#and worse in others....

[manonamora-if]

IF players in our community are divided between those who play a self-insert MC and those who don't (are there for the plot, not MC). I get the idea of IF being part of "role-playing" or rpg category, but as the years go by, it feels as if some players take the self-inserting too far. It's like they think of an IF as a life simulator similar to "The Sims" where you can have a fully costumizable and personalized experience. It's even worse for IFs which involve romance, even a little bit, where the author has to cater to the players with 1000 of preferences and costumization options and they'll(some players) still complain.

What do you think are some of the problems with the IF community today in 2024?

😂That's like Miss Universe but make it IF level of questions.

Mmmhhhh... I'm not sure. I think I've become a bit disconnected with parts of the IF community at large, by sticking more on the organising of events or reviewing games and stuff. I've been minding(ish) my business more 😂

The IF scene is so large and diverse, there's truly a bit for everyone now. It's gotten even more diverse compared to its early beginning (and I mean the parser early beginning). There are games that definitely caters to the RPG category, but there are a lot more that doesn't (and people ignore them >.< so many good games...). There are authors who will stick to their guns on their story and others who will be more flexible to player inputs. And there's still a balance between warranted complaints and players asking too much. Loads of grey and stuff...

One of the problems I see with IF, more since people have gone "back to normal", is how the IF player base seem to interact less, with the community at large (servers/forums), during events (voting for competitions, checking out jam releases), with the game itself (comments, ratings, sharing), or with authors directly (asks, reblogs).

I get it, because time and energy are limited. At the same time, the passivity will become problematic in the long run. Which is... a shame, considering some of the ways to interact with a project or an author is fairly small/easy. I wonder if all the IF discord servers that opened in the past couple of years has fragmented the Tumblr IF community in parts? Like users sticks with a few tiny corners of the community instead of the whole... I don't know. might be bollocks.

Another thing I still don't get why it's still a problem that needs to be raised in 2024: the despicable treatment of LGBTQ+ and POC authors, whether it was anon or not. From the abject inbox messages, mass downvoting games, spamming comments and so on... it's a fucking nightmare.

[mythtakens]

“these characters should be mentally healthy before they get together 😌” ummm no I actually think we should smash their mental illnesses together like clumps of play-doh and see what colors it makes

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

historical drama/sitcom where two gay best friends (woman and man) get lavender married--and proceed to spend the Fancy European Honeymoon their parents paid for acting as each other's wingman

[insomniphic]

What's your take on Odysseus's trauma and recovery back in Ithaca?

*looks at all the comics I made*

Lol but really, I realistically expect it to be severely rocky. He’ll have good days, mostly bad days, but what keeps him grounded is of course his family, you know?

But imagine losing your entire fleet under your command...

...only to come back to an entire population of thousands of people, expecting that you will lead them.

What if he fails again?

[cosmicredcadet]

Sometimes...characters being in a romantic relationship is worse.

[suomeen]

Shopping in Finland with Google Translate be like...

[jobycewl]

I believe in the “Everyone is jealous of Shang Qinghua” agenda

[theoldkyokodied]

The Allegiance of the Ascended Vampire and the New God of Magic

[creekfiend]

I saw this on FB today and I wanna try and express something about it. Like, you know the curbcutter effect? Where when curbcuts are put in it benefits everyone (bicyclists, people with baby strollers etc) and not just disabled people?

There is also whatever the opposite of the curbcutter effect is. And this is that.

This isn't just anti-adhd/autism propaganda... this is anti-child propaganda.

Kids have developmentally appropriate ways that they need to move their bodies and express themselves and sitting perfectly still staring straight ahead is not natural or good for ANY CHILD.

Don't get me wrong, I was punished unduly as a kid for being neurodivergent (and other types of kid will ALSO be punished unduly for it... Black kids come to mind) and thus UNABLE to perform this -- but even the kids who ARE able to perform this type of behavior are not SERVED WELL by it. They don't benefit from it.

This is bad for everyone.

The idea that bc some kids may be capable of complying with unfair expectations, those expectations don't hurt them... is a dangerous idea. Compliance isn't thriving. Expectation of compliance isn't fair treatment.

[yardsards]

say what you will about steven universe but it's objectively hilarious that arguably one of the most toxic ships in the series is just. two coworkers at the same shitty minimum wage food service job

[saintapplebees]

absolutely obsessed with these two btw

[gonkaccino]

hey hey another thing. Everyone noticed how subdued movie Elphaba is relative to book/musical Elphaba, right? Book Elphaba's whole thing is being loudly independent and making her own bold choices (then getting [metaphorically] pushed down 5 flights of stairs for having the gall to exist). Musical Elphaba is less of a reddit atheist than her book counterpart, but still plenty abrasive and, ultimately, forges her own path (with its own relatively less tragic consequences).

Movie Elphaba? She doesn't choose to go to Shiz. Her father's planning on keeping her tucked away in their family home until the day she dies, where she can't hurt anyone or further embarrass the Thropp name. Morrible's the one who gets her enrolled, fully aware that Elphaba has no choice if she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life stuck at home, only ever leaving to accompany Nessa. This Elphaba doesn't choose to go to school, she doesn't choose to go to the Emerald City, and, really, she doesn't even choose to defy gravity -- there is no alternative, she can't live if she stays with the Wizard, especially not after Morrible's preemptive announcement of her wickedness. Movie Elphaba's trapped by her destiny, walking the path laid out for her. With one crucial exception, of course: Glinda, baby, that's right, the only thing this Elphie's ever chosen for herself, the only thing she's been allowed to choose, is to have Glinda at her side!

This softer, more noticeably scared Elphaba creates the extremely juicy dynamic of visibly relying on Glinda for support. As soon as they become pals, Elphaba's latched onto her, the only person who isn't scared of her magic, the first person to care for Elphaba's well-being. She chooses to befriend Glinda, she chooses to bring Glinda to the Emerald City, she chooses to ask Glinda to defy gravity with her. This is what makes this version of Defying Gravity so delicious: Elphaba's never truly believed in herself! The only reason she ever started was because Glinda was there to encourage her, and now, at this crucial moment, this Elphaba, who has lived her life so terrified of the harm she could cause others, has the confidence to not only risk her own life with a spell she's never tried, but the life of her one and only friend!

And Glinda refuses! And it's totally understandable now! Of course this Glinda would say no -- she's not scared of what could happen to her, she's scared of what will happen to Elphie, and standing there, she gets it. She understands the role she's played in Elphaba's life. Glinda knows Elphaba wouldn't be there, ready to declare war on the Wizard, if Glinda hadn't been by her side the entire time, and she has to refuse. She has to. Elphaba's request isn't come with me, we're stronger together, it's I can't do this without you, I'm not strong enough, and Glinda KNOWS that's not true. The only way she can express this is by sending Elphie off on her own, to straighten her hat and wish her luck. It's the only way Elphie will take flight and finally realize that she's got the power to do anything she wants, if she just tries.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

Of the 19 hijackers who carried out the Sept 11 attacks:

15 were from Saudi Arabia (a powerful/oil-rich country the U.S. works hard to maintain diplomatic relations with)

2 were from the United Arab Emirates (also a powerful/oil-rich country the U.S. works hard to maintain diplomatic relations with)

1 was from Egypt, 1 from Lebanon.

None of the hijackers were from Iraq.

None of the Sept 11 hijackers were Iraqi.

None of the 9/11 hijackers were from Iraq.

[cup-o-stars]

Part four of old GF sketches

The twin thing, Stan and Ford edition

[fairymonk]

Put your faith in no one but yourself

[roseworth]

best part about comic tumblr is that it is the only fandom i’ve been a part of where no one says “i just love the fandom so much we’ve created such a safe space here ���” like i have never seen even one post about how much someone loves the dc fandom. this is not a happy family this is a cold war and im just glad we all know that