#composer walkthrough

[krazetv]

MIDNITE by Karanyi Sounds REVIEW & PLAYTHROUGH | Hybrid Guitar Atmospheres

[jareaufiles]

PRECISION IN HEELS — a.cabot x female reader

⸝⸝ PREMISE: You’re just trying to drop off the new kitchen plans and get the hell out. Alex Cabot, your most infuriatingly high-maintenance client, has other ideas — ones that end with you fucking her senseless on her marble countertop.

⸝⸝ WARNINGS: client!alex | builder!reader | reader is pissed off | alex gets manhandled | oral sex | rough sex | hair pulling | biting | scissoring/grinding | mentions of sweat | mention of alex having a trimmed bush | dirty talk | aftercare

⸝⸝ WORD COUNT: 4.3K

You’d spent the entire damn day on another job site—dust in your lungs, sun burning your neck, your hands still stinging from catching a splinter earlier. All you wanted was to swing by her place, drop the updated kitchen plans on the counter, explain a few things, and leave.

But of course, Alex fucking Cabot couldn’t just let anything be easy. The second you stepped through the door of her sleek, modern brownstone, the scent of her perfume hit you like a punch to the throat: clean, floral, and expensive. Just like her. The woman was precision in heels, always composed, always poised. And completely infuriating.

She’d been a nightmare client from the start. Always changing things. “Actually, I want the backsplash to run higher.” “Can we recess the lighting a little more?” “I don’t like the way the island divides the space—let’s shift it six inches.”

Six inches. Like she understood what that meant in the real world. You were starting to think she just liked hearing her own voice in charge, watching you adjust to her whims. She insisted on late-night walkthroughs—had to see how the space felt after dark, she claimed—but half the time it just felt like an excuse to hover behind you while you worked, glass of scotch in one hand, eyes locked on your arms and back like you were another one of her cases she was preparing to dissect.

You still remembered one night in particular. Two weeks ago. Past midnight. The house silent except for the hum of the fridge and the low crackle of ice in her glass. You’d been kneeling on the floor, measuring where the custom cabinetry would land, pencil behind your ear, t-shirt clinging to your skin in the summer heat. You’d felt her watching you then, too—close enough to catch the faint hitch in her breath when you leaned forward, the fabric stretching tight across your back.

“Do you always work this late?” she’d asked, voice softer than usual. Not sharp. Not condescending. Almost…curious.

You didn’t look up. Didn’t give her the satisfaction. “Do you always drink this late?”

A pause. Then a quiet laugh, the sound like breaking glass. “Occupational hazard.”

It should’ve ended there. Should’ve stayed professional, like it always did. But you’d stood to mark the wall studs and she was suddenly right there, a little too close, the heat of her body a phantom against yours.

You’d turned your head, intending to tell her to back off—but your eyes caught on the way the low light hit her face, softening the sharp edges, the way her blouse was unbuttoned one more than usual, collarbone bare, mouth stained dark from the scotch. She looked…dangerous. And you’d felt it then. That pulse of something reckless, sharp, and hot between you.

Neither of you spoke.

You’d held her gaze too long. Long enough for the air to thicken, for your pulse to hammer at your throat. Long enough for her to wet her bottom lip, like she was about to say something she shouldn’t.

Then your phone had buzzed. Some late-night crew text. You’d muttered something about an early start, grabbed your stuff, and left before either of you did something you couldn’t take back.

But it’d been hanging between you ever since. Tighter each time you showed up, worse every time she found a reason to stand too close, to linger too long.

And tonight was no different.

You were bent over the marble countertop, laying out the updated blueprints, when you heard it—those slow, calculated footsteps behind you, the faintest click of her heels on tile. You didn’t even need to look up to know she was doing that thing again where she was standing way too close, breathing down your neck like she was about to purr another change order into your ear.

You gritted your teeth. "Here we go again."

“Is that the final layout?” she asked, low, almost lazy, like she wasn’t the one who’d changed it three times already.

You didn’t turn around. “Yeah. Unless you’ve suddenly decided you want the sink in the ceiling.”

Her laugh was quiet and sharp. “Not yet.”

And then you felt it—her breath right by your ear, her fingers barely grazing the edge of the paper like she owned the damn counter, owned you. It pissed you off how good she smelled. How her voice was smooth and unbothered, how she always made you feel like the help—even when her eyes lingered too long on the way your shirt clung to your back, or how your tool belt sat on your hips.

What pissed you off more was that you let it get to you. You’d caught yourself staring more than once. At the way her pencil skirts hugged her ass, the elegant sweep of her neck, how she always spoke in commands, never suggestions. It made something coil hot and tight in your gut, even as she got under your skin.

Tonight, though, something in you snapped.

Maybe it was the way she brushed past you, like she was claiming space she didn’t earn. Or maybe it was just the heat, the long day, and the knowledge that she thought she was the one pulling all the strings. Either way, you acted before you could think.

You turned around, grabbed her waist, and lifted her clean off the floor like she weighed nothing.

Her eyes widened just for a second as you placed her firmly on the cold marble countertop, right where the blueprints had been. Her skirt hiked up just slightly as her heels knocked against the cabinets. She blinked at you, lips parted, like her brain hadn’t quite caught up to her body.

“Do you ever shut up?” you asked, standing between her knees, crowding her space for once.

That calm, condescending mask she always wore faltered. “Excuse me...”

“No,” you cut her off, voice low, rough. “You don’t get to stand behind me, breathing down my neck like you’re in charge of everything. Not tonight.”

She opened her mouth again, maybe to protest or maybe not, but it didn’t matter. You leaned in close enough to feel her chest brush yours. Close enough to see her pupils dilate, her breath hitch.

She looked like she wanted to say something. Maybe tell you to stop, maybe tell you to keep going but instead she just stared, lips trembling like she couldn’t decide whether to kiss you or kill you.

She didn’t say a word when your hand slid up her thigh, fingers brushing dangerously close to the edge of lace. Didn’t protest when you pulled her in by the hips until she was pressed against you, heat meeting heat, tension thick enough to choke on.

Alex Cabot liked control. Lived for it. But right now? Right now, she was learning exactly what it felt like to lose it.

And God, she liked it.

Goddamn, you’d waited long enough. You were so sick of her smug little smirks, the way she wielded her words like weapons, always keeping you at arm’s length while staring like she wanted to swallow you whole. And tonight? Tonight she didn’t get to stay safe behind those sharp suits and clipped orders.

Your hands gripped her thighs, shoving that tight little pencil skirt higher, dragging the expensive fabric up and over her hips until it bunched at her waist.

She made a sharp, startled sound in the back of her throat, something between a gasp and a protest — but fuck if she didn’t lift her hips to help you, just a little. Just enough to make you smirk.

"Yeah, that’s what I thought," you muttered, fingers splaying against the soft skin of her thighs. God, she was warm. And under that icy courtroom glare, she was shaking.

“I swear to God—”

“No,” you cut her off again, leaning in close, your lips brushing the shell of her ear. “You don’t swear. You beg. And you’re gonna.”

Before she could open that sharp, perfect mouth, you kissed her — hard, teeth knocking, your palm cradling her jaw as you swallowed the sound she made.

She tasted like scotch and expensive lipstick and something beneath it that was pure Alex Cabot, rich and heady and dangerous. You bit her bottom lip, tugged it between your teeth until she gasped, and then you were on her throat.

She arched against you when your mouth latched onto the slender column of her neck, teeth scraping, lips sucking hard enough to leave a mark and that made you grin against her skin.

The delicate, high-maintenance district attorney, marked up like she belonged to you. Her fingers clutched at your shoulders, nails digging through your t-shirt, the sharp little sound she made when you bit down again pure fucking sin.

“God, you piss me off,” you growled against her skin, your hand sliding between her legs, pressing your palm against the damp heat of her panties. Lace, of course. You rubbed slow, cruel circles over the soaked fabric, grinning when her hips jerked against your hand.

“I—I should fire you,” she stammered, but her voice cracked right down the middle, wrecked and breathless.

“You’re not firing shit, Cabot. You’re gonna sit there and take it.”

You pressed harder, feeling how wet she already was, the heat of her seeping through the lace. Her legs trembled against your sides, her breath ragged now, chest heaving against the buttons of her blouse.

“Say it,” you murmured against her throat, your fingers keeping up their steady, relentless pace. “Say you want me.”

“Fuck—” she choked out, eyes fluttering shut as her head tipped back against the cabinets. “I want—God, I want your fingers inside me.”

“Good girl.”

You grabbed the waistband of those drenched panties and ripped them clean off, the delicate fabric giving way with a satisfying tear. She made a startled noise, half outrage, half arousal — but you were already bringing the ruined scrap to your nose, inhaling deep.

“Jesus,” you muttered, the scent of her thick and intoxicating. Musky, sweet, and unmistakably hers. You shoved the ruined lace into your sports bra under your t-shirt, letting it sit against your skin like a trophy, then dragged your gaze down.

Her pussy was perfect. Plush lips slick with wetness, glistening in the low light, the soft swell of her trimmed blonde bush catching the shine. It made you groan.

“Look at you,” you murmured, running your fingers through the short, soft hair, watching the way it glistened under your touch. She shivered hard, a helpless little sound slipping from her throat when you dragged those same damp fingers up to palm her tits over her blouse, feeling the hard points of her nipples against your palm.

Her back arched, pressing into your hand. “God—please—”

You knelt between her thighs, spreading her open with your hands, inhaling the scent of her cunt like it was the only thing you needed in the world. Rich, salty-sweet, pure fucking power.

Then you dove in.

Your tongue flattened against her, licking one long, slow stripe from the bottom of her pussy to the aching bundle of nerves at the top. She cried out, head banging back against the cabinets, thighs trembling around your shoulders.

“Jesus Christ,” she gasped, voice gone wrecked and desperate.

You wrapped your lips around her clit, sucking hard, your fingers sliding into her heat without warning — two, then three, the slick stretch of her walls clenching tight around you. She was so fucking wet, so hot, her cunt pulling at your fingers like she was trying to keep them inside.

“God, Alex,” you groaned against her, your mouth lapping greedily, your fingers working deep, curling just right to drag another broken, choked sound from her lips.

Her hands fisted in your hair, tugging you closer, grinding against your face shamelessly now. “Don’t stop,” she gasped. “Fucking don’t you dare stop...”

You weren’t planning to. Not until you dragged every last ounce of control out of her, until the high-and-mighty Alex Cabot came undone on your tongue.

And from the way her hips were starting to buck, the frantic little sounds breaking from her throat, you were getting damn close.

You could feel it building in her — the way her thighs clenched tighter around your head, those long legs trembling against your shoulders. Her breath had gone ragged, sharp little gasps punched out of her chest, every one higher, thinner, like she was barely hanging on.

You fucking loved it. Loved having her like this, wrecked and desperate, nothing like the immaculate, untouchable ice queen she paraded around town.

Her pussy was a mess now, slick and swollen, your fingers moving deep inside her, crooking just right to drag over that spot that made her whole body jerk. You sucked her clit harder, rolling it with your tongue, and the taste of her — Christ, the taste — salty, sweet, thick and musky, like the best kind of sin, coating your tongue as you fucked your mouth against her.

“F-fuck, fuck, I—” she stammered, and you felt it then, the way her cunt started fluttering around your fingers, her hips trying to grind down against your face and pull away at the same time.

“Yeah, that’s it, baby,” you growled against her soaked pussy, the sound of it wet, obscene. “Fucking come for me.”

And she did.

It hit her hard — her whole body tensing like a wire pulled too tight before it snapped, a hoarse, half-choked cry tearing from her throat. “Oh, god — fuck, yes — fuck yes, right there—!”

Her thighs clamped around your head, her hands pulling your hair so tight it stung, grinding her pussy against your mouth as her orgasm tore through her. You felt her gush against your tongue, hot and thick, coating your chin, the sharp tang of it filling your mouth.

It was fucking perfect: messy and raw, nothing like the polished, practiced woman she pretended to be.

You kept working her through it, tongue flicking over her clit, fingers buried deep until she was whining, body twitching, hips jerking like it was too much.

“Jesusfuck, I can’t—” she gasped, trying to pull away, but you didn’t let her. Not yet.

You groaned against her pussy, licking up every drop of slick she gave you, savoring the taste of her as she shuddered through aftershocks, those perfect, desperate little sounds spilling from her lips. God, she was so pretty like this.

Flushed, breathless, her blonde hair falling loose from its clip, pupils blown wide as she stared down at you like she couldn’t believe what you’d just done to her.

You pulled your fingers out slow, watching them glisten in the low light, then sucked them into your mouth, licking them clean as you held her gaze.

“Tastes even better than you smell,” you muttered, voice rough and thick with it, and the flush on her cheeks deepened, lips trembling like she wanted to say something — maybe thank you, maybe order you to do it again. Either way, you weren’t done with her yet.

Not even close.

Alex was still catching her breath when you rose up from between her thighs, your face slick with her, your mouth aching from how hard you'd worked her over. Her chest was heaving, the flush on her skin climbing high up her neck, her hair a beautiful fucking mess.

But her eyes — Jesus, those sharp, cutting blue eyes — they didn’t look so cold now. They were heavy, soft in a way you’d never seen before, pupils blown so wide they swallowed the color.

She reached for you without thinking, curling her fingers around the front of your work shirt and tugging you in, like she needed to feel your weight against her, needed to remind herself she wasn’t dreaming.

You let her. Let her pull you in close, her hands roaming over your shoulders, down your arms, fingertips tracing the hard lines of muscle built from years of hauling lumber, lifting beams, crawling through crawl spaces, and gripping a hammer. She didn’t hide how much she liked it either — her touch lingered, nails scraping gently down your bicep, across your ribs, down to the sharp V of your hips where your belt still hung heavy.

“Fucking Christ,” she muttered, almost to herself, her palms flattening against your stomach, mapping out every ridge like she could memorize you through touch alone.

“You’re a piece of work, Cabot,” you growled, before slamming your mouth to hers. It was rough, messy. No room for finesse. You wanted to claim her, wanted to leave her aching with it. And she kissed you back just as filthy, pulling your bottom lip between her teeth and biting down hard enough to sting.

Then you did what you’d wanted to do for months.

Grabbed both sides of her expensive, delicate blouse and yanked. Buttons went flying across the floor, the sound sharp in the quiet kitchen, leaving silk gaping open to reveal bare skin and a lacy black bra barely containing her tits.

She broke the kiss with a gasp, scowling even though her pupils were still blown and her lips were swollen as hell. “That was a designer piece, you animal.”

“Cry about it,” you shot back, breathless, and stepped back just long enough to peel off your own clothes. No grace to it. You tugged your shirt off over your head, toed off your boots, yanked your pants and underwear down in one go. Sweat-slick skin catching in spots, dirt from the job site smudged along your thighs, but you didn’t give a shit.

You caught the way her gaze dragged over you — the sharp hitch in her breath when she saw you naked for the first time. The way her eyes lingered on your thighs, your stomach, the curve of your breasts, before she reached behind her to undo her bra and toss it aside like she couldn’t be fucking bothered to care anymore. Sitting there on the counter, legs still open, hair wild, face flushed, and completely bare.

She was obscene.

And perfect.

You climbed onto the counter with her, shoving the blueprints aside with your knee, until you were straddling her, pushing her down onto her back. The cool marble under her and your body over her, grinding against her like you could fuse your skin to hers.

Her head tipped back with a low, needy sound when your lips found her throat again, biting down hard just below her jaw, leaving a dark, messy mark she’d have to cover in court tomorrow. You dragged your tongue over it, kissed the spot like an apology you didn’t mean.

You rocked your hips down, your soaked pussy sliding against hers — hot, wet, and so fucking good. The friction of it made both of you moan, her nails digging into your back as you ground down harder.

“God, fuck,” Alex breathed, her voice wrecked, her back arching up into you. “Don’t stop...”

You pulled back just enough to adjust, grabbing her thigh and hitching it higher over your hip, your other leg sliding between hers as you shifted into a better angle. The slick, filthy sound of your pussies dragging against each other made both of you groan.

Alex’s gaze dropped between your bodies, hungry and unguarded, watching as you spread your legs wider and your folds parted — glistening, swollen, absolutely dripping from how wrecked you already were for her.

“Goddamn,” she breathed, voice thick and raspy. Her lips curved into that slow, dangerous smirk she wore in court when she knew she had someone beat. “You’ve got a pretty pussy.”

The way she said it like she was admiring something expensive, like she’d won it, made your cunt throb. You grinned down at her, grinding your hips forward so your clit slid perfectly against hers, the friction already fucking electric.

“Yeah?” you rasped, leaning down to kiss her, biting at her lower lip. “You’re about to find out how good it feels too.”

Alex didn’t answer. Didn’t need to. She grabbed your hips, pulled you in tighter, and then leaned up to catch your breast in her mouth, sucking hard, teeth scraping over your nipple. You let out a sharp, filthy moan, arching into her, loving the sting, the heat of her mouth on your skin.

“That’s it, Cabot,” you growled, threading your fingers through her blonde hair, holding her there as you started grinding harder. The slick slide of your pussies, the way your clits kept bumping, catching, sending shocks through both of you — it was pure fucking madness. The sound of it, wet and dirty, filled the kitchen.

“You feel that?” you panted, moving your hips in tight, desperate circles, watching her face, watching how it contorted in pleasure. “Feel how wet you are for me? Jesus, you’re soaked. Fucking knew you’d be like this under all that ice.”

Alex let out a ragged, half-choked moan, her lips gliding from your breast to your throat, panting against your skin. “Don’t stop,” she hissed. “God, don’t you fucking stop --”

“Not going anywhere,” you growled, fucking your hips down harder, grinding against her clit just the way she needed. “You’re gonna come for me like this, Alex. Wanna feel you shake. Wanna watch you fall the fuck apart while I’m on top of you.”

Her hands clawed at your back, her head tipping against the marble as you fucked her through it, the wet slap of your pussies echoing between you. The friction was insane, every pass over your clits making you see stars, your thighs trembling with the effort.

“Fucking Christ.” you gasped, feeling yourself teeter on the edge.

And then she was there too, you could feel it — the way her legs tightened around you, the desperate little sounds tearing out of her throat, her body arching up, chasing it.

“That’s it, baby,” you grunted, not letting up. “Come with me. Come on my pussy, Cabot. Fucking come.”

Her whole body locked up, a high, broken cry punching from her throat as her pussy jerked against yours, her orgasm slamming into her so hard it dragged you right over the edge with her. Your clit spasmed, cunt clenching, grinding through it until you were both a shaking, gasping mess, clinging to each other like you might fucking drown.

The marble was slick with it, your thighs aching, sweat sticking your skin together, but neither of you moved. Just lay there, breathing hard, your lips pressed to her pulse, still feeling the aftershocks twitch through your cunt.

“Goddamn,” you muttered against her throat. “Best fucking job site visit I’ve ever had.”

You slumped down beside her on the counter, both of you still catching your breath, skin slick with sweat, the smell of sex hanging thick in the air. Your body was aching in the best way — thighs trembling, hips sore, lips swollen from how hard you’d kissed her. You let your head tip back against the cabinets, staring up at the ceiling while your chest heaved.

And without a word, Alex shifted closer, curling into your side like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her fingers traced aimless, lazy shapes over your stomach, and she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to your shoulder. Another to your collarbone. Then your jaw. And finally your lips — slow, tender, like she wasn’t the same fucking menace who’d been clawing at you minutes ago.

You let her. Even turned into it, your hand finding the back of her neck, holding her there for a second longer than necessary. There was something about the way she fit against you like this, warm and undone and soft in a way you’d never seen from her before, that made it hard to remember why she pissed you off so much in the first place.

But you still smirked against her lips. “You’re a goddamn menace, you know that?”

She huffed a breath of laughter, shaking her head like she was too tired to argue, and you sighed, hauling yourself off the counter. Your legs threatened to give for a second, but you steadied, then turned back to her.

“C’mere, high-maintenance,” you muttered, and without waiting for permission, scooped her up in your arms, bridal style. Her eyes widened, a surprised laugh spilling out of her.

“Where the hell are you taking me?” she asked, arms hooking around your neck.

“Bathroom,” you grunted, adjusting her in your arms. “Gonna get you cleaned up, and you can return the favor. Can’t have you smelling like a goddamn construction site. Or me.”

She hummed, nuzzling against your throat like she didn’t have a single objection to the plan.

You carried her to the bathroom, setting her down on the cool tile before grabbing a cloth and running warm water. The whole thing was quiet — domestic, almost. You cleaned her up with a gentleness that surprised even you, her skin flushed and her hair mussed, looking more real than you’d ever seen her. She did the same for you, a small, contented smile tugging at her lips the whole time.

Afterward, you leaned against the sink, running a hand through your hair and grabbing your shirt from the floor. “Alright, I should go,” you muttered, already steeling yourself for tomorrow’s bullshit. “Got an early start—”

“No,” she blurted, and you blinked down at her.

Alex, the woman who never let anyone see her sweat, was pouting. Straight up pouting, a soft little whine in her voice as she stepped closer. “Stay. Just—stay, okay?” she mumbled, not even bothering to hide how needy she sounded.

You stared at her, one brow raised, watching the way her fingers fidgeted at her sides like she wasn’t sure she was allowed to ask.

And fuck it, because maybe you were too tired, too wrung out, or maybe it was the look in her eyes. Either way, you sighed, tossed your shirt back down, and tugged her into you.

“Fine,” you muttered against her hair, lips brushing her temple. “But you’re making me coffee in the morning.”

“Deal,” she whispered, already pulling you toward the bedroom.

[pixelgrotto]

Monkey Nationalism

For the last month and a half my gaming life has revolved around Black Myth: Wukong. I have covered it extensively in my day job, and I urge everyone to check out our exhaustive walkthroughs, which are darn good if I say so myself. Job aside, playing Black Myth has been something of a thought exercise in how I feel about my Chineseness. This is a big, sexy Soulslike and China's first AAA game to win international acclaim, not just from the niche audiences who know what "wuxia" means, but from white people who probably assumed that this was another Japanese game at first. Put another way, mainstream YouTubers are now making lore videos for Black Myth that are explanations of Journey to the West references, and it's wild seeing them talk about Bodhisattva Lingji and why Nezha needs to be in the DLC.

This phenomenon makes me realize that Black Myth: Wukong is one of those rare products that incites pride in my Chinese heritage, despite the fact that in almost all circumstances, I identify as half-Taiwanese instead of Chinese. That's a choice (and a political one), but in spite of these feelings I still wrote a goofy Steam review of this game after my first few hours, exclaiming that it made me "adopt a Beijing accent, speak in 4-character proverbs and sip tea under chrysanthemum trees while composing poetry about the glory of ZHONGGUO."

I was probably inspired to write this review thanks to the excellent Chinese dub, which is indeed full of Mainland accents. (The English dub, for what it's worth, is also very good and full of British accents, which I prefer over American ones for something like this.) Honestly, I found myself surprised that I was so enamored, as I haven't fully read Journey to the West. My one attempt to consume the Arthur Waley translation as a kid failed, and when I listened to the Julia Lovell version via audiobook a few months ago, I found it a bit lacking. (Turns out audio isn't the best way to consume a 16th-century collection of Monster of the Week tales where the moral often boils down to "Buddhism is the best!")

I'm not alone in this regard, though, as most Chinese folks - especially those in the diaspora - probably also experienced Journey to the West via alternate media. In my case, Dragonball was the big property that brought Wukong into my consciouness (albeit via his Japanese name of Goku), and I will perish upon the hill that the first arc of Akira Toriyama's manga is actually a solid interpretation of the story. I was also oddly obsessed with the PS1 games Monkey Magic and Saiyuki: Journey West, and at one point, I attempted to make a game in Klik & Play where I edited a sprite from Conquest of the Crystal Palace into wannabe Wukong. I never made more than this sprite and a makeshift title screen, but my heart was certainly into it for that brief period.

Frankly, you don't need to be familiar with Journey to the West to enjoy Black Myth: Wukong, though some knowledge of the subject matter does help to comprehend the game's plot, which is communicated in the usual Soulslike way. By the time of the game's release, more players were probably attuned to Black Myth's controversies instead of its inspiration, to be honest. There were the mysognistic comments the devs had made, the report by IGN translating these remarks, the limitations on streamers, and the culture war that resulted when chuds decided that legitimate criticism of this game was too "woke." Amidst all of this was the fact that as one of the few Chinese games to obtain global appeal, Black Myth: Wukong naturally became a cornerstone of nationalism. "This game is China's pride and joy! It wasn't made for Westerners with DEI requirements! Blah blah!"

The discourse was deeply disheartening. Frankly, it made me not want to like Black Myth: Wukong. I'd rather support something that isn't embroiled in woman-disparaging rhetoric or tankie apologism, and when it comes to made-in-China games, I'm more partial to anything made-in-Taiwan, like Detention or any of the other great projects made by Red Candle Games.

But those games don't have the big budget and glitz of Black Myth: Wukong. They don't have a hidden ending where the Destined One transforms into a gigantic Stone Monkey and punches Erlang Shen in the face. And they don't quite have this phenomenon that's motivated consumers into mentioning Chinese mythology and culture in the same sentences where they're namedropping Elden Ring. That's something special that makes my heart shine, and once again, we return to the fact that I normally identify as half-Taiwanese.

To identify as Taiwanese is to forever be in the shadow of Mainland China, a nation that forces the name "Chinese Taipei" upon an island that it says it will claim by force if necessary. To be Taiwanese American, in my case, is to constantly be assaulted by US media harping on about cross-strait relations, and rolling my eyes at "China Watchers" who play wargames where they move pieces around a board to simulate a hostile takeover of Formosa.

Yet, political pain aside, Taiwan does have a connected lineage with its larger neighbor. And Journey to the West is one of those shared mythologies, with Wukong not only capturing the imaginations of the denizens of China and Greater China, but also the mind of just about everyone in East and Southeast Asia. There's something about a Monkey King springing from a rock that makes people temporarily unite, and I admit that at the end of 105 hours, I am one of those persons.

I had to devote a lot of time to Black Myth: Wukong because of work. But even if I hadn't been paid to play it, I'd still consider it very good. It's embroiled in kaka almost as bitter as the vehemence that spans the Taiwan Strait, but it's a fine game, say what you will about separating art from the artist - or in this case, politics from the monkey and his quest to recover Buddhist scriptures. I hope that the discourse doesn't repeat itself in time for the inevitable sequel, and I hope the devs learn from their errors and stop being shits to women.

Nezha can also show up in the DLC too, if they like.

[manuelmakesartz]

Dubious Depths Present [US]: How I made a guitar tone for my fanmade Sonic track.

Hello there! This is my first ever post on this site.

Quick introduction: I am a hobbyist musician. Since 2022, I've been honing my skills in various areas, including mixing, producing and composing. I also have a good amount of music theory knowledge. My style is influenced by old cartoons and VGM.

Now that we're done with that, I'll get to what I initially wanted to talk about. On November 2023, I released a fanmade track, in the style of the American OST of Sonic CD. You can take a listen by yourself here. Since then, a few people have asked me how I made the guitar tone I used through Discord DMs. So, I decided to make a tutorial for it!

1. SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

Kontakt 7 Player or Kontakt 7 (as of writing this, Kontakt 8 has released already, so you'll see that one instead)

Session Guitarist - Electric Mint (it's usually 99 € but it goes on sale for 50 € every now and then, usually Easter and Christmas)

Any DAW

2. LOADING THE BASICS

Load Kontakt in a new instrument track in your DAW, and the "melody" version of Session Guitarist. You'll be greeted with the Paterns tab (if you feel lost, watch the official walkthrough). The default preset (1 Mint Pop) should be loaded:

Set the Plectrum/Finger switch to Plectrum and the Poly/Mono switch to Poly. You can adjust the vibrato however you like.

Next, open the Amps & FX tab and clear everything. Next, load the Distortion, VAN 51, SOLID COMP and IR REVERB effects.

Now, I'll cover the settings for each effect...

3. Distorion Settings

On the Main settings:

Distortion: 50%

Tone: 50%

Volume: 61.3%

On the EQ settings:

Bass: 25.5%

Mid: 59.8%

Treble: 0%

4. VAN 51 Settings

Set it to Rhythm and adjust as follows:

Gain: 34.3% (Hi Gain: OFF)

Bass: 0% (Bright: ON)

Mid: 48%

Treble: 0%

Resonance: 0%

Presence: 83%

Master: 28.4% (Crunch: ON)

5. IR REVERB Settings

Choose the preset 1 Short Spring and adjust as follows:

Pre-Delay: 16ms

Tone: 20k Hz LP

Mix: 60%

6. SOLID COMP Settings

Adjust as follows:

Threshold: -4.7 dB

Attack: 0.3 ms

Release: 1600 ms

Ratio: 3:1

Output: 3.2 dB

Mix: 100%

7. Guitar Settings

Our final step is to adjust a few things on the Guitar Settings tab. Head over there and do the following adjustments:

Pickup Selection: Bridge (Doubling: OFF)

Electric Signal (Tone): 48%

8. You're done!

Now you can use it however you like! I personally added some delay in the mixer channel later. Here are the results:

First, the guitar solo, isolated:

Second, the guitar solo, in the full mix:

That's everything! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! I will make more tutorials like these. Till my second post, have fun and go make some music!

[team-heavenly]

Chapter 22 - Part 2

Lest you've lost your way, click here to progress (regress?) back to Part 1.

...Okay, now I'm officially worried.

Meanwhile, back in the Real World™️ (shout-out to my buddy @kantochampred!):

Alright, I'm about to go off on a small side tangent here but I promise it's worth it-

(Sorry to post your sins on main, Red 😔)

(Why Do I Climb the Mountain? is a reference btw)

LMAO OKAY thank you for bearing with me, now back to the main show:

Good job, neither of those two things is correct!

...Okay, Cherrim has replaced Drifblim, yes, but. Imagine this tiny seed holding Teresa and Andrea by their little stubby hands while riding the wind down the mountain.

I had to look up a walkthrough to identify that little Riolu to the right. Normally, that's an Exeggcute! (And the backup for Team Frontier, apparently).

The Third Station Pass was dubbed Great Turn, while the clearing was called:

Admittedly, I had no idea what an "oubliette" was, so I did a quick search and...

Wait a minute, are you freaking kidding me-

WE ARE STARRING IN A WAR DRAMA AAAAAAAAAAAA-

(Apologies for the small text at the start, let me know if I need to add an image description!)

...No >:l

The only reason I left this in is because this happened:

Oh my God yes PLEASE-

So fun fact, I actually did a dry run of the first few dungeons before doing it for real and taking photos. And the first time around, this gift was an Escape Orb? Which isn't bad, but I would 100% take the Reviver Seed over that any day.

The 4th Station Pass was named Sad Peninsula. (Florida? Dat you?) And the 4th Station Clearing? See below.

But then!

(Handsome Desolation? Is this where the handsome men in uniform... perish?! 😓)

I feel like a large, prehistoric rock dino should be enough to scare most things, but I guess taking the even larger rock snake as backup can't hurt.

So we go through the 5th Station Pass, Sandy Way... (Only one letter different from Sandy Bay.)

I. Don't remember why I took a picture of this. The downfalls of not immediately composing posts after the playthrough...

But yeah, those giant two-room dungeons with guaranteed MH's and a huge mass of enemies in the other room aside is definitely a theme and I hate it.

Andrea consumed enough Gummis to obtain this IQ skill, which is awesome since Max Elixirs are so hard to come by.

Look at this!! I'm pretty sure Blizzard only had 7 PP before! Yee haw!

I wonder which Pokémon are the ones bothering Sneasel Pichu?

OH NOOO!! I'm imagining this grisly scene where all these Combusken are just pecking Pichu to death.

Team Frontier happens to beat us to the punch:

I love that Onix is so big that she blocks Nidoran F.

Like all territorial encroachments in Mystery Dungeon, everyone just jumps right into the fray without listening to anyone 🙄

Honestly, all of Team Frontier was pretty based. Jolteon had an ability that allowed him to attack twice in a row (I think because the weather was different?) and he consistently used X-Scissor. Nidoran F had Sesimic Toss (55 damage) and Ice Beam. Deoxys had Attack Order, Seed Flare, Rock Wrecker(!), and Swift, the last hitting for 120 damage on a critical. Combined with Teresa's Chatter (when we finally got there, because you start off a ways from everyone), they didn't stay up for much longer.

Also Jolteon shielded me when Teresa got low on HP 🥺️

"SIT DOWN FOR TWO SECONDS AND LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, I SWEAR TO ARCEUS!"

"We owe you..." -> Yet another line from this game that never made any sense to me. (Unless it was sarcasm ig?)

💀You what

Hey, speaking of... I know Onix is huge and all, but have y'all seen Pichu since the fight started...?

(Beep boop, click here to advance to Part 3)

[zishprouductions]

100 PLAYS reached! Thank you!

100 people have seen my son, Rayden.

Just noticed there is 125 browser plays and 40 downloads! Thank you for trying out the demo! It means a lot.

The demo is composed of how the original story played out. We gonna tweak it a tiny bit in the next update.

Play the demo here: https://zishy.itch.io/rewound-101-remake

And like I’ve mentioned in my Tumblr, I will be taking a break in game development since I need to give some time for the artists to finish the artworks.

However, as a checklist for this project, here are the inclusions of the next update:

CG Gallery

Music Gallery

History Logs

New Opening MV

Final credits MV

About

Walkthrough

Built-in Dictionary

Added scenes in the Prologue and Common Route

Added scenes in all the routes

The bff route

New main menu

Might change this but here is the draft!

Also, I noticed I forgot to remove the psd files in the downloads, and there are 3 people who downloaded it already before I uploaded the new files. Please don’t use the files if possible.

I will be changing the GUI a little bit just in case.

Oh we speak English too, y'know

Also, to note, that I will be releasing the Filipino version first, then the English a few weeks after. As this is a solo project (as usual), it will take longer to do. It’s kinda tricky for me to use Filipino now when adding the scenes, since I don’t usually use the language any more, as I didn’t live in the Philippines for a long time (I at least wanna visit soon), but I’ll do my best. Again, thank you for the people who tried the demo.

That’s all and take care all!

[shiannohana]

Paused, Aheaded, Towers Too

Recently I made an account on Newgrounds, and today I beat two games which had music composed by one of my favourite composers of all time, flashygoodness: Tower of Heaven and Pause Ahead. On the Tower of Heaven side, I have played the game in the past but gave up around the end. Today I decided to beat it, and it was pretty fun! My patience has improved since, and being able to properly enjoy and master the limits given by the game was fun. The ending was very interesting, and apparently, there's another ending I missed. I'll get all the secrets later. Always been fond of the simplicity of the art style and music, near-perfectly capturing the limitations of the Game Boy (color) and in general looking/sounding beautiful. On the Pause Ahead side of things... holy shit. This game. Pause Ahead ekkjkasjsjksdajhsdojhdjsasdjsa this game so good The game is pretty simple on the surface, the main mechanic being pausing the world while you continue to move around, momentum affecting your movement as well. The first levels follow what any good game does (like Tower of Heaven hehe) and slowly introduces you into the world and the main mechanic before saying "fuck you" and instantly jumping towards kaizo bullshit in the best way possible. The levels get harder. Momentum is taken to the max. Pausing becomes your best ally. This shit was so good. It took me some time to get used to it, but eventually, I fought hard with my patience and got through the game and to the final boss, which took me some time (and a walkthrough sorry) to master, but it felt satisfying to finally beat it and witness the first ending. The first ending, because there's a secret path in one of the levels that leads to one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. The belly of the beast. So, small (so I thought at the time of starting to write this) substory before I continue. Rivals of Aether, a game I knew about for a while before I got to play it and another game flashygoodness composed for (there is even a Tower of Heaven stage inside it! with a tiny remix of one of the original songs, Luna Ascension) eventually got a Definitive Edition, and with it came a ton of new things. The milestone system, new adjustments, un-DLCing the DLC fighters, proper workshop support, etc. It was neat. One thing stuck out to me though. It was a song called Nihil Redux that plays on one of the stages, the Frozen Gate. An intense tune with energy and fear injected into it as if you're in the depths of hell fighting for a chance to live. I fucking fell in love with it from the first few seconds. The constant, unstopping rhythm and beautiful instruments got me hooked, and eventually, the song turned into a calmer, hopeful tune. You've escaped hell. You've managed to survive. and then it loops back to the beginning but tbf it's a stage track of course it has to loop that doesn't mean you're going back to hell lollllllllllllll or does it. After listening to this track like a million times through the in-game sound test, I decided to look it up on YouTube and discovered this little game called Pause Ahead, the original source of this remix. And so it loops back to the primary discussion. Nihil Descent. The original version of this song. I reached the secret level of the game where it plays, the hardest challenge. Two fleshy and difficult paths, both taking the main mechanic to the maximum. It took time, but one by one I figured out things. Pause-cancelling at the right times, patterns, etc. All slowly mastered one by one until I got the second ending.

Also, this happened I guess. lmao. I won't discuss the endings in detail for obvious reasons (play the game ehehe) but one felt great and the other surprised me in terms of story context. Also... yes, the music outside of Nihil Descent (including some tracks by another composer, Bill Kiley!) was great, in case I didn't make it obvious sorry. The art style of the game reminds me of Cave Story, very detailed lineless tilesets and enemies with a little protagonist guy person thing character going through pain and sorrow to hopefully find a bright future. Very inspiring and pretty. Conclusion? good video games is when newgrounds, tiny little thing protagonist and pixel art . yeaaaaaaaaa tower of heaven: https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/544332 pause ahead: https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/628969 both need the Newgrounds Flash Player to run because flash dead boohoo :( if the writing here was ass: sorry

[ferromagnetiic]

"Heard you can control magnetism and I can't help but wonder how that works exactly. I mean technically all matter is magnetic, some more than others, but you catch my drift." Undeterred the brunet genius carries on. "So are you creating your own magnetic field then and can manipulate how electrons interact with each other or are you limited to the usual type of ferromagnetism? If it's the latter, do you need a certain percentage of, lets say iron, in a material so your powers have an effect on them? Or does it not matter?

To say that Tony thought about this a lot would be an understatement.

[Feel free to ignore this if you want, he's just been curious and wants to know everything about Kids powers >:) ]

          【 UNPROMPTED ASK. 】                      @ravarui 【 Tony 】

          It's not often someone takes the time to inquire about the mechanics of his devil fruit ability, and it's even less often that he answers them sincerely. On occasion his nakama have tempted him with the question, though more often than not, the individual asking hasn't been expecting a sincere explanation and they tended to give up trying to make sense of him halfway through. Kid remains notoriously terrible at explaining things. He works on visuals and feelings, and has a tendency to leave out important details; he gets irritable when people don't already know the basic principals he's relying on and he has to go back and explain things further. Most commonly, anyone who investigates how his abilities function will get a clipped answer something along the lines of ❛ Because I ate a rotten fruit, now quit worryin' about it. ❜ Over time, similarly to a father who does not have the energy to explain complicated subjects to their infant child, he started to give up on trying to go into graphic detail of how he was able to control magnetic properties, and tends to not even bother.

This time, it is not his loyal friends asking him at all. It is a total stranger, no less, and his paranoia of what consequences may occur if he provides untrustworthy people with too much information is rearing its ugly head. He doesn't know this guy, so why should he hand out all his secrets to him for him to use as his pleases? Why should he give him an opportunity to use his honesty against him? Distributing free instruction manuals for his devil fruit powers to anybody who asks is a horrible idea, and this particular man in question doesn't exactly strike him as someone stupid enough to find this information utterly useless. He's composed, well kept, displaying a degree of quiet confidence that doesn't need to be boldly stated. Kid can read his intelligence in the way his eyes move — focused, attentive, but yet somehow simultaneously distracted, as if he's juggling multiple thoughts and ideas whilst still effortlessly managing to carry their conversation. He reminds Kid of the people who have the ability to both read a book and speak to others at the same time, without one action compromising the other. People like him put him on guard. The ones who didn't need to demonstrate their intelligence were generally the most dangerous.

Maybe he was an undercover marine? His clothes didn't match, but that didn't prove his innocence. His well-groomed appearance seemed like something a marine would want to don, anyway. He should dismiss the question and tell him to fuck right off and leave him alone. None of his business, was it?

          ...Still.

He seems to know what he's talking about. At least, more than the last person who tried to make sense of Kid's powers. He wondered how much he could even really do with the most basic walkthrough of how his magnetism functioned. Understanding a concept didn't necessarily make that information particularly helpful, after all.

Besides. Something about this man was intriguing to Kid. He could sense something he couldn't name; a very particular energy that he can't pin down. At the very least, he detected no active hostility from him. Kid considered himself to be fairly good at reading people when he wanted to — this is partially due to honing his haki to be especially sensitive to the auras surrounding a person and recognizing how to detect any malice in their intentions, but additionally, it was also simply a learned behavior that stemmed from having a dear friend who could not regularly show his face. He learned to understand body language in order to adapt for his sake. Movements. Tone of voice. Choice of wording. This man was not giving off obvious signals of being an enemy, at least for now.

Kid watches him for a long time. He sucks his teeth, making an audible clicking sound with his tongue when he releases them. He's trying to decide if it's worth it or not.

Well, maybe an incredibly vague rundown of his powers wouldn't be the worst thing. He could leave out anything that might be readily used against him, and he could stop if the stranger started probing for more than he was willing to offer. Even if Kid didn't trust him, he did pique his curiosity.

     ❝ Ya answered yer own question. 'S like ya said — everything is kinda magnetic; just not always enough to do a whole lot with. ❞

There's a slight pause here as he shifts on his seat, leaning his right elbow to rest against his knee. He deeply exhales as he moves, in a way one might expect from a much older gentleman, rather than a healthy young man in his early twenties.

     ❝ Ya know all about atoms, don't ya? I ain't gonna explain that shit if ya don't. ❞

He should, since he already brought up electrons. This isn't necessarily a subtle insult. Multiple members of his crew had a limited understanding of basic scientific principals due to their upbringing and home environment. It wasn't unusual for his question to be answered 'no', and at which point, Kid was quick to lose interest in continuing the conversation. Trying to tell someone that there are tiny little specs smaller than dust that made up everything in the universe sounded like the nonsensical ramblings of a madman. The only reason he even knew about the existence of atoms to begin with was because Old Man Ketil had taken the time to tutor him, even if he hadn't been particularly happy about it at the time.

The stranger doesn't stop him, so Kid continues.

     ❝ Atoms have their own force fields, right? They got their core — their nucleus, protons, neutrons — then ya got the space around them, these little... loops, I guess. Yer electrons spin and orbit and make these electrical rings that circle them. When they move in the same direction, that's their magnetic field, right? This charge that goes all around the core. ❞

He can already feel himself struggling to tell what areas should elaborate on, and what he should skim over. He wonders how long it will take for the stranger to give up trying to follow.

     ❝ It ain't like I can see atoms or some shit; that's not what my fruit does. But I don't need to, 'cause I can feel those loops. See, the Jiki Jiki no Mi, it gives that magnetic charge a physicality. It makes it tangible. Makes ya more aware of it being there. So every one of those loops stops being this force ya can't touch, and instead it's like, they're all made of strands of thread, or silk or somethin'.      Ya try to touch one strand of silk, it's just gonna break. Ya can't move anythin' with one strand of silk. But when ya get a fuck ton of those strands all together, and ya grab them all at once.... ❞

To demonstrate, he makes a tight fist with his right hand. In conjunction, an empty, partially crushed beer can that he had earlier discarded on the ground then begins to levitate, moving closer towards him and hovering just inches below his enclosed palm; it deliberately swings, almost as if he's trying to make it resemble a yoyo on an invisible string.

     ❝ — That's how ya make rope. Then ya just gotta tug that rope in the right direction. Ya gotta decide if ya want to attract or repel, and it's like contractin' the muscles in yer arm. ❞

He squeezes his fist closer towards his bicept at this, tensing the muscle fibers below his skin. But then, he slackens, and releases his fist entirely, letting the can immediately succumb to gravity and fall to the ground with a tinny clang.

     ❝ Anyway, that's why it ain't easy to, say, control blood through the iron cells. The iron is too diluted; not enough to grab onto. Doesn't do shit. ❞

The average human being has approximately around four grams of iron in their body, though the exact quantity depends on a large number of variables. When that's dispersed, there isn't a whole lot of force to be created from moving those individual iron molecules. What created significantly more force than moving those four grams of iron was Kid's fist, punching them in the gut at full strength and rupturing their spleen. However, that didn't mean he wasn't capable of magnetizing the human body at all; since his devil fruit's awakening, he has since acquired the ability to do just that.

     ❝ — But if ya can give tangible loops to any atom, ya can start makin' the whole person into one huge magnet, and ya don't have to worry about findin' the right cells to single out. Ya just start screwin' with the electrons to stitch stronger loops to all the atoms, even if they're usually too weak to do anythin' with. ❞

The problem with that was the energy expenditure required to create a significant magnetic field for almost every individual atom that made up a human person, as well as the concentration it took. It was a work in progress, and admittedly, even just being able to do it for a short amount of time was impressive enough; but this skill is still in its primitive stages, and requires significant work before it is honed to its fullest potential. He still has yet to master isolating oxygen atoms in order to repel them from a person's body and suffocate them, for example. When it came to ambitious desires, Kid always preferred to go big. He longs for the day that he can control the entire world through its geomagnetic field. He impatiently waits for the day that he can hold the entire Earth hostage, if such a thing were possible. He has visions of controlling the tides of the seas through the movements of the moon, and the ground would split apart at his will, because the stranger was right — magnetism is potentially present in all things, if he is only able to utilize it, manipulate it, and create that which he needed in order to control anything he desired. Playing God has nothing to do with it; he just enjoys tearing things apart for the sake of seeing how they work.

This is an awful lot of time spent on conversing with someone he doesn't even know. He doesn't feel particularly compelled to elaborate in too much more detail beyond this, though the explanation is certainly missing some key elements. Manipulating the shape of magnetic materials was more complicated than simply moving an object around in the air, and involved more focused work on pinpointing individual areas and applying force to alter the structure of the metal, as if he were playing cat's cradle. Altering the patterns of electrons and changing the relationship between north and south poles were other topics that he didn't need to bother with right now. Whatever. He got his answer. Maybe's Kid would give him a few crumbs more if he bought him another beer or something. Dinner, maybe. Was he even listening? If he wasted all that time yapping to this guy and he wasn't even paying attention, Kid might just shoot him in the head out out of sheer annoyance.

     ❝ Ya get all that shit, Buttercup? ❞

[bytchysylvy]

i wish artists would do more walkthroughs/tutorials like they used to, maybe im just out of the loop but it feels like nowadays you get maybe a well composed and produced kitschy progress shot every now and then but there's no sharing of how the cake is actually made you know, where the tools and technique ect.

[krazetv]

THE SCORE by Sonuscore & BestService | Review & Playthrough

[virtourmediaus]

Make Your Property Stand Out in Ventura

In Ventura’s competitive housing market, first impressions are everything. Before a buyer ever steps foot in a home, they’ve already judged the listing based on how it looks online. That’s why real estate professionals, homeowners, and property managers are turning to two powerful tools: high-quality real estate photography Ventura and immersive Matterport in Ventura virtual tours.

Together, these services create a strong visual presence that boosts engagement, generates leads, and shortens time on the market.

Why Professional Real Estate Photography Matters

When buyers browse online listings, they expect crisp, bright, and professionally composed images. In fact, listings with high-quality photos get more clicks, more showings, and ultimately better offers.

Here’s what sets professional real estate photography Ventura apart from DIY photos:

Better lighting and angles that make each room look spacious and inviting

Carefully staged compositions that highlight key features

MLS-optimized images with the proper resolution and formatting

A polished look that boosts buyer confidence and agent credibility

If your goal is to make a listing stand out in Ventura’s active market, great photography is the first step.

Bring Listings to Life with Matterport

Still photos are essential, but today’s buyers want more than static images. That’s where Matterport in Ventura steps in. Matterport is an advanced 3D camera system that creates fully interactive virtual tours. With a few clicks, viewers can explore every corner of a home—almost like being there in person.

Some major benefits of using Matterport include:

24/7 open house access for out-of-town buyers or busy schedules

Detailed floor plans and navigation tools for easy movement through the space

More time spent on your listing, which increases buyer interest

A modern, high-tech experience that impresses sellers and buyers alike

If you're listing a home in Ventura, using Matterport in Ventura adds a competitive edge that helps your property get noticed quickly.

Virtour Media: The Visual Marketing Experts

When it comes to professional real estate visuals, Virtour Media delivers some of the most reliable services in Ventura and surrounding areas. Their team specializes in both real estate photography Ventura and Matterport in Ventura, helping agents and homeowners showcase their listings at the highest level.

Here’s what makes Virtour Media stand out:

Experienced photographers and technicians trained in real estate marketing

Fast turnaround times so you can list properties without delay

High-quality images, 3D tours, and video walkthroughs tailored to your property

Drone photography and aerial shots that highlight property size and surroundings

MLS-ready files delivered quickly and professionally

Whether you’re selling a beachfront estate or a cozy family home, Virtour Media helps listings shine from every angle.

Why Ventura Properties Need Better Visuals

Ventura offers a mix of beachside homes, modern condos, and quiet suburban neighborhoods. With such diversity, one-size-fits-all photography won’t cut it. You need real estate visuals that reflect the local lifestyle and charm.

Here’s how real estate photography Ventura and Matterport in Ventura services adapt to the area:

Bright, sunlit shots that capture natural coastal beauty

Twilight sessions for dramatic exterior looks

Aerial drone views to showcase nearby parks, beaches, or trails

Interactive 3D walkthroughs that make listings more competitive on national platforms

In a place like Ventura, strong visual marketing isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

Tips to Prepare for a Shoot

To make the most of your visual marketing, here’s how to prepare your home for photography and a Matterport scan:

Declutter each room and remove unnecessary furniture

Open curtains and blinds to let in natural light

Turn on all lights, even during the day

Make beds and straighten cushions for a clean, inviting look

Tidy up exterior spaces, especially patios, yards, and driveways

A little preparation goes a long way in helping your listing look its absolute best.

Final Thoughts

Great photos and immersive virtual tours aren’t extras anymore—they’re expected. If you’re listing property in Ventura, using real estate photography Ventura services alongside Matterport in Ventura technology can help you attract more buyers, generate more offers, and close deals faster.

Professionals like Virtour Media make it easy to upgrade your listings with expert visuals that deliver real results. With their proven blend of creativity, technical skill, and real estate knowledge, your property will be seen, remembered, and sold.

So if you’re ready to make your next listing stand out, start with the right images—and the right team.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between professional real estate photography and smartphone photos?Professional real estate photography uses high-resolution cameras, expert lighting, and thoughtful composition to make every room look spacious and appealing. Unlike smartphone images, these photos are edited for clarity, color balance, and MLS compliance—making your listing far more attractive to potential buyers.

2. How does Matterport help sell a home faster?Matterport creates immersive 3D virtual tours that allow potential buyers to walk through the property digitally. This increases time spent on listings, accommodates out-of-town buyers, and provides a high-tech experience that encourages quicker decision-making.

3. Is Matterport worth the investment for smaller homes or condos?Yes. Whether it’s a spacious estate or a compact condo, Matterport adds value by offering a clear layout, interactive experience, and remote accessibility—helping any listing stand out, regardless of size.

4. How should I prepare my home for a real estate photo shoot or virtual tour? Declutter, open window treatments, turn on all lights, make beds, tidy up outdoor spaces, and remove personal items. A clean and neutral space ensures your home is showcased at its best in both photos and 3D tours.

5. Why should I hire Virtour Media over other providers in Ventura? Virtour Media combines technical expertise with local market insight. Their quick turnaround times, advanced tools like drone and Matterport, and MLS-ready deliverables make them a go-to partner for real estate agents, homeowners, and property managers who want results-driven visuals.

[relianceacademy]

Top Career Paths You Can Explore After a B.Sc. Degree in Animation from Reliance Animation Academy in Andheri

In today's rapidly evolving digital world, visual storytelling has taken center stage. From captivating animated films to dynamic advertisements and immersive gaming experiences, animation plays a pivotal role in shaping how we consume content. For students passionate about art, technology, and storytelling, pursuing a B.SC. Degree in Animation can be the stepping stone to a fulfilling and lucrative career. And when it comes to quality education, Reliance Animation Academy in Andheri has established itself as a premier institution offering a comprehensive animation course in Andheri. This program is meticulously designed to equip aspiring animators with both the creative and technical skills required to thrive in the competitive animation industry.

Why Animation is a High-Demand Career in 2025 and Beyond

The global animation market is projected to reach over $500 billion by 2030. With increased demand for content across OTT platforms, gaming studios, advertising agencies, and even educational tools, the scope for skilled animators has expanded dramatically. Here are a few reasons why animation is a top career choice today:

• Multi-industry demand: From entertainment to healthcare, animation is being used in numerous sectors. • High earning potential: Skilled animators and VFX artists earn competitive salaries and freelance opportunities. • Creative satisfaction: Animation allows you to bring characters and stories to life in visually compelling ways. • Work from anywhere: Remote and freelance jobs in animation are on the rise.

Animation today is no longer limited to children’s content. Brands are using animated explainer videos to promote their products, architects use animation for virtual walkthroughs, and medical professionals use it for 3D simulations. As technology advances, the integration of AI and virtual reality into animation workflows is opening up exciting new possibilities for young professionals.

Reliance Animation Academy in Andheri: A Hub of Creativity & Innovation

Reliance Animation Academy in Andheri is strategically located in one of Mumbai's most accessible and creative localities. Situated near the Andheri West railway station, the academy is surrounded by production studios, creative agencies, and film companies, creating an ecosystem that breathes animation and design. With a faculty composed of seasoned professionals, Reliance Animation Academy ensures that students gain exposure to both the academic and practical aspects of animation. Regular workshops, studio visits, and guest lectures make learning immersive and industry-relevant. Additionally, the academy’s commitment to continuous curriculum updates means students stay ahead of technological trends and production techniques.

Address: Unit No. 14, Shri Alankar CHS, NADCO Shopping Centre, SV Road, Opp. Railway Station, Andheri West, Mumbai – 400058 Phone: 9326591557 / 07400400795 Website: relianceacademyandheri.com

What is a B.SC. Degree in Animation?

A B.SC. in Animation is a three-year undergraduate degree program that covers the fundamentals and advanced aspects of animation. The course typically includes:

• 2D and 3D Animation • Visual Effects (VFX) • Motion Graphics • Game Design • Multimedia and Interactive Design • Storyboarding and Scriptwriting • Sound Editing and Design • Portfolio and Showreel Development

This comprehensive curriculum is built to develop students' artistic vision alongside technical proficiency. By combining creative development with software training, the program helps learners transition from aspiring animators to employable professionals. Students also work on interdisciplinary projects involving photography, film editing, and user experience design. These cross-media skills are crucial in a job market that values versatility.

Deep Dive: Year-Wise Breakdown of the Animation Course in Andheri

Year 1: Foundation of Art & Design

In the first year, students explore the core principles of art and design, laying the foundation for their animation journey. Key topics include:

• Elements of Design: Understanding line, shape, color, texture, and space • Sketching and Concept Art: Manual drawing and ideation techniques • History of Animation: Evolution of animation styles and pioneers • Principles of Animation: Squash and stretch, anticipation, timing, etc. • Digital Art Tools: Hands-on training in Photoshop and Illustrator • Design Thinking: Solving problems with creativity

By the end of Year 1, students can create short animated clips and conceptual sketches that tell visual stories.

Year 2: Intermediate Animation & Motion Techniques

The second year introduces students to the technical skills of digital animation and motion graphics:

• Character Design & Rigging: Creating and animating characters • 3D Animation Techniques: Modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering using Maya or Blender • Storyboarding: Planning shots and sequences for animation • Visual Effects (VFX): Using After Effects and Premiere Pro for compositing and effects • Sound Design: Adding audio, voice-over, and music to animation projects • Typography in Motion: Creating dynamic text animations

Students also explore genre-specific animation—like anime, realistic 3D, abstract, and stop motion—allowing them to find their niche.

Year 3: Advanced Industry-Readiness

The final year focuses on specialization, real-world projects, and professional readiness:

• Game Asset Design: Creating characters and environments for gaming • Visual Storytelling and Direction: Developing animated short films • AR/VR and Simulation Basics: Introduction to immersive tech • Internship with Studios: Gaining hands-on experience with professionals • Capstone Project & Portfolio Development: Creating a showreel for job placements • Business of Animation: Freelancing, pitching projects, pricing, and contracts

Graduates finish Year 3 with a comprehensive showreel and the skills to enter the job market or launch their own creative ventures.

Learning Environment and Tools Used

Reliance Animation Academy in Andheri offers an industry-standard environment that simulates real studio settings. The academy integrates the following tools and platforms into its curriculum:

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Illustrator) • Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max • Blender (open-source 3D creation suite) • ZBrush for digital sculpting • Unity and Unreal Engine for real-time rendering and game development • Toon Boom Harmony for 2D animation • Foley and Sound Editing Tools for post-production

Students are given assignments that mirror studio projects. These range from animated advertisements to short films and simulation prototypes. Group projects encourage collaboration, time management, and creative negotiation—skills critical to the workplace.

Industry Engagement: Studio Collaborations and Live Projects

To ensure its students are job-ready, the academy fosters direct interaction with the animation and VFX industry. Engagement includes:

• Studio Tours to observe production pipelines • Live Projects with real deadlines • Guest Lectures by directors, animators, and producers • Annual Creative Exhibitions to showcase student work • Hackathons and Animation Challenges judged by industry professionals

These activities help students build connections, receive feedback from professionals, and prepare for the expectations of full-time employment.

Career Opportunities After B.SC. Degree in Animation

Upon completing the B.SC. Degree in Animation, students can pursue a variety of creative and technical roles, including:

• 3D Animator • 2D Animator • Motion Graphics Designer • VFX Compositor • Character and Creature Designer • Storyboard Artist • Game Level Designer • Lighting and Rendering Artist • UI/UX Animator • Video Editor • AR/VR Content Developer

With strong foundations in visual storytelling and digital tools, graduates can also pursue entrepreneurial paths such as launching YouTube animation channels, freelancing, or building animation studios.

Competitive Advantage: Why Choose the Animation Course in Andheri?

Strategic Location in Mumbai’s Creative Hub Located in Andheri, students are immersed in a vibrant creative district filled with production companies, digital agencies, and freelance opportunities.

Modern Curriculum Designed with Industry Experts The curriculum is designed in collaboration with industry leaders and is updated annually to reflect evolving animation trends.

Access to Internships and Studio Placements Thanks to strong industry partnerships, students are regularly placed in internships with top studios. Some even land freelance gigs while studying.

Diverse Student Community The inclusive learning environment encourages students from different backgrounds, cultures, and artistic perspectives, enriching the creative exchange.

Global Opportunities The skills gained are transferable internationally. Graduates can apply to animation studios abroad or pursue master’s programs in the U.S., U.K., Canada, or Australia.

How to Apply for the B.SC. Degree in Animation

Eligibility: 12th Pass (Any Stream) Admission Process: Personal Interview + Aptitude Test Documents Needed: 10th & 12th Mark Sheets, Passport-size Photos, ID Proof Contact: 9326591557 / 07400400795 Apply Now: relianceacademyandheri.com Walk into our campus at: Unit No. 14, Shri Alankar CHS, NADCO Shopping Centre, SV Road, Opp. Railway Station, Andheri West, Mumbai – 400058

Final Words: Begin Your Creative Journey Today

The B.SC. Degree in Animation is more than a course. It is a holistic journey into the world of digital creativity. From foundational concepts to advanced studio techniques, the course empowers students to shape their artistic voice and enter a growing global industry. At Reliance Animation Academy in Andheri, your dreams of becoming a skilled animator, a visionary director, or a creative entrepreneur are nurtured with care, mentorship, and opportunity. If you've been searching for the perfect launchpad into animation, this is your sign. Apply today and bring your imagination to life.

[boltuix]

Introducing Android Mastery Pro: Free Offline Android Prep App (Kotlin, Jetpack, DSA) – Feedback Welcome

Hi fellow Android developers,

I recently published Android Mastery Pro, a free learning app focused on Android interview preparation, Kotlin programming, Jetpack architecture, and Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA).

Key Features:

📘 Kotlin fundamentals, OOP, and coroutines

🎨 Jetpack Compose + Clean Architecture (MVVM/MVI)

💼 Real-world Android interview Q&A and scenarios

📊 Core DSA concepts like recursion, sorting, graphs

🔐 Android security practices and design patterns

🖥️ Optimized for tablets and landscape mode

🌐 Works offline with support for 250+ languages

🚫 No ads, no paywalls completely free

We’re currently on v1, and I’m working on adding video tutorials and walkthroughs in future versions based on community interest.

Request:

I’d love your feedback on:

The content quality and coverage for interview prep

Any missing topics or features you'd expect

UI/UX suggestions for readability and usability

📲 Google Play: Android Mastery Pro

Thanks so much looking forward to your thoughts!

[sparxsys23]

Mastering Jira Cloud Automation: A Comprehensive Guide

Jira has become a cornerstone for agile project management across industries. With the increasing adoption of Jira Cloud, Atlassian has introduced powerful tools to streamline and automate repetitive tasks, helping teams become more efficient and productive. One of the standout features is Jira Cloud Automation — a low-code/no-code rule builder that allows users to set up smart workflows and event-driven triggers without writing custom scripts.

In this blog post, we will explore what Jira Cloud Automation is, how it works, and how you can harness its full potential to supercharge your project management processes. We’ll also guide you to some trusted resources like Sparxsys Solutions and Ravi Sagar’s blog for deeper learning.

What is Jira Cloud Automation?

Jira Cloud Automation is a built-in feature that enables users to create rules that automatically respond to events in Jira. These rules are composed of triggers, conditions, and actions:

Trigger: The event that starts the rule (e.g., issue created, field updated).

Condition: A check that decides whether the rule should proceed (e.g., issue type is bug).

Action: What happens if the rule proceeds (e.g., assign an issue, send an email, transition status).

These building blocks make it possible to build simple or highly complex workflows tailored to your team’s needs — all without touching any code.

Common Use Cases of Jira Cloud Automation

Here are a few real-world examples of how teams use Jira Cloud Automation:

1. Auto-Assigning Issues

When an issue is created with a specific label, project, or component, you can set rules to automatically assign it to the relevant team member.

2. Escalating Overdue Tasks

If a task is overdue for more than a certain number of days, Jira Automation can escalate it to a manager or change its priority.

3. Syncing Linked Issues

You can sync fields such as status or resolution across linked issues, ensuring that changes in one reflect in the others.

4. Notifying Stakeholders

Automatically send Slack messages, emails, or Microsoft Teams alerts when important updates occur (e.g., a critical bug is created).

5. Auto-Close Inactive Issues

Automatically transition issues to "Done" if there’s been no activity for a predefined period.

Creating a Rule: A Quick Walkthrough

Let’s walk through a simple automation rule in Jira Cloud: Auto-assigning bugs to a QA Lead.

Go to Project Settings → Automation.

Click “Create Rule.”

Choose a Trigger: “Issue Created.”

Add a Condition: “Issue Type equals Bug.”

Add an Action: “Assign issue to” and select the QA Lead.

Give the rule a name like “Auto-Assign Bugs” and click Turn it on.

That’s it — you’ve created your first automation rule!

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Use Smart Values: Jira Automation supports smart values like {{issue.summary}} and {{now.plusDays(5)}}, which allow dynamic content and logic.

Global Rules vs. Project Rules: Use global rules if your automation spans multiple projects. Just be mindful of execution limits.

Audit Logs: Use the audit log to debug or check if your rule executed successfully.

Limits and Pricing

Jira Cloud Automation has usage limits based on your Jira plan:

Free Plan: 100 rule executions per month.

Standard Plan: 500 per user, per month.

Premium and Enterprise: Higher limits, including unlimited executions on Enterprise.

Make sure you monitor your rule usage, especially if you’re on the Free or Standard plan.

Where to Learn More?

There are plenty of resources to help you become a Jira Automation pro. Two of the most reliable and community-oriented sources include:

🔹 Sparxsys Solutions

Sparxsys is a leading Atlassian solution partner that offers Jira training, consultation, and implementation services. Their blog and YouTube channel contain several tutorials on Jira Cloud Automation, often covering real-world scenarios. Whether you're looking for automation use cases or help with configurations, Sparxsys is a great place to start.

🔹 Ravi Sagar’s Blog

Ravi Sagar is a seasoned Jira expert and Atlassian Community Leader. His website hosts a vast array of articles, videos, and tutorials focused on Jira Cloud, automation, scripting, and best practices. Ravi breaks down complex topics into easy-to-understand content, making his site a go-to resource for both beginners and experienced Jira admins.

Final Thoughts

Jira Cloud Automation is a game-changer for teams looking to streamline workflows, reduce manual intervention, and enforce consistency across projects. With its intuitive rule builder and powerful logic capabilities, it puts the power of automation in the hands of every Jira user — not just developers.

Whether you're managing a small project or running large-scale enterprise operations, learning to leverage Jira Automation can significantly boost your team's efficiency. Start experimenting with rules today and explore trusted resources like Sparxsys and Ravi Sagar’s blog to level up your automation game.

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DoorDash - Dasher App Walkthrough from Matt Stark on Vimeo.

Client - DoorDash Director - Max Gold Producer - Pete Van Oot Art Director - Shasta Mattey Motion Designer - Matt Stark Sound Designer - Josh Ascalon Composer - Amanda Jones Voiceover - Antjuan Tobias Taylor

[haplogamingchef]

Expedition 33 Beginner Guide: Everything to Know Before You Start

Expedition 33 Game Mechanics Breakdown: A Clair Obscur Guide

Introduction

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG that stands apart with its original concept, rhythmic combat mechanics, and immersive world-building. Developed by the newly formed Sandfall Interactive, this game is poised to make a bold mark in the genre, combining strategic gameplay with an emotionally charged storyline. Whether you're new to RPGs or a seasoned player looking for something fresh, this guide will equip you with essential knowledge and tactical insights to get the most out of your journey. From understanding the core mechanics to optimizing your party and making impactful choices, this walkthrough is designed to help you confidently navigate your first playthrough of Expedition 33.

1. Understanding the Core Narrative of Expedition 33

At the heart of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lies a unique and thought-provoking premise. Each year, a mysterious figure known as the Paintress awakens and inscribes a new number on a sacred monolith. This number dictates the age at which individuals will mysteriously perish. In response, a group of those marked by that age sets out on a perilous expedition to confront the Paintress and break the cycle of annual death. In this installment, you join Expedition 33, composed entirely of individuals aged 33. Their mission is urgent and personal: prevent the cycle from descending to age 32 and spare future generations from an early fate.

This narrative framework is more than a backdrop—it's a central force shaping character motivations, world-building, and gameplay progression. Unlike many RPGs where the plot serves primarily as a vehicle for action, Expedition 33 weaves its themes of mortality, resistance, and legacy into every element of gameplay. As a result, understanding and engaging with the story isn’t optional—it’s vital to fully appreciating the game’s emotional and strategic depth.

2. Turn-Based Combat Meets Real-Time Precision

While Expedition 33 is rooted in traditional turn-based RPG mechanics, it introduces real-time elements that add depth and interactivity to each encounter. During your turn, executing attacks requires timed inputs—similar to rhythm games. Perfect timing results in enhanced damage, while missed prompts reduce effectiveness. This approach encourages active engagement in every move, turning even standard attacks into skill-based challenges.

Defense also demands attention. When enemies attack, players can choose to either dodge or parry. Dodging offers a wider timing window and helps you avoid incoming damage, but parrying—while harder to execute—enables powerful counterattacks if performed correctly. Mastering both offensive and defensive timing is crucial, especially during high-stakes battles. The rhythm-based dynamics make combat feel fast-paced and immersive, blending strategy with reflex-driven gameplay in a way that’s rare in turn-based systems.

3. Exploration Pays Off: Go Beyond the Main Path

While the main storyline offers a strong narrative, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 rewards those who venture off the beaten path. Optional content is abundant, including hidden storylines, side missions, character interactions, and rare gear. The game’s design encourages exploration through its layered environments and subtle cues, making detours both engaging and beneficial to gameplay progression.

Although it’s estimated to take about 60 hours to achieve 100% completion, a more focused playthrough centered on the main quest can significantly cut that time. Still, exploring the world not only enhances your understanding of the lore but can also unlock critical advantages in combat. Special items, skill-enhancing gear, and lore insights often await those who invest time in uncovering every corner of the game. For players who value immersion, exploration is essential—not optional.

4. The Break Bar Mechanic: Mastering Combat Flow

A key element in Expedition 33's combat system is the "Break Bar"—a tactical feature that adds another layer of strategy to battles. As you deal damage to enemies, their break bar fills. Once full, you can use specific abilities to break the bar, which temporarily stuns the enemy, rendering them unable to act on their next turn. This mechanic allows you to control the tempo of combat, opening windows to unleash high-damage combos or avoid devastating enemy attacks.

What makes the break bar system especially strategic is the ability to target enemy weak points. Using the game’s aim-based mechanics, you can focus your attacks on vulnerable spots to fill the break bar faster and trigger bonus effects. On higher difficulty settings, timing your damage to align with critical enemy actions—such as interrupting a major skill or avoiding overlapping enemy phases—becomes a key skill. Understanding how and when to trigger breaks can be the difference between a narrow victory and a crushing defeat.

5. Meaningful Player Choices and Narrative Impact

Unlike many RPGs where dialogue options often feel superficial, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 aims to make your decisions genuinely consequential. Throughout the game, players are faced with moral choices, character-driven decisions, and tactical dilemmas that can significantly alter the progression of the story and your relationships with other expeditioners. These aren't just cosmetic branches; they can lead to different outcomes, affecting the availability of certain quests, alliances, and even the fate of characters.

Because of this, it’s recommended to approach each decision thoughtfully. Choices can influence how your party evolves, what story paths unlock, and which characters stand by you in critical moments. This design encourages multiple playthroughs and provides a sense of agency rarely seen in modern RPGs. If you value narrative depth and story customization, Expedition 33 offers a framework that rewards careful decision-making.

6. Unique Combat Styles for Every Playable Character

Each member of Expedition 33 brings a distinct combat identity to the battlefield. Characters are not locked into fixed roles, but they start with unique mechanics that define their strategic value. For example, Gustav builds an "Overcharge" meter by dealing damage or parrying. Once charged, it powers up his skills, making him a versatile high-damage unit. Lon, on the other hand, applies “elemental stains” through casting, which she can then expend for boosted spells or status effects.

Mel introduces a stance-based system, letting her switch between offensive, defensive, and conditional modes that change her behavior mid-combat. Each stance alters how she gains resources or mitigates damage, offering dynamic options that reward adaptability. These core mechanics ensure that characters feel genuinely different from one another, and understanding their strengths is essential for building a balanced team.

7. Customization and Flexibility in Character Builds

What makes Expedition 33 particularly engaging is its commitment to player freedom through deep customization systems. Each character features a unique skill tree that can be tailored to your preferred combat style. Whether you want to build a glass cannon, a support healer, or a frontline tank, the system allows flexibility without compromising each character's thematic identity. This enables players to maintain their favorite characters in the party without sacrificing tactical diversity.

Gear customization further enhances this flexibility. Equipment affects stats, abilities, and even combat mechanics, offering additional avenues to optimize performance. Combined with the skill tree, this system supports both experimentation and specialization. Players can tweak builds to handle specific bosses, counter enemy types, or complement the rest of their team. The ability to mix and match roles ensures that no character is ever obsolete, promoting long-term investment in the entire cast.

8. Meet the Main Expeditioners

The core cast of Expedition 33 includes a diverse and narratively rich lineup. Each character not only plays differently in combat but also brings a unique perspective to the story. Gustav, a 33-year-old engineer, is the moral backbone of the group, motivated by a desire to protect the city’s future. Lon, also 33, is driven by intellectual curiosity and a need to uncover the truth behind the Paintress. Myel, only 16, approaches the expedition with youthful enthusiasm and a longing for adventure, offering a lighter contrast to the others’ grim resolve.

Seiel, a former farmer turned teacher, brings philosophical depth and emotional resilience to the party. Lastly, Monaco, a mysterious creature of unknown age and origin, embraces combat as a spiritual practice. These characters aren't just functional; they are thoughtfully developed, contributing to the game’s themes of mortality, purpose, and legacy. Their personal arcs intertwine with the central narrative, providing additional layers of engagement beyond the mechanics.

9. Embrace the Immersion: Audio, Atmosphere, and Storytelling

One of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's standout features is its immersive worldbuilding. The game leverages a compelling audiovisual experience to deepen your connection to the story. From sweeping orchestral scores to ambient sound design, the soundtrack is meticulously crafted to enhance emotional beats and heighten tension during battles. Players are encouraged to experience the game with high-quality sound for the full effect—headphones are highly recommended.

Storytelling is delivered through a combination of in-engine cinematics, environmental cues, and voiced dialogues. The presence of well-known voice actors adds authenticity to character interactions, making dialogue sequences engaging rather than skippable. If you typically skip cutscenes, this is a title where slowing down and paying attention will enhance your gameplay and narrative understanding. Fully immersing yourself in the atmosphere will turn your playthrough from just another RPG session into a memorable journey.

10. A Fresh Studio with Big Ambitions

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 marks the debut release from Sandfall Interactive, a new studio composed of experienced developers—many of whom are former Ubisoft team members. Despite being a first title, the game exudes polish and ambition rarely seen from unproven studios. The developers aim to revive the golden era of turn-based RPGs by combining modern design principles with classic gameplay depth, reminiscent of titles like Persona 3 and Final Fantasy VIII.

What sets this studio apart is its willingness to take creative risks. From its narrative concept to its hybrid combat system, Expedition 33 signals a shift away from formulaic AAA game design. This isn’t just another nostalgic throwback—it’s a reimagining of what turn-based RPGs can look and feel like in today’s gaming landscape. With strong early impressions and a clear design vision, Sandfall Interactive has positioned itself as a serious new player in the genre.

Conclusion: Prepare for a Turn-Based Journey Like No Other

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 delivers a refreshing take on the turn-based RPG formula, blending traditional mechanics with rhythmic gameplay, deep narrative arcs, and immersive world design. Whether you're here for the strategic combat, the character-driven story, or the beautifully crafted environments, this game offers something substantial for every kind of player.

As a new IP from a fresh studio, its ambition is matched by its polish. With a thoughtful approach to gameplay depth, narrative stakes, and character customization, Expedition 33 sets a high bar for modern RPGs. Use this guide as your starting point to navigate its challenges and uncover its many layers. Whether you're aiming to master its combat system or lose yourself in its lore, there’s a fulfilling adventure waiting ahead.

🎮 Level 99 Kitchen Conjurer | Crafting epic culinary quests where every dish is a legendary drop. Wielding spatulas and controllers with equal mastery, I'm here to guide you through recipes that give +10 to flavor and +5 to happiness. Join my party as we raid the kitchen and unlock achievement-worthy meals! 🍳✨ #Gaming #Haplo Gaming Cook #Gaming Chef #Gaming Cook

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