#especially since the style is already pretty much fitting for the game (they could just adjust the designs so that it fits)
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minalots Ā· 4 months ago
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So what youā€™re telling me is that there is now the slightest chance of possibility of ww making it into guilty gear strive.
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gaysheep Ā· 11 months ago
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Touching is Good: A Retrospective
My trusty Nintendo 3DS, which has held out since I was gifted it for my 15th birthday, has turned one decade old with my 25th birthday this past November. Given new life with custom firmware and nds-bootstrap via TWiLightMenu, the 3DS is stellar for visiting any past handheld title or console title up to (and somewhat including) the N64. (Quick plug for the CFW/hacking community for the less popular PS Vita, too, which has accomplished some pretty crazy-cool stuff this last year.) I use my 3DS more often than I use my Nintendo Switch most weeks.
The Nintendo DS (minus the three) launched in late 2004. The second display and stylus support were novel tools for developers to experiment with, and the NDS is best remembered for its robust catalogue of RPGs and visual novels. Where it lacked in power, narrative-focused games flourished under its technical limitations.
That being said, while browsing the ROM archives on Vimm's Lair to pick up some titles, I was reminded of what an interesting era the mid-to-late 2000s were for games. While Sony and Microsoft were fighting over the "core gamer" demographic, who had outgrown Nintendo mascots, Nintendo led a series of wildly successful marketing campaigns for its hardware after the light failure of the Gamecube, where the Nintendo DS and then the Wii were targeted at...everyone else.
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[Image source. Image description in alt text.]
If you look at ads for the DS and the Wii, you'll see that adults are featured much more prominently than children, especially women and seniors. (This did not go unnoticed, as I found this ancient relic of misogyny while looking for images for this post.) A Nintendo handheld was already an easy sell to parents with small children (though I think it's also notable that ads which do focus on children often prominently feature girls. Munchlax is pretty hot...), but Nintendo's angle for the DS and Wii was that their hardware wasn't just for children. The Wii was a way to get up off the couch and to play board games with grandma. The DS was a great gadget for a working woman to keep in her pocketbook.
This worked. The Wii and DS were two of the best-selling consoles of all time. In particular, the DS's marketing campaign only worked because it came out in the perfect window of time. PDA-phone hybrids had been around since the 90s, and the Blackberry had been kicking around for a few years, but the iPhone wouldn't be introduced until 2007, and the 4G LTE standard wouldn't be released until 2009. While the Blackberry was popular with businesspeople and the PDA was out of style, smartphones were luxury toys for several years; they wouldn't become near-ubiquious until the mid-2010s. I didn't get my own smartphone until probably around the same time I got my 3DS, a full handheld generation later.
Browsing the software library for the Nintendo DS and DSi with that in mind is really interesting. Many titles released for the platform serve the same purposes that would be fulfilled by simple smartphone apps less than a decade later: planners and diaries, fitness trackers, calculators, language learning and SAT prep software, even a guide to the then-most-recent version of the driver's test in the UK. These proliferated with the release of the DSi's virtual store, but they existed even with the base model. You could go to a brick-and-mortar store and buy them on physical cartridges. (You might be wondering, "Why would you bother carrying those around over just buying a Blackberry?" You can't underestimate how expensive the service bills for a smartphone were before companies realized they were the most powerful spyware tool in history.)
There was never a time where every single businesswoman in New York carried a DS Lite, but adults did buy and use them, and a not insignificant portion of the DS's software library is aimed at a casual adult audience. Another niche covered mostly by smartphone games these daysā€”games designed to be picked up and played in short sessions on-the-go, in places like waiting rooms and subway commutes.
Nintendo made crazy bank in the seventh console generation. Publications of the time talked about a console war between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, but the real battle was between the PS3 and the Xbox 360 over the gamer demographic. Nintendo was producing hardware for a niche who would quietly disappear once smartphone sales began ballooning by hundreds of millions per year over the course of the early 2010s.
After the failure of the Wii U, Nintendo's marketing strategy pivoted again, though I doubt they'll ever completely abandon their family-friendly image. Currently beat out only by the PS2 and the DS, the Nintendo Switch may very well climb to a status as the best-selling console of all time before the end of its lifespan, but the "gamer" demographic is much bigger than it was two decades ago at the dawn of the DS. As more and more devices become consolidated into the Swiss army knife the smartphone has become, consoles can only carve out a role as dedicated gaming machines.
I'm not sure we'll ever see anything like the Nintendo DS or the Wii again. I think they're worth looking back on for their uniqueness in that way as much as they are for the more celebrated parts of their libraries.
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pokemon-card-of-the-day Ā· 5 months ago
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Pokemon Card of the Day #3202: Persian (Team Up)
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If you've ever had a cat, you know that they can be annoying sometimes even if they are cute, and often friendly. This Persian card decided to lean into just the annoying part of being a cat, and was there to punish large hand sizes. This was typically very much based on the opponent's deck, unless you were really slowing down the opponent. Stall decks often caused moments where a lot of cards were sitting in the hand, and Persian seemed to fit well in there. That was also the only style of deck where the lack of damage wasn't really a problem, so the landing place for this sort of thing, if good enough to be used, was clear.
100 HP wasn't too surprising for a Stage 1 but also wasn't winning any awards. You'd generally be relying on disruption to keep Persian around, though if Persian was in a spot to do what it wanted to do you were likely succeeding at just that thing already. A Fighting Weakness wasn't the biggest thing anymore, but occasionally you'd see something like a Buzzwole or Buzzwole-GX when using this in the SUM-On format that could chip away more quickly due to it. The Retreat Cost was 1, which was good since you'd never have more Energy than that attached in the first place.
Make 'Em Pay wasn't for the damage. 20 for a Colorless Energy wasn't making much progress. The effect let you look at your opponent's hand if they had 4 or more cards there. You then discarded cards of your choosing until they were down to exactly 4. When facing stall decks, it was pretty common to hold cards to use them at the best time to try to break through. Persian gave an option to punish that, so if you could use this attack at the right time you could shred a large hand. Granted, this did depend some on the opponent's decisions, and seeing a Meowth hit the board telegraphed Persian's use. Ditto Prism Star was sometimes used to avoid the Meowth tell, and while Persian wasn't always going to be useful it was a nice tool for decks already using Stage 1 Pokemon and blocking things the opponent wanted to do to have on hand.
Sharp Claws started at just 30 damage for 2 Colorless Energy. There was a flip that could add 60 more, but it was really unreliable and not even that strong with good luck.
Persian was something that was useful in some games and not others, and just there for stall decks. The thing was that the games it was good it were ones it tended to be amazing in, and the upside was so good that quite a few Stage 1 stall decks included it. This especially went for mill decks once Marnie was released, as Persian could sometimes cut off multiple turns of repeated milling by forcing that much hand discard at once. There were also some that passed up on this in favor of other disruptive Pokemon, if the large hand sizes weren't deemed of as big of an issue. That tended to be more common after the first Sun & Moon sets rotated out but before the game had moved to a bunch of good mill decks and had Marnie in almost every deck. Persian had a good start and a very good finish, and was something you had to prepare to see if going up against certain Zoroark-GX decks, Magcargo, or Cinccino.
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theoceanswaves0 Ā· 2 months ago
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Time to be abnormal about Jewel Joker, thoughts below, spoilers for chapters 1 and 2
ā€”> I canā€™t believe weā€™re back in the year of our Lord 2024 with a sequel, I never would have imagined
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ā€”> Like in my opinion, Encore wrapped up enough conclusively that I wasnā€™t really sure what they could do for a sequel. Itā€™s the same reason I wasnā€™t sold on them doing a movie back in the day (and thankfully we didnā€™t get one)
ā€”> But Iā€™m actually pretty interested in the premise and the characters theyā€™ve introduced so far. Erito is a nice evolution of the mean girl adversary Amu has faced in both Utau and Rima - both of them were pretty upfront about not liking Amu at first, which is honestly pretty indicative of the elementary school experience. But middle school? Totally different ball game. People laughing at you behind your back, spreading rumors, pretending to be nice while secretly hating youā€¦ oh how I donā€™t miss those days.
ā€”> And the best part is that AMU KNOWS! I like that she isnā€™t oblivious here! Like they could have so easily written her not picking up on it and they didnā€™t! Thatā€™s going to make this conflict and dynamic much more interesting!
ā€”> Something I donā€™t like though is Amyā€™s fan girly behavior around Tadase. I was pretty sure she was past this later in the OG manga? I donā€™t mind her getting flustered every now and then and I know itā€™s been almost a decade and a half since we left off, but I was hoping this part of her characterization would be more consistent (especially compared to the anime)
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ā€”> Also did I just not pick up on how sus Tsukasa was before, or is he just worse here? Like he sends these 2 to Arcana DAYS before theyā€™re supposed to start middle school, and doesnā€™t say that theyā€™ll be boarding there? He must have rolled a nat 20 for charisma with Amuā€™s parents bc IDK how her father would have okayed that (since heā€™s Tadaseā€™s uncle, I donā€™t think his parents would have many objections). But then later after getting there, they find out THEY CANā€™T KEEP THEIR PHONES?? THEY CAN MAKE 1 OFF-CAMPUS CALL ON SUNDAYS FOR 10 MINUTES?? I know this is functionally to force Amu and Tadase to get to know the other students, and possibly for Rima to try and make friends on her own (which would nicely parallel Amu attempting to befriend Rima in the DĆ­a arc) but like??? Did Tsukasa know this??? If he did, why didnā€™t he warn them???
ā€”> The Arcana uniforms are DOPE. I love how, unaltered, they kind of look like detectives. Kind of fits the mission theyā€™re here for!
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ā€”> And of course, the style game is still on point! I was enjoying the fashion and styling montage with Amu and Niya, since I always headcannoned Amu becoming a fashion designer in the future (her mad style game, and it easily blending elements from each of her charas).
ā€”> I say enjoyed because then Niya got a little too forward with asking Amu outā€¦ only for her to firmly turn him down and set boundaries! I know the ā€œcool and spicyā€ persona has been limiting to her at times (mostly people not being able to see past it to see the entirety of who she is), but I think itā€™s completely warranted here and not inauthentic. I def remember boys being pushy in middle school, and Amu already has enough on her plate.
ā€”> The tech gap doesnā€™t bother as much as it could have. My understanding was that the OG story started in 2006 (when the first chapter was published), and it ended in 2008 (I have a theory to explain this but Iā€™ll share in a separate post). So even if I continue to believe that Jewel Joker is still set in 2008, I can still buy it a little (since smart phones were around, even if they werenā€™t commonplace, though streaming is stretching it a bit). Compare this to the whiplash of Cardcaptor Sakura, which would have been set in the 90s, and seeing smartphones in Clear Cardā€¦
ā€”> Now I know logically, theyā€™re keeping the story contemporary with modern tech and fashion, but I refuse to believe that Shugo Chara isnā€™t still set in 2008. Iā€™m particular about time being consistent, so I realize itā€™s a me issue.
ā€”> Weā€™re left on a cliffhanger regarding the Arcana games. My guess is that chapter 3 will explain the rules and set up, and possibly tease any rivalries thatā€™ll crop up as a result.
ā€”> In the scenario that they decide to make more anime, I hope theyā€™ll decide to start off by doing a more faithful adaptation of the manga and then cover Jewel Joker. (mostly so they avoid having to pad out the seasons like they did in the OG days). Since we never got the ending of the manga or Encore adapted, this gives them the perfect chance to do that.
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ā€”> Which leads me to ask the following questionā€¦
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kimbap-r0ll Ā· 2 years ago
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Hello hello! If itā€™s all good with you, would you be okay writing Idia, Lilia, Malleus, and Cater with a fem s/o who has lip piercings? Specifically a lower vertical labret and angel fangs if thatā€™s okay?
Hi, thank you for the ask! I personally don't know much about lip piercings but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!
Idia, Lilia, Malleus, Cater with a fem!s/o with lip piercings
Idia
He thinks it's really cool, like if he could have the courage to try them he would
Wonders if it's painful at all. It might've felt a little weird when you first got them, but you tell him that it's not that bad after you get used to it.
I feel like he wouldn't think too much about it since to him it reminds him of video game characters he likes a lot. He'll just compliment you on it, probably say that you look super cool, and then be too shy to say anything else
If you want to, he might get you some lip piercings as a gift on your birthday! He doesn't know what would look the best on you, so he ends up buying the most obscure thing and honestly it's one of your favorites now haha
Lilia
He also thinks it's really cool, especially because he's someone who's dabbled in piercings before change my mind
He likes the angel fangs the most for some reason, maybe it's because he's a bit of a bat and it reminds him of himself haha
He probably tries to get some himself if you happen to know a good piercing place nearby in the downtown area of the island the school's on. Sebek and Silver might be surprised at Lilia's change in appearance but to you it's just something he would do
Definitely likes the angel fangs a little too much, might make the piercings an excuse to kiss you or brush his thumb over your lips haha
Malleus
He knew about piercings but never got any himself because he never had the time. Also his grandmother was like "you already have fangs you don't need more" (I think he has them?)
Probably thinks the piercings look super cute on you. Sure it might've seemed a bit intimidating to some students at first, but to him it just looked fit for you
The angel fangs! He's similar to Lilia in that he really likes it because it reminds him of faes like himself haha. Might also make it an excuse to kiss you and tease you about it if you get flustered
Overall he's pretty chill about it as well, just thinks it's a cool part of you
Cater
Rad. Thinks it's super cool as well mainly because he wants to take pictures with you in different piercing styles but also because he's part of the school's pop music club and you fit the style
He definitely thinks you should have more stage presence if you're also in the music club. You have no idea how much Cater flipped out when he saw you with the piercings for the first time, he was basically like "wow you are so slayy"
He probably knows some good piercing brands or styles so he might get you some as a gift on special occasions. He likes seeing you try different styles on as well
Not sure if he'll get piercings himself, but he'll really want to try some after you show him how cool you look with them. He likes the vertical labret the most, but the angel fangs also look really cute
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apocalypticavolition Ā· 11 months ago
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Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 26: Discord
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Gather around everyone and I'll tell you a tale. It's a tale of my reactions to someone else telling me a different story in book form. Many book form, to be technical. And I already know the story, so my reactions will be very spoilery for all the books. Every book. If that's gonna be a problem, plug your ears or something I guess.
This chapter has a harp icon because it's Thom time! I'm as happy as Rand is to see him.
Rand, I may have been too hasty in leaving Stedding Shangtai the way I did. When I do go home, I may be in a great deal of trouble.
Not sure why you couldn't just lie about being a young Ogier from Saldaea or something, Loial. You all can't keep that close a set of tabs on each other. Or is the unbearded look a dead giveaway?
When they came pounding through the common room, Rand winked at the innkeeper, then laughed at his startled look. Let him think Iā€™m off to play his bloody Great Game. Let him think what he wants. Thomā€™s alive.
What is it about needing to keep a low profile in inns that makes Rand so reckless? First Baerlon and his channeling sickness, now this when he doesn't even have that excuse.
The innkeeper was a woman with hair as white as Thomā€™s, and sharp eyes that studied Loial as well as Rand.
Innkeeper size, and therefore loyalty, uncertain.
The slender woman sitting cross-legged on the bed with her skirts tucked under her was keeping six colored balls spinning in a wheel between her hands.
Dena meanwhile has to be small so that Jordan can fit her into the fridge more easily.
ā€œI have never heard of a woman gleeman,ā€ Loial said.
And this frankly makes Dena's fridging all the more exhausting. Why are there no gleegals anyway? Surely there'd be a good source: women who go to the Tower to become Aes Sedai and then get put out again when it's clear they're not worthy but who don't want to go back home now that they've tasted the world. Especially since this world seems to be pretty low on sex work, you'd think that gals who don't have much else in the realm of prospects would pick up the job.
But also, it's infuriating that Dena is intro'd in this way and then killed off and then we never have any other woman who tries to take up the mantle later. One can hardly blame Thom for being in a hurry to pick up a lady apprentice given what happens to Dena and the events of the next few months, but by the time he ended up in Ebou Dar it should have been going again. It's a wasted opportunity.
They hang a scrap of painted canvas behind them, supposed to make the audience believe these fools are in Matuchin Hall, or the high passes of the Mountains of Dhoom. I make the listener see every banner, smell every battle, feel every emotion. I make them believe they are Gaidal Cain. Seaghan will have his hall torn down around his ears if he puts this lot on to follow me.
And here's another apparent revolution in the world's culture that doesn't seem to go anywhere. Theater exists; there's a play held in Andor much later, but apparently Gleemen will stay the preferred style for now. I suppose after the circus it's probably for the best we didn't pick up a subplot of players.
ā€œShe listens to a tale onceā€”once only, mind!ā€”and she has it right, not just the words, but every nuance, every rhythm. She has a fine hand on the harp, and she played the flute better the first time she picked it up than you ever did.ā€
Yes yes, we all know she's too pure for this sinful Earth.
Sheā€™ll be court-bard to a king or a queen before sheā€™s done.
Okay but for real Thom, there's only so many monarchs in the world and I doubt many more nobles besides their immediate subordinates could afford court-bards so what are all the women in the world who aren't mind-bogglingly talented supposed to do in the performance arts? They can't all just give up their dreams and move on. Why are they absent?
ā€œYour clumsy sheepherderā€™s fingers were never meant for the harp.ā€
There is something very sad in Rand not being meant for the sophisticated forms of art (and science) that he'd really rather be a part of than conquering.
There is even a lord in the city has what he claims is the Horn locked up inside his manor. He says itā€™s a treasure handed down in his House since the Breaking.
You know, I'm willing to believe that this lord really does have a 3,500 year old horn in his basement. Obviously not a magic one, but still. Stranger things have happened.
ā€œMoiraine says itā€™s the Horn,ā€ Rand said. Thomā€™s mirth was cut short.
Thom takes Moiraine as gospel even now.
ā€œI donā€™t suppose you are talking about simply riding to Shienar and handing the Horn toā€”who?ā€”the King? Why Shienar? The legends all tie the Horn to Illian.ā€
I suppose this must be one of those myths that grew in the telling. That or there was some confusion with a Foretelling and the sea that the Horn gets tossed into is off of Illian's coast.
ā€œThom,ā€ he said at last, ā€œare there any books that have The Karaethon Cycle in them?ā€ Easier to call it that than the Prophecies of the Dragon. ā€œIn the great libraries,ā€ Thom said slowly. ā€œAny number of translations, and even in the Old Tongue, here and there.ā€
Thom of course has to answer slowly because Rand's question has given him a heart attack and he needs to take deep breaths. This might well be one of the more terrifying moments of Thom's life, having a young boy taken from his home on suspicion of channeling asking about the Prophecies while waving the sign of their imminent fulfillment around. Or at least this would be the case if Thom was taking it at all seriously (he's not, not yet).
For a moment, Rand could only gape at him, and when he could speak, his voice was unsteady. ā€œThe sword makes five. Hilt, scabbard, and blade.ā€ He turned his hand down on the table, hiding the brand on his palm. For the first time since Seleneā€™s salve had done its work, he could feel it. Not hurting, but he knew it was there.
Moiraine of course thought she was fulfilling prophecy but as Rand points out the coat counts for nothing, though funnily enough the sword and the coat are echoes of the later, true markings: the sword setting Rand on his path away from home and the coat being Moiraine naming him among the candidates as the real deal.
Thom's got to be happy Rand's denying it though.
I suspect Aes Sedai would want to make events fit the Prophecies as closely as they can. Dying somewhere in the Blasted Lands would be a high price to pay for going along with them.
Thom's a very kind mentor for actually telling Rand straight out what the price of being the Dragon is and suggesting that if he's just doing it for the Aes Sedai that it's time to do something.
ā€œThen why ask about the Prophecies? Why send the Ogier out of the room?ā€
One of the problems of being an expert player of the Great Game is that when a novice shows up and starts blundering around, you're going to mistake his idiotic moves for strategic ones. Thom correctly identifies Rand's got an ulterior motive for his behavior and skips right past the obvious, simple, and true answer in favor of a conspiracy theory.
ā€œIā€™ve learned a few things since we parted, Thom. They will come for whoever blows the Horn, even a Darkfriend.ā€
I'm not sure you've learned that at all Rand, and I suppose we should have taken Thom not knowing that detail as warning enough that it wasn't true.
ā€œOwyn held it off almost three years. He never hurt anyone. He didnā€™t use the Power unless he had to, and then only to help his village. He. . . .ā€ Thom threw up his hands.
The taint on saidin was an absolutely masterful counterstroke if you think about it. The perfect way for the divisive paranoia of the Shadow to worm its way into the minds of Light aligned individuals. Thom knows that Owyn was a danger to society but he still tries to make excuses out of love.
If Moiraineā€™s let you go, then you are well out of it.
While Rand outplays Thom through naivety, Moiraine outflanks him legitimately.
ā€œA clean break is best, boy. If youā€™re always coming around, even if you never mention it, I wonā€™t be able to get the Horn out of my head. And I wonā€™t be tangled in it. I wonā€™t.ā€
A cruel move by Thom, but one can hardly blame an old man for trying to refuse the call. One can blame the Wheel for how refusing the call plays out for him though.
Ruefully, he realized he was considering whether to tell Zera the truth or let her continue thinking as she did. All it takes is to think about the Great Game, and I start playing it.
Politics as a whole are a rather infectious way of corrupting the Light too, and the fools do it to themselves. It's no wonder part of Rand's coming is resetting the whole damn board on the players.
Coat or no coat, Rand was still only a shepherd. If he had been more, if he had been what Thom once suspectedā€”a man who could channelā€”neither Moiraine nor any other Aes Sedai would ever have let him walk away ungentled.
Frankly, I think Thom's very much hiding in denial here like Rand does. He has to know that the facts don't add up in any way that's good but he pretends he can send Rand away and not have to worry about it.
Ah well. We have to part ways here too. See you next chapter!
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neon-dynasty Ā· 2 years ago
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Compleated Planeswalker Theories
Welp, here we go. I'm sure you've seen this image from earlier:
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We were told that five of these Planeswalkers would not make it through the events of All Will Be One without being compleated. So for the next month we get to think long and hard about which ones it'll be. For now, however, here's who I think we'll be losing to Phyrexia and who will survive to fight the good fight.
EDIT: I should mention that a big part of why I theorize who will be compleated and who won't be is primarily due to the assumption that each side will have a mono-colored cycle of Planeswalkers. I'm also looking at the What If artwork and making huge guesses about which color they'd fall into based on the design. My pairs are: White - Kaya (ceramic and flesh) and the Wanderer (Elesh Norn styled helmet) Blue - Jace (lots of neon and tubes, robotic features) and Kaito (neon accents) Black - Nissa (spines and rotted plates and noxious fungus) and Vraska (sharp segmented Sheoldred-like body, skeleton motifs in the background) Red - Koth (blazing furnace chest and also revealed card) and Nahiri (looks like she's in full control, least deformed) Green - Lukka (large body set in the Tangle / Hunter's Maze) and Tyvar (emphasis on muscles, "natural" features like hair and tentacles)
Koth of the Hammer
They already showed us his card! That said, his "What If" art is pretty neat.
SAFE (from compleation - nobody is safe from Phyrexia)
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Jace Beleren
Everyone's noticed it by now, but in his What If art, Jace has Luxior sticking out of his exposed heart. That's a very specific detail that all the other characters are lacking, and hints at some major story implications. Jace has been one of the poster boys for the game since his introduction, so it definitely fits the trope of a veteran leaving at the end of a massive crossover story arc.
That said, it gives me hope that the heroes will find a way to undo the damage of compleation, should they want that at the end of the storyline and beyond.
COMPLEAT
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Vraska
I think Jace's compleation is going to be a motivating factor for Vraska, and possibly even what causes her to join the fight.
At least that's what I set out to say. After considering each character's design and color alignment, a couple of predictions got shuffled around. At least her What If art is incredibly awesome, and very fitting for her.
COMPLEAT
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Lukka
Aside from the fact that his What If artwork is super fitting (and awesome), Lukka hasn't been a good character the handful of times we've seen him, and this could be a way for Wizards to sweep him under the rug. I think they'd even be willing to snip the whole "voice in his head plot" thread to get rid of him.
Again, that's what I would have said, but look at this art. We don't see any beasts in this piece. That said, it's him or Tyvar for the green rep, and I think Lukka is more likely to be safe in the end. If I'm right about the colors, we'd be seeing at least one Planeswalker in a new color in this set, and I don't think they'd introduce a new color identity to a Planeswalker after all the previous emphasis on how compleated versions of the characters have twisted versions of their personalities.
SAFE
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The Wanderer and Kaito Shizuki
They just introduced these two, and there's a lot more story left to tell for both of them. Tamiyo was already compleated. Jace and Vraska are a much more emotionally resonant couple in the story. And yes, there's a personal desire to see the Wanderer and Kaito have a chance at a happy ending, despite how amazing their What If artwork is (especially Kaito's monstrous spider form).
As a side note, Kaito's spark doesn't reside within him, and the Wanderer's is unstable. It's possible that Jin-Gitaxias would be able to fix both of those things, but unlikely, I think.
SAFE
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Tyvar Kell
Dude is such a lovable himbo, but ultimately I can see Tyvar sacrificing himself to save someone else OR taking on a fight he doesn't know he can't win just to punch something. Either way, we just met him and have relatively little investment in his story.
Between him and Lukka as the green representative, I think Tybar is more likely to be compleated. I love the twisted Saitama vibes on his incredibly unsettling What If art.
COMPLEAT
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Nissa Revane
Simply put, Nissa has too many loose plot threads dangling. Emrakul, Zendikar, Chandra, Liliana. I think Jace has a much better chance of being the veteran who bites it, and I doubt they'd off two original members of the Gatewatch in the same story.
That, and the face on her What If art looks a little too much like her regular face. I love the vibes though. It really screams (or perhaps whispers) "I am this forest."
SAFE
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Kaya Cassir
Kaya is an active character with a lot of story left in her, but it would make a lot of sense if she were compleated as an extension of that. She's already been a noble, an assassin, and guild leader, an assassin, a hero, an assassin, and most recently, a cog vital component in Teferi's time machine.
At the moment, she's super OP as a Planeswalker, able to transport other living creatures across the planes AND through time, apparently. Her What If art shows a very Norn-inspired look, which suits her pretty well.
COMPLEAT
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Nahiri
The fact that Nahiri's What If artwork looks so much like her original form made me think she was going to be one of the ones who were safe at first. However, she looks like she's actively enjoying her new state. And, unlike Tyvar, completely in control. That makes me think that she might strike a deal with Urabrask, undergoing Phyrexianization willingly.
Plus, I mean, sword arms.
COMPLEAT
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And there you have it. That's my theory on who's going to be compleated, and who's going to continue the resistance against the Phyrexian tide. I tried to look for details in the artwork that may hint at specific story points (like Jace with Luxior), as well as keeping in mind the fact that we'll be seeing two color-balanced cycles.
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As always, please share your own thoughts and theories. I look forward to seeing what we all come up with!
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buff-electra-truther Ā· 3 months ago
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Stex Appreciation Month: Electra
Fav actor: Koffi Missah is the best overall.Ā Ā I think the MJ/Prince train angle is the most effective characterization for Electra and he looks, acts, and sounds perfect for that approach.Ā Ā Itā€™s fun and recognizable in the cheap seats in a language you donā€™t know.Ā Ā But it also has a lot of potential for depth, thereā€™s a double entendre to be made about the government/big companies conspiring against electric trains for being too successful and certain tropes about electrical powers.Ā 
Mykal Rand is basically impossible to beat aesthetically for me.Ā Ā I cannot look away from the absurdity of how smooth and girly his face is combined with how cartoonishly ripped he is.Ā Ā Even footage of him on tiny tour stages in beat up ill-fitting costumes is captivating. Heā€™s just so extreme and maximalist yet alien looking.Ā Ā 
Iā€™m surprisingly unpicky on Electra actors as long as they arenā€™t boring.Ā Ā Thatā€™s the only real crime.Ā Ā But I tend to prefer ones who have/could pull off Greaseball because I prefer a bolder, louder Electra (and basically require it post 2018 so I donā€™t forget he even exists with that borderline camoflouge costume)
Fav songs/scenes: Dinahā€™s Disco because I love watching him get shoved, a nice more intense version of AC/DC, anything involving No Comeback or its leitmotif.Ā Ā Once again, What Time Is It? is a terrible song but purely redeemed because Mykal is hilarious in it.
Fav costumes: Broadway/Bochum toothpaste is a classic, but Iā€™m also weirdly fond of Late London because I love the cartoony look (especially on Chris Copeland since he went all in on the makeup style to match)
Ships/Friendships: already went over how I view him and Greaseball the other day.
I like to look at pictures from the JPN/AUS tours out of context and think Electra looks cold and lonely and in need of a buddy and Caboose coaxes him into fun bad ideas
Headcanons:Ā 
-I habitually call Electra ā€œheā€ because itā€™s what canon does 90% of the time, but view the character as neutral (all of them really).Ā Ā Electra and the Components are about the only ones smart enough to realize these forms are an illusion and thereā€™s no reason to play by human paradigms, it would be equally stupid if they subscribed to blood type personalities too.Ā Ā They are VERY smug about this but slowly the message is spreading.Ā Ā 
-I vary in what exact basis Iā€™ll give him but see him as either irl, alternate timeline, or outright sci-fi Amtrakā€™s choice of successor to the GG1.Ā Ā He isnā€™t weak or terribly delicate if the infrastructure works (unless you keep him as 40101 lol), he follows in their tracks of being a huge effortless machine thatā€™ll run away with basically anything you stick on it.Ā Ā If he actually played it clean, heā€™d probably dominate going uphill vs Greaseball and especially Rusty, he just doesnā€™t flaunt strength much in canon because itā€™s not relevant to the race.
-Electra is aĀ Ā Fully Automated Bi Space Communist who wants to run catenaries across the Rocky Mountains and Siberia
-If you turn the dials and knobs Electra will morph like a gameā€™s character slider just like how itā€™s simple to regear electric locos for passenger/freight use.Ā Ā 
Unpopular opinions:Ā Ā lmao I think all my Electra preferences are moderately to very fandom unpopular.Ā Ā Iā€™m a contrarian who likes the character for fundamentally different reasons than most.Ā Ā Iā€™ve vaguely known of the character for years but didnā€™t really fall in love with him until recently when I saw those 2013 tour videos people either love or hate. Yeah they have the worst staging and costumes but I went ā€œoh hell yeah finally a less problematic alternative to my blorbos Ganondorf and Velvet von Ragnarā€.Ā Ā I think those two names alone make it pretty clear why I like a bulkier, hotter natured, more affectionate and competent Electra than most.Ā Ā I crave novelty and get bored by oversaturated things so Iā€™m naturally drawn to androgynous characters that arenā€™t twinks or prettyboys so seeing Mykal vs the more typical tall skinny Electras really made me more interested in the character, even if I think thereā€™s more interesting characterizations than his.Ā Ā 
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cidthesquid Ā· 9 months ago
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A Quick Update! - Style Savvy Trendsetter #09
[Previous Post]ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚[First Post]ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚ā€‚[Next Post] Hello all! I know many of you may have followed primarily for Style Savvy content, And that's 100% okay! I want everyone to be able to enjoy whatever part of my content they want, however they want!
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I would actually start to feel bad if people felt obligated to read my extra ramblings, or check out posts that don't interest them. I make these post for my own enjoyment and journaling my digital fashion journey, across multiple games! So as Iong as I find new experiences I'll keep posting! (Questions/Comments are always welcome!) ----- Style Savvy tendsetter has slowed down quite a bit, so I have not had much to post about, But I feel like it's been long enough to share at least a quick update! First, Chad is getting a little worried about the massive amount of clothes getting sent to my apartment:
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He's not very confrontational about it, and it seems like genuine curiosity, and he's a really nice guy, so I won't hold it against him. :) I also ended up entering another fashion contest! I'm still stuck in beginner rank, until the story progresses further. But I think I was able to come up with a cute outfit to match the girly theme:
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There's not much challenge at this level, but it's a fun little distraction.
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While I'm at least playing a few days a week now, I actually took a break for a while, my adhd just had trouble staying engaged with a game that was this laser focused on one specific activity. It actually being stuck in a waiting room for a doctors appointment, for me to boot it up on my phone again. (don't worry, it was just routine)
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Contests don't really give you any money, and only give you a single clothing item for willing, so while replaying them is fun, it's not a great use of your time. I also changed up my outfit for the first time in over a month, I really liked the green kimono, but the pattern was a bit much for wearing around town. So I decided to mix it up a bit:
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I found a really nice combination of items that offers a shoulder-less look that I did not think was possible in this game.
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Yeah, it's fairly monochromatic, that's pretty much my 'panic play', when trying something new, even if it's not boring, at least it's not messy. haha!
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The furniture shop also just opened, so I can now start decorating my character's room!
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They seem very excited about it! haha
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I decided to go with a mint/pastel purple color scheme, mostly because it's one of the few 3 color matches I could remember at the time for brown/tan, so I figured it would match the flooring well. I'd never want to live here IRL, but I think it looks pretty nice for the game.
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Also, fun fact, your apartment's wallpaper will also be applied as your background for the apartment menu. And yeah, that's really it for this update, I'll leave you with one extra screenshot, and those who are interested/comfortable can stick around for the bonus existential stuff! :P
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---- /!\ Caution: End of Cute screenshots, Mostly unedited Ramblings beyond this point /!\ Alright, so again, keeping this confined to thoughts I had when playing the game. I've already changed my character's name once, to make them better fit their new identity, and to match the name of the blog. But whenever I see the name 'Cid' printed out in game, It still feels a little weird, Maybe I had just gotten used to the other name as I used it in monster hunter, and other games? It may also because of the masculine connotations from that name, especially since I've been playing a lot of Final Fantasy XIV recently. Because of that and other FF games whenever I see that name, I think of a gruff older man who's also an airship engineer! XD So my initial thoughts would simply be to change it to something similar, like 'Sid', as that could have a more feminine feel that could feel less out of place. And I know most won't relate to this, but this line of thinking often gets me into meta thoughts like: "Why do you feel you NEED to change the name? It's all in your head!", "Is this what YOU really want, or what you think is expected based on others possible perspectives?", "Is this just your way of ignoring your feeling about being a guy playing these games?" So what seems as simple as changing one letter, brings up a whole lot of stuff I'm not currently equipped to unpack. It can be hard to keep track of how you actually feel outside of external pressure. Trying to find my own answers currently, feels like it's starting to unravel some of the stuff I already thought I'd worked through and processed. But it's not a huge deal for now, so I figure I can just focus less on finding a solution, it can take things one at a time, and come back to this idea when I'm better ready to deal with it! [Next Post]
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beekeeperspicnic Ā· 1 year ago
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Same anon. I also just wanna start off by saying that i know nothing about game design, i also am very very new to this blog/game and i dont want to sound overly critical or make you think that these are huge problems that need fixing, its mostly just small things i noticed that felt a little odd but otherwise didnt take away from the experience too much. You also definitely don't have to "fix" anything if these are intentional design choices. Im not familiar with these types of games at all so i might just experience mild culture shock about it. You also don't have to respond to this and you can feel free to delete this ask if you wish to for whatever reason <333
So, I think you've mentioned this already but it felt a bit odd that it was silent when there was dialogue. (I think) you mentioned you didn't want or couldn't have actual voice acting but i think any sound that indicates speech could work! Like little beepings or tappings? Perhaps that can be turned on or off in potential settings? Otherwise, i really liked the sound designs in the game!
Im 99% sure it is an intentional design choice because its a retro/retro inspired game but sometimes it felt like foregrounds and backgrounds melted together because there are only colour blocks and never/rarely any clear lines. Might also be because im colourblind but it made it a bit hard for me to distinguish where everything was, especially the fossil in the cottage living room. Definitely not a big problem, i did get there in the end, after all, but perhaps something to at least be aware of? :3
Lastly, the options menu in the dialogue looks a little out of place to me. I think it might be the black background? This might also be an intentional design choice, it just looked a little clunky to me (again, as someone not used to retro games! So it might just be a me thing!). Perhaps different/more fitting colours or outlined text with no background could potentially work?
Again, very sorry for the huge ask and if anything of this sounds.... /Bad/. I definitely don't mean for it to sound that way and i totally understand if all of this is something you dont want or cant change. After all, while i enjoyed the demo im def not your core audience as someone who hasn't grown up with/played games like these <3333
Thanks for the feedback!
Alas I can't afford to have this game speech acted (I would like to but the costs would be phenomenal), and personally I just don't "get" having beeping or clicking noises or wah wah sounds when characters are talking, especially since the rest of the sound design is naturalistic. I just find that a really weird idea? You're not the first person to mention it though, so.... idk. Perhaps I'll try it sometime just to see if I can warm up to it.
There's not a great deal I can do about the art style at this stage - I've already spent the last year completing most of the artwork. If it helps the trilobite isn't in the main game! It's just a demo thing. If there is a particular colour combo that didn't work for you I'd be interested to know.
I can change the black background at least! I was just going for something high contrast, but I could try deep green or something.
Idk if I want my core audience to be people who play retro games - in fact I am pretty worried that point and click adventure gamers won't really be into it! So I appreciate the perspective.
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spinningbuster98 Ā· 1 year ago
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Mega Man X7 Part 1
So I know that technically speaking Zero 1 should be next since it came out the year after X6 but yā€™know what? Thereā€™s only 2 X games left, might as well do them sooner rather than later. Besides the Zero series has a much more connected story throughout its games so itā€™s more fitting to do them all in sequential order without interruptions.
Itā€™s just too bad that we now have to deal with quite possibly one of the worst games ever made
X7ā€²s issues are much more...explicit than X6ā€²s. You can spot them just by looking at it.
Probably the first thing youā€™ll notice is just how ugly it looks. This is a 2003 PS2 game, this thing came out at the same time as Sonic Heroes and yet it looks like a Dreamcast game, if the character models were completely and utterly inexpressive, the characters animated like actual puppets (and barely at that) and the environments looked as bland and uninspired and murky as fuck. The opening stage is a recreation of X1ā€²s (because X7 came out to celebrate the X seriesā€™ 10th anniversary, now where have I seen a similar situation before?), and it just serves to further drive home the point of how despicably low weā€™ve fallen
So this game wants to be 3D. Well 3D and 2D as well, with different sections in each level. Barring Legends, which was 3D but kinda cheated by having a different gameplay style altogether, this is technically the first....and only time a traditional Mega Man game has ever been translated into 3D.
You may already spot the main issues, like the camera being stuck in this pseudo birdā€™s eye view half the time while also being stuck to your ass, making it damn awkward to see where youā€™re going during 3D sections, especially when platforming is involved.
Another big issue that you wouldnā€™t notice unless you were playing this is the controls: the characters feel sluggish, slow, they have little sense of fluidity, 3D sections, with their extra spacious design, pretty much require you to dash jump all over the place if you intend of moving at a pace thatā€™s greater than that of entropy and wall jumping feels awkward as hell with the characters jumping way too far away from the wall and the camera moving alongside them even in the 2D sections
The game has an auto lock on, because the devs must have figured that it would be needed in a 3D space and it is, but this also means that Mega Manā€™s trademark gameplay style of taking aim and firing is neutered since now you can just spam a button indisciminately and stuff will die. They wonā€™t die immediatelyĀ  because enemies like to be tanky and you can get knocked on your ass by stuff like explosions, which does WONDERS for this gameā€™s pacing but hey.
Word of advice: go to the options and turn on rapid fire. Trust me youā€™ll see later why youā€™d wanna do this
Anothe thing you may have noticed is the voice acting
MM8 and X4 are infamous for their voice acting but yā€™know what? They were somewhat charming in aĀ ā€œso bad itā€™s funnyā€ kind of way, plus I could count the voiced cutscenes on one hand
X7ā€²s can get funny in a memey sort of way but mostly itā€™s fucking ear-grating
Zero sounds half decent but the direction they gave the actor makes him sound like heā€™s changed his mind about coming back to life and now just wants to gp back to the void
Signas is voiced by Robert Belgrade, the man who voiced Alucard in Symphony of The Night, probably the only voice actor in that game who put any kind of genuine effort (besides Draculaā€™s in his own way). Here though he sounds completely zoned out, like heā€™s here fot the check and nothing else
Alia sounds like a timid teenage girl
Axl sounds like every annoying shonen kid stereotype all rolled up into one
And X
Ooooh X....
So unlike what my previous criticisms of Zero becoming the de facto protagonist of the series for a while (and my profile picture) may have suggested I actually donā€™t have a lot of love for X aside from his design.
The series has just never done anything of substance with his concept of being the first robot capable of true free will, and due to his general lack of dialogue and interesting story beats when compared to Zero he just doesnā€™t amount to much kre thanĀ ā€œangsty Mega Manā€, like heā€™s exactly like Rock except you swap out his childlike optimism and drive with lots of angst and doubt. On paper this should be enough to make X different enough but in practice, like I said, the execution has simply never been there.
Theoretically a story where X decides to no longer fight the good fight because he canā€™t take it any longer would be great; not only is it very human but it also showcases Xā€™s ability to make his own choices in a negative way by having him make a bad decision. Itā€™s a far more interesting idea than simply having him go evil as was the original idea behind the Zero series....which actually ended up having X also retire from fighting out of sheer mental exhaustion before X7 was even a thing.
However what we get here is one of the worst cases of flanderizaton I have ever seen
In past games X would have usually only 1 brief (BRIEF) moment where he laments that he has to once again take up arms and fight to save the world. Heā€™s a pacifist at heart so it makes sense.
X7 makes it Xā€™s entire personality. And in the whiniest, most hateable way possible. And I donā€™t mean Shinji Ikari kind of whiny.
He just stands there at HQ doing fuck all all day (as far as we can see at least), criticizing others for using violence to deal with dangerous criminals, while not coming up with a better alternative and just being a douchebag overall. He sounds like your average Twitter user who rants about the injustices of the world and how other people are shit for not doing anything about them while they themselves are just sitting there typing at a keyboard from their motherā€™s basement.
That moment when he tells Red that if he wants Axl back he can have him because he has no intention of fighting for the likes of him is fucking putrid. Heā€™s literally saying that heā€™s A-OK with handing over a kid, even if a troubled and irresponsible one, to a criminal organization just because ā€œfighting badā€.
Itā€™s pretty funny. Inafune has long left the series and you can tell because Zero is no longer the center of the universe, but now this new dev team want to impose ANOTHER main character in the form of Axl and X is treated worse than ever.
And weā€™re just getting started
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protagonistheavy Ā· 7 months ago
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Overwatch and Dead by Daylight could definitely have crossover content with each other as a sort of Halloween-themed event and also because they're the main two games I play nowadays, so they have that in common with each other. Here's my little dreamlist of content I'd want to see + a copy of that list in case you throw the first one in the trash.
In Overwatch:
Huntress Junker Queen. This would probably be the feature skin, since Huntress is so iconic, and I think this is the best match between characters. JQ's knife is turned into a hatchet for sure, and her ultimate would include some of the entity's crows flying around and squawking; maybe her ult voice line would be changed to "Time to be sacrificed!"/"Take 'em to the entity's realm!" Absolutely would come with a voice line of humming the Huntress's lullaby.
Trapper Junkrat. He's the only hero with a bear trap, after all, and Trapper's mask would look pretty fitting on Junkrat. Yeah the personality doesn't match lol but I think that's part of the charm. Would pair well with an emote where Junkrat sets a trap ala Trapper style, but then steps into it by accident and kicks it off. This would probably be the "free" skin they let you earn.
Clown Roadhog. Yeah pretty much all the junkers get in on this event. Both have the big boy body type of course. Hog's breather-bottle would be turned into a glass bottle like the Clown's, and his hook would resemble a hook from the entity's realm, which he'd definitely have an extra amount of hook-based voice lines to play with.
Skull Merchant Symmetra. This is maybe the most wild one lol but I think it's a good combo, with Skull Merchant representing the more-modern angle of DBD content. Sym probably has the best matching body type, and her turrets can definitely take the appearance close to that of Skull Merchant's drones. Her gun would also skin very well into the Skull Merchant's claw, I think. I could also see Widowmaker fitting here instead.
Spirit Moira. The Banshee skin is already pretty close to what to picture here. I'm not sure if Overwatch could get away with having the mangled/floating body parts, but it'd look damn cool if they could. Moira works well with her vanishing, and she could be given a cooler melee animation by drawing the Spirit's sword to attack, perhaps. Plus an emote that replicates the Spirit using her phase, going stiff, and reappearing somewhere close by.
Weapons charms could be all sorts of DBD icons, including totems, pallets, med kits, flashlights, and toolboxes.
A DBD-inspired 4v1 game mode.
In DBD:
Roadhog Clown. Yeah these two just straight-up swap games. Roadhog is certainly the "scariest" character from Overwatch so he's a shoe-in, and again, he just has that right body type and personality. Not much to note cosmetically other than perhaps changing the knife to be like Roadhog's hook.
Reaper Gunslinger. Once again, Reaper is one of Overwatch's only spooky characters, so he probably has to be worked in. I know cowboy stuff is more up Cassidy's alley, and Ashe also has the ADS weapon, but neither of them are really the right vibe for DBD. Even with Reaper, I imagine they'd have to play up his creepiness a little more.
Genji Trickster. Lmao. Genji probably counts somewhere as the third scariest Overwatch hero. Knives easily become shurikens, his bat easily becomes a katana. Maybe they'd want to go for a spookier inspiration for Genji, like using his Blackwatch skin for inspiration.
Tracer, Soldier 76, Mercy, and D.va skins for survivors. Not sure who would exactly fit into who, but these seem the most like "survivor" heroes, especially in the way they play. Tracer and Soldier are known for their speed, and Mercy and D.va feel "helpless" when hunted down. These are definitely the heroes who'd be most fucked-over if you took away their weapons in a slasher scenario.
Charms could include the OW logo, health packs, the elimination skull marker, various weapons from heroes, Winton...
Yeah the content is probably a little more favored towards Overwatch in such a crossover, what with it being easier to translate stuff out of DBD rather than into it. That said, DBD has also tried opening itself up to more categories than just straight-up horror, and in a way I see these games sort of as cousins what with their similar release times. Idk, something about these two franchises feel like they'd come together well.
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alltimefail-sims Ā· 1 year ago
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Poolside Splash Kit Overview - Fem Frame Items Ft. Lea Hahn
OKAY so here were are with YET ANOTHER KIT! šŸ™ƒ I adamantly don't like kits, we know this. However, I (begrudgingly) admit that I honestly do like some of these items. I still think this all could have been included in a game pack that would also give actual gameplay features! The Sims team could have taken this idea further and realized its potential - waterslides, more pool decor, additional outdoor games and activities, perhaps even a new skill? I feel like we haven't gotten pool-related stuff since like... Get Together? JFC that's insane! So many underdeveloped features in this game!
Ahem. Sorry! Anyway...
More thoughts under the cut ā†“
We did desperately need more swimwear and a lot of the pieces are pretty versatile. Lots of mix-and-match options are never a bad thing. I liked the whimsical swatches (the ones with gnomes) but they just didn't fit Lea's aesthetic. I love the swim trunks, both styles, but I still think for five dollars they could have varied the styles more. I was hoping we would get at least one wetsuit like this:
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We haven't gotten wetsuits outside of Island Living, and all of those are full-coverage. I have a few cc bathing suits with short sleeves and shorts and I love them. Something like this would be great for athletic sims, kids, toddlers, modest sims, and even fashion-forward sims. Swatches could be versatile to fit different personalities, and they would work for all ages, so not a lot of effort on behalf of the sims team as they could just use the same suit for both genders AND all ages... but I digress! I personally would have rather had this than the floaties outfit for adults, but that's just a personal preference. I guess the floatie outfit is cute, especially on kids, but I'm pretty limited with the adult sims - I don't have a lot of adult sims who would wear arm floaties and an innertube.
As for the plain colors of the swatches... those felt lacking. Very limited color palette to one pastel and soft aesthetic. Would have loved to just have some basic plain colors in addition to the pastels and patterns. The color-wheel fans will go wild and be frustrated with this I'm sure, and in this case... they're absolutely right. So frustrating to get great basic pieces that still feel limited because of the limited color palettes (I'm sorry Bella, there's no red swatch to be found for you in this kit. I hate it too!)
As for accessories: I'm not crazy about the two pairs of sunglasses. I like some of the swatches from the first pair I have pictured above (the top picture). Overall though, I think both sunglasses lack detail, especially the second ones I have pictured above (the bottom pic). I'm biased though, I never think the sims team does sunglasses well and I hardly use accessories that come with kits. (There is always something off with them - either the coloring looks far too flat/2D or they're positioned weirdly on the face. How do CC creators usually nail them, but the sims team almost never does?)
I didn't realize there were two pairs of shoes so I only have a picture of the slides (Lea is wearing them with the floatie suit). The sandals not pictured are fine though, nothing revolutionary compared to what we already have. The pool slides are nice and versatile though, and I feel they're not like anything we already have. The texture of the slides are really nice too, with a subtle logo and a decent variety of colors (still wish there were more basic swatches outside of the pastel aesthetic, but we did get a white and black pair so I won't complain too much more about that). I'll probably use them a lot alongside one or two other items that I felt had good reusability in this kit.
I give the Poolside Splash Kit 3/5 stars, mostly for the multitude of missed opportunities. I'm tired of kits. Why can't they include a lot of these CAS items in other packs? Some kits could be expanded on and give us soooo much more - it's just wasted energy in my opinion when we're really lacking gameplay. Where is the creativity? They just feel like underwhelming cash grabs to me, and there are so many kits that they're starting to add up in cost.
The items are good, the textures are pretty good (some stuff is wonky - like the mesh top swimsuit looks a little odd in some colors, and the sunglasses feel flat for instance) but there's nothing here that CC hasn't already done. There are many more maxis-match swimsuits with 3x as many swatches done by creators like Trillyke which are free... I think for $5.00 you get a decent amount of items, a few which are fairly versatile, but idk that I'd recommend anyone go out and buy this kit unless swimwear is like, really important to you.
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pokemon-card-of-the-day Ā· 1 year ago
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Pokemon Card of the Day #3000: Flygon Ī“ (Holon Phantoms)
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It took me quite some time to figure out the best card for 3,000 since Holon's Castform had already been done for a milestone and I didn't want to use the exact same Pokemon. It took some writing of something else with a friend (hi Ruby!) to get me to a conclusion here. Flygon Ī“ was the center of a deck that just piled in all sorts of Delta Species Pokemon, and with the concept being so interesting and the variety all over, Flygon Ī“ was one of those cards that people were just going to find a way to use well eventually. And, seeing that this was legal in the wide-open format of 2007, it had some success.
110 HP was actually quite good for a single Prize Stage 2 back then, and while you weren't likely to be stacking Metal Energy onto it to boost that bulk too much in its style of deck, it would be very likely to take a hit, and occasionally more depending on the match-up and point in the game it was. Games did move more slowly on average back then than they do today. The Colorless Weakness was notable, with it being most important against Flygon ex (the normal one, not the Delta Species... welcome to that format I talked about) and Delcatty and its ex, and Crystal Shard being available could turn any deck into a threat against this if it was teched in. There was also a really cool double resistance to Lightning and Fighting here. This was great in a world with plenty of Fighting-types around to try to take advantage of that very common Weakness in the format, and also provided some cushion against Dragonite Ī“, Rayquaza ex Ī“, and Electivire. The Retreat Cost here was 2, and could be kind of awkward as fitting switching cards into a deck built around this wasn't the easiest thing in the world.
Delta Supply was the type of Poke-Power that decks were built around. Once during your turn, you could attach a basic Energy or a Ī“ Rainbow Energy from your hand to 1 of your Pokemon with Ī“ on the card. It was blocked if Flygon Ī“ had a Special Condition on it, which could be notable every once in a while if Active and up against something like Flareon ex but usually it was fine. This was just an extra Energy attachment and made it easy to get more on the board or to set up for a single turn Holon's Castform attachment. This Poke-Power opened up almost any Ī“ Pokemon to being used with it. Some of the most common included Flygon ex Ī“, Exeggutor Ī“, Rayquaza ex Ī“, Mew Ī“, and Nidoqueen Ī“, but you could play around with all kinds of things here.
Swift was a decent attack doing 60 damage and ignoring Weakness, Resistance, Poke-Powers, Poke-Bodies, and other effects on the Defending Pokemon. A Grass, a Metal, and a Colorless Energy would have been a far more awkward attack cost if it wasn't on a Pokemon with Delta Supply, but it was pretty solid due to that. The main issue with the attack is that you'd often want to attack with your other Pokemon instead, which usually had a higher ceiling. Flygon Ī“ could go on the offense if needed, especially if you could build more of them on the Bench.
Flygon Ī“ was the center of one of the more interesting decks the game has seen, providing extra Energy attachments, including Special Energy, to any Ī“ Pokemon around. With the off-type Pokemon idea being so interesting (something we're finally seeing again in a different way currently), the number of options from 4 sets of these sorts of Pokemon, a Pokemon that helped set up and work as Energy in Holon's Castform, and an entire Trainer engine to work with, it was no wonder that Flygon was successful. The deck could be hard to play, so it took some time to get used to what to do, but once you got there it was a fun one indeed.
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emeritus-fuckers Ā· 1 year ago
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Hello, congrats on 1000 followers, that is huge! This is my submission to the match-up event. Iā€™ll number the answers to each question.
1. Iā€™m transmasc (we could get into the weeds of it all, non-binary, genderfluid, yada yada but thatā€™s the gist of it), use he/they pronouns and Iā€™m bisexual.
2. Iā€™d like to be matched up with a Papa preferably, although a Ghoul would also be cool if you decide itā€™s my best fit.
3. Iā€™m 5ā€™4, Iā€™ve lost a bit of weight recently so Iā€™m pretty slim but not skinny, my thighs and arms are pretty big still. Iā€™ve also got a bit of muscle showing, but again, not a bunch (I am working on it though). Most of my life Iā€™ve been the chubby one in the friend group so this is new to me. Besides that, I have an hourglass figure (that I hide under baggy clothes) and, unfortunately for me, a very large chest that a binder does little to conceal. I have brown hair thatā€™s wavy (2C), short on the sides and back and longer on top (comes down to my top lip if I stretch it out in front of my face), parted on the side. I also have brown eyes, Iā€™m white (fairly pale), have freckles on my cheeks, nose and arms and a decent amount of moles all over my body. I wear glasses, I have three earlobe piercings in one ear and one in the other that Iā€™m stretching. I dress in a sort of skater-y style, big pants, vans, oversized band T-shirts, hoodies, jean jackets, funky button-ups if Iā€™m being fancy.
4. I think Iā€™m a friendly person but generally pretty shy and I donā€™t get out much. Right now Iā€™m writing my BA thesis (studying English) after extending my studies which means I finished all of my classes already, so I really spend way too much time at home. I could probably use someone who would help me to go out more but also respect when I have to stay in and recharge since I lean towards introversion (but only slightly). Iā€™m also kind of a perfectionist which causes me to either put way too much effort into something or, paradoxically, way too little because then I can detach myself from it, telling myself that I didnā€™t try at all so I donā€™t feel like it matters.
5. I am very on-again off-again with video games (I could spend a year not playing any but then the next few months playing for hours every day) and I prefer narrative-led games. I watch board game playthroughs a lot and over the last year I bought quite a few board games. I like to watch horror movies but Iā€™ve only been to the movie theater a few times since COVID started. I mostly listen to metal lately but thereā€™s very few genres of music that I wouldnā€™t listen to, only one coming to mind is EDM. I like to sing a lot. I work out almost every day (ideally 6 times a week but it sometimes ends up being 4 or 5), itā€™s calisthenics and flexibility because I can do it with only a few cheap pieces of equipment alone at home and the gym scares me + itā€™s expensive. I also write fanfiction which this fandom inspired me to do and Iā€™m very new to it but enjoy it a lot.
6. Iā€™m 23, I live alone, I have two cats that are brother and sister. I was an only child until my dad had another kid in his second marriage but that happened when I was 16 so I donā€™t really count it since I didnā€™t grow up with siblings (my brother feels more like a nephew to me). I donā€™t think I want to be monogamous, because I donā€™t think I belong to anyone or anyone belongs to me, itā€™s just too restrictive and boring to me (although if someone I really cared about wanted to be 100% monogamous, I would probably agree to it). My favorite season is spring. I love most animals, especially reptiles, I used to be scared of spiders (I think from the stigma against them) but now I love to see them in my home and let them stay. But Iā€™m absolutely terrified of the ocean and the creatures that live in it.
I am so sorry that this is so long but I tend to ramble and overshare when talking about myself. If this is too long, feel free to ignore.
This post is part of the 1000 followers match up event. Entries for the event are now closed.
Your match isā€¦Papa Emeritus III
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He loves stealingā€¦ I mean borrowing your clothes . As much as he enjoys his fancy outfits he adores putting on one of your hoodies and curling up on the couch. Preferably with you in his arms. It helps him unwind after a hard day at work.
He will come and keep you comapny while you exercise, he wants to support you and he often joins in. There will also be quite a lot of flirtatious glances from him.
One time he says "I can think of a much better way for us to work out together caro. hmm? You would like that no?" you cannot miss the sultry tone of his voice and the look he gives you as he draws you to him.
He is really supportive/understanding of your perfectionsim. Despite his playful front he does understand a need to do things to a high standard. He gets like that over his music. So he tries to help you balance it out.
If you are working on your thesis, he sometimes needs telling to just let you work. He loves being there for moral support and he is surpirsingly helpful and knowledgeable. But he gets a little distracted sometimes and just kinda goes off on one. So when you do say that you just need some peace and quiet to think he just pouts at you. Then after a moment he'll nod in understanding, give you a kiss and leave you to it. He will also bring you plenty of your favourite drink to keep you going.
He will definitely encourage you to go out more. He loves going out with you and you both always have a lot of fun. He can also spot when you need to recharge and he plans a cozy night in with a film or something.
He is chill about not being monogamous. It works well for him too and he has similar views to you. He values very highly the emotional connection you two share and he only has that with you. It means the world to him.
~
Written by Nyx
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booksandchainmail Ā· 2 years ago
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Pale 4.10
I keep getting stuck on the fact that these ridiculously dangerous Paths are just getting used for transit, rather than gaining some boon. I guess Canada is really big?
ā€œOr plan G,ā€ Lucy said.Ā  ā€œBecause thereā€™s a bunch of other options Iā€™d rather try.ā€
I'm with Lucy. Uber exists for a reason.
ā€œIā€™ve had this since I was ten.Ā  Verona gave me this.ā€ Lucy took out a creased piece of paper.Ā  It had a cartoon drawing of Lucy with pink hair and Verona, done up in the style of a cartoon Avery remembered seeing but couldnā€™t name.Ā  Cute.Ā 
awww. And interesting that the pink hair was already showing up back then. I wonder if that's kid!Verona thinking it would be cool for Lucy, holding onto that belief, and then subconsciously influencing how Lucy developed once they Awakened. Or if somehow kid!Verona got a glimpse through the Sight.
ā€œI love my family, but I think if things shifted and my life got shuffled just a bit, Iā€™d still love them, but things would fit better,ā€ Avery said.
this feels like tempting fate
ā€œI donā€™t know if my emotions are strong enough,ā€ Verona said. ā€œI think they are,ā€ Lucy said. ā€œI donā€™t know which are. Sheā€™s asking us to think of something that makes us feel something tangible just remembering it? I donā€™t know if I feel anything tangible in the moments when bad stuff happens.ā€
Verona's POV can feel flattened, especially when she's under pressure. She doesn't really seem to process her own specific negative emotions, except maybe frustration and overall distaste
ā€œYou do, butā€¦ you donā€™t always remember them that great.Ā  Itā€™s like youā€™re great at forgetting to file those memories away.ā€
not great!
ā€œI wonder if Iā€™m broken,ā€ Verona mused.
thinking of Regent from Worm here. That was more due to over-intense artificial emotions, and Verona's due to constant negative pressure, but both end up with atypical emotional processing
This was the part she was good at.Ā  The one thing in life she was good at.Ā  It made her heart lighter, when it had so many other reasons to feel heavy.
i think this might be the first time we've actually seen Avery play hockey. She has a lot of other stuff going for her
So pretty.Ā  So cool.Ā  Something else to make Averyā€™s heart lighter when there was nothing else. You saved me.Ā  Maybe I can give you a bit better of a night by giving you reasons to cheer for me.Ā  She settled into position.Ā  Right wing.Ā  Stick touched ice.
I haven't talked much about Avery's crush on Ms. Hardy, but the combination of standard crush feelings + standard teacher crush feelings + only authority figure to notice there was something wrong and support her + first person she was out to? + feeling that kind of grateful is a powerful combination. I'm glad that it seems like she's been able to mostly move on from that crush in a pretty graceful manner
Averyā€™s eye fell on a woman in the stand, face obscured by the way the lights above them hit the plexiglass.Ā  As Avery shifted position, the light refused to cooperate.
Miss! At the moment when Avery should be the hero for keeping the game from being a shutout, should have attention on her, everyone who matters is looking away. No wonder it caught the attention of someone who is Lost.
Miss had been there.Ā  She hadnā€™t remembered that until just now.
hmmmmm :|
Avery could feel the excitement in a chest that wasnā€™t her own.Ā  She could feel it, like Verona felt it, and she could finally understand what Verona meant.Ā  The way emotions could feel different.Ā  Dampened.
oh that's neat. reminds of tumblr posts about body-swapping and suddenly being hit by anxiety etc. Or Kokoro Connect I guess.
The awakening ritual glowed, and Avery felt feelings in Veronaā€™s chest, felt her heart hammering as much or more than Averyā€™s had.Ā  The faces of the Kennet Others were lit up, and, to Verona, it was like the rest of the word was swelling, getting brighter, and living up to that imagination.
:)
She supported Lucy, and with Verona right behind them, they pressed on.Ā  Avery navigated, Lucy dispatched problems, and when they faltered, Verona pushed them from behind.
a good microcosm of their team dynamic
ā€œPut it in the container.Ā  Seal it,ā€ the doll whispered. ā€œ-er to wass-ā€ ā€œ-tonight-ā€ ā€œ-f summer-ā€œ ā€œ-eal with the three even-ā€
hmmm. hmmm! Wasn't expecting clues in this chapter. Assuming we're tapping into echoes of the night the Carmine Beast was attacked. What is being sealed here? The remains, or the Beast itself? And something about summer (maybe "end/beginning of summer"? how long the seal will hold?). And "with the three". The Kennet Trio? Looking back at my theory that they unknowingly are holding the power. Sealed in them, or them holding the seal?
Or if these are the echoes of when the evidence was moved, after they started investigating. Maybe "deal with the three"? If they get too close to figuring things out?
Going back to a question someone asked me, of why Miss would give the girls access to a practitioner school if she wanted them kept more within the Others' point of view: the Blue Heron Institute conveniently keeps the girls out of Kennet for most of the summer
Actually. We know the CB got to the Arena after the game as people left (from the prologue). So why was Miss already in the stands looking at Avery while the game was finishing up?
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