#dramatic man is dramatic

[egophiliac]

still rolling around on the ground over the contrast between Jack and Mal. it's so...🤌🤌🤌

[a-musing-mixologist]

Omg Vincent plz.

[mochipong]

Oh, starboy

[scribeofmorpheus]

Why Dragon Age Veilguard isn't a "Cathedral"

Concept art by Matt Rhodes

"To disinherit the storylines of past games goes directly against the notion of building cathedrals."

What is inherent with Veilguard that keeps bothering me is the fact that the world's choices truly didn't matter--and it doesn't simply bother me from a player perspective, it's not simply a grievance borne of frustration to what I (as a longtime fan) have lost. It's about the very culture of the arts under capitalism's new media habituation cycle [x][x].

Yes, I spent hours of my life playing and replaying each instalment of Dragon Age. Yes, I painstakingly curated a 'canon' world state by replaying what came before in preparation for Veilguard. Yes, I am even more unsatisfied with the end product--time hasn't helped, it's just widened the divide. But, and I can't stress this enough, these very personal gripes aren't what hit home the most. It's the inherent disregard of legacy. A legacy that the previous writers and game developers were building towards.

In the DAV artbook, "cathedral" is the word used to describe the process of making a game. Matt Rhodes' exact words are: "One artist can make a painting, but it takes a team to build a cathedral." Cathedrals took centuries to build. The architect who drafted the first blueprints would likely never see his work realised, he had to rely on those who came after him, like-minded and passionate, to see it through--for the culture, for the future, for legacy. Painters took on several apprentices for this reason too--giant frescoes were not completed by one man's hand, even if it is one man's name that immortalises them. Similarly, if you weave a narrative around choice, what good does it do to take it away at the final act if not to fall to caricature?

To disinherit the storylines of past games goes directly against the notion of building cathedrals.

Late-stage capitalism and profit-margin-obsessed game producers forcing developers to churn out meager content, to make a known brand into something it's not, to chase a fad or a popular trend... o, how reductive and cliche you've been forced to become Bioware. We have lost the cultural thought patterns relative to Cathedrals. We know only of barn-raised churches--done in a day but unlikely to last the turn of the seasons.

And don't even get me started on the music of Veilguard either. From Origins to World of Warcraft to Everquest to Baldur's Gate to Dungeon Siege, you can hear the intricate interconnected weave of sounds inspired by the Dungeons and Dragons-esque fantasy genre. You hear it in the repeated use of certain instruments, in the harmonic weeping notes of a bard-like singer or the foreboding echoes of drums as if of war. In tavern songs. But then, rather than hire someone who loves these worlds and this genre, who is a hungry artist looking to make a name, a legacy if you will, for themselves with a spectacular score, you hire any already sated composer, one well-into the encroaching years of career fatigue, whose notes repeat in countless projects, who feels less concise and more uninterested with each new project. One who has long since cemented his legacy. Someone in it for a paycheck and nothing else! And, to top it off, you let him compose something so minimalist? I am offended actually.

Cathedrals! We should have witnessed the final tile being placed on the Dragon Age cathedral. Instead, some architects walked up, tore down the interior and installed IKEA furniture and called it authentic before having to call the previous architects to come and fix the "load-bearing issues", forcing them to rush and add a coat of varnish and a few 'aged' details for authenticity.

[engravedlives]

misc anime stamps graphics

[hinamie]

sidelong

[forecast0ctopus]

[awearywritersworld]

"how could you?"

"satoru, i—"

"save it! your excuses mean nothing to me."

the expression he's wearing is one of absolute betrayal, and the sight forces a sigh from your lips. "you know i'd never intentionally hurt you."

"yeah? is that right?" he questions, no longer able to meet your gaze. "do you even love me anymore?"

crossing the room to stand before him, you take his hands in yours. they're cold to the touch, though that's not out of the ordinary.

"of course i do, satoru. you know i love you more than anything."

"then... then why did you leave this morning without giving me a kiss?"

you lean up on your tiptoes and press your lips to his cheek before answering. "i did give you a kiss."

he perks up at the revelation, and the straightening of his shoulders is accompanied by a sniffle that you silently regard as slightly theatrical. "really?"

"yes," you laugh. "but you were asleep and i couldn't bear to wake you up. you don't get enough rest as it is."

"oh, my darling beloved!" and just like that, it's like he was never upset in the first place. "i see! you were simply worried for my health!"

you hum in response, an amused smirk tugging at the corner of your mouth.

"then i suppose i can let you off the hook this time, but don't let it happen again."

"alright, silly boy."

he gasps, placing his hand over his heart. "me? silly? this is the first i'm hearing of it!"

[humming-fly]

I've been really enjoying all the heart-wrenching and beautiful art episode 43 of malevolent has spawned, so to even things out here's even more monty python shitposts

Bonus:

[mackieron]

Error's design for my AU is finally done! I had a lot of fun adding my own little flare x)

Swap: Popcornpr1nce | ErrorTale: CrayonQueen

Also here are some 2020 doodles that I still giggle at. I think the characterization remains solid xD

[lafamilledelioncourt]

i know it's v popular to headcanon louis being a supportive rockstar boyfriend, and believe me I'm part of the problem, but i just can't imagine a world where louis has the energy after that season.

the sheer fact that daniel molloy is going to be brain-dialing louis at the drop of the hat when lestat loses his shit to the sixteenth round of mania. "louis help your boyfriend ate the PA" "louis how do i get him to stop crying" "louis he's covered in glitter and guts and sobbing your name, HELP ME MY MAN"

louis is gonna turn his vampire hearing aid off and knit a fucking sweater. he is so tired, and he needs a goddamn nap.

[until-the-house-shakes]

Sirius: So Prongs.. when are you asking me to be your best man?

James: oh.. uh… about that.

Remus: I’m his best man.

Sirius: HUH???

James:… yeah. I uh

Sirius: IM YOUR BEST MATE! BEEN SO FOR YEARS AND THIS IS HOW I GET TREATED? AM I AT LEAST A GROOMSMAN?

James:.. not mine?

Sirius: What??

Regulus: oh for fucks sake. I want you to walk me down the aisle and be my best man.

Sirius: *tearing up* R-really???

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Hello Madam. Sorry Madam.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[s0ap-bubbles]

Happy pride month to these two specifically I mourn you everyday

[shadowbends]

Looking through your Ao3 bookmarks and seeing that little “This has been deleted, sorry!” is like finding a gravestone, but the writing’s too worn down to read what it was standing for anymore.

What were you, Bookmark #336... What stories did you tell? Which words were it that once left a mark on my soul?  *touches my laptop screen like it’s text from an ancient ruin*

Cowabummer. 

[arabellas]

#it's a comedy

MONKEY MAN 2024, dir. Dev Patel