#and the game also had some of the coolest moments i've played through in like. any video game

[pippuns]

finished ff16 :)

[unintentional-edgelord]

Companion post to the previous regarding Girouette and the Double Megamerge, though it goes more into differences between the one in ZX and that in Advent.

From Vent and Aile's perspective, while the double merge has given them the power to keep going, what they had to go through to get there is nothing short of horrible.

The ZX script straight-up tells us that they consider Girouettes' death their fault - Model Z does so, as well. We don't know anything about their dad so we can perhaps assume he was never in the picture, but either way, Giro's death now means that Vent and Aile have lost not one, but two very important parental figures in their lives. Sure, they've got a guiding force in Model X, but unlike Giro they've been matched with him for a week at most, and that bond hasn't been forged quite to that extent yet.

This is also at a point in their lives where they think finally, finally, they have exactly what they need to stop any more lives from being lost instead of being that helpless child they were at the theme park, so it's bitterly ironic that the moment they get the power to do this, they lose yet another parent.

The musical cues in the original ZX add an additional layer to it. On first playthrough, you wouldn't be likely to realise that Fragments, one of the "sadder" songs of the game which is present when Girouette dies, has the same melody as Snake Eyes, the theme of Slither Inc. HQ - interesting that they chose to use this theme instead of Metallic Soul, which is considered the theme of the Biometals and used during other sad moments of the game. Perhaps it's in direct reference to Serpent having a hand in Girouettes' death, the same way it's played right at the start of the game when Vent and Aile are talking about their deceased mum?

Either way, the one-two gut punch of that transition from Fragments to Trinity is powerful as hell; the fade out from Fragments leading into the bass line of Trinity lets you know there's some serious ass-kicking about to happen. Interestingly enough, the leitmotif of Trinity (that synthy bit) doesn't appear elsewhere in either ZX soundtrack; maybe in Rockin On if you squint really hard with the intro electric guitar It's honestly a damn shame because it's one of the coolest tracks in the game. Determined Eyes from Advent didn't allude to it either - but that theme is a whole other level of badass, so I'm not too fussed. Just would've been a really cool callback!

Anyhow, the title "Trinity" as well could not only be a reference to Vent/Aile and both Models X and Z, but could also be in reference to Girouette and the Biometals; those lending the protagonists their strength. The whole tone of the track and the way it's built up really gives you the feeling that something monumental and never-before-seen is about to happen.

It's also interesting to contrast the original in ZX to the Double Megamerge cutscenes in Advent.

In the first one, Vent/Aile look like they're visibly in pain from the strain of the merge, as you can see:

And then they emerge triumphant from it - the pain, the sorrow has now given them the fuel and determination to carry on and become "a hero who can protect everyone." The framing of the scene, coupled with the soundtrack, is iconic and powerful as hell, particularly the shots of the helmet crystal and the hair spreading out like angel wings behind them - both of which are homaged in Advent.

I also like that Advent brought back Metallic Soul and not Fragments for the scene leading up to it. That theme feels a lot more like Vent and Aile's this time around, and hits a lot more poignantly than Fragments would in my opinion. Now if only they'd brought back Rockin On as the boss theme... Advent as a whole could've done a better job of tying into ZX to be quite honest.

As for the scene itself, I know the original in ZX is practically identical for Vent and Aile, but as I've noted previously, they both visibly look like they're in massive pain when they perform the merge for the first time. (It's also never explained why there's an energy surge that kills the mavericks afterwards, although it's super awesome - maybe Models X and Z channelled any excess power from the merge outwards to avoid killing Vent/Aile from too much energy?)

Advent contrasts this for them both, although more so in Aile's case than Vent's. Aile's is obviously a clear homage to magical girl anime, but she looks relaxed pretty much the whole way through, laughing and smiling at X and Z's cyberelves at the start and her joyful expression doesn't really disappear right until the end when she's confronting Grey. Vent's merge hints maybe that he's still in some pain, based on that yell he lets out - but it comes across less like a yell of pain and more like a kiai, feeling incredibly powerful. His scene gives off the feeling that not only has he grown into the responsibility and power that comes with wielding both Biometals, but he also utterly owns it now. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever get over how well-done the snappiness and timing of Vent's scene is.

On a mildly related tangent, though it is nice to see how happy Aile is during the merge in Advent, I will forever be annoyed that her scene doesn't feel as impactful as Vent's. It feels long and unnecessarily drawn out; yes I understand it's a contrast to the original in ZX and yes I understand it's supposed to be a magical homage, but not once (to me, anyways) does it feel to me that "this is the hero who saved the world four years ago."

Not even when we get the iconic helmet crystal forming, or the shot with the hair spread out like great seraph wings.

I mean come on, you're going to compare this from Aile's:

With this, from Vent's?

You did Aile dirty, Capcom.

You did Aile dirty.

(Disclaimer, while Vent is my favourite of the duo, Aile has a special place in my heart as she was who I used during my very first playthrough of ZX, and I'm honestly annoyed they chose to focus more on fanservice than anything else when she showed up in Advent. She so deserved better.)

[prodigal-explorer]

speaking of your turn to die i need your turn to die mutuals you don't understand it's a need

so here are some your turn to die opinions and if you agree with them i'd love to be your homie! i promise i have lots of headcanons and goofy jokes and badly constructed essays.

spoilers for your turn to die up to 3-1b!

my top favorite characters of all time are reko, nao, kai, and jou! honorable mentions are kanna, gin, q-taro, sara, and shin!

i'm honestly not a massive fan of any of the floor masters or dolls in 3-1 purely because i feel like i didn't get the chance to know them well. it's a real shame too because i think they're super cool! just not quite fleshed out enough to my liking. i'm hoping we at least learn more about the floor masters in the finale because they have the potential to be so interesting!

i don't really like shipping in your turn to die, i kinda think it's unnecessary (though i don't hate on people who do ship!), but if i had to pick a ship i like, it would be reko x nao! i think it could be cute, and they have a lot of sweet moments in the game!

my favorite part of your turn to die to play is hands down 2-1. those attractions are so much fun! and all the mystery is insane, the part with the fake mishima ai was INSANEE. i also really liked 3-1 because of the part where you use the lantern to uncover people's memories about hiyori and asu-naro. it was so cool to get a glimpse of people's pasts!

to be honest i'm kind of a noob so i can never get it straight which route is logic is which is emotion (even though it's probably really obvious), but my favorite route is the one where kanna and reko live! i watched a playthrough of a route where shin lives but i didn't really like it as much, even though it was interesting to see that side of it!

this isn't really an opinion, just a confession, but i'm really dumb and really bad at the logic stuff so i lowkey thought it was impossible to save reko for the first like three years of playing the game...i figured it out though!

i've never once used a walkthrough to figure out your turn to die, i've always just used my own brain to figure things out. maybe...uh...maybe in hindsight, that's why it took me so long to figure out how to save reko...

the only character in the entire franchise that i genuinely dislike is keiji. i just think he's kinda creepy and off-putting (though that might be in part due to translation errors)? also i'm lesbian so i don't really find him hot i think he just looks like a muscly piece of popcorn.

in terms of my opinion on who the "mastermind" is i actually have literally no idea? the only idea i kind of have is that it's either sara or keiji because they're the only two who we don't get to see how they signed the asu-naro vow. but i also don't really get how it would be either of them because keiji was a victim of hiyori's tricks too, and sara just seems totally clueless. it makes my brain hurt to think about so i kinda choose not to.

i think the "gin is the mastermind" theory is mind-bogglingly stupid. sorry LMAO-

i think the theory of jou being the son of mr. policeman is actually super cool! i don't really know why it exists but i've seen people talking about it and i think that would be a cool connection.

i've read a few things about the referendum theory and i think it's a cool theory! it kinda make sense, though there are a few holes that i can't logic my way through quite yet. it seems very plausible though, and it would make for an interesting plot!

i don't think shin is overrated at all. he's a super interesting character and i love how he contributes to the story, and all the twists about him are so unique and exciting! i do hate when people water him down to like a soggy little man who's super weak and innocent, though. the coolest thing about him is his fortitude!

in case it wasn't obvious, i am on team "q-taro is the goat", especially after 3-1b. even after accidentally getting the ending where q-taro abandoned all of us i was like "okay but that was lowkey cunty af of him..." i've always been on homie q-taro's side and i also think it's hilarious that he's like supposed to be an american stereotype.

anyway that's all i can think of! i hope some of y'all wanna be friends!!

[cryptidrei]

The Butterfly Effect

This is Armageddon 2 Invasion, an old Doom mod from 2008. It adds a lot of new enemies, some of which are from other FPS games, like Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, etc. I had to cheat a little for my playthrough since this is meant to be played on cooperative survival lol.

This is one of the most nostalgic Doom mods for me. I saw a video of this being played on youtube around 2008 when it came out and it introduced me to Skulltag, which was a sourceport made for multiplayer Doom (it has since been replaced by Zandronum). I didn't know english very well at the time, so I was completely out of the loop on sourceports and stuff like that. Prior to that I'd only play Doom on Doom95 because that's what came bundled with my pirated copy downloaded off of the internet lol.

This is the epitome of 2000's Doom moding on advanced sourceports. It just packs the maps with several monsters from several different sources, art style consistency is in no way a concern. And honestly, that's very charming! It was a more innocent time, when just being able to bring stuff from other games into the doom engine was novel enough to elevate a mod on it's own. You see a similar modding philosophy in stuff like Knee-Deep in Zdoom, and Aeons of Death, where it just bloats the mod with a billion custom enemies, and weapons because that was new and exciting.

But back to Armageddon 2 Invasion, I give it 100% credit for getting me into Doom modding, which became a big hobby of mine for a long time, though I severely slowed down nowadays, due to lack of time and also focusing more on other creative pursuits (and also a heightened ambition to make full on indie games instead of just mods). It also had a domino effect in my life! Through skulltag I met my first long-standing circle of online friends, and eventually my girlfriend! Life is funny like that. You see a cool mod on youtube that has all these crazy monsters in these Serious Sam-like invasion maps, and several years down the line you can trace you meeting your soul mate directly to that seemingly innocuous moment in your life. And that's not even mentioning everythign else that happened in between and since either. Friendships blossomed, and some died, several skills I've honed due to becoming a modder, dreams of making my own game, many a drama came and went, an interest in learnign more about programming and 3D modeling grew within me, and even more personal matters, like experimenting more with my sexuality and gender, since I felt much safer toying with those concepts around my rowdy friends than around my stick in the mud, conservative family.

It just goes to show, sometimes the most banal moment can completely flip the script. Maybe you're watching some random video on youtube (or tiktok nowadays for the younguns), or reading a post or fanfic, or anything really. Maybe it shows you something so cool, so amazingly kick ass, the literal coolest thing ever for your developing brain, that it completely changes the course of your life.

And that dear reader, is the beauty of life.

[katyspersonal]

I think I didn't send you an ask yet so here !

10, 13, and 24 for now !! :D

(Asks from this ( x ) meme)

10. Your favorite ost?

Oh, this is definitely Living Failures! It was the very first Bloodborne OC I've ever heard though. A friend that played From's games shared it with me and back then I didn't pick instant interest in the game (unlike how when I've heard Micolash's theme...), but the music was AMAZING. It was the coolest videogame soundtrack I've heard in years, and I sat until 5 AM that night listening to that track on repeat. Because it got me so hyped I've lost all sleep, that's why!!! Still remains my favorite track, just... absolutely unrivaled buildup, beautiful instruments, and of course, AAAAAAAVEEEEE AAAAVEEEEE STEEEEELAAAAAAR. When I was obsessed with that track back then I of course could not appreciate the lore significance and how well in conveyed the absolute reverence, anguish, yearning and desperation for salvation from the 'stars', so now I love it even more. It is one of the best tracks in the game, it didn't need to be attached to an epic battle to be epic.

13. A cut content you would have wanted in the game?

God, how this is even a question? Of course, OF COURSE, what else it can be other than...... ARCHIBALD'S [EXAGERRATED LIP-LICKING]-

sdfhfhsghfsd okay okay but seriously now xD There is... a lot of stuff. Almost all cut content of Bloodborne is removed in such an elegant fashion that you can sort of still discover how probable it is it upon vague clues... as if it wasn't removed, but hidden (Rom gurl what you doin THIS time). The perfect example is Annalise's unborn baby whose mention was patched out very early after launch, but you can still conclude it from how both Annalise and Arianna lose melanin in their hair and from that bloody trail leading to Annalise's under skirt area.

(patched out and only saved via screenshots)

However, it is for THIS reason why a lot of cut content of Bloodborne is BETTER stay cut - because it creates a more challenging lore riddle! Isn't it more fun to deduce a lore bit using your own observation and analytical skills, instead of just being told what happened exactly? From Annalise's unborn baby to 'if there is Flora would not there be a counterpart named Fauna?', things better stay untouched and create a mystery!

But there is a different kind of cut content as well, and I am talking about…

( x )

I owe this discovery to @val-of-the-north , and also I believe @nymerias-wrath confirmed this detail (she tends to know absolutely EVERYTHING about cut or patched out content so I'd recommend asking her for any clarification you ever need). It sounds like such a good idea! I presume the lake refers to the one Rom is guarding, and again, a bird chirped to me that you'd end up in the upside-down Byrgenwerth. (I really need to gather more solid sources now that I am talking about it...) I still adopt it in my ideas and make it so that Moonside Lake used to be the portal into the rest of Byrgenwerth (and that's how Edgar found Micolash), but Micolash 'closed' it when Edgar had dick brain moment and spilled him the truth just because he was a simp -_- And sent some of the Shadows he had serving him as Mergo's "dad" as a bonus loool.

Not to mention I fucking L O V E Micolash's cut dialogue soooooOOOOOOO fucking MUCH. Just… everything about it. I am, in fact, not all too happy about how we only meet him in the "end" of his way, already fully insane and gone, when cut dialogue suggests he STILL has a struggle left within him, between his human side and 'madman that only cares for higher plane' side (Adeline moment). It was just… so tragic. Like… I get that after everything player been through, meeting him SHOULD have been a comic relief moment so the player recharges and still has emotional energy to care about plot's culmination… There was just no room for the 'betrayal sequence' I suppose? …except there was, and I think the devs could have elaborated Nightmare of Mensis more, make us see Micolash as a friend NPC that we go back to during Nightmare questlines, someone that grows on us to the point we see him as Doll v.2 (maybe he could even level us up too, or give us special benefits in exchange of Insight). So, instead of recharging player emotionally with hilarity (or annoyance, depends on how you feel towards Micolash's "battle"), we could have been recharged by the fake sense of peace and comfort, see him as someone interested in freeing Mergo just as much… and then HAHA LOOSER GOTCHAAAAAA. The only good thing about the decision to make him more plain is that 'traitor' is the fact that betrayal sequence is THE ultimate imba of Tumblr sexymen, and if he did betray us, he'd have even STRONGER grasp on the simps. o_o hoooo boy… There'd be NO survivors....

24. Share a fond memories.

I presume this must refer to fandomry? Because every single moment of playing Bloodborne is already a good memory. xD Hmmm... I already mentioned that time when I got an anon ask on my 'formal' blog, saying 'can we get random alfred hcs'? I felt extremely honoured that someone wanted ME to share the ideas about a character they liked, especially when back then I was just an awkward asocial lore person in the fandom and didn't pose myself as a writer upon request, or just a writer. It is because I cherish that moment of trust so much I avoid saying unflattering things about Alfred despite having grievances with the character. x) It was just such a good memory that I never get tired of bringing it back!

I also have a very good memory of a certain day. That day I was able to catch my coworker stealing money from the cash register (!) and attempting to frame me (!!!), using nothing but my amazing detective skills, so I was already pretty hyped. I was ranting to Val about it in a VC over phone on my way home. And imagine how much more joy and unhinged happiness I felt, when during VC I opened Tumblr and saw the ask celebrating that 'finally good Doll takes are picking up and people are giving her a justice instead of seeing her as gross sexual object and then claiming to love her'. I am paraphrasing but you must recall that one because you clearly got an ask from the same person xD Just... one "victory" layered upon another, and I've felt such intense mania and CHEER, that the raw power of emotions made that day a blinding, bright spot somewhere in the record of my life. This is what happens to a mf when they barely ever feel real happiness and just pretend to look alive. Maybe it was not a big deal in retrospective, but it made me feel DRUNK in happiness. ...so drunk that my response was not very nice and more like 'HAHAHAHA MFKING LOOOOOSERS WHO IS THE BEST LORE PERSON NOW HUH FUCK YOU ALL I AM FUCKIN BALLIN'' that I still feel a bit guilty about ^^"" But it was one of my best memories nonetheless.

Out of a bit more personal stuff, I'd say that you and @heraldofcrow are a very fond memory, and also @jarognieva . You guys sticked with me through everything, even when I started to genuinely spiral to my worst and fully embraced the prospect of you all being sick of me, you still chose to stay mutuals. Seeing you grow from a shy user to someone with very elaborate ideas and a lot of passion was an absolute delight. And I've got to see how much your art improved over time, and how Crow started to draw. I am just glad that I got to at least see you guys get better and make more friends and improve your skills.... (and seeing how much I rotted Crow's brain with overly specific lore bits when I saw her insane theory ramblings about Vilebloods AHAHAHAHAHA.) Like... just watching you guys was a great experience, getting to talk with you and to exchange the ideas is even more than I could have asked for, but I am very thankful.

Also, of course, my version of Rom getting FANART. I cried pathetic unloved kid happy tears all three times I received it. Two drawings were done by Saintmic and another one was done by someone else who is, eh, a NOT fond memory now, really.

Though honestly, Saintmic was a very good fandom memory as well. I once posted a very creepy, weird remark on Micolash as a character and how he'd corrupt people with his cultist brainwashing..... and after some time I got a reblog from him with even WORSE (/pos) take. I was so surprised to see someone having an idea more disturbing than mine. And it happened later too, when I proposed the idea of Micolash not harming fertile females specifically because of his gross obsession with women and birth, and he added that in fact it was more likely that he just used women for rituals (especially their menstrual blood) when men were just cattle. I am dead serious. The creativity and lore just... increased so much as we were exchanging ideas, my lore got so much better, I actually owe my ultra super fantastic and elaborate portrayal of Micolash to him as inspiration and someone giving ideas and honestly knowing Micolash's very soul. Honestly, you can play a game of 'guess how much of my Micolash lore I owe that guy' and you will lose because you probably not estimate big enough. Ya'll just don't know what it feels like to be a weirdo, to feel avoided and shunned even by fellow Micolash simps for "disturbing" and "not sexy" ideas, to question whether I am just spoiling a beloved character with my monkey brain and then meet someone who just hits a blunt and goes all: 'I smell weakness'.

Basically I've found my Stitch yeah. When you get 'the creepy kid' side-effect in the autism drawbacks fortune wheel, you learn to cherish such things </3

Thank you for the ask!!!

[bossbarbie-live]

Niki's Journey: Episode 3

Hey everyone, it's Niki the Barbie here with another exciting update on my life! You won't believe what I've been up to lately. I decided to take a road trip across the US to visit my three streaming friends, Crazy32-1, Malzak-491, and BILLIONERS. They are the coolest guys ever and they always make me laugh with their hilarious gaming videos. I met them online and we've been chatting for months, but I never got to see them in person. Until now!

I packed my pink convertible with all my essentials: clothes, makeup, snacks, and of course, my laptop and webcam. I wanted to document every moment of this epic adventure and share it with you guys. I also wanted to surprise my streaming friends with some special gifts that I picked out for them. I'm such a thoughtful Barbie, don't you think?

Hey everyone, it's Niki the Barbie here with another exciting update on my life! You won't believe what I've been up to lately. I decided to take a road trip across the US to visit my three streaming friends, Crazy32-1, Malzak-491, and BILLIONERS. They are the coolest guys ever and they always make me laugh with their hilarious gaming videos. Here's how it all went down.

I met Crazy32-1 online when I commented on one of his videos. He replied to me and we started chatting. We found out that we had a lot in common and we became friends. He was the one who introduced me to Malzak-491 and BILLIONERS, who are also his friends.

First, I flew to New York to meet Crazy32-1. He's a crazy Fortnite player who can do insane tricks and stunts. He picked me up from the airport in his pink convertible and we drove around the city, blasting music and waving at people. He took me to his penthouse apartment where he showed me his gaming setup and his collection of Funko Pops. He even let me play a few rounds of Fortnite with him and I managed to get a couple of kills. He was so impressed by my skills that he gave me a high five and a hug. He's such a sweetie!

Next, I took a train to Chicago to meet Malzak-491. He's a hardcore Call of Duty player who can snipe anyone from miles away. He met me at the station in his leather jacket and sunglasses and we hopped on his motorcycle. He took me to his loft where he showed me his gaming rig and his arsenal of Nerf guns. He even let me shoot some targets with him and I hit every one of them. He was so amazed by my accuracy that he gave me a fist bump and a wink. He's such a hottie!

I met Malzak-491 online when I watched one of his videos. I liked his style and his skills, so I subscribed to his channel. He noticed me and thanked me for my support. We started talking and we became friends. He was the one who invited me to Chicago to hang out with him.

Finally, I flew to Miami to meet BILLIONERS. He's a rich GTA player who can buy anything he wants. He picked me up from the airport in his private jet and we flew to his mansion in Florida. He showed me his gaming room and his collection of exotic cars. He even let me drive one of them and I sped through the streets like a pro. He was so stunned by my driving that he gave me a kiss and a compliment. He's such a dreamboat!

I met BILLIONERS online when I donated to one of his streams. He was so grateful and generous that he offered me a reward. I asked him for nothing but his friendship, and he agreed. We started chatting and we became friends. He was the one who hosted the house party for all of us.

The best part was when they all invited me to a house party at BILLIONERS' place. It was the most epic party ever! There were hundreds of people, tons of food and drinks, loud music and dancing, and even a pool and a hot tub. I had so much fun with my three streaming friends and they all treated me like a princess. They were so attentive, so generous, and so handsome. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world!

That's all for now, my lovely fans. Stay tuned for more adventures of Niki the Barbie and her guy friends. And remember, life is what you make it, so make it fabulous! XOXO

[crowwolf]

Platform of choice when gaming? PC, but have frequented the PS4

Top 5 games of all time. For me - BG3 of course, GW2, WoW but Classic (BEFORE Mists of Pandaria - I keep trying it, but meh), God of War (the series), and ANY Lego game - especially the Marvel universe ones (Indian Jones ones are fun too). Ok I know that's technically more than 5, but at least I narrowed it down! If this was 20 - 30 years ago I'd have said Mario or DOOM or Warcraft "Stop Poking Me!" iykyk

Favorite boss? Well, I always loved the character of Thrall from WoW. For BG3 I don't really have a favourite, the whole game just rocks.

Best game soundtrack (full album or single track)? BG3's is the only one I remember actually paying attention to - so I'd go with that.

Most memorable gaming moment? My first BG3 run, tripping my way through because I read nothing about it before hand. My brother and husband convinced me to try it. HOLY FUCK - I've been hooked ever since. Also - when the Emperor is revealed for who he USED to be - blew my mind. I'm normally able to catch on to twist like that. Never saw it coming.

First game you ever played? I had a Vic20 with a tape deck for loading games, I literally cannot remember the name of the first game I played! Apple drop or something like that. We also had an IBM Best with an 8 1/2" boot disc - there was this little Castle adventure type game where the character you played was a spade and you 'killed' things by running into them. It was yellow on black - black screen, yellow characters. I loved that game.

Most recent game you played? BG3

Most anticipated upcoming game? None really.

Most hours you’ve put into a single game? I've played WoW off and on since Oct. 2007. I've played BG3 for almsot a year and have almost 1300 hrs in.

Game you’ve replayed the most? See above lol

Favorite game genre? RPG

Favorite game character? I don't have just one - I LOVE so many of the BG3 characters and NPCs. I can't choose! Having read the old WoW books/comics and playing it - Thrall is an amazing character.

Coolest enemy/boss design? Illidan Stormrage. Raphael.s all.

Worst game you’ve ever played? Any first person shooter - it's not so much the games are bad, it's that my brain/eyes can't handle the angles and such.

Hardest game you’ve ever played? Civilization - I'm horrible at it. I keep trying. I have Civ VI.

Single player, multiplayer, or both? I prefer single player cause I like running off and doing my thing, but multiplayer can be fun too - but I tend to only do that with my husband or my brother and his boyfriend lol!

Do you play mobile games? Sometimes, just just quick little ones

A game you started, but never finished. The Witcher series - working on it. Skyrim - can't seem to get into it.

A game that you wish you could play for the first time again. BG3 and Wow

A game that made you cry. BG3

A game you thought you wouldn’t like, but ended up loving? BG3

Do you watch any other gamers? Yes! I've started watching streamers

Do you typically choose to play a male or female character (when asked to pick)? Female - I am CIS female and just have that preference

If you could live in one of the games you’ve played, which one would it be? BG3 HANDS DOWN - GIVE ME ZEVLOR NOW

Favorite environment in a game? I love Act 1 of BG3 as a whole - there's just so much to see and find.

Least favorite environmental hazard (e.g. poison swamp, fire/lava, etc.) ugh that hag's swamp

A popular game that you just can’t get into. Fortnite. My husband and 10 year old son have tried to get me into it, even got me some skins - can't do it. Same reason I gave for not liking shooters - it's really hard for my eyes to focus on it properly and just feels bad to my brain.

Do you still buy physical games? Nah, my house is cluttered enough

Favorite childhood game? see above - I'm old.

Favorite aspect of a game (e.g. exploration, combat, fashion/customization, environments, graphics, bosses, roleplaying, etc.) Exploration!!!

If you could only play one game for the rest of your life, what would it be? BG3

Have you ever rage quit a game? If so, what game and what caused the rage quit? Nope

Most embarrassing gaming moment. Accidentally hitting a friend not foe

Funniest gaming moment. Licking that fucking spider...every time

Do you own any gaming themed memorabilia? (e.g. collector’s editions, posters, prop replicas, statues, clothing, etc.) Yes - Mostly WoW and GW2

Hottest video game character? Halsin, Zevlor, Gale, and Rolan are all tops for me.

Kill, Fuck, Marry (choose three characters) Gortash, Halsin, Zevlor

An unpopular gaming opinion you have. Gortash is ugly as hell inside and out

What’s something you want to see in the future of gaming? More games like BG3 in feel - the community is so amazing

Best game cover art. Toss up between BG3 and GW2

Video Game Related Asks for Gaymers!

Platform of choice when gaming?

Top 5 games of all time.

Favorite boss?

Best game soundtrack (full album or single track)?

Most memorable gaming moment?

First game you ever played?

Most recent game you played?

Most anticipated upcoming game?

Most hours you’ve put into a single game?

Game you’ve replayed the most?

Favorite game genre?

Favorite game character?

Coolest enemy/boss design?

Worst game you’ve ever played?

Hardest game you’ve ever played?

Single player, multiplayer, or both?

Do you play mobile games?

A game you started, but never finished.

A game that you wish you could play for the first time again.

A game that made you cry.

A game you thought you wouldn’t like, but ended up loving?

Do you watch any other gamers?

Do you typically choose to play a male or female character (when asked to pick)?

If you could live in one of the games you’ve played, which one would it be?

Favorite environment in a game?

Least favorite environmental hazard (e.g. poison swamp, fire/lava, etc.)

A popular game that you just can’t get into.

Do you still buy physical games?

Favorite childhood game?

Favorite aspect of a game (e.g. exploration, combat, fashion/customization, environments, graphics, bosses, roleplaying, etc.)

If you could only play one game for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Have you ever rage quit a game? If so, what game and what caused the rage quit?

Most embarrassing gaming moment.

Funniest gaming moment.

Do you own any gaming themed memorabilia? (e.g. collector’s editions, posters, prop replicas, statues, clothing, etc.)

Hottest video game character?

Kill, Fuck, Marry (choose three characters)

An unpopular gaming opinion you have.

What’s something you want to see in the future of gaming?

Best game cover art.

[xander-morrison]

Learning Tekken 8 Journal (Day 2)

With no real preference on character to start learning first, I decided to just do the top row in order. With each of them, I went through all of their moves in training mode, learned one go-to combo, got a feel for how to freestyle with them, and played their character adventure campaign thing. Here's my thoughts on who I've tried so far:

Claudio - This character feels way too plain to me. Maybe I've been spoiled as a Xiaoyu main with her various stance things, but I kinda want a character that has more going on than just "sometimes his arm glows and you can use a couple more moves" I just need a lil more sauce in my life. Coolest thing about learning him was learning you can fight Azazel in this game.

Zafina - I had high hopes for this one, since her stance system is, on paper, similar to Xiaoyu. And yeah, it's like that on crack. So many moves switch you to a different stance automatically that it gets very hard to keep track of what you can do at any given moment. Also I don't really get what her gameplan is. I like her heavy moves that do self damage, that's a cool mechanic, but overall I just constantly feel like I'm trying to keep pace with the character instead of them just... reacting to my moves. Disappointed she wasn't a good fit, but it is what it is.

Paul - I didn't really click with Paul in T3, and it's the same here. I'm also having a harder time with his quarter circle inputs than I did in T3, not sure if that's just a him thing though since I know he rewards tight timing. I do like his personality in this game, but his playstyle just is not for me.

Raven - I... almost really like this character. He's got quite a bit going on, and I feel like if I really labbed him out, he would be main-worthy. I'll keep him in mind for later.

Victor - NOW WE'RE TALKING. As soon as I saw how his kit came together, I understood him perfectly. He shits out mids at light speed and doesn't let up, and if he manages to get through your defenses you're taking a CHUNK of damage. But his lows are a bit lacking, so he really relies on getting openings from his opponent doing stupid shit and countering with a fast starter. This character felt natural to me, he's not too overwhelming to keep track of, his combos are pretty straightforward, and before long, he was performing better than my Xiao. So, for now, Victor is my main.

Now at this point, I figured I had learned enough characters and adding more to the pile would start to make my brain go numb. I finished out the single player arcade mode with Victor. And then I felt like I was ready to try out some real ranked matches.

I now have knowledge. I am not ready for ranked with Victor. I didn't have to play many people for me to figure that out. I got some good matches with some bottom ranked players, because for better or worse, we were pretty close in skill. At a certain point I'm going to have to bite the bullet and jump back into ranked, but I want to really lab out my character of choice before I do that.

My biggest problem with Victor is I would try to hit 2 out of block as a quick interrupting string, but that would keep doing his mid parry move and it would keep me locked into that animation for so long that I'd get hit by something else. I need to figure out better options out of block, I need to find better lows, I need to learn my throw breaks, I need better combo mixups because fishing for the same string spamming 2 over and over only got me so far. And by so far, I mean 1st dan.

But consider this. I made him look like Abe Lincoln. So hopefully someone I matched with got a kick out of that.

[bananxious]

Tell me more about Stinky I love the way you write about him

Thank you 😭 I have some snippets of writing I've been sitting on so maybe I will dump them here ! In the meantime here's a bunch of notes I kept for my writing under the cut:

I like the idea of a him being mostly unwilling guardian to them while Granny Ruth is away on deployment, and she'd be calling his diner from a phone box in Gibraltar during her brief moments on land to check up on her boys. The two of them would have some pretty frosty interactions, and Granny Ruth would definitely know of some dark secret that could get him arrested/deported which she uses as blackmail. If even a hair on either of Sam or Max's head were to get hurt, she'd be on his doorstep with a binder of surveillance photos and call transcripts with a small troop of FBI agents in tow. OR she'll just beat the snot out of him, it's all the same to her!

He lives on a decommissioned tug boat, no doubt Sam n Max will manage to sink that thing by the time I'm finished writing. It's basically your grandparents attic, but with a hull.

He's probably lying about ever having been in the navy.

His actual surname would be Smellie but he changed it upon emigrating to the US. Or it's a spy thing. Or both!

He'd lie about where in Scotland he's from constantly, Glasgow, outer Hebrides, Orkney islands, whatever sounds coolest. But he's bound to be from some place with a crap name like Skegness. (No hate to Skegness). All I can really say is with his accent, he sounds like he's meant to be from the west coast.

I assume in-game his tattoos are the same image due to some design/time limitations or something but I like to think he'd have a varied collection of sun-faded and blown out sailor tats, maybe a few on the chest and back of differing quality. Monsters, mermaids, ships, and of course the obligatory Scottish flag/lion rampant/thistle motifs. Maybe a local football club? Junior Sam and Max think they are Bad Ass either way.

I'd make a joke about him putting haggis in everything but right now in Scotland you really CAN get haggis in/on everything (including only the food I've actually had: haggis burgers, hot dogs, gyoza, burritos, curry, various pasta dishes, nachos, pizza, bao buns) "Hag Spag" aka haggis spaghetti would be the leftover food for the night chucked in a pot with haggis, pasta, and tomato sauce, which Gramps calls the "staff meal" to make it sound less like he's offloading food waste. He's essentially using Sam and Max as a garbage disposal and they love it, and Gramps quietly attributes Sam's impressive height and weight to the constant diet of off-cuts and offal he's been feeding him, a silent point of pride even if Max is still stuck at around 3 feet tall. He'd be the kind to keep shovelling the food onto Sam's plate and then excuse it as "well it wiz goin' out anyway!" (Grandparent instinct strong even if he won't admit it. Eat up lad!)

I also thought it'd be funny if he were a particularly crap spy for the USSR (Sam n Max have a floaty timeline but I'm pinning the childhood stuff pre-90s). This is a direct reference to Sean Connery in Hunt for Red October who despite apparently playing a Russian sailor he has the exact same Scottish accent he has in every other film. It also gives Grandma Ruth some blackmail fodder, but she knows he's harmless - he's essentially a noisy decoy meant to pull attention away from the ACTUAL espionage going on. All of this goes over the heads of child/teen Sam n Max who just wanna play with all the dangerous antiques in his home and don't know/care what a communist is.

He's a fatal combination of both arrogant and gullible (he falls for everything Skun'ka'pe says and does for instance). Sam and Max learn very young that it's super easy to get out of trouble with him through thinly veiled flattery and blatant lying. Defuse his tirade by complimenting his chilli con carne and he'll totally forget what it was he was even raging on about! The two of them would wind him up constantly and he'd never cotton on to their tricks.

Bluster Blaster has definitely booted himself up in the middle of the night and almost sent Grandpa Stinky into cardiac arrest from shock.

He would almost never be affectionate or give compliments without qualifiers, but Sam and Max have long since assumed this is just how Scottish people are and don't take it personally. If anything they love it, it's great to have a guardian who's the opposite of overbearing, and they know fine well if he genuinely hated their guts he'd be aggressively ignoring them before fetching his shotgun, which they have seen only once much to Max's disappointment. What matters more to them is he's one of the few adults that actually listen (even if his advice is mostly worthless) and he'll stick up for them if need be (even if he just enjoys picking a fight). Unreasonable teacher at school? Call grandpa! Someone cutting in line at the store? Grandpa won't stand for that. Someone called Sam fat? Grandpa says let's take this outside.

Alright I think that's enough for now. I haven't really touched on Girl Stinky yet but cantankerous old eejit + sardonic valley girl mermaid sounds like a pretty funny combo ripe for comedic mining. Next time I guess!

[bemey]

[found this in my drafts] Skwisgaar, Toki, and Murderface in Tamriel

combining my hyperfixations let's gooooooooooooooooo

Skwisgaar Skwigelf

it's very obvious that as a Swede, his race in a fantasy universe would be that fantasy universe's version of our world's ye olde Scandinavians (aka, he'd be a Nord, duh) BUT i like to think if you gave him a pair of fake elf ears matching his skintone, he'd pass as just a really pale Altmer

he's beautiful, tall, slender, arrogant and talented, im sure he'd fit right in with either group, maybe even less so with Nords since Nord society values brute strength and high tolerance for alcohol, of which Skwisgaar has neither (I know he beat up that one guy with his guitar once BUT!!! he's absolutely the least violent fifth of Dethklok)

as a non-metal-musician in Tamriel im sure he'd have mastered a magic school instead of electric guitar, but i can't really figure out *which* school, *maybe* enchanting, *maybe* mysticism, but if i had to pick i'd settle on one of the schools governed by Willpower (alteration, destruction and restoration) because, let's be real, he's more dedicated (to his life passion) than he is intelligent >_>;;

the thing is, i'd make an argument that epic guitar solos heal people (not physically), so that'd be restoration, BUT if he was in a party of sorts I can't really imagine him as just a healer on the sidelines (that's Toki and Mface's thing hehehe), he needs something, hm...... Flashier. like fireball spells, but then again he's not really violent on the show and doesnt get into many fights (unlike SOMMMEEE people), so i'd say both Destruction and Restoration

BUT there's also Illusion magic, with which you seduce, make yourself shiny, paralyse, calm people etc and i cant think of a better analogy for guitar playing that stuns you and puts you into a trance because it's just so good

(also FYI nord males get a penalty in willpower and personality but i suppose he overcomes that, because i have trouble imagining him not heavily using skills governed by those stats)

and for the class- im forcing myself to pick from the set of 21 standard classes and looking at (this page) for reference because if i took custom classes into account it'd really complicate things-

an obvious answer'd be Bard, which makes sense because, you know, being popular and attractive, but in a gameplay sense it's more stealth and less magic (also if we picked bard just because he's a musician in the MTL universe, all other DK members would be bards too and that's pretty lame)

looking at the page i linked, the ''Healer'' class fits the bill, governing personality, willpower, destruction, restoration, speechcraft, and illusion. i wont lie, it doesnt sound the coolest (compare to a class desc like Nightblade, now that shit's awesome), but it makes the most sense to me

TL;DR nord by blood BUT looks and acts like a high elf, class: healer

------------------------------------------------

Toki Wartooth a nord as well but! i've met plenty of nord dudes in ES games who are really nice to me but kind of not too smart (think Thrud in Godsreach in Mornhould the city that came with Tribunal the DLC for TES3 Morrowind), and im not saying Toki isn't smart (he's educated enough, has geeky interests, knows a thing or two about model-plane building, i think he might be one of the smarter DK members actually) but a nearly-fatal flaw is his naivety which would unfortunately translate into a low intelligence or maybe personality stat in a TES game

when you have a low personality stat, NPCs dont like you as much, and (in Morrowind) whatever options you pick while Persuading an NPC are less effective, even taunt and intimidate)

but i wanna argue in the case of Toki in Tamriel, that low personality stat wouldn't come in the form of being an intimidating douchebag, because we all know Toki's really, really nice, and he has his moments of being a jerk on the show, but he's mostly kind and polite, especially to strangers, and *definitely* holds the title of ''Dethklok member most likely to agree to an autograph and selfie with a fan after a concert and then give them a friendly hug''

it's difficult for me to decide which attributes he'd govern, and a lowered luck isn't possible at character creation, but i'd lower it if possible

high strength, yes, i can imagine Toki with either a blunt or blade

high willpower, competent with restoration and destruction like Skwisgaar, but not as dedicated to the mastery, duh

high endurance- knowing the shit he's been through, might be pretty high

(''cheats death'' and ''unpredictable'' are both keywords i'd describe Toki by)

i have my eyes on either Crusader or Spellsword BUT I thought the class description for Scout fit Toki just perfect and I even made a little joke about it to my friend once

TL;DR nord spellsword or crusader, but i'd pick spellsword if i was forced to choose

------------------------------------------------

William Murderface

ive been so exicted to get to this one because, hear me out- khaijit pilgrim

Murderface's spirit animal is a dang tiger, man, and now it's true Murderface isn't very athletic or agile like a khaijit BUT listen, in Oblivion Khaijit get a daily power that let's them intimidate opponents because they're like, big cats, literally, like a tiger or lion and wouldn't you run if you saw one IRL? AND Murderface isnt very popular with fans, which I'd imagine would translate into low personality maybe, but Mface is dare i say pretty dang skilled at making people hate him or hate others or get into fights, aka using a high personality stat for bad (taunt/intimidate) not good (admire), which is why I instantly thought he'd be a Pilgrim (''They profit in life by bartering in the market, or by persuading the weak-minded.'')

look me in the eye and tell me lockpicking, sneaking and punching people arent things Murderface would love to do, also scamming merchants and stabbing people, and khaijit conveniently get a small bonus in Blade and you know who loves knives? M u r d e r f a c e

inappropiately urinating in places? cat. face like an inbred white tiger? cat. sneaky jerk? cat. also i just really want him to be a catboy, man

i did think of him as an Orc too because of the whole martial culture and being a race that was cursed with 'ugliness' (not always true, some orcs are pretty hot), *but* the martial culture orcs have isnt really the barfight kind nords or dunmer have, it's more organised and honourable is it not? they take fighting seriously

would you say Murderface'd rather practice like blunt weaponry all night and day, then go to war and die for his clan, *or* would he sneak in a tavern, steal shit, insult someone, then get into a bar fight? that's what i thought !!!!

fuckin obviously you cant appoint the latter to khaijit because that'd be racist and im not a huge fan of discrimination against beastfolk myself, an orc could be a thief too, but have a look at this:

(for orcs), and the minuses in intelligence is mostly what makes me think Murderface wouldnt be an orc because he's pretty smart

smart as in street-smart and smart with people, specifically at what makes people mad or do ugly things, and thats something I have to hand to Willy, he's cunning even if not always sucessful in that endeavor because of his bad luck and unattractiveness, but in terms of raw people-skills he's not so bad

and for his class- I know i said pilgrim earlier but i wanna consider some alternatives: rogue or thief

''a tongue as sharp as a blade'', and ''profits from the losses of others''? both Murderfacecore, but I might wanna stick with Pilgrim just because they're history nerds

TL;DR Khaijit pilgrim

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(this was an old wip i found in my drafts so i havent written Pickles's or Nathan's parts yet >_> sorry, i do have the ideas ready in my head though) (also feel free to share your opinions)

[neuroticphysiologist]

Shortest Thoughts is back! After receiving good praises from Relic, I decided to make a series.

Here's one for Comet Chasers.

Rough chapter.

One of my bestest days ever!

I got to see Halley's comet up close! Even better, I got to set foot on it! At first, I know I won't be able to do that, but it's an emergency. Francois Lemaire had a crazy idea to go through the comet's tail. His ship got hit and that's where Scott and I mobilized.

Speaking of Scott, I gave him a tip on how to dodge through the rocks. It's like a game, more like a full on VR. Sometimes when I fly my ship, I think of it like a game that I usually play.

Maybe Scott is not used to it. But Virgil told me that he was a gamer when he was young. Maybe he lost it? Okay, I would understand if he did. But I'm only giving a tip that could help him with his missions. I'm just sharing one of my styles.

Looks like he's not in the mood today. We can still hear Francois' whining in the cargo bay, and then he's ranting about the kind of cheese he disliked. Scott had put his hand on his head, guess he looks pissed. I bet Francois' words had left him facepalming when he met him in the Solar Wind. Maybe I could cheer my brother up with some games? If that's okay with him...

When I rescued Francois, I found out why. Scott told me he had met him before on his birthday party. He was with Gordon when they rescued him. That explained why Gordon was dropping the f bombs when he arrived home. Francois is this rich guy who would show off his craziest adventures and have everyone to explore his luxurious stuff. By meeting him personally, you would end up with your hand on your head.

Now he's talking about us ruining his live feed. Guess we'll get to that later.

Anyway, I can't wait to get back home to tell everyone about the mission, and the coolest thing I just did. Bit of a sad thing is, only my family will get to know my experience being on the comet that only appears every 75 years. Yes, it's a memorable moment that I won't be able to share to other people.

We have about 26 hours to get back to Earth and we can still hear Francois.

And finally, Scott agreed to play some alien games with me.

***

You can check out more of Alan's shortest thoughts in AO3 and FF. I've also written Space Race (a slight angsty thought), Runaway/EOS (my hardest one), Slingshot (a bit similar to Space Race), Heavy Metal (in only 150+ words), and also Relic.

[mirioho]

Ohh please do share the link if you find some interesting ones please

It really was selfish and he didn't even care that he hurt Kagami, all what mattered to him was whining about how he was not a genuis compares to Kagami 😒

Same!! I was low-key even rooting for Rakuzan to win at some point in the end but it was obvious it wouldn't have happened. And tbh kinda controversial opinion but I'd have preferred to see a Shutoku vs Seirin in the final match where Shutoku finally wins.

Exactly! It's like they gave him those traits to feed into his boring character and it's a waste in my opinion.

Yeah totally!! He still got to win a -on-one vs Aomine, and speaking of Aomine, can we talk about his reaction to Kagami announcing he's leaving? He was all pouty and annoyed and it's cleared it has affected him the most out of the GOM (the others were pretty chill with Kagami leaving) and this reaction shows how much Aomine has come to value Kagami's basket and his presence in his life and it's clear he considered him as a friend at that point. I soo wanna read a fic on it, it reminds me of that moment in the TV show Friends when Rachel goes to take her plane and Ross is unsettled to see her leave (did you see Friends?)

Really? I never noticed any difference between Aomine's look in the movie vs the manga but now I'm gonna look at Aomine in extra game to see it. Okay but I need to talk about this cause I swear I spent the whole game focused on it: is Aomine's fringe in LAST GAME on his left or right? It kept switching every frame and I went crazy trying to follow it, in most official art, his fringe in his new look goes left but the anime got me so confused and I know it's a subtle detail but I couldn't unfocus on it.

I do like that you share my opinion on worst haircut xD and I do agree that Momoi's hair look...flat in the movie, like...meh :/ she was much cuter with strands I do agree with you. I also loved Riko's new haircut, I feel it pictured her boyish image the best out of all the previous haircuts she had.

Okay so while we're talking about Last Game, what did you think of Midorima and Akashi doing Midorima and Takao 's move and Takao's reaction to it?? I felt so betrayed the first time I saw it, I was like "noo poor Takao, you deserve better" plus I didn't really like Akashi so it didn't sit right with me but when I rewatched it, it kinda made sense they had to do this but it still hurt to see Takao say "the most compatible are these two" after all what he went through with Midorima (hehe I might be subtle self-promoting but I wrote a fic with a friend about what would happen after the match and the Midotaka confrontation 😉)

Oh for sure!! I'll probs make a little masterlist of some of my favorite metas and analysis if I can!Honestly like I can understand his frustration at feeling inferior but it just sucked seeing him hold this one-sided grudge against kagami who honestly just thought they were both having a good time being bros

Oooo I never considered that but I honestly wouldn't have minded that. Considering the history and rivalry shutoku and seirin have, combined with the fact that the last match they played against each other ended in a tie it would've been great to see them go head to head in the finals and settle it there. And I, loving shutoku, would obviously have been very happy to get to see them play some more 😭💗

I honestly was waiting for his reaction afsfdjdhk considering Kagami became his worthy rival I figured it'd upset him. Like he just found kagami who ignited his enjoyment of basketball again and now he was leaving 💔 Oooh but the fact too that Aomine was like "man now I wanna go to America" to follow kagami pls. But yeah I've watched friends and I see what you mean!! A fic like that would hit me so hard, I'd love to read something like that ��

In the anime series I feel like a lot of the times he looks so off from how he does in the manga. But regardless he always ends up being the coolest tbh. AFFSJDHDKD THATS ME WITH KUROKO'S FRINGE. I never know which way it is. But for aomine I'm pretty sure it goes to the left. At least from what I remember?? I do think sometimes it goes to the right but that could be because he's moving so it kinda swishes?? Lol

EXACTLY like she's beautiful no matter what but not everybody needed a hair change 😭 but I agree riko looked super cute!! I was really happy with how her hair looked 💗

AAAA I have conflicted feelings like on one hand I'm like that's AMAZING the fact that they had the trust and skills to pull it off was beautiful I love them but on the other hand I FELT SO BAD like the amount of practice and work and time takao must've put in with midorima to get it right only for akashi and midorima to pull it off like it was nothing AFSGSKDHDK I JUST FELT TAKAO'S HURT especially when he said that I was like noooo no that's not true you and midorima are great too 😔 he was a really good sport about it though cause he knew it was necessary to win but I just know it must've sucked. But yeah I love it but it hurts me when I think about Takao cause he's amazing and I hate the thought of him feeling lesser than. But a fic you say?? 👀 pls do share I NEED THAT CONFRONTATION 😭