb an indie studio's first major step into the limelight though. Your feedback on how to make it more fun is very welcome. That small dev team is facing a tidal wave of,,,,, let's call it Responses that is frankly uncharacteristic of this community.

This partnership came from an earnest group thought of "hey this would be cute and neat :D"

Please, please don't let this cute lil game get you upset. It has essentially 0 impact on Pirate101 development.

EDIT: Yes, we know about the ads. We all agree it's a problem. Please standby for news about that…." End Quote

Again I won't speak personally on this because I have 0% involvement with anything reading Plunder Hunt, but it bares repeating: "Please, please don't let this cute lil game get you upset. It has essentially 0 impact on Pirate101 development"

[bodycountgame]

Hi! I'm new! I just start playing the demo and... I know this is a lot of work and you're not force to do this but, could you add a tone indicator? I have seen this in others IF that I read. I would like to know when an answer is flirting, lighthearted, serious and all that. I'm autistic and english is not my native language (sorry if there are mistakes in this ask) so it's difficult for me to understand some dialogues 😞

And If this is already an option where do I activate it? (I'm playing on mobile)

hi anon! i've thought before about adding a tone indicator and i'm not sure it would work for a couple of reasons.

the first is that the tone of the dialogue options you select in body count varies depending on MC's personality - what one MC says grumpily another MC might smile through, etc etc. i hope that when you play through with different MCs even the same options can sort of feel distinct for that reason.

secondly, i know that some IFs structure their dialogue responses around specific tones (i.e. a friendly one, a flirty one, a sarcastic one, a grumpy one) and can provide tone indicators fairly simply on that basis. body count isn't really structured like that and each dialogue option could arguably be a multitude of different things depending on where the conversation continues to go (e.g. what starts as a sort of aggy conversation can often turn flirty, so i feel like labelling it as negative might be misleading when future flirts are locked behind it?)

i also struggle with whether to label the MC's intention or the character's response to dialogue - just because MC is trying to be nice doesn't always mean it will be well received, and i worry that readers any classification might be more misleading than helpful on that basis when (i.e. if i say an option is a friendly because mc is trying to be friendly, and then the character they're talking to rebuffs them horribly because they don't like that, and the reader is like nell what the hell you said this would be a nice chat???)

all this to say in a very wordy way that i don't know how i would make a tone indicator work. however, i am totally open to continuing a conversation about it. are there specific options that you struggle with more than others? are there specific choices that are particularly unclear? are there specific choices that are more clear and styles of choice that i should use more going forward? tumblr anon may not be the best place to chat through it, so if you ever want to give more detailed feedback semi-anonymously then there's always email (bodycountif@gmail.com) or discord if you have me there.

i also feel like i should point out that there is a back button in the game, and if you are usually okay but one option isn't quite what you thought it would be or you want to see some others, then that's something that can be used to revisit the previous scene and make your choice again.

[etaleah]

My Sonic Predictions and Hopes for 2024

Admittedly some of these are things I want to see happen rather than things that are likely to happen, but what the heck, I’ll list ‘em out and see if any of them end up coming true. 🤷🏻‍♀️

A one-shot for the comics involving either springtime or Valentine’s Day. I think spring is more likely since (1) they’re avoiding romance and Valentine’s Day is a romantic holiday, and (2) having a springtime one-shot nicely follows the trend of having Endless Summer and Winter Special one-shots.

I’m pretty pessimistic about the third movie still happening in 2024 given how stubborn the studios are being about the strikes, so I’m guessing the release date will be pushed back to 2025. However, I do think 2024 will bring us a trailer/teaser with some news about casting and whether any new characters besides Shadow will feature.

Part 3 of Sonic Prime, which will likely involve something bad happening to Shadow for reasons explained here. PLEASE LET THIS ONE BE TRUE I NEED PART 3 NOW

A DLC, update, or some kind of “Plus” pack for Sonic Superstars since that seems to be the trend now.

I doubt we’ll see much more for Frontiers since it won’t really be a new game anymore and will have already had a big update. Maybe a few minor tweaks like a new outfit or pair of shoes.

A new Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games title since 2024 will have the Paris Olympics.

More Sonic Symphony tour dates, one of them probably being New York since that’s a really big city for them to leave out.

More merchandise, possibly featuring Shadow to tie in with the third movie.

The Knuckles TV show released on DVD (hopefully).

The comics will take a darker turn again. They seem to alternate between dark, serious arcs and fun, light-hearted arcs. Right now, they’re on Misadventures, which is fun and light-hearted, so I suspect that at some point in 2024, things will turn serious again.

I also suspect that Starline might be revealed to have survived after all, but that could just be wishful thinking on my part since I like his character and was sad to see such a cool villain go so quickly.

Another visual novel or some kind of storybook thing that builds on the success of Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog. No way is something that successful gonna be a one-time deal.

A remaster or re-release/port of an older game. The titles I think are most likely are Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, and Sonic and the Black Knight. Adventure 2 would tie nicely into the release of the third movie (especially if they’re adapting its storyline) and they clearly know how popular it is since they released a new figure for it and put City Escape in one of their other games. Heroes is possible since it’s 20+ years old, had some songs included in Frontiers, and the franchise as a whole seems to be leaning toward having more playable characters and team/partner-based play. Murder and Superstars lean into this hard, Origins added Amy, and Frontiers will soon have other playable characters too, so I think they’re testing the waters for a game with an ensemble cast. The launch of the Fast Friends comic series on their socials also shows a lean in this direction. Black Knight is possible since 2024 would be the game’s 15th anniversary, the storybook setup was well received in Murder, and they seem to be calling attention to it by putting its characters in their mobile games.

Again, these are just guesses and I could be wrong about all of them. We shall see… 👀

[rimeiii]

I feel like WHB getting delayed due to what I assume would be issues relating to explicit content for KR audiences is really just expected atp I'm ngl. It's a very explicit game for sure based on the teasers alone and they've been pushing the limits as to what can or cannot be accepted by the GP.

The sudden announcements are frustrating though, I agree. Especially since it has been delayed multiple times at this point - add to that the added wrinkle of the refunds for KR players this time due to being unable to release in the region.

Because like, here's the thing. Other games have received censorship for being not as explicit as WHB to release in other regions. You know Girls' Frontline? Yeah, that game was censored for release in CN and KR because some of the injured T-Doll art is quite suggestive. Prettybusy (PB) putting WHB for release in KR when the game isn't even rated 18+ in the Google Play Store is bound for it to be placed under scrutiny, imo.

Like. Think of it this way. I'm a Limbus Company enjoyer and that game discusses very heavy and dark topics. Limbus Company is rated 18+, for fuck's sake.

It was delayed from a December 2022 release to a February 2023 release because the devs, Project Moon (PM) wanted to refine it for a better experience. PM has a very small team the size of a high school class, which includes their merch team. It's a bloody, gory fest, with violence and an entire list of trigger warnings at the start. And while the game isn't perfect on launch by all means (in fact, mobile players got shafted hard because of optimization issues, and people joked playing on mobile is the true difficulty spike), people were satisfied enough with the game and plot to stick by it.

I get wanting to reach a wide audience by placing WHB's age rating at 16+ but at some point you'll have to realize some of your content just isn't fit for younger audiences. AFAIK there wasn't any sort of censorship controversy related to the release of LCB - or if there was it's not quite as significant - and it was safely released in KR as well. Gregor (CV: Choi Han) my beloved.

The main issue here with the delays for WHB is the fact that the explicit content is the game's main marketing point. Like, if a game that minors have access to where the focal point of it isn't the explicit content had to be censored (GFL), what about an explicitly sexual game that allows minors to access it? They were already pushing the limits with Love Unholyc from what I gather reading up on the situation, and that game isn't as explicit as what WHB is shaping up to be.

This just feels like an inevitability at this point.

Regardless, I hope PB works out the issues relatively smoothly, and keep being transparent with the issues they encounter while developing the game. All I'd ask for them is to communicate these developments as reasonably sooner as they can. I understand being scared this game won't release but with the amount of love and care they put into this game, I'd still have cautious optimism that there will no longer be delays.