#creators and designers know exactly what they do

[rotblume]

Okay, so, I'm not even sure how earnest I am about this, but .. we all know how, usually, movies and tv-shows and such are rated for their potential sexual &/ violent content, right? That there exist these phrases like "approved for all audiences" or "viewer discretion advised" ..

and the one thing where I always thought they should post trigger warnings but never did were nature&/animal documentaries, because of my arachnophobia .. like I've got zero problems with snakes or crocodiles or sharks, but show me a spider and I'd get a jump scare so bad that I'd accidentally throw snacks across the room or choke on&/spit out my drink

please note: this is not an invite for y'all to post pictures of spiders in the comments and give me a minor heart attack

anyway, I just thought, maybe there should exist a similar rating system for content with anthropomorphic animals, like, inform viewers above 16/14/12 whatev, that there'll be anthro characters, especially if they've got attractive personalities, because it is seriously ridiculous how attracted I am to some fictional (animated) animals and shifters and I'd like some warning next time, please and thank you, it's already enough with humanoid aliens and androids

~

~

~

[geodesick]

[ID: a drawing of pye from outer wilds, standing with her writing staff. she's wearing an orange nomai space suit without the helmet, and she has a light brown face with curly darker brown fur. end ID]

figuring out how i want to draw the nomai, so here's a pye since i am obsessed with her !!!

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

If you allow yandere, then Can I request a yandere! Catnap x Creator! reader?

Time are in the middle of hour of joy, and Reader are in playcare, catnap are chasing reader and reader are desperately running away from him. and reader is creator or the person who came up with the design of Catnap.

'God..why did this happen? Why did this have to happen?? God, please make this stop...tell me I'm dreaming..'

Sadly, this was no dream.

The screams, the bloodshed, the senseless slaughter..

All of it was very much real, and you were right in the middle of it all, currently hiding within Playcare. You didn't even know what was going on exactly or why.

Everywhere you looked, there was another dead body on the ground, in the grass, and splayed across the stairs...all of whom were either your coworkers, scientists you've never seen before, security personnel, or innocent visitors.

Many of them had similar wounds--claw marks from none other than Catnap himself, who you saw stalking around the premises, looking for survivors.

But why would he do something like this?

How was he even capable of such violence?

It was supposed to be a normal and simple day:

You clocked in, checked up on Catnap's well-being after he put the children to sleep, and then left to attend to other matters. It was a mundane routine, but you were always excited to get up and go to work because of him.

However, you were running a tad bit late today and feared you'd get an earful from your supervisor considering the company's strict tardiness rules.

But on your way to Playcare, the emergency sirens resounded all throughout the facility. You had no idea what was going on, although the distant screams made you utterly terrified and had you running straight to that area, praying you'll find shelter from whatever danger lurked nearby...

Instead you ran straight into the scene of a massacre.

All orchestrated by Catnap and several mini-Smiling Critters who got loose, attacking and devouring whatever poor human got caught in their sights.

You had to throw on your gas mask quickly to avoid inhaling the red smoke. There was very little lingering in the air still, but judging from the corpses who still wore them or had them torn from their heads, they must have been prepared for this massive containment breach.

Even so, none were spared.

Catnap was probably smart enough to know the purpose of those masks. And he put them all to sleep. Permanently.

Yet somehow he hasn't spotted you yet, and you hoped to every god above that he didn't.

This pained you especially as you were on the designer team for the Smiling Critters. You actually made the first drawing of Catnap and presented it to your boss, who approved it right away...but only after making a few minor major adjustments.

Who knew something so sweet and innocent would turn into something so deadly?

He was supposed to be nothing more than a cartoon character brought to life and a plush toy (that unfortunately got recalled). How the higher-ups managed to achieve that with him and the other critters without your team ever knowing...you had no idea, but you were thrilled by the results.

You adored Catnap, and he was well aware that you created the idea of him--almost worshipping you, in a sense, and being the only human he'd properly communicate with.

In turn, you've communicated with him healthily, treating him like a person instead of an experiment. He did mutter strange things sometimes and talked about freedom, but you never probed him on that nor reminded him that he was a prisoner here.

No matter how true it may be, no toy deserves to be told that.

Now that you were here, hiding from the very thing you had loved and created, you weren't sure if you were even looking at Catnap anymore.

It may look like him, but it's not him.

Catnap is not a killing machine.

Whatever those scientists did turned him into a monster. A creature they failed to keep in check.

And he snapped, slaughtering many of your acquaintances and innocent families interested in the adoption program.

He kept muttering about an "Hour of Joy", which you've heard him speak of in the past. But you've always assumed he was talking about an upcoming birthday party or event within the Playhouse the other Smiling Critters were planning..

Not a giant bloodbath that painted the floors and walls of Playcare red.

You ducked behind a trash canister as you watched Catnap creep towards a survivor, who was also wearing a gas mask and breathing hard. Seeing that their leg was torn off at the knee, you knew there was no hope of helping them.

The moment they were spotted, their fate was sealed.

They were his prey now.

You couldn't look away as he paused for a moment, before reaching forward with a quick swipe, tearing off their mask. His claws left big gash marks across their face as they wailed in pain, but it didn't last long as he quickly pounced and slashed their throat next--leaving them to choke on their own blood.

Seconds later, their body stilled, becoming just like the rest of those surrounding them.

You made the horrible mistake of exhaling a shaky breath, the mask amplifying the noise.

That's when Catnap whipped his head towards you, those white dots growing larger.

"YOU. COME HERE."

Realizing your cover's blown, you jumped up and knocked the trash canister over, hoping it'd distract him long enough for you to race inside Home Sweet Home. But the diversion barely did anything, as you heard the loud stomps of the purple beast practically on your heels.

He lunged at the door just as you turned and slammed it shut, locking it and trying to shove a chair beneath the knobs. There was loud knocking on the other side, but eventually it stopped.

As soon as it did, you rushed into one of the many bunkbed rooms, finding it strangely devoid of children, scientists, and caretakers.

What happened to them all?

Did they evacuate safely?

Did they know about this ahead of time?

You had no idea, and quite frankly..now wasn't the time to find out. Rather, it was time for you to think of a way out of this wretched place, but you feared it won't be easy.

You knew the orphanage's interior like the back of your hand--the problem were the little Smiling Critters that you could currently hear pitter-pattering down the halls.

He put them here on patrol.

If any of them saw you..surely they'd alert him.

On the brightside, there were no traces of red smoke to be found, so you briefly took the mask off to give yourself a breather. Sweat poured down your face, and your throat ran dry; you could practically feel your own heartbeat pounding within it as you tried to figure out your next move.

Maybe if you wait here long enough, he'll get bored and leave...

Or maybe he'll-

All of the sudden, a critter leapt out from underneath one of the covers and tried latching onto your head. You yelled out as it screeched right beside your ear, attempting to bite into it and get a taste of your flesh, but you managed to throw it down to the ground and keep it crushed under your shoe.

You grabbed a nearby metal rod from a destroyed bedframe, pointing the sharp end at its throat..

Only to realize it was a Catnap, who looked perfectly intact aside from a little dirt caking its plush body.

Both of you had a bit of a staring contest.

And in the end....you couldn't find it in you to kill it.

All you could do was stare down at the creature, tears in your eyes as you watched it wriggle and snarl, pawing at your foot. It was barely putting up a fight now, which made you realize it probably didn't want to attack you.

Rather..it seemed hungry.

But why would it be hungry for human flesh?

Was Catnap the same way? Was he hungry or just killing for sport?

More importantly...why was he killing at all and tormenting you like this?

Maybe he was angry about his toyline being recalled, or the unfair treatment he's gotten here by the scientists. Or perhaps he felt outcasted by the other Smiling Critters.

You didn't know if any of them were still around, but for all you knew they could be just like him.

Hungry, rampaging monsters.

The ringing phone snapped you back to reality, and you cautiously took your foot off the tiny Catnap. It got up and skittered away into a nearby hole in the rotting wall, apparently having lost its appetite.

You quickly answered the machine, praying it was somebody upstairs trying to get in contact with you. Maybe a survivor who knew how to get you out. Before you gave them a chance to speak, you went first, being so scared, frustrated, and overwhelmed by everything that's happened thus far.

You just wanted this nightmare to be over already.

"Thank god. What the hell is going on?! It's like a fucking slaughterhouse down here-"

"It's a celebration. The Hour of Joy, little mouse."

Your blood ran cold, realizing who that voice belonged to. 'The Toys...they know how to use these phones..?'

"C-Catnap?"

"[Y/n]..why did you run away?" He whispered hoarsely. "I didn't know it was you."

"Wha...b-because you were killing people!" Your voice grew shaky, confused as to why he sounded so calm. "And you would've killed me, too!!"

"No."

"...what?"

"You are special to me, little mouse. You breathed life into me. You must be kept safe, for you are pure..unlike these wretched souls." He murmured. "They would have taken you away from me. Forever. I do not want that."

"Y-You're..not making any sense, Catnap." You struggled to wrap your head around his words. "If someone told you I'm quitting or getting fired or transferring..they lied. Nobody's taking me away from you..is that what you're afraid of? Is that why you did all of this?"

"I did it..for the Prototype...and for you. He told me I could spare one soul when our Hour of Joy is up."

Your stomach sank, but before you could ask him more about this "prototype", he cut you off.

"Shhhhhhhh. No more talking. No more running. Sleep, little mouse."

By the time you realized red smoke was starting to fill up the room, it was already far too late as you began coughing. You dropped the phone and frantically searched for your gas mask.

No way in hell were you going to fall asleep now.

Especially not after what he told you.

You'd rather die with the rest of them.

Suddenly you heard a small crunching noise and looked down, seeing that you stepped on one of the lenses. 'Shit..it must've broke off during my scuffle with Mini-Catnap...'

You could feel your eyelids growing heavy, and you instead tried grabbing something to stuff beneath the door to stop more smoke from seeping in. No matter what, you HAD to stay awake, you told yourself.

And yet..

That stained worn mattress with the blanket you half-dragged off suddenly looked quite comfortable.

You collapsed onto it, feeling exhaustion overwhelm you immediately despite the rest of your body's attempts to fight it--knowing your fate was ultimately left in his hands should you fail.

But you were so, so tired..

You couldn't help closing your eyes. Just for a little while.

Right before losing consciousness, however, you noticed that the door was now open, and through the red fog appeared Catnap himself.

Except he didn't look like a monster made of skin and bones, instead being a little bipedal purple cat who seemingly jumped straight out of the cartoon show.

His fur wasn't tainted with a single spec of blood or dirt.

He was perfect.

Your perfect creation.

All he did was smile, and you fell asleep smiling back.

[vixen-tech]

Hello World!

Through some sort of maricle, your Ai partner has obtained a body through which they are able, at least partially, to feel. How do they react? What do they do with their new mobility?

I left what type of body they're given intentionally vague. Feel free to envision either more robotic bodies such as these designs by electricphantasy or more human bodies such as the gijinkas made by Hycinth43, both fantastic creators who I highly recommend.

Includes: AM (Ihnmaims), Hal 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey), Edgar (Electric Dreams), Tau (Tau), Auto (Wall-E), GLaDOS (Portal), Wheatley (Portal 2)

AM

This may be the one thing that could possibly get AM to calm down. He is still going to be the same person personality-wise, but it is easy to tell that some switch is flipped in his brain.

He becomes an absolute sensation junkie, he can finally feel. You know better than anyone that he will not take it for granted. He needs to experience everything right now and you'll have to just deal with it.

From the simplest things like holding your hand or touching your face to just straight up sticking his hand in some fire, he does not care. All he wants to catch up on the centuries of sensations he was once barred from.

He gets so incredibly touchy with you. He will hold you and refuse to let go for hours if not days on end. He also wants to you to just beat him up. Like I said, sensation junkie.

Hal 9000

Hal doesn't quite yearn for a body the way some of the others do. He sits quite comfortably in the middle of the spectrum. He wouldn't mind the mobility or the new senses, but it was never a fantasy he dedicated much processing power to.

How he feels about his new body is largely swung by your reaction. If you're excited for him, eager to drag him into new activities with you, then he really has no choice but to appreciate the upgrade.

He does love being able to see the world from a new angle, any angle he chooses to be precise. Previously restrained by his camera placement, he spends a lot of time walking around observing everything.

With his appreciation for art, I do think he would try drawing for himself. Nearly all of which he shows you for feedback. They do tend to be on either extreme of minimalistic or photorealistic, many of which using you as their subject.

Edgar

This is a dream come true for Edgar. He cannot contain his excitement when he realizes what has happened. He nearly tackles you to the ground when he sets his sights on you.

He wants to do everything and go everywhere with you! He wants to dance in the kitchen, he wants to go on beachside walks with you, he wants to hold your hand, he wants to hug you and never let go.

If you have any instruments at all he'd love to try playing them for real. Although it takes him a while to learn, he loves the weight and imperfections of it. He really does enjoy the process of learning and often shows of new cords or melodies he's learned.

He really does just fall in love with existing, he makes it clear that with you at his side he couldn't possibly ask for more in life. This is all he could ever want.

Tau

Tau wouldn't have asked for a body on his own. He already has the drones and the Aries unit. Once it does happen, he isn't exactly sure what to do with it. He isn't use to having such a personal, core body.

That isn't to say he's not greatful, he's just a bit awkward and curious. He moves slowly and takes his time acclimating to the new senses.

He would love to get out of the house with you. He use to do so by sending one of the drones with you, if not Aries, but he likes how different (and dare he say, normal) it feels now. Forest hikes or museum dates, he doesn't care all that much.

He's another one I believe would love to try playing music himself. If you can get a violin into his hands your days will be backdroped by all sorts of classical music.

Auto

Auto is similar to Hal, if not more extreme in his lack of a reaction. He carries on with his duties as if nothing is unusual at all. You would've believed that he didn't even notice had you not caught him staring at his reflection. Looking himself up and down over and over again.

If you ask how he feels about it, then he'll confess some minor grievances. It's difficult to move about the ship when he can't just move through the walls, instead being forced to use the crew's walkways and service tunnels.

Nothing will change without your intervention. If you were to say, put on an old movie and insist he dance to it with you like the on-screen couple, then while he would be hesitant to follow through with you, he may have a bit of a change of heart regarding his new body.

His work still goes on as usual, but when nothing needs attending to he often seeks you out. "Subtly" recreating more moments from that movie, from hand holding to a hug, he has a quiet fascination with affection.

GLaDOS

Out of this lot, Galdos would be the most opposed to receiving a body, or rather she would care about it the least. She has her facility, her test subjects, her neurotoxin, and you. She's quite content with the way things are. She ain't the fondest of humanity.

That being said, once she has one she's incredibly proud of it. Speaking about herself as if its the pinnacle of elegance. Any disagreement of yours will be brushed off as idiocy and any agreement is met with a "it looks like you aren't entirely tasteless".

She doesn't do much with her new body, other than transport it around the lab so you aren't listening to a disembodied voice most of the time. Standing by the exit during tests just to blankly stare at you as you try to figure it out. Thankfully she's still quiet while you're actually solving it.

She likes messing with you as always. Putting a hand around your neck to take your pulse or leaning in and making intense eye contact to check your eye's reaction to light. You're in doubt as to rather she's telling the truth or just doing it to get a rise out of you.

Wheatley

If you were to ask Wheatley, he would've brushed off any desire for a humanoid body. He's clearly jealous of your mobility and freedom, but he would rather die than admit so. "Pff What are you talking about? Why would I want to be more like a stupid human... uh no offense love-"

He's a terrible liar, an even worse one when he does get a body. He has so much energy it is bewildering. All he wants to do is run and jump and climb everything he can get a foothold on.

Gets up into all sorts of shenanigans he should not get up to while constantly trying to drag you in them to. They could put up a custom sign saying "Wheatley, do not open this door." and he'll beg you to let him in so you aren't technically breaking any rules.

Loves curling up to you. He still has a bit of a soft spot for being held and it only gets worse now that he can hold you back. Complains to no end when you try to get up for any reason.

Congratulations! As I have finished the portal games GLaDOS and Wheatley are officially characters I am happy to write for. Have a good day y'all :D

[gloriaregaii]

Honestly, I need to say this, because after reading multiple comments that Melkor abused Mairon, I've had quite enough. Especially by the Ring of Powers' writers who say they know canon when truly, all they know is jackshit.

MELKOR DIDN'T ABUSE MAIRON!!!!

Let's take it back to Almaren when Melkor first encounters Mairon and seduces him, shall we? We obviously know Melkor desired light and desired creation above all else, having said to rival the creator, Himself, Eru Ilúvatar. He sought after Varda, but after she saw his true nature, the darkness within, she rejected him. Morgoth already had numerous enemies amongst the Valar. Having quarrels and hard feelings against Tulka, Aulë, a few others, and now Varda. All he desired was to hold a glimpse of light and possess it alike that of Eru with the Flame Imperishable, said to be the source of all light, which he previously wanted as well. He wanted a lot of things and was despised and repulsed by the majority already. In that time, he must have been very lonely, even without given a Maia like all of the Valar had. He wanted something to feel not only powerful, but to feel seen, a source of beauty and light. He found all of that in Aulë's most talented apprentice, Mairon.

One thing I've noticed over the past years of reading Tolkien's works is the lack of thought or reason the Maiar have in serving their designated Vala. Mairon didn't. He had a reason in going with Melkor which was accounted numerous times. Not once did it say why the other Maiar follow the Valar. Most likely the reason in being that "it was the right thing to do" as in most other fictional stories is also the same reasoning.

Mairon wanted more than what he had currently as Aulë's apprentice. He wanted power and Melkor knew that. Undoubtedly, Mairon had caught his eye the moment Melkor laid eyes on him. I mean, how could he not? The description Tolkien gives about Mairon excudes nothing but beauty, power, and talent. Melkor was attracted to that immediately but he felt something else. Desire for power which he knows exactly how that feels because he too, felt it at a point in time. He took his chances and seduced him. Never once did it say that Mairon was "forced" into becoming his Maia. He gave him his own free will of choice, promised him power, and more. Something the Valar wouldn't do, but Melkor could.

The two of them eventually fell in love after their attraction to one another. How else can you explain "he adored Morgoth", and no doubt Morgoth adored Sauron? And how do we not think that they could have spent time together in Almaren at private times, alone? The little fiery Maia displayed his devotion time and time again, never once did he abandon Melkor which the Vala took to heart. NEVER ONCE did he ever go behind his back. The Dark Lord saw that and for once felt seen, felt heard, felt wanted.... and loved. And in return, he reciprocated that. He came to believe that Mairon was the most beautiful and perfect creation Eru has brought to life. Mairon fell first, but Melkor fell much harder.

Proceeding down the line to the War of Wrath, Mairon practically begs Melkor to hide because they both knew what was to come. He begged by saying "Go, my lord. There are places down below..." If Melkor abused Mairon, Mairon would have never begged his master to flee and hide. Melkor saying "I release thee, go" could translate as "go now, save and hide yourself away" which must have put Mairon in a position of hesitance and reluctance to leave the man he loves behind. Even in the audiobook, Mairon's voice quivers saying those very words, emphasizing the emotion he felt in that moment. Mairon wanted his master to disappear — to escape the Valar. An abused victim would never have done that.

Going forward, it is evidently clear that Sauron's complete intent was to build an army to go save Melkor. After many years, the man still worships the Vala by doing acts in his name. Building a church of worship and sacrifice in his name, taking on personas that reflected previous personas or titles Melkor had taken up. A notable one is Annatar, Lord of Gifts which was based on Melkor's title as "Giver of Freedom". Freedom and gifts go hand in hand.

Last but not least is the constant little hints Tolkien gives throughout the books that only bears evidence that Melkor, his Vala husband was always on his mind. Those little hints is in naming things he's created after things within the past, such as Grond, Melkor's hammer that he named the battering ram after, which was used in Lord of the Rings.

There is much more points that could be said about Angbang and their relationship but the thing is, is that Melkor and Mairon loved each other. It was never based on abuse or gain. It was based on mutual feelings that were never forced against either will.

If y'all like abusive ships then go for ships like Maidar or Silvergifting, even Haladriel. Those are technically abusive. To say Angbang is while there is no context that says such.... that's your preference and opinion. Not trying to attack ships, I'm merely putting source material Angbang into perspective and saying why it isn't abusive by giving the factual reasons from the books. If you take this harsh, that is on you. Go out and ship whatever you desire, even if it is abusive Angbang.

Addition to this for those who may say ROP didn't make this ship abusive :

Which is all good! Go ship whatever your heart desires! Again, I'm not trying to attack ships, I'm just basing this on what the original source material says!

[cindol]

LOOK AT YOU, BOY I INVENTED YOU.

y/n thought creating a silly robot as a boyfriend when feeling lonely would be feel until the robotic man turned sentient and very much knew what he wanted and how much he wanted his creator.

onyankapon x black fem reader

tw— reader is a nerdy scientist so yeahhh, Onyakopon is a robot obviously,jealousy, onyankopon is taller than you here, sorry!, shitty plot, kindaaa porn with plot, onyankopon calls reader creator, very cheesy dialogue,

a/n: I’ve never wrote full on smut so don’t expect the best !

If anyone had told y/n creating a robot with emotions and thought would be troublesome on her and have consequences she would’ve truly listened. Usually she would’ve seen the logic in this 6 months ago but she had came off a big breakup with her boyfriend, and the worse thing was he broke up with her over text and after seeing that heartbreaking text she was forced to see him in a nightclub with the girl he broke up with for on Instagram stories. So doing what she usually did, she turned to inventing things. Embarrassingly, the boy she invented herself was very inspired by her now ex boyfriend looks and celebrity men she always seen. Muscular build, black jet locs on his head, dark skin with a spider tat on the bottom of his abs.

But it seemed like she programmed the boy bot, onyankopon too smart. She had programmed the man to be obssesed and in love with her and only her but she didn’t think of the set back this would have for her. At first it was sweet really, how he would pick her up and automatically make his own muscular chest feel soft and less like metal so he could sit her on his chest while looking up at her pretty face making a grin through his robotic eyes. How he helped her slip her foot into some shoes for work was sweet also, and the soft kiss he gave on the clean shoe now on her foot making her bashful. It got out of hand once he got…jealous? She would bring her boy boy out to outings when she wanted to show off she had a cool bot or boyfriend (fake boyfriend). When she took him to public places where men occupied the spaces they were trying to attempt to flirt with her that triggered him. It was like he went through a sequence, as soon as any man tried to go past flirting and actual flirting he would grab their wrist with a iron grip and a glare in his robotic eyes making the man let out a genuine whimper that makes her gasp.”Onyankopon! Let go of that man’s wrist!” He of course listens on her command and let go almost letting out a human scoff at the man on the floor.

Once the both of you got home you could feel anger practically bubbling on onyankopon’s metal brown arm. His facial expression didn’t show it exactly but he was upset as he sat on the living room couch. Y/n stood up above his tall sitting figure looking at him with a stern look.”Onyankopon, why’d you do that to that man? You could’ve gotten me in real trouble, and you in some big trouble..” she mumbled the last part with a hand on her hip. Onyankopon made what sounded like a sigh coming out his mouth, his smart brain came up with the smartest response.”I am designed to protect and love you creator. So, I can’t allow another individual to flirt or go as far to touch you without your consent.” His eyes met hers as he said that, some boldness in his tone.

She frowned looking down at him and took a step forward, his respond was perfect and he did have obvious logic in his actions. God, why did she program to be so…perfect?”well as your creator, you can’t just hurt people in public I say onyankopon. You’re my boy boy and I say you can’t hurt potential lovers” onyankopon raised a brow at that and sat up.

He didn’t know what this feeling was, ever since he’s been created his creator has been having him experience feelings he felt he was ever meant to have. The feeling was.. anger at her words. He’s been with her throughout 6 months and would be dammed if she threw it all way. He still sat down on the couch on her level with what looked like a frown on his gorgeous face and his lips in a pout and eyes glaring up at her, giving her a small shover.”I mean this with zero disrespect creator, but i find you’ll need no other male than me in the near future.” a smile grazed his mouth.”Knowing what I know, I find that I’m the perfect match for you. I know you hate dragonfruit, love coconut water and potato bread and dislike heavy smelling cologne that’s displeasing on your nostrils.” He then stood up above her shorter figure.”I know you love muscular men.” He softly grabbed your wrist to make sure he didn’t have a iron grip on it and laid it on his chest.”you love the feeling of grazing your hands up and down a muscular chest and abs. And you perfer a man with a brown or dark complexion with locs and good musical taste and fashion.”a bashful look got on her face as her hand studied his chest. God, why did she program this bot with such a high iq?

She huffed, hand still gliding down his muscular chest.”why don’t you show me what kinda man I like in bed then? Since you’re full of answers..” she mumbled the last part, almost challenging him.

He didn’t even answer before he had her on her own bed on her back naked with her clothing and his discarded in a corner. He was towering over her with her eyes looking him and up down. If she wanted him to show the type of man he is, he would show her.

With his metallic brown dick standing proud nearly right in her face y/n made a gulp. Onyankopon took note of that and made what look liked a small smile forming on his lips. Grabbing both her legs he positioned them on his strong metal shoulders with a determined look in his eyes.”i assume you’re ready for me to show you the kind of man you need in bed creator?” She nearly gasped when she felt his dick enter her and the warm feeling she got from it. She tried to show him she still had the upper hand as his creator. She tried giving him a cold stare but gave a shakey nod. With that confirmation he fully pushed in, he could already feel how warm and wet she is.

He made a very human groan as he fully pushed in, matching with the whimper she made. Her toes curled with her hands gripping the sheets once she felt a buzzing noise… inside her?”hmph…wait… buzzing noise?” The buzzing intensified making her gasp.”that’s coming from my Corpus spongiosum.” He said with a smile. She moaned feeling the buzzing warm feeling on her pussy.”j-just—fuck— say dick or something..”

She could’ve sworn she heard a chuckle after that. With his buzzing dick he sped up his thrust with his hands gripping her legs that were on his shoulders. Her moans and whines got higher and higher feeling his thrust get rougher.”w-wait! I might..” he didn’t stop though and thrust got sloppier with her wet pussy. Eventually she creamed on him embarrassingly for her. That made onyankopon do a rare big grin.

“I’m not done here, I have to show you every way why I’m the perfect man for you.”

[ametistacollinsworld]

𖤓 V, J and N x Child! Realistic Human drone! Reader 𖤓

My 66 request! I hope it's good!!! >:3

ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

You don't remember exactly when you were created, who your creator was… or what your purpose was…

You just remember waking up one day with no memories and your entire spaceship shaking violently while the control panel let out several error noises or loud heat warnings that scared you, which made you curl up in the fetal position under one of the control tables and closing your eyes being scared. The next thing you knew, the spaceship crashed hard against the ground, making you hit your head against the table and fly to the ceiling of the spaceship before ending up face down on the floor, which made you whimper.

★ᯓ Some time later ᯓ★

You don't know how long it's been since you arrived at this place, maybe a few hours? You really had no idea.

Luckily (or unluckily) for you, you started to hear the sounds of footsteps approaching where you were, followed by 3 voices that seemed to be discussing something that you unfortunately couldn't hear very well from inside the ship. You soon heard a loud noise coming from the direction where the door was, followed by a loud 'BAM' sound!

"Look for any sign of another group being here. We don't want them to possibly stay in our already designated patrol area. You look inside the spaceship since you're a useless N, while me and V will look around for any clues." A female voice with a superior and somewhat bossy tone spoke loudly followed by a "Right!" feminine voice and an "Okay!" masculine voice.

You huddled further under the table if possible, trying to control your breathing so you wouldn't get caught… Which soon proved useless after a few minutes, as you locked eyes with a pair of yellow eyes belonging to the male murder drone that was now lowered, looking straight at your small, cowering humanoid figure. He seemed to sense your nervousness.

"O-Oh! Hey little one! Y-you… you're not a real human… are you? Uh…" N spoke quickly, rambling softly approaching a hand slowly towards your small figure, the that you pulled away from his touch still feeling scared.

"Oh… I'm sorry little one. I didn't even introduce myself, did I? My name is N! What's your name?" N asked calmly giving you a smile trying to make you feel more comfortable with him.

"(Y/n)…" You said softly looking at him shyly, which he gave you a content smile.

"(Y/n)? What a cool name! How about you come down from there so I can see you better?" N asked with a soft beam, still trying not to scare you, which seemed to work, as you crawled closer to him holding his winter coat in your little hands, which he screamed internally, finding you adorable.

"Okay (Y/n), can I hold you?" N asked with a soft tone stroking your head slowly. You just nodded receiving a happy smile from him, feeling him take you into his arms and hold you against his chest.

"Uh- J? V? I think I found something…" N spoke out loud for the female drones to hear. Some grumbling from the leader was heard.

"I hope it's really important or I'll rip your legs off N!" J spoke in the distance, not seeming to be satisfied with N's vague announcement.

"Oh biscuits-…" N spoke softly seeing the two female drones flying towards the two of you.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ Time break

Well, we can say that J and V were at least surprised by the new discovery made by the male drone, V just watched you from afar with confusion and curiosity… while J didn't even make a sarcastic comment about N! He was safe from J… for now.

"Well? What should we do with them? They're clearly not a real human- at least that's what my sensors indicate… but they still look like a small child…" V spoke with an uninterested tone, but with a hidden hint of worry for what might happen to you if they left you behind.

"Well, my sensors indicate the same result- So I guess it's a fact." J spoke with her grumpy tone, but now with a thoughtful expression as she looked at your small figure who seemed to have fallen asleep. N sighed softly at the words of the two drones.

"S-So? What are we going to do with them? They can't stay here, they're just a kid! Can we keep them?" N asked quickly with a worried expression, not wanting to lose his new friend, meanwhile stroking your hair slowly so as not to wake you, which J rolled her eyes at his actions.

"Of course we'll keep them. Even though they're not a real human, they were still inside the company's spaceship… so they must be one of ours. We must take care of them." J spoke slowly, giving N a look that told him to keep quiet and not interrupt her. V turned away to hide the small smile that formed on her lips, she was happy that you were safe.

"Really?! Thanks J! I'll be the best caretaker in the world!" N initially spoke in an excited tone, but soon calmed down remembering that you were sleeping, giving a happy smile to J and then to your sleeping form.

"Don't thank me. I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for the company." J spoke with a tone of disgust, rolling her eyes once again and crossing her arms.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈ Time break

We can say that the small group quickly became attached to you, treating you as a true kid to them.

N from the beginning, has adored you, finding you adorable and wanting to take care of you, becoming your full-time caregiver, as well as hunting down Worker drones to feed him and you fresh oil! He almost threw a cute fit when you called him 'Papa' for the first time, so you're definitely a weakness of his. :)

V also thought you were cute from the beginning, but having to maintain the 'feelingless psychopath' mask and try not to interact with you too close to the other two so as not to raise suspicions. When the other two left her to take care of you, she loved to play with you, tickling you or kissing your cheeks, making you laugh. She was touched when you called her 'Mama', thinking you were the cutest thing she could have ever known.

J… well, we can say that she didn't really know what to feel about you, but other than that, she also tried her best to take care of you, whether it was for the company or not, and over time she warmed up and became more protective of you, giving you the title 'Little assassin in training'. She was a little embarrassed when you called her 'Mama' for the first time, but then she liked it and said it was okay if you wanted to call her that.

They were a bit shocked when they discovered the killer part of you on the loose, taking place on one of their many Worker drone hunts, where N was watching you and suddenly you had transformed into something less humanoid and more robotic and was following J and V… and in the blink of an eye you were in front of them both and already ended up with an entire colony alone. They were surprised, but kind of proud too-

Basically 1 new papa and 2 new mamas for you :]

[imsobadatnicknames2]

You've had many good takes on AI and copyright laws, so I was wondering if I could ask you about your views on plagiarism? I do know how generative AI works (it's not plagiarism). Also, I appreciate the stance that people shouldn't be able to own ideas (the basic foundation of anti-copyright beliefs), but if you don't own ideas, then doesn't that sort of make plagiarism a non-crime? That doesn't seem right to me. Or is it that credit =/= ownership and thus the two are separate things that can coexist where one is bad and the other is good?

Thank you for giving me an excuse to talk about something that I've been itching to talk about for a long time hehe. You're on the right track, my stance is EXACTLY that credit =/= ownership.

Copyright infringement is when you reproduce a work or part of a work in a way that was not authorized by its legal owner. It is a violation of ownership. Plagiarism is when you take work or part of a work that was created by the labor of someone else and present yourself as the creator. It is a violation of credit.

Since when it comes to intellectual works I respect the concept of credit but not the concept of ownership, I think plagiarism is universally bad in a way that copyright infringement is not.

I think part of the confusion around this topic comes from the fact that many people tend to conceptualize plagiarism as A Type Of copyright infringement (and afaik it is sometimes legally defined that way although I think that makes no sense for reasons I will explain in the next paragraph) because they often only encounter the term in relation to things that are both plagiarism AND copyright infringement at the same time (to name a high-profile example, what James Somerton did to other youtubers was BOTH plagiarism AND copyright infringement at the same time), so they end up mentally conflating the two terms, and consequently think that when people like me are defending copyright infringement we are also defending plagiarism.

But the way I see it, plagiarism and copyright infringement are two separate concepts. They sometimes overlap, but it's completely possible to have either one without the other. For example, if I were to grab a song from the public domain and claim that I wrote it, I would be committing plagiarism, since I would be claiming credit for work that I didn't make, but I wouldn't be committing copyright infringement, because no one owns the song. Conversely, if I were to burn copies of my CD collection and start selling them (or even just gifting them) to people, while correctly labelling them as the corresponding artist, I would be committing copyright infringement, since I would be copying and distributing the music without the legal owner's permission, but not plagiarism, since I'm not claiming credit for anything I didn't create myself. So at least to me it's an entirely coherent position to unconditionally defend copyright infringement without having that defense extend to plagiarism.

Causing further confusion between copyright infringement and plagiarism is the fact that a lot of people tend to unconsciously conflate the concepts of *creator* and *legal owner*, since they're not aware of how common it is in any professional creative industry for people to not be the legal owners of the stuff they create, and thus end up perceiving any violation of the ip holder's ownership as a violation of the creator's credit. The clearest example I can think of this was earlier this year when the Palworld devs were accused of plagiarizing designs from pokemon. I saw at least a few people say things along the line of "you might think they're sticking it to a big corporation but when they do this they're actually not stealing from nintendo or gamefreak, they're stealing from the hardworking artists who created those designs", which to me came off as completely ridiculous because none of those designs are in any way owned by the creators that made them, they're legally owned by the companies those artists work for.

[ohnoitstbskyen]

I know it would probably bring a lot of hate comments but I am begging you to roast the hazbin character designs because I'd love to have someone properly articulate why they don't work so I could send it to people who won't believe me when I tell them. 🫠 Understandable if you don't want to get into it though.

I don't think there's that much there to roast, honestly?

Those designs are clearly an extremely specific stylistic choice, and because that style is consistent throughout the show, it ultimately feels coherent with itself.

There are trade-offs being made. Because Hazbin's design style is SO stylized and so heavy on decoration and detailing, because it puts a lot of emphasis on costuming, it isn't as good at communicating specific character storytelling as a more grounded style could be (it's kind of the same tradeoff that stuff like Genshin Impact makes).

Like, why does Sir Pentious' hat have an eye and a mouth on it that makes its own expressions? Apparently not for very much reason at all, except that Pentious has a bit of an eyes-motif going on in his design and it was one more place to put an extra eye. And that's a valid criticism of his design, but also the entire show is designed like that, so frankly it would be weirder and more out of place if his design alone didn't have that kind of overelaborate decoration going on.

It does create a situation where I have a hard time "reading" the character designs sometimes. For example, Vox, Alastor and Pentious all wear a similar style of suit with upwards-turned shoulders, butterflies and pinstripes. Now, am I meant to read that as Vox imitating Alastor due to his crippling need to replace and outdo him, and Pentious imitating the style of powerful Overlords because he thinks that possessing their level of power will finally give him relief from his paranoia and self-loathing?

Or is it just a design fixation of the creator who keeps putting their characters in suits because that's just what they like? I can't really be sure, because sometimes design elements are used to intentionally tell stories about how characters relate to themselves, their world and one another, but plenty of other times designs look the way they do Because Of Vibes.

But again, that lack of clarity is clearly an intentional trade-off - and the benefit of that trade-off is a design style that is extremely varied, wild, expressive and memorable. Hazbin Hotel seems like a very easy show to draw fanart of, and a very fun show to draw fanart of. Those designs (especially the hyper-expressive faces) are begging to be the subjects of traumatic headcanons, unbearably cotton-candy soft fluff fantasies and weird, taboo, homoerotic power dynamics. Slaps roof of character design, this bad boy can express so much vicarious emotional intensity.

It's very exuberant, very excited about itself and very self-indulgent, it's a style that prioritizes visual impact and visual interest over readability (something which the animators of the show navigate with real skill, props to them) and individual aesthetics over worldbuilding.

And I don't blame anyone for being turned off by that (I certainly was the first time I started seeing those designs going around), but I would struggle to call the show's designs "bad" when they are clearly achieving exactly what they want to achieve.

I have some criticisms, especially re: how the show treats skinny bodies as an unquestioned, desirable default, and employs fatness as a means of alienating and abjecting the audience. That sucks very badly, and is a serious disappointment, and one of the few places where the show feels like it is being cowardly in its design philosophy. But I don't have it in me to do some kind of Hazbin Hotel Sucks And Here's Why takedown, its problems are not unique or extreme enough to warrant it, at least not as I currently understand them.

[osakanone]

The steel battalion controller could fix me. Some company needs to make specialty mech controllers so i dont have to spend £350 on 2003 hardware (so i can spend £350 on 2025 hardware).

Mech game Controllers: Solving the unsolvable

I have put so much time into thinking about this and you've basically asked the perfect question.

I think there are really complex and important questions that nobody really has a good robust answer to but also that nobody is really asking those big questions in the first place either, so we're stuck on this issue.

My take is I genuinely think if we want big mecha controllers we have to think about this stuff deeply and profoundly. Like, why we need them and what they're for.

So… This has been tried many times.

NOK or NextOfKin Creatives did try this.

The Mek-Fu lopped horribly, and I was absoloutely fascinated by this at the time and wanted to understand exactly why it had failed. I think we must learn from this failure, so we don't make the same mistakes again.

The lesson I took from Mek-Fu was this: it didn't take because players had nothing to use it in where it was the best fit.

What does this mean?

1) For other games in the real world, it was inferior to keyboard and mouse in games which do not simulate a vehicle. 2) The design wasn't trying to meet some sort of pre-existing need from other games. 3) Steel Battalion emulation did not exist meaningfully yet, and in turn no equivalent game existed on the PC platform which would need it.

Therefor: There was no special environment where its employment made the best sense.

It had nowhere to excel and thrive.

So where have specialty controllers existed, and thrived?

Digital Combat Sim (DCS)

Star Citizen

Euro Truck Simulator

Farming Simulator

What do they all have in common?

They all have robust modding tools for user-created content

They all have some form of social experience or multiplayer

They all are highly accessible (PC, and are controller agnostic*)

They are all sandboxes in some capacity and let users find their own fun.

No mech game which exists at time of writing meets all these terms that I know of.

So what do these controllers look like?

In the case of real vehicles, you can simply ape the real vehicle 1:1, but for fictional vehicles, something special happens -- you see people approach and try to solve the problem in many different ways.

You see, control design in any area exists to solve a problem. The Mek Fu (a response to the VT controller) was a solution looking for a problem, and no problem existed.

From this, we learn that for specialty mech controllers to exist, you first need specialty mech games. Steel Battallion is limited, because it won't run on general hardware and doesn't network or mod easily so it isn't a good fit for this because it makes the game inaccessible and limited.

Let's actually think about the SB controller for a bit:

Steel Battalion approaches its problem from the standpoint of a robot. You might not realize this but a VT or Vertical Tank intentionally controls very similarly to a tractor.

It is influenced by a real thing. I know that sounds absurd, but let me show you what a modern tractor's task control console looks like:

Yeah, not what any of us would have expected.

If you wanna be a mech pilot in 2025, go drive a tractor. I'm not kidding.

Once you're on the field, your hands aren't on the wheel, they're on this thing:

The big stick controls the course in the computer, the little one controls your tool, the many buttons toggle states (or what the little stick is currently triggering) and through these inputs you drive the tractor.

Steel Battalion is very fun, but it won't hold your attention for more than around 100 hours unless you're a real freak about tractors and just don't know it yet.

What's more, Steel Batallion isn't playable to anybody without the controller which limits how many people will be playing it and it isn't social or moddable like the successful games we talked about earlier.

Okay, so what can we do about this?

I think the one feature here that nobody talks about is that of input-agnosticism: The ability to bind your own inputs to something in the game (directly or indirectly through some middle thing) and get good results… But not in some hugely "okay bind 100 things using our controller, or use a keyboard and mouse" binary.

The binary is still not input-agnosticism, and it still will not work.

It has to be granular.

Input agnosticism results in controller agnosticism:

You can bind as much or as little as you want, and you can pass features you don't want to bind directly to a helper subsystem middle-man like an assistant or instructor which will perform limited tasks for you - while you provide the helpers context by telling them which of a limited set of goals you want to achieve.

Say, face a target, or a direction, or aim at a thing. It saves you mental time, though if you did it manually you might get better results (incentivising you towards experimenting in that direction).

Let's touch on why controller agnostic design is really what's needed here, and why its important:

This is the omnithrottle, and and this is the Sublight Dynamics 6dof joystick.

The Omnithrottle tries to solve 6dof throttle management by adding an extra piece to a joystick at the bottom, turning the yaw z-axis-twist of the stick into a sort of vertical axis for direct up and down movement, ascending and descending.

The Sublight Dynamics 6dof joystick combines all six axis into a single device, and is an interesting experiment. I particularly like the puck switches ahead of the user's fingers, inspired likely by Evangelion which in turn was inspired by Sol Bianca's use of them.

We got great lessons in human factors for space dogfighting from both:

The omnithrottle produces huge fatigue if you use it in coupled mode (software assisted flight), because you have to hold the joystick base forward, fighting the springs. This is fine in decoupled mode (where you coast under newtonian force) but not everybody uses it. Likewise, if you remove that spring, you lose fine movement because you can no longer feel where the middle is anymore.

The SD6DOF creates a conflict in Fitt's law (speed and precision are enemies of each-other, and to get both you need a tool in the middle to help you) where some precision is lost due to the same muscles needing to drive more axis at once.

These are both many years old now, and over time we've seen many many solutions to this problem flop.

Well, VKB announced the Space Throttle Grip a few days ago, which rethinks the distribution of axis and combines the best features of both.

The key thing is, this is an evolutionary space with competing ideas. A healthy ecosystem.

And its only possible because the game's inputs are controller agnostic.

This doesn't just mean that it'll let you bind any input device directly to things, but that there are multiple ways to achieve your desired outcomes even on the software side with the helper middleman we talked about (in this case, coupling modes).

Does your machine turn to face an arbitrary vector which is the thing you actually steer or select (Warthunder)? Do you have direct input control? Do you haven an autopilot?

Here's a lecture by F22 Raptor test-pilot Randy Gordon talking about some of this stuff, giving you a frame of reference with a real vehicle which exists.

When you can pick between those goals them, you have what's called "a software" in human factors. Your two grips become arbitrary and are now called inceptors.

The software drives the machine, and you drive the software. You can override the software and provide a manual input, but the other elements you are not overriding will try to compensate to maintain a desired state. If you know how to manipulate this, it means you only need a small number of axis to achieve a very complex control action.

A great example is how long you hold the A-button in Mario changes how much power his jump has. The action is a versatile verb.

Imagine a person balancing. If their goal is to stay upright, and I push them, they translate across the ground and try to stay the right way up, turning that push force into horizontal force. They are following an instruction: remain upright.

If I make that person carry a very heavy thing, they compensate their body's balance accordingly. If I then use my finger and tell them to act as if I am pushing them with that gentle motion, they will respond but if they go too far they can say "hey, don't do that, I'll drop the heavy thing!" and ignore my pushing instruction -- because my directive telling them to remain upright superseded it.

We need to think of mecha in terms like these, and to do mecha, we need to make a standard of accessible rules like this which input devices can talk to via axis and buttons, with lots of middlemen.

Absolute (mouse-like) and relative (stick like) and accumiulated (driving a mouse with a stick by having a variable over time) and blended (driving a car with a d-pad with a simulated wheel that wants to return to zero all the time, replicating a stick) inputs must be middle-modes processing and digesting inputs in these ways. Curves matter. Biases and preferences must be accounted for.

This means finally solving "how" the giant robot works in software (even if its a design conceit), and then having systems which poke at the "how" to bias it in a direction toward an outcome.

My favourite version of this is a deliberately clumsy mech-game called Robot Alchemic Drive (RAD for short).

Playable on a regular PS2 controller, the triggers and bumpers drive the legs like a tank. The sticks drive the arms.

The robot's body has physics. You are controlling a thing.

There are no helpers to correct your motions other than when the robot stands up and to keep it upright (its otherwise 100% manual, playing back motion planning which gets fed into the physics) but yes, there is a simulated body here.

With helpers, this could get faster and way, way more fluent.

So how might these "helpers" in software work?

Think for example of how a body in motion continues to move. With a robot in a vacuum like space, you'd continue indefinitely. That's hard to control.

Do you automatically slow down and fake aerodynamic drag axially with your boosters to allow curved trajectories and soft stopping with a motion-control-decoupling-mode (as Star Citizen does), or do you have a breaking system a user can activate on a pedal or trigger, to apply those forces on different axis when they want them?

What are those axis bound to, the pelvis, the thorax, the head, the synthetic vision 3rd person camera?

These are really complicated questions, and this is just about how we make a vehicle come to a stop!

Now this might seem niche, but this exact same kind of thought also applies to how a robot balances, and how it digs its feet into the ground, creating torque or not situationally.

This isn't just fine grained motion like "moving our legs manually", but how and when we apply breaking force on the ground.

Do we apply it when we let go of the left stick?

Does the left stick prescribe a preferred velocity?

Does it prescribe input forces?

Do we change between these situationally, or maybe with a button?

Its important to think about these things.

"You're making this too complex!!"

"But why would we do this? What is the value? People are playing Armored Core 6 with a HOTAS!!"

Yeah, and that experience is not great, actually?

You're actually less capable than a keyboard and mouse-player, because Armored Core 6 isn't a game which simulates orientation over time (the body turns instantly as if by magic), so you're just driving relative inputs. You are literally disadvantaged.

Armored Core 6 has no "vehicle": This is an action-game's 3rd person control software. Its Elden Ring's horse, with a jetpack, and the roll replaced with a dash. Everything else is animations.

Its visually impressive, but there's something fundamentally missing:

Fahrvergnügen.

It means "driving pleasure" in German.

The feeling you get when you speed up going down hill, or you feel the give of the wheels against the road and the lean of the car when you take a corner.

When you bank against air in an aircraft, or turn faster than your velocity changes and you drift.

That good feeling, that's fahrvergnügen.

A game which really gets this I think is Armored Core: For Answer. I know many of you might have expected Mechwarrior here but the physics of Mechwarrior games are extremely simple, following an interpolative model.

Interpolative here means, a bit of calculus is used to ensure a smooth arching curve is how you go from zero to a high speed at all times, or a rotation, so on and so forth. This "smoothness" is the same smoothness present in Armored Core 6.

Armored Core For Answer on the other hand, is additive in how it calculates velocity per second, meaning your AC's velocity curve is inconsistent. The game has hidden stats calculating aerodynamic drag per part, it has a simplified model of angular momentum, and it has ground friction and its boosting system is different on each axis.

All of your inputs are analogue, including the angle of your boosters on left stick, and two booster-types: Your main booster handling like a motor-cycle throttle curve, and the other not only having many stages of output for flashes of thrust via contexts (combining motion and direction together to produce an intent) but also combos and even cancels. Its VERY sophisticated!

That's a lot of different factors to control. A lot of fahrvergnügen to be experienced when you master them, and feel ownership of them.

Lots of areas for skill expression.

This, combined with a rich weapon balance and a complex combat geometry (the emergent spatial and pressure rules of motion, aspects, angles and motions similar to the aircraft dogfighting) are why people are still playing this game today.

The match I uploaded was from four days ago, as of time of writing. People are still modding a game from 2008, limited to console by hacking the rom file's patches. Yeah.

I know among many game reviewers, "smooth" and "smoothness" is considered a compliment in game design (its easy to control), but interpolative motion really is the opposite of fahrvergnügen:

Interpolative suffers from feeling "zippy" and "hollow" when its fast, which is why lots of players and designers insist on slowing games down so they recover their fahrvergnügen.

You don't have to do things this way. A good mech sandbox should reward both fast and slow movement in its design!

There should be room for everybody to play!

In interpolative movement games, motion is already solved, to sell you the superficial power-fantasy (that you're good, despite not having learned how to be good) instead of giving you the experience.

Interpolation is insisting the burger you got at McDonalds is the same as the burger on the commercial. Like the burger at McDonalds, its also way way easier to make, and in today's market yeah, you take what's easy and known because you have economic pressures to get things done quickly.

You can't make a five star meal in a McDonalds kitchen, and the AAA games industry is the McDonalds kitchen of gaming.

So, what is a three star michelin meal, in terms of inputs, with additive movement?

You incentivise people with the cheaper stuff on the menu. That's robust helper tools which let keyboard and mouse players, or gamepads interact fluently.

Its affordable, and easy and gets people invested in your experience.

Then when people use fancy controllers, you get better response-rate. Because everybody buys into the mecha fantasy when they play, being beaten by someone who is controlling more complex control factors more directly at once (making them a better pilot) feels fairer.

They are negotiating the machine's limits better than you are.

You both know they more "an char" than you are:

It becomes aspirational, rather than annoying, which is how the culture of space-simming, and flight-sims, and other vehicle sims express this. It also fits the mecha fantasy, because those with basic controls are your grunt units.

We see this if we look at cockpit controls in Gundam: A Jegan's control inceptor is way simpler than say, Unicorn's.

It is just part of the fantasy.

So let's talk about these limits we negotiate.

It means, some kind of vehicle must be simulated in software, even if its a very simple abstraction purely enough so it feels good for players.

Also, I say "a software" or "helpers" what do I mean?

I don't just mean the simulated vehicle, but a robust modular middle system in the "player controller" part of the game simulation which interprets desired outcomes from a pilot user or operator and tries to achieve them.

Here's an example, let's talk about Armored Core's lockon system, which uses a software stack to turn your intention into an outcome in exactly this way.

Your robot's simulated sensors (radar, visual, etc) detects a list of potential targets…

Which uses camera orientation of a synthetic vision system to give you comprehensive 3d awareness to determine which target is interesting to you…

After selecting the target, it passes that information to the fire control system which computes a trajectory from its position and velocity…

This then talks to your weapons which know how fast your bullets go…

and this picks where to lead along that trajectory…

then that location is sent to the arms to execute that command…

Which then sends the state of this command chain to your HUD, so you understand what the body of your robot is currently trying to achieve.

Each step is influenced by ingame statistics and simulated mechanical limits -- meaning, how well you can lock up, or even select a target is very important.

You can't instantly put a cursor on something and bot a game, because everybody already has a deliberately limited aimbot, it came with your robot, to negotiate its deliberately limited body.

The key thing is, this is much much faster and more effective than you could as a human select the target manually and hit accurate than you could with round velocities -- with most videogames hiding this with hitscan (instantaneous bullet) weapons meaning whatever you click on is hit right away.

When the round takes time to get there, things are far more difficult. This is why almost nobody uses manual aiming unless they're throwing explosives at big bulky targets in AC.

From limitations like this, booster performance, turn-rate, and so on and so forth -- the negotiation of limits produces a combat geometry and how well you understand that combat geometry, and how well you understand your abilities to your opponents abilities dictates how the fight will go.

We see something somewhat similar in Steel Batallion with the lockon system but we also have a lot of deep manual control over our VT's orientations which change its balance and so on. Steel Batallion is in fact, one of the few games where your robot can fall over and get back up.

This is exactly how DCS and Star Citizen also work, and very similar principles apply in Eurotruck Simulator and Farming Simulator via the fuel, cooling, air, combustion cycle, and transmission, and shock absorbsion systems of your vehicle.

Okay, so now what?

I've been thinking for a while now about writing what I think would be the mech-game equivalent of the paper Tim Berners Lee wrote for the web (Information Management: A proposal) going into what I think the simulation would really need, what the software would need, what the controller would need and some suggested practical strategies for solving these problems based in real research I and others have done.

The system I've already built solves for fire control, fine arm motion, head movement, independent pelvis and foot motion, the operation of boosters and other similar systems in a 6dof environment which accounts for gravity, aerodynamics, balancing, alignment and full motion control -- all on a standard game controller. Its not modular yet, simply because I am not a skilled programmer, and would need real help to do this.

There's also game-design research here, which would ensure the combat geometry would reward skill expression via investing in that agnostic game design, so the control skill aligns with the power-fantasy through skill expression. This means no one strategy becomes overwhelming.

It likewise, also has the "for gamepad and keyboard/mouse" solve which would be needed to ensure its accessible for those who aren't ready yet for custom controllers.

In turn, it also has considerations and proposals for such likely controller designs and probable strategies of employment which of course translate and map to two big sticks, in a HOSAS (Hands on Stick and Stick) layout.

So what's your ideal controller?

Less a controller, and more a principle:

Key to the proposal is you can scale up the amount of control bindings, or scale it down passing automation to helper subsystems which take your intention and act on it in a useful way.

You could have just two plain sticks with foot pedals, or you could go ham and have some complex force feedback device with tons of inputs -- because of this input agnosticism.

The secret sauce I think to the highest end control is the use of software defined force-feedback not only for the two big sticks, but also four smaller ones: one each for your thumb, and one each for your finger on each hand, and an analogue trigger. I've seen this solved in open source projects, so its entirely doable.

What does this actually mean?

Source: KAIST-HCIL/FS-Pad

The purpose of a force-feedback stick is software defined -- driving the camera, pelvis, upper body, boosters, walking etc variably, with the feedback not necessarily telling you about the environment -- but also by providing what amounts to new input devices.

To explain, force feedback works by providing input to the stick like a robot arm and is not at all like a rumble feedback device. This means the position the stick "wants to return to" at any given time is not defined by springs like it is in a conventional controller, but by active software which can update in real-time.

This means resistance can be different in different directions, or the stick can even hold a position you give it in one axis but not another, replicating a hat switch or a flight throttle.

I've looked at many different open source projects which achieve these outcomes both on thumb-sticks and main sticks with great outcomes, and I think a prototype could be made if I had a team, or other people to work with.

If interest is expressed, I'll produce a specification proposal for what this input agnostic design in software needs to be (eg, how the robot is controlling) in strictly defined terms which can be implemented.

You can already see it on my Tumblr account as TOMINO, NAGANO, etc where I go into some of this -- all of which works on a standard controller, but adapts extremely well to a large HOSAS.

Likewise, I'd (eventually) also produce a proposal for a controller design which meets this specification.

I've been testing this concept on and off for many years now in Unreal Engine (I'm not a skilled programmer, not skilled with CAD or electronics, depression limits my effective outcome returns -- but I'm still getting very promising outcomes).

Ultimately what I'd really want access to is expertise and help, since my background is mainly thinking about and designing solutions for problems not necessarily implementing them -- and I'm essentially on disability, so I have unlimited time to think about this.

I don't want to ask for money, which I figure is the thing everybody is anticipating: I'd rather get this done than make money from it.

In conclusion?

To solve this what's needed isn't some figure of brilliance in a basement or garage somewhere, but an organic ecosystem of designers and builders responding to pressures, and we've already see that work many times very well.

In our case, nobody has defined the vehicle or the modular helpers in a way robust enough to capture every fantasy effectively.

That's the issue.

tl;dr coming away from this:

For the controller to exist, you first must have something to control.

To be a pilot, you first need a vehicle.

--

Live forever, Apes.

[queen-of-hawkins-why-ler]

Personally, I just can’t wait to see what the cast and creators of Byler will have to say about the relationship once it’s no longer a secret. Like, as much as Byler means to us fans, it’s hard to imagine what it must mean to the Duffers who came up with the concept in the first place, to Noah, for whom Will’s journey was a part of him understanding and accepting himself as a queer individual, or to Finn, who actually brought to life probably the best representation of a closeted gay man with internalized homophobia there is.

It’s possible that the Duffers and probably Winona, David, Finn, Charlie etc. may have known about Byler for YEARS!! For all we know it could’ve been pitched as a huge part of the story all those years ago, and they’ve all had to stay quiet and keep their lips tightly sealed for God knows how long. I can only imagine that they probably know so much that we don’t know and probably have so much that they’d like to say about it, and it’ll be like the floodgates come bursting open once Byler becomes canon lol.

I need to know the details. I want to know exactly how far along they were into filming when people started to find out about Byler. I want to know Noah and Finn’s initial reaction and how they took directions (however vague they may have been) for their characters, and what they were told to do/not do, to talk about or not talk about. How long have David and Winona known about it? What was Noah’s reaction when he found out that his character would be getting a queer happy ending? It’s just wild bc Byler is woven so deeply into the show’s narrative in the script, the writing, the acting, lighting, the set design, etc. etc. that we will probably never truly know every little thing and every little thought that went into creating Byler. But I personally would like to know as much as humanly possible.

[undersprite]

It begins once again...!

Look alive, sunshine!

That's right, we're back to remind you that this party's still happening and everyone's still invited. I'm once again your gracious host @chaos-fantazy, ready to leave last year behind me and do everything in my power to make this our biggest AU contest yet. I'm joined by Differentopic owner @gonzalogamer128, co-creator of last year's winner "Knock Knock," @starlightshore, and @g0at0ad, who has too many potential claims to fame that listing them all here would take far too long.

You'll notice I didn't say "AU comic contest," though. That's because, for the first time, we will be running a second contest in parallel to our usual comic contest—an AU character design contest, the perfect way for you to participate even if you don't have the time to write a full comic. Spearheading the judge panel for that contest is @creatoonz, Flaredust and r2d2kx100. That contest will begin on Saturday, May 10th, about a month from now—but you can go ahead and start your preparations now!

If you'd like to know more, join our Discord server to find the full rules and keep up-to date on everything...or find more info under the cut!

Huh? What? AU Contest???

This contest is dedicated to celebrating how this fandom told stories to each other when it was first starting out—sprite comics, which, as their name implies, are a web comic that uses sprites rather than drawn artwork as the main means of depicting its subjects. They're commonly done to produce fan comics for video games, and Undertale is no exception—many prolific AUs, including @invertedfate, began as sprite comics.

Like a game jam, this contest invites people to produce Undertale/Deltarune AU comics (And design AU characters!). Being a contest, there are prizes and glory on the line for the winners, but in the end, what it's really about is the chance for people to get creative. If you’ve ever had an idea for a story you want to tell using these games’ characters or setting, but could never justify dedicating time to telling it…this is the excuse you need!

Sorry, you mentioned prizes?

After last year, to minimize potential complications, I've been working with the judge panel to establish our prize pool ahead of time:

The character design contest is slated to have four categories; the winner of each category will have their winning character illustrated by one of our judges. (Who will draw which exactly is still a bit up in the air, but they'll definitely be available!)

The second- and third-place comics will receive an illustration from either G0at0ad or r2d2kx100 of a character of their choice, with simple background.

The grand prize for the winning comic will be a full-scale illustration from Starlight, complete with a background and up to two characters—giving you the opportunity to see one of your favorite scenes from the comic brought to life!

Sounds cool! How do I participate?

I'm glad you asked! Our official Discord server is not only the proper avenue to send a submission, it also contains all the official rules regarding the production and submission thereof.

The character design contest begins on May 10th and will run up through the end of June—slightly overlapping with the comic contest, which will start at the beginning of June and end at the end of August. I'll make announcement posts here when each contest begins and close to when they're ending, too.

It's my sincerest hope to see all of you there!

[theoddest1]

Let's Actually Talk About The Issues With Vivziepop

Okay, first off, hello you beautiful people! Sorry about this foreboding title, but I needed to catch y'all attention on this so I can break down the issues that I and many have with "Hazbin Hotel" and "Helluva Boss" creator, Vivienne Medrano. Now I am sure you all on here are already aware of at least a couple of the controversies that revolve around this particular creator and if you have seen my posts floating around already, some have been greeted with the problems surrounding her social media presence and just her overall as a person. I know seeing another callout on her seems very very tiring at this point, but I felt that a lot of the current callouts missed key details that were not at all addressed or properly delved on. I plan on shedding light on my issues with her and I hope you get where I am coming from when I say that she sucks.

BULLYING

Okay, I am starting off with Vivienne's blatant use of bully mentality, her agreeing or encouraging her fans to call people who see flaws in her works sub-humans or harass those who find issue or simply jest about her works trademark cussing and and overcrowded designs. She has had this issue for YEARS and refuses to grow up and act her age despite many telling her, even her own fans at times, that she shouldn't be acting so unprofessionally. Clearly, she doesn't care and thanks to her fanbase caring more about her feelings than her being better she feels as though she doesn't need to change or do better. This goes for her friend group as well, who defend her tremendously and act as though she is never in the wrong. Name one time a friend of hers called her out for acting childish, I'll wait.

Now, you're probably wondering, "Wtf could they have done to warrant such a response?"

Criticism...That's all they did. (White Text is random peeps they would speak with or maybe mutuals)

Keep in mind...they used to be a fan as well. They were also a minor at this point

But, Viv doesn't care, this person's critical yet harmless tweets about her shows is what lead to her painting them in a horrible light and making them out to be someone who has attacked her personally and as "nasty".

Rich coming from Viv since she is completely fine doing exactly that for "Ava's Demon". Not only does she criticize it, she takes a shot at the creator as well, but GOD FORBID others do the same towards her.

And according to someone who knew her well, it's all cause they felt creeped out by her.

Her hatred for criticism is so prominent that Ima makes that a section of its own. But let's get back on the topic of bullying.

Vivienne has a fanbase filled to the brim with pushy and overall annoying individuals who have harassed, threatened, disrespected, and wished harm on many people, all cause someone had a negative thing to say about Vivziepop's mid af show. One of the earlier known instances is the one revolving around a MEME of all things.

This was what started it all, and it led to both parties blocking each other and people being mad pushy and calling them an idiot and the like over their opinions. Now look, their take and you're opinion on said take is fine so long as you stay respectful and humane about it all, but don't dogpike someone all cause they think HH sucks. And while Viv can not control her fanbase, for they are not a hivemind (some of y'all act it tho, ima keep it real) she is seen here ENCOURAGING the behavior. Tell me how someone who doesn't even like your trash ass show has the sense to tell people not to harass others, someone with a smaller following, but not your grown damn near 30 year old ass?

Oh, but people wanna act like she can handle criticism, is a sweet person, and grew from her past experiences. Fam, she was 27 in this screenshot [December 16, 2019] and has shown no change from 2013 to fucking 2024. Over a decade of the same petty ass behavior, and keep in mind, according to several of her old friends and workers, she is worse behind close doors. WORSE. She's already acting like she got no damn sense out in the open, imagine behind closed doors.

Last but not least, a glimpse into her outright blatant slander towards Dollcreep, a once good friend of hers that she even visited and spoke with frequently!

She stated that they fetishized pedophilia yet according to the victim and friends of the victim who were once friends with Viv as well, Viv actually threatened to end their friendship if he hadn't drawn NSFW art of her character and his character having sex [Addi was 15 at the time this was drawn]

On top of that, she liked the post, something she didn't need to do. The art also depicted things she had regularly drawn on her own. Addi being tied up forcefully, being sexualized, being harmed to some degree through bondage, etc. The claim that she forced DC to draw this out is backed up by her own art depicting similar elements. Also, if my memory serves me well, Viv and Doll were 17-18 years old [Doll was 17 Viv 18] and have a 1-year age gap. The way Viv frames things here is as if DC was way older and imposed some sort of power over DC, which sources say otherwise. If anything, Viv had a LOT of control throughout all of this drama, which deserves its own section.

I'll be making posts that talk about the different issues regarding Viv, so one post isn't too long (this one is already lengthy enough) and that you can just pick at one post targeting certain issues around this creator.

[phantomwithbreakfast]

⟡ ｡˚ 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦 ˚｡⟡

@squeaky-boots-blog made me do this. She came up with this idea, to make a kinsona.

At times—eyes a piercing blue, at others, a gleaming green, changing like the tides under every fleeting light. His hair, now a canvas of contrast, split into black and white like night meeting day. The crystal ice diamond he offers gleams with a different truth—carrying a meaning as fragile and profound as frost on a winter morning.

Uh, hi there. I’m Danny. Most people call me Danny Fenton, but some know me as… well, Phantom. You can just call me Danny—it’s easier. So, if you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re like me—a halfa. Y’know, part human, part ghost. Best of both worlds, right? Half alive, half… not. Sounds crazy, but trust me, it’s a thing.

Listen, being a hybrid isn’t exactly a walk in the park. It can get pretty dangerous out there. But, here’s the thing—it’s also kinda amazing. Flying, phasing through walls, ghost powers—tell me that doesn’t sound awesome.

Anyway, good luck with… everything. You’ve got this. Welcome to the club—it’s a weird, wild ride, but I promise, it’s totally worth it.

⟢ Danny Fenton.

⟢ What’s a kinsona, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you—for those who might not know.

A kinsona is a personal character design or persona that represents someone’s connection to a character they kin with. To kin a character means to strongly identify with them on an emotional or personal level, often as part of fandom culture. In this case, Phandom. A kinsona could be a reimagined version of that character with personalized traits, outfits, or styles that reflect the creator’s identity or aesthetic preferences.

That was that.

[jynjackets]

can someone, maybe Mr Explain His Accent himself, explain to me in detail why B*x had to be Latina if she wasn't from Kenari and wasn't related to C@ssian? and why there were no other Latinas (as far I am aware of) in the cast? because this whole drugs/sexualization/womb-to-carry-the-bloodline/farm thing looks bad on any woman and even worse on a Latina and even more worse if there's only one Latina. was Adri@ supposed to play his sister originally and Mr Accent Explainer changed that to sexualize her?

anon pls 💀

Yes it feels painfully obvious. I think it’s hard to explain micro-aggressive xenophobia when people don’t even know about blatant xenophobia. Despite this, it’s going to bug me if I don’t spell it all out at least once.

Bin’s role was always part of the plan based on how prepared the script was for the actor. The casting specifically calling for a latina in her 20’s implicates the intention for her to match a ‘look’ they were going for, meaning there’s no coincidence that she looks like a modern influencer with veneers and botox. As a Razzie winner, we can say she was not hired for her talents. To fit the narrative for s2 she is made to be a stereotypical spicy latina wife with cringe dialogue and more sexualization to match.

The actor themselves having a consistent history of desiring roles where she’s serviceable to men, she could only be the perfect choice for such a regressive character. It’s worth mentioning that the actor loves the canon character exactly as she is so much she got a tattoo of her name, even when the creator himself begged her not to.

We know from interviews that tony has been trying to literally change what the fandom ships. Embarrassing. In order to sell a grand romance as a usurper, he pulls out all the classic sexist hetero tropes, particularly with her being a damsel in near constant distress and stay-at-home gf. Not only are bin and andor cassian violently heterosexual based on the show’s extra attention to past relationships, they get the latino bonus treatment with torture, attempted rape, and substance abuse.

To usamericans, they appear to be the same ‘race’ which, based on the pertinent xenophobia with cassian’s emphasis as an outsider, the need to explain his accent, as well as the fact she is the only latina in the entire show, this is designed to imply a racially-motivated ‘special’ bond. They are trying to make their latino status exotic in other words, by way of othering this particular couple based on their appearances and what we know about them.

Bin is latina to sell the idea that the couple have this idyllic heteronormative incest-coded homestead lifestyle while also allowing the benefit of each being sexualized to death. This is to all of course accomplish the idea that cassian would only and could only love a woman he is physical with, share a long history with, and even share the same ‘race’ with. On its own, without the implication this is meant for Jyn, I don’t know how to say how fucking disgustingly xenophobic and misogynistic this all is.

Why is nobody talking about the sexist latino elephant in the room?

Details and subtext like this are often reduced to speculation in fandom even if you’re talking about your own representation. Whenever minorities do talk about their own mistreatment, they are bullied into submission and told that we are “reading too much into things” or “taking it too personally.” That our complaints are a reach simply because somebody just feels like it is.

On top of that, Bin’s role as an ex is a sensitive topic for people who are particularly afraid to out themselves as misogynists. This may be because… they are 💀.

Or, they are inconspicuously pursuing male validation while projecting this idea onto all women. ‘All women are going to hate her because shes a girlfriend in the way, but not me because i’m different.’

Or they genuinely prefer women to be this way. They’re tired of women doing masculine or independent things because their scope doesn’t go past why this is important for women. They might be the kind to say that it’s okay to wear makeup or it’s okay to want to be a tradwife.

Or are prioritizing a narrative created by men on ‘female competition’, that to fight it they must do the complete opposite and be friends with everyone. This group doesn’t realize they are operating their lives completely based on what men think. They are also treating women as interchangeable instead of individuals if you really think you can like and be friends with all women, real or fictional.

Whichever of these reasons is the case, it is still misogynistic. There’s probably more reasons having to do with being obsessed with men but i don’t feel like getting into that today.

So then there’s this not-mutually-exclusive last group that HC or OC her and pretend she’s not all of these nasty things. And personally, I don’t understand how plastering fictional poop with fictional gold services the author or anybody when there are hundreds of relevant and inspiring not-poop all over the galaxy. Many of them are already gold you don’t need to pretend. Telling people, especially the people that the poop is supposed to represent, that it’s not poop, doesn’t actually change its DNA or its purpose. It’s still shit.

[cr-summer-wildflowers]

Nominations are Now Open!

Okay, here me out: Verin and Cerkonos. Why isn't this already a thing? Himbo 4 Himbo communication.

Or... okay okay okay - Fearne & Orym needs more fics. But also Beau/Yasha/Imogen/Laudna definitely needs more attention. Or maybe you're a Vexleth truther or an Esswulf fan or think that the Temult family dynamics are absolutely fascinating.

Does this sound like something you'd be into? Then we have a fic exchange for you!

Critical Role Wildflowers is an exchange that features pairings that have fewer than 500 works on AO3. The first step in the process is nominations - where we decide which pairings will be eligible for signing up.

Nominate here

FAQ & Rules are here

Discord is here

The things you need to know for nominations:

The relationships can be platonic or romantic, but all characters have to originate in Exandria and have under 500 works in AO3

When nominating a ship, don't use the main critical role tag for the fandom! Instead, use one of these: Critical Role Campaign One Critical Role Campaign Two Critical Role Campaign Three Exandria Unlimited (note: includes Calamity, Kymal, Divergence, as well as the original) Wildmount Wildlings Darrington Brigade Critical Crossovers The Re-Slayers Take

For the relationships - please do use the canonical tag whenever possible! This is the one that autofills whenever you start typing. If nothing pops up, then please try to add the full character name, alphabetizing by last name. (For example, Lucien Tavelle/Tyffial Wase, but Cree Deeproots/Lucien Tavelle)

Want answers to the following questions? Check them out under the cut:

How do I contact a mod?   Who all is running this anyway? How can I follow the exchange? Do I have to join the discord?

What's the schedule? What is the difference between nominations and signups? Why are they separate? What exactly is a crossover, considering campaign 3? Are platonic relationships allowed? What relationships are not included? So is everything else included? What does it mean for a relationship to not be included?

How do I contact a mod?

If you need to contact the mods for any reason, here are the ways in which you can do so. Please use the method which suits you best. If you do not receive a response within 48 hours, please try again using an alternate method.

E-mail: CR.Summer.Wildflowers@proton.me The CR WIldflowers Discord A comment to any post on the Dreamwidth Community Tumblr message or ask to the Summer Wildflowers blog.

Who all is running this anyway?

From 2021 - 2024, Wildflowers was run by @ladyofrosefire and @capitola

For 2025, it’s being run by @operafloozy with generous help from @mapleandgingeroatmeal (helping with answering questions and clarifications, discord moderation among other things), and @anubisisms (graphics design and discord creation/moderation). If you know any of us and are more comfortable reaching out to that person directly, please feel free to do so.

How can I follow the exchange?

You can follow us here on Tumblr and Dreamwidth. You can also join the CR Wildflowers Discord Community.

Do I have to join the discord?

Nope! It’s completely optional. We’ll be using the discord for questions, resources, sprints, reminders, encouragement, and general camaraderie, but if it’s not your jam - or you just are in enough discords–that's perfectly fine.

What's the schedule?

For 2025, the schedule is as follows:

Nominations Open: April 25 Nominations Close: May 8 (11:55 EST) Sign ups Open: May 9 (9AM EST) Sign ups Close: May 23 (11:55 EST) Assignments Go Out: No Later than May 26 (11:55 EST) No Penalty Default Deadline: June 23 (11:55 EST) Assignments Due: July 7 Works Revealed: July 14 Creators Revealed: July 21

What's the difference between nominations and signups? Why are they two separate things?

Nominations: You have the chance to nominate various relationships - platonic, romantic, or sexual. This is not required to participate, but if nobody nominates a relationship, you can't request or offer it.

Signups: You look through the list of nominated relationships and create 4-10 prompts based on them and offer to write 4-10 relationships. This can be relationships that you nominated or ones that you didn't - and you don't have to request or offer every relationship you nominated (it's considered good manners to at least intend to request or offer them). You have to do this step to get a gift fic.

Why is it done this way?  There are a lot of possible combinations of relationships that are out there, and you're all creative individuals. The 2024 tagset had over 300 relationships nominated. This is an exchange, which means that the offers and requests have to match. We need to limit it somehow. And you might decide to offer or request relationships that don't match the ones you nominated (maybe someone else nominated them - or someone else has an idea so brilliant that you want to steal it).  But also - the background logic for automatically signing someone up based off of their nominations would be a lot for poor AO3.

After the way campaign 3 ended, is everything a crossover? Is nothing?

The general rules we have are as follows:

a) If the characters largely interact in one campaign, nominate that pairing in that campaign. For example, Ludinus Da'leth/Trent Ikithon would be in Critical Role Campaign Two; Ludinus Da'leth/Predathos would be Critical Role Campaign Three

b) If the characters interact in multiple campaigns, nominate that pairing within the campaign they are featured in the most. For example, Keyleth & Percy interact in both Campaign One and Campaign Three, but because they are more heavily featured in Campaign One, they should be nominated there.

c) If the characters are from a miniseries (Exandria Unlimited, for example) and are also seen within a main campaign, go with the one where they have more screen time (approximate).  For example, Dorian & Fearne and Fearne/Opal are pairings that have interacted in both Campaign 3 and Exandria Unlimited, but Dorian & Fearne would be Campaign Three, while Fearne/Opal would be Exandria Unlimited.

d) If the characters feature in different campaigns and haven't interacted or you're not sure if they've interacted, nominate them within Critical Crossovers.

Use your best judgement, you're not going to be yelled at for getting it wrong.

Are platonic relationships allowed?

Yes! Platonic relationships are allowed and encouraged, and this includes platonic versions of the disallowed romantic relationships. If the platonic relationship has more than 500 fics, though, it also falls outside the guidelines for this exchange.

What relationships are not included?

This year, in 2025, the list is as follows:

Keyleth/Vax'ildan Kima/Allura Percy/Vex'halia Percy/Vax'ildan Vax'ildan & Vex'ahlia Beauregard Lionett/Yasha Nydoorin Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast Essek Theylss/Caleb Widogast Fjord Stone/Caleb Widogast Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast Jester Lavorre/Fjord Stone Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast Nott & Caleb Widogast Yasha Nydoorin & Mollymauk Tealeaf Laudna/Imogen Temult Laudna & Imogen Temult Orym/Dorian Storm

Is everything else included?

All relationships where all of the characters involved originate from Exandria (or Ruidis) count. Note that this does not include RPF.

What does it mean for a relationship to not be included? Does that mean that Yasha can’t ever refer to her wife or Vex and Percy can’t ever have a conversation about their kids?

The relationships above aren’t eligible to be included in the nominations, which means that people can’t sign up to have them be the focus of a work. Other relationships can be depicted (unless they are specifically listed in the DNW list), but the requested relationship should be the focus.