#fan videos are visual fanfic

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Dazai Osamu and the Dark Era: the visual novel (a fan project)

On a whim, I've decided to finally just publicly release this project that I've had laying around for two years at this point, for Dazai's birthday today. It was originally made for my very dear friend @letmereachforthestars , when I first introduced her to the series and wanted her to be able to read my favorite BSD light novel in an easier-to-read format. You need a computer to be able to play. The details and links are under the cut:

If you've never played a visual novel before, it's basically a novel in the form of a video game. Text will appear line by line, one a time on the screen, and it will be accompanied by relevant background visuals, music, and sound effects, to make the reading experience more immersive, and more stimulating than just reading from a book. Some visual novels have actual gameplay elements to them, and some are just books and nothing else (oftentimes dating sims/choose-your-own-adventure novels), the latter of which this is. If you've played the mobile game Bungou Tales/Mayoi, the story sections of that game are basically mini visual novels.

This game was made with screenshots and music from the anime, sound effects from the anime and Bungou Tales and free sound effect online sources, as well as graphics and fonts and other assets from Bungou Tales and other official BSD art (particularly the official anime soundtrack cd covers). The script is taken entirely from the official Yen Press translation of Dark Era, with the exception of about two or three iconic lines that I used different translations of because I felt like they had more impact. Additionally, at the very, very end, I added on the original ending scene from the Dark Era stage play and wrote a few fanfic lines of my own to accompany it you can tell because they are very cringe and don't match Asagiri's writing style.

Before playing the game, there are a few very important things to keep in mind; PLEASE read all this:

I am not a professional in the slightest. I took some coding classes in high school, and have some photoshop skills (when it comes to the design elements of the menus), but for the most part the former wasn't much help here; this was my very first time ever using the Renpy engine, and I made this entirely from scratch. I used my knowledge of playing other visual novels to emulate the kinds of effects and timing that is typical for these games, and I think it turned out pretty well all things considered, but it's still very amateur. This is most evident in the sound effects. The sound effects have no volume consistency between them, and some of them, particularly the gun/battle sfx, can come on very suddenly and be loud. I highly, HIGHLY encourage going into the settings and turning down the sound effects volume (the music should be fine), so that you're not startled by certain sounds when they happen, and for a lengthy time. I wouldn't blame you if you decide to turn the sfx off entirely if's too distracting, honestly 🫠 I am no expert in sound files equalizing and making sound files loop seamlessly, so this was by far the most tedious and frustrating part of the process of making this for me. Hopefully it doesn't ruin the game or break immersion too much if you decide to leave them on (I hope you do, for the rain and clock sounds at least, but again I wouldn't blame you if you can't).

Dark Era is the most faithful light novel adaptation in the anime, but there are still a handful of scenes, mostly fight scenes, that got shaved down significantly. Because of this, there are numerous occasions where I had to simply linger on a black screen or the same screenshot for a long period of time, while tons and tons of narration happens, because there's simply nothing I can show to accompany said narration. This is not ideal, but unfortunately I didn't have much else of a choice in those instances, so I hope it's not too distracting. There are also a few instances of straight-up inconsistencies between the novel and the anime (ex. the fight between Oda and Akutagawa happens in the woods in the novel, but in the anime it's still right outside the art museum), so sometimes what you're reading won't quite match the screenshots I use. Fortunately it's never anything major, but it does happen.

There will sometimes be long, unchanging black screens. Don't worry, the game isn't broken; just wait long enough and it will continue.

Sometimes, a character will get cut off when speaking, and when that happens the dialogue will auto-force to the next line. If you didn't get a chance to see what was said before, check the text backlog/history (in the menu or the H key).

Last but not least, this game was made with the default text speed in mind. Meaning, that when it comes to certain specific scenes, the mood/tone of them, made up of the timing of music, transitions, sound effects, etc, all of it was arranged around the speed at which things progress when using the default text speed. I completely understand if you can't, but if at all possible, please try not to change the text to go too much faster or slower, especially faster, because certain scenes will lose a lot of impact otherwise. If you already know Dark Era, you probably have an idea of some of the scenes I'm referring to. At the very least, during the more high-stakes/intense scenes, please try to play through those all at once without stopping, for the greatest impact based on how I designed the game, and only pause/quit during the slower scenes. There are specific moments that I'm really proud of how they came out, and I'd like for them to have the maximum impact that I intended :') (also note that if you make the text appear instantly, the cut-off dialogue mentioned above simply will not appear at all, and you won't even know to look back for them, so please refrain from making the text instant at the very least)

Ignore the cringe sappy final message

...I think that's everything. With all that out of the way, here are the links for both PC and Mac:

Download the PC version

Download the Mac version

This was a passion project for me for a good many months back in 2022. It started out just as a gift for my friend, but in the end I was really satisfied with how it turned out, despite how tedious and frustrating it was to work on. I've been hesitant to share it with the fandom for all this time because I kinda doubt anyone would really be interested in something like this especially since it's not stormbringer or beast, but someone on discord who tried it told me that I should share it, so here it is. I'm sharing it not just because I'm proud of my work, but because Dark Era is a truly amazing light novel — underrated, in my opinion (yes, I said what I said) — and far better than the anime adaptation, as good as that is, and I want more people to read it. If reading the books is hard for you and you've never read Dark Era before, if I can help just one more person to read it with this, I'll be happy, and consider my job done. 💖

I so desperately want to make more of these visual novels for the other light novels, but sadly, some of them simply aren't possible thanks to how many scenes are missing from the anime, like with Entrance Exam in particular. I've also been waiting with vain, thin hope that Bungou Tales will eventually reach seasons 3 and 4, so I can use their Fifteen and Untold Origins title screens like I did here, if those ever exist. However, I'm also held back thinking about certain scenes that would require some redrawing/drawing additional details to match what's written in the novels. If anyone has any ideas on things I could do to possibly get around these issues, or just thoughts in general about how the other light novels might be tackled, or if you're an artist who can recreate the anime's style and takes commissions/knows someone who does, I'd absolutely love to hear from you! As well as any advice/help on how I can smooth out/improve this project here!

Anyway, sorry for the long wall of text. Thank you for reading all this, if you did, and if you do try the game, please let me know your thoughts; I crave any and all feedback. 💙✨

[mcytblraufest]

MCYTBLR AU Fest: General Rules and FAQ

TIMELINE: 

May 4: Discord opens at 0:00, Artist creation starts. May 30-31: Artists with a finished piece of Art can sign up, submitting their work for claims. May 31: Artist creation period ends at midnight. June 2-4: Writers can claim art and be assigned to Teams. June 6-7: Writers who wish to be assigned a Beta Reader can sign up (this is optional) June 9-10: Beta Writers can claim writers/art and be assigned to Teams June 29-30: Check-in #1 July 13-14: Check-in #2 July 26: Writer creation period ends at midnight. Unless you have an extension, you must be fully ready to post at this point. July 27: Posting period begins at 0:00 August 2: Extension period ends. Unless you are a pinch hitter, you must be fully ready to post at this point. August 9: Posting Period ends. All work must be completely posted by midnight.

ABOUT:

MCYTBLR AU Fest is a mini reverse-big-bang event where artists and writers work together in teams to make stories and art inspired by MCYT and set in an Alternate Universe.

EXPECTATION: 

Artists must make a completed Art piece. Writers must deliver a story of at least 5k words, inspired by the art they signed up for. Dark or triggering topics or themes must be tagged for.

RULES:

You must be a member of the discord, for team matching.

Because of Tumblr, Ao3 and Discord TOS, you must be 13 to participate.

Respect your fellow participants, even when you disagree on fandom matters

You agree to work together with your teammate(s) to make a piece of art and a fic together, and link to each other's works.

All works must be MCYT-centric and set in an AU— no canon-compliance. 

No AI-Generated content.

LINKS:

Discord: Here Ao3 Collection: Here

FAQ:

What is MCYTBLR AU Fest? MCYTBLR AU Fest is a reverse minibang-type event where writers and artists come together to create fanworks centred on MCYT and set in an alternate universe from canon.

How does it work? Artists will have a month to complete an art piece. After a month, once the art is complete, they will submit the art, with information about server, characters, relationships, and any warnings they are opting into, which will be posted anonymously for writers to view and claim, first-come-first-serve. Teams are assigned by mods, and then writers will have two months of creation time to make a pice inspired by the work (minimum 5k words).

What type of MCYT is included? We welcome creations based on any SMP, whether or not they have a canon tag on Ao3. Mianite, DSMP, QSMP, Hermitcraft, 3rd Life, Lifesteal, Witchcraft SMP— it’s all welcome. 

Can I join if my Art is a Game/Web Weave? We welcome all types of art— web weave, game, traditional art, original songs, videos, etc. While the list is not exhaustive, we have outlined some of the baseline expectations for an art piece below.

What are the requirements for art? It is difficult to define precise expectations for art pieces, especially given the broad realm of things that could count as art. We are primarily looking for art that is complete to a level that you would normally post as "finished", ready to inspire a fic piece of 5k or more, containing an audio or visual component beyond the confines of the written word, that does not take more than an hour to consume. While you will have the opportunity to include your understanding of the world in things such as if the relationships depicted are romantic or not, the art piece must stand alone without explanatory text or extra worldbuilding.

The defined requirements for different forms of art are:

Digital or Traditional art: one piece, completed to whatever you would normally post as "finished", ready to inspire a fanfic.

Web Weaves: a web weave of at least ten elements, original or properly credited.

Video/animatic: a video at least 30 seconds long.

Other Art Form: other art forms such as fan games or original songs would fall under this category. If you wanted to sign up with an Other art form, you need to contact the mod team and work out what minimum expectations would be for your art.

Is shipping allowed? Yes. Because there is no broad fandom-wide consensus about how Creator boundaries are to be enforced in specific cases (whether it's okay to write beeduo as /r or /p is an obvious one, or whether it’s permitted to ship Joel Smallishbeans) or between specific fandoms (Lifesteal approach to shipping and boundaries is different from HBG is different from DSMP), the mods will not be policing any specific understanding of boundaries across the event. The event's motivating ethos is Don't Like Don't Read, in that artists will be able to specify for themselves if a given relationship is to be interpreted as romantic or platonic, and writers will choose to opt into that, and NSFW will have to be specifically opted into on both sides.

Is NSFW allowed? Yes. NSFW works are allowed, but must be opted into, both in terms of viewing art and in terms of creating fic. No one under 18 is permitted to opt into NSFW and attempts to do so will be grounds for a ban from this event and anywhere else the mod team touches. For the comfort of the greatest number of participants, and to conform with Tumblr TOS, anything with the tags Underage or Incest will not be permitted to be part of the event. 

Are major archive warnings (noncon/graphic depictions of violence/MCD) allowed? Aside from the content rules governing NSFW (no underage or incest, for the comfort of the greatest number of participants), major archive warnings are allowed. Depictions of real life horrors such as genocide and slavery are not-uncommon motifs in MCYT fics, and the mod team is not interested in legislating which types of horrors, griefs or abuses are inherently worse than others and are therefore off-limits. Because holding writing to a quality standard or saying only survivors can write atrocities is unworkable from a moderation standpoint, the three mentioned major archive warnings (MCD, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Noncon), are permitted to be included.

However, Major Archive Warnings must be explicitly opted into by the artist, and writers are free to not include Major Archive Warnings that their artist has permitted. Delivering un-asked for major archive warnings is grounds for a ban from this event. The mod team reserves the right to warn other mod teams on both the MCYT and Multi-fandom side about your bad behaviour.

What kind of an information will I provide as an Artist? How long or detailed? Artists will be able to specify

the server their art takes place on

the characters in the work

whether the relationships in the work are romantic, platonic, or could be interpreted either way

if they are okay with NSFW work

what age group of people they are okay working with

the type of AU it is

any content warnings present in the work already (i.e. gore, eyestrain, child death)

if the work is nsfw

any major archive warnings they are okay with happening in the story

common fandom themes and/or triggering content that they are okay with happening in the story.

A DNW

What sort of fandom themes will I specify? While this will not be an exhaustive list of every possible triggering concept, the mods want artists to be able to specify if they are okay with dynamics that circulate in the fandom that may be triggering or people simply may have strong opinions on, and for writers to be able to sort by that. Some of the themes include domestic abuse, alcoholism, family dynamics, pregnancy, dubcon, torture, body horror, dehumanization, child death, non-consensual touching, drugging, etc.

What is a DNW?

Artists will have the opportunity to fill out a DNW, which stands for Do Not Want. This is anything that has the potential to ruin a fic for you, and is where you opt out of content that would trigger, squick, or just render the gift unreadable for you. DNWs must be phrased politely, (so no "No foster aus because they suck and you suck if you like them"), and they must be reasonable, (so no "no blood/injury" if the art depicted shows injury, and no attempting to box someone into a specific gift beyond what is depicted in the art, so no "dnw anything that isn't a modern au where scar is a theatre teacher and grian is a biology teacher and they live in a city named hermitopia and grian has a situationship with mumbo and scarian has a rivalry at a coffee shop for the half-price muffins and jellie has psychic powers she's manipulating the muffin market with" if that is not clear from the art), and they must be specific and clear, (so no “no triggering content"), but they can be as petty (disliking 1st person) or as broad-reaching (no modern aus, no specific ships not depicted, no crossovers with specific servers or fics) as you like. Deliberately breaking someone's DNW is grounds for a ban from the exchange. 

Is Dark/Violent content allowed? As long as it is something that the artist has not opted out of, yes. For many of us, the source material that originally drew us to the fandom includes major character death, torture, murder-for-hire, death games, public executions, child death and more. The fanfiction that arose from the source material follows in that trend. We will allow dark content to be part of the event, but it must be tagged for. 

We also ask that participants use best judgement in delivering commonly triggering topics un-asked for. We reserve the right to ban people at mod's discretion for delivering unrequested triggering content, under the "do not be an asshole" rule.

Moreover, if your fic is rated E for any reason, (including violence or gore) your entire team must be 18+.

How can I get involved? You can participate in this event as a:

Author

Artist

Pinch Hitter

Beta Reader

You can even sign up for multiple roles, as long as you’re very sure you can make your deadlines!

What is a Pinch Hitter? A pinch hitter is a person who saves the day and steps in when the original creator is unable to deliver their work for whatever reason, making a new work on an accelerated timeline. You must reach the minimum word count of 5k. . 

When do I have to join the discord? You have the option to join the dicord and hang out as soon as creation starts on May 4, and if you are an artist, you must join before sign-ups close on May 31. If you are a writer, you must join the discord before claims begin on June 1st. If you are a Beta Reader, we'd ask that you join before claims begin on June 9th.

How does team assignment/claims work? We will release a document with all the art pieces linked in it, and 24 hours afterwards we will release a sign-up form. Writers will be expected to list out out a top-five of artists they want to work with, and mods will match writers with art on a first-come-first-served basis.

How does Beta Reader assignment work? Shortly after writer sign-ups end, writers who wish to sign up for Beta Readers will be able to do so. In a similar way to how writers claimed art, beta readers will be given a list of summaries and then, 24 hours later, will be able to submit a short list of fics they want to help work on. Beta readers will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

What happens if there are more artists than authors, or more authors than artists? If there are more writers, some artists will be assigned multiple writers. If there are more artists, we will put in place a question where writers can specify that they’d be willing to make multiple pieces, and a (hopefully small) number of writers would be assigned multiple teams. 

What if all the artists I list have already been assigned? If every artist you wish to opt into has already been assigned, mods will contact you and ask if you wish to be matched to people who have not yet been claimed. You will then be able to choose if you wish to claim other teams, or wait and hope that there will be more writers than artists, and multiple writers on a team will be opened up. If that happens, you can re-submit your list and be assigned as a writer to one of your original artists.

I’m in [insert time zone here]. What if I’m not awake when claims open? There will be a spot to input your time zone in the discord. Mods will try to open the claims at a time that works for as many writers as possible. The art pieces will also be available for 24 hours before claims so that everyone can view them and pick out the ones that are the most interesting to them. We will aim for claims to open between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m. for as many writers as possible across all time zones. If claims fall outside that zone for you, you’ll be able to contact a mod and we’ll work out an alternative method for claims for you. 

I don’t know what time zone I’m in? Go to timeanddate.com and enter the nearest major city, and it will tell you your current time zone.

What’s a check-in and how do they work? Check-ins are there to make sure everyone is on track to finish their piece in time, and to communicate any issues with the mods! If you know that you won’t be able to check in on a specific date (lack of internet, etc), please contact the mods in advance.

How long should my fic be? The minimum word count is 5,000 words! There is no maximum word count, but we ask you to be mindful of how much you can actually create in these two months. 

If I wrote a multi-chapter work, do I have to have it all posted by the end of Posting Period? You must post your work in its entirety by the end of the two-week posting period.

What does AU mean in this context? AU stands for Alternate Universe and in this case means anything that would make the work not able to be tagged as canon compliant. Alternate endings, role reversals, complete setting or plot swaps, and crossovers all count. As this is a fest specifically to celebrate AUs, we ask that the AU be a significant and celebrated part of the work, not something that could be skipped if you aren’t paying attention. 

Can I create two fics for my artist? Absolutely! There is no maximum for number of fics you want to create, but again, be mindful of not biting off more than you can chew two months of creation time.  Can I post just the first chapter of a longer fic/Can I use AI to help me with my piece? All fics must be complete (no missing chapters or truncated scenes) and created specifically for this event, inspired by the art claimed at the beginning of the creation period. Writers and Artists must create their work themself. Works may not be wholly or partially created by generative text or art programs (so-called "AI") such as chatGPT or OpenArt.ai. Works may not be wholly or partially duplicated from other works, and may not contain substantial repeated material included in an effort to boost word count (such as paragraphs or comics panels that are copied with minor variations).

Can I sign up with two pieces of art? You are welcome to sign up as part of the fest with multiple art pieces. However, if you do so, we will ask that you prioritize which art piece you want to be matched on first, and you will only receive a match to your secondary art piece after everyone else has an writer. We’re going to proritize every particpant getting a team before we prioritize every art piece getting a team.

Can I sign up with a multi-piece art piece? If you want to sign up with a web weave that features multiple panels, a long video, a long comic, a series of connected art pieces, a song cycle, or any other more complex/more ornate work, you are welcome to. We just ask that you make sure you can complete your art piece during the month of artist creation time, and keep in mind that if your piece is sufficiently complex, that might restrict the writers who are able to sign up for your piece. But if you think you can pull it off, then go for it.

Can I sign up with a writing buddy— as part of a collab team? You are welcome to sign up as a collaborative team, either an art team or a writing team! We ask that you make sure you work together well, and when you sign up for an team, you must declare that you’re a duo, so people know that they’ll be getting multiple team members and not one. 

Can I submit an art piece that is part of a larger AU? All art pieces must stand alone, so you can't have it that your writer has to consider other art pieces to make a work. The art must also be made specifically for the event. We ask that you not submit an art piece that was made prior to the event, or one that is part of an au you've posted about so often that it will effectively de-anon you. Brainstorming or sketching early is fine.

Once my art piece is done, when can I post it? Art and fic should be posted together, during the Posting Period at the beginning of August. Once you have your art done, you'll have to hold onto it for another two months, while your writer is working.

What if I need to drop out? It is your responsibility to communicate with us if you need to drop out of the event for any reason, and we do need that communication. We know that life is no respecter of fic and art deadlines, so no hard feelings if something happens. However, we would hate for any artist to end up having no fic for their art, so please think about this if you are thinking of dropping out close to reveals. Dropping out after the last check-in without informing the mods will result in not being permitted to take part in further events run by this mod team.

I have a question not answered here? Send us an ask on tumblr, contact @antimony-medusa on tumblr or discord!

[centrally-unplanned]

Japanese website Forest Page is shutting down ~today, a tragic loss of "Heisei otaku memories", as so many are calling it. Launched in 2003, Forest Page was a "Geocities for mobile", a site that hosted user-created websites and gave them tools to allow non-coders to make them. In practice, it became one of the premiere places for fanfiction in Japan, with the stories hosted on author-created sites.

It wasn't quite the Fanfic.net of Japan, as for one the Japanese fandom just never centralized quite the way the 2000's western one did, instead being spread out over a half dozen or so sites. But additionally, it wasn't initially popular for fanfic so much as cell phone fanfiction, because in 2000's Japan the "cell phone novel" was a specific thing. These websites were being made for flip phones, not smartphones, and not only would people read them on those phones, they would often write them. None of that was very conducive to the creation and consumption of a "traditional" novel; so starting in the 2000's Japanese writers started making stories fit for the medium, namely:

Very short

A huge focus on dialogue and inner thoughts, with no/minimal description or scene detail

Using a limited POV of a specific character

Often employing the medium-as-message, like using emojis, structuring the story as IM's or emails, etc.

Also they all had huge gaps between lines, I'm not really sure what that is about:

Probably for readability on the phone given the small screen size? But it was absolutely part of the genre. A few of these novels actually made it big, got movie adaptations, people wrote articles about the "cultural phenomenon", it was the 2000's so Hiroki Azuma had a take on it of course, and so on. It slotted neatly into the vibe of the time of technology changing culture, paralleling discourse around otaku in the same era.

In fanfic those trends met up, and anyone familiar with fanfiction probably read that list of traits of the cellphone novel and thought "oh, this is perfect for fanfiction". Skipping out on description? I don't need it, I know what they look like already. Focus on conversation and POV? Perfect for shipping fics. Short lengths? Yeah, we are shortcutting to the good stuff, that is the point. Mirroring trends in the west, Forest Page's userbase was ~95% female, and the most common content on the site was romantic or edgy-dramatic stories in the franchises you'd expect. The closure page linked above actually summarizes the site's history by year, and lists the biggest fandoms:

Which is exactly what I would expect from a female otaku fanfiction website. Congrats to Pirates of the Caribbean for making it though, freeaboo's represent.

I do think the fact that the site was a website hoster as opposed to a fic hoster did align with the way the Japanese fandom was more "creator focused" and embraced the media mix more. There were "fic circles" a la doujin circles who made their own pages, people would make fanart, fan video games, and so own to host alongside it, and all of it was centralized to the creator; it made following them-as-a-person just a little bit easier. Most websites were simple text, but others did have the full Geocities experience:

Something that was somewhat common were basic visual novel concepts where the reader could make choices, or even insert their own name so they would be the "MC" of the story:

(Dream novels are in fact their own thing in Japan) My understanding is the site was quite popular through the 2000's and into the 2010's, though over time the "cellphone novel" as a concept fizzled out. People got smartphones, more people got PCs, and the constraints didn't make sense anymore - you can read ebooks and normal websites on your phone now after all. You can probably draw a line between these kind of stories and the webfiction/light novel boom of the late 2000's/2010's, something that was equally born on the internet, that streamlines the novel to "shortcut to the good stuff" but without the need to fit on a flip phone's screen. Though I will admit my own understanding of their histories shows them more as two sides of the same "youth demand for new literature" coin.

In 2017 Forest Page launched Forest Page Plus, a new service fully optimized for the smartphone era; but it did not transfer over all the old content, starting the clock ticking on the original Forest Page. My understanding is that in June they announced Forest Page was officially closing down; and from what I have gathered from reminiscing writers on twitter, they did not provide any easy, one-touch way to save any of the content, so people are archiving Wayback Machine links or sharing tips on how screenshot-save stories (I think the rub is they gave people a way to transfer content to FP+, but most don't want to do that, as places like Twitter & Pixiv are the content kings of this era).

As of tomorrow I would bet the large majority of the content will be gone; quite sad given both the quantity of stories there and how many got sometimes millions of readers. I am sure most of the biggest stories are archived at least, but particularly the early stuff was a very ephemeral genre, one that doesn't make sense to revisit once you aren't a 16 year old teen writing and reading fics on a flip phone in between classes. Which means another legion of the ghosts of the Wired is being born today. May we pour one out for a fellow online community that lived and died!

[samsseptember]

Samtember 2024 Calendar, Rules, and Guidelines!

Hi, Sam Wilson Nation! It’s that time of year again when we all get together to celebrate our beloved Sam Wilson’s birth month. That’s right, it’s ✰Samtember2024✰ !!!

As per usual, the event will be running from Friday, September 1st to Saturday, September 30th and there will be prompts set for each day:

Week 1:

Day 1 - Free Space

Day 2 - Bird Telepathy

Day 3 - Costume

Day 4 - Crossover/Multiverse

Day 5 - Canon Divergence

Day 6 - Hurt/Comfort

Day 7 - Future Fic

Week 2:

Day 8 - On Your Left

Day 9 - Move Your Seat Up

Day 10 - I Never Said Pilot

Day 11 - The Big Three

Day 12 - When Do We Start?

Day 13 - Man, Shut the Hell Up

Day 14 - Moon Stuff

Week 3:

Day 15 - Cap Quartet

Day 16 - Redwing

Day 17 - Mission Fic

Day 18 - Shield

Day 19 - Wakanda

Day 20 - Undercover

Day 21 - Co-Pilots

Week 4 + 2 Days:

Day 22 - Cookout / Boil

Day 23 - Birthday

Day 24 - Fishing

Day 25 - Louisiana

Day 26 - Lovers

Day 27 - The Paul & Darlene

Day 28 - Slice of Life

Day 29 - Wilson Family

Day 30 - Home

We will open a collection on AO3 soon. We will update this when the collection is ready, but when it is you'll also be able to find it by typing samtember2024 in the add to collections option.

You can also tag any works you post with #samtember2024 or tag this blog @samsseptember. Works will be reblogged every day throughout the month. 

What works count for this fan event?

Any of the following count:

fanfic

podfic

fanart

gifsets

photosets / moodboards / collages

graphics

Haikus

videos / edits

playlists

fic rec lists

comments

Whichever way you want to celebrate Sam Wilson, it’s up to you! 

The rest of the FAQ and rules are under the cut.

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a Sam Wilson fan event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on for the month. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all 30 prompts at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single day in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Should the work I make be Sam Wilson-centric?

Yes. You can make a gen work or a piece with any ship with Sam Wilson in it, but the main focus should be Sam Wilson.

How long will this event run?

It will run from September 1st to September 30th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There will be! They will come out daily.

Do I have to post my fic for the prompt on the day of the prompt?

You can if you’d like, but it’s okay if you post a piece on a day other than the day of the prompt.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the event?

For Everyone:

1. Remember to tag @samsseptember in the post as well as #samtember2024.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to Samtember 2024 Collection that you can find here.

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

For Fic Rec Lists:

1. You must have at least three fics or podfics on the rec list.

2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.

For Commenters:

1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji (“❤️”) to an essay.

2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.

Have fun and we look forward to all your wonderful works! ✰

[startheskelaton]

If sparkplug knew of 2000s media, what would their certain hyperfixation be as a sparkling? (ex: indie games, tcg type games or books like warrior cats etc)

(Also love your work sm ❤️❤️)

(Okay so I’m looking back at my own interests as a kid so don’t come for me)

As a little LITTLE kid, she was definitely a huge fan of Kevin Henkes books, so like “Chrysanthemum”, “Lilly’s purple plastic purse”, “Owen”. I feel like she would really like those books. “Charlie and Lola” along with any books by “Leo Lionni” were definitely on her little bookshelf for the paper cut out visuals alone

She 100% watched LPS videos on early YouTube, LPS popular was definitely a core memory for her.

She has a great love of music, but her general style that she’d grow into would be more influenced by grunge and punk specifically. But i know in my heart of hearts she loved Avril Lavigne.

I think she would have been really interested in creepypasta, however more from a writing aspect as she really wanted to make her own. She definitely has a stack of notebooks with hundreds of attempted and forgotten stories. She definitely scribbled the proxy symbol on things she had thinking she was super cool and epic.

She also has a soft spot for Godzilla movies but it’s not as crazy as the other interests.

Huge into fanfics tho, absolutely obsessed with them. She also obviously had an anime phase, you know the one, when you refuse to watch anything but anime for a while? Unironically she would adore Oran high school host club, she’d make a full fanfic about Ritsu getting with Haru instead of Tamaki.

[noelle666]

Year review... kind of

So, the year is about to end and I think I should make some review.

First of all, these are the people who helped me A LOT through the year: Owlcat Games and Ice-Pick Lodge. The Russian game dev teams were saving me from going down.

Second, our dear and great Rogue Trader community and especially Heinmancers. Guys, I love you, honestly, all of you are so talented and passionate people. Wish you to remain the same. There are many of you and I would do this - I won't tag each you, cause I don't want to offend people I appreciate for their work but may miss here, so... If you read this know - yes, thank YOU, yes YOU for your passion towards Rogue Trader community. Doesn't matter what you do: write fanfics, make art or whatever. You are great!

Third, Pathologic community. Guys, you are awesome. We may be small but that's even better. I've never thought such "arthouse" game can have such nice fanbase and so many talented people within it. I am happy to get aquainted with artists, I am happy to dive into ships/pairings and I am very very happy to find the large fan project - date sim/visual novel which made me fall in love with Rubiruspex and Danblock ships. I feel unusually comfortable in this small Town-on-Gorkhon and I am waiting with all my heart for the release of Pathologic 3 (Danya, we are still waiting for you!)

Also, I am really happy in general that thanks to video games I've met many great people this year. =)

So, what else can I say? I can only wish whoever reads this Happy New Year! Let it be better than 2024, let all your plans and dreams come true. Everything will be alright, I can feel it. =)

[whereforarthur]

What If We Were More Than Friends

Request: Chris x GN (GN = Gender Neutral) reader read Fanfic" fic🤣 just cause I think I would be funny. Like he's making it for a video (obviously) and asked you to be in it, either you together or friends and if it's friends, one if not both of you have a crush on each other... even the fans can see it but you're both oblivious. Maybe it ends with a date (if you're not together already)

Pairing: ChrisMD x GN!Reader

Category: Fluff

Word Count: 2.7k

*****

He smiled and all I could think was "oh shit."

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Chris said, rubbing his hands together as he sat in front of the camera, his eyes sparkling with excitement. His friend, y/n, perched on the edge of the couch next to him, looking slightly nervous but equally eager to start their latest YouTube collaboration.

"So, what's the topic today?" y/n asked, fidgeting with the hem of their shirt.

Chris smirked. "You're about to find out," he said, leaning back and picking up a stack of printed pages from the coffee table. "We're doing something a bit different. Fanfiction readings!"

The room filled with the sound of rustling paper as y/n's eyes went wide. "Wait, what?!" they squeaked.

Chris chuckled. "Relax, it's just a bit of fun. You know, to mix things up." He flipped through the pages, a smug grin playing on his lips. "And I've picked out the best ones, too."

The nervousness on y/n's face grew palpable as they leaned in closer. "What do you mean by 'the best ones'?" They couldn't help but wonder if their secret crush had stumbled upon any of the more…intimate fanfictions. The room felt suddenly too warm, and they wished they could shrink into the cushions.

Chris looked up, his grin widening. "Oh, you know, the ones that really showcase the creativity of our amazing fanbase." He cleared his throat dramatically. "Let's dive in, shall we?"

y/n's heart skipped a beat as Chris began to read the first fanfic aloud. It was an innocent enough story, detailing an imagined friendship between him and the reader. But as the words spilled from his lips, y/n couldn't help but feel a strange warmth spread through their chest, a tingle that made their cheeks flush. They glanced at Chris, his eyes focused on the page, and for a moment, they allowed themselves to imagine the scenario playing out in real life.

The second story, however, took an unexpected turn. The plot shifted, and suddenly the characters were in a much more intimate setting. The air in the room grew thick as the fanfic grew steamier, and y/n felt their eyes widen as the scenes grew more explicit. Chris's voice remained steady, but y/n could see the faint blush creeping up his neck. They tried to keep their face neutral, not wanting to give away the tumult of emotions they were feeling.

Chris's inner monologue was a whirlwind of confusion and excitement. He'd read fanfics before, but never with someone else in the room, especially not someone he had feelings for. The words on the page seemed to leap to life, and he couldn't help but visualize the scenes with y/n as the protagonist. The way their eyes searched his every time he looked up, the subtle shift in their posture as the story grew more intense—it was all too much. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his cool.

The room felt smaller with every passing sentence, the words on the page echoing in his head like a siren's call. He wondered if y/n had noticed the heat rising in the room or the way his breath had become shallower. It was getting harder to focus on the task at hand, his thoughts wandering to the possibility of the scenarios playing out in real life. He forced himself to keep reading, his voice a little shakier than before.

y/n's mind raced as they listened, trying to piece together the storyline while also trying to ignore the racing of their heart. The tension was palpable, and they could feel it coiling around them like a snake ready to strike. They shifted uncomfortably, the fabric of the couch sticking to their damp palms. The fanfic was definitely not what they had signed up for when they agreed to do this video.

Chris's voice grew hoarser as he continued, the words becoming more and more difficult to pronounce without betraying the internal battle he was fighting. The plot had moved on to a heated argument between the characters, which somehow seemed to mirror their own unspoken tension. He took a deep breath, hoping it would help to steady his racing thoughts.

y/n's eyes flicked from the page to Chris's face, then back again, their heart pounding in their chest. The fanfic was getting too real, too close to home. The way the characters interacted, the passion in their words—it was all eerily familiar to the feelings they had been trying to suppress. They couldn't help but wonder if Chris was feeling the same way, if the lines between reality and fiction were blurring for him as well.

Chris looked up, his gaze locking with y/n's. For a moment, the silence was deafening, the weight of the unspoken understanding between them threatening to shatter the fragile barrier they had built. The fanfic had laid bare their hidden desires, and now they were forced to confront them. The room felt like it was spinning, and Chris's hand trembled as he held the paper.

"I think… I think we should stop here," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. He wasn't sure if it was the right call, but the intensity of the situation was overwhelming. He could see the shock in y/n's eyes, but there was something else there too—relief?

y/n nodded, a silent agreement passing between them. The unspoken words hung heavy in the air as they both took a step back from the edge of the cliff they had been teetering on. "Yeah, let's… let's end the video," they murmured, their voice laced with a hint of disappointment that only added to the confusion swirling in Chris's mind.

They both stood up, the sudden movement feeling awkward and forced. Chris placed the stack of fanfics back on the coffee table, his heart thumping against his ribcage. He had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable, in front of the camera. He had always been the one making the jokes, the one keeping things light and entertaining, but now he felt like he was in a spotlight, unable to hide his true feelings.

y/n busied themselves with shutting down the recording equipment, their movements jerky and uncoordinated. The silence stretched on, thick and uncomfortable, until the final click of the camera broke it. They turned to face each other, the weight of the moment pressing down on them like a heavy blanket.

Chris cleared his throat, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, that was… interesting," he said, forcing a laugh that sounded hollow even to his own ears.

y/n offered a small smile, trying to play it off. "Yeah, definitely a new experience," they said, their voice shaky.

They couldn't ignore the fact that the fanfics had hit too close to home. As he uploaded the video, he felt a knot in their stomach. The anticipation of the fans' reactions was both thrilling and terrifying. He had been so caught up in the moment, in the heat of the readings, that he hadn't considered how their chemistry might appear to the outside world.

The comments section was a minefield of 'shipping' and speculation. "Chris and y/n need to get together already!" read one. "The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife!" said another. The evidence of their unrequited feelings was laid bare for all to see, and Chris couldn't help but feel a mix of embarrassment and a strange sort of validation.

The video went live, and the notifications began to flood in. Comments, likes, and shares piled up at a dizzying rate. The thumbnails they had chosen were innocent enough, but the fan's interpretations of their reactions to the steamy fanfics were anything but. They watched in horror and fascination as their subscribers dissected every glance, every touch, every awkward pause.

"It's like they're reading our diaries," y/n murmured, scrolling through the comments with wide eyes.

Chris winced. "Yeah, I know." He leaned in closer to the screen, his cheeks flaming red. "I didn't realize it would be like this."

y/n bit their lip, scrolling through the comments with a mix of fascination and dread. "Some of these are pretty intense," they said, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of their mouth. "I mean, we're just friends, right?"

Chris chuckled nervously. "Of course we are," he agreed, a little too quickly. "It's just the fans reading into things, you know how they are." But deep down, he couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to their words. The way their eyes had met, the electricity that had crackled between them during the more intimate moments of the readings—it was undeniable.

The days following the video's release were a whirlwind of activity. The video had gone viral, and their inboxes were flooded with messages from fans shipping them harder than ever before. They tried to ignore the comments, telling themselves it was all in good fun, but it was difficult to ignore the way their hearts fluttered every time they saw their names together in a romantic context.

During their weekly coffee meet-up, the tension was unbearable. Every shared laugh, every accidental touch, felt charged with new meaning. The 'what if' lingered in the air, thick and potent. They talked about the video, the outrageous fan reactions, but their eyes kept darting away from each other, as if afraid to acknowledge the truth.

"It's just a bit of fun, isn't it?" Chris said, his voice a tad too bright. He took a sip of his latte, the warmth doing little to calm his racing thoughts. What if they weren't just friends? What if the fans had seen something that they had been too blind to notice?

y/n nodded, their eyes flicking to Chris's before darting away again. "Yeah, just fun," they echoed, but the tremor in their voice suggested otherwise. They had always been comfortable around each other, but now there was an unspoken something that hovered between them, a dance of unsaid words and unacknowledged glances.

It was a week later, during a quiet evening at Chris's flat, that y/n finally gathered the courage to break the silence. "Chris, I need to tell you something," they began, their voice barely above a whisper. Chris looked up from his laptop, his brows furrowed in concern.

"What's up?" he asked, setting his work aside.

y/n took a deep breath, their heart thudding in their chest. "It's about the fanfics," they began, fidgeting with their hands. "I mean, I know we were just reading them for the video, but… I think maybe the fans aren't entirely wrong."

Chris's eyes widened, and he leaned in slightly. "What do you mean?"

y/n took a deep breath, their cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink. "Well, I mean… I think there might be something more to it," they said, their voice shaking. "I've had a crush on you for a while now, and reading those fanfics out loud just made me realize how much I want those scenarios to be true."

Chris's eyes searched y/n's, a mix of shock and hope swirling in their depths. "You… you do?" He felt his own heart racing, the confession catching him off guard.

y/n nodded, their gaze dropping to the floor. "Yeah, I do," they murmured, playing with the edge of their sleeve. "But I didn't want to say anything, you know, because I didn't want to mess up our friendship."

Chris's mouth went dry, his mind racing with the implications of y/n's confession. He had felt the same pull, the same desire, but had never dared to voice it. "But what if it doesn't have to mess anything up?" he whispered, his voice hoarse with hope.

y/n looked up, their eyes searching Chris's face for any sign of reciprocation. "What do you mean?"

Chris took a moment to gather his thoughts, his heart thumping so loudly he was sure y/n could hear it. "I mean," he began, his voice soft, "what if we gave it a shot?" He took a step closer, his hand reaching out tentatively to touch y/n's arm. "What if we weren't just friends?"

y/n's eyes grew wide, and they froze, the warmth of Chris's touch sending a jolt through their body. "Are you…are you saying you feel the same way?" They could barely get the words out, their voice a breathless whisper.

Chris took another step closer, his hand sliding up to gently cup y/n's cheek. "I've had feelings for you for a while now," he admitted, his voice barely above a murmur. "But I didn't want to ruin what we have. I just didn't know how to tell you."

The room was silent except for the sound of their breathing, each shallow inhale and exhale a testament to the nerves and anticipation that had been building between them for so long. y/n's eyes searched Chris's, looking for any sign that this was a mistake, that he was just playing along with the fanfiction narrative.

But what they saw in his gaze was raw and unfiltered—desire, hope, and a hint of fear. It mirrored their own feelings perfectly. "Chris," they breathed, their hand reaching up to cover his. "I've felt the same way."

The moment hung between them, heavy with potential, until Chris leaned in and pressed his lips to y/n's. It was a soft kiss, tentative and questioning, but it was enough to set off a spark that had been smoldering just beneath the surface for far too long. y/n's eyes fluttered closed, and they leaned into it, their heart racing with excitement and relief.

They broke apart, both breathing heavily, their eyes locked. "Does this mean…" y/n began, their voice trailing off.

Chris nodded, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Yeah," he said, his thumb brushing over y/n's cheekbone. "It means we're not just friends anymore."

The revelation was like a weight lifted, and the air in the room seemed to shift. They both knew that there was no going back, that they had crossed a line that could never be uncrossed. But instead of fear, they felt a thrill of excitement.

Their first kiss had been awkward and unplanned, but it was real. And as they stared into each other's eyes, the tension of their unspoken feelings dissipating like mist in the morning sun, they realized that maybe, just maybe, the fanfics had been onto something after all.

They decided to keep their newfound relationship a secret for now, not wanting to deal with the fallout from their devoted fanbase just yet. They had enough to figure out on their own without the added pressure of public scrutiny.

But as they sat there, fingers laced together, watching the sun set over the London skyline, they couldn't help but feel like they had stumbled into their very own romance novel. The fanfics had given them the nudge they needed to acknowledge their feelings, and now they had the chance to write their own story.

The days turned into weeks, and their relationship grew stronger with every shared glance and whispered confession. They discovered a passion in each other that went beyond friendship, a love that had been hidden in plain sight all along.

And as they lay in bed one night, the fanfic that had started it all spread out on the floor beside them, they couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Who knew our fans were such great matchmakers?" y/n mused, their head resting on Chris's chest.

Chris kissed the top of their head, his arms tightening around them. "I guess we owe them one," he said, his voice filled with affection. "But let's not tell them that just yet."

Y/n chuckled, their eyes sparkling with mischief. "Our little secret," they whispered, and Chris's heart swelled with love for the person who had been by their side all along, unknowingly holding the key to their heart.

*****

Taglist~

@gvf23 @xxkatxgracexx

[aquamarina369]

So fun fact I actually wrote the first genuine Jeckole fic

Here’s the better version I posted later after the series actually got a fanbase on AO3

There were 2 published fics that existed before mine, both on FFN, and one jokingly shipped them for a reveal it was just Jeffrey writing real people fic, so like, mine was the first actual one

This was like 2 months before the game blew up on TikTok and when it was just starting to gain steam from vtubers playing it and I submitted it to a fanfiction contest the official discord was hosting (hence why it’s on FFN it was part of the contest rules which, Jesus Christ that site’s a mess now).

More specifically it was a contest SBN3 was hosting and was the sole judge of

The guy we know now is salty his edgy visual novel, that he only made a visual novel because he saw it as the way to get the most money with what he had at the time (there’s interviews where he says this, multiple in fact), got popular with yuri fangirls instead of edgy South Park fans like he wanted. Back then the fandom was mostly those edgy South Park guys, the announcement of the fanfic contest results hosted in the discord server was basically all guys in the call bar me, the complete opposite of the twitter space launch party after the flip side where it was all women besides one guy with goner in his bio who SBN3 repeatedly said he wished more people like would show up

My shitty fic I wrote in an afternoon while bored at work was his first exposure to what the series would become. He wanted more edgy guys who thought he’s god’s gift to comedy to become fans but instead he got a bunch more yuri fangirls who like the characters.

I highly doubt he remembers me or my fic but there is a non zero chance I planted the seed of hatred that led to The Flip-Side basically being made out of spite. In a way I killed class of 09, or at least dealt the first real blow

And that’s still so surreal to me

I’ve wanted to make a video on this but honestly talking about these games kinda annoys me because of how much now goes back to SBN3 being spiteful of the fandom so any script I’ve written just leaves me frustrated

Have this bad thumbnail draft I made for if I made on telling this exact story

[selfshipstation]

EMERGENCY SELF SHIP RAFFLE FOR FIDAA

Fidaa is a mother of two in Gaza (campaign verified here and here), and she needs money for a color MRI for her daughter Sila by Thursday, 12/26. She has $120 USD left of the cost to raise, and I'm really hoping you can help her out. Please send the money to her PayPal, since it will be accessible faster:

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fidaafunds

If you need extra incentive, I'm also doing a self ship raffle!

Two winners will be able to each choose one of the following prizes:

1.) A 5,000-word piece of fanfiction featuring your S/I and/or your F/O.

2.) An AMV or animatic to the song of your choice**

3.) A voice message from your F/O*

4.) A custom made 5,000 word visual novel**

5.) A fake video essay about your S/I, F/O, and/or ship

6.) A self ship roleplay in which I send 30 messages

7.) Fan art by @dmclr

*Limited to characters I can do a decent impression of, and I have a high voice. If you’d like to volunteer to voice deeper-voiced characters, please let me know.

**While I wouldn’t say I can’t draw, my skills are nowhere near professional.

In addition, every single person who enters will get either a fanfic commission ($5 per 250 words) or an inbox message from your F/O!

One raffle ticket is 5 dollars. You can buy as many as you want, and each one will increase your chances of winning. If you can, please consider buying more than one. If everyone spends the minimum price, I need 24 people to make the goal, and I'm not confident my platform is big enough for that.

In order to enter, DM me with proof (such as a screenshot) that you've sent at least $5 to the PayPal linked above.

On Thursday the 26th, I'll randomly select a winner, and we can discuss the details of your prize!

Even if you can't contribute, it would mean a lot to me if you reblogged this.

Edit: Samples of Our Work

Writing (not finished, but it works if you want a sample of my style)

Visual novels: Here's my itch.io! The only one I've done art for is the intentionally bad one.

Art (or if you'd rather not click through, see the images below)

[layton-heritage-posts]

i came here from the BDSM fluffery and stayed to find out there's an expansive lore. What do you mean there's a yuri fanfic about you and another heritage blog?? you have an evil clone??? Fascinating fascinating I am intrigued to learn more! And also more about this lovely game franchise you seem so fond of, I am only familiar with ace attorney so this is!!! Wonderful news to a curious lot such as myself that there are MORE.

-sincerely, an experiment

1. The fanfiction author has their own blog where all the lore about heritage yuri is compiled, @lhpxaahpya

2. My evil clone exists purely to mock my very existence. They are also a relatively new addition to the layton Heritage posts cinematic universe

3. If you are an ace attorney fan you're gonna feel right at home with Layton games. The trifecta of Ace Attorney, Professor Layton and Ghost Trick has been unofficially titled as "superwholock for people who like ds visual novels".

4. You don't even know half of my lore yet. The Heritagesona. The triple Baka Video. The underground archive where I live. The fact that you have to kill me to become the new LHP. The-

5. If you're looking for a place to get started, I recommend either:

- Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright

A crossover game between ace attorney and professor layton, in case the title wasn't obvious enough. Perfect game for people who only know ace attorney ans wanna dip their toes into layton games. Also the Perfect game for people who only know professor layton and wanna try out ace attorney. Both the Puzzles and Court Cases are easier than in the other games and the story. Let's just say the story is a handful but it's still a really good game.

- Professor Layton and the Curious Village

The first ever Layton game, recently remastered for mobile phones and such its the most easily available game on the list (aside from piracy or a hacked 3ds obviously). It's certainly shows it's age and a case of "first-game-in-the-series-itis", but that luckily doesn't hurt the game that badly and is still a good time.

- Professor Layton and the Specter's Call

You know how with star wars there is the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy? It's the same with Layton.

Curious village is the first game in the og trilogy, and Specters Call is the first game in the prequels. Personally, this is the game I usually recommend to start with because I think it perfectly encapsulates that Layton feel, but this is just my opinion. It's fun, it's mystery element is great, I love the aesthetic, banger game.

[passionategamerotica]

First off I’m a white guy but I’ve seen some discussion recently around 40K’s non-white coded factions and had some thoughts about particularly some of 40K’s old world building lore tropes and how that has influenced where we are today.

Warhammer’s planet of hats trope has lead to some really interesting cultures of planets in the Imperium in the lore. Planet of hats is essentially, how you can make lots of visually distinct cultures of worlds in a lore’s canon, making one like ancient Rome (Ultramar), one like ancient Greece (Olympia), making one like space Egypt (Prospero) or making one space scandanavia (Fenris). It’s easiest to understand it primarily as a way of differentiating the biggest money making faction in the game, Space Marines and their various chapters and legions. However, I think we also need an honest conversation about how the planet of hats trope has led to some takes on race that can be reductive and generalised on particular cultures.

For instance the Salamanders, are coded and i think intentionally to be black. You often hear fans say they’re not black in our modern understanding of race, mainly cause their skin colour is meant to be a sci-fi ultra dark because of intense radiation on their homeworld. However their geneseed (things that share particular genetic traits in Space Marine creation) also gives them red eyes which are described by some in lore as demonic looking. And the Salamanders stories often focus on this disconnect from their chapter culture, humanitarianism (by 40K standards), nobility, heroism and humility and their physical appearance which some find frightening. I think this is coded discussion of how black people face discrimination because of their appearance in many places across the world, especially when we understand that colorism and dark skinned people across all cultures often face marginalisation. This is though a really heavy handed way to discuss race I personally find it a bit on the nose.

When we look at the White Scars, who are explicitly coded as east-asian particularly Mongolian but with elements of Chinese culture thrown in, we can see that planet of hats can lead to some stereotypes and generalisations about communities being ingrained. Especially when you consider most lore authors working on Warhammer are white men.

Another example I feel is the Tau, who were created at a time when Games Workshop wanted to expand into the Japanese market, using mechs very inspired by Japanese anime and sci-fi, and as such a lot of the faction is coded with Japanese cultural and racial markers. Including the voice acting in video games, which I often find is similar to the voice acting of Samurai in movies.

I think people of colour in the Warhammer 40K community have found representation and enjoyment from these examples, but that besides, I think it highlights the cause we should broader representation on the writing and modelling in the hobby, to make a richer and more interesting world. I’ve always loved the space that Warhammer gives you to create new things in their world, seeing really incredible head-canon and fanfic for more diverse and interesting representations of characters and worlds in Warhammer. But that isn’t people’s introduction to the hobby, the Warhammer official canon and lore is. Planet of hats has lead I think to less interesting factions, by not creating and exploring more nuanced world building, which I totally concede some writers do undertake but I wouldn’t say is a general trend.

I don’t know it this is really a criticism more just a sense that Warhammer is growing as hobby, it’s bigger than it has ever been in my time playing it and this is an opportunity, to bring more people into the fandom and make our hobby inclusive.

[karanseraph]

I saw it, too

I got to see Transformers One for the first time today.

had always wanted to see it, but I just didn't have the budget, at all, right now for going out to movies. But, someone offered to take me, so I went to see it with them. So, I am grateful for that. I also did really like the movie.

A lot had been spoiled (I allowed myself to be exposed to the spoilers) but it was good to really see how it was all connected together and to see the visuals all on the big screen.

Now, I feel like, for me, I have to talk myself out of thinking: "This is the new default; so don't bother writing fanfic for any other continuities." I am the type of person who can get prone to bad thoughts like that. But, no, it's fine to write for older continuities. It's great to make up and write a fan-continuity even! I just need to remind myself of this truth.

The other day I read someone's fic on AO3 and their notes indicated they had not even the source material but they were writing G1-ish Transformers characters based on what they had learned from other fanfic, and actually, I really liked that fic, including the parts that did match canon and parts the author had clearly introduced through their own world-building.

So, reminding myself and anyone else who needs the reminder that it's always OK to write for an older fandom or continuity and it's also great to world-build your own continuity or alternate-universe. And, yes, it's also completely OK to write fanfic for the newest thing that came out and to enjoy the new thing.

I just don't want the new thing to make me less excited about continuing older ongoing projects.

Your energon can be blue or pink or rainbow-opalescent, or whatever color you like. Maybe you don't even play up the energon and bots drink oil. That's fine, too.

Make as many Primes as you like and give them whatever names you want. Alpha Trion can be a qilin or a lion or a hovercraft or a car. Doesn't especially matter. You can have a Vectra Prime in the panthon; Vector would probably say there's a universe where it always was so and one where they transitioned. Sentinel, Zeta, Sentinel-Zeta...it's Transformers, there's a way to make it work.

Use whichever origin story you like for the main characters. Make one of them older or younger than another. It's fine.

Ship them or don't.

Iacon can be on the surface, under the surface, beneath a dome, include a dome, have tall spires, have hanging spires, or all of the above, somehow.

You aren't somehow "doing Quintessons wrong". Use any version(s) or create your own.

Also your other fan arts - photos, drawing, crafts, videos - can be what you want.

[sambuckylibrary]

SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024!

The @sambuckylibrary will be holding a two-prong Valentine's Day bingo event!

This event is not just for the creators, but for the commenters. You may either fill your bingo card by creating for the event, or fill your bingo card by commenting on your favorite SamBucky pieces.

The event will start on February 1st and run until February 29th. During that time, we will be reblogging and sharing the work you guys create here on our blog as well as any comments you post about.

If you're a creator, can post fanfiction, art, moodboards, podfics, edits, fanfic lists, etc. If you're a commenter, post about the piece you commented on.

It’ll be a low-stakes event. No need to sign up. Just remember to tag @sambuckylibrary in your post for each fill, and we will be tracking #sbvday2024 for reblogs.

If you are posting on AO3, please add it to the SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024 Collection.

The Bingo Cards are:

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a SamBucky bingo event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on every bingo card. Do however many you please. The only thing we ask is mark your comment fills on a commenter bingo card and mark your creator fills on a creator bingo card.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all nine prompts on the card at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single bingo card in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Is it just SamBucky?

Yes please, just SamBucky. There can be side ships, but the main ship should be SamBucky.

How long will this event run?

It will run from February 1st and run until February 29th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There are! Here they are:

Bingo Card #1:

Bingo Card #2:

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the bingo?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to @sambuckylibrary in the post as well as #sbvday2024.

2. Please also tag the square you’re filling (for instance, if the square is “Mutual Pining”, use “#mutual pining” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to SamBucky Valentine's Day Bingo 2024 Collection (SamBucky_Valentines_Day_Bingo_2024).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets, at least 3 gifs.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 5 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

For Fic Rec Lists:

1. You must have at least five fics or podfics on the rec list.

2. Make sure to give brief descriptions of the fics or podfics as well as their rating and wordcount.

For Commenters:

1. Any amount of comment counts, from a heart emoji ("❤️") to an essay.

2. We would rather this be about what makes you happy and joyful about reading than any scathing critiques.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

For Bucky

Avoid phrasing “flesh/normal/human hand” to refer to the contrast between his prosthetic arm and his right arm. The phrasing is ableist. You can simply refer to his prosthesis when relevant, otherwise use “right/left arm/hand”.

For more information, please check out this document suggested by @ninesdb on how to write Bucky as an amputee. @ninesdb is also open to questions if you have any queries not answered by the google doc.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift”, “Sam Wilson is a Saint”, and “Bucky Needs a Hug”.

Have fun and we look forward to your SamBucky Valentine's Bingo fics!

- The Mods

[samsseptember]

Samtember 2023 Calendar, Rules, and Guidelines!

Hi, Sam Wilson Nation! It's that time of year again when we all get together to celebrate our beloved Sam Wilson's birth month. That's right, it's ✰samtember2023✰ !!! 🎉

As per usual, the event will be running from Friday, September 1st to Saturday, September 30th and there will be prompts set for each day:

Fluff/Family Week (and Two Days):

September 1 - Free Space

September 2 - First Flight | Riley  

September 3 - Delacroix | Louisana

September 4 - Siblings | Uncle Sam

September 5 - Fishing | Camping

September 6 - Day Off | Vacation

September 7 - Memories | The Future

September 8 - Figaro | Sick Day

September 9 - Carnival | King of Mardi Gras

Captain America Week:

September 10 - Cap Quartet 2.0 | Mission Fic

September 11 -  Workout | Team Training

September 12 - Shield | Legacy

September 13 - Interview | Rumor

September 14 - Magic | Multiverse

September 15 - Undercover | Amnesia 

September 16 - Night Out | Madripoor

AU Week:

September  17 - Wings | Angel

September  18 - Western AU | Cowboy  

September  19 - Celebrity AU | Royalty AU 

September  20 - Bird Telepathy | Redwing

September  21 - Zombie AU | Apocalypse AU 

September  22 - Hurt/Comfort | Disaster Fic

September  23 - Birthday 🎂🧁

Canon Week:

September  24 - In the Air Force | Time in D.C.

September  25 - Part-Time Avenger | On the Run

September  26 - Working for Fury | Wakanda

September  27 -  Post-Blip | TFATWS

September  28 - Post-TFATWS | Meanwhile, On the Boat

September  29 - Uniform | Cap Suit 

September  30 - Sam Wilson 

We have opened a collection on AO3 that can be found here, or by typing samtember2023 in the add to collections option.

You can also tag any works you post with #samtember2023 or tag this blog @samsseptember​ - works will be reblogged every day throughout the month. 

Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with! 

What works count for this fan event?

Any of the following count:

fanfic

podfic

fanart

gifsets

photosets / moodboards

graphics

Haikus

videos / edits

playlists

Whichever way you want to celebrate Sam Wilson, it’s up to you! 

The rest of the FAQ and rules are under the cut.

FAQ

What is this?

It’s a Sam Wilson fan event.

Is there any pressure?

No pressure at all. Fill one prompt. Fill all the prompts on for the month. Do however many you please.

Can I fill more than one prompt with one piece of art/one fic?

Yes! You can fill one prompt with one piece of art or fic. You can try to fill all 30 prompts at once with one piece of art or fic. If you can fill every single prompt from every single day in one fill, that’d be wild but it’s okay by the rules. You can do any number in between.

Are there any prizes for making anything for this event?

Just the satisfaction that you made something cool.

Should the work I make be Sam Wilson-centric?

Yes. You can make a gen work or a piece with any ship with Sam Wilson in it, but the main focus should be Sam Wilson.

How long will this event run?

It will run from September 1st to September 30th.

I heard there are badges I can use for each fill?

There will be! They will come out daily.

Do I have to post my fic for the prompt on the day of the prompt?

You can if you'd like, but it's okay if you post a piece on a day other than the day of the prompt.

RULES AND GUIDELINES

What are the guidelines for the event?

I will be borrowing some of this from the MYSU Valentine’s Day Bingo 2022 Guidelines, since they were fantastic.

For Everyone:

1. Remember to tag @samsseptember in the post as well as #samtember2023.

2. Please also tag the prompt you’re using (for instance, if the square is “Redwing”, use “#redwing” as one of your tags when posting about it on Tumblr).

3. If you’re uploading to AO3, please:

a ) Say somewhere which prompt you’re filling.

b ) Add it to The Samtember Collection (under Samtember2023).

For Artists:

1. Create at least one piece of new art that can’t have been posted anywhere else before this.

2. All visual art forms are welcome:

a ) Gifsets or photosets, at least 3 gifs or photos.

b ) Aesthetic boards or moodboards, at least 4 images each.

c ) Drawing/painting, that is not a sketch.

d) Fan video.

e) Graphics edit.

For Authors:

1. At least 500 words.

2. Posted on Tumblr or AO3.

3. Can be part of a series, but should work as a standalone.

For Podficcers:

1. The podfic should at least be 10 minutes long.

2. It should be posted on either Tumblr or AO3.

3. The podfic can be of a fic made for the event, a fic not made for the event while still adhering to the prompt, or a notfic.

Things to be mindful of when creating:

For Sam

Avoid framing Sam only as a caretaker or emotional support for Bucky. Be mindful of Sam acting angry or aggressive in an out-of-character way and falling into the angry/sassy Black man trope (check out the MCU source material to help with character traits).

Avoid decentering Sam as a main character and refrain from focusing entirely on Bucky.

In art: avoid whitewashing Sam’s skin and research drawing Black characters.

General disclaimer: Race affects every aspect of his life, including interacting with police/government and the white structures of the world when it comes to performing his duties as Cap and simply being a Black man that lives in the U.S.

Specific Tags:

Avoid tags in AO3 like “Sam Wilson is a Gift” and “Sam Wilson is a Saint”.

Have fun and we look forward to your Samtember 2023 works!

[iwtvfanevents]

Saint Louis of the Vieux Carré —an LDPDL fan event

A month-long creative challenge to celebrate Louis's 146th birthday, this October 4th. Starting October 1st and through the whole month, we'll be celebrating AMC IWTV's Louis de Pointe du Lac, who turns 146 this year! 

Starting October 1st, you’ll be able to see the fan creations shared as part of the event in the tag, here »

31 prompts

day 1. humanity | human life

day 2. crossover

day 3. confession | penance

day 4. through the decades

day 5. hunger | feeding habits

day 6. canon divergence

day 7. memory | keepsake

day 8. fashion

day 9. epistolary | handwritten

day 10. missing scene

day 11. literature | intertext

day 12. intoxication

day 13. floral | the last bouquet

day 14. dubai

day 15. love | lust

day 16. parenthood

day 17. canvas | visual arts

day 18. storytelling

day 19. marriage | relationships

day 20. new orleans

day 21. performance | gender

day 22. family

day 23. fairy tales | monsters

day 24. photography

day 25. faith | purpose

day 26. alternative universe

day 27. grief | ghosts

day 28. paris

day 29. childhood | innocence

day 30. music

day 31. halloween | haunted houses

How does this event work?

Every day of the month has an assigned prompt. The real challenge is to try and create something new for each day and each prompt.

But, of course, that is an ambitious goal! There are easier options.

If you...

create only one thing, or two, or three

only create something for two or three of these prompts

create something for a prompt but post it a few days later

don’t follow the prompts at all

...you’re still participating —as long as your creation is about Louis de Pointe du Lac, as portrayed by Jacob Anderson. 

And Louis's character exists in relation with others, of course! So your contribution could be a portrait of the entire du Lac family, a playlist about one of his romantic relationships, a comic about his relationship with Claudia from her point of view, etc.

If Louis is at the heart of your creation, then your piece is in the spirit of this event.

This challenge isn’t limited to fanfiction or fanart!

Your contributions as a fan don’t have to be restricted to the most usual mediums. Beyond fanfic and fanart, some things that you may decide to create include: fanmixes, moodboards, gifsets, photomanips and graphics; fanedits and AMVs; meta and analysis in written, audio or video form; poetry, music, a blog post about your headcanons, your meta, or your favorite fanworks; and anything else you can think of. 

Your creations can be related to your own or others’ existing work as well —if, for example, you want to use one of the prompts to add to an existing fanfiction series, or as inspiration for fanart of your favorite fic, that’s totally within the scope of this challenge! 

You can start working on your creations for this challenge with as much (or as little) anticipation as you like, but remember to hold off from sharing them until the event starts. And, if you are taking inspiration from a prompt, we encourage you to share your work on that day.

Reblog or repost this text and graphic to spread the love; and don't forget to tag your posts with #IWTVfanevents or tag @iwtvfanevents so we can share them on the blog, and add them to the collection on AO3: Happy birthday LDPDL!