#and the image is just. not improving at all

[factual-fantasy]

27 asks! Thank you!! :}} 🔮

Oooo very cool! I hope you have fun with it!! :DDD And as for how I make a story it kind'a depends-

For Grimace, Sylvester and the rest of the gang.. well that was just my Violet team. I gave them personalities that I thought would suit them and just.. went from there I guess? <:D

For Conkeldurr, Zuora, Emboar and the 4 piglets.. well, it started with just thinking about Conkeldurr and how much I like that Pokémon. I pictured him as a Gentle giant and imagined how fun it would be to draw him with some other tiny Pokémon that he adopted. I went through the Unovan pokédex and picked a Zuora because she was small and fluffy <XD

After making a post about them I wanted to give Conkeldurr a friend. Well I like the Emboar line so hey why not do that? She can be a mama Emboar to switch it up and she can have 4 kids. Why not? Since I didn't draw her in that first post, I made the story they they went their separate ways for a time but now they're back together.

I honestly don't have solid concrete advice I can offer- I just think "hey this would be neat" and slap it on there. Or I think "hey this scenario would be fun to draw" and so I structure the events and story to make the characters run into this scenario in a reasonable way. That's really all I do.. <:D

@beryl-shade

I've seen Markiplier play it :0 Its.. well its something! <:D

(Referencing this post)

<XD I never understood why they made him Spanish, the sudden guitar noise is always a jumps care XDDD

@shiny-is-miney

Humans do not exist in any of my Octonauts AUs, nor have they ever <:/

@catain-skyler1987

I do not <:/ sorry!

@nwo-metalscottic

Daww,, thank you 🥹🥹🥹its been rough these past.. how ever many months- my health is still poor and I still am glued to my bed/the couch 24/7.. but I'm hoping to finally see some improvement soon.. and I hope you feel better too! <:))

Any who, I'm glad to hear your views on Conkeldurr! :D Some people can be kind'a harsh :x As for the Tepigs, I can see them sticking around even after evolving into Pignites. They love their mama and would have no desire to leave her.. 🥺

As for what threatens them.. when they were apart, I kind'a image any meat eating Pokémon that thinks they could take them in a fight would be a threat. Or perhaps territorial Pokémon or protective parents that would see a big Pokémon coming near and just attack on instinct.

Now that the two of them are together, they have a lot less trouble with random Pokémon. They're a much bigger challenge to take on as a team. Plus I can see Zuora walking with them disguised as a second Emboar or Conkeldurr. Creating a group that looks like three macho parents that will fiercely protect their piglets.

As for the Minecraft movie, here's the thing about the Piglins. In the actual game they turn into Zombie Piglins the moment they leave the Nether. Why are they still normal Piglins despite running through a village??

And a Netflix show... uhg.. I'm just not interested. I feel like Minecraft looses all its charm when you convert it into a show or movie. And especially if you mess up Steve as badly as they did. Jack Black.. that's the worst casting I can think of.🤦

This is so cool! It feels like it could be canon to the Pokémon universe! :DD

Also thank you so much!! :)))

I have! :0 I watched 8-bitryan play some of it! :) ALSO THANK YOU!! :DDD

@cicutagreninja

WOW!! :00 THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :DDD I plan to return to it someday!! :)))

@astaherussy (Referencing this post)

I think I put that on almost out of habit <XD when I picture old abandoned houses I imagine notes stuck to the door warning of debts and bills that need to be paid lest the owners get evicted. So I drew that because it felt fitting!

..Only just now did I realize that the old owners were supposed to be a mystery.. if there was any at all. So having that note on the door doesn't really make sense.. 😅

ALSO WAAHG THANK YOU!! :DDD

I've seen the FNAF movie and I've seen multiple Youtubers play all the FNAF games. Though I haven't played through any of them myself. :00

As for what I thought of them.. I have a place in my heart for all the games. From the lore jumbling ruin DLC, to the classic first game, I'm a total sucker and I love them all.💞💞

The movie wasn't as bad as I feared it would be. I adored the inclusion of MatPat and the intended inclusion of Markiplier. There were some aspects I didn't like and a lot of missed opportunities in my opinion. And of course the lore is all outa whack..

None the less, I think the movie is charming. And my love for FNAF has only strengthened upon the movies release :))

@i-only-created-this-to-read

Since Metagross isn't in Black/White (Its in Black/White 2) I wont be looking into that species for a bit.. and I wont be looking at Mega evolutions-

As for a Quantum slime equivalent, I have no intentions to make equivalents for all the slimes- I didn't add trubbish to be an equivalent to pinks. I just noted that Trubbish are a common slime that can eat anything, just like pinks are :0

The slimes and foods I add will be their own thing. Not intending to replicate or replace any of the canon slimes or fruits/veggies/meats from slime rancher. If that makes sense-

@petrichormeraki

I don't really have any proper name ideas for them 😅 I've just been calling them the shiny one, the normal one, the runt and the big one. XDD

Also thank you!! :DDD

Oooo that's really interesting actually! :000 That would have been a much more tame version of my Zuoras story <XDDD

@pigeonsplural

SLAKJDJ THANK YOUUU!! :)))0

*plotting noises......

(Referencing this post)

This ask will be very relevant soon.. 😈 Also thank you! :)))

@roughsketch2010

WAHGG THANK YIU SOMUCH!! :DDD

@kermit-ydafrog

Daww 🥹 Thank you! MY question is why are you so kind?? :DDD

I've heard of it and seen a lot of fanart, but i never got into it myself😅

Thank you for remembering my boundaries and respecting them! <:) And yeah that paints a pretty vivid picture in my head XDDD

@holly-opal

He would have been a better voice for Bowser then Jack Black in my opinion..

@fandomcenteral

WAAHHG THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :DDD And its still a surprise to me that I'm considered a celebrity :00 I hope people aren't intimidated to send me asks because of that.. <:D

@muncho1234 (eye post in question)

Peso, Dashi, Tunip and Ranger Marsh have no eye bags because they have decent sleeping schedules and diets. :0 The rest of the characters either have poor sleeping schedules, deal with a lot of stress, or are very hard workers and burn up all their energy throughout the day.. :(

Oh boy 💀

@minnesotamedic186 (Eye studies post) (Kwazii and Calico Jack hug post) (Ranger Marsh jump scare post)

WAAHGG THANK YOU!!! :DD I ALWATS LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE NOTICE THE DETAILS I PUT IN!! :))))

@caronaro-flipaclip

<XD While I agree with this, I cant help but get red in the face when people like/reblog my old artwork.😅😅 And there's nothing wrong with that! It just shows how far I've come! :)

[dontforgetukraine]

TIFF: And so it continues...5 to ZFF

Aaand "Russians at War" is going to be at the Zurich Flim Festival. Because of course.

The Russian Canadian director Anastasia Trofimova met a soldier on home leave in Moscow's subway, accompanying him to the front lines, where she spent over a year filming unauthorized footage in a battalion near the Ukrainian border. In her film, she gives voice to soldiers who have no understanding of the war's causes and soon find themselves mourning comrades who have become Putin's cannon fodder. This harrowing and unique war documentary captures images you would never see in the news media. 'Who are the Russian soldiers who are fighting against Ukraine? What do they think of Putin? The documentary has them speak their minds. A film that revealed more to me about this conflict than 100 newspaper articles.' – Christian Jungen Anastasia Trofimova Anastasia Trofimova was born in Moscow and is a Russian-Canadian filmmaker. She first studied communications and political science and then international relations. Trofimova is a renowned filmmaker who has made a name for herself through her work in conflict zones such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In her films, she addresses social inequality and injustice. She has been honoured with the Canada Screen Award and has participated as a jury member at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards five times. RUSSIANS AT WAR (2024) / CONGO, MY PRECIOUS (2017) / VICTIMS OF ISIS (2015) / HER WAR: WOMEN VS. ISIS (2015)

No mention of RT in the director's bio of course. Same shit, different film festival.

Also, if this propaganda film reveals more to you about the war than 100 news articles, that's not shining praise for the film, but rather an indictment of the sorry state of our collective media landscape in Ukraine and the West.

The West obviously has a problem of not reporting on Ukraine as often anymore. It's not "fashionable". A lot of the reporting I've come across is superficial and there is rarely a deep dive into the Ukrainian civilian aspect of the war. It seems there always has to be either a grotesque catastrophic event due to Russian aggression (like the Okhmatdyt children's cancer hospital), or an interesting enough topic in order for something to be considered (like the Mykola Hryshko national botanical garden being in danger of losing its tropical plants due to the war causing electricity cuts.) There is a dearth of human interest stories, which is the core of understanding this war and the effects it has on Ukrainians.

When there is such a story, it falls into the situation of the "box-ticking approach", as described by Dr. Olesya Khromeychuk:

It is not enough to simply ‘do Ukraine’ by reviewing one book on the war, especially if it’s by a Western journalist rather than a Ukraine-based author. It’s not enough to host one exhibition, particularly if it is by an artist or photographer who only spent a few weeks in the country. Quickly putting together a panel on Russia’s war in response to a major development at the front and adding a sole Ukrainian voice at the last minute doesn’t cut it either. This box-ticking approach is unhelpful and insulting.

Most if not all of the quotes I pull from human-interest stories are from Ukrainian journalism. If you've been following me for the short time I've had this blog up, you'll notice I read a lot. At this point I've given up on looking up Western based English media, because the core stories that define the war are just not there. If there is an interesting article from the West, I'll usually see it pop up on my Twitter feed (like the botanical garden story) and I'll take a look then because its been recommended and has what I'm looking for.

And finally, Western media can't let go of having some Russian expert talk about Ukraine, instead of actually talking to Ukrainians.

Kate from Kharkiv: Ukrainian media, both in Ukrainian and English, must improve their regional reporting. They are increasingly resembling local Kyiv media, which limits global awareness of events across Ukraine. Consequently, international media rarely cover these regions unless we die en mass. But not too often, because if often it is not news anymore.

Like Kate from Kharkiv points out, mass-casualty events are no longer "fashionable". She further indicates the lack of essential reporting in specific regions where conditions are different from Kyiv. One such example is the Russians turning Kherson into a "human safari". Initially, only Zarina Zabrisky was reporting on how Russian drones pilots were deliberately targeting civilians, and she shouldn't have to be the only one reporting on this. While there are some Western news outlets that have reported on this situation now, it's still not enough. Zarina Zabrisky is still diligently doing the bulk of the work in reporting on this. I can only imagine what other stories in other regions are going untold because there is little to no coverage.

The other obstacle I've noticed is accessibility to news in Ukraine from a language perspective. There isn't enough English language coverage from Ukrainian media outlets. While I would love to be able to read Ukrainian confidently, I'm nowhere near there yet, and the West is collectively even further away. Google translate isn't a great substitute either for obvious reasons. The number of times I wanted to read/watch a news report, and there was no English supplement is a lot. It happens frequently with the English language Ukrainian news accounts I follow. They'll post a clip from a news report with no translated subtitles and say, "look at this!", but I can't extract the information they want to show because of this problem.

This is why I hold volunteer translators as some of the most valuable contributors in the information space, and I will always credit them.

It's a vicious cycle. If a large proportion of Ukrainian news media is inaccessible to Western media due to the language barrier, information has even less of a chance of being noticed and spreading. This is, in my opinion, the other side of the coin on issues in the information war.

[kteezy997]

Lady in Waiting-Part Eight//King Hal

The day had come. Lady Sophia was to marry her King. Your Hal.

It felt as if an entire lifetime had passed since you had arrived at the royal palace in England to start a new life with your Lady, the future Queen. But the change truly started when you met the King. He had initially mistaken you for his bride, and the rest, as they say, is history.

You fell in love with him and his quiet, private charms. The man was as tender as he was handsome. It was the most genuine affection you’d ever felt; a deep, loving connection that you shared together.

You worried for the future. How would Sophia react to your affair with the King? Would she ever find out? And on the other hand, how would you deal with having to share the man you loved?

He did not love her, or even desire her. But he would have to pretend his affections in public settings and then commit his marital duties in his bedroom at night.

You wondered if feelings may develop for Hal as he spent time with his Queen. Could he possibly forget about you? No. Of course not. He loved you, right?

Then, there were the royal children to come. Little ones running around the castle with Hal’s dark, wavy hair and green eyes. But they would be Sophia’s children. You would raise them, love them, but it would not be the same as if you and Hal had brought them into the world together.

Would children be on the horizon for you? It would be a dream to have a family with your beloved Hal. But would that be permitted? Would Sophia be able to turn her cheek and give her blessing? Kings had had royal mistresses before, though you had such a distaste for the word.

It was common for a married noblewoman to find a match for her lady in waiting. Sophia would likely follow this practice. But the Lord knows you had no interest in any man if he was not Hal. He was the one for you.

…..

She really did look elegant, regal even. The layers of her plush, ivory gown, her blonde hair curled and pinned into an updo; the image would fit perfectly on the cover of a storybook that would inspire a generation of young girls. You wondered if Hal would be impressed. It would be difficult not to be.

You could not imagine what must be going through the mind of the man you had slept with just last night. He held you all night long, as if he were desperate to cling onto a life with you.

Sophia was giddy as could be. "This is going to be the best day of my life!" she exclaimed. She sighed happily, looking at you, "Oh, y/n, this is a whole new chapter of our life." She would at times lump the two of you together, as if you, her handmaiden, were merely an extension of herself.

"Yes, indeed it is, my lady."

She made a 'tsk-tsk' sound between her teeth, holding up a finger to you, "Nay, nay, it is "Your Grace" now. I am even better than a lady."

"You are right, my apologies, Your Grace." you performed a light curtsy to her. "It is a habit I am trying to break."

"It is understandable. I have been your lady for quite a long time now. Also, you must work on your curtsy, there is plenty of room for improvement for you there." Sophia paused, took one last look in the mirror. "Now, hold my dress. It is nearly time."

............

You accompanied Sophia, carrying the train of her dress, to her bridal party. There were gasps and gushing at the sight of the bride from her bridesmaids. You could not help but smile at the scene before you, despite your uneasy feelings on the inside. You were holding on tightly to Hal's promise that nothing will change, that he will still love you after he is married.

"Psst, my lady y/n."

You heard the whisper, recognizing the voice as Hal's guard, the same man who escorted you back to your room early that same morning. You turned to him, and he motioned you over. You made sure Sophia did not see and hustled to him.

"His Majesty requests your presence at once."

"Is something wrong?" you inquired.

"Follow me, milady."

......

"Hal?" you said as you approached him in his chambers.

"Oh, thank the gods you are here." he sighed heavily, hurrying over to you. He wrapped you up in his arms.

"Are you alright?"

"I needed to see you." You could tell he was jittery.

"You just saw me a few hours ago." you pulled away from the embrace to look in his eyes. "My darling, you were fine when I left this morning. What has happened?"

"Nothing, nothing has happened. I just do not think I can go through with this wedding." he looked down at the ground.

"Of course you can. You have to. You said yourself that nothing will change." you placed your hands on his cheeks. "I love you, Hal. Nothing will change that. Do you love me?"

"Of course, that is precisely why-"

"Then do this for me. Make Sophia happy. Keep her here in this palace, because as long as she is here, I will be here. We can sort things out later as long as we get through this day. You are not alone; I will be there. I will always be there."

Hal let out a little smile and huff, "As I am for you." He gave you a kiss, nodding, "I knew you would make me feel better."

"Even a King can get nervous, I suppose." you reassured him, returning a grin.

.........

It was a lengthy yet gorgeous ceremony. Hal looked directly into Sophia's eyes and kissed her lips after they said I Do. You could not help the pang of jealousy ripping into your chest as you watched. You knew he did not love her, but it did not make seeing them kiss any easier. You tried to not imagine them in Hal's bed, naked, touching.

The wedding reception followed and contained extravagant courses of food, cake, music, dancing and the decorations you helped arrange.

You noticed that Hal was able to let loose after a few alcoholic beverages. He had invited some old friends from Eastcheap, and they were all having a great time dancing and horsing around on the dance floor.

You decided to rest a bit and sip some wine as you sat at one of the tables. You enjoyed watching the wedding guests and Hal and his mates. But you kept drinking more wine, as you found it increasingly difficult to get thoughts of Hal making love to Sophia out of your mind.

After downing a few glasses of the red drink, you felt a little lighter, perhaps even numb. The space in your brain became more vacant, and you were glad for it.

The time came for the King and Queen to share their first dance as a married couple. A sweet tune came from the band's string section as Hal led Sophia to the floor.

It was, to the naked eye, a romantic moment for the newlyweds. The bride grinning from ear to ear as her groom held her waist, and she with her arms laced around his neck as they swayed to the music.

The sight of it all made you nauseous.

Afterwards, the dance floor became crowded again. And you were surprised when the Queen came over to you instead of tending to one of the vast numbers of her noble wedding guests.

"Y/n I think you should have a dance with Hal." she said with a smile.

You raised your brows, "Oh? And why is that, Your Grace?"

"Well, you are friends, are you not? Besides, I already mentioned it to him, and he is expecting you."

"That is very kind of you." you said, trying not to stumble when you rose from your chair. Maybe the wine was too much.

........

Hal was smirking as he stood in the crowd of dancing partners. He welcomed your body close to his when you approached him.

"How charitable of the Queen to offer her King to her Lady." you quipped.

He chuckled lightly, "Yes, well, at least we can enjoy a moment together." he slid his hands to your lower back.

You hummed at his warm touch, but you could not lean in, could not look at him too fondly otherwise suspicions would arise.

"I would never truly complain about an opportunity to be close to you, my King." you whispered.

Hal shook his head slightly, his jaw clenching noticeably. "Oh, the things I want to do to you right now." You could hear the rumble of desire in the lowness of his voice.

........

You spent the night alone in your bed. Luckily, the amount of alcohol you had consumed lulled you to sleep. You knew without it, you would have been up all night thinking about Hal and Sophia.

You woke with a small headache, but you drank a big cup of cold water to hydrate yourself some before leaving for Sophia's chambers. You felt much better, but you were not ready to hear about how amazing her wedding night was with the man you loved.

You knocked on her door but there was no answer, not even after a second knock. "Your Grace? Are you in there?" Was she still in Hal's room? Perhaps it would not be proper for a King to kick his Queen out of bed after consummating their marriage.

"Y/n?" you heard her call out faintly. "Is that you? Come in."

Sophia's voice was much softer than usual, and she sounded weak.

You opened the door to a dark room. Typically, she was already up and ready to get dressed and made up for the day. But now, she was in bed, covered up completely by her blankets. "My Queen, are you well?" you asked.

She pulled the covers down from her face. You were stunned to see her eyes swollen red and watery. "Oh, y/n, last night was terrible." she cried, covering her face again.

@gatoenlaciudad @thebetawolfgirl @musicandbooksaremyhappyplace @softhecreator @tchalamss @lixzey @bitchyunknownuser @ducktapebar @aoi-targaryen @yukideadinside @elloise0 @thatoneweirdgirl17 @mel-vaz @sammy-halpert @iwishchalamet @that-one-fangirl69 @jindongdongie @briefkittenearthquake @imnotoverlyobsessive

[koifsssh]

"Hi Dewy."

in regards to the Tox Au, Rainy basically gets replaced with a duplicate version of them.

Rainy is typically characterized as a blank slate (on purpose!) and doesn't understand/know a lot of complex topics or ideas, not that they can't learn of course, but they're "behind" in that aspect.

(brain dumping in the cut!)

DEWY, in comparison, would be regarded as more functional and capable. Though, they lack a lot of the emotions that Rainy can and frequently feels.

Dewy is what the virus/infection considers as a new and improved Rainy, Dewy doesn't need to sleep, eat, or get tired. Dewy is "perfect".

Except Dewy can't feel emotions. At least, not in the way Rainy could feel emotions. There's a lot of comparison between the two, and even though Dewy isn't Rainy, Dewy is still a part of Rainy.

Dewy as their own person is a lot to explain, but to sum it all up they struggle a lot with imposter syndrome and self image. They fill the shoes of someone else, someone who was loved. Filling shoes like that is daunting, which causes a lot of stress, and a lot of conflicting thoughts.

Before Dewy was fully formed, they were just a slab of goo and felt that mindlessly repeated whatever Rainy would say when they used to be conjoined together.

It took them a while to become coherent overtime.

What's most difficult about it all, is that Dewy has to pretend to be Rainy, and seeing all their friends in the state the virus has put them all is heartbreaking. What's even more heartbreaking is how they don't realize Rainy is gone.

[tox au belongs to @cupophrogs !!!]

[sometipsygnostalgic]

The best system to play Gameboy games on is... well... you can play them on many devices.

Officially it would be GBA SP because it can run Gameboy and GB Colour games.

However, very few backlit SPs were ever released (they are frontlit). So a better unit for Gameboy Advance games might be the DS Lite, which universally is backlit and which is lightweight enough to not cause problems. It also has better ergonomics than the SP, but I am bugged by the black borders and empty second screen.

A really popular mod is called the "Gameboy Macro", which is when you take a DS Lite lower screen and use it solely as a gameboy advance. It is a great way to recycle DS units with a broken top screen, a common issue, though it makes me cringe to think some people modify perfectly fine units this way.

The Lite also has issues with the cartridge sticking out the bottom, so many prefer using the "phat" for this purpose. The original DS is both frontlit and backlit for some reason. The image is still an improvement on frontlit SPs.

The best units to play DS and 3DS games on are... the DS and 3DS.

Specifically the best place for NDS games is the DSi XL. No non-DS device has the touchscreen versatility to run DS games well, and it's very awkward scaling the tiny screen on an emulator.

The 3DS is also not a great place for DS games. The 3DS top parallax screen is incapable of a 1:1 pixel ratio even in pixel-perfect mode, which already has the issue of black borders around the screens, making touch-based games more finicky.

It is especially apparent on the XL models but is also an issue on the smaller 3ds models.

The best unit to play DS games on is the DSi XL. It has a backlit screen and more power and memory than the first two units, making loading faster. It doesn't have the scaling issues of the 3ds, as it doesn't need to do any upscaling at all - the XL has the same number of pixels as a normal DS.

I've never used a DSi XL because all the ones sold in the UK are these ugly beige colours and they never took off, but if you don't mind the loss of the GBA slot, it's the best device for DS games.

Unfortunately DSis seem to be plagued by yellowing screens. I can tell you the small unit I just bought has some very slight yellowing on both screens.

What's the best way to play 3ds games? Well, on a 3ds obviously. It's even harder to accurately emulate 3ds games than DS games, and you lose the 3d effects altogether.

But which 3ds is best?

It depends on what you want. The 3ds more than any other Nintendo system besides the Gameboy is heavily based on preference instead of objective superiority.

To get it out the way first, while the original 3ds has the sleekest look, it's the worst one. The original 3ds and 3dsXL have a much worse 3D implementation, relying on you to stare at the screen at an odd angle.

Not only does the New3ds fix the 3d with an eye tracking sensor, it also has more power again, and a "c-stick". I also think the screens on the New3ds are of a higher quality and run flat games better too.

However the New3dsXL has some downgrades. The SD card is replaced with a microSD but now requires a mini screwdriver to access, removing the back plate. The stylus is also a really tiny one like on the DS, in an awkward place, and the metallic skin on the console will decay very quickly with use. My New3DSXL's skin started peeling under my hands after just six months of use.

The New3DSXL is the best unit to play 3ds games if you are looking to have all the features at their most optimal. It is the best by far for playing in 3d. It can also run the DS library fine, if in a poor image quality.

Personally I prefer the XL, the larger size is easier on the eyes, though the customizable panels on the hard-to-find normal size New3ds are cute too.

If you don't care for 3d, the Wedge and Doorstop may be for you.

The 2ds has all the features of a 3ds apart from the 3d, while in a wedge shape that looks dreadful but actually feels more ergonomic. It has similarities to the first Gameboy Advance and you can't tell you're holding something so tall.

The original 2DS is sold for much cheaper than the other units because Nintendo sold it for cheaper and nobody particularly wants one, so it's the most affordable way to try every game in the DS library, especially if you pair it with a jailbroken SD card. Unfortunately it still uses the 3ds screen, just with no 3d slider, so it still upscales DS games and doesn't have perfect rendering of 3ds games either, but it's harder to tell as the screen's tiny.

The New 2ds XL was the last DS ever sold, it came out after Switch. A lot of cute variants of the 2ds XL exist, and most games coming out around its release didn't have 3d enabled anyway. The feature had died in popularity, so while a 2d 3ds was originally scoffed at, in 2017 it just made sense.

While the New2ds XL looks fancy in a distance, the ergonomics are worse than any 3ds, and far worse than the wedge 2ds. The New2dsXL is all style and no substance, with the speakers being covered by the user's hands, and it's made out of a flimsy plastic. It's clear Nintendo made the materials for the hull cheaper and cheaper over time, so by the end of the 3ds's life they had gone from a very premium-feeling device to cheap plastic. The Switch would follow this design philosophy.

I do salivate over that Pikachu version and I'd enjoy trying one, but my mind tells me it's not a great device.

All told, which do I think is better? Well I think the 3ds XL having the most features is inviting for me, and I have the choice of turning off 3D. However if you want bang for your buck, the 2ds wedge might be your safest option.

Unfortunately the New 2ds XL and New 3ds XL will cost you as much as a Nintendo Switch these days. It seems that sellers have wisened up to the demand from people who missed out on the 3ds and want to try it out. There's also talk of IPS screens being better and the New2ds XL, 3ds XL and DSi XL all use IPS screens, so people are scalping them or raising prices.

[thebramblewood]

Apologies if you've answered this before, but I was looking through your asks and couldn't find anything.

Do you have any advice on how you take such good screenshots of your game? You have such a knack for lighting, having variety of shots, and making them immersive.

This is so sweet. Thank you! 🥰

If I'm being honest, it's 90% vibes and gut feelings for me. I don’t have any formal background in filmmaking or photography, and everything I know is by sheer osmosis. There’s a lot of fancy terminology to describe why certain image compositions look better than others. I admire and respect anyone who purposefully keeps that in mind. But I am definitely not that person. I think I’ve watched enough film and TV, though, to subconsciously be doing the "right thing" - or at least what looks right to me.

That being said, I think the best way to improve is practice. If you spend enough time doing something you'll obviously get better at it, even if you don't realize it at first. So the most important thing is to give yourself the patience to grow and the freedom to experiment! At any rate, here are some things I've learned that will maybe be helpful to others.

Camera Tricks: We all know the camera in TS4 can be a little wonky at times. I use Buckley's camera mod. It hasn't been updated in eons but still works as far as I can tell. It gives you more freedom with movement, and I've found it especially helpful for getting shots that are lower to the ground.

Now that I've realized how sneakily useful first person camera can be, I also take advantage of that all the time. There's the trick of making your Sim look in a specific direction. (This works with poses and gameplay actions, by the way! For example, I used it to turn Caleb's head toward Lilith while he was trimming the bonsai tree.) There's the Dutch angle trick explained in this video. This is great for moments of disorientation and unease. I also just straight-up used first person camera to convey Helena's confusion upon waking after being turned.

Also, saved camera positions are your best friends. You can save up to five positions using CTRL+5-9. Then you just click the corresponding number to return to that position. I've used these for so many reasons. By taking two shots in the same position and Photoshopping them together, I've been able to edit Sims in (like Vlad below), fix accessory clashes (the book was in the hat category, so Lilith couldn't actually wear it at the same time as the towel on her head), and to pose Sims in open doorways (Helena had to walk through the door to open it for the Vatores, so I shot both halves separately).

Zoom: I love smashing that zoom button, whether it's zooming way in or way out. Zoomed out shots are perfect for establishing setting or as interstitial shots during a long conversation when you don't want to always focus on Sims' faces. They're also great for the draaama. Extreme close-ups are great for emphasizing emotion or a tiny but significant detail. Playing around with the extremes of zoom is one of the best ways to achieve shot variety!

Focus: I don't think Reshade is a necessity for good visual storytelling, but it does make certain things easier. I rely a lot on depth of field shaders to pull focus in shots. I like using cinematic depth of field especially in conversations to blur some characters while emphasizing others. I feel like this helps ground conversations because it reminds us there are multiple participants instead of always zeroing in on the speaker alone. Another way to play with focus is to allow the angle to mirror the emotions of the conversation. It's an older shot, but I always liked how Caleb seems to cower beneath Lilith's bat form here even though she's technically smaller. And in the recent conversation between Lilith and Helena, I kept the camera to Lilith's back to emphasize her vulnerability and discomfort and put the focus on Helena's reaction to it.

Framing/Angles: I do this by pure instinct, honestly, and have gotten better at getting it right on the first shot over time. I used to take half a dozen shots of the same pose from different angles and choose the best one. Nowadays, I'm quicker to commit and often take only one shot. I've learned that if something immediately tickles my brain, it's usually the way to go. I usually angle shots so that the characters aren't looking directly at camera, as it seems more natural that way. On the other hand, sometimes the direct to camera look can actually work in more confrontational or unsettling moments.

Environment: If I can help it, I don't do my own builds. In some ways, this is a disadvantage because I have to set up the scene within a space that wasn't specifically catered to it. On the other hand, it makes for fun little surprises, like the ability to peek in through a skylight or frame two characters within perfectly placed archways. I like using objects and structures to create interest when I can. I often don't discover things like this until I'm pulling the camera around and randomly happen upon them. I definitely recommend navigating all around to see what you've got to work with before committing to any specific angle. You might find one you didn't even think of!

Lighting: I do what I can with the game's lighting. I avoid placing ceiling lamps or at least turn the brightness down much lower, and I don't usually turn all the lights on in a room at once. I tend to change the color to one of the warmer golden hues to avoid a stark white that washes everything out. I always like when I can get some sources of light into frame because it adds a lot to the ambience. But I've also been using Relight on all of my posts lately. It's an addiction, and it truly makes all the difference. I'll use it to give light sources a stronger glow so they stand out more and also to create shadows on Sims' faces. It's also very good for flashlights and computer screen glow!

After having self-indulgently written all this, I'm not sure how much is usable advice versus rambling musings. I find it hard to give storytelling "tips" because so much of it feels innate and personal and hard to put into generalized terms. I also don't want to imply that every one of my shots is perfect or that there aren't a million other ways to go about achieving good results. But thank you to anyone who's made it this far, and I hope you found it worthwhile. 💕

[jean-dieu]

All my protag from Dragon Age!! An idiot, an idiot, a sweetheart.

With very important informations regarding them of course.

Below the cut is just me rambling about them with actual informations, you can ignore LMAO

Artemis Tabris is a city elf with a fierce personality. Extremely stubborn, he refuses to stay silent in front of whatever discrimination he and his people can face. He's extremely protective of his friends and his family. Of course, it was only a matter of time before he would do something that would put him in big troubble. When his wedding day is interrupted in the worst way possible, he seeks vengeance for all the women, not caring for the consequences. He was glad to become a grey warden, as he thought it would give him the opportunity to finally be properly respected and to protect his family more than ever. He did lack the proper discipline though, often just doing whatever he wanted to do. His main past time is annoying Alistair, mostly by rubbing his relationship with Morrigan in his face. It started as more or less of a fling, but he grew very attached to her in the end, even going as far as searching for her despite everything. In the end, he gives up, and ends up with Zevran instead, and the two men manage to find happiness in life.

"Nacht" Hawke will never say his real name because he thinks it's lame. No, he's a hero, he's the main character, he's so cool, so he gets to name himself. He's a sarcastic piece of shit. He loves to annoy Carver, and the two of them doesn't go along. Despite his many flaws, he values friendship more than anything. Varric is his bff for life, and at this point they probably have matching tramp stamps tattoos. He's fiercly pro-mage, not exactly like Anders. Nacht's point of view is just "I was born like this and I just think I deserve the right to live". He's in general very against people in position of powers and in favor of the common folks. There's not a day that goes with him and Fenris fighting then kissing right after. He resented Carver when he chose to join the Templar, but they both made peace in the end, agreeing that they'll never manage to get along, but accepting to protect each other because they're family.

Aloysius Lavellan would gladly do anything else instead of being the Inquisitor. Still, the weight of the world on his shoulders is too overwhelming to ignore, and he's doing his very best to lead the organization to success. What he lacks in leadership and charisma, he makes up with determination. Cullen is coaching him for public speaking, and Josephine to polish his public image. Aloysius is in general too soft and too gentle to be a leader. He's shy, introverted, anxious, and always wondering if he did the right thing. Still, with a bit of help, he actually manages to become a worthy leader, respected for his humility and overall kindness with his men. He still doesn't know how he managed to secude Iron Bull but he's very happy about it and he loves him so very much. He tends to be kind of naive but he's very knowledgable on the world. He knows everything about plants and can rambles about them for hours. He's friends with every companion. He's a great mage, and he's always eager to improve his skills and magic, and he's not the type of man to rest on his laurels.

[mourn-and-watch]

the unexplored potential of warden mahariel being genuinely baffled by human society and unprovokedly asking alistair questions like "why do y'all wear these atrocious shoes is this supposed to be comfortable" and "how can your mages properly study magic and collect new lore if they don't leave the tower what is the point"

[rookeryyy]

i adore this disaster cat :) so much. YAHOO! absol be upon ye

[kinstein-art]

luffy!!!

[kirby-the-gorb]

[blu3berrydraws]

--- Anon requested: Days go by and nauseous for zukka. From this palette meme.

[aioliravioli-69]

Heyoo!

I've been hooked on nomads recently so of course I just HAD to draw something

I know the series is pretty angsty right now, so here ya go!

the quartet (I don't know what comes after trio💀) riding on one of the turtles in the sea kingdom

I was admitedly very lazy with the outfit design and honestly I'm not even gonna try and hide the fact that that turtle was 100% traced💀

I wasn't in the mood to do ANOTHER study, which uh... probably explains a lot

Oh wow, I wonder how long that took me to-

[mongeese]

controversial but i think kristen and cassandra should've gotten psychosexual with it

[fatalwhims]

Thinking about these two stubborn idiots who believe that they gotta do everything on their own and don't have others to rely on.

[ID: Panels from Trigun Maximum. The first panel is of Vash standing with his back facing the reader saying "I'm a lot...sturdier than I look." The second panel is a zoomed in version of the first, drawn with stippling overlay to imply it is not in the present time. The next is a panel of young Luida reaching out with one arm, also with stippling overlay. The final is a panel of Luida looking down and saying "This time...he's probably fighting on his own again." END ID]

[ID: Panels from Trigun Maximum of Miss Melanie standing and saying: "You foolish boy...you tried doing everything on your own again". The next panel showing the top half of Wolfwood's face upside down, with only one eye visible under his hair and open wide in shock. The final panel is of Miss Melanie's face looking sad and saying "I swear...you never once listened to me." END ID]

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

i think the diamond dogs should play improv games just bc it would amuse me, an ex theater kid, specifically