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teashoptiramisu · 4 years ago

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Another fic rec list

This started as a rec list for “well-written fics with feral characters”. It kinda got out of control, and I started questioning “what even counts as feral in a characterization sense”, but hopefully some of these hit the mark. They are all fics that I love a lot and recommend more generally! All of these are gen and mostly rated T, unless noted otherwise:

A Dark Night in Ba Sing Se: ATLA, 20k words, first arc complete, on hiatus. Zuko gets arrested for taking the guard’s swords when he fought Jet at the tea shop, but he will not stay arrested, and further shenanigans ensue. Sweet, funny, excellent characterization, many delightful OC’s that really fill out the world of Ba Sing Se.

Towards the Sun – ATLA, 57k words, first arc complete, on hiatus. Same author as the previous (muffinlance). Zuko becomes firelord in rather worse circumstances than canon. TBH the “feral” part doesn’t really come in until near the end, when it turns out that trying his hardest isn’t enough, so he tries something else. Same author as the above, with really excellent characterization, a humorous kind of narration that will keep you laughing through the tension and heartbreak. Beware the angst in the middle but it gets better!

There May Be Some Collateral Damage – Bleach & HP, 60k words, complete. Ichigo is sent to bodyguard Harry for the 5th year, everything is delightfully chaotic and hilarious.

“I don’t take things from people,” Ichigo corrects her indignantly. “I mean, sometimes I chop them up and set them on fire, but I don’t take them. Stealing is wrong.”

Trust Me, I’m an Alchemist – FMA & YOI, 55k words, complete. Also by metisket. What if everyone in Yuri!!! On Ice had to deal with Elrics instead of Yuri Plisetsky? The answer is mafia connections and secondhand trauma but also more friendship and general shenanigans! Incredibly crack-y premise and the beginning to set it up is a bit weird and confusing but I promise the rest of the fic is 100% worth it. So funny, so wonderful, I re-read my favorite bits of this at least once a week. Technically lots of shipping (this is YoI after all) but it’s all played for laughs/characterization, not particularly romantic. I would post a favorite quote like for the above but I couldn’t choose just one.

Play it again – Teen Wolf (but no familiarity required), 63k words, complete. Same author as the previous two (metisket). Dimension-Travel fix it, Stiles is 200% chaotic but he has a plan and it’s gonna work. The Hale family is alive and so much fun, especially Laura. Also very funny, some romance at the very end but it’s pretty low-key.

What Goes Around – Teen Wolf, 71k words, complete. Kate kills Sheriff Stilinksy as well as the Hales, so Stiles and Peter team up to take out hunters like her in revenge. Unlike most of my other recs, this one is not funny, but it is interesting, and while they’re very methodical about it I think the way it handles “serial killers hunting serial killers” definitely counts as feral. Also this one is rated M rather than T and has Stiles/Derek at some point but I forgot the details.

Subject: A Comprehensive Report – BNHA, 83k words, updates very sporadically. Izuku remains quirkless but becomes the scariest damn researcher. I would call this “feral about investigating.” I love the multi-media formatting of this work and the expansive, in-depth worldbuilding the author contributes to explain how the hero system of canon came to be.

Something Borrowed – BNHA, 130k words, abandoned (for now at least). AFO!Izuku, who personality-wise is pretty nice, but when he goes all-out with his quirk he goes all out. I REALLY love the creativity the author brings to exploring and combining quirks, and how the characters work together to figure these things out.

Mr. and Mrs. Todoroki’s Excellent Day at Hero-Con – BNHA, 5k words, complete. I love “hero cosplays at fancon, trolls fans” as a story genre, and for some reason I haven’t really seen that outside of BNHA? Anyways this is one of the most chaotic and fun versions of this. Features Izuku and Uraraka trolling the entire world and especially Todoroki with utter panache. It’s Izuku/Ochako/Shotou but the shipping is pretty low-key.

Looping Back to the Beginning – BNHA, 10k words, complete. Class 1-A is caught in a time loop so they have fun with it. Featuring pranks, taunting villains, general shenanigans. Probably more “chaotic” than “feral”, but it’s a lot of fun!

Yesterday Upon the Stairs – BNHA, 424k words, complete. Look if you read BNHA fics you don’t need me to tell you about this fic, but suffice to say I think it’s status as the most-read English language work on AO3 is entirely deserved. Izuku is particularly feral in Ch. 7-9 (USJ attack), Ch. 26-27 (final exam), Ch. 34-40 (Kamino Ward), Ch. 50-end (Nighteye internship – esp. 57-59 for the showdown with Overhaul).

Twin Swap – BNHA, 55k words, two complete arcs. Fuyumi and Touya get body-swapped, shenanigans ensue. This is funny and cracky and endearing and more towards “found family feels” than feral escalation, but I’m putting it on here b/c Fuyumi is so done with everyone’s shit, and Dabi is, well, Dabi. Background Dabi/Hawks and Fuyumi/Miruko.

Abolish Private Property - Naruto, 27k words, sporadic updates. “The raging communist SI/OC that no one asked for, or really, deserves.” It’s, uh, very cracky but pretty funny. TBH I much more enjoy the sister fic Sanitize but that is the opposite of feral. Yui suffers no fools but she’s here to bring the wonders of modern medicine (what she can of it) to a preindustrial society wracked by war.

Several Yelp! Reviews of the Bridge~Port Brew Pub – Leverage, 900 words, complete. Parker is just always feral but this is my favorite Leverage fic, it’s fun!!

…and I didn’t end up with any FMA recs on here did I? woops. Uh, I recommend going through metisket’s and silentwalrus’ author pages, they both write great ridiculous Elrics. Mind the tags.

#fanfic #fanfiction #fic rec #fic recs #long post #not atla #favorite #note for later #tbh debated putting this here vs on my main blog but i already have some fic rec lists on here so i thought to keep them together #if tumblr messes up the formatting of this post i'm gonna throw hands

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lokispettigerr · 5 years ago

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Swimming Amongst the Stars: Jotun!Loki x Reader (NSFW) SMUT

Summary: While vacationing at a mountain cabin, reader traverses the mountainside. Against warnings from a neighbor, she goes where danger is sure to ensue and sparks fly until they melt away a heart shrouded in ice.

Warnings: Depression mention. Way too many kinks that even I do not understand. The characters wanted them there. BEWARE!

Word Count: 3362

General Taglist: @njavezan @lovelyxserpent-br @kamaroon @britkane-shsl-librarian @not-made-of-glass @archy3001 @witch-loki @purplekitten30 @mad-doctor-mew @bakerstreethound @jmb959 @little-moonbeam-666 @hiddlestoner3059 @bingewatchingmylifegoby @fkngparadise @lucywindigo @screw-real-life-i-pick-fandoms @chocolatealmondmilkk @mellowgirl01 @fyeahlitaajpunk @drakesfiance @wicked-starlight-collector @kenzieam @sherlocksuperfan666 @confessionsofastrugglingteen @joseyslo @ms-munchkin @saintwiz @thathedonistgirl @thegrandmasterschampion @this-side-of-midnight5 @scorpionchild81 @hanginbyadream @lokislilslut @vioietta @rainthekittycatsblog @fire-in-her-veinz @cutie1365 @puff1408 @joyofbebbanburg @brokenthelovely @tehgvicious @lovelylazerbeams @fyrecrafted @lilith-akemi @sarcsep @alexakeyloveloki @lotus-eyedindiangoddess @iris-suoh @brucesflightattendant666 @station1485 @disney-kingdom-hearts @bluestaratsunrise @devilbat @smolangstbean @dangertoozmanykids101 @barelyreality @laochbaineann @steampowerednightvaler @shockwavee @wegingerangelica @nightrose64 @wegingerangelica @calamity-queen @mischeviousliar @zainabmmm @micki-smiles @pinkzz123 @rightfulkingofjotunheim @cyenakarma @holykryptonitekitten @majoringinlife @amberlokabrenna @avenging-blackwidow @dragon--dragon @onelazy-cat @nothungry4humanflesh @doralupin01 @hp-hogwartsexpress @cherrygeek86 @fandoms-wither-me-away @pyewhackette @vodka-and-some-sass @fiftyshadesofrebel Taglist: @bladeofanarchangel @p6tter

A/N: I almost didn’t release this fic after asking you all about Patreon; all I wanted was a response not any pledge of a first born child or anything. I literally got one response. I feel used and completely obsolete- that people only care about me when I give them fictions. Who knew being a tumblr Dragon was oh so lonely. Yet, here I am, depressed as ever. At least I have my writing.

“You need a break,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said-- Relax.

How can I possibly relax? I’m staying in a 200-year-old mountain cottage without any modern insulation in the dead of winter.

There wasn’t even a word to describe how I felt. In short, I was miserable-- a lightweight and someone who is far more cold-natured than not. I needed heat to thrive, where others may die of heatstroke, I reveled in it.

The phone rang shrilly and I fished it out of my pocket, my cold fingers moving clumsily. The caller ID read, “Kendra.”

“Hey, sis.”

“Still alive I see,” Kendra said, our connection distorting her voice.

“Barely, I’m beginning to think I might lose a few fingers.”

“That would be a disappointment,” she laughed.

“Mom and Dad wouldn’t see it that way.”

“Sh, you. Speaking of Dad, he thought you might enjoy a trek up the mountain.”

“Kendra, you can’t be serious! It’s covered in snow and wild animals.”

“Well, he thought the mountain air might do you some good.”

“Spoken like someone who wants to get rid of the family low-life,” I teased.

I knew my Dad, Kendra, and my Mom were just trying to help-- looking out for me as it was. I was depressed and not only had it taken a toll on me, but it had also taken a toll on my family. They watched me suffer and I watched them suffer for it.

I wanted to come to the mountain cottage if nothing more than to give them a break and escape from the worried looks and concerned whispers.

Dad was right; I needed to do something and maybe hiking up the mountain would make me feel better.

I resolved tomorrow would be the day I would hike my way up the mountain-- depression be damned.

\\\\\

Early that evening, before the sun went down, I ventured out to the covered shed.

The snow was falling lazily in fat flakes that clung to my hair. I was mesmerized by the crunch of the snow beneath my boots when a voice sounded out.

“Need some help?”

I looked up and was met by a friendly and familiar face.

“Hey, Mr. Bill! Naw, I am just taking some logs in to feed the fire.”

“You look well. Just let me know if you need anything.” He paused, looking down at his boots, “Nancy was wondering if you wanted to join us for dinner tomorrow.”

“Really, I’m fine.” I knew my Dad had likely called Mr. Bill to tell him to keep an eye on me, like I was some invalid unfit for basic survival and make no mistake, I was, but I didn’t want my family or Mr. Bill to know that.

Squinting, I looked up at the sky, “I would, Mr. Bill, but I was planning on hiking up the mountain.”

“Then Thursday night,” he persisted.

“Yeah, okay... That sounds nice. I’ll see you in two days.”

“If not before! Don’t be a stranger.” Mr. Bill turned to walk back towards his home but stopped in his tracks.

“Oh and uh.” Mr. Bill removed his cap to scratch at his bald head underneath, “Just be careful out there. There has been talk that a bear is up on the mountain causing chaos and mischief.”

“I’ll be careful. I always am.”

\\\\\\

I had awoken early. I wanted to hike with as much daylight as I could so as not to get lost or encounter any angry, furry foes.

Before heading out I decided to warm up in front of the fire, holding my hands towards the growing flames-- it was the warmest I would be for several hours.

I had made sure to put enough logs on the fire to keep it burning until my return.

I opened the door and was met with a brutally cold blast of wind. Slinging my pack over my shoulder, I stepped outside.

The snow was mushy underneath my boots and I sank slightly with each step.

My fingers closed around the straps on my pack, snuggly and I walked away from the solace and cozy warmth of the cottage into the alien world beyond.

\\\\\\

The sun had begun its creeping cadence of descent across the sky and I knew it was best if I turned back and started my own descent back down the mountain.

It had been an eventful hike. I’d witnessed twin does frolicking and other manner of peaceful wildlife thriving in the cold.

I arrived at the edge of a snowy cliff, taking in the view all around me. While the frigid air cut to the bone, the sight before me warmed my heart.

A beautiful frozen stream lay below-- it was as smooth as glass and shined bright like a tumbled crystal.

I sat on a nearby rock that jutted out from the snow and slung my pack around. I had packed a heated thermos just for this occasion.

My numb, gloved fingers closed clumsily around the lid and I unscrewed it. The liquid steamed with the air as I poured it into the top and gripped it tightly.

A shadow fell upon me and I glanced up to find a bird of prey drifting in a lazy circle.

I lowered my gaze, bringing the steaming tea to my lips and took a long sip.

Everything seemed so serene until it wasn’t.

In my periphery, a shadow moved and a sentience crossed my own.

However the energy I now felt was unmistakably lethal.

Mr. Bill’s warning of the ferocious, chaos-rampaging bear came into my thoughts.

On my way here, I had seen no signs of such a creature, yet I had found myself repeatedly shaking the unnerving feeling that I was being watched.

The next seconds would be vital. I needed to know where the foe was to quickly plan my escape.

I scanned the close outcropping and trees that were my surroundings hoping to catch a glimpse of the menacing bear.

A white bear pelt was before me, almost invisible in the swirling drifts of snow.

I squinted, hoping to get a better look at the bear Mr. Bill had warned me about-- instead, I saw a man.

He was the most captivatingly beautiful creature I had ever seen yet his otherworldliness was a warning and a shock to my system.

I felt as frozen as the river below me-- mesmerized by the man’s hypnotic, blood-red gaze.

Fear enveloped me in an instant as I took in his midnight blue skin covered with what appeared to be intricate tattoos.

What was most shocking, more than his tattooed skin or his red eyes, was his state of near undress.

The man’s chest was bare and the setting sunlight glinted on his sculpted skin like fire reflecting off of a piece of volcanic glass.

A white pelt covered his back, which was why I mistakenly thought at first glance he was a wild animal-- and I remained not entirely convinced he was not. The pelt was held together in the front with flashy, golden medallions inscribed with ancient and ethereal symbols. His legs were covered with the same white pelt as his cloak.

I slowly backed away. The heel of my boot thudded against my pack causing it to jostle. I knelt, stretching out my hand to grab at the strap, my fingers flailing frantically in the air.

The man stepped towards me-- his red eyes burned like two ferocious blood moons in his skull.

The pack would have to wait.

I turned, dashing away, a prey animal desperately clinging to the hope of life away from the deadly predator.

My hair fanned out behind me as if the wind was raking its fingers through it-- trying to pull me back to my destiny. I ran as fast as I was able, my arms pumping back and forth, my breath puffing out in a heavy mist-- a ghost leaving my body.

With a backward glance, I checked to see if the man was in pursuit.

While my head was turned to analyze the situation, I tripped. My toes stubbed hard into a rock. I went down, bracing for the impact.

The snow did not soften the blow from the jutting stone slab. A splitting pain ignited my skull. My eyelids fluttered as I tried to remain conscious.

Before everything went black, the beautiful monster’s face loomed before me-- swimming amongst the stars and in truth, it looked like he belonged there.

Yet, he was arguably more captivating than any constellation.

\\\\\\\

I drifted, slow as the snow, through wake and sleep.

I felt as if I was floating or dangling between to dangerous precipes. I would see the man before me, his eyes cutting through the darkness that enveloped us like the cool touch of the dead.

His bare chest was against me, solid as a wall, feeling both like frigid ice and an erotic, white-hot, soul-searing heat that radiated from within-- two extremes that felt unholy together.

As he carried me further into the dark and through the flurries of falling snow, I was gently rocked back to sleep.

I woke to the sensation of heat on my face.

For once on this god-forsaken mountain, I was warm. I wanted to drift back to sleep but my head throbbed painfully, bringing back the memories of what had happened.

Images flew through my head unwarranted, my cheek against a man’s chest, a white pelt that glowed as bright as the moon tickling my skin, a rhythmic swaying that felt like a safe place to rest.

I stirred, blinking to clear my double-vision.

Before me, two red eyes, blood moons engulfed in flames, glowed. I had seen them before.

I jumped, the man from earlier was watching me. My breath puffed out as my back thudded against solid rock.

My palms stretched out behind me to feel at the wall of a lichen covered cave.

The man continued to watch me from the other side of the dancing flames between us.

He had brought me here, laid me down, started a fire, and covered me in fur blankets-- seemed harmless enough despite his unusual and slightly alarming appearance.

“Where am I?” My voice echoed off the walls.

He continued to watch me, “You’ve not left the mountain you found me on.” His voice was smooth yet muted, making it seem like he had not spoken in centuries. And what did he mean, “found him”? I had no desire or plan to get kidnapped by a half-naked man, regardless of how devastatingly attractive he was.

One thing was certain, the longer I looked at him, the more familiar he seemed-- it was a painful feeling that caused my heart to beat erratically with ache and my lungs feeling fit to burst.

“Who are you?”

“A ghost from your past; a clouded memory of your future.” A sad look came into those red eyes and I fought the urge to reach out and stroke his cheek in an attempt to chase the shadows of sorrow away.

My confusion continued to grow.

“Who are you?” My voice softened and for a moment I wondered if the man had even heard me.

“I have gone by many names, but you would know me by the name Loki.”

The name shot like a fuse across the darkest recesses of my mind, a lightning strike in my memory.

I tasted the name on my lips, “Loki.”

My eyes widened with an overwhelming realization. Saying his name seemed to have lifted a block from my memory-- a magic spell that fashioned a key fit to unlock a single door.

I said it again, missing the taste of it on my tongue, “Loki.”

Each time I spoke his name, he relaxed into the sound of my voice and the hypnotic supplicance of my lips.

He moved around the fire, his hand reaching out towards my temple. As his fingers lightly brushed against my skin, visions flashed within my mind.

Of bare skin tangled up together.

Of laughter shared and tears shed.

Of a heartbreaking separation bridging to a union and giving birth to love that was infinite.

Over and over, time after time until it reached this very moment.

“I remember you… How is this even possible?”

“You remember now, but you will not remember later.” He paused, “You are lured here each year.”

“Lured?” I asked, but he continued.

“Each year since our first encounter with one another, you are slowly overcome with a consuming melancholy until you return to me.”

“But you make me forget,” I interjected, anger making my blood pressure rise. I was tired of his riddles.

He was right, each year since childhood, I’d made my way up the mountain in search of him. First as friends and later as lovers.

And each year when I would leave, he’d wipe my memory of him.

He has explained to me numerous times his convictions and reasons and knows his own heartache by remembering me until I return to him.

“I don’t want to forget.”

“But you must.”

I shifted towards Loki and all the while he watched me, pupils dilated.

“Not anymore.” My lips found his and as they locked together fireworks burst beyond my vision, my skin burned and my womanhood was overcome with a hungry, insatiable, wet heat that made my clitoris swell.

Something stirred in me and made me no more than an animal with desires of the same.

“Not anymore,” I whispered against his lips.

“Evermore.” His icy breath was a frigid blast that felt like a threat.

His hand went around my throat, to display his dominance and I submitted.

“You smell like cinders and smoke,” he whispered. He released my throat and grabbed at a lock of my hair to twirl it around his finger.

“How fitting,” he reflected, “the only thing to melt the ice of my soul.”

“Take me,” I breathed.

My flesh held memory of his touch and my breath became ragged as his hand slid along my skin.

Like fire and ice the world ended, completely consumed.

Loki climbed above me. His fingers traced the edge of my skin until he found my nipples. He tugged and pulled as arousal swirled deep between my hips.

His warm lips caressed my neck, drawing lower to my collar bone. His kisses and icy breath caused a trail of goosebumps to raise on my skin.

With each kiss, each moan, each bump of his hard cock against me I grew more impatient and excited.

His teeth closed around my nipple, and he bit down until I cried out from the sharp pain and then swirling his tongue around them soothingly. He had me.

All the while longing grew in my belly and I could feel my opening becoming wet for him.

He continued to suck on my nipples and kiss my heaving breasts while his fingers danced their way to my clit.

As soon as his fingertips began to caress me, I hissed with pleasure-- the sensation was a riptide that rolled through me.

His fingers moved around my clit and I came embarrassingly fast, my abdomen tightening until I rose up off the floor of the cave, crying out his name and demanding for more. In the midst of my release, Loki’s hand grabbed his cock and directed it to my opening.

I could feel it stiffen harshly as it pushed against my inner thigh and then with urgency against my labium.

My core swelled with arousal as Loki slid into me.

The sensation that followed was such a complete fullness that made me feel as if I would burst-- the pressure caused a moan to escape my lips.

“Oh, please,” I begged, “Don’t stop. Fill me up.”

Loki grunted in response and his thrusts deepened as his hips curved and ground against my ass.

“Take my seed in your slick cunt and I’ll save some for your mouth.”

His words sent me spiraling, the skin around my vagina grew slick with arousal.

His head bowed towards my breasts and his teeth closed around my nipple-- my eyes watered and I cried out, but it only made him rougher.

He pushed deeper and his pace quickened.

A growl rippled through his chest and I felt his cock convulse inside of me as he filled me.

I hadn’t thought I could feel much fuller, but his cum was heavy in my already full-of-his-cock belly. There couldn’t have been much room but he continued to pump into me.

I glanced down, sure that I would visibly see the head of his cock buried deep in my lower belly.

My eyes widened, pupils dilating.

Loki withdrew himself, dripping wet with the concoction of our combined juices.

“Open your mouth, let me mark you there.”

I pushed weakly against him.

“I’m too full, I couldn’t possibly take anymore,” I pleaded.

“Open your mouth,” he repeated, his red eyes glowed with a fury that dared me to defy him.

I parted my lips and he put his index finger my mouth, hooking my jaw up, and elongating my throat to better take his long length in.

Nothing about Loki’s next movements were gentle.

His fingers knotted in my hair and he shoved himself over and over again deep in my throat, my saliva coated his length and dripped from his tip whenever he withdrew, his sides heaving.

My eyes watered, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying myself.

I glanced at Loki’s towering form before me.

When my eyes met his I sent him over the edge-- a sorceress sucking his soul from his body.

His abdomen flexed and he bowed over me, his mouth opening while his eyes closed from his pleasure.

I swallowed him, fighting the urge to spit out what he poured into me, knowing my belly couldn’t take much more-- the pressure from earlier was too intense.

Amazingly, as if reading my mind, Loki reached down to stroke my swollen-from-arousal-and-cum belly.

It felt like some immaculate touch; he prodded and massaged it until the feeling of being close to bursting dissipated.

I sighed with contentedness as Loki settled down beside me.

“Please, don’t make me forget,” I pleaded.

I had decided that remembering him and being without him, no matter how painful it was, was better than not at all.

“I’m truly sorry,” he said as he gathered himself and stood, walking away.

His skin glowed in the firelight, like a ghost flame of the deepest blue.

If I was ever to remember, now was my chance.

I searched around for a weapon and ended my search on a nearby smoldering stick cast into the fire.

My hands closed around it and it shook in my grasp.

Pain was the only way.

I grasped the end of the flaming stick within my palm and held back a scream as it ate through my flesh, sizzling.

When I was sure it had done enough damage I threw the stick back into the flames.

Loki returned, his arms full of firewood to replenish the flames.

He reached towards me and I grabbed his outstretched hand.

I stood and hugged him, hearing his heart, my cheek flush against his bare chest.

“Until we meet again.” His voice rumbled like muted thunder in my ear.

Loki’s cool fingers went to my temple, as he cradled my head to his chest, all the memories he had given to me before, my most prized possessions, he took away. Just. Like. That.

I awoke the next morning in the cottage, tucked underneath several blankets.

Out of habit, my hand went to the nightstand fumbling around in search of my phone. On it were several messages from Mr. Bill about missing the dinner and his fear that something had happened.

My hand throbbed.

Something had happened and though it was fuzzy on the edges it would become clearer with time.

I was certain, as it was my fate, that I would soon find my way back through that path among the stars until I was in Loki’s embrace once more.

***** Hope you all enjoyed this fic. Please take a moment to leave some feedback, reblog and like. If you would like to be tagged in any future fics please send me an ask. Peace, Loki’s Pet Tiger

PS thank you @tehgvicious for beta-ing!

#loki fanfic #loki #loki marvel #tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston fanfic #jotun loki #loki lemons #loki mcu #loki odinson #imagine loki #loki smut #loki x reader #loki x you #smut #loki fanfiction

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acetokens · 5 years ago

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The Rise of the Phoenix: My thoughts on MUA3′s 2nd DLC

Last October I wrote a review for MUA3’s first DLC expansion pack, ‘The Curse of the Vampire’. Now, after the release of the game’s second expansion, ‘The Rise of the Phoenix’, I really want to talk about this one as well!

This X-Men themed expansion gives Season Pass owners four new heroes to add to their roster: Iceman, Gambit, Cable and Phoenix, as well as a new mode called ‘Danger Room’, in which players go head-to-head in a series of trials. A new seasonal rewards system called ‘Events’ is tied to this mode, giving bonus prizes to players who win many Danger Room matches. The update also expanded the previously released ‘Gauntlet Mode’ by adding new challenges to tackle, and re-stocked the SHIELD Depot with more costumes to unlock. Finally, just like the last expansion, the level cap was raised (this time from 150 to 200) and new upgrades were added to the Alliance Enhancement Grid so you can make your heroes even stronger than before!

I was worried this expansion would be delayed (a prospect that felt more likely as we approached the end of December with no news). But luckily the VGA 2019 delivered a trailer which settled my fears and ‘The Rise of the Phoenix’ was released on December 23rd just in time to meet the vague ‘late 2019’ deadline we were promised. But was the expansion worth the wait? To answer that, I’m going to look at it one feature at a time, starting with…

The Characters

Although I’m disappointed that X-23 didn’t make the cut, I have to admit all four newcomers are fun to play due to their refreshingly unique abilities.

Phoenix’s defence stats are the worst in the game, but she obliterates bosses and mobs of weaker enemies alike, can revive her teammates with her EX (which also auto-revives Phoenix if she gets KO’d after using it) and can recharge her team’s EP using Cleansing Flames. Any character with a low Energy stat or who relies heavily on their abilities and/or synergies becomes much stronger with Phoenix on their team, so not only is she fun to play, she makes other heroes more fun to play as well! Because of this, I’ve gained a new appreciation for a character I’ve always overlooked before, and The Phoenix has risen to become one of my new favorite heroes to play in MUA3!

Gambit is a deceptively powerful character with some interesting tricks up his sleeve. His Luck of the Draw ability sets down explosive cards which remain dormant for a long time, allowing him to create multiple traps that he can detonate simultaneously with Kinetic Burst for a domino effect of explosions, dealing massive damage! Alternatively, Gambit can cancel into his air attack after setting the cards for a quicker but weaker explosion. Because of his self-synergies and high damage output, it makes Gambit one of the strongest solo-characters in the game in my opinion. Très bien!

Cable has a kit full of support abilities, including a gravity bomb, a reflector shield and an automatic sentry gun called Extreme Arsenal, all of which his teammates can take advantage of for some wicked synergy attacks. Cable can also teleport to escape from danger or use TK Spike to knock enemies back, although holding the attack for too long will lower Cable’s defence for a bit. He’s got more tactical variety than other ranged heroes but his solo damage output is terrible, making Cable reliant on his teammates to do the bulk of the offence.

Iceman can boost his teammates’ defence and give them the ice element (if they’re a weapon user) with Flash Freeze. The ability lasts for a long time, making it extremely useful, but the rest of Iceman’s moveset (especially his midair slide) is very slow, which is why I’d say he’s the least enjoyable to play out of the four newcomers.

The Gauntlets & New Mechanics

I enjoyed Gauntlet Mode in the last expansion, so I’m happy to see it return with 11 new challenges in this one. The new Gauntlets are fundamentally the same as the old ones, but instead of vampiric enemies, they feature two new mechanics: the Phoenix Force and Danger Room hazards! The new Gauntlets also contain higher level challenges (going from Level 20 to Level 180, compared to the original Gauntlet Mode which rises from Level 5 to Level 120), and two new enemy types: Nova Corps and Asgardians. While we’ve seen these characters before as NPCs in story mode, it’s nice to have a little more enemy variety than before.

Defeating an enemy under the influence of the Phoenix Force will cause it to drop a flaming phoenix. Absorbing this will heal some HP, add fire projectiles to your attacks and the fire element to your weapon (if your character has one) at the cost of being inflicted with the burn status effect for the rest of the trial, slowly draining your life. However, Iceman, Ghost Rider and Phoenix are immune to being burned and therefore suffer no drawbacks. The Phoenix Force is a fun risk/reward mechanic and I think the visual effects of it are amazing! However, the frame rate suffers when there are several Phoenix Force enemies onscreen, especially in handheld mode. The lag never reaches ‘unplayable’ levels of bad, but it does make the battles unnecessarily harder.

The new Gauntlets also feature Danger Room hazards. From giant crushers that fall from the sky to little machines that shoot waves of elemental energy, these obstacles are made to distract and frustrate players into making game-changing mistakes. The most annoying hazards have to be the gravity nodes, which magnetically push you away, and the barrier nodes, which protect the boss from all attacks until they are destroyed.

Overall, I’d say these new mechanics are interesting additions to Gauntlet mode, but I prefer fighting the vampiric enemies in the old Gauntlets. The Reborn, Infected and Cursed all required different tactics to defeat them, but I never felt like I had to change my strategy when fighting the Phoenix Force enemies or the Danger Room hazards. The only times I was forced to adapt were when the gravity and barrier nodes spawned, as they have to be destroyed ASAP. But the new Gauntlets are still satisfyingly challenging, and I hope we receive even more in the third expansion!

The Danger Room

I want to start this part of the review with a quote I found on the MUA3 forums:

‘’Danger Room is such a miserable experience. Lag out the ass, framerate drops like crazy, unfair status effects. There is nothing fun about this at all. I’m only playing it for the rewards’’

I think this sums up the Danger Room experience perfectly. It’s a mode where you compete in teams against other players (or against the AI) to be the first to win in three rounds. Mini-objectives will appear at random as you fight, awarding the team who completes them first by granting them buffs or weakening the opposition. It sounds alright, but the mode is riddled with glitches and unfair mechanics that make it the least enjoyable experience I’ve had playing MUA3 ever. To avoid this review becoming a rant, I’ll quickly summarize the flaws of this mode.

1) Only the last round counts. Winning the previous rounds gives your team buffs that lasts until the end of the match, but they make little-to-no difference. This leads to many players going AFK until the third round, which is frustrating.

2) At random, there will be a fourth round where you fight Dark Phoenix. If this happens, the third round becomes irrelevant and whoever defeats Dark Phoenix wins the match. It’s very unfair that you can completely steamroll the other team, only to lose the entire match because of a random-chance battle at the end.

3) Completing mini-objectives can inflict status effects like bind and paralyze. These last for a long time, often leading to your losing the round, all because the other team jumped 20 times before you did.

4) The lag is extremely bad.

5) Gambreaking glitches occur often, such as when an enemy spawns in a place you can’t reach.

6) Some rounds are won by whoever reaches the end of the stage first, so characters who can teleport (like Nightcrawler) have a huge advantage.

7) When fighting the AI, they complete mini-objectives inhumanly fast and are seemingly not affected by the debuffs you throw at them.

Danger Room still has its good points. For one, all characters are automatically set at a specific level depending on which difficulty you choose (Alpha = Level 25, Beta = Level 50, Gamma = Level 100, Delta = Level 200), so players can try out any character they want without having to level grind first. The rewards you obtain from winning Danger Room matches are also great, giving you a ton of credits and SHIELD Tokens, not to mention the rewards you can get through the Events. But based on gameplay alone, the Danger Room is definitely ‘’a miserable experience’’.

Events

In a surprise twist, the expansion added a new seasonal rewards system to MUA3, similar to the battle pass in Fortnite. During the Event, playing Danger Room matches will award you Event Points. Collect 5 Event points and you’ll move up to the next Event Tier and win prizes such as XP Cubes, SHIELD Tokens, items, voice commands and costumes. The amount of Event Points you earn depends on the difficulty, with Alpha only awarding 1 point while Delta awards 5 points. You earn double points when fighting other players rather than the AI, and will even earn some points for losing.

If you have a Nintendo online subscription, you can clear all 30 Tiers of the Event in just 15 Danger Room matches, which makes the pain of playing that mode more bearable, especially since the Event rewards themselves are well-worth the effort. But for players who can only fight offline against the AI, the experience becomes twice as long and hard. Luckily the Event lasts for roughly two months, so there’s lots of time to finish it. But it doesn’t quite make up for the fact that Events are essentially a ‘’free-to-play, pay-to-win’’ experience.

I think Events are a great way to extend the longevity of the game and provide something to do between expansions, so I hope they add more in the future. But I also feel they need to make some big changes to Danger Room and how Event Points are acquired offline to make it more enjoyable.

Other Changes

MUA3 saw another level cap increase this expansion, with heroes now being able to reach Level 200. Initially I wasn’t too thrilled, because the grind from 100 to 150 was tiring enough, but thankfully the XP needed to get from 150 to 200 is much lower. Your stats at Level 200 are roughly 15% higher than your stats at Level 150, and 37.5% higher than your stats at Level 100, so the boost you get from all that grinding is helpful in the new Gauntlets. New upgrades were also added to the Alliance Enhancement Grid to match the level cap increase, including one that decreases the time needed to revive teammates by 50%.

New costumes for Wolverine, Magneto, Storm, Nightcrawler, Psylocke, Cyclops, Colossus, Loki, Ghost Rider, Scarlet Witch, Dr.Strange, Punisher, Blade, Moon Knight and Morbius were added, most of which are purchasable from the SHIELD Depot. You’ll need lots of SHIELD Tokens to buy all of them, but luckily the Tokens you get from playing Gauntlet mode were increased in this update! Unfortunately, the Tokens you get from Nightmare mode have been decreased. But since I play Gauntlet lots more than Nightmare, I’m happy with these changes overall. Between this and the SHIELD Tokens you get through the Event, its easy enough to buy all of the new costumes, which is good.

Finishing Thoughts

In conclusion, I’d say the Rise of the Phoenix is a mixed bag. The characters are great, the Gauntlets are enjoyable and the Events have a lot of potential. However, as for whether the expansion was worth the wait…honestly, I’m not sure it was. I did enjoy playing it, but after waiting three months with no news, I expected more than what we got. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Danger Room, which feels like the devs didn’t play-test it before release.

Luckily, they seemed to have learned from their mistakes. Nintendo USA’s Twitter account recently released a teaser image of the third upcoming expansion, ‘Shadow of Doom’, which is already a big step-up from the radio silence we received in the months leading up to the Rise of the Phoenix. Hopefully this means the third expansion will be an improvement on this one. Who knows, we might even get the new story content the community has been asking for since the Curse of the Vampire!

I think I’ll end this review on that optimistic note. Until next time, true believers.

#MUA3 shitposting #I meant to post this a few weeks ago but it took a little longer due to uni coursework

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desertbroad · 5 years ago

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misc. massive headcanon write-up : tvtropes edition. aka some things from fallout: new vegas’ tvtropes page that felt kaj relevant. from here !

1) “ The unique Fatman in Gun Runners Arsenal is called Esther. [...] Esther, much like Gehenna, are named after Hebrew Bible concepts. Esther, both the name of a book in said bible, and the name of the Persian queen of Jewish descent, who helped prevent a Jewish genocide, by convincing the Persian king to allow the Jews to arm and defend themselves. This ended with the death of 75,000 Persians. ”

a/n: kaj parallels a modern esther, having prevented slaughter of her own—or at least, having misdirected it. also ironic, as her nickname in canter was esther due to her bratty, “queenly” demeanor. that said, despite her big personality, kaj is definitely not a fatman user. so it’s even more ironic that they share a name.

2) “ In Vault 11, the vault mainframe tells you that while being a martyr isn't as fun as driving a race car, it's every bit as important. The thing is, driving a race car isn't important at all, and neither is being a martyr. ”

3) “ In Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, blood packs heal 1 hit point per pack. In 3, you can get a perk from the leader of blood-consuming people which increases the hp gain to 20. Why do blood packs heal so little hp, when blood transfusions can save people from the brink of death sometimes? Because the player actually drinks the blood instead of replenishing his/her lost blood from an injury. [...] Which drifts into Fridge Logic again when you consider the fact that, after 200 years at least, the blood in those packs has certainly expired no matter what kinds of advances the US had made in preservation technologies. With this taken into account, the Sole Survivor injecting the blood into his veins would do more harm than good. Drinking it would actually be more helpful, which makes sense considering that a high medicine Courier would certainly be aware of the expiration date of blood and the concept of a blood transfusion. ”

4) “ If you take a look at Caesar's SPECIAL stats you will find out that he only ranks 4 in both charisma and intelligence. It first seem like Fridge Logic since he is supposed to be extremely charismatic and possess super intellect. But after you find out that he is suffering from a brain tumor, it makes sense that his skills were being affected as a result of it. Additionally, he acts extremely rude to the Courier, and trusts them, and only them, to deal with a problem, without any way of preventing the Courier from undermining and/or sabotaging his plans. ”

a/n: though kaj prides herself on her manipulation of caesar, it wasn’t really a manipulation at all—just an appeal to his baser instincts that only paid off because of his illness. if he was completely well, it’s waaaaaay more likely he’d see her manipulation for what it is. kaj herself even seems somewhat aware of the precariousness of her position, given her cautious actions around him and unwillingness to vie for more power. it makes sense that she starts trying to take him down from day one, knowing his history with anyone he sees as his equal—aka, a threat. she speeds up the process when she meets joshua graham and realizes exactly what’ll happen if she fails. further elaborated on by the legion ending: “ In the Legion Ending, when the Courier receives his/her reward, she's kneeling before Caesar, but standing before Lanius (if he ends up in charge). This seems odd before you realise it sums up your relationship with character: no matter your competences, Caesar will always see the Courier as a servant/inferior, whereas Lanius sees you as an equal and acknowledges the Courier's worth even if she's a woman. ”

5) “ The two Jokers in the deck, Benny and the Courier, have those cards for more reasons than just being the Wild Cards. First, in Euchre, the Joker is called the "Benny" card. Second, the Joker cards in Tarot have significant meaning, one Joker meaning the Fool, the other the Magician. The Fool, being the Courier, is the spirit in search of experience (although XP might be a better word for it), and represents mystical cleverness, not bound by normal reason, and possessing an ability to tune into the inner workings of the world, and is often represented by a wanderer walking aimless, often one foot hanging over a void, a step away from falling to his death. Meanwhile, the Magician, being Benny, is a man who practices sleight of hand, trickery, and deception, a stage magician with the initial appearance of great power, but later revealed to have no ability of his own, and can also indicate a manipulator, a trickster, and the ego, as well as the pursuit of personal power, and is often associated with the first step in the Fool's Journey, as well as the potential for new adventure. ”

6) “ Why is the courier consistently insulted by legionnaires regardless of what they do for them? To serve as a reminder that they don't necessarily need you. The legion offers you few side quests, most of which are just minor preparations before the battle, because they don't need you to do those for you. In comparison the NCR has a significant amount of side quests including training troops, fixing equipment, rooting out spies, exterminating extra problems like the fiends, and reclaiming territory from the legion. Result: by the end the NCR sees you as a true hero which would lead to them being incredibly polite, to the legion you're just a guy who's quite good at fighting, so they have little reason to treat you as anything more than a very good mercenary. ”

7) “ The Wizard of Oz analogy (in Old World Blues) goes further. In the movie, Dorothy's companions each wanted certain qualities, namely a brain, a heart, and courage. In the game, the surgery done to the courier removes their brain, their heart, and their spine. Stupid people are called brainless, unemotional/uncaring people are often said to be heartless, and cowardly people are often referred to as being spineless. Not to mention the similarity in the methods of arrival to the Big MT and Oz the characters went through. Just like in the movie, the Courier realizes that in spite of their missing organs, they have the qualities they needed all along: it takes a heart to befriend the Stealth Suit, a spine to repeatedly brave the dangerous X-8 facility, and a brain to outwit the Think Tank once and for all. ”

8) “ Why are there no long haired options for the Courier? You're in a desert. Long hair would be rather impractical, especially being a courier. You were also very recently shot in the head. It stands to reason that Doc Mitchell might have trimmed your hair, if it was long before the game started, to make operating easier. Also, long hair is a bad idea if you plan on fighting. If you have long hair, it becomes easier to grab it. The world being what it is, quite a few pragmatists are likely to be around. ”

a/n: inverted trope. though native american culture has been forcibly distorted over the years by white imperialism, kaj’s family has still managed to hang onto some old world traditions, such as the styling and care of hair. as a result, kaj’s hair is extremely culturally significant to her even as an adult. she wears it long as a choice, and it is only cut against her will by the think tank (when normally it would only be cut while she was in mourning; and though she does mourn afterwards, it doesn’t erase the fact that it’s forced on her, not chosen). meanwhile, doc mitchell is considerate enough of these traditions and culturally aware enough to leave her hair alone and, given the placement of her bullet wound, cutting it is not entirely necessary regardless. the cutting of kaj’s hair in old world blues (as well as the violation of her bodily autonomy) is traumatic and painful for her, paralleling real life cultural assimilation—when it grows back out, she is extremely protective of it.

9) “ If you ask No-Bark Noonan if anyone has been acing strangely, he states that he doesn't trust anyone who acts too normal, and his description fits Clanden to a tee. No-Bark: If a man's wearing his pants on his head or if he says his words backwards from time to time, you know it's all laid out there for you. But if he's friendly to strangers and keeps his home spick-and-span, more often than not he's done something even his own ma couldn't forgive. ”

#headcanon.#ref.#yes i modified the esther thing in because i think its fun. sue me #aka randi uses tvtropes to explain every piece of subtext he flat out missed the first go around

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flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash · 7 years ago

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Hi! Sorry if this is a bother, but do you happen to have a fic rec about your favourite Snamione/Lumione fics? :D I'm in need of some reading material tbh 😂

Hey! Oh, I can definitely give you some favs! I only recently got back into reading Snamione and Lumione, so I’m very behind on fics, and have a spreadsheet of like 200 fics of those two ships that I tell myself I’m going to read, if I ever have the time haha. I’ll give you the ones I’ve read so far that I really enjoyed. They’re mostly pretty long fics, because I tend to lean towards epic fics with loads of character development. If you do happen to read any of them, feel free to let me know what you thought! :D

I’m putting a keep reading bar because this got a lot longer than I expected it to.

For Snamione:

-Chasing the Sun by Loten. This is my #1 favorite Snamione slow burn so far. It’s pretty long, has a reallll long slow burn, but is SO worth it. I dare you to read the first 3 chapters and not be hooked with the background tale she weaves of Snape. And that’s all I’ll say about that one, otherwise I’ll write an entire essay on how much I friggin LOVED that fic.

-Post Tenabras, Lux also by Loten. This is another amazing one. Not as much of a slow burn, and it’s set 10 years post-war. But holy shit, it’s SO good. Loten is a genius writer, and she delves into the psychology and mental health of Severus and Hermione in such a beautiful way in both her longer fics. She portrays all the horrors of Snape’s past in a way that gives you all the feels, and then allows him to finally get the love and redemption that (I think) he always deserved. I walked around with a huge, goofy smile on my face the rest of the day when I finished both this and Chasing the Sun.

-Pet Project by Caeria. This is a long as HELL slow burn. Seriously, it’s like almost all slow burn, which got a bit frustrating at times, but also, I love the torture of slow burn, and this was torture of the utmost level. It’s one of those fics where you squeal in happiness the first time Snape doesn’t openly sneer at Hermione and instead just neutrally glares, that’s how slow of a burn it is haha. It’s so much fun to see Hermione trying to be on Snape’s side and have his back, while also not wanting him to know that’s what she’s doing. It takes forever for her to win him over, but that’s what makes it so captivating a read, at least for me.

-The Love You Take by Subersa. This is a very interesting fic, in that Hermione is cursed by Voldemort to be sexually bonded to the first man she sees when she wakes up. He means for it to be Dumbledore, but Dumbledore pushes Snape in front of her, instead. So, we start off the fic with Hermione being cursed to need sexual release from Snape on a VERY frequent basis. I was really hesitant to read this one, because they sleep together really early on in the fic (and I tend to prefer slow burns), but holy crap, this author kept me hooked the entire way through. Besides the plot being phenomenal, she proved me wrong in thinking I couldn’t enjoy a long fic that started out with smut. The diversity in the love/sex scenes was just…ugh, so good. It never felt repetitive or boring, and the very end of the fic, at the post-war ceremony, had me in tears. It was beautiful.

-Of Muggles and Magic by Aurette. I just finished this fic on Friday, and it was a glorious historical AU Snamione fic. It starts out when Hermione is 11 years old, and goes through her growing up, in a way that is very different than her canon Hogwarts experience. It has a very Pride & Prejudice and Jane Eyre type of feel, which was really fun to read. And there were some hilarious parts that had me choking back cackles while reading on my work breaks. This was my first time reading a fic by Aurette, and I know it will most certainly not be my last, because her writing is phenomenal.

-Clash of the Conjurers by llorolluvia. This is another one where Snape and Hermione are cursed together, thanks to Voldemort. In this one, Hermione is cursed to obey any and every command Snape gives to her. She’s seen by the Death Eaters as a sort of “pet” for him…but he quickly comes to see her as much more than that. This was another fic that wasn’t a slow burn, but still kept me captivated the entire way through. I especially loved the other characters’ reactions each time one of them found out about Snape and Hermione’s relationship. That’s a trope I adore, when the others find out and are so enraged and suspicious, but then they slowly see little moments of Snape showing affection towards Hermione, and come to learn that he really does care about her, after all. Le sigh.

-Debaucery by Desert_Sea. This is a post-war fic where Severus has handled his demons by…basically…becoming a playboy. He goes around sleeping with every woman he meets, since he’s now seen as this attractive, bad boy, war hero. Hermione is pretty disgusted with him…but also intrigued to know if he’s really as good in bed as all the other women around her say he is. It’s a funny and sexy fic, as are all of Desert_Sea’s fics that I’ve read so far.

-Doing it for the Order also by Desert_Sea. This is one where Snape (and the other Death Eaters) are cursed to sleep with at least one muggle once every week, courtesy of Voldemort (he sure does like to curse this couple lol). Rather than Snape try to find a new muggle each week, Dumbledore enlists Hermione to help Snape with his, uh, little problem ;)

-Tango also by Desert_Sea. This one is just pretty much a few chapters of PWP but omgggg it’s so hot! One of my favorite Snamione tropes is them dancing together in front of the rest of Hogwarts. And that’s how this fic starts out. With a sexy as fuck tango, which leads to even sexier as fuck smut.

-Teaching Miss Granger by OracleObscured. So, I am only about halfway through this fic, mainly because if I read more than 2 or 3 chapters at a time, I run a very real risk of spontaneous combustion. This is a huge fic of pretty much pure porn. It’s also mainly BDSM porn. It’s dirty as fuckkkk and it gets me too overheated to read a lot of at once, so I pick it up here and there to read a bit of when I feel physical prepared to do so.

-Quartet also by OracleObscured. So, like the other fic by this author, this one is pretty much all porn with some plot thrown in. But, this one is a Hermion/Snape/Lucius/Draco fic. Yes, they all fuck her at the same time, as well as on their own. Draco is more like her sub in this, Lucius is the loving, sensual dom, and Severus is the authoritative, I’m in charge dom. They all play really well off one another (altho not gonna lie, I prefer Severus the most). It’s another dirty as hell fic. It’s not completed, which is a good thing, because I can only handle this one a chapter or two at a time, when it updates.

For Lumione

-Eden by obsessmuch. Okay, so this story is not for the faint of heart. It is angsty as hell, and the ending…omg, it will ruin you. I still think about it months later. Like, it’ll randomly pop up in my head and I just sit and stare at the wall and think “holy shit” because it just messed with my emotions that much. This fic honestly ruined me for most other Lumione fics, and I am struggling to find any other fics of this pairing that come close to this one. Lucius is NOT fluffy or romantic in this. He’s the canon Death Eater Lucius that I imagine him to be. He’s a horrible man, and he treats Hermione horribly. In fact, he tortures the hell out of her in the beginning of the fic, and I was at first shocked by my own fascination with the story. But I just…I couldn’t stop reading. This book sucked me up, wouldn’t let go until the ride was over, then spit me back out an emotional wreck. Their relationship is unhealthy, obsessive, Stockholm Syndrome at its finest, and if you dare to read it, I would LOVE to hear what you think about it.

-Ninety Days of Darkness by Fragilereality. This is another darker Lucius fic (altho not nearly as dark as Eden). Hermione is a prisoner in Malfoy Manor, and the two are forced into an engagement by Voldemort. It’s a very interesting tale, although I will say I read this pretty soon after reading Eden, and I just couldn’t stop comparing it to that fic. So this one is great, but I should’ve given myself time to process my feels over Eden before trying to read it.

-For Pure Blood by malfoycouture. So, I haven’t finished this one, which makes me sad, because it had me HOOKED in the beginning. Hermione finds out that the order needs a rare ingredient in the war against Voldemort, an ingredient only the Malfoys possess. So, she offers Lucius a trade: the ingredient for her virginity. What I loved about this fic was all the characters were so damn smart, and always a step ahead of each other. Not just Hermione and Lucius, but also Ginny and Narcissa. It has a lot of intrigue and is action-packed, but for some reason, I think that’s what kinda made me drift from it. I made it about 18 of the 22 chapters in (the chapters are pretty huge) before I lost interest and drifted off to read a Snamione fic, instead, and I have yet to come back and finish it. Perhaps I shall try to do so in the near future.

-Girl Talk by Snapes_Goddess. This fic is on adultfanfiction.net, and the set up of all those fics is really weird now, with these weird symbols in place of all punctuation, so if you can’t look past that annoyance, I totally get it. I found this fic back when I was first obsessed with HP fanfiction yearssss ago. And honestly, just about anything by that author is fabulous. She writes a lot of Snamione and Lumione fics, both short smutty ones and longer ones. I was obsessed with her back in the day, and Girl Talk is one of my favorites of hers. It’s mostly smut, but also has a romance to it. Basically, it starts out with Lucius overhearing Hermione tell Ginny that she’s never had enjoyable sex. He offers his…”services” and god damnnnnn the smut is hot in this. Lucius is a sex god. I go back and re-read certain chapters of this fic more times than I care to admit. Mostly the first 5 or 6 chapters. The scene where he fucks her up against a pillar at a Ministry ceremony, with Harry and the others only a few feet away… *fans self rapidly*

There ya have it! Those are the main Snamione and Lumione fics that popped into my head that I’ve enjoyed! If you know of any others that you’d recommend, feel free to throw em my way!

Also, I’m currently reading this AMAZING vampire romance/mystery fic I found on Wattpad (it’s the first non-fanfiction fic I’ve read in a long time, but I’m hooked). I actually have been picturing a younger Severus as the lead vampire while reading it haha. If anyone is interested, go check it out. It’s called Belle Mort by Bella_Higgin. It’s the first in a series of 3 books, and it perfectly blends together humor, mystery, and sexiness. I’m just now discovering how many amazing original novels are on Wattpad, and idk whether to cry in happiness or scream in despair that it’s going to cause me to add a billion more books to my “need to read” list lol.

#snamione #lumione #harry potter #hp #ash reads #fanfiction #krennicsorrento

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olympianpandback · 4 years ago

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May 10

We headed to Crater Lake fairly early because it is a 3 hour drive. It is always a scenic drive On the Volcano Scenic Byway. We parked behind an RV from Alaska and the lady who was in that RV came up to talk to us about our RV. She has friends who are looking for a leisure travel Van. We head a nice long chat and went over to look at Crater Lake. It's impossible to really describe and I am sure the pictures won't do justice for the sights we saw. There is still up to 8' of snow around the buildings. We found a campground along a river that was nice and quiet until after we went to bed. We had no idea about any train tracks somewhere near us, at least 4 trains rumbled through that were not very loud, except for the train whistle. We met our neighbors who are from Beaverton. He is a retired financial guy and his wife Faye finally retired from part time work at the church so they could travel. He was in the army from 59 through 61 and extended for a year because of the Berlin wall and the Cuban missile crisis. He was supposed to go to Germany but got a fever 3 days before the unit shipped out and the shipped unit out without him and 2 of his buddies. He never worked in his MOS (military occupation specialty), in artillery again. He spent 2 years in the active reserves and 2 years in the inactive reserves and got called back to active duty again. What a “lucky” guy. His wife worked as a ground crew member for American Airlines for 10 years then took a leave of absence for 5 years so she got credit for 15. They flew a lot to Europe mostly to France and travelled as much as they could on her D1 pass. The campground owner Steve has Scottish Highland cattle on his 140 acres because they eat the BlackBerry bushes and all the other brambles that no normal cattle will eat. He doesn't even have to feed them during the wintertime because they just disappear into the BlackBerry bushes and stay healthy during the weather. If he gets a male cow, they eat it. On the way to this campground South of Roseburg Oregon. we saw a great deal of devastation from recent for fires. It actually looks like it happened in the last year not later than 2 years. There is a lot of cleanup and trying to salvage usable lumber. We rounded one curve and there was the stump of a tree lying across the guardrail that was at least 2' in diameter that had just been cut out of the road not long ago from the looks of the cut. I can't imagine how long the delay had been before they got a crew out with the right equipment to move that log off the highway. Just another trip of discovery for us seeing such beautiful scenery and meeting so many nice people it's hard to describe in words or pictures.

May 11

We left mid-morning after another good conversation with Rich and Kay. We headed for the coast and got here midafternoon after stopping to get some to die for Apple walnut fritters at a local bakery. On the way here, we saw a spot that is called the Dean Creek Elk viewing area. Supposedly up to a 140 elk use this area as grazing ground. We didn't see any when we stopped on the way to the next campground. The campground is nice, but the bathrooms are closed and it's only private campgrounds that are having their bathrooms closed according to the host. We found out later that was probably a cop out to keep from cleaning them. This is an RV resort that people stay at year-round a lot of time. After dinner we went back to the elk viewing area Around 7:15 and saw about 40 or more cows grazing in the field. We hung around for about 20 more minutes hoping to see a bull, but none showed up. At least we can say we have seen elks and cross that off our list of wild animals. Tomorrow we head north a couple of hours to depot Bay. We hope to see some whales from the shore and will definitely take the 1 and 1/2 hour whale watching Tour, if we can book one.

May 12

On our way out of town we decided to go by the viewing place one more time period There were 40 or 50 cows out there but again no male elk. We headed North to Depoe Bay to try to do a whale watching cruise. We had checked with a campground just North of there who said their bathrooms were open. It was one of campgrounds in our group for big discounts. We drove there and found out that they had no cell phone signal. Even though I don't keep up with the blog as much as I would like to, we still need cell phone signal. We came back to town to another campground. Their bathrooms are open and it was a nice campground. They didn't offer a discount for veterans and I started to leave but Elizabeth wanted to stay there so we signed in. Marilyn gave us a 10% discount because I was such a nice man. Her words not mine. She also suggested a whale watching tour with a marine biologist area We were going to book a 12 o'clock tour, but we would have been on the boat for an hour and a 1/2 without anything to eat so we pushed it forward to the 10 o'clock tour. We got a text later saying that the 10 o'clock tour had been pushed up to 9:30 because they expected heavy seas that afternoon.

May 13 Whale watching trip

We were worried about a place to park the RV so we got there very early and parked in front of the jump off point. The leader was a very nice marine biologist who was passionate about her work we got a 15 minute lecture on whales before we went down to get on the boats . We got on the big boat which is a navy seal assault boat that had been retired. They asked who wanted to sit up front and we volunteered. It was a raw day and going to be cold and windy no matter where you were sitting. There are a group of whales come North from Mexico and hang around Depoe Bay while others continue on to the Alaskan water for feeding in the summer.ie Carry the biologist had named all the whales who stay around the area. It was foggy and around 46 degrees when we left. Sees were chopping but not too bad at first. We went buoy that had some sea lions on it. Then we meandered around following the other boat and listening for spotters looking for spouts. Carrie had also trained a dog that she rescued to smell the whale spouts which smell like the worst fart you've ever smelled and the dog Coda had been trained to detect those smells from an early age. Coda ran all around the boat from side to side and front to back sniffing the air, but we never saw a whale. We saw a lot of kelp and birds. The marine biologist says if we come back in August-September, the whales will be swimming up next to shore and we heard the same from locals later. So much for good timing. The Internet said whales should be here now! We will head north trying to find some more whales because they only move at 4 miles per hour and we can overtake them. As we came back into the dock area we saw a mama seal and her baby seal who just been born that morning. On the way back to ,the dock Carrie asked if we were ready for some bumpy rides. We had no choice but to say yes and she opened up that seal boat with its twin 200 (I guessed at the size) HP Evinrude engines. We were hitting the bottom of some waves and riding over the top of many of them. It was a very fun ride for me and Elizabeth enjoyed it somewhat. We decided to eat in town and got to a restaurant just dead opened so we didn't have to wait area I had a seriously good clam chowder Elizabeth had a beer-based Tillamook cheese soup. It was in a brewery so we had craft pilsner for lunch. Everything was very good and I took a nap we got back to the camp after setting the RV up. I spoke to our neighbor to our South who is a retired Air Force avionics technician, meeting his children here for the weekend into two other RVs. We had a nice chat about the military, his travels around Europe and working on F-15s and 16s. He also gave me some insights into the Olympia peninsula where he and his wife had lived for many years. Our neighbor to the North is a retired civil servant, mechanical engineer who helped build the submarine base in San Diego and worked there most of his career. We briefly discussed COVID and his wife who is a nurse says they were waiting to get the Johnson and Johnson shot because it doesn't use MRNA to send signals to your body to protect yourself from the virus but actually uses a strain of the virus to make you immune to it like a flu shot. He said it wasn't really worried because it only affects a minor percentage of the population who have comorbidity issues most of the time. He and his wife have been full timers for several years in their 5th wheel. Again, you meet some of the most interesting people just by casual conversations. You know how shy I am so it's hard to meet strangers.

May 14

We drove north to the Washington border and found refuge at a National Guard base with an electric only hook-up for one night $15. It’s clean, quiet and near the “latrine”. Elizabeth prefers bathhouse/restrooms.

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easterwings · 7 years ago

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Annual Writing Self-Evaluation

*All answers should be about works published in 2017.

I was tagged by @allwaswell16 Thank you so much!!! :))))

1. List of works published this year: In the order that they were posted

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise)

New Adventures in Herpetology

First of May

In Space No One Can Hear Your Heartbeat

What You Wish For

Special Mention: Boys Are Blue (chapters 10-17)

A Shimmering Balance Act (I Think that I Laughed at That)

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise) I’d wanted to rewrite Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk for a long time anyway (because I never felt like I developed it enough) but then I got the idea to combine the rewrite with a story about sex and grieving. I thought a lot about sex and grieving and how sometimes people use sex as a means of being close to another person while they’re grieving during the writing of Boys Are Blue, and I wanted to write a story where that happened, so I did. And I wrote it just how I wanted to and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

I’m not especially fond of the two flash fiction stories I did because I don’t think I do too well with very short fic, but they were a fun challenge at the time.

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

Probably this bit from Chapter 17 of Boys Are Blue. It’s based on a line from an Airborne Toxic Event song called “The Fifth Day” and I wanted so badly to include it and I actually managed to do it!

In the end, they go down to the park on Father’s Day, the four of them meeting up with Harry and Liam and Niall like it’s any other Sunday kickabout. Nick sits on the side with Harry and Pea and fiddles with his phone, bringing up his messages and then just as quickly closing them. There hadn’t been any heart-stopping moment earlier when he’d been messaging his dad a Happy Father’s Day Dad and had realised that his dad was gone, which he’s still grateful for, but he had realised that there wasn’t anything stopping him, really, from messaging his dad. He could message his dad all he wanted, call him even, and he could say anything he wanted, anything at all.

And it wouldn’t matter one bit.

It wouldn’t matter in the slightest, what he’d say, because his dad wouldn’t ever answer. Couldn’t answer. He wouldn’t be there on the other end.

5. Share or describe a favorite comment you received:

ALL OF THEM. I love every single comment I’ve ever received (except the one from that one person who told me that the original ending to One Blink and Then My Heart was abrupt) but I have to say that very recently @alligatornyc left me a whole bunch of lovely ones on Boys Are Blue and I’m just...that meant a lot and I’m still not over it.

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

Probably from March on, but especially from June on. I didn’t think any year could be as bad as 2016 was but 2017 brought it and then some.

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

Probably Harry in Boys Are Blue. I hadn’t really meant for him to be so involved in Nick’s life but the more I wrote the more he kept turning up and being an amazing friend.

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

I challenged myself a lot! I took on flash fiction challenges and wrote stories from a prompt, and I hadn’t done that before this year. I started paying more and more attention to how other writers told their stories, the words they used etc, and I think that helped keep me from repeating myself over and over. I wrote a story that I loved that didn’t do very well but I realized that I still loved that story no matter what anyone else thought about it. I learned that the most important thing is telling the stories that you want to tell in the way that you want to tell them.

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

To be honest I’m considering a very long break after January, so I don’t know how much growing as a writer I can do if I’m not writing. :/ But if @writsgrimmyblog and @silveredglass are willing to hold my hand enough then I might try writing for HP fandom.

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

I doubt I’d have finished much at all if it weren’t for @magicalrocketships @writsgrimmyblog and @silveredglass so I’m going to say those three lovely, wonderful people. :)))))

11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

WELL. A good deal of Boys Are Blue is autobiographical but I borrowed especially heavily from Real Life for the part in Chapter 12 when Nick’s mom gets the call about his dad and what she says to Nick. As well as in Chapter 13 when they go back to the hospital very late at night to see Nick’s dad after he’s passed away and they’re looking at him and the baby starts crying because they’re hungry.

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

I will second the person I was tagged by and say that it’s good to reach out to other writers and that they’re right in that writing doesn’t have to be a solitary thing if you don’t want it to be. It’s good to find writer friends you can vent to or just fling fic in their inboxes for them to read and tell you it doesn’t suck and that you’re not a hack (sometimes you get fic in your inbox in return! which is the best thing). Also one thing that’s helped me tremendously the past three months or so is setting myself daily word count goals based on how long I think my story will be and how much time I have to write it. I’ve had a lot of days where I just didn’t want to write AT ALL but I had things I needed/wanted to finish so setting small, manageable goals (200 words on one fic, 250 on the other) helped me get through because I could hit those targets and it made me feel like I was being productive. And I let myself write a lot of filler words because I felt it was more important just to get the words on the page and I figured I could go edit later once I finished the story itself.

13. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

Posting Chapter 18 and the Epilogue to Boys Are Blue. They are both complete and I will probably be posting them together on New Year’s Day.

My Bright Blue Sky (The Sun in My Eyes), my Lirry kidfic for the 1D Rare Pairs Fest.

14. Tag three writers/artists whose answers you’d like to read.

I’m going to tag @imlouisaf @dearmrsawyer and @silveredglass :)))))

#tagged

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therewerepotatoeswheniwasab-blog · 8 years ago

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I've been tagged to answer this ask meme (at least I think that's what they're called) by @queenbovine, so here it is. I would have answered this sooner, but somehow I failed to see it until this morning, when I was looking through my notes.

Name: Delta

Gender: Female

Star Sign: Cancer

Height: About 175cm, I'm not entirely sure...

Hogwarts House: Idk, either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw (I have this same dilemma with deciding which faction from Divergent series would I be in, Amity or Erudite)

Favorite Colors: Yellow (like it's not visible from my blog, pffft). But I also like that yellowish shade of green, I think it's called lime? Oh and sky blue of course.

Favorite Animals: Do dragons count? If not, then horses. I love horses with all my heart. And dogs. And cats. And guinea pigs. And there are 4 rats living in the composter on my backyard which I'm rather fond of (I feed them cheese and one of them ocasionally lets me pet it). I also have a strange fascination with anything microscopic, especially paramecia. Snakes are also cute. Fine, I admit, I love all of the animals, except spiders and sea cucumbers.

Time right now: 13:07

Average hours of sleep: About 7 hours during week and about 11 on weekends. I once slept for 14 hours during the summer holidays. Yes, I'm literally a sloth and I have absolutely no regrets.

Cat or dog person: You're making me choose!?! This is such a hard question, but I think I'll have to go with dogs. I've been obsessed with dogs when I was a child, and I mean obsessed. I've never had any pets except two guinea pigs because my dad hates animals. But I live in a small village in countryside (about 200 people) where everybody knows everybody and when I was younger, I would sit on my front porch every evening and wait for people to come by, walking their dogs. They would always stop by to ask my mother how does she manage to grow such big tomatoes or to praise her nice flowers or something similar. Meanwhile, they would let me play with their dogs. I remember sometimes chasing with them for hours through the fields full of corn which was twice my size or around the meadows of clover, which was up to my knees. Where I was, there were always dogs and where there were dogs, there was always me. (I'm 99% sure that last sentence is grammatically incorrect, but you get my point)

Favorite fictional characters: I'm going to refer to the book versions of characters unless there is no book. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Camicazi and Fishlegs from HTTYD, Marlene and Cara from Divergent, Eowyn and Pippin Took from LotR, Jace WhateverHisLastNameIs from The Mortal Instruments, Hermione Granger from HP, Kestrel Hath and Sisi from Wind on Fire (honestly this trilogy deserves so much more recognition, there is only one blog about it on here on tumblr and it's inactive), Lucy Pevensie, Shasta/Cor and Aravis from Chronicles of Narnia, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Hookfang from DW HTTYD franchise, there's also a vast quantity of characters I really love from Slovenian books, but nobody knows them anyway so I'm not going to mention them, this is getting out of hand, oh wait, I almost forgot Moana, and Mulan of course, now I should really stop, Antigone deserves all the love in the world, and Hamlet’s remarks are hilarious, byeeee

Number of blankets I usually sleep with: Right now it's 3 really thick ones, but there's been a time when I had 8 of them. The more the better.

Favorite musicians: Taylor Swift, Delta Goodrem, The Script, Of Monsters And Men, Demi Lovato, Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, 30 Seconds To Mars, again some Slovenian musicians which nobody knows, Moana soundtrack (yes, I know, that's not a musician, but I’ve been constantly listening to these songs for a past month and I feel like I should mention it). I like many more, but mostly I just know two or three songs from each musician that I listen to a lot.

Dream trip: Idc, just any trip. I don't really care what the final destination is, the best part for me is the anticipation and the excitement of being on my way to somewhere unknown.

Dream job: I don't know yet, but any job that would make me happy would be great. Maybe something in biology or physics, since I really love these two subjects at school and pretty much everything about them fascinates me.

When was this blog created: December 2016

Current number of followers: 13. Thanks guys *waves awkwardly*

What do you post: HTTYD, mostly books related, although sometimes movies and series too. I will probably spam you all with Race to the Edge once the new season comes out. Sometimes I reblog dragon related stuff which has nothing to do with HTTYD because all dragons deserve love. Oh and there was once a Moana-HTTYD crossover post and another one referring to Hamlet (you know, the one with Guildenfern and Rosenplantz :D). I think that covers all I've posted up until now.

When did your blog last reach its peak: On third of February, when I got 21 notes in one day.

Who made you join tumblr: I finished listening to HTTYD books and I became obsessed with them so I needed a place to let it all out. Everybody in the tumblr fandom appeared really nice and I wanted to be a part of this community. Also The Great Toe Rebellion.

Why did you choose your url: It's a reference to HTTYD books, which I love, and I find it kind of funny.

Done! Thanks for tagging me, this has been a great fun for me! I tag my mutuals, @fangirling1998, @thefellowshipofthedragonmark, @httydbooks-doodler and @thepotatoreader

#honestly this has been so much fun #sorry it it's too long #I tend to get carried away when I talk about things I'm excited about #sea cucumbers are gross #do I tag this with httyd or not?#idk what to do

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timetocode · 8 years ago

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The first few days of Sharkz.io

Sharkz.io had 20,000 players on Tuesday (January 24, 2017). The peak concurrent players was about 200. I don’t have a full week of data yet, but compared to last Thursday, this is a 42% increase, though it is about to dip for at least a day or two.

Initial design

I had been working on a prototype for a mining game and trying to clean up nengi at the same time when my gf pitched to me 3 game ideas. I have no idea how she came up with these ideas.. they were all great, but she doesn’t play games or ever talk about them so it came as a surprise to me.

One of these ideas was a game about sharks eating each other and growing bigger which sounded fun to me. It was a good candidate for nengi because it was a game that could scale to any number of players. It would be fun with 20 players, and it would still be fun with 120 players. It was also appealing to me because the primary concerns of the game were scaling and PvP design.

So I began working on the game... to make a long story short I’ll just say that it changed a lot. The first iteration was about growing really big and completely programmed in 4 hours. Four or five iterations later the game has level-ups like an RPG and chaotic hit-and-run gameplay. I’m not sure how much time I’ve spent total now.. maybe 120 hours? What I’ve learned so far is making a feature (in this type of game) takes no time (15 minutes to 4 hours) and then balancing it takes a day, plus testing it with other players, and then a few more hours after that. Balancing takes a long time, and I have a lot left to do.

Initial traffic

The traffic the game got from tumblr was disappointing. I was able to test the game with a few people but nothing particularly impressive happened. The first big jump in players came thanks to http://iogames.space/. If you make a browser game I would totally recommend submitting it to to them! All they asked was a link in return, and then they featured the game and sent it some traffic.

Traffic started to come in from other places. Dozens of sites wrapped the game in an iframe and slapped ads on it. This sent some traffic. Youtubers played the game ( https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Sharkz.io ) . The views on those are pretty great! One at the time of me writing this summary is @ 200k, another is 100k. There was a video very early on that had ~5000 views.

Server issues

I stayed up all night keeping the servers running and correcting the little bugs that would bring the severs down. All in all nengi was amazingly stable. The majority of crashes originated from my game logic, not the network logic. There is a memory leak in the webserver (not my code, unfortunately) that gradually degrades the server and eventually lags the game 8-20 hours after it starts. It took me awhile to find it (will patch today). I’ve doubled the speed of the servers 3 times (by optimizing little things about the game and the server, not by buying more servers). I didn’t sleep very much for 4 days, and had to give away a webdev job. Things are pretty stable and I’ve slept some amount the last 2 days... but I’m still excited, and still waiting for the next random thing to go wrong.

Gameplay issues at launch

The average player would only play the game for 1-2 minutes and it was hard for me to tell if this was A) normal or B) an indicator that the game wasn’t fun. Despite this the servers never empty out. I don’t think google analytics works particularly well for an HTML5 game (the whole game is ONE webpage, and that’s not something ga does well). I have a clump of players that play for 3-10 minutes, and another that play for 10-30 minutes. A few hundred (myself included) have played for several hours.

I noticed a few initial things about the gameplay. A few players get to level 50, swim around a bit untouched, and then type gg and quit. The majority of players were not aggressive initially -- a few wanted to PvP but many just wanted to swim around.

A sidenote: one of my happiest moments was getting owned by the #1 player. This player perfectly chained the effects of ink sac (slows a player who bites you) and aggressive (gives you a castable speed boost) to slow me down until I my hp low enough for my own adrenaline speed boost to kick in, and then they casted their own speed boost to stay even with me and finish the kill. IRL I applauded and said out-loud, “well played.” It was a clever move, because they had to force me to bite them in order to trigger the ink. I was glad to witness someone’s mastery at a game that I had made.

First update

The first major update to the game increased the level cap to 300 (somewhat unreachable). I wanted to remove the goal of 50. I also made the sharks grow visually bigger to give some feedback as to progress and also a warning as to a player’s strength. The game is.. survive as long as you can, figure out a build, and have a different experience each time you play because other players and level ups and the ai all have a lot of variance to them. I also made the ai pretty ruthless. I overhauled the behavior of the hammerheads.

These changes caused (or were correlated) with a very interesting change in the behavior of players: they started fighting each other a lot more. Was it really the ai? Were they mimicking the environment? Or did the lack of an easily obtainable level cap all of the sudden change the goal? Or maybe enough players had become comfortable with the game mechanics and wanted to PvP as a natural evolution.

Overall this update improved the game immensely. I don’t have accurate data, but I could just tell that people were playing the game longer.

One defect of this new system is that the large sharks can get a little too strong. When leader grows to a score of 200k, and the second place player has 10k, it starts to become very difficult for power to shift. I’ve witnessed the server gang up and devouer the #1 player twice, but I’ve also witnessed that player win plenty of times. All-in-all I’m going to be adjusting the power curve and introducing new abilities that make it more fun. I want the #1 player to live in fear -- yes they are the strongest and will win almost any 1 vs 1, but I want players gunning for them more often.

I have a lot of exciting changes planned. I have a way to balance the power curve, and I’m also considering adding boss encounters to the game. I could write so much more, but onto the next topic.

Costs, monetization, AdSense woes

The server bill for the game is $40/mo. After today’s patch the server will be able to handle somewhere in the range of 300-600 concurrent players (we’ll have to wait and see... also I haven’t had that many players yet). Obviously I’m very happy with the efficiency of the game. The costs could easily have been $600+ instead of $40. Someone could make the argument that I have misallocated my efforts. I spent a lot of time making nengi.. and yea.. it is 90% better than my json websocket prototype from 3 years ago -- but Sharkz.io would probably still be a viable game if it had a player cap of 25 and took 8 servers to run instead of 1. What can I say? I love network programming. It’s not just about the games for me, it is also about inventing stuff. And as far as that goes, this is only the beginning.

Earnings: $0. Yea I haven’t earned a cent. There are dozens of sites with Sharkz.io embedded in an iframe with ads around it. Sharkz.io’s first cent isn’t mine. How much should/could it earn? I really have no idea. If I apply some of the math from previous blog posts (like the slither numbers), I guess It could be somewhere in the $10-$50/day range. But that presumes that I find suitable ads, learn to optimize them a bit, and that people continue to have fun.

I’m perpetually blocked from AdSense by a litany of technicalities and some full-on bugs in my accounts. To get an approved account at this point will involve some sort of direct action taken by a person at google (does that happen?). In google’s eyes I have no valid text content in anything I’ve made, even after 5 years of writing. Why? Well, the game has very little text in it. To apply for AdSense for Games you have to get a regular AdSense approval first (so, a site full of text). My 5 years of programmer writings aren’t allowed, because google doesn’t like tumblr. And even my growing sets of tutorials for nengi wouldn’t qualify, because they’re destined for a subdomain of timetocode.com (subdomains in general are not allowed). I have a decent youtube account, but I’m not allowed to link it to adsense because of a bug in how adsense applications work. If I create a new youtube account and go through the monetization feature it grants me some sort of ‘partner’ AdSense access.. and then when I apply for real AdSense the webpage crashes. I’ve spent 30 hours trying to activate AdSense. Google is losing money on me, but they can spare it. I on the other hand do need some money to open up European and Asian servers soon. Even if I don’t fill the current servers, I’d like to spread out a few smaller servers to give people better latency. So I’m applying to other ad networks. Who knows, maybe there is something better than our beloved google. Then if google comes around, I’ll just build an A-B test and post the data.

But yes, my fellow browser devs -- figure out AdSense if you can, even before your release your game ideally.

What’s next? Maybe people will be bored in another week. I’d be disappointed but as a whole it would still have been a great experience. I would just move on to making another game (I’ve got 3 in mind). But so long as people are interested Sharkz.io, I’ll try and keep the game fun. My next two updates for the game are pretty awesome. The next one makes it dangerous to be #1. And the one after that introduces boss events.

#Sharkz.io #gamedev #indie game #html5 multiplayer #AdSense #node.js #io games #nengi

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melonoverlord · 6 years ago

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Second round of space gays feat. Princess Fish Mom

A: Aptitude

1. what are your oc’s natural abilities, things they’ve been doing since young?

All the royal family has excelled at magic for the longest of time, and Nivviah is not exception. She’s been a natural magic user since her birth, as well as a strong swimmer, fighter, and public speaker. Anything that you need as a political figure, Nivviah can do.

2. what activities have they participated in?

She’s been the first mate on the Freedom Vessel for about ten years, after she took the title away from Tam when they both agreed that she had more leadership skill than he did. Nivviah also participated in all the political ceremonies on Theuthida when she was still the crown princess, such as weddings, funerals, and even executions.

3. what abilities do they have that they’ve worked for?

She’s worked hard to be first mate, especially since for a long time, she tried to push being a leader aside because she equated it to the monarchy on Theuthida.

4. what things are they bad at?

Nivviah can’t cook for shit. She is one of those people who burn cereal. Partly because on Theuthida, you can just hunt and eat without worrying about cooking, so living on the ship, she’s had to learn to eat cooked food. Partly because she’s a princess so most of her hunting was done for her. Mostly because she’s a gay who can’t cook.

5. what is their most impressive talent?

She is an amazing magic user. She hasn’t been on many missions with the main three, but there is a reason you keep your strongest item until the end of the game.

B: Basics

1. what is their hair color?

Dark blue and then it gets lighter as it goes down.

2. what is their eye color?

Black

3. how tall are they?

6′2. She’s very tol. She’s actually the third tallest person on the ship, after B3rT13 at 7′3 and Oberon at 6′4.

4. how old are they?

She’s going to turn 405 by Month 7 (February)

5. how much do they weigh?

200 lbs. All that height has got to come with some girth.

C: Comfort

1. how do they sit in a chair?

Like a princess with one ankle crossed over the other. She is disaster in gayness, but distinguished in fashion.

2. in what position do they sleep?

She sleeps with one arm under her head and the other wrapped around Luna.

3. what is their ideal comfort day?

Just wearing her sweater and skirt while eating junk food with Luna and reading together.

4. what is their major comfort food? why?

Chocolate peanut butter milkshakes. It was one of the first human foods she’s tried and it is heavenly.

5. who is the best at comforting them when down?

Her best girlfriend (and maybe soon to be wife) and her captain, Luna Sorrotai.

D: Decoration

1. how would they decorate a house if they had one under their name?

Although she doesn’t like her family, she still has ties and love for her culture, so she would want to emote a sea theme, tile floor, and a giant library for curling up and reading.

2. how would they decorate their child’s room?

Before Ciri arrived, Nivviah sort of took the role of the “mother” on the ship, so she actually helped Ravi and Crumb with their room as well as Val’s. For her own children, she’d want it to be a calming color palette so they can relax in their room and have another room to play in inside the house, and would give them lots of little trinkets to keep about because Theuthidans still like shiny things.

3. how do they decorate their own room?

Nivviah’s room is very homely with a lot of couches for lounging and reading, a lot of pictures of the og Freedom Vessel crew (Luna, Tam, herself, Oberon, Venus, and Gabriel), pictures of the kids, and more recent pictures of herself and Icio.

4. what type of clothes and accessories do they wear?

She tends to wear more “classic” clothes like skirts and sweaters and finds the perfect match between coziness and beauty.

5. do they like makeup/nail/beauty trends?

She likes painting her nails, and does minimal makeup, but doesn’t like hardcore beautifying like Venus or Flor do because she was forced to wear makeup during her time as princess.

E: External Personality

1. does the way they do things portray their internal personality?

Nivviah’s internal personality is actually very fiery and adventurous, which isn’t very apparent by looking at her. She’s been taught her whole life to be reserved and regal and aloof, so she does things more calmly and orderly than her internal dialogue would suggest.

2. do they do things that conform to the norm?

Nivviah literally electrocuted her family and entire planet just to save the girl she loved and disowned herself from her royal heritage, so

3. do they follow trends or do their own thing?

Nivviah has always done her own thing since her conception. She escaped her oppressive homeworld because she was bored and wanted adventure. She is the secret boss ass bitch.

4. are they up-to-date on the internet fads?

God no. Nivviah is probably the person with the least amount of internet experience. She still uses tons of emojis in her texts and just learned what spoogle images is. She is very bad with technology.

5. do they portray their personality intentionally or let people figure it out on their own?

She is still unlearning how to be loud and boisterous, so a lot of people think she is a very calm and serene person when she is mentally cursing out people every fifteen minutes, so really only the people who know her best get her inner snark.

F: Fun

1. what do they do for fun?

She likes reading a lot and spends a lot of time in the library and reads to especially the snids when Icio’s out.

2. what is their ideal party?

Everyone dressed to their casual best, lots of music playing, dancing, and sneaking off with Luna in the middle while everyone is dancing.

3. who would they have the most fun with?

Luna, Tam, and Icio.

4. can they have fun while conforming to rules?

Theoretically she can, but if she really doesn’t like rules, she’ll say fuck the rules and do what she wants.

5. do they go out a lot?

She was very much a shut in when she was on Theuthida, but she likes going out when she can. It’s hard as a very visible member of the Freedom Vessel, but if she can take a couple days to explore, she will.

G: Gorgeous

1. what is their most attractive external feature?

Nivviah is a very classic beauty, but probably her hair. She very much has Ariel hair. Always bouncy and shiny no matter where she is.

2. what is the most attractive part of their personality?

She is a gentle giant who just wants her family to be happy.

3. what benefits come with being their friend?

She gives the objectively best hugs, she will always be ready to take a beating with her giant squishy body (she actually has 110 HP because she’s level 14 but she’s still a Solari), and she is the voice of reason of the ship.

4. what parts of them do they like and dislike?

She loves her tallness because they she gets to get all her loved ones’ best angles, but she always has to duck under low doorways.

5. what parts of others do they envy?

As much as she loves her gorgeous blue skin, it is a little hard to match things to it. Plus its very hard to blend in to crowds unless she uses a spell slot.

H: Heat

1. do they rather a hot or cold room?

Cold. As a fish, she doesn’t like being anywhere too hot.

2. do they prefer summer or winter?

Winter is just prettier to be in. It’s Luna’s birthday, the kids are happier, and she can wear her cute sweaters and skirts.

3. do they like the snow?

She’s only seen the snow a couple times on Helios, but she thinks its one of the most beautiful things she’s ever seen.

4. do they have a favorite summer activity?

Swimming with Luna and having a water fight.

5. do they have a favorite winter activity?

Making snow angels. She is a tall sexy skyscraper.

I: In-the-closet

1. what is their sexuality?

Fish Jesus is a lesbian. She really is Hayley Kiyoko but with gills.

2. have they ever questioned their sexuality?

There’s not really the concept of sexuality on Theuthida, just whatever the crown wants you to marry. But the first time she saw a non-Theuthidan her age (since Luna was still 17 when they met), she did bust a huge nut.

3. have they ever questioned their gender?

No, she’s always been pretty femme.

4. would/was their family be okay with them being LGBT?

Theuthida doesn’t have many strict laws when it comes to sexuality since there have been same sex relationships, but all relationships have to be approved through the crown, which is why bastard children (aka Icio) is a terrible thing. Whoever Nivviah married would have to be approved by her parents.

5. how long would/did it take for them to come out?

She never came out to her family, but she lowkey came out to Luna when they both said they would want a girlfriend, stared at each other for about a full minute, and then went their separate ways because they’re useless.

J: Joy

1. what makes them happy?

Reading, taking naps with Luna, teaching Icio about her culture, and being a good influence on the younger crewmates.

2. who makes them happy?

Luna, Tam, Oberon, Venus, and Icio. And of course the rest of the Freedom Vessel.

3. are there any songs that bring them joy?

Literally every Hayley Kiyoko song.

4. are they happy often?

She’s not necessarily sad, but she is constantly worried for her sad crewmates. She tries to cheer them up, but her most present emotion is “long worried sigh”.

5. what brings them the most joy in the world?

Being with her found family.

K: Kill

1. have they ever thought about suicide?

No, the only way she would think about killing herself would be if something happened to Luna.

2. have they ever thought about homicide?

She slaughtered her entire planet. She’s thought about getting back at her family more than once. Especially Dillon because fuck Dillon.

3. if they could kill anyone without punishment, would they? who?

She would singlehandedly slaughter Queen Genesis and her inner circle for what they’ve done to everyone.

4. who would miss them if they died?

Everyone on the Freedom Vessel because she is a beautiful soul.

5. who would be happy they died, anyone?

Probably all the Theuthidans she’s killed, and Genesians.

L: Lemons

1. what is their favorite fruit?

Oranges. She loves her citrus. It’s why she never gets colds.

2. what is their least favorite fruit?

She just doesn’t like grapes for some reason.

3. are there any foods they hate?

The higher up the seafood food chain you get, the more the line is blurred because for seafood, Theuthidans are at the top of the food chain, but sharks and other meateating sea creatures are very close to them. So it’s not cannibalism, but it’s like a human eating lion. It just doesn’t feel right.

4. do they have any food intolerances?

It’s like the human equivalent of someone being allergic to soy, but she’s allergic to seaweed.

5. what is their favorite food?

Tam makes a really good chocolate peanut butter molten lava cake.

M: Maternal

1. would they want a daughter or a son?

She’d probably get along with a daughter more, but she also loves her pseudo sons Ravi and Crumb (and Castor), so she would be fine with kids of all genders.

2. how many children do they want?

She has all her children on the ship, but if it was just her and Luna in a household, she would probably want two or three.

3. would they be a good parent?

She is already a great parent and anyone who disagrees is cancelled.

4. what would they name a son? what would they name a daughter?

She likes the name Arthur for a boy and Gwen for a girl, but she would be interested naming any child Icio after her favorite cousin.

5. would they adopt?

She’s pretty much adopted the entire ship. Even the people older than her. Icio may be older than her in body, but she is taller and therefore more valid.

N: Never Have I Ever

1. what would they never do?

Be a ruler on Theuthida. Even though she is the only possible person to rule Theuthida, she doesn’t want to be a leader. She likes being the right hand fish.

2. what have they never done that they want to do?

Marry Luna.

3. is there anything they absolutely can’t believe people do?

Think that manifest destiny is actually a thing that people should do.

4. what is the most embarrassing thing they’ve done?

Fell asleep in Luna’s lap when they were younger. It was super cute from Luna’s end, but in her sleepiness, Nivviah called Luna “adorabluna”.

5. have they done anything they thought they’d never do?

She’d never thought she’d return to Theuthida only to electrocute all of her people just to save her new family. She also never thought she’d get such an amazing girlfriend.

O: Optimism

1. are they optimistic or pessimistic?

She’s more optimistic that most of the people on the ship, sans the kids. She believes that the war will end in at least a human lifetime and that they will find someplace safe to live.

2. are they openly optimistic, throwing it on others?

She tries to be optimistic to kind of encourage others, but if someone wants to adamantly be depressed, she will back off.

3. are they good at giving advice?

With the exception of gay affairs, Nivviah is one of the few people on the ship who isn’t a hypocrite when it comes to advice. She gives great advice and actually receives advice well.

4. is there anyone in their life that throws optimism on them?

The kids tend to be a very positive influence when it comes to optimism, but really she is the optimist on the ship surrounded by negative Nancys.

5. were they always optimistic?

Nivviah was always idealistic (she is a legit Disney princess), but got a surge of optimism when running away with Luna and the Freedom Vessel.

P: Personality

1. what is their best personality trait?

She is the ultimate young mom, kind and caring, and is just so sweet to everyone.

2. what is their worst personality trait?

She’s fairly secretive and reserved, and doesn’t really say her true feelings, even if she trusts someone wholeheartedly. It’s not wanting to keep things from others, but just that she doesn’t see why she should share her feelings.

3. what of their personality do others love?

Luna loves her giant heart and gentle nature, Tam loves her determination and sense of adventure, and Icio loves her compassion and moments of sass.

4. what of their personality do others envy?

Luna and Tam both envy her optimism and fearlessness, and Icio envies her connection to her family (despite them sucking ass) and her ability to see reason even in stressful times.

5. do they hate anything about their personality/about other’s personalities?

She wishes she could be more boisterous and energetic like some of the other people, especially the girls, since she doesn’t really like being reserved. She doesn’t like people who are too hoity toity or narcissistic since that reminds her of Theuthida.

Q: Questions

1. do they ask for help?

She uses it as a last resort to not burden the other crewmates, but she will ask for help if it helps her do the job right. She also uses it to bond, since she’ll ask how their day is going and if they need anything.

2. do they ask questions in class?

When she was first taken on the Freedom Vessel, Nivviah asked about everything, even if it had nothing to do with lessons Oberon was giving. She’d ask about the technology on ships, she’d ask about why humans don’t have gills, and if Harry Potter is based on real events.

3. do they answer questions that make them a little uncomfortable?

There are couple topics that are off-limits such as her time as a princess, but otherwise, she’ll answer most questions.

4. do they ask weird questions?

Nivviah asked every single question under the sun when she first came aboard. Then she met Val and learned that some questions should remain unanswered and unasked.

5. are they curious?

She’s a Ravenclaw. She’s curious about everything.

R: Rules

1. do they follow rules?

Nivviah is the polite version of “Fuck the Police”.

2. would they be a strict or laid-back parent?

She’s fairly strict and tries to make sure the children are safe and respectful to others, but she’s more of the parent that watches close by than actually manually intervening. She’ll step in if something’s going wrong, but she wants to give them the freedom to make their own mistakes.

3. have they ever been consequenced for breaking a rule?

She had so many rules she had to follow as a child as a princess of Theuthida that she was often consequenced by either being trapped by the sea serpents or being locked in her room.

4. have they broken any rules they now regret breaking?

She does regret going into the sea serpent den while they were guarding Iwione’s statue because it caused her to have flashbacks, which Dillon laughed about for days.

5. do they find any rules they/others follow absolutely ridiculous?

Anyone who follows Genesians and/or allowed absolute monarchy in either Genesis or Theuthida.

S: Streets

1. are they street-smart?

She wasn’t very street smart when she first came aboard, but it didn’t take her long to be wary of everyone she meets.

2. would they give money to someone on the streets?

Yeah, especially on the poorer planets she’s been on.

3. have they ever gotten in a fight on the streets?

A lot of the og Freedom Vessel got in a fight with hired thugs by Helian Parliament members.

4. has anything happened to them on the streets?

The above, and the first time she went to Scylla, they had to fight off a Deforestation Committee, which is where they met a young Venus for the first time.

5. are they cautious when out?

She’s a very tall regal fish lady on planets where there is usually one Theuthidan at most. And she’s the first mate on the Freedom Vessel. She is extremely cautious when she’s out of the ship.

T: Truth

1. are they honest?

Nivviah kept her secret from most of the newer crew (everyone from Val/Ravi/Crumb on) about being a princess and even lied to the players when they first met, but for the most part, she is very honest about herself (except when it comes to revealing gay feelings). What she isn’t honest about is other people’s secrets.

2. can they tell if someone is lying?

Nivviah lives with a ship full of liars so she is pretty decent at telling who is lying. She just knows that people have their reasons for not telling the truth so she rarely calls someone out on it unless it’s urgent.

3. is it obvious when they’re lying?

She gets a little visibly nervous about her own secrets, but she’s gotten pretty good at keeping a straight face about others’ secrets.

4. have they lied about anything they regret lying about?

She doesn’t regret lying about her heritage, but she does sometimes wish that the secrets she’s keeping for other people could come out in the open so they don’t have to worry about it being found out.

5. have they told truths that have been spread against their will?

Everyone on the ship was pretty good about her secret, and it took until they actually arrived on Theuthida that her secret of being the princess was spread.

U: Underdog

1. have they been bullied?

She was imprisoned for a month and sentenced to die. And that was just on one trip to Theuthida.

2. have they bullied anyone?

She can say with pride she has tripped Dillon on a number of occasions as a child.

3. have they been physically attacked by a bully?

Although she was always taller than Dillon (and he was also technically a bastard child), he was older and would trick her into situations where she’d get hurt. So he took the art of surprise to physically bully her.

4. have they ever been doubted?

Big time. Especially by her immediate family.

5. have they surprised people with being good at something?

Oberon had his doubts about Nivviah being first mate because she spent the beginning of her life pampered, but he was pleasantly surprised when she stepped up and helped her through the transition.

V: Vomit

1. do they vomit often?

Nope. Theuthidans tend to have stomachs of steel and very rarely get sick except for Eel Pox which basically leaves you paralyzed for days and it feels you have eels slithering up your body. It’s lowkey the worst but luckily Nivviah never caught it.

2. do they get lots of stomach aches?

Nah, unlike some people, she doesn’t do much to fuck up her stomach. She eats healthy and trains.

3. are they good at comforting someone ill?

Yeah, she’s had to take care of Val and Luna a lot when they get sick.

4. what do they like as far as comfort goes?

She would like back rubs but since everyone she loves are shorties, she settles for lower back rubs or rubbing the back of her hand.

5. do they burp, cough, or hiccup most when nauseous? when vomiting?

She gags a lot when she’s nauseous, which scares her because that’s the next worse thing to vomiting. When she actually does get stomach aches, it’s because she’s having a panic attack.

W: Water

1. do they drink enough water?

Nivviah’s one of the few people on the ship who actually gets adequate water intake. It’s why she has such glowing skin. 90% of it is water, the other 10% is space magic.

2. have they learned to swim?

Yeah. You can’t really live on Theuthida without learning to swim.

3. do they like to swim?

She likes it well enough. She likes doing it with Luna more, but when she’s alone, it just reminds her of how much shit she went through on Theuthida.

4. can they dive?

Yup. Every time she and Luna swam together and Luna watched Nivviah dive, it made her nut.

5. can they swim without holding their nose?

Yeah, she has gills and can pretty much do anything underwater.

X: Xylophone

1. what is their favorite genre of music?

Celtic instrumentals or soft pop. She doesn’t really like anything too loud or harsh.

2. do they have a favorite song?

‘Waterfalls’ by TLC

3. do they have a favorite band/artist/singer?

Enya or Hayley Kiyoko. She’s a fan of both Celtic and Lesbian music.

4. can they sing well?

Yes, she was trained in singing on Theuthida. She really only sings though when she’s doing another task like doing laundry or helping around the infirmary.

5. can they rap?

Luna says she’s heard her rap, but no one has any proof. And anyone who says they have proof has that proof mysteriously disappear. She’s Captain Holt with the hula hooping classes.

Y: You

1. how old were you when you created them?

19. She was the second npc I made for the Genesis Campaign.

2. what inspired you to create them?

I wanted to make a distinct “alien” character so boom. Blue Fish Titties was born.

3. were they different when they were first created?

Oh yeah, she was just going to be strong Theuthidan who happened to be a little soft but now she’s a princess and she’s gay for Luna and she’s Icio’s favorite fish cousin.

4. do you enjoy writing them more than other characters?

I love doing her accent and how gentle she is, so she’s a really fun character to play.

5. what’s your favorite thing about them?

She is a powerhouse of protection and has had some of my favorite scenes (especially where she electrocutes Theuthida) and has some good ones coming up. She is so good but also extremely wise and powerful. Also she’s a useless lesbian.

Z: Zebra

1. what’s their favorite animal?

Panda bears. She likes how round and gentle they are.

2. do they like animals?

She likes them well enough and thinks they’re cute, but she has had bad experiences with the animals on Theuthida and Dryas to make her wary of them.

3. cats or dogs?

She tends to have an aversion to cats just because of Adrian, but Ravi has been showing her pictures of what Earth cats look like and she thinks they’re cute. She likes their little noses and tiny paws.

4. what’s their dream pet?

She really wants a chinchilla. Val showed her one on Space Google and she spent fifteen minutes going through the Spoogle Images.

5. do they have any pets at the moment?

No, but she takes care of Noodle when Castor’s out doing stupid shit on different planets.

#my characters #Nivviah Barric #genesis campaign

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jesusvasser · 6 years ago

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Quick Take: 2018 Toyota 86

The 2018 Toyota 86 is not in the top ranks of most sought after sports cars or as polished as the MX-5 Miata and yet this humble 2+2 coupe is an absolute joy to drive.

I had my first go in the Toyota 86 when I attended the Toyota Driving Academy at Willow Springs. Although I enjoyed letting loose on the track with this rear-wheel-drive coupe, my brief driving time didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I heard a Toyota 86 had just arrived at our office and closing my eyes I prayed for a manual. To my discontent Automobile senior editor Kirill Ougarov informed that our tester was actually an automatic. But after a quick zip down the 110 Freeway on my way to my apartment I determined that the auto was not a total deal breaker.

With no special plans in place, I filled the 86’s snug trunk with my belongings and drove to my getaway home in Bakersfield. At worst I’d stay indoors binge-watching episodes of Parts Unknown on Netflix with ice-cold beer on standby to dodge the summer heat. At best I’d hit play on my classic rock playlist featuring REO Speedwagon, The Zombies, and Pink Floyd while cruising on a multitude of deserted roads in Kern County’s agricultural haven.

Starting at $26,975, the base model Toyota 86 has a 2.0-liter flat-four boxer engine that supplies 200 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed automatic. Standard on the 86 are 17-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights, a chrome-tipped dual exhaust, paddle shifters, LED projector-beam headlights, a 7-inch color touchscreen display, vehicle stability control, and an integrated rearview backup camera. Navigation is optional for $900 and is sold separately as an accessory.

The standard feature that I love the most is the integrated rearview backup camera because it forces you to actually use all your mirrors and not be lazy.

There is nothing remarkable about the Toyota 86’s sporty interior and oddly enough that’s what makes it badass. Its bare-bones cabin reminded me of the late 90s Toyota Celica, a car that I drooled over as a kid. Altogether, the analog cluster, manual adjustable bucket seats, cloth interior, and lack of technology in this sports car provide a breath of fresh air. With its tight interior, though, I wouldn’t recommend it for more than two people—the rear seat is more useful when folded down for additional storage. Given how low the 86’s roofline is, I expected to have visibility issues, but that didn’t turn out to be the case.

Aside from the all-season tires there are no packages available for the 86. This, however, shouldn’t discourage you, as there is an abundance of accessories from Toyota Racing Development to make your 2+2 coupe sparkle. Optional TRD accessories include 17-inch matte gray aluminum wheels, a performance dual exhaust, lowering springs, a sway bar kit, and brake pads. For a sharper appearance there are other non-TRD accessories such as LED fog lights, mudguards, and a rear lip spoiler.

I did a quick configuration with several accessories added and I’d be looking at $32,542, which is still a bargain for a sports car.

On my way to Bakersfield, I pushed the 86 as hard as I could. One annoyance that I had was the amount of engine noise while accelerating from anywhere below 50 mph. Frankly it made me look bad with all that ruckus and little progression. In spite of that, the lightweight coupe zipped around the stagnant traffic on Highway 99 with ease.

In the morning, a buddy and I drove to Red Wagon Café, an old-fashioned breakfast joint in the neighboring town of Shafter. As I flew past several orchards in the outskirts of Bakersfield, it had to be at least 100 degrees outside, but that didn’t make the drive any less pleasant. Driving the Toyota 86 on the long stretches of two-lane roads was a liberating experience that I didn’t want to end.

We arrived at a rocky dirt lot to what appeared to be a small converted passenger train car. I once heard that a pivotal scene from an Academy Award winning film had been shot near the Red Wagon. In the robbery scene of the film Thelma & Louise there is a glimpse of the Red Wagon in the background. When our server brought our order to the table I asked about the scene and she proudly confirmed it.

Feeling a few pounds heavier from the biscuits and gravy and hash browns, I took a detour to the infamous Kern River for an afternoon stroll in Hart Memorial Park. The roads in this isolated region were made for driving the miniature Toyota 86.

When I turned into corners I experienced a little bit of oversteer and could feel the rear tires lose traction. The rugged ride quality didn’t bother me and gliding over the byways of the maze-like park was an entertaining experience. I suspect that the 86 is the type of sports car that can take a good beating and be unscathed at the end.

The 2018 Toyota 86 is back to basics type of sports car that isn’t necessarily terrible with an automatic transmission. That said, every time I fired up the engine I would grasp the shifter with the desire of a manual. This is the kind of sports car that would definitely be more fun and rewarding in manual. Besides, a manual will save you a few hundred-dollar bills that can be used toward those TRD accessories.

2018 Toyota 86 Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $27,870 (base) ENGINE 2.0L DOHC 16-valve H-4/200 hp @ 7,000 rpm, 151 lb-ft @ 6,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 4-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 24/32 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 166.7 x 69.9 in x 50.6 in WHEELBASE 101.2 in WEIGHT 2,815 lb 0-60 MPH N/A TOP SPEED N/A

#IFTTT #Performance Junk WP Feed 4

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fastmusclecar123 · 7 years ago

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New Post has been published on http://fastmusclecar.com/best-muscle-cars/best-muscle-cars-of-2018/

Best Muscle Cars Of 2018

American cars are well known for their power and adrenaline. Ford, Pontiac, Dodge, and Chevrolet had worked hard on their reputation during the 1960s and 1970s by coming up with fast cars that lit up the streets. The American muscle cars have had their fair share of ups and downs over the years. The original muscle car was an American made two-door sports car with a powerful engine that boasted plenty of horsepowers. Today, automakers have re-invented the traditional muscle car, and some have two doors while others have four. Some cars are completely made in America, while many are made by foreign automakers. Thanks to the advancement in technology and engineering, muscle cars are now safer and powerful than ever! So, if you are looking for a powerful car that has equally impressive facades, then read on to learn more about the best muscle cars of 2018:

1. 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon The Demon is a must-have car for an adrenaline lover. None of the other V8 produced till now come close to the Dodge Demon. With only 3,300 cars launched in 2018, it will be a limited collection car. The suggested retail price comes close to around $85,000 – but be prepared to pay more as most dealers will keep a huge markup. The Demon has been designed for drag racing and has a flawless combination of hardware and software. It comes with drag radials, a transmission brake, and a single seat. It has a supercharged capacity of 6.2-liter V8 and makes 808 HP on gas alone. If you want an even higher rush of speed, use 100 octane race gas that will bum it up to 840 HP. There is also a special SRT drive mode that can be accessed via a touchscreen. You also get to play with many other settings such as steering control, suspension, and stability – all with the touch of your finger.

2. Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat While some may find the Dodge’s Hellcat a little tamed as compared to the Demon, it still a major muscle car to look forward to this year. With a muscle car exterior made of shiny metal and seriously impressive engines, this car is named Hellcat for a reason. With a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that makes 485 HP and 475 lb-ft; you can go with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic. It also has a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, excellent for 707 HP and 650 lb-ft, offering the same six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic. Both automatic and manual have their perks. The automatic drive may be faster, but the manual is more fun to drive while still managing to do a speed of 0–60 in 3.9 seconds.

3. 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk If you are a fan of SUVs, then this one is for you. Known as the most-powerful SUV in the world, the Trackhawk is something to look out for! Establishing new standards in the SUV performance, this all-new Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has the same engine and horsepower as the Hellcat’s and reaches 0-60 mph in only of 3.5 seconds. What’s more is the state of the art brake, handling, and torque of the car that makes it a luxurious drive.

5. 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 The 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 won’t let down your expectations if you are a muscle car fan. It performs like a missile and has a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that is good for 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque ready to take off the minute you press the accelerator. It also has a genuine carbon-fiber wing that when turns, swallows 106 cubic feet of air per minute more than your regular ZL1. It also has some fascinating rubber- 305/30ZR-19s in the front and 325/30ZR-19 at the rear, which make its tires the widest ever fitted to a Camaro. You can’t go wrong with this one!

6. Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R One of the most famous in the Mustang series, GT350R is a powerful muscle car that has an impressive 5.2L flat-plane crank V8 that puts up 526 HP and 429 lb-ft of torque. While the top speed of 175 mph doesn’t seem a lot, but the fact that it needs 3.7 seconds to reach 60 mph should certainly blow your socks off. The GT350R is much more than just a tire-burning Shelby. It’s reliable and much more stable, thanks to the improved handling dynamics.

7. Ford Mustang GT You’ll be surprised to know that just a decade ago the V8-powered Ford Mustang GT boasted a decent 300 horsepower. Today, they have outrun themselves by offering a whopping 435 HP and 400 pound-feet of torque. This powerful ride comes with an iconic 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine, which reaches zero to sixty in a mere 4.3 seconds. And it seems like a pretty sweet deal in $34,000!

8. Equus B ass 770 Last but not the least, Equus Bass 770 is the ultimate retro muscle car! It costs a whopping $250,000, but when you see the custom-built luxury muscle car features, you’ll fall in love. It has design cues from all the old-school muscle cars such as Mustangs, Camaros, Barracudas, GTO’s, Challengers, Chargers, and many others. It also has a powerful engine of 6.4L V8 LS9 helping it to increase to 640 HP and 605 lb-ft of torque. The top speed is an impressive 200 mph, and it boasts a 0 to 60 time of 3.4 seconds.

Conclusion: Gone are the days when a car only needed a horsepower of 300 plus to be considered a fast muscle car. In today’s modern era, a muscle car should be packed with features like turbocharging and supercharging. With great software and hardware developments under their hoods, modern muscle cars are undoubtedly some of the most coveted cars. If you can’t wait to get your hands on one, contact a reliable car buying service like We Buy Cars Today to get a bang for your buck. Keep your eyes peeled as muscle cars only get faster and better with time. Which are the best muscle cars of 2018 in your opinion? Share your answers with us in the comments below: 9

Author Bio: About Michelle Joe: Michelle Joe is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences, and express herself through her blogs. You can find her on twitter: @michellejoe524

#Best muscle cars of 2018

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