#based on blizzard concept

[overwatchfanskinarchive]

Kitty Venture by cholvoq (top row), with fanart by ssaknanda (middle left), mothcon (middle right), and chabbytabbyy (bottom left)

inspired by the survey skin concepts (bottom right)

[tvntheatre]

Guys I keep coming up with nutcracker designs I use to minimal extents, HELP

[faulix]

i hate ovw bc mercy can get one or even TWO skins a season, be it battlepass or paid, while with every other support you have to pray for it

[cholvoq]

Kitty Venture skin concept based on that skin survey of all the cat skins! I’m tweaking over the lack of skins Blizzard please don’t do us dirty—

[fluffle-friends]

Hhhhhh Homicipher Ranmaru jumpscare

He'd be something like 'Mr Hair' or 'Mr Cold' - or maybe even 'Cold Child' since he's visibly quite young (about 10-12 years old.) The concept I have for him is based on how his brother Hibiki died from hypothermia during a blizzard

Ranmaru wears a simple, slightly grimy, sleeping gown with reddish-brown stains down his back. His skin is very pale and tinged blue with his fingers, toes, lips, and nose being the most visibly blue. His hair surrounds the room that he sits in, it's a tripping hazard for anyone who might enter.

His hair can snare anyone who tries to sneak up on him, however because he is blind he can't differentiate between someone trying to sneak around him and someone trying to sneak up on him - so both get the same treatment.

When ensnared, a person is dragged head-first towards the maw on the back of his neck (similar to that of a Futakuchi-Onna) and Ranmaru with decapitate them. This is the reason for the bloodstains on his back.

[litterallyirlventure]

Blizzard arent feeding us enough venture content or skins, so i decided to do a concept for a skin, current a W.I.P with just base colour and lineart, but i should be finishing it soon, Enjoy! 😊 (ignore the bad quality, images didn't wanna save to my phone)

[puppetmaster13u]

Bird-Bat Language [Part 2]

Previous Part: H E R E

A majority of the language has to do with things in Gotham There's several calls focusing on the dangers found in the city, especially with how many chemical attacks there can be even just hours apart

Fear Toxin: long hiss-click (This call can't afford to be too long or extravagent due to the danger of the toxin) Joker Venom: short hiss-click-click (The hiss is higher pitched than the one in the fear call) Ivy Pollen: hiss-cluck-high (Thankfully not nearly as dangerous later, nor used as often as it once was) Fire: warble-click-high (A mimicry of wavering flames and the crackle of wood on fire) Ice/Blizzard: trill-click-low (Similarly to Mr. Freeze's call, it's meant to mimic the cracking of ice, though at a smaller scale) Earthquake: screech-low-low (While not hard to miss, there's always a risk if they're in certain buildings or caves) Storm/Lightning: low-chitter-high-high (Mostly a warning for if someone is high up or out late) Water/Flood: click-low-low-warble (Flooding is pretty common and usually only a risk if one is in like, say the sewers)

Maneuver & Location based words are important Very self explanatory in concept, and rather obvious why such things are needed, especially for vigilantes

Up/Above: rapid high-high (I think it's pretty obvious why these sounds are used lol) Down/Below: long low-low (Same with these ones for going low lol) Right: rapid low-high (The low is rapid but the high trails off) Left: rapid high-low (Similar to the previous sound, but the low trails off instead of the high) How Far/Long: extended low-high (Difference between them is if the low or the high is extended longer than the other) Leave (No Emergency): chitter-high-low (The high whistle is more of a whining noise as though to say 'leave me alone') Home: long low-low-high (Whistle ends in a twittering sort of high when talking about the manor specifically) Patrol: repeated coo-low-chitter-click (Used as both a 'Get back to work' and a 'Can we go out now' sound) Inside: warble-chirp-low (Usually used when following someone or when telling where they're going) Outside: hoot-chirp-high (Similarly used to the inside sounds, though the hoot is quite rapid)

There are a couple distinct noises for very basic locations These are limited to their territory of sorts & doesn't include specific locations within the city

Gotham: clatter-low-trill (Clatter is made via claws, armor, or via the stone around them) Bludhaven: chitter-cough-coo (Cough noise varies in loudness and length depending on the individual speaking) Ocean: warble-low-click (The noise is supposed to invoke the sound of waves, or as close as they can do) Outside City: hoot-high-shriek (The shriek shows their wariness to the idea of leaving their areas, or one of theirs escaping to the outside world that's not prepared)

There's also a few close-quarters patrol words These are mostly descriptive or actions/orders, but can't quite be described as such either

Friendly: tap-tap-click-coo (Originally just used when introducing people, hence the quietness) Questioning/Don’t Understand: cluck-coo-peep (This is usually used by the kids at first while learning) Understood/Acknowledged: coo-warble (At first was just an understand noise but they started using it to show they were listening as well) Be Quiet: tap-coo-tap (The tapping is usually against stone or their own armor) Don’t Move: tap-tap-click-coo (The coo is very soft and quiet, as is the rest of the noise) Hide: tap-hoot-tap-tap (The hoot is sharp and short, while the taps are faster the more imperative it is) Being Followed: hoot-click-click (The clicks are loud and echoing, especially compared to the hoot)

The batfam also have 'complaining' noises These are used in both patrol and whenever to get across their point

Gimme: repeated peep-coo (It started when Bruce started carrying sweets for the kids & never stopped) Pay Attention: peep-cluck-peep-peep (This is more of a pay attention to me sound than a general pay attention one) Hungry: repeated peep-peep-chirp (Bruce carries snacks and they know that) Tired: repeated coo-cluck-cluck (The noise was needed, seeing as children do eventually get tired during patrol) Thirsty: repeated peep-peep-click (Sure they have their own water bottles but it runs out sometimes if it's a long night) Cold/Wet: repeated coo-cluck-peep (Practically a 'let me go under your cape dad' noise)

Noises for different injuries are needed Especially if they don't want others to know if they're injured or weakened, even if not by much

Injured: shriek-high-high-high (This is a general injury sound, alerting others that they are as so) Grounded/Can’t Fly: shriek-cluck-click (Mostly used for AUs but can also be used in the context of injured without a grapple) Bleeding: shriek-buzz-trill (Less of a slightly bleeding noise & more of a 'might be bleeding out & come get me') Broken Bone: shriek-coo-coo (This is less of a minor break for them and more of a 'can't walk or use an arm' one) Shot: shriek-low-high (They needed the sound after Bruce panicked after one of them got grazed, so they made a noise for if they've actually gotten shot) Poisoned: cluck-trill-high (This isn't uncommon what with the different chemicals all around Gotham)

They have sounds for emotions when they don't want to talk Most of the time these are used when trying to explain what they're feeling is too hard or frustrating on its own

Happy/Pleased: hum or chuff (also doubles as an 'I'm proud of you' noise or an idly amused) Angry: hiss or roar (hiss is a more sulky sort of anger while a roar is 'I want to hurt something' angry) Sad/Distressed: whine or scream (a whine is no less distressed than a scream, it's whatever they can communicate at the time) Love/Affectionate: purr or croon (usually used when they can't speak at the time, like during a stakeout, works as both a 'good job' and an 'I'm proud' noise as well) Startled/Confused: squeak (less of an 'I don't understand' & more of a confused about something around them) Amused: giggle or chitter (similar to if someone burst out in laughter albeit far quieter) Threatening: clatter or growl (clatter is made via armor in most cases but other things might be used)

Other noises I didn't have put down in a previous section but probably should've lol:

Commissioner Gordon: high-warble-high (a mimicry of a police siren in birdsong) Officer Martinez: low-chirp-high-high (usually accompanied by audible mischief-making) Justice League: twitter-hiss-high (the hiss shows their annoyance, mostly as the sound is used if it's the league that tries to enter Gotham) Day: high-high-warble-low (both highs are rapid while the low is drawn out) Night: low-low-warble-high (both lows are drawn out slightly while the high is short) Wayne Tower: trill-click-click-coo (the noise is more affectionate compared to other location noises due to being associated with family, also because it's a good very tall perch) Clocktower: click-click-click-low (a noise mimicking a clock ticking and then chiming)

[yanderes-galore]

Snowgrave Noelle HCs (Deltarune)

What can I say? I love terror? I think that was obvious.

Ah, yes, another fic where the yandere is experiencing just as much trauma as their obsession. I think ❄ Anon will like this, even if it isn't entirely based on their ideas.

Yandere! Snowgrave! Noelle Concept

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Mind break (Noelle), Manipulation, Paranoia, Violence, Possessive/Protective behavior, Clingy behavior, Implied jealousy, Implied murder, Forced companionship/relationship.

Similar to Kris, she isn't entirely in control of her actions at times.

She can sense The Player's presence which would make her paranoid.

Especially during and after the Snowgrave route.

I feel she'd be the scariest with an in-universe obsession who isn't aware of The Player.

To you... It just seems like Noelle is having some sort of mental breakdown.

You can't entirely blame her, she's going through a lot in life.

She has a parent in the hospital... that can cause some serious stress.

But... things change when you enter the Dark World with the others.

She seemed so nervous at first, not wanting to fight anyone and often being jumpy.

Yet, when you meet her later, she's changed.

Snowgrave! Noelle would have times where she's stoic and not very emotive.

Sometimes she'll snap out of it, but afterwards she looks so scared.

This Noelle clearly isn't herself.

In fact, I feel a big part of her obsession develops because she's so scared.

She's paranoid, which makes her clingy, she's so scared of herself.

But she can't bring herself to let you go... To leave her all alone.

Noelle would experience a mind break long before you do.

At first, she's scared to be near you.

She's scared she'll hurt you as she isn't sure of her own actions.

She's being manipulated by some higher being and it's terrifying.

Every person she comes across, they end up frozen.

Noelle only knows a blizzard.

She listens to every command, even if she hates it.

Her emotions are like a whirlwind of snow.

Whenever she looks at you, she isn't sure what to say.

She wants to cry, to scream... but she says nothing.

She wants to cling to you, to ask you to make it all better.

All she knows is snow and the cold touch of ice.

It's like she blacks out... and by the time she wakes, everything's cold.

She doesn't want to be cold.

As the route continues, she keeps getting worse.

You're getting increasingly more nervous.

You shiver, it's like the temperature dropped here.

Noelle wants nothing more than to hold you.

She wants your warmth.

At this point, you're the only thing that matters to her.

The... The people in this Dark World don't matter.

It's... It's all fake, right?

Just one bad dream... a nightmare she'll wake up from....

She definitely loses her mind, soon hunting you down and dragging you into her arms when she can't take the feeling of being alone anymore.

Her touch is freezing, she's freezing...

It's all so cold....

Your warmth makes her feel... safe....

For once, the blizzard of voices in her head calms.

She doesn't let you go.

In fact, she'd drag you through this Dark World to end things as soon as possible.

It's all so much more bearable with you by her side.

She completely ignores your pained/surprised screams when she freezes another soul or has her cold grip too tight... to the point it stings due to the feeling of freezing..

She was made into this.

There was no choice.

Now she's giving you no choice.

No one here matters except you.

In fact, they're a threat.

They're a threat to the both of you and all deserve to freeze.

Even Berdly... She even sees Berdly as a threat.

Perhaps she was always jealous.

Perhaps she always wanted you to herself... Now she can.

You stare in horror as your friend and companion destroys the lives of these Darkners.

By the end of it... everything is cold.

The whole Dark World is freezing, blocks of ice littering the ground with people turned to statues.

Noelle... doesn't comment.

She isn't even all that paranoid anymore, she just keeps muttering.

You can't snap her out of it, she just drags you through the snow.

Everything's cold... except for you.

You're important to her.

She'll keep you safe... she'll never hurt you.

If you try to run... she'll freeze your legs.

You can't get away... she needs you.

She can't be alone.

You need to stay.

Even when you cry, she just holds you in her arms.

It all just feels... right.

Here... She doesn't have to worry about you leaving her or anyone else taking you.

She's strong here.

She likes that.

She likes keeping you to herself.

She'll never let this feeling go... no matter what.

By the end of the Chapter and Route, when you're all home and leave the library... Nothing feels normal.

You still remember the cold atmosphere.

It was like the dead of winter... and Noelle was in the middle of it.

Her eyes were cold, she didn't seem like her.

Berdly, your shared friend, didn't even wake up from the Library....

You aren't the same after the encounter, Noelle isn't either.

Even when you talk to her after, she seems unsure and nervous.

However, whenever you turn your back, a chill runs up your spine.

When you turn around, your heart nearly freezes in place...

Noelle is always staring when you turn away, and you swear you see that familiar cold dark gaze in her eyes as she watches you.

[txttletale]

i'll actually in a limited capacity defend the overwatch league's regional teams gimmick but the execution was bad. having regional teams could have been hype. like--during astralis' 2018-2019 csgo run, danish esports fans went fucking insane for them. and like of course they did. there's inherently something exciting about having a team you can in some way 'identify' with. and geography does create natural sports rivalries and pre-writes your stories.

there were two glaring bad problems in the dumb way blizzard did this though. one is forcing teams to come up with brand new branding. this was a horrible idea. it forced well-established esports organizations with strong fanbases across different games like cloud9 and optic to try and build new brands up from scratch. they realized this with their call of duty leage where they let teams play as 'atlanta faze' and 'optic texas' but yknow. kind of too little too late

the other one (and this is also the glaring fatal flaw in the overwatch league's entire silly, silly business plan) is the idea of a global league. now if you don't know much about esports you might think 'wait whats wrong with that. its gaming you can do it online players can be anywhere'. however that's not true! first of all, esports--well esports doesn't make money, esports when managed correctly is essentially a loss leader for the game it's an esport for--but esports makes a lot of its money on live events. yeah, people go to see esports games:

much more importantly, ping is a huge factor in esports. the higher the level you're playing at, especially in a game like overwatch that's full of twitchy hitscan aiming, the more a 10ms latency difference can make or break a game. you need to be running in-person events in order to have a competitive esports league and to make a good chunk of your revenue.

and that means that a global esports league runs into the exact same problem a global normal sports league would run into and the reason why that doesn't exist, which is travel logistics. the overwatch league has a london team, a san francisco team, and a chengdu team. these cities are very far away from each other [citation needed] and although overwatch league people will often blame covid for ruining their plans, i honestly think it actually saved them by preventing the horrible idea they had for how the league would work from actually happening. imagine all the problems that travel causes in a league like the NBA--jet lag, exhaustion, the obvious budgetary expenditure. now imagine that the travel itinerary also includes flights across the atlantic and/or pacific.

that's not even all! the thing about esports is that, because practicing for ten hours a day doesn't physically destroy your body like it would for regular sports, esports players and teams... do that. if you spend seventeen hours on a plane from paris to hangzhou for a match that's seventeen hours where you're not practicing. when you arrive, you can't just stay at a hotel--you need to be able to practice in the days leading up to the match too, especially because it's esports, which means the game can change. if you miss some practice as a sports team, you're gonna be rusty--if you miss some practice as an esports team, the rules of the game might have literally changed since your last practice session.

the result of this, by the way, is that the london and paris teams have never been actually based in europe--and that right now the dallas team is based in korea. it is very silly. every other multinational esport ever invented has created regional leagues--league of legends has a league for korea, china, europe, north america, pacific, vietnam, brazil, japan, and latin america. but blizzard entertainment are god's special little gamers and they weren't going to let something like 'the ocean' get in the way of their global league dream.

and ultimately this means that the entire local team concept was pointless. most of the teams aren't locally based. and even if they were -- the madcap way they play against each other mean that those city affiliations don't matter. when manchester united play liverpool f.c., even if you are not a big football fan, if you're from manchester you presumably have an opinion of liverpool and liverpudlians, and vice versa. there is an emotional hook to latch on to. if manchester united were to play khon khaen united, you would probably say 'where the fuck is khon khaen'. for the localisation to work, the overwatch league's london team needed a manchester or glasgow or dublin or amsterdam or brussels team (etc.) to play against. if you're invested in the esport itself and the players, you can get invested in a philadelphia-london or chengdu-houston rivalry--but the localisation aspect of it isn't doing the work it should there.

tldr: the overwatch league was a bad idea ever since the moment it was announced. people are too harsh on the team localization idea but the way it was executed was hot garbage and it's no wonder this entire venture failed badly

[skellavelva]

i ain't being an anon

But your frisk design looks exactly how I imagine cannon frisk to be like, and also I love how you did mad dummy! But...

What does the *Monster kid* look like in your au, how he acts, and what he does? I always thought of mk and frisk being friends

Fair enough! I won't ever force you to be an Anon. It's all up to you!

But it makes me so happy to hear that! The point of my au was to keep things close to the canon! There are of course going to be differences, but I don't want anything too major. And if it is major, it is because of the location changes. Or well, for convenience's sake.

A couple locations I will share here is that Snowdin has blizzards that cause heavy snowfall, Waterfall is flooded, and The Ruins is more of a destroyed landscape with ruined towns here and there. The traps are also much more lethal, hidden, and deadly.

An example of convenience's sake that I have thought out and already have a general idea of is Gyftrot's design. I've mentioned how Frisk would ride on their back to travel Snowdin due to the heavy snow. Originally in the ruined code of my au, Gyftrot only had an extra warm coat to survive in the freezing temps of Snowdin. But a special someone saw that it would be inconvenient for Frisk to get healing items. So they edited the code a little and made it so that Gyftrot also grew fruit. Just so Frisk can easily nab healing items should they face a battle.

And for Mad Dummy, I don't quite have a design for them yet! You must mean Training Dummy. But it will likely be something similar to below. A little sketch I made to get a general idea of how Mad Dummy can look. I'll have to do some more concept character art before I find one I like.

And I wanna thank you for mentioning Monster Kid because I hadn't actually had a design for them yet. But thanks to you, I looked into making a design so here they are! Not colored yet, but I like this concept design I made so I'll be keeping it.

Based loosely off a tadpole with the spikes on their head becoming more of fins to fit in with the flooded Waterfall! They also have a floatie around their neck that can inflate, deflate, and be taken off!

While researching a bit into them, I've come to realize Monster Kid never really had a confirmed gender? So uh, I would like to apologize for misgendering them for the longest darndest time. Gotta love the fandom feeding me the wrong info for years.

But Monster Kid would definitely be friends with Frisk for sure! A general idea I have for them right now is the little floatie around their neck. They can inflate it and float around lazily. I might make it to where they take it off in Waterfall and let Frisk borrow it for a little to help their travels before eventually appearing later with another floatie and boasting about how they now have matching floaties!

[thornsamigurumi]

spop saturday

been busy, back for spop saturday :)

What're the most creative or high concept fics or AUs you've ever seen in this fandom? heres some of what i consider the most creative :)

just one sweet kiss on your clay-cold lips by kurt_angles_tailbone -

In the Northern Reach, monsters infected by Entrapta’s disk emerge from the quarry and destroy the Horde base. Catra is separated from the rest and subsequently finds herself stranded in a blizzard with a drunk Adora in her care. (Season 2 White Out canon divergence) - lovecraftian monsters meet catradora

worms by @notahumanweirdo -

‘Catra… would you still love me if I was a worm?’

‘Duhhh. Would you love me still, if you were a worm?’

‘I-’

‘You’d have your own worm friends. Your worm job, and worm house. Would there… would there still be room for me?’ - love this, worm adora going on her adventure to find worm catra!

grace and favour by @jezmatronwrites -

Adora has gone, vanished from Heaven. Catra's getting over it, slowly. It's been over a century, after all. She is content to oversee her little corner of Paradise - monitoring and dealing with the minor issues of occult incursion on earth. That is, until reports of a major demon on earth cause worries among Heaven's bureaucracy. Catra decides to take the lead, if only to get away from the monotony.

It's been a while since she visited Earth - what surprises will be in store for her? What nefarious plans does this demon have? And will Bow ever stop trying to make other people fall in love? - one of my all time favorites, i think its time to reread it :)

again, from the top by sleepymaddy - catra and glimmer find themselves trapped in a time loop and have to work together to break out of it. it goes about as well as one might expect. - catra and glimmer in a time loop, shenanigans for days :)

as many lives as it takes ( be with you) by @n7punk - When Catra is eleven, she finds out there’s truth in the myth that cats have nine lives. When she is twelve, she finds out her unnatural life has consequences, and at fourteen she struggles to hide the effects that build with each accident. At sixteen she falls in front of the entire school. That’s the death where she is finally forced to run before they realize something is wrong with her and put her in a lab or something. She never would have expected herself to willingly be sitting in one six years later as one of her new best friends – the ones who picked her up after she had to leave the girl she loved and herself behind – runs test after test trying to find out why she’s like this. At twenty-two she finds the love of her life again. When she touches her, she blacks out. - turns out, 9 lives can suck, love this more every time i read it :)

[overwatchfanskinarchive]

Talon Mauga by jonadraws

based off the Talon Heavy Assault PVE enemy (bottom left) and Mauga art in Baptiste's short story (botom right)

[tgammsideblog]

Scratch’s Corruption Theory Megapost

A very common theory/speculation that has been going around Tgamm fandom is the possibility of Scratch becoming corrupted. It has been an idea in the fandom since the episode ¨Howlin Harriet¨ (Season 1 Episode 2-A) aired back when the series was just starting. Fans have made their own fanart of corrupted Scratch designs, fanfics involving Scratch becoming corrupted, etc. It’s a popular concept to explore in the Tgamm fandom. The question is: Could Scratch become corrupted in this show? What could lead him to become corrupted?

In this post i’m going to talk about what we know about ghost corruption so far and why Scratch has a chance to become corrupted at some point during Season 2.

What is ghost corruption?

According to Libby’s guide in ¨The Unhaunting of Brighton Video¨ episode ghost corruption is the result of ¨A ghost that is so obsessed with their unfinished business that they get consumed by a single emotion¨. In this case Libby cites the example of Howlin Harriet, who became so obsessed with finding her missing toes that her form became very different from the one of a ¨normal¨ ghost. (Howlin Harriet episode)

Something that is interesting about the Howlin Harriet episode is how it was one of the first episodes of the series, episode 2-A, to be precise. Almost as if ghost corruption as a concept is going to gain importance later on in the show, such it has been the case of the episode ¨The Unhaunting of Brighton Video¨ diving further into how the process of corruption works.

Both creators of the show, Bill Motz and Bob Roth, have shared important information regarding ghost corruption around these last months. (Taken from a Discord AMA)

Link to Bob’s tweet:  https://twitter.com/automaticgravy/status/1659984445347348481

Based on this, ghosts can become corrupted by obsessing with their unfinished business or focusing on a single emotion like controlling others. They ¨become nothing more than their desires, losing all of their humanity¨. Ghost corruption varies depending of the ghost and what their unfinished business is. This explain why Howlin Harriet looked completely different from other ghosts while Blair looked normal but behave agressive in some ways. Ghost corruption could also depend on how long the ghost has been corrupted. Blair has been stuck in that video store for what would be around two decades while Harriet had been haunting the woods for probably hundred of years. Harriet probably was more in a ¨advanced¨ stage of corruption after being roaming in the woods for so long.

Blair could speak and communicate with the protagonists. Her corruption state manifested as her being on denial on her own situation and watching horror movies obsessively over and over again. She claimed to like staying in the video store, something that was later revealed to not be the case. Blair’s corruption came from not being able to return the tape of a horror movie she really liked before she died. She was consumed by the guilt of having kept the tape for so long. This showed that unfinished business doesn’t have to be ¨tragic¨ for a ghost to have one and the corruption is result of the ghost becoming obsessed by an specific emotion.

Another ghost that could be considered to had been corrupted is Sonia Davis, the Ice Princess, who was consumed by the obsession of doing a perfect triple jump she failed at doing when she was still a human. She was freed when Pete reminded her to have fun in ice skating instead of obsessing over past mistakes. (Ice Princess- Season 1 Episode 11-A). In this case Sonia’s ice powers seemed to have been distorted by years of haunting the lake and thus generating blizzards in Brighton every four years. Sonia didn’t look aware of the chaos her powers were creating in the city, probably because she was too consumed by her unfinished business to notice it.

Now that it has been clarified what ghost corruption is, where does Scratch fall into all this?

Possible hints of Scratch becoming corrupted

One of the things that Scratch needs to become corrupted is for him to have an unfinished business. Something he left from his human life and that he wasn’t able to complete before he died. It has to be something that it was important to him like an activity he loved doing or a person that was special to him... ...Ah What about that flashback he had about his childhood friend, Adia, saying goodbye and moving away? (A Soda to Remember-Season 3 Episode 3-B)

At the start of ¨A Soda to Remember¨ Scratch talked about how he wasn’t able to recall most of his past except for a memory related to Surly Sid’s strawberry soda. Near the end of the episode it was revealed this had to do with a promise he made to Adia, a childhood friend.

What if the reason of why this was the first thing that Scratch was able to recall was because he tried looking for Adia in his human life but he couldn’t find her? What if finding Adia is Scratch’s unfinished business and he doesn’t know it yet?

In addition to this, some fans have pointed out that what would Adia’s house from the flashback could be the same one Scratch was living at the start of the series and now it is the Mcgees’ home. If the Mcgees’ house used to be previous Adia’s home, this could would support more the idea that Scratch waiting/looking for Adia may be his unfinished business. While he wasn’t able to remember it, part of his subconscious must have told him to stay in this house because it was familiar to him.

A few days ago one tumblr mutual of mine @the5n00k​ made a video highlighting parallels between how Blair/Ollie were acting in ¨The Unhaunting of Brighton Video¨ and Scratch’s general behaviour when it comes to confronting his past.

During the episode Blair kept being in denial of her own past and unfinished business. She pretended that everything was fine and lashed out when the protagonists asked her what happened to her so they could help her. She would scare workers out of the video store, protecting the place she found herself ¨stuck¨ in.

Blair’s behaviour resembled a little too much Scratch’s in ¨A Soda to Remember¨ episode. In this episode Scratch did everything he could to avoid being reminded of his past, expressing fear of what could happen if he remembered and finding out that his human life wasn’t exactly a good one. He sabotaged Molly’s school heist to get him the surly sid’s soda and lied about a few things such as ghost not being able to go through safes. Almost as it was something he has been avoiding for years to be reminded of.

In ¨The Unhaunting of Brighton Video¨ hints that Scratch is still scared of confronting his own past. When Libby and Molly told him that they couldn’t leave Blair without helping her with her unfinished business first, Scratch didn’t think there was anything wrong with Blair not wishing to confront her own past. (¨What is so wrong with that?¨). Scratch thought it was okay to leave Blair being haunted by her own past, stuck and in denial of her situation instead of seeking help. Since the two characters share many parallels, it wouldn’t be surprising if Scratch was subconsciously his own personal issues in that conversation.

Expanding a bit more Scratch and Blair’s parallels, the way Blair haunted the store and kept workers away was much alike how Scratch acted towards the Mcgees when they first arrived in Brighton. Scratch would try to scare Molly and the rest of the Mcgees out of the house, almost as like he was protecting it. If that house was in indeed Adia’s, this could explain in part why Scratch was so grumpy about the Mcgees moving in. He didn’t want a place that reminded him of his unfinished business be invaded by others.

Another aspect worth of noting is the amount of time Scratch has been repressing and avoiding his memories. The creators and the show have both implied that Scratch was alive between 50′s-70′s. He know who Sonia Davis was (who participated in the Winter Games during the 50′s) and seems to be into old music like Jazz/Broadaway (Fried Food song)

Based on this, Scratch has been a ghost for around 50 years, if not more. It isn’t nearly as many as Harriet, who has been implied to be a ghost for hundred of years but it is still enough time for a ghost to become corrupted due to their unfinished business.

Scratch has been dealing with a lot of things in this season too. He has become the new chairman of the Ghost World, a role that really stresses him out because of the responsibilities that go with it. He is also dealing with a neighbour ghosthunter family that has been causing conflict in the Mcgee family and to clash with Molly more than one time. On top of that, he is now having more flashbacks related to his past and put in situations that remind him of this issue.

All of these problems are enough to push Scratch into a situation that could trigger his corruption, even if they have nothing to do with the moment this transformation takes place. It’s simply something that would lead to anyone to have a mental breakdown and Scratch isn’t exactly the best when it comes to dealing with so much stress.

What could trigger Scratch’s corruption?

If the corruption is going to take in some point during this season, for it to happen Scratch should have to go through a very emotional moment that is strong enough for him to trigger the transformation.

My speculation is that being reminded more of his past is what could cause it. Scratch brought up in ¨A Soda to Remember¨ that they could be a reason of why he forgot about his past. In general, he is scared of learning more about it, as something bad could happen if he does.

Maybe this is foreshadowing that once Scratch gets back most of his memories, he is going to remember Adia, and thus, remember how he was looking for her and didn’t found her. Being reminded of his unfinished business could ¨reactivate¨ his corruption and losing control trying to look for her childhood friend.

The second option could be him ¨losing¨ Molly, fearing the same thing that happened to Adia could repeat again. As it was stated in ¨Scaring is Caring¨ Scratch’s biggest fear is losing Molly, a fear so big that was enough for him to make him return to his normal form. If Molly gets taken away from Scratch for some reason with Scratch having his memories back, it could trigger the corruption, since the feeling of losing another friend would be too much for Scratch to deal with.

Conclusion

So far, many things hint that Scratch’s corruption is a event that is bound to happen sooner or later in Season 2. This season has been diving more into Scratch’s personal issues, his tendency to avoid his past and confront it. The concept of ghost corruption has been hinted more frequently both in the show and by the creators, giving more detailed descriptions about what causes it and what happens to the ghost when is during that state. It’s hard to pass this off as some lore and not an aspect that is going to gain importance later on.

Scratch getting corrupted is an interesting direction his character could take considering all the emotional baggage he has carrying all this years. It could be a good opportunity for him to realize he needs other people to help him and finally deal with these personal issues.

[milijanakomad]

Product design and psychology: The Role of Grinding in Video Game Design

Keywords: Grinding, Video Gaming, Game Design, Player Engagement, Psychological Manipulation

Abstract:

This paper scrutinizes the utilization of "grinding" as a technique in video game design, particularly as a method of psychological manipulation that affects player engagement and behaviour. Case studies are explored to deliver a comprehensive understanding of the practical application of grinding and its implications, all from a product design viewpoint.

Introduction:

The design principles governing video games frequently incorporate mechanisms intended to stimulate player engagement and prolong interaction time. One such prevalent mechanism is "grinding," defined as the practice of executing repetitive tasks within the game environment to achieve specific objectives. While grinding can evoke a sense of achievement, it also carries the potential to induce exhaustion and frustration among players. This study endeavours to explore the intricacies of grinding, its role in game design, and its influence on player experience.

Explanation:

Coined from the concept of persistently "grinding away" at a task, the term "grinding" in the gaming context implies the undertaking of repetitive actions by a player to attain certain results or to advance within the game. In numerous instances, such actions may not directly correlate with the game's primary storyline or objectives but are aimed at accumulating experience points, in-game currency, or specialized items.

Grinding is an omnipresent component across a vast array of game genres, with its prominence notably manifested in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). In these games, the player's progression and performance are often gauged based on their character's level, skills, and available equipment.

From the standpoint of game design, grinding assumes several roles. It serves to extend the game's lifespan by instituting goals that necessitate substantial time investment. Additionally, it fosters a sense of accomplishment and progression and can encourage social interaction in multiplayer environments. Despite these advantages, critics contend that grinding can lead to monotonous and ungratifying gameplay experiences. The considerable time commitment required by grinding may propel some players towards purchasing in-game enhancements using real-world money, thereby generating additional revenue for game developers.

Further, there is an ongoing discourse concerning the psychological implications of grinding. Its repetitive and rewarding nature might precipitate addictive behaviours and excessive consumption of time, mirroring the effects typically associated with gambling disorders. Through the exploration of these aspects, we aim to shed light on the complex dynamics of grinding in the context of modern video gaming.

Grinding in Gaming: Conceptualization and Design

Grinding typically refers to the act of performing repetitive actions in a game to attain a specific goal, often associated with levelling up, obtaining items, or advancing in-game skills. Although it can give players a sense of progression, it can also serve as a roadblock, encouraging players to consider alternative paths to progress, such as microtransactions.

Case Study: World of Warcraft

Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft (WoW) extensively employs grinding. Players often engage in repetitive tasks like fighting the same enemies, repeatedly battling against non-player characters (NPCs), or completing the same quests to increase their character's level, to gain experience points, in-game currency, or rare items. This grind contributes to a sense of achievement but has also been criticized for sometimes leading to a tedious gameplay experience.

Case Study: Candy Crush Saga

King's Candy Crush Saga uses grinding as a monetization strategy. As players progress and levels become harder, the option to grind through the game becomes more attractive. Alternatively, players can buy power-ups and boosters to surpass the grind, effectively translating grinding mechanics into revenue for the game developers.

Case Study: Destiny 2

This game provides an example of a 'loot grind.' Players repeatedly complete activities like strikes, raids, or public events to earn 'engrams' – randomized gear drops. The goal is often to collect more powerful gear to increase a character's power level.

Case Study: Old School RuneScape 

In this MMORPG, players might grind by repetitively performing tasks like mining, fishing, or woodcutting. These actions, though monotonous, boost the player's skill levels, enabling them to perform new tasks, quests, or create new items.

Implications for Game Design

Grinding, while a tool to extend game playtime and potentially drive monetization, must be thoughtfully implemented to avoid player fatigue or burnout. Game designers should strike a balance between meaningful progression and repetitive grind, ensuring the game remains engaging and satisfying.

Conclusion

Grinding, as a mechanism of psychological manipulation in video game design, can greatly impact player behaviour and engagement. Striking a balance between challenge, satisfaction, and repetition is vital to ensure a rewarding gameplay experience. As the video game industry advances, it will be intriguing to observe the evolution and refinement of grinding mechanisms and their psychological impact on players.

References:

Sicart, M. (2013). Grinding in Games: Understanding the Appeal. Philosophy of Computer Games Conference, 8-11.

Hamari, J., Alha, K., Järvelä, S., Kivikangas, J. M., Koivisto, J., & Paavilainen, J. (2017). Why do players buy in-game content? An empirical study on concrete purchase motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 538-546. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.045

Blizzard Entertainment. (2004). World of Warcraft [Video Game]. Blizzard Entertainment.

King. (2012). Candy Crush Saga [Video Game]. King.

Bungie. (2017). Destiny 2 [Video Game]. Activision.

Jagex. (2013). Old School RuneScape [Video Game]. Jagex.

Yee, N. (2006). Motivations of play in online games. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 9(6), 772-775. doi:10.1089/cpb.2006.9.772

Johnson, M. R., & Woodcock, J. (2019). The impacts of live streaming and Twitch.tv on the video game industry. Media, Culture & Society, 41(5), 670-688. doi:10.1177/0163443718818363

King, D., Delfabbro, P., & Griffiths, M. (2010). Video game structural characteristics: A new psychological taxonomy. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 8(1), 90-106. doi:10.1007/s11469-009-9206-4

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: defining "gamification". MindTrek '11: Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments, 9-15. doi:10.1145/2181037.2181040

[toshio]

Favorite Pokémon? 👀

omg i was thinking about this lately, i've been revisiting nostalgia from pokemon. there's too many designs/concepts i like!

i'll give you a really vague answer though because i'm a bit too indecisive, my favorite type hands down is probably ghost type, so naturally anything spooky and cute like gengar is a 10/10 for me. the old games like pkmn red/blue + crystal are super nostalgic so i tend to gravitate towards some old designs. but usually for pkmn starters i would choose water types, so stuff like totodile, mudkip, piplup are always the cutest. i remember growing up and having plush toys of all of them. water type has to be one of my favorites as well~

there's a lot of clever ghost pkmn designs. i love reading the spooky pokedex entries. i'm a fan of horror films and scary things in general. but i specifically really liked the concept of froslass from gen IV, she's a humanoid ghost/ice type that resembles a woman in a kimono, based on japanese folklore. (i remember it evolving from snorunt when exposed to a dawn stone in diamond/pearl/platinum)

anyway what makes this design one of my favorites...

froslass is clearly inspired by yuki-onna, which translates into snow woman (雪女). in japanese folklore these ghosts prey on travelers that get lost in blizzards and snowstorms near mountains. does that not sound spooky and cool as hell? anyway here's the pokemon legends: arceus pokedex entry. we have no choice but to stan froslass...

[chaoticallytiny]

Season 12 Overwatch Spoilers below the cut (I go on a ramble, long post)

So- This is supposed to be the Egyptian mythology battlepass.

YET!!!

Venture is nowhere to be found and they are literally AN ARCHAEOLOGIST *AND* has gotten 0 battlepass skins. Both their Monarch and Ice Cream skins were obtained via shop/stream rewards. I love my funky lil archaeologist and they deserve better. We all know this, but I digress.

Ramattra would have made SO much more sense for Anubis because of the lore of Anubis instigating the Omnic Crisis and Ramattra's role therein. Especially with Anubis having its own map with the new battle style.

They chose Thoth, the Egyptian god of knowledge and wisdom to be Illari's new skin. While this isn't necessarily a bad concept, given that I think one could make a case for Illari's struggles with the knowledge/wisdom of her people and the tragedy that happened when she gained her powers, I still think there was a much more obvious choice- Ra. Y'know, the sun god? Because Illari's associated with the- nevermind. I was a major Egyptian mythology nerd once upon a time, and this seems a bit... off base, to put it gently.

I realize Blizzard is trying to Do Too Much and just keeps making Poor Creative Decisions (among other things), but c'mon. I am a lore person and this is just... wow.

I truly appreciate the devs at Blizzard that actually care about Overwatch and put their love, blood, sweat, and tears into what they do. But this battlepass has been.. yikes.

While I admit that I like the Reaper Anubis skin better than any of the prior mythic skins, I still am overall disappointed with the battlepass. I keep telling myself that I'm gonna buy it when I find one I like enough, and then... it doesn't seem to happen.

So- for the fans and devs that feed the fandom's love for characters like Venture, Ramattra, and so on... Thank you. You help make this game something better than it is on its own. That may feel a bit obvious, but still. I appreciate all the love and work you put forth and the interactions between players where we're all just having a good time.

TL;DR- Venture, Ramattra, and Illari deserve better, Blizzard needs to get their po*p together, and I love the fans that make this game even better.