#especially with the marketing like it's genuinely puzzling

[vigilskeep]

2 + 25?

2. how did rook get the nickname? what do they think of it?

i assume it’s a gift from varric. his “always thinks in straight lines” bit is so real. plus it deeply amuses me that rooks are just chatty sociable crows. and it makes sense that going by another name was useful while with varric; there was always a lingering question mark on if one of the other talons was going to off them for the antaam incident. no sense antagonising them by throwing your real name around. sol found it mildly irritating at first—you go to all that trouble picking out a nice name for yourself and then have to use another one—but they’ve worn it for a year and they like how it fits these days. still weird from fellow crows. stop being professional teia it’s me

25. how does rook like to spend their free time?

sol’s got a lot of energy. they like to be out in markets, up in rooftops, clambering all over the lighthouse and the crossroads. they like to talk. really, they hate being alone, and will just sort of sit near you and occasionally demand attention in a cat-like manner, but they’re usually not too much trouble to entertain if you get them focused on some kind of puzzle or problem. thrilled to be set to work on tasks, especially ones they can do with you or in your vicinity. (bellara is terrible at this because she feels bad asking people to do things. harding has gotten the hang of it over the months. neve had them as an errand boy and beaming about it on day one.) being called to help a friend move house is, like, their ideal day. or to move a body. whichever

they play that one trevisan string instrument that you can pick up for your room in the lighthouse. they refine their voices. (they’re really proud of this one they’re doing rn, genuine localised fereldan! they’re trying to recreate their distant childhood memories, just as a project to pass the time. it’s not weird. harding’s always weird about it, but that’s probably because they never warn her before they switch out of it.) they practice sleight of hand tricks. they scrawl over viago’s recipes for weapon coatings with “improvements” and then wonder why theirs never turn out as good. they wrestle assan

[starliteonearth]

The more and more I think about it, because it has been bugging me for a minute, I think the reason why Rhaesaria can happen and Rhaenicent can't -and probably never will- is that Rhaenicent is just too big of an ask. It's too much of a canon divergence and an incredibly massive one at that. They've already changed so much from the books to make their relationship what it is in the show but actually putting Rhaenyra and Alicent together in a romantic relationship would literally derail the plot. Like I literally can't think of a way they could put them together and still accurately portray the Dance. I really don't think it's feasible. Rhaesaria however, can happen because it literally affects nothing, in the grand scheme of things. Nothing about and around the two of them changes. With Rhaenicent, you'd have restructure so many things (again) to not only make it possible but believable to the greater audience. Especially given where the story is right now. The bad fanfiction slander that would further arise from making them cannon would practically snuff out the show. And that's why I believe their relationship can only, and always will be, just subtext.

[cinnbar-bun]

Love Is... (Sanji x GN!Reader)

Rating: SFW

Word Count: ~1.9k

Summary: (Requested) Sanji thinks he knows what love is. It's love, after all, and surely he cannot be in love with you, his best friend? Especially not when he has a date already…

Notes: GN!Reader, misunderstanding, angst to fluff, seemingly one-sided but it's basically just denial, Sanji being dense and clueless. Featuring a headcanon of mine where I had an idea that Sanji actually is just super calm whenever he's truly in love with a person. Sanji's date is also GN but not named or described.

You can read this on my AO3 here!

Sanji is always open and honest about his feelings. He wears his heart on his sleeves, as a truly passionate man and self-proclaimed gentleman would. No matter the time or weather, Sanji’s feelings will be clearly shown on his face. 

Whenever he sees Robin and Nami, his eyes are practically blown out while his body is a pile of jelly. Whenever he talks to Zoro, his eyebrows are always furrowed and he raises his voice. Whenever Luffy tries to sneak food from the kitchen at midnight, Sanji smokes about two more cigarettes than usual. He dances when he’s happy, he’s focused when he cooks, and when he’s upset, he burns hotter than the kitchen stove. 

Except when he is around you. Sanji is completely calm. Nary a cigarette in his mouth, never a hair out of place, and no wrinkles on his skin from his emotional outbursts. 

Completely, utterly calm.��

One could mistake this as disinterest or neutrality, but for Sanji, it was the opposite. 

Unlike how he felt around the others, you, for some strange reason, always made him feel calm and warm. Not in the way alcohol does, not in the way a cigarette clears his thoughts, and not in the way that pretty people would make him feel on cloud nine. 

No, no, no, you just made him feel… free. 

He had never felt that sort of feeling with anyone before. Nobody. And it puzzled him greatly. The way he felt about you was so different from anything he had ever known- so he chalked it up to being incredibly comfortable around you. Obviously, this is what best friends felt for each other, right? 

Loyalty to Luffy, rivalry with Zoro, fondness for Robin and Nami… 

Yes, that must be friendship he felt for you. A true, genuine bond that was closer than anything he’d felt for another. 

So that’s what he did, what he thought, and where he kept the relationship at. Sanji didn’t think much (or at least, tried not to) of how, occasionally, your hands would brush up against his, how you’d wear that wonderful fragrance, how your smile was enchanting, how you would make a silly little joke that almost sounded like a flirtation- an invitation for something more. 

Oh, but he must have been misunderstanding… after all, he couldn’t have been in love with you, right? Love was meant to be passionate, exciting, thrilling, heart-wrenching, turn-your-insides-to-jelly, consuming your every waking thought! That was love, he supposed. 

The way he felt about you was like returning home after a long day of work. Of stability, comfort, warmth, a place to be when the times were tough. It was lovely, but it could not have been the love that supposedly made men start wars or nearly rip their heart out of their chest. 

He never would pay much mind to how your eyes were almost always on him. He just valued your company. He loved talking with you, sharing food with you, growing from both of your own struggles and issues over your life. 

But he would not notice how you would have that wistful look on your face when his back was turned. 

And then it happened one day, he accidentally bumped into someone at the market on one of their many stops. His breath was stolen, his heart racing, his eyes widened as he eagerly presented himself to them. 

It was instantaneous, but Sanji, ever the romantic, was swept up in the passion and chemistry. It seemed perfect! Just perfect!

That good mood didn’t go unnoticed by you and the others as he returned to the rooms whistling a tune. He happily shared what went down at the marketplace, and some of the Straw Hats cheered for their cook hitting it off with someone. 

They didn’t notice your shocked expression and silence. 

The cycle repeated. He’d rendezvous with the market place crush and find himself swept up in the thrill of love. 

Why, they were practically perfect together! They liked food- he enjoyed cooking it. They liked the ocean- he sailed all over it. 

His excitement over their connection made him come back to you in a hurry, and unlike the enthusiasm he held all day, the minute his eyes met yours, his shoulders relaxed. 

“I had a great time today. I think I might have a real chance with them.” 

“Oh… I’m glad,” you nod, doing your best to not let your feelings cloud your judgment. “I’m happy for you.” 

When you praise him like that, the grin on his face grows wider and he nods. 

“Thank you. You… you are always so kind to me. Thank you, for everything. How about I cook you your favorite meal tonight?” 

“It’s alright,” you reject quickly. “I’m not that hungry.” 

He notices you’re off today and his smile is gone. “Hey, what’s wrong, (Y/n)?” 

“Nothing. I’m just not feeling too well. I think I’m going to lay down.” 

He respects your feelings plenty, so he nods and wishes you better health while you retreat. He doesn’t hear the muffled sobbing from you in your room. 

Another day, another date. 

This time, he notices his date does not sparkle like they used to. Strange, he knows, but something is “off” about them today. Oh well, love is never straightforward, so he can brush that feeling aside with some wine. 

His heart doesn’t race anymore. The silly jokes they told don’t make him laugh as much. 

Ah, perhaps he’s just tired, too? 

He ends the date earlier than expected, not going on their usual walk under the stars in favor of returning home. 

The Straw Hats are scattered as usual. Luffy is (attempting) to play cards with Usopp and Chopper. Robin is reading off to the side while Zoro fell asleep standing up alongside the railing. Nami is fiddling with a map while Jinbei is pointing at something on it. Franky and Brook are flipping through racy magazines and giggling at the various models within them. 

“Where is (Y/n)?” Sanji asks. 

“Ah, they’re inside. Said they weren’t feeling too well,” Usopp answers. 

“They didn’t even let me look at them,” Chopper pouts, tears forming in his eyes. 

Sanji thanks them for their answer and makes his way to your room. He knocks on the door but doesn’t hear a word from inside. 

“(Y/n)? Are you alright?” Sanji calls. 

“Yeah, just… just let me rest, Sanji,” you weakly reply. You sound miserable, and his heart breaks for you. 

“Can I make you something? Anything? Maybe some soup?” He pleads, worry evident in his voice. 

“I’m good.” 

There’s no argument left, so he steps away and sighs, feeling like he wants to drown himself in his cigarettes. 

It’s morning again and Sanji feels a migraine forming. His head is pounding and he groans when he sees the light from his window. But he promised to see them again, so he gets up and does his best to adjust himself. Love is sometimes painful, but it’s a worthy sacrifice. 

He greets them when they glide up to him, smiling, but Sanji grimaces as his head throbs harder. He’s a gentleman, a respectful man, so he will not show it. 

They talk. They talk. They talk. The words don’t register to Sanji. And for the first time in his life, he feels… nothing. Not a comforting emptiness when one feels relieved of all burdens… but the emptiness one feels when nothing is being satisfied. 

They talk, yet they say nothing. None of the words mean anything to Sanji. Are they even speaking the same language? Sanji rubs his head, his vision blurry for a moment before it straightens out. 

Nothing. 

He feels nothing. There is no spark anymore. It’s just dull, lifeless conversation. 

“...... Sanji?” 

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry, what were you saying?” He apologetically asks. 

Their voice is like static. Garbled nonsense he can’t decipher. 

He keeps trying to concentrate, trying to keep his eyes on them and just make sense of any word they say, but nothing connects. 

Love was supposed to be beautiful. Love was supposed to be passionate, all-encompassing, life-changing. 

Love wasn’t supposed to be so drab. 

What happened to the love they shared before? Was it them? Was it him? Was he doing something wrong? Was he… was he mistaken? 

His date is getting confused, staring at him with raised brows. “Are you even listening?” 

“I…” He begins. “I’m sorry. I don’t think this can work out.” “What?” 

“I don’t know,” he tries to speak his feelings. “I wasted your time, dear. That’s my fault. Let me escort you home, at the very least.” 

He receives a harsh slap across his face and some obscene words, but he can barely think straight with his aching head. He stumbles back to the ship, wanting to rest when he bumps into something. 

“Would you-” he begins angrily, before he notices it’s you. You’re holding a plate of the leftovers he cooked yesterday night, and your eyes are wide, almost afraid, when you look at him. 

His eyes meet yours, locked in their beauty as he lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Instantaneously, the migraine, the head pounding, the blurriness, the slap- all of it melts away. 

He feels safe and at full health when he sees you. He can’t help but smile at you, making you turn away. 

“Sorry. I’ll go-” 

“No, no, (Y/n),” the way he says your name, full of life and renewed vigor is too much for you. “Here, let me cook you a new plate. And then, if you don’t mind, would you join me on the deck?” 

“But I thought you were out with that person you met?” You ask, and he notices the curious yet hopeful change in your voice. 

“Them? Ah, it’s a long story. I… I don’t think they were the one,” Sanji explains, his cheeks turning pink. Finally, after looking at you, the gears in his head clicked and connected in a way they hadn’t before. “No… they never would be. I already have the one I love most with me.” 

Your eyes sparkle and your lips curve upwards, showing him the smile he absolutely adored the most. 

“You mean that?” 

“I do. I do mean that. I just didn’t understand. But seeing you now…” he takes the dish out of your hand and puts it to the side before he wraps his hands in yours. “I know what I truly was looking for.” 

The joy on your face was immeasurable, and Sanji felt the thoughts in his head leave. There was nothing inside except that warm feeling he got whenever you were around. 

Perhaps true love was not a hurricane, or a storm, or a raging fire… perhaps it was a warm summer day. A plate of leftover food. Bed head. Migraines. The sound of a calm sea crashing against the shore. The chirping of seagulls around them. 

Maybe that was love. Not a feeling of agony and pain, but a gentle yet firm reminder of his existence. 

“I’m sorry for being such a fool earlier. I apologize for springing all of this on you, but I-” 

“I know. I love you, too,” you cut off his ramblings. His face softens as he laughs at his embarrassing display. 

“God, I’m sounding like an idiot right now.” 

“Yeah, a bit,” you tease. 

“Can I be your idiot?” 

“Always.” 

[snowangeldotmp3]

ngl i do kind of hate how much marvel/the mcu has pushed captain carter in terms of like, marketing? if that makes sense. peggy is like, a good character. like genuinely. the writing in season 1 of agent carter gives her depth after being interesting enough in captain america: the first avenger. the whole point of the show is that peggy can do all of things that steve can do and more. with no serum. and while it’s true that they both run toward the grenade in the first avenger, i think the sudden shift to make her captain carter isn’t necessarily bad, per se. because captain carter originated in fanfiction and in marvels puzzle tales game back in 2016. and i enjoy cap peggy!! but i think the sudden pivot to her (and especially after they JUST made sam captain america…) feels…cheap? disingenuous? very #girlboss to me. which is sad because had it been done earlier or better, i wouldn’t have had a problem with it

[artsy0wl]

A Series of Random Jacq and Volo Headcanons (Pokemon Masters EX)

Pokémon Masters EX is such a fun little thing. One of the dynamics I ended up liking (and kind of shipping) is Volo and Jacq. So I thought I'd throw in some random headcanons. They can be read as platonic or romantic, or as Volo going along with Jacq because of how useful he is. However you want to interpret them.

They Bond Over Arcanine: They both love their good boy (and girl), and since Jacq studies "ecologically similar Pokémon" (aka Convergent Pokémon, though I feel like this would also include Regional Forms and Paradox Pokémon), Volo trusts Jacq's expertise. Volo may or may not use this as a way to manipulate Jacq, however, his H. Arcanine does trust him (Jacq). Jacq thinks Volo's Arcanine is adorable and loves spoiling her.

Volo Sympathizes with Jacq's Need for Validation: Jacq's not the hardest person to praise, however, the fact that Jacq takes complements and praise so easily does worry Volo. The need for validation is something that Volo can understand and is all too familiar with. Volo just has the impression that Jacq was validated/praised so negligibly that he will take any form of it, no matter how big or small. As such, Volo can sympathize with Jacq in that regard.

Not Wanting to Lose Volo Due to His "Obsession": When Jacq finds out about Volo's plans and how far he's willing to go, Jacq tries to talk him out of it. He's seen what can happen when someone takes their interest to the point of obsession and how far an obsession can get (i.e. Turo/Sada and how that effected Arven). He believes that there is still good in Volo and that he doesn't have to go to such an extreme to encounter Arceus.

Jacq's Arcanine is Cautious of Volo, His Mudsdale Likes Him (Volo): Arcanine is hesitant to trust Volo, feeling that he's hiding something. He can't quite trust Volo as easily as Volo's Hisuian Arcanine can trust Jacq. Jacq thinks it's because Arcanine is protective of and cautious for him, and speculates that part of it has to do with their region/environment. Jacq's Mudsdale, on the other hand, likes Volo. She can sense his confidence and will let him get close to her, and occasionally ride her.

Volo is Hesitant to Accept that Jacq is "One of the Good Ones": Because he has a hard time believing that anyone can be truly trustworthy, Volo can't bring himself to admit that Jacq is one of those people. Part of him does want to, but because he's been burned too many times before, he isn't sure if what he's feeling is genuine.

Jacq Reminds Volo of Laventon: A reason why Volo would want to trust Jacq is because Jacq reminds him of Laventon. And out of everyo e in Hisui, Laventon was the only person he genuinely liked.

Clavell Doesn’t Want Jacq to Have a Relationship with Volo: While Clavell wants Jacq to have good relationships, platonic and romantic, he doesn’t like Volo. Mainly because he worries about Jacq’s and suspects that Volo is taking advantage of Jacq’s kindness. Clavell also worries that Volo would manipulate Jacq into a sinister plot (especially after the whole Raifort scheming to use Jacq as a sacrifice thing).

Jacq Learned How to Bargain and How the Charms He Found Were Actually Valuable: Jacq will go to local flea markets and auctions and started bringing Volo along a week after they met. Volo helps him bargain for the best deals. And when he found out that Jacq had found and gifted a Shiny Charm and Glimmering Charm, he can’t help but chuckle at the fact that he gave away two pretty valuable charms that he successfully bid for. Volo also thinks it was really sweet. Puzzling, but sweet.

[zannolin]

fic author q&a

tagged by @beautyofsorrow <3

why do you write fanfic?

short answer, because i love it and it makes me happy. longer answer, still that. but it makes other people happy too, sometimes, and especially as i am often writing for nicher series/pairings/dynamics/etc, i love knowing that someday if anyone else likes this obscure silly thing, they can go looking for fic about it and mine will be there waiting for them. also i am immensely unhappy when i'm not writing. i don't think i could live without it. and writing fanfic is fulfilling to me in a way that original work often is not, largely because of the community aspect and the low pressure for it to be marketable or revised or support me as a person or an artist tbh.

which of your posted stories do you think of the most even though the story is "finished"?

mmm tough call. the fey au in the sense that it's the world and plot i am proudest of craft-wise. i worked really hard and i think you can see that it paid off. but other than that i think... i think it might have to be please don't hold me to it right now. because i did it just how i wanted. in a way it's like what my boys in bars series was trying to be but didn't quite reach on the friendship level i think.

if you could give yourself fic advice from when you first started writing fic, what would that advice be?

just let yourself write what you want, how you want. you can have flowery prose. you can be weird and vague and metaphorical. you can just write about friends, i promise. and stop looking at your fucking stats.

what's your relationship to fic stats?

well. i think above answers that one lol. i've blocked my ao3 stats. i cannot see hit or kudos or bookmark counts on ANY fics. + i've gotten much better about not expecting anything especially by writing highly niche stuff.

is there a pairing or scenario or friendship that you miss writing? if so, why? if not, why not?

ehhh. the shazamily, to an extent. the shazam fandom is lovely because so many of us are writing family/friendship centric works and that's if not the norm, at least MUCH more common than in other fandoms that i've been in, and i miss that because at heart, i'm a genficcer. i'm a friendshipper. i love platonic and ambiguous relationships so much. so i miss that, but for the most part, i'm actually okay with not writing anything i used to write. that's okay.

what motivates you to write?

i WILL lose my mind if i don't. i can't even elaborate past that like i'll just go bonkers.

why do you write for the fandom(s) you write for?

because i am sick and ill and dying from brainrot and nobody is writing the highly specific content that i crave in the way that i crave it. sometimes there's nothing for the fandom at all, and SOMEBODY's gotta be the change. mostly i'm just like hyperfixated and losing it.

if you're stuck writing a WIP, what do you do?

take a break. do other things like jigsaw puzzles and taking walks and reading books. listening to phoebe bridgers on my floor. the usual. it'll pass. the ideas will come when they're ready.

what do you wish people knew about comments?

a genuine comment is never a bother. NEVER. no author that i have ever met is going to be upset at you for commenting on a fic and saying hey i really loved this!!! or something like that. no matter how old that fic is. no matter if the author has moved on, or put it on anon, or hasn't written fanfiction in years. it is never, ever a bother. when i get a comment on a fic that i didn't JUST post, i rejoice. i lie on my floor and i think about how incredible it is that people are still finding, reading, and loving something that i wrote, no matter how bad i think it is now that i've grown into a different person. i have coasted for WEEKS on the fact that someone left me a comment saying i loved this and here's my favorite part. here's why. this made me cry. this made me smile. this reminded me of my best friend. this is how it feels, really, you got it. any of that. all of it. sometimes a fic is me going "is this crazy??" and a comment is someone saying "no, no, it's not, i see it". a comment that takes like two minutes to type can matter for two years just by being like, hey, this mattered to me. plus like 90% of my friendships online have been founded on the basis of commenting on fanfic so you know, rave reviews from me.

maybe there's a question you wish had been on here. what's that question (and answer)? -> is there a fic and/or author who is doing what you want to be doing with your own writing? who/what?

i can yap all day about inspirations but lately, i am haunted by love me on purpose by smoosnoom in terms of themes, emotions, and pure aching; @thcscus in sheer technicality and prose; the pacing, metaphor, and tone in there's daggers in men's smiles, @beautyofsorrow's sensory work in literally Every fic ever + her fic for the barbie zine none of you losers get to read yet; and @blusandbirds' ability to capture visceral emotion so damn vividly and succinctly.

tagging @blusandbirds @transjlawrence @lordgrimwing @pinkgrapefloyd!

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

chiaki, thoughts on concord?

Okay, now this is a real tragedy, because Concord is symbolic of just how difficult it is to be a gamer in this day and age.

2024 has been a year full of disappointments. Most recently, the $15 million budgeted Borderlands movie made only $18.5 million at the box office. Considering that doesn't even pay for the marketing expenses, it's a catastrophe.

Undoubtedly, it's a bad film, but in the realm of video games, we currently have a failure named "Concord." And it's surprising to me that people even remember this game, despite it's recency.

Now, for the record, what I'm about to say is something that makes me genuinely sad. Like...ACTUALLY really sad. So...bear with me.

For those who are unaware, Concord was a generic hero shooter that was released less than 30 days ago, similar to Overwatch or Valorant. Except it had a five-times slower pace, it combined all the worst aspects of earlier hero shooters. The game's movement was really slow; it felt like you're playing on a treadmill. The gameplay was excruciatingly slow and annoying; it seemed as though you're trapped in a slow-motion Zack Snyder movie.

The game was really generic, but it was neither terrible nor unplayable. But at the same time it wasn't really unique, and if someone enjoys this genre of game, there are at least fifty more that are superior. The fact that Concord costed $40 rather than being free to play, like the majority of other multiplayer shooters, is what made it especially foolish. It was destined to fail from the beginning, and today it only managed to launch with a little over 650 users on Steam.

To put that in context, more people played some of the worst failures in gaming history when they first launched. Redfall and even Babylon's Fall, which was such a failure that it was removed from Steam, had more players than Concord had. Compared to Lord of the Rings: Gollum, another huge failure that forced its studio to close, Concord had only a little bit more players.

Now, you must have noticed by now that I've been talking about this game in the past tense, and there's a reason for that. Concord was such a massive failure, that the servers were shut down two weeks after its launch, with all sold copies being refunded. That is a HUGE FAIL.

Concord was a big-budget game that must have cost millions to produce, but nobody wanted to play it. Although I don't personally have strong feelings on the matter, I do find it puzzling how these games are approved in the first place. Everyone sighed in agreement when they saw the first trailer, which made it obvious that this was another hero shooter in an already crowded industry. It's difficult to determine who this game is intended for, especially considering that even fans of hero shooters won't rush into a $40 game when there are more enjoyable free options, like Fortnite, or Overwatch 2.

It's unbelievable that this disaster was released considering how predictable it was. Even then, it didn't make sense to invest in a game that is sure to fail, even if it appeared to be a desperate attempt to recover part of the production costs. It's unfortunate since I have no doubt that brilliant developers worked on this out of necessity rather than choice. Seemingly, they attempted to make another hero shooter, believing it would be a simple victory, but they didn't realize that no one wants to see more of them, especially not for forty bucks.

I HATE being negative. I hate being negative more than I hate anything else in the world. But this is a flop that's hard not to laugh at, which is why I wanted to talk about it. I don't see why anyone would pay such a high price for this when there are better free options available, despite the fact that it has largely great reviews.

Considering how poorly Concord performed, especially for a high-budget game, is astounding. The majority of games, including the most popular ones, never start with fewer than a thousand players. I felt compelled to address this as it's uncommon for a game to fail so miserably.

[house-of-mirrors]

Writing a critique of mask as if it was something I was critiquing for grad school lol. Some plot spoilers under the cut

Strengths

Always start with the positives. What did I like? I think the setting and music were immersive. Since I've been playing skies lately I was so excited any time something from it was mentioned. In games I love to make auditory connections, and I was excited that the audio for the sunlight in the parliament ending matches the intro of The Forge Timespace track on the skies OST! And on the topic of audio, of course the curator cries from skies. Hello Veils

There were a few parts, especially in a certain ending, where the writing really shone through. There are genuinely funny and compelling moments which has always been a strength of the devs, that dark comedy tone. My most recent playthrough, I basically just hooked up with monsters and that was the most fun I've had in the game.

Buckle your seat belt. Now onto:

Weaknesses

We've already discussed pacing to hell and back so I'm gonna skip that. Besides pacing, the biggest flaw in MOTR is that the game has identity issues. It doesn't know what it is or what it's trying to be. Mask fails as a dating sim, as a mystery game, and as a visual novel because it's trying to be everything at once and thus failing to be anything. If I played it like a dating sim, well. Pressing flirt repeatedly and seeing some of the same scenes play out every time you seduce a character with little new text doesn't immerse the player. If I played it like a mystery game, the pacing is prohibitive when it comes to solving it. I haven't actually played other visual novels so don't have a reference for that but I don't think they are as rushed as this

Either you can go into a little bit of detail about a lot of things, you can go into a lot of detail about a few things, or you widen the parameters so you can go into more detail about more things. Within the framework mask exists in (and I don't thing slowing the pacing will fix this beyond making it easier to finish some quests), the scope is too small to do justice to the scale of content they're trying to convey. I'd tell the author they had too much going on at once and to narrow their focus. Decide which characters should be focused on and which aren't so necessary. Some of them definitely were included in a way that felt last minute just to get a reaction from fans, and not because they had something to offer the narrative. Those characters either needed a plot with more depth or weren't necessary.

Mechanics

Mechanically speaking, I... didn't see a point to most of the new features. I was never in a situation where I needed certain clothes to progress, which made collecting them kinda pointless. You can complete any number of different playthroughs without touching story crafting at all. I got the feeling from marketing that story crafting would be used to help matchmake with other characters, but it very much does not do that unless I'm completely missing a big chunk of the game, which is possible given how nigh impossible it is to progress.

The engine is innovative and stunning from the perspective of someone with experience in code. But then you can't DO anything in it. Sure it may be super responsive to different paths, but if the variables change, the dialogue/written consequences don't.

Diversity and Inclusion

Finally, these notes. It's seldom comfortable to bring it up but it's important. I almost called this nitpicking compared to everything else but no, it's not! These issues are just as important and deserve to take up space. I see fellow players sort of expressing "yeah I didn't expect them to improve these areas" but that still doesn't minimize the issue.

I'm just puzzled. They took effort to research writing Jewish and Sikh NPCs but then go and keep assuming the player is Anglican. (In an ending after failing in the trial, I got a random bit mentioning how they used to hang Catholic dissenters and I was like... was that really necessary.) Idk like, especially with all the research they did you figure something would have changed, that someone somewhere would have pointed it out

The line saying the player spoke the Queen's English REALLY bugged me. First of all I have a working class accent, and I'm American not British, but accent is still a touchy topic and was even more significant in the 1860s than it is now. Same point as above, there are a lot of characters that do not have high British accents. Phoebe, Archie, Ferret, Ivy. Why assume with the player? The thing is they already have a mechanic in place with the backstories! Sure, a society player would speak Queens English but a dockworker would not! Go by that!

And body diversity. Can we please get more characters that aren't the same thin body type. It being the Age of Malnutrition isn't an excuse. (To get specific. You Know Who was from Mesopotamia where the culture had beards. The one option in late railway uses the silhouette from the cheery man which has a beard so I had misplaced hope but alas)

Summary

While the game posed tidbits of interesting horror lore, the classic dark comedy tone, and spicy monsters (before the encounters became repetitive, that is), Mask fell flat in so many ways. I had an ending after seducing Milton where he remarked that the player rarely talks about themself and I laughed because yeah, that's how the game was designed. The player has no opportunity to gain a personality through flashbacks or dialogue choices. The NPCs are stiff and very rarely have unique reactions to your character. Conversation changes topic with no clear thread or motivation.

I'm honestly flummoxed how this got through development with these glaring problems. Everyone in the playerbase noticed them right away. Ugh. Little is more frustrating than things that had so much potential that isn't realized.

It felt like a long ES, with all the pros and cons of an ES lol. Certain paths blow your mind and you might walk into hot moments with ur favs. But then no time to realize why you should care about characters, story that abruptly ends, new mechanic that is shiny and interesting but can only carry it so far, yada yada yada

[ducktastic]

Gameological Awards 2023

Game of the Year

Cocoon is a perfect game. There aren’t many of those. It’s a tight four-hour adventure that steadily introduces new ideas and mechanics, explores those ideas, and challenges the player to think critically, then move on to the next new idea. And it does all of this without a single spoken or written word. The language barrier is non-existent. The player is constantly immersed in a series of environmental puzzles that expertly straddle the line between Zelda dungeons and Portal test rooms, with genuinely some of the biggest “NO WAY” moments I’ve experienced in years. Just a marvelous game. Nothing else came close this year to the sheer exuberance in interactive experience as Cocoon.

Multiplayer

Super Mario Bros Wonder did something that had long seemed impossible. It made online multiplayer Super Mario Bros not only sensible, but advantageous over single-player. By turning the other players into “ghosts” like a racing time trial, we no longer had to worry about bumping into one another and ruining our experience of precision platforming. Rather, by observing the other players and allowing them to see us at the same time, we could point out helpful tips and hidden secrets to help one another along. If one player was hurt, other players could go back and revive them. We’d get bonus points for reaching the finish pole at the same time. Finally, 14 years after New Super Mario Bros Wii first tried the multiplayer Mario experience, Super Mario Bros Wonder made it feel truly cooperative rather than combative.

Backlog

Guardians of the Galaxy is better than it has any right to be. Especially considering what a mind-numbing mess of monotony the previous year’s Avengers game was from the same studio at Eidos. Perhaps it was the lowered perceived marketing value of the Guardians over the box-office-topping Avengers brand that reduced corporate oversight and allowed the developers to actually deliver a game that had a compelling narrative with will-written dialogue, varied environments with slick and entertaining combat, and that all-too-essential sense of player agency that makes the audience feel like they’re actually contributing in some small way rather than just watching an incredibly drawn-out movie. Whatever the circumstances, Guardians of the Galaxy came out as a genuinely solid action-adventure game. I played it twice, just to see how my decisions changed the story. AND THEY DID, and I was pleased. Great job.

Didn’t Click

I really want to like Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. The watercolor storybook aesthetic is lovely, the dual-character controls seem compelling, and I generally enjoy the world of Bayonetta and love most things Platinum work on. The opening hours of this game just bored the heck out of me. I was constantly getting caught on invisible geometry in the environment and the slow storybook segments inspired me to grab a pillow and blanket more than adventure forward. I’m hoping the rest of the game after the opening hours is far more engaging but I took a break from this title months ago and haven’t been back yet.

Unexpected Joy

Suika Game appeared almost as a meme. My first exposure was on TikTok, as a group of people settled into a ramen restaurant in Japan smaller than your average American studio apartment all looked up from their drinks to observe a television over the bar where, instead of live sports, the news, or the drama du jour, there was a collection of cartoon fruit struggling to merge similarly sized fruits into larger ones, clearing space in their confines. I was instantly charmed. OF COURSE I would rather watch this in a bar or restaurant over literally anything else. Weeks later, videos of the game were slowly infiltrating my feed, with links to blog posts about this game available exclusively on the Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop. Within days, I’d convinced myself to buy Japanese eshop credits through an import retailer and download the two-year-old cult title for approximately two dollars. I showed it to friends. I showed it to co-workers. I told pretty much anybody I could about this impossibly addictive kawaii fruit arcade game. And then, finally, in late October, the game suddenly appeared on international stores, followed days later by an English patch. Everyone could play. Everyone SHOULD play. It’s the definition of joy. Uncomplicated, bright, surprising and, above all else, delightful. And if Baldur’s Gate III can count as a 2023 game after being in Early Access since 2020, then surely the global release of Suika Game counts as a 2023 game after being locked to Japan for one fewer year than that.

Best Mechanic

Crafting my own divination deck in The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood was the single most personally empowering experience I felt in any game this year. It was easy enough to do the “game math” of “well, if I use components with more red crystals then I’ll get more red mana back when I used this card” but I found it far more compelling to read all of the descriptions for every component available and craft a narrative where the locations, characters, and artifacts complimented one another and told stories within themselves. Like the traditional major arcana of the tarot, generating a narrative that made sense in my own mind outside of the game made it all the more intuitive to read the cards’ “meanings” when they were pulled from the deck. It genuinely felt like tiny pieces of my own soul were being spread throughout the deck of cards, that these were unique to me and my own experiences. The deck was personal both to my character and to myself, and that intimate connection made the high fantasy all the more tangible.

Favorite Game Encounter

The Master Sword. It’s a common element in pretty much all the major Zelda games. Getting your hands on it has always been an empowering and inspiring moment of Link’s journey, whichever version of Link this may be. But Tears of the Kingdom makes it special in a way it’s never been before. The moment when Link collects the Master Sword in Tears is not simply a culmination of his many trials, no longer merely a symbol of his accomplishments and various macguffins collected so far in the game. Sure, it’s still those things just like every time before, but this time it’s more. It’s a relationship. It’s a bond. It’s a loved one’s deepest wound, a burden for you to bear on their behalf. It’s the physical embodiment of timeless suffering, of timeless love, of timeless faith. And you picked it up. You struggled, it struggled, but now it’s in your hands, and now you carry the burden. And it doesn’t weigh you down.

Best DLC

Remember when MediaMolecule made great games? I know a lot of focus over the years has been on their democratization of game design tools, from LittleBigPlanet to their latest title Dreams, but their self-contained adventures like Tearaway are just incredible. MediaMolecule went ahead and dropped their next unbelievably addictive, polished, original standalone game COMPLETELY FOR FREE inside of Dreams this year, and the model train arcade challenge Tren stands tall amongst not only their own titles but possibly even the entire history of Sony-exclusives. The only reason more people aren’t completely obsessed with Tren is that the overall package of Dreams intimidates them, and with Sony shutting it down soon, Tren seems destined to be lost forever. Here’s hoping MediaMolecule release it as a standalone title, and soon.

[cowboyscrypt]

thoughts on mascot horror GO

ill do the most popular since we mainly have the most thoughts about those BFKDJFKDF

fnaf: started out fucking amazing with an original concept but slowly devolved into "how many toys can i sell" bc of scott and funkos desire to make the game marketable. security breach is the pinacle of this. uninspired and built just to sell merch to kids. while we arent saying we dislike sb, its just very obvious it was changed under the influence of sony to be sellable and family friendly. we're a og veteran fnaf fan so seeing this decline into making fnaf family friendly/marketable and appealing to toy/merch companies was especially heinous. fnaf becoming an in house brand is the reason mascot horror is the way it is atm: made for profit only.

poppy playtime: i dont really care for this one. ill watch astralspiffs speedruns/glitchruns but overall i think its a boring game. on top of the creators doing nfts, and the merch shop being built into the home screen of the game, it exists to sell toys. its uninspired and capitalistic. it markets itself as a horror game but i hardly view it as such. it banks on a couple chase scenes but the rest of the game is boring puzzles and hardly there lore. it feels like a half baked attempt to be edgy and mysterious. "ooh its a toy factory but something SCARY is in there!!!!!!" ok? and? why should it be scary to me? elaborate. work on your story.

batim: this ones pretty cool! ill be honest, we didnt care for it much for a long time. but we kinda dig the concept! the ideas are pretty original and you can tell it was a big passion project. i dont have much to say about it other than solid 6 out of 10! it was tedious to play but i like what they were going for.

hello neighbor: oh my GOD this one sucks. i cant even go into detail bc theres so much to say. another half baked attempt at being mysterious, but its so convoluted and stupid it implodes on itself. its supposed to be a horror game but it turned into a parkour platformer almost immediately. the setting is overwhelming to be in, the puzzles dont make sense, and the devs are so desperate for matpat to make videos on the hn lore that they @ him on twitter constantly. i dont care for this one. hated playing it, even.

garten of banban: boring. theres the good the bad and the ugly of mascot horror and banban is the ugly. its a game built specifically for content farms and manipulating youtubes algorithm. the gameplay is subpar at best, everything about the game is ugly to look at, and its another game with the merch shop built into the home screen. its made to rake in exposure from 4 year olds watching youtube on mommys ipad. i genuinely do not like banban. the only funny thing about it was the bird up thing uhyeah started on twitter.

[hareofhrair]

I was putting this in the replies to answer someone who asked what the difference was between queerbaiting and queercoding, but then tumblr took a shit, so I'm going to put it here instead.

Queerbaiting requires intention to deceive. It requires that the show be marketed or implied to be queer outside the show itself, while within the context of the show remaining strictly het. The "bait" part is about lying to draw in queer* audiences, without alienating straight viewers or advertisers. Destiel and Johnlock were queerbaiting because the marketing and the showrunners encouraged and implied the relationships would be canon, while in the show the idea of a romance was only ever brought up as a joke.

Queer coding is an entirely different thing. Queer coded characters are classically characters that, while not canonically acknowledged to be gay, have overt stereotypical gay traits. Limp wristed, effete disney villains for example. In a more positive sense, sometimes queer coding has been used to sneak queer characters in where censorship would otherwise forbid them, like the Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz.

House MD was never marketed as anything but strictly hetero. The number of promo photos featuring Cuddy's underwear… And yet. Wilson and House are both positioned as "not traditionally masculine" repeatedly. Their relationship is stated to be the most important relationship in either of their lives. They buy a home and move in together and squabble about decorating. They both are famously disasterously bad with women. Wilson's only successful relationship with a woman is with someone who is directly stated to be House with tits-- Who then immediatly dies, in a scenario that demands Wilson choose between her and House! House sacrifices his painkillers for Wilson. He goes to rehab for Wilson. Neither of which he would do for Cuddy or any of the other women implied to be in love with him. And in the end, neither of them ends up with a woman. House fakes his death and gives up practicing medicine, something he's previously been willing to straight up go to jail to avoid, something he's made clear would be tantamount to suicide because medical puzzles are the only thing that keeps his brain from self destructing-- because Wilson has cancer, and there is nothing House would not sacrifice in order to be with him those last few months. The end of the show, the last scene, is literally the two of them riding off into the sunset together.

So, yeah. House is queercoding, not queerbaiting. I will joke about it being queerbaiting because it's funny, but if we're being serious? It's not even a question. The only question is how the hell they managed to get away with it.

*Also, for the record, especially in the case of Destiel and Johnlock, the showrunners weren't trying to attract actually queer people. In their own estimation, they were playing up the relationship to entertain and attract straight women titillated by gay male relationships. You actually saw this a lot more often with shows putting its female characters in suggestive situations together to do the same to straight men who were into lesbians, but the "queerbaiting" label doesn't get attached to that as often, probably because of 1) the emphasis on sex over story making it more obvious who the intended audience was, aaaand 2) the way the internet likes to shit on things women like. Genuine queerbaiting, ala "disney's first gay character ever!!!" didn't come about till later.

for the love of god

[kvibestudios]

Unlocking Video Marketing Success with Influencer Partnerships

Collaborating with influencers has become a crucial strategy for brands looking to broaden their video marketing scope. By teaming up with influential figures who have large followings, especially in areas like New Jersey, businesses can substantially increase their video engagement and reach. This article outlines a structured method to effectively partner with influencers and bolster your video marketing endeavors.

Identifying Relevant Influencers

The initial step in this process involves identifying influencers who align with your brand's values and audience. Proper identification starts with thorough research and analysis. Utilize social media analytics tools, Google trends, and hashtag searches to discover local influencers in New Jersey. Tools like HypeAuditor can be particularly useful for this, helping you assess potential influencers based on their audience's demographics and authenticity. Finding the right influencer is not solely about the number of followers. It is important to analyze the demographic of their audience. Ensure that the influencer's followers align with your target market in terms of age, gender, and interests. It's also important to focus on influencers with high engagement rates rather than just a large follower count. You can determine the engagement rate by dividing the sum of likes and comments by the number of followers, then multiplying by 100. High engagement rates usually indicate a more connected and genuinely interested following.

Approaching and Engaging Influencers

Once you have identified potential influencers, the next step is to engage with them effectively. Personalized outreach is important; generic templates are not sufficient. Craft unique messages that show your understanding of the influencer's work and their audience. This personal touch can significantly improve response rates and set a cooperative tone for future interactions. During these initial conversations, transparency is essential. Clearly outline your expectations, goals, and the compensation structure. Such clarity helps avoid misunderstandings later and sets the stage for a productive partnership. Additionally, consider prioritizing long-term partnerships over one-off projects. Long-term collaborations build trust and authenticity, often leading to a more seamless integration of your brand into their content.

Influencer Collaboration Best Practices

When collaborating, it's important to encourage influencers to create authentic content that will resonate with their followers. Give them creative freedom while ensuring alignment with your brand values and guidelines. Authenticity is a key element of effective influencer marketing; followers can quickly spot forced or inauthentic promotions, which can harm both the influencer’s and your brand’s reputation. Another important aspect is integrating influencer-created videos into your broader marketing strategy. These videos shouldn't just reside on the influencer’s platforms; feature them on your website, in email campaigns, and across your social media channels. Cross-promoting this content can extend its reach and reinforce the message to a wider audience. Effective promotion and amplification also involve leveraging the influencer's distribution network. Have the influencers promote your videos through their channels and followers. This not only increases visibility but also takes advantage of the influencer's credibility and established relationship with their audience.

Measuring Success

The final piece of the puzzle is measuring the success of your influencer collaborations. Establish clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as engagement rates, video views, click-through rates, and conversion rates. These metrics will provide you with quantifiable insights into the performance of your campaigns. Data analysis should be an ongoing process. Regularly review the performance data to identify patterns, areas for improvement, and opportunities for optimization. Use these insights to refine your approach and enhance future collaborations. It is also important to measure the Return on Investment (ROI) of your influencer marketing campaigns. Calculating ROI helps you determine the overall effectiveness of your efforts and informs your future strategy. A comprehensive ROI analysis considers not just the immediate financial returns but also the long-term benefits such as brand awareness and audience growth. In conclusion, collaborating with influencers can significantly amplify your video marketing efforts. By carefully identifying, engaging, and collaborating with the right influencers, and by meticulously measuring the outcomes, you can enhance your brand's reach and engagement in a meaningful way. Remember, the success of influencer partnerships hinges on authenticity, strategic alignment, and continuous optimization.

#InfluencerMarketing #VideoMarketing #BrandGrowth #NewJerseyMarketing #AuthenticContent

Learn more at https://www.kvibe.com

[fucked-up-mover-shaker]

ciara's questionnaire!!

needs:

Enneagram

Cognitive Function

Big Five

questionnaire:

I- General: to introduce yourself (11 questions)

1. What is your age and do you have any mental health conditions?*

I am 16, and I do have a mental health condition. I’m officially diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder, which is characterized by uncontrollable and eruptive emotions.

2. What social standing did you grow up in?

Middle class.

3. What role does spirituality and beliefs play in your life?

Personally, I’m not the most spiritual person, and my beliefs are pretty baseline. However, I’m very interested in studying religion in an objective way, seeing the impact it has had on society. 

4. What are your hobbies and interests, and what bring you interest in them?

I’m very interested in music, entertaining, and fashion. Especially the latter two. I’m a naturally energetic person, and enjoy putting myself out there, hence why I really enjoy acting and performing, I like putting on a show for others. Fashion is a different story, I love two things: looking good and helping others look good. So, I like making clothing myself and marketing them towards people, in hopes I’ll make it big.

5. Do you have goals? What motivates you to pursue them?

I absolutely have goals. (I mean, who doesn’t?) College starts in a couple of years, and I want to double-major in sociology and acting, then minor in linguistics. I���m going to school in Chicago, where I can perform in plays, musicals, and my own comedy. I am very determined to succeed, and I know what I need to do. My short term goals involve public speaking and wanting to get on the regional level speech team, which I fumbled a spot due to my “out of control” emotions. (If we had known what it was, it would not have happened). I never want to fail again, and have taken so many measures to assure I have emotional control. 

6. How do you take care of yourself mentally and emotionally?

Mentally, I spend time writing and doing puzzles, giving me something to think over. I also socialize a lot, which helps me both mentally and emotionally. Emotionally, I pour them into my hobbies, expressing myself through that way willingly (I am unwillingly openly emotional, especially on a negative scale. I want to show my positive ones, and my negative ones to a very close circle. I feel great shame whenever my emotions spill out.)

7. How do you experience and manage stress?

I want to handle it well and know I can, but it gets difficult. It tends to be pent up in me, and I get frustrated (albeit more determined) easier. I manage my stress in the same way I manage my emotions. 

8. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

STRENGTHS:

Highly determined and decicated. I know what I want and how to achieve it, I have a few strong convictions I abide by, but would do almost anything legal to succeed. 

Charisma and adaptability. I tend to have a really good and even fluid personality, tending to match the situation. I know how to present myself and love looking good, making impressions is something that I hold very important, since it’s imperative for people to take a liking to me, I’ve learned and changed myself enough to fit into many situations. 

Constant vitality and enthusiasm. I stay lively and energetic, even when life sucks at the moment. I tend to motivate others through seeing the good in them, wanting the people close to me to feel good. 

Intelligence. While I’m really skilled at emotional appeal, something I’ve come to terms with is my ability to create intelligent arguments through research and common sense. I see connections and theories naturally and get a genuine kick out of taking closer looks at things. 

WEAKNESSES:

Can be very self-centered and selfish, appearing to only care about myself and my close circle, not my family or anyone else. Despite convictions, prone to saying one thing and doing another, cares too much about looking good in the public and being appealing.

Moody. Not out of my own will, but I tend to have quickly changing moods.

Critical. I realize all of my flaws and what I want/need to change, and I kick myself internally when I fail to meet those standards. I also tend to be critical when other people do things that make me “cringe,” whether I judge them internally or externally is up to what that action was. 

Overly committed. Will stay with people, especially friendships even when they’re harmful, because they’re important.

Vain. A common critique of my character I receive is that I can be disingenuous and pretentious. Due to being somewhat a chameleon, I give off different images to different people,which makes me seem fake and shallow, even when I do have some depth. Depth I don’t love when people know about outside of my friends, but depth nonetheless. 

9. What is your greatest accomplishment?

My greatest accomplishment is, until I hit one of my goals, being a confirmed “important member” of someone’s circle. Being trusted with a responsibility and my abilities believed in makes me feel good, I like being of service to others. 

10. How do you handle failures?

I briefly get upset, but always manage to bounce back more resilient. I don’t let my shortcomings get the best of me, I believe I just need to keep going at things like they never happened. 

11. What experiences have had the biggest impact on shaping who you are today?

Early childhood experiences, for the most part. We did student of the month at our school, and I never got one. I was never seen as an exceptional person, which internalized itself. From that point, I’ve always strived to win since that point, become upset at myself when I don’t reach that standard. 

My mother told me that if I keep having emotional outbursts, then I’ll never be an attractive person. My theory is she meant “attractive personality,” someone charming and friendly. This seeded itself in my, at the ripe age of like 10. It’s something I’ve realized later in life, but in a way my mom is correct. I won’t win anyone over if I’m a wreck. It wouldn’t be for years until I found out why I am a wreck. 

In elementary school, we were taking the MAP test. There was some question about a 3D shape and how it would fold up. I grabbed my scrap paper and folded it up in that way. It’s something I just realized that that showed my natural resourcefulness from a young age, how I always wanted to figure out innovative ways to do things. 

* If you prefer to keep your age private, you can indicate a range such as "teen', "adult", or simply "private". Same for mental health.

II- Intra-personal: to understand yourself (11 questions)

1. What do you enjoy most about spending time alone? Do you like solitude?

I enjoy the freedom. I don’t love being alone, but when I’m alone, I don’t feel pressure to be perfect, I have time to listen to a video essay and text friends. It can be relaxing, even if I dislike it. 

2. What are your long-term aspirations and how do they align with your values?

I aspire to be someone people look up to, whether that’s through my work ethic, starting from literal scraps and never stopping or giving up until I become a fashion empire,or through entertaining. If my performance can make one person feel something, then I’ve succeeded in an aspect.

3. What recurring thoughts or patterns do you notice in your mind?

A deep need that to be successful, I’ll need to be likable. Thoughts about the people around me, and what I may need to do to impress them. 

4. Can you identify any limiting beliefs or negative self-talk you may have?

Yes. I often think towards myself that nothing about me is real, everyone actually hates me, things like that. 

5. How do you differentiate between facts and opinions when forming beliefs or making judgments?

It’s instinctual for me, if something is fact I’ll be able to trace it back to a source and will present itself that way. If it’s opinion, it’ll use “I believe” or “I think” phrasing. It won’t be objective. My beliefs are formed off of both, I don’t want to believe something wrong, so I’ll fact check. On the flip side, I’ll check my sources to make sure they’re reliable, so my facts aren’t skewed. I do go off of word of mouth a lot and am always open to discussion. 

6. Can you describe a situation (can be hypothetical) where you had to balance emotion and reason to make a decision?

College. Figuring out where I wanted to go to college required taking my own emotion into account, since I wouldn’t want to be stuck at a school I dislike, in a major I don’t want to do.. Then, I also considered how others would feel just to keep me anchored. Finally, I rationally think if I’m making the correct choices. Are these good ideas for majors, will I use them down the line, and are there ways for me to achieve my non-school goals are my main questions. 

7. What aspects of aesthetics appeal to you the most, and how do they influence your preferences?

Operacore is wonderful, I like vampirecore. These definitely influence my style, dressing in a dramatic yet classy way. It’s really 

8. How do you feel in environments that reflect your aesthetic tastes versus those that don't?

I don’t really notice a difference, since these aren’t the most common aesthetics. If I am in places that fit the aesthetic however, I’m truly taken in by the sights. 

9. What does a cluttered environment do to your mood and productivity, and how do you prefer to organize your space?

I pretend like it doesn’t bother me, but I do need a somewhat clean space. I’m more tired and agressed when my room is messy, and also lazy. It’s a spiral in that way, since I’m lazy and dont wanna clean when my room is dirty, then I’m like that because my room is dirty. My room looks like a mess, but it’s highly organized honestly. I know where everything is, and the floor is clean, so I tend to be active. 

10. Can you find any underlying reasons or emotions behind your fashion choices or presentation?

Oh, absolutely. It comes from a need to impress others, be seen as someone who is worth responsibility. If I’m not well-groomed and have a distinct yet fittingly appropriate style, then I won’t be seen as someone of worth. Impressions and presentations are everything to me. 

11. How do your feelings about your surroundings influence your actions?

I notice the environment I’m in, and know how to act (execution is difficult due to the disorder, but I still execute when I can). It definitely changes how I’d act if I was in a different place, an example is a party vs. a speech tournament. At a party, I’ll be smiling and talkative, mingling with the other people until I’m close to all of them, considered a part of their circle. At a speech tournament, I’m more formal in action, while still looking for the spotlight. I talk to larger groups and appear a lot classier than I may in other scenarios. 

III- Inter-personal questions: to understand how you see others.

1. How do you adapt to different social environments or cultural contexts?

When in rome, do as the romans do. Sorta. I tend to mix fitting into the social norms, but keeping my style so I can stand out and be more notable that way, since if you’re 100% in the background, you don’t get found out.

2. How do you welcome new people into your social circle?

With open arms. I’m a very friendly person, I enjoy making people feel welcome. I introduce people to the members of my circle, telling them what they need to know. 

3. Do you initiate and plan social activities?

Absolutely. I’m the planner of my social circles, often putting things together so I can see my friends. 

4. Can you describe a situation where you had to mediate a conflict between friends?

Two of my (at the time) friends were dating. I put them in a groupchat to talk it out, and I oversaw. 

5. How do you handle disagreements or differing opinions?

I argue for a bit, then eventually try to find a middle ground. I enjoy both discussing different opinions AND finding a middle ground. I’ll never pass up an opportunity to convince someone I’m right. 

6. What role do you believe government should play in addressing social and economic issues?

I believe the government should be doing way more. There’s so much that the government can do, but will not. I’m no politician, but I believe the government should be addressing the way they’re actively trying to take away rights from many, many groups? Better yet, they should keep their noses out of that to begin with. It’s not hurting people, they just want to control anyone different from them. 

7. What are your thoughts on war and conflict?

War is dumb, I hate seeing innocent people get hurt. Conflict is useful interpersonally, since without disagreeing with peers, how would we learn? When it’s global and nonviolent, it’s perfectly fine as long as it gets resolved before it evolves into a war. 

8. Do you engage in conversations with individuals who hold opposing political views?

Yes. If they’re a good person, I can excuse politics to an extent. If we’re friends, I’ll definitely try to persuade them to change their views, especially if they’re a kind person. If they’re rude and want to argue, I tend to strike down arguments, if they cite sources I’ll do that back. If they don’t, I’m not above attempting to reach an opponent emotionally, asking them how they’d feel in that position, or pointing out how they’d be reacting if the tables were reversed. I will play into reverse/hypotheticals. 

9. How do you define the concept of family and what does it mean to you?

There’s blood family, and there’s found family. Your blood family was the one assigned to you, you’re close because you share genes, not necessarily anything else. You can’t pick your blood family, but you can pick for them to be your chosen family. Your chosen family is the friends, the relationships you make along the way. Those close bonds you form with others, the ones you want to hug and never let go. 

10. What values or principles do you believe are most important to instill within a family?

11. What role do you play within your family dynamic?

I am the eldest daughter. That’s the most I can say. Even if my parents don’t believe it, there is pressure for me to succeed. I need to be a role model, I need to be a leader.

Please reblog with what you think my type is, thank you!!

[sowmya]

5 Reasons Why Customers Don’t Buy 6 Ways To Overcome Them

Understanding the barriers that prevent customers from buying is critical for any business. Once identified, solutions can be developed to address each hurdle, ultimately increasing sales and customer satisfaction. Here are 5 reasons customers don’t buy and the respective solutions to address each challenge. 

1. Lack of Trust 

Problem: Customers might hesitate to invest in high-value products or services without confidence in their decision. 

Solution: Cultivate trust by being transparent about your product’s features, benefits, and overall value. Maintain regular communication, ensure post-sale value, and be open to feedback. Establishing long-term relationships based on trust can make a significant difference. 

2. Unclear Value of the Product/Service 

Problem: If the perceived benefits of a product or service aren’t clear, customers won’t see the need to buy. 

Solution: Highlight the unique selling points and real-life benefits of your product or service. Use tools like video demonstrations, case studies, and customer testimonials to show how your product addresses specific challenges or enhances the user’s life. 

3. Sales Process Complexity 

Problem: A cumbersome or confusing sales process can deter potential buyers. 

Solution: Simplify your sales process. Make it as intuitive and straightforward as possible. Eliminate unnecessary steps and ensure that the customer’s journey from interest to purchase is seamless. 

4. Improper Support Guidance 

Problem: Inadequate customer support can leave potential buyers feeling lost or undervalued. 

Solution: Offer multiple channels for support, including chatbots for instant queries. Utilize platforms like Funnl to notify you in real-time when a customer receives a package, ensuring timely follow-up and engagement. 

5. Targeting the Wrong Audience 

Problem: Marketing to an audience that isn’t genuinely interested in your product is a wasted effort. 

Solution: Invest in research to understand who your ideal customers are. Tailor your marketing strategies to address their specific needs and interests. 

Unravelling the Mystery: Why Aren't Customers Buying?

In the ever-evolving world of commerce, understanding why customers aren’t buying from you can be a perplexing puzzle. While it’s tempting to chalk it up to the myriad of potential excuses customers might offer, diving deeper into their mindset is essential. By understanding and addressing these barriers, businesses can find ways to turn those hesitant browsers into loyal customers. 

Why Customers Hesitate:

1. Price Consciousness: In today’s competitive market, many consumers are driven by the best deals. They might not necessarily be searching for the highest quality, but rather the lowest price. The economic downturn has amplified this sentiment, with corporate buyers especially seeking cost-saving measures. Addressing this might mean offering periodic discounts or value packs to entice such bargain hunters. 

2. Perceived Lack of Value: If customers don’t see the worth in what they’re paying for, they’ll abstain from buying. This calls for a re-evaluation of the product pricing or enhancement of its features to align with its price point. Customization can also play a pivotal role in addressing specific client needs. 

3. Ambiguous Value Proposition: Sometimes, the product might be valuable, but if its benefits aren’t communicated clearly, it becomes a hard sell. Ensuring clarity in product descriptions and advertising materials can address this barrier. 

4. Misaligned Targeting: One of the cardinal sins in marketing is targeting the wrong audience. This results in wasted efforts and resources. It’s imperative to understand who the product is for and tailor marketing strategies accordingly. 

5. Decision-making Hurdles: In many organizations, the decision-making process involves multiple stakeholders. This can delay or even derail potential sales. Understanding the decision-making hierarchy and involving key stakeholders early on can streamline this process. 

6. Lack of Urgency: Without a compelling reason to act promptly, customers might procrastinate or forgo a purchase. Highlighting limited-time offers or underscoring the immediate benefits can ignite that sense of urgency. 

7. Overwhelming Choices: The digital age has blessed customers with an abundance of choices. But this can also be a curse, leading to decision paralysis. Differentiating your product and highlighting its unique selling points can help it stand out in a crowded market. 

How FunnL Helps in Targeting the Right Leads:

Funnl is a tool designed to optimize your lead-targeting strategy and enhance quality lead generation. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, Funnl uses advanced algorithms and data analytics to identify potential customers who are genuinely interested in your offerings. With Funnl, businesses can ensure they’re reaching out to leads that have a higher likelihood of converting, thereby increasing efficiency and ROI.

Also Read: 8 Hacks to Get Business Leads in 2024

Conclusion: 

Empathy is a powerful tool for understanding and addressing customer hesitations. By genuinely understanding their concerns and proactively offering solutions, businesses can boost sales and foster long-lasting customer relationships. Remember, every barrier is an opportunity in disguise. With the right strategies, turning potential buyers into loyal customers is well within reach. 

Building trust, clarifying product value, simplifying the sales process, offering proper support, and targeting the right audience is essential for driving sales.

[berenices-commas]

The Mimicking of Known Successes - 2023 - Malka Older

I’ve always enjoyed Malka Older. Not just The Centenal Cycle but pretty much all her writing. This one, though, did not grab me. To some extent because this just isn’t my kind of thing, and also because The Mimicking of Known Successes doesn’t quite live up to its own promises. This is both a murder mystery and a romance, and I’ll treat those aspects separately.

But first, I do like worldbuilding, so I’m going to talk about that. The image of a Jupiter bound about with planet-spanning habitation rings is a great one, maybe the best part of the book. But beneath the space gaslamp veneer, the society on those rings isn’t particularly interesting. The world of Infomocracy is wonderful, it’s teeming with people wrapped up in their own identities, communities, politics, and yet part of a gigantic, messy whole. Here, though, nobody really has an identity, and we get very little idea of what the broader society looks like. I think this is a longstanding problem in SF (I just finished reading The Caves of Steel) – it’s easy to create a future that seems so much flatter than our world.

Also, the premise where humans have rendered Earth uninhabitable and fled into space, and this proves that humanity Can’t Have Nice Things, has never really made sense and is by now a dreadful cliché besides. It’d be alright if it was just a contrivance to do the cool Jupiter thing, but the central philosophical question of the book revolves around the assumption that climate change will literally wipe out all (macroscopic?) life on Earth, and thus can’t really be taken seriously.

But anyway! The important bits. This is, of course, Sherlock Holmes in space, and that means this is a Conan-Doyle-style mystery. And here I confess that I just prefer the later approach to mystery construction where the story is a puzzle for the reader to solve. Of course, that’s very tricky to do right in a SF setting, where the reader lacks basic context, so it’s easy to see why Older opted for the earlier, thriller style. Here the focus is on the process of the investigation, on the aforementioned dodgy philosophy and the characters of the detectives themselves. And it does feel a lot like a Sherlock Holmes story, right down to the random attack by an exotic animal to keep things tense. But that’s not my thing – I just think it’s a waste of a good murder.

The romance... is fine? Mossa and Pleiti are cute together, and their connection feels real. But I wasn’t seized, I don’t feel particularly invested in the couple, and I imagine that after a few weeks I’ll never think about them again. I have high standards for loadbearing romances in fiction – they should be not just plausible but genuinely compelling, or what’s the point?

The end product is a novella which is certainly not bad, but not especially exciting either. In some ways this is perhaps the first true casualty of the “cozy” trend in contemporary SFF – Older is very definitely capable of better than this, but has chosen to write something without much weight to it for the sake of marketing. Or maybe she never considered the marketing aspect at all, and just thought a space Holmes story would be cool, I don’t know. Either way, I’m not thrilled by this new series.

[girlreviews]

Review #324: A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay

I grew up in England from the age of three to the age of twenty five, when I returned to the US. I am a very weird American citizen who feels American but that has British culture pulsing through my veins. There’s probably nowhere this shows up more than in my music taste. Perhaps my sense of humor or deep cynicism but that’s softened up a good bit over the years since I spent time around more neighborly Americans and got some desperately needed vitamin D.

The point being, there are some rules, and one of those rules is and has always been: Coldplay are not cool. They never were. They never will be. There’s no corner of “decent” music taste where it’s acceptable to say that they’re good or that you like them. But here’s the thing. They’re good, and I like them. Or at least, they were good, and I did like them. I don’t care if they’re “wimpy”, or if Chris Martin sounds like he ALWAYS has a stuffy nose, or if his lyrics border on pretentious (they do), or if they’re just sort of annoying. Here’s my real confession: I was a true, diehard superfan as a teen. More on that later.

Their first two albums were very, very good. Excellent. Beautiful. Not perfect. But for a bunch of wet blankets that really had nothing marketable to offer other than the actual songs themselves: they were good songs. And I’ll even go on the record saying the next two were pretty damn good as well. Things started going a bit off the rails at album number five and I dare say Coldplay fell prey to being lazy and high on their own supply after that. They’ve been cranking out pure nonsense ever since. I tuned out.

But that doesn’t negate the first four, and especially two, and especially second. A Rush of Blood to the Head was really, really, good. Sure, it unleashed the radio nightmare upon us all that was Clocks, and I still can’t listen to it. But that’s totally forgivable if you ask me because we got some other real stunners out of it. Some that when I listen to, which is pretty infrequent these days, I’m like, well shit yeah, this is a pretty quiet little fucking masterpiece isn’t it? You bunch of whiny nerds annoyed everyone so much because nobody wanted to give you the satisfaction. How painfully British.

Some songs that stand out. God Put A Smile On Your Face, it’s maybe about as cool as Coldplay gets really. I don’t really know or care how to elaborate on that other than citing the chorus:

“When you work it out

I’m worse than you

When you work it out

I wanted to

When you work out

Where to draw the line

Your guess is as good as mine”

It’s a love song. You’re perfect, I suck, you’ll figure that out eventually but hopefully you like me anyway, who the fuck knows. I get that.

The Scientist. Still a gorgeous song. It hurts my feelings. My grandpa was hospitalized for a time while I was visiting the US one Summer and I had it on repeat and sat at his bedside making some really pretty artwork of the lyrics, as I often did, because I was a little loser. I remember which lyrics and they’re still the ones that really speak to me:

“I was just guessing

Numbers and figures

Pulling the puzzle apart

Questions of science

Science and progress

Do not speak as loud as my heart”

A special mention to Green Eyes and Warning Sign. I have green eyes, and I always loved his caterwauling when he draws out “and anybody, who tries to deny you, must be outta their MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIND”. Warning Sign has a truly somber string arrangement in it that always really conveyed the emotion of the song. He’s gotta tell you “in his loudest tones” I fucked up, please take me back.

The standout is the title track. A Rush of Blood to the Head is genuinely an outstanding piece of music. Every time I listen to it I’m like yeah okay, this is why this record is in the top 500. No question. It’s so damn good. This was the thing man, Chris Martin really had some things to say for awhile, and he had a real talent with words. That’s not to say that everything he had to say was worth hearing, or that all of his words were poetry, but he did have a way with them. He knew it too, and therein lies the problem. Anyway, it’s a long song, but my oh my is it really something. There’s a main character who obviously has a lot of feelings and is telling us all of the things he’s going to do, for, it seems like justice or vengeance:

“Because I'm gonna buy this place and see it burn

And do back the things it did to you in return"

There’s various iterations of this: he’s going to buy a gun to start a war, he’s going to put this place six feet underground. It’s sort of some dystopian love song? There’s someone at his side that he seems to be doing this for, although it’s unclear that they want that at all. It’s really bleak. It has this signature Coldplay sound of just droning on musically, heavy drums and just repetitive small guitar notes, but, that changes as it goes on and in comes some really melodic and beautiful guitar that accompanies some lyrics that depart the theme:

“So, meet me by the bridge,

Oh meet me by the lane

When am I gonna see that pretty face again?

Oh, meet me on the road,

Meet me where I said

Blame it all upon a rush of blood to the head”.

It’s just really good. It feels like it came out 20 years too early to be honest. Much more appropriate for these times than 2002, a simpler time that we would all happily return to if we could. That’s a good segue into my teenage Coldplay fandom. Here’s a list of the things I did out of love and dedication to their music:

- I saw them live no less than five times

- One of those times I skipped school to do so

- At that concert, which was for the X&Y album and was at Crystal Palace, Chris Martin threw disposable cameras into the crowd that he had taken pictures on backstage, and ya girl caught it, I am certain those pics are long gone but it was pretty cool at the time

- I had all of their albums on day of release, and their live DVD (this cracks me up, the idea of owning a DVD like that of a live performance)

- I went to HMV and requested that I be the recipient of the release display artwork when they were done with it and they kindly obliged (this is some real dedication my friends)

- I genuinely attended the G8 protests in Edinburgh (cited in review #500) at Coldplay’s encouragement, due to this album, as this was what Chris Martin had feelings about at the time. Climate change, and Bush and Blair being war criminals. I had feelings about that too and I gave my parents the finger and went all out. Honestly I’m not ashamed of this, it’s something I remain proud of doing. As for Chris Martin, I suspect he wouldn’t be so quick to be so political and outspoken these days, and that’s a shame. I thought you were cool even when nobody thought you were cool, Chris. And now nobody thinks you’re cool and I kind of agree.

- I had a tank top that was spray painted with “Make Trade Fair”, because that’s what he had spray painted on his piano. This is so funny to me.

That’s a real list of my sins right there but I’m not sorry. I’ve never stopped loving those first two records and I never will. It’s been over twenty years — so I’m pretty sure my mind is made up. One thing I have definitely learned is that once you get into your thirties, what feels cool to you is not giving a single shit about being cool. But Clocks fucking sucks.