#god forbid you make me do any sort of graphic design

[hanpotpot23]

behind your kids' favorite cartoon music!!

[cilliansaccent]

The Peaky Designer - Cillian Fanfic, Chapter 10

Hello, welcome back. Below is the next instalment of my fanfiction!

Leave a like or a comment if you liked it, or if I can do anything better! Please, it would mean the world and to understand if anyone is enjoying my writing. Also, sharing/reblogging would be even better.

PLEASE READ:

I will not be including Cillian’s family as it’s kinda weird since he has children lmao. Just a mention of his parents and a previous lover.

I will indicate in a chapter if there is smut in the beginning and before the actual scene!!

I will add trigger warnings if there is any!!

There is a variety of levels of swearing during a chapter, I will not hold back, everyone swears.

The timestamp for the Fic is now 2016 and onwards!! e.

——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——-

Background: Gabrijela Babic is a Croatian girl from Sydney, Australia. She is born in the year 1991 on the 24th of December. She studies a Fashion degree in a University with a major in Game Design as well. Her teacher in the fashion designer class managed to nail an Internship on the set of Peaky Blinders with the shows very own Costume Designer, Allison McCosh. There, she travels to London for under a year to learn how to be one, working alongside the actors as well the man she admires, Cillian Murphy. But, her platonic feelings for the man begins to grow into something more, and she wonders whether she should pursue them or let him go for fear of her strict parents and her three older brothers…

Characters:

Swantje Paulina as Gabrijela Babic (swalina on Instagram)

Cillian Murphy

Word Count: 4,137

!!Warnings!!: Smut!! Graphic Smut!!! ;) Enjoy you naughty kiddies.

Date: December 2016

Chapter Name: Distract me, Cillian.

Brief Chapter Outline: Gabrijela talks to Cillian what happened to her at the Christmas party before they discuss her hobby as a band member before it ends with one hell of a steamy afternoon...

——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——- ——-

When Gabrijela woke up, she felt sick and iffy. She coughed pushing herself up with an arm as she rubbed her eyes. She was alone in the bed, but the door was open and she could hear music coming from downstairs. 

She got out of the bed and found some slippers set beside the bed. She slipped them on. She walked over to the window and pushed back the heavy drapes, it was raining lightly outside. She loved the rain, this was perfect weather to be in bed. 

She smiled and turned and headed out of the room and down the stairs. The music was Christmas music, the classics that everyone would play. She peaked her head through the threshold to the living room and found Cillian sitting in the armchair before the fire, reading with his glasses on. There was a large flatscreen TV above the fire mantle. Near the bay window, there was a Christmas tree set up. No presents beneath it. 

"Good morning." She said, her voice coming out rough. She cleared her throat. 

Cillian looked up, "Oh morning." He said as he tucked in a bookmark and took off his glasses as he stood. "How did you sleep?" 

"Really good. Cozy and warm. You?" She asked as she came over and sat down in the two-seater couch. 

"Same as you. I haven't made breakfast yet as I don't know what you want today." He said as he sat back down. 

"Well, I'm craving chicken soup. Mum would always make it for me when I was sick." She said. 

"Hm, well I don't have it but I can run down to the store to buy some?" He offered. 

"If you don't mind. I'll write down the ingredients." She said and he passed her his phone so she could jot down what she needed. 

"That's it?" He looked at the list. 

"Yeah. That's all. It's simple but super tasty." She smiled. 

"Okay then, I'll be back soon." He said and touched her shoulder as he left. 

She pulled the knitted throw around her and watched the fire, getting lost in her thoughts. She could hear the faint ringtone of her phone upstairs but didn't feel like getting it. But it kept ringing and she sighed as she got up to go check it. 

Missed calls from Logan and Lucia and from her dad. "Fuck." She grumbled, she had to call her dad back. So she did and apologised to him that she didn't pick up last night and that she was tired and exhausted. But Lucia had told her dad about last night but in a twisted way. Gabrijela was drunk and had attacked Lucia when she was with some guy. 

"So you would believe her rather than me?" She snapped at him. "How could you." 

"I am getting your side of the story, Gabrijela." He said, his tone hard. 

"Well, I didn't attack no one, Dad. She was being... she..." she choked on the words, "You know what she was doing with another man in a bathroom stall." She held back her tears that threatened to come. 

"Gab..." His voice softened, "Did you love this man?" 

Gabrijela thought about it, she had started to fall for Logan, "No." She shook her head, "But I was falling for him." 

Her father had fallen silent but sighed, "Are you okay?" 

"I'm dealing. I'll be fine." She shrugged, "Anyway, I gotta go." She said as she heard the door unlock and open. "Goodnight dad." She waved. 

"Goodnight my blossom," He smiled and hung up. 

She got up and headed down the stairs and went into the kitchen. It was entirely white with light brown beams that framed the window above the double basin sink. Countertops were made of white marble with pale grey cracks in it. It opened up to the dining room that leads out to a small deck and then flowed into the green garden. 

The kitchen had a farm touch to it, "You have a really nice house, Cillian." She said. 

"Thank you. I like the coziness of it. I'll take you upstairs after breakfast, you'll love it." He smiled as he set out the items. "So what should I do first?" 

"I'll do it," She shakes her head, "You can admire me from afar." She came over and bumped her hip with his to nudge him out of the way. 

"From afar? Why not close?" He cocked a brow perfectly. 

"Close then, but I forbid you from helping." She pointed at him. "Where are the pots?" 

He showed her and she got into it. The recipe was simple, but it wasn't going to be exactly like how her mum would make it. But it was better than nothing. 

Soon enough they sat on the couch before the fire, bowls in their hands and they ate. A throw was covering their legs. 

"This is so good. Better than what I made that first time." He said and tipped his head back to drink the soup. 

"Nah, I think we are tied." She said doing the same before she set the bowl down on the table. 

"You think so?" He looked at her, hooking his arm over the back of the couch, holding his head up with a hand. 

"I do think so." She moved closer to him as she got comfy. 

"Did you want to watch TV?" He asked as he watched her sigh and lay her head back. 

"No. Not really." She shook her head, her expression changing. 

He frowned a little before he took her hand, "I'm here for you, okay?" 

She looked down at their held hands then met his blue eyes, tears lined her eyes, "I'm hurting, Cillian." She whispered as she moved into his arms, an arm over his stomach. 

"Talk to me." His arms went around her, squeezing her gently. 

"Last night... Logan threw a Christmas party and I brought along Lucia, my best friend cause she came to see me. You know the one you saw in that video chat all those months ago?" 

"Yeah, I remember." He nodded. He had an idea of where this was going. 

"So yeah, at the party, everything was going well but I had this weird feeling something wasn't right. And then I went to uh... I went to look for Logan and... In the bathroom... He... He was with Lucia... They-" She choked as tears began to fall again. 

"Darling you don't need to say it. Hey, hey shhh." He wiped away her tears, cupping her cheek. 

"They've been doing it behind my back for four months, Cillian." She sobbed, the emotions rushing through her, "I-I shouldn't have trusted him so fast. Fuck I made the wrong choice." She whispered burying her face in his neck. 

His heart broke for her, it made him so upset to see her like this. How could anyone think to hurt someone as sweet and kind like her? 

"Do not let this ruin you, Gabrijela." He murmured into her hair, "You don't deserve these tears. Not on this beautiful face." He pulled back to gaze into her eyes. 

"The worst thing is the whole thing is so similar to how my ex ended up. God," she frowned and looked at the fire. "I shouldn't have trusted him. I thought he was better." 

"Sometimes people can be cruel despite their pretty demeanour," Cillian muttered. 

Gabrijela nodded and turned back to him, "But I know you are true and real." She sniffled as she touched his cheek. "You're a good man, Cillian. Truly." 

He smiled, "And you are a wonderful woman, Gabrijela. I've never met someone so natural as you." 

"Distract me today, Cillian." She whispered, a hand on his chest. 

"I will try." He nodded, "Come, let me show you the third floor." 

They got up and headed to the top. 

She gasped, the whole floor was transformed into a mini library of some sort. The wall had shelves full of books, memorabilia of awards and all that. A fireplace took a spot between the bookshelves with some seriously comfy-looking couches. 

"I've kept the majority of things from when I was younger, things from school or gifts and whatnot." He explained all the knick-knacks he had. 

"Awesome." She was in absolute awe. 

He had a guitar as well and a ukulele that hung on the wall. "You play the ukelele?" She asked as she came over and plucked it off the wall. She strung her fingers along it. 

"Yeah. The main thing I bring when I go away." He watched how she became a whole new person. The pain in her eyes seemed to go away as she began to play a melody. 

He was surprised, "You play?" 

"I do. I know how to play the guitar and the cello, I'm an expert in both." She smiled. 

"Why didn't you tell me this before? Just for fun or...?" He sat down as he listened to her play. 

"Been in a band since I was sixteen. I play the electric guitar and also sing with Elijah who plays the bass guitar, Karsyn does the drums and Maya is on the keys and her partner plays the extra guitar. Lucia never really liked it but always tried to be apart of it... We had to kick her out cause she caused too many headaches for all of us." She said, finishing off her melody. "Elijah and I play the cello together, he's probably the next close friend of mine." 

"What kind of genre you play?" Cillian asked. 

She put the instrument back where she found it, "Anything really, we like to do covers and we have some of our own songs. We play every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at this club in Sydney, Maya and her husband owns it and its very popular." She walked along the bookshelves, running her fingers along the many novels. 

"Wow. And you kept this all from me!" He smiled, "I have to definitely come to Sydney and see you play." 

She giggled and picked up a phot of when he was younger, "Not because you want to see me?" 

"That too. I was twenty there." He got up and peered over her shoulder. 

"Wow. Look at this young man. You haven't aged at all. Are you immortal?" She smirked up at him. 

"Some say I'm aging like fine wine." He chuckled and she put the photo back. 

"Oh, I can so agree on that." She patted his cheek. 

"Can I ask you something?" He asked. 

"Go ahead." She turned to him once more. 

"Your birthday is coming up, do you have any plans on that day?" 

She raised a brow, surprised he remembered it, "Uh, I mean I did but... with what happened... No. I'm free all day." 

"Good. I've got something you will love to see." He grinned. 

"Can I know?" She crossed her arms. 

"Nope. It's a secret." He said. 

She whined, "Ugh fine. What are you doing for the next day? It's Christmas." 

"Flying back to Cork to spend three days with my family." He said. 

"Oh... Really?" She had hoped she could spend the day with him. She couldn't hide her sadness in her tone. 

"I got two tickets." He said, eyes trained on her. 

"And?" She tilted her head to the side, confused as to why he told her that. 

"You're coming with me." He laughed at the shock on her face. 

"Cillian! I couldn't! No!" She hit him lightly. 

"Yeah, you are coming with me. I want to show you my hometown. It's going to be fun." He took her arms gently, his smile soft. 

She pouted, "You sure? I... Your family... wouldn't they think it's weird that you're bringing someone like me to their table...?" 

"No. Of course not. They will love you. I only told them I'm bringing someone wonderful." His arms moved around her waist and she stepped closer, her hands on his biceps. 

She giggled, "Oh Cillian," She smiled, only he could make her forget about her problems. She felt so at home in his arms, "I see that record player. Put something on and we can dance." 

"Yeah? Alright." He pulled away and set the player up and picked out a good record. He placed it down and the needle before he pulled her back close. 

They swayed together, body to body. Rain fell harder but everything seemed so magical. Her head was resting on his shoulder and she could feel the tickle of his breath on her neck. 

"Cillian?" She murmured. 

"Hm?" His hand was splayed on her back, between her shoulder blades. 

"Please don't leave me." She said in a soft, shaky voice. 

He pulled back to look at her, "I won't. Never." 

"Promise me?" She sounded desperate as she gripped his biceps again. 

"I promise," He cupped her face, "I'll always be with you." 

She searched his face and leaned up to kiss him, but he pulled back, "Gabrijela, don't you think its to quick?" He asked, eyes wide. 

"It's just a kiss. Cillian, please. Distract me." She whispered. 

"Gab, we shouldn't, we really shouldn't. It's way too early, you're hurting." He frowned. 

"Fuck it Cillian. Fuck it all. I need you. I need you. You are all I think about. All I need. Logan was a mistake. That time you touched me, that was what brought me to my knees. I cannot hold back Cillian." She had tears in her eyes. 

He was shocked at her words, and yet he felt the same. The moment he touched her, kissed her, she was all in his head nonstop. "My Gabrijela. My lovely Gabrijela." He leaned in and kissed her, pouring his heart into it.  

His hands moved from her face to her hips, her arms locking around his neck. 

She was the one to deepen it, their tongues clashing and rolling over each other. A moan escaped her, and he began to walk her to the couch. 

"No," she stopped him, "The bed." She said. 

"Okay." He nodded and they headed down a flight, she held his hand as they entered the bedroom. 

She backed up to the bed as he stalked forward, a heated look made him look like a bad boy. She smirked, "Since you touched me last time, it's only fair I return that favour." 

He gripped her hips, pulling it flush against his. She moaned at the feeling, "You don't need to. My pleasure is seeing you cum by my fingers." He kissed her hard and she yanked off his shirt. 

He took off hers and lifted her up and threw her on the bed, she let out a gasp as he moved on top of her like a cat. He kissed down to her neck, sucking on a spot and leaving a mark. 

"Mmm." She shut her eyes as he moved lower, his lips wrapped around her nipple and she whined. Her nipples were always so sensitive when they were touched. 

He sucked, tugging on them gently with his teeth which caused another moan to escape her. He then moved to the other, doing it rougher and it made Gabrijela cry out in pleasure. 

"I'm going to taste you, Gab." He said roughly, his lips moving down her stomach. The feeling made a skittering feeling run through her, her core heating and throbbing. 

"Yes." She sighed, nodding as her pants were thrown aside. She had no panties on. 

Cillian came to the apex of her thighs and pulled back a little, her treasure was glistening and a pretty pink. She had waxed, leaving a tuft at the top. With a hand, he brought up he dragged a finger down from the hood to her entrance. 

"Oh... God..." She sucked in a breath, looking down at what he was doing. Her cheeks were flushed, he was just... staring at her. "Am I okay? Cillian?" 

He brought the finger up, then with his thumb, he parted her folds to reveal the petals of her core. "You are more than okay, Gabrijela. You are... serene." And he brought his mouth on her. 

She threw back her head, eyes rolling in the back of her head as he worked on her with that fantastic mouth of his. He sucked on her clit, rolling the bud between his lips and teeth. He felt her hand on the back of his head, the other gripped the sheets. 

"Oh fuck, Cillian. Fuck." She breathed fast, her toes curling as the sensations of getting head ran through her nerves. It was a wonderful feeling, the soft moist feeling of his lips peeling her apart and getting deeper. His tongue sweeping up then back down to her entrance where it prodded her. 

"Relax, lovely. Relax for me." His hand were on her abdomen, feeling the fast-rising of her stomach. She relaxed as best as she could, and tried to stay relaxed as his tongue pushed into her. 

He wiggled it around, tongue fucking her as he brought a thumb to her clit. He wanted her to feel the utmost pleasure he could give her with his mouth and hands. 

So he ate her out like his personal feast, not being kind to her either. He held her squirming hips down as he was in full control of the situation, he would make sure all she remembered was his name as she came. He would imprint himself on her body, her soul. But when he was to take her... he would make sure it was a perfect day, all dedicated to her. 

She was in utter ecstasy, all she could think of was him, of what he was doing to her. He knew where to get to, what to press as two fingers slipped into her. 

He pulled back to watch how he fingered her, to see how she took him. "Fucking hell, Gabrijela." He rasped, she was drenching his fingers, his chin was coated in her wetness. "You going to cum soon?" He could feel how her walls clenched around him. He could only imagine how amazing if he was buried in her. 

"Yes, Cillian. Oh god yes. Don't stop." She whined, her breathing ragged and deep. Moans and curses fell from her parted lips, she was close. "Harder, oh fuck!" 

Cillian obliged and began to finger her harder, pushing in a third finger. God, she was tight. But he wasn't going to stop, he curled his fingers in a come hither motion and she cried out when he found her sweet spot once more. 

"Cillian! Ah! I'm close! Fuck!" She bucked her hips, trying her best not to move too much around. 

He went as hard as he could, he would bring her to the edge before he would finish her off with his tongue. And so he would, pulling his fingers out and tongue fucked her. Her cried grew louder as she thrust her hips up and hollered in bliss as she climaxed on his tongue and lips. She thrust a few times before she eased off as her high came down. 

He lapped her up, sucking and licking her clean before he kissed up her body then to her lips. She moaned sweetly as she tasted herself on his lips. 

"Mmm Cilly," She pulled back, touching his jaw and his lips. "Lay back baby, I want to touch you now." She kissed him. 

"You don't-" He groaned when her hand gripped him. 

"I do. You are so hard." She pushed him back and he eased on to his back as she now knelt beside him. "Cillian, oh goodness." She tugged on the strings of his sweatpants and eased them off with his help. Boxers and all. 

Her eyes fell on his hard length, he was a good size and thickness. She could easily just ride him right there, lube was not needed as she was soaking. 

Slowly she looked up, meeting his eyes, "Perfect." She murmured, not taking her eyes off as she wrapped her hand around. A muscle twitched in his cheek as his jaw was clenched hard. "Mmm, you feel good." She moaned as she rubbed him, holding him in a good tight grip. 

"Ah... Ah, shit..." He whispered, holding himself up by his arms. "Gab..." 

She smiled, happy that she was making him all huffy and blushing. She rubbed him faster, he was rock hard. "I'm gonna take you in my mouth," She moved between his legs, laying down on her stomach. She leaned in and licked his balls, sucking them and he let out a strange groan that was deep then a curse followed. 

"Minx." He shook his head, watching her move up his shaft, sucking and kissing to the tip that had a little diamond drop. 

She licked it before his cock was guided into her mouth, and he watched with pure amazement as she took him right to the base. "Fuck!" He placed a hand on the back of her head, gripping her hair. 

She moaned, muffled by his cock before she began to bob her head. She took her time, savouring his velvet hardness with her tongue and lips, soft gagging sounds came from her every time he touched the back of her throat. 

She was a goddess, she worked him so well, her sucking was slow and hard, almost pulling. It felt divine. 

Gabrijela began to go faster, her hand moved to cup his balls once more and fondle them. She squeezed them and rolled them a little in her palm, he grunted, "That's it, oh fuck yeah. Gab you damn perfect woman." 

She smiled a little as she continued to do her thing, and it wasn't long when he became fidgety as his cock twitched. He was going to cum very soon. 

"Mmmm." She moaned around him, squeezing him again. 

"I'm gonna cum. Fuck, in your mouth?" She nodded, "God you fucking- Fuck! Ah! Ah!" His brows furrowed and he laid back, his hips bucked and she gagged as he shot his load into her mouth. 

She pulled back a little, he filled her mouth and he pulled her head back as the remaining went on her face and his stomach. 

She gasped for air and laughed once she swallowed his load, "Cillian! Oh!" She bit her bottom lip as she pumped him once he was finished. 

He looked at her, his release on her cheeks and lips, "Shit, sorry. He laughed as he handed her a tissue. 

"No need." She wiped his cum off with a finger and cleaned them up with a smack of her lips. "Delicious." She giggled and leaned in, claiming his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. 

He wrapped his arms around her as she laid on top of him, they kissed for a bit before she pulled back. 

"Thank you," She murmured, her smile soft. 

"What for?" He ran his fingers up her spine. 

"For sticking with me and making me happy." She traced his jaw then his cheek and lips. 

"I will do anything to make you smile again. It broke my heart to see you cry." He kissed her gently. "Don't cry ever again." 

She scoffed lightly, "Don't break my heart then." 

"I won't. Safe within my heart, tucked in warm." He kissed her nose as she laid her head down on his chest, her fingers running over the smooth skin of his biceps and shoulder. 

"Safe." She whispered, her smile never fading. 

"Safe." He repeated, his fingers gently running through her hair. 

For the rest of the day, Cillian and Gabrijela spent their time indoors. They showered and shared another passionate kiss before they went to the living room downstairs to watch some classic Christmas movies. They ordered take away via UberEats and sat before the fire as they stuffed themselves with pizza and garlic bread and ice cream he had in the fridge. 

They laughed from bad jokes and danced again, another movie before night fell. She was going to stay the night again, they got into bed and she had asked him to read her a favourite book of his to her. 

He happily obliged, and read till she fell asleep. He set the book side and his glasses, turned off the light and pulled her into his chest. She slept peacefully, their legs tangled and he wasn't ever going to let her go. 

Not this time he wasn't.

Whatever was blooming between them, it felt right. And he would work hard to keep her happy and content. He tried not to think about the whole age gap thing or that she was going to leave at the end of the month. He wouldn't.

He would cherish her, and see what the future would hold for them. 

[zurcurxo]

IT Girls in Austen’s Emma

Urban dictionary: “The "It Girl" is the girl that EVERYONE wants to be. She has everything that you want so you tend to envy her. She does all the things that you can't do so you grow to hate her. Being an "It Girl" is having the latest sh**s, (the best clothing and always stays fly) and the prettiest face. Her attitude can be f**ked up or perfect like her looks. Her presence is always appreciated, ALL the guys Want her and ALL the girls want to be her!”

The “IT” Girls: Emma, Harriet, and Jane in 2022

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=it%20girl

Fashion nowadays is somewhat strange. We stan clothing from the eras before us. Take the current wave of “Y2K Fashion,” where we take the fashion of the early 2000s (that we once made fun of) and style it to be fun & fresh. Believe it or not, the outfits of these women on the left have begun to inspire us.

This all leads to adventures like “thrifting-” where most clothing that catches the eye feels a little older. If it was new, there’d be less of an appeal (or at least I say so). 

When reading Emma for a second time, I could not help but to think about the film Clueless. With this film in mind, I thought a lot about the fashion it shows and how each character is portrayed through their clothing styles. This led me to wonder… What would Austen’s characters wear in 2022? Keep in mind, I am no fashion expert and these are all purely opinionated.

Emma Woodhouse: https://www.pinterest.com/zurcur/the-emma-woodhouse/

When thinking about Emma, it shocked me just how many modern day heroines that a lot of us grew up with are just like her. It makes me wonder if they were all somehow made in the image of Emma Woodhouse. Emma, as a character, is headstrong, independent, and fearless- just like the women I grew up watching on television, that is why I have made her 2022 outfit inspo in their image. A few examples include Blair Waldorf and Serena Vanderwoodsen of Gossip Girl, Carrie Bradshaw of The Carrie Diaries and Sex in the City, the entire squad of Mean Girls, and of course Cher of Clueless. I designed Emma’s modern day style in the image of these influential (and iconic female characters of my upbringing. For reference, top left is Blair and Serena, top right is Carrie Bradshaw, bottom right are the women from Clueless and Mean Girls. 💋💋💋

 So, back to Emma. I tried my best to read her vibes through the lenses of 2022 when reading about her. I believe that today, Emma would fall under the “preppy” modern fashion category. This “preppy” style falls in between the totally classy plaid of Cher, Blair, and Serena and the sexier and in your face fashion of the Mean Girls and Carrie Bradshaw. In fact, I may even call it the perfect blend. 

Please DO NOT confuse Emma's preppy style with the other version of preppy fashion. Emma Woodhouse would not put this on: 

Now, I don’t shame the stylistic choices of my fellow ladies… in fact I own a few fits like these,  but Emma does. And these are crimes in her eyes. She would make you her next project. 

Harriet Smith: https://www.pinterest.com/zurcur/harriet-smith/

Harriet can be a bit complicated. She’s not a little shirt little skirt type like Emma, but she’s more of a big pant big shirt girl. 

Maybe even a little shirt big pant on occasion. Harriet is a fun & loving character. However, as displayed in how easily the popular Emma was able to change Harriet’s viewpoints on things (like loving Robert Martin), Harriet follows the trends of those around her. This being said, she falls under the Y2K Streetwear category. This style consists of graphic tees, any jean but a skinny jean (God forbid), chunky & colorful & beaded jewelry, maybe a nice hair clip or antique hat and closed toe shoes at all costs. Harriet isn’t your typical Y2K girl because she wouldn’t wear a pink crop top, a fluffy jacket, a mini-skirt, or anything of that sort. To clear things up further, Harriet would be more of a Rihanna Y2K rather than a Britney Y2K. 

Harriet’s modern Y2k Streetwear style is reminiscent of Tai’s style in Clueless. The vibes remain the same. Without Emma’s slightly misguided guidance, Harriet is what you may call a cool girl. She minds her business and takes dope pics- a very uncontroversial girl. 

Jane Fairfax: https://www.pinterest.com/zurcur/jane-fairfax

Lastly, we have Miss Jane Farifax, lover of Frank, an accomplished and classy queen. She radiates a simple yet pretty sort of vibe. Jane is calm, reserved, and peaceful- her 2022 style reflects such traits. She’d wear earthy toned clothing and stray from a regular jean. She is not quite grungecore- I would place her in the “cottagecore” fashion style. Cottagecore is the modern rendition of what my parents call “boho” or “hippie.” It is a bit more girly and is centered around the earthy tones pictured and flowery patterns. Jane probably has my favorite fashion style. The absolute opposite of Emma but in the best way possible. 

IT Girl Glossary

Preppy: Inspired by the wealthy classes before us, just not as official. The modern preppy style has been credited to fictional characters like Blair Waldorf… a true legend and the epitome of peppy. Her style has been reimagined to the plaid prep style Gen Z takes on today.

 “The appeal of preppy fashion is that it looks clean, intentionally styled and- above all- is not swayed by fleeting trend cycles. Preppy fashion is its own genre of classic, so by wearing it, you are, too. One of the best parts about classic pieces is seeing how every generation chooses to style them.” (www.stylecaster.com)

Y2K x Streetwear: “Every few years, our fashion trends get a ‘blast from the past’ where some of our favorite items from decades ago make a resurgence in stores, streetwear, and popular fashion. The current Y2K fashion trend is just that- a reappearance of clothing and aesthetic trends from the late 90s and the year 2000.” (www.collegefashion.net)

This definitely is a style that I wish I could rock, but can’t because I’m not that cool. Anyways, a lot of the time the clothing we see in Y2K Streetwear styled to be more feminine comes from the “men’s” section of clothing stores. Looks better restyled anyways! The style includes a lot of oversized clothing and pieces that may seem more masculine- thereby the clothing type isn’t made for the feminine style very often, and if it is it’s probably cropped or way too tight or cut with a deep v-neck because for some reason that’s the only thing people think we want.

Cottagecore: Honestly, people have just begun putting words in front of “core” to describe new fashion styles: grungecore, cottagecore, fairycore… the list goes on. Cottage core feels the most similar to and symbolic of Austen’s time. The regency era fashion of those who weren’t quite of the higher class but weren’t dirt poor- much like Jane. This fashion has just been changed to be more fashionable in our eyes- but you can definitely see the influence. 

“Cottagecore is a fashion aesthetic popularized by teenagers and young adults celebrating an idealized rural life. It was developed throughout the 2010s and was first named cottagecore on Tumblr in 2018.” (www.wikipedia.com)

Thrifting: A wild goose chase that young adults like to go on for clothes that feel vintage and fun. Can either go really well or absolutely terrible.  

Little shirt/skirt vs Big shirt/pant: I don’t know how to describe this. If you know you know

IT Girl: Inspired by Megan the Stallion Check 0:46: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77ZCb8tILCw

“Sorry H**s hate me cause I’m the It Girl…” 

[merrybrides]

14 Pieces of Actual, No-Silly Wedding Planning Advice

There's a lot of wedding advice floating around the Internet. Problem is, a lot of it is useless fluff dreamed up by a) relatively well-heeled editors contractually obligated to spend their days inventing absurd nonsense to fill pages surrounded by advertisements b) people who've never planned a wedding/mistakenly think their very specific experience can be extrapolated. Or both!

Sure, those mason jars wrapped in polka-dotted ribbon are a cute idea on Pinterest, but it's a good way to wind up sobbing in the middle of your local Michael's two weeks before the big day. And all that money-saving advice? Yeah, the buffet's going to save you, but not as much as you may think.

Maybe you're planning to tie the knot at a 50-person backyard barbecue. Or maybe you're hosting 350 friends, family and business associates to some Gilded Age castle. Whatever. Here are a few pieces of real-talk wedding advice that you can actually use.

1. Maybe pay someone to do that. Are you supremely artistic and experienced in the ways of crafting? Is your great aunt Martha Stewart? Unless the answer to one of these questions is yes, think very carefully about any D.I.Y. projects. Examine your own abilities with a critical eye. For instance, I once tried to complete a "Cosmos manicure" and ended up looking like I'd let a four-year-old paint my nails. Face the music: Despite what Pinterest would have you believe, some of us are just not talented at some things. And your wedding is probably not the time to learn that lesson. It'll only be more expensive when you have to replace everything at the last minute.

2. Not everyone gets a date, and that's fine. Look, lots of us wanted everyone we've ever known and loved at the ceremony. But that's just not feasible unless your daddy is a robber baron. You'll want to invite as many significant others as possible, of course, and if someone is flying from Shanghai to Cleveland for your reception, you'd better allow them a date. But at some point, it's time to hitch the caboose to the gravy train, and once you do, stick 100 percent to your guns. Consider preparing an email in advance for anyone who truly does not understand that money doesn't grow on trees.

3. You are not the Lone Ranger. Perhaps you want to be the Stanley Kubrick of weddings, strictly controlling every single aspect of the entire production. But that way lies The Shining, my friend. When someone graciously offers to help, come up with some very specific detail they're well-equipped to handle. (If you've got it covered or this person is an absolute incompetent, politely decline, but I urge you to consider the offer, even if it's as simple as logging RSVPs.)

Also, on a more specific note, unless you're wearing that $100 H&M dress, seriously consider having more than one bridesmaid. If I'd known how much work getting my wedding garments and dress on was going to be, I'd have a bridal party of eight or nine really strapping gals.

4. Write thank-you notes as gifts come in. Do not get behind, unless you want to spend your honeymoon crafting odes to the lovely Waterford from Aunt Mildred.

5. Be ready to show some backbone. I'm willing to bet that most readers of this blog are very, very committed to not being a power-drunk nightmare-person Bridezilla during their planning process—and that's great! Never, ever be nasty. But know that it's perfectly okay to say no, no thanks, not gonna to happen when your florist tries to talk you into expensive hot-pink table overlays. (You'll also need to be prepared to wield that NOPE like a broadsword if you've laid down a law like no kids or no cellphones, by the way.) Let's practice together!  SORRY NO!!!!!

And once you put down a deposit on something, don't feel guilty about making sure that vendor gets her job done. If you're paying for a wedding planner, don't let her drop the ball. If your sample floral arrangements are the wrong color, speak up.

Now, a corollary: Pick your battles and save your emotional energy for the big stuff. Maybe you hate your cousin's formal kilt, or your bridesmaid's spray tan, or the best man's habit of wearing lime-green socks with dress shoes. For God's sake, just let it ride. Save your fury in case the limo never shows.

6. All you need is Google Docs. I've got a binder, a website, several notebooks and pieces of wedding-related paper lying all over my house. But the only tool I really needed to get through this without rending my garments and running screaming into the night was Google Docs. Sure, maybe your dad still hasn't gotten the hang of the Internet. But that's what the export to PDF function is for!

7. If you must give favors, give food. Don't give your guests something they're just going to throw away. No one in the history of party planning has ever gone wrong with a light snack. Definitely do not D.I.Y. anything. (See above.)

8. Limit your options. Planning my wedding I couldn't have any old thing that flitted into my brain, because I am a graphic designer and paid for my own wedding. 

A lot of things were simply out of budget. But honestly? THANK GOD. There are too damn many options out there, and limitations are your friend. The name of the game in wedding planning is eliminating as many possibilities as fast as possible. If you're pretty sure you don't want to get married in a barn, put your blinders on and stop looking at barns.

And for the love of God, do not let yourself get bogged down in any single decision. I spent weeks scouring New York City for wedding shoes and a hair comb. My mistake was ever considering more than five options in the first place.

9. Ask (politely!) for discounts. Hey, it can't hurt.

10. Treat thy bridesmaids as thou would like to be treated. I'm not talking no diet commands and no haircut lectures. That's table stakes. I mean don't pick a bridesmaid dress that would look good on you but not them. There are more body types than stars in the sky; maybe give them a choice of five dresses and let each pick her fave. It's not the end of the world if they don't match. Don't ask them to spend a fortune on something they'll never wear again, and give them some sort of thank you at the end.

11. Stop trying to be so damn unique. Look, weddings are not original. They are a template, a form letter drawn up hundreds of years before we were born. No matter how much money you throw at the planning process, your wedding is not going to be one of a kind. You don't need a special, hand-crafted symbol of your cosmic love on every escort card. Chill.

12. There is no perfect dress. You're probably not a paragon, and you're not marrying one, either. We live in the world of reality, not Platonic ideals. So do yourself a favor and pick a gown that's beautiful and within budget. Don't let the dress shopping drag on until the entire experience curdles.

13. Ask yourself: Who actually cares? Agonizing over whether to have a champagne toast, or pay for chiavari chairs, or (god forbid) shell out for peonies? Here's a question you should seriously ask yourself: Are my guests really going to care? Because this is technically a celebration of you, but REALLY it's an enormous party that you're throwing for your friends and family. This is not your fifth birthday party at McDonalds. You are hosting these people that you love. Every decision should come down to whether the guests like it, appreciate it, or notice it at all.

Remind yourself (as others have reminded me) that people care about the dancing, the food and whether a good time was had by all. They don't care about how much painstaking effort you put into the hand-aged programs and the very firm email you wrote to get the perfect amount of greenery in the centerpieces. You're better off focusing on the broad strokes that best facilitate the party than bothering overmuch with small details.

14. Have fun. Unless you are Olivia Pope and thrive on details and chaos, it's easy to get overwhelmed. (Yes, even if your plan is simply to order 25 pizzas and surprise all your buds at a bar, you still have to write the ceremony, write up the invites, etc., etc.) But this is fun! It's a happy occasion! Go forth and drink until you can't feel your face! And remember, as long as you're married at the end of the night, it was a success.

[jmsebastian]

Dragon's Dogma, Open World Gaming, and a Fool’s Errand

Open world games just really aren’t for me. This is something I started to finally realize during my playthrough of Breath of the Wild. Tying the do-what-you-feel approach to a series I’ve enjoyed as much as Zelda seems like it would be the magic formula to allow me to finally understand the major appeal of these types of games. Sadly, that did not happen. It was an enjoyable enough experience thanks to its leanings on classic Zelda mechanics and some more modern action game tropes, but I just did not care very much about exploring the world at large. Unlike games such as Skyrim, which have huge worlds filled mostly with empty landscapes, at least Breath of the Wild had stuff in it. There were tons of people, lots of collecty things to pick up for obligatory crafting, horses that still can’t compare to Shadow of the Colossus’ Agro more than a decade later. I cared about none of it. Everything I did in that game was with the singular purpose of beating it so I could say I did. I should have learned my lesson.

Fast forward several months and I’d begun to itch for a new fantasy adventure. There are more types of these games than I could ever play, so there was some care taken to ensure that I chose wisely. Reviews, game play samples, wiki entries all helped lead me to choose that next game. That’s why Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen now takes up a substantial amount of space on my hard drive. On the surface, it was exactly what I was looking for. You can customize your character to a large degree. It has fantastic animations that feel responsive without being finicky or making the combat too easy. There’s still weight to your actions, so you can’t Bayonetta your way out of trouble or anything, but it is much faster than the From Software games of the world. So, perfect then. Fantasy hole filled.

Dragon’s Dogma is an open world done very poorly. The point of the game, at its most basic, is that you have to kill the dragon that stole your heart (which sounds suspiciously similar to the 1996 film Dragon Heart, but sorta kinda reversed). Having your heart stolen somehow makes you an Arisen rather than spelling your instant and everlasting death. Being Arisen means it is your destiny to kill the dragon to reclaim your heart. There’s no way around saying it, it’s a stupid premise. First, as an Arisen, life seems exactly the same save for everyone now calling you Arisen and the huge scar on your chest. With no practical difference in life pre Arisen and post, there’s simply no inherent reason to pursue getting your heart back. The game makes that your goal, so it’s your goal. Unfortunately, there are a lot of less clear cut goals in between.

For all its problems, at least the game’s framework is concrete. It’s easy to understand, and that’s a lot more important for games than is often acknowledged. Maybe some players don’t need the game to provide motivation through narrative, but if I’m going to spend a lot of time leveling up and fighting the same battles over and over again, it would be nice if it felt as though what I was working toward was going to pay off. Dragon’s Dogma made almost no effort in this regard.

At more than 30 hours in, I didn’t feel as if I’d learned anything that brought me more understanding of what was going on. In those 30 hours I fetched some herbs to heal local sick people, went to an outpost so that a Hydra could be triggered and I could lop one of its heads off, learned about the slave class called Pawns (whose lack of free will and incessant need to repeat themselves was profoundly disturbing to me), chased a boy around a village with no endgame, and murdered a fort full of goblins that were maybe somehow in cahoots with the dragon that stole my heart? At no point did I feel like I was doing anything of my own volition, but instead was just carrying out tasks handed to me by middle managers who didn’t want to bother putting in any effort for anything. If my character’s life was this unfulfilling, that makes the lives of the Pawns that served and died under me even more tragic.

The focal point of the numerous problems that arise comes from task management. Games like Dragon’s Dogma don’t know when you’re going to do any particular task, and it’s crammed with so many tasks and subtasks that there’s a need by the developer to bring how the game manages task out into the player’s face. That means I see little bubbles above the heads of people I need to talk to (as towns are filled with people who have no value to me as the player and simply exist to make the town feel like a town). It also means when I talk to them, a graphic appears and a sound effect plays alerting me that a task has begun. When I complete the task, my screen is splashed with experience points, money earned and more sound effects disrupt the natural ambiance of the scene to tell me I did a good thing. It’s a Pavlovian trick and robs me of any genuine sense of accomplishment.

This is not motivating, it’s demoralizing. The sheer number of things to do feels insurmountable. Since their relevance is impossible to know when undertaking a request, you sorta just go through them in order. They take you back and forth across miles of terrain, so even accomplishing something small takes a significant amount of time. Typically you’ll do something like seek out a witch in a forest. Part one of that quest is to find the witch. That means running around a shrouded wood until you uncover the witch’s house. The second part of that quest is telling the person who told you to do it that you did it. There’s a certain realism to this that, I can’t deny, has a certain charm. That charm quickly fades when you realize that you’re running back and forth along the same path, listening to the same information be mindlessly told to you, with the same enemies popping out to attack you “unexpectedly”.

This world is huge, yet the space between major points is bogged down with filler.

There is fast travel in the world of Dragon’s Dogma, thankfully. Unfortunately, you can’t really access it until you make it a good way into the game and can purchase the items that let you warp to certain places you’ve already been. It’s on you to investigate the items you can buy from vendors in order to discover that you can fast travel at all (there is an even worse fast traveling mechanism built into the original version of the game that’s not worth explaining for its lack of usefulness). Fast travel helps make things more bearable, but the fact that it needed to be included (and then improved for the PC release) highlights just how much of a wasteland the game takes place in.

The expansiveness of the world makes for another problem, which is that it’s very difficult to tell if you’re within a reasonable level to kill the enemies and beasts you stumble across. Even the weakest enemies are hard to kill alone. This is done to keep players from steamrolling their way through the game and to account for the possibility of three Pawns accompanying the player at any given time. For any enemy of reasonable strength, you’ll have to chip away at their health bar, focus on areas of weakness to gain an advantage, and manage the battlefield for extended periods of time. Isolated, this makes for interesting scenarios and is the most enjoyable part of the game, by far. It is taken to the extremes much of the time. The amount of damage you deal to enemies that are in your league and those way out of your league is difficult to determine even several minutes in sometimes. This means you can get yourself in unwinnable scenarios pretty quickly if you aren’t careful. God forbid you chip away at a Manticore for thirty minutes before realizing you’re not where you’re supposed to be.

Running into obstacles too difficult to tackle at the player’s current level can be a great way to guide them through the game’s intended route, but it’s at odds with a game that is supposed to allow you to do what you want when you want to do it. Most of the time, fights are really only difficult because you’re simply outnumbered or the mythical creature has a seemingly limitless supply of HP, and not because the enemies themselves are tricky to figure out or have complicated move sets. The flexibility of the combat allowed for through the Vocation system, the target points that exist for the larger enemies, and the adventuring party nature of combat all feel like elements meant for a game more like the original idea for Shadow of the Colossus than an Elder Scrolls style open world RPG and makes it feel as though progress is never really being made.

The dots represent the number of health bars this guy has.

There’s no easy cure for this sort of design. Dark Arisen has an additional component, Bitterblack Isle, that feels like the counterpoint to the main game. It offers a nice respite from the mind numbing openness by being more focused and self contained. You are taken there and you just have to dungeon crawl and kill everything. You are free to explore, but progression is more carefully planned and feels both genuine and rewarding. Sadly, Bitterblack Isle’s difficulty as a whole makes taking it on in the early game a pretty extreme exercise. I spent roughly half my time playing on Bitterblack and it was ruthlessly punishing for my characters. By level 30 I managed to find a bit more success, but getting to that level on Bitterblack alone would have meant cheesing the easiest of the island’s enemies hundreds of times. Given the choice of doing that or doing the main quest, I felt forced back into the main quest where I could get experience for far easier, if crushingly boring tasks. This pretty much killed any motivation I had to keep playing.

I probably had the most fun decking my character out in equipment more than anything else.

Maybe that’s my problem with open worlds. For all there is to do, games like Dragon’s Dogma seem to rely purely on the will of the player to push them forward, even when their designs seem to actively discourage moment to moment enjoyment. There’s something exploitative about the genre that just rubs me the wrong way. It’s not fair to make me be a messenger boy for an hour just so you can reveal some more details about a plot that barely holds together when it’s finally all presented. No reward in these games will make filler worth it. Games being big for the sake of being big live on the idea that value lies in the sheer amount of time that can be spent playing it, and take it to their most fallacious logical conclusions. I can only hope that in the future I’ll see the warning signs earlier.

[ciathyzareposts]

Game 42: Futurewar (1977)

The square in the centre shows one of a few different  images each time you start.

Ah, the warm orange glow of PLATO.  On the one hand, I spent so much of my gaming time a few years ago playing PLATO games that it has a certain nostalgic factor. On the other hand, I spent far too much of my gaming time on PLATO during those years.  Those of you who’ve read the blog from the beginning will know what I’m talking about. Games like Moria and The Game of Dungeons took me roughly a year each to complete, and as historically interesting as they were I’d rather not get bogged down in a similar scenario.

That brings me to Futurewar, a game that I wasn’t entirely sure qualified as a CRPG, mostly because when I googled it I saw it described as a primitive 3D shooter.  Which it is, sort of.  But it also has randomly generated statistics that affect your chances of success at various activities, experience points, level advancement, turn-based combat, and the explore/fight/loot/return game loop that is the bread and butter of the CRPG genre.  A part of me want to say “alas, it qualifies as a CRPG”, but really I started this blog to play more games of the genre (and more adventure games, of course).  So instead I will give a tentative “huzzah, it’s a CRPG!” and hope that I can finish it in a matter of weeks rather than months.  Or god forbid, years.

The first version of Futurewar, created by high-schoolers Erik Witz and Nick Boland, was made available to play circa 1977, and it was updated a number of times between then and 1980.  The version at Cyber1 (the PLATO emulator that I’m using) is based on a printout dated December 1979.  If I’m reading the intro correctly, the game code is the same as that used in 1979, but some of the graphics had to be recreated from memory.  Apparently there are still some bugs, and it doesn’t run on Cyber1 exactly like it used to on PLATO, but it’s the only version out there so it’s the closest I’m going to get.  It was re-released for the game’s 40th anniversary in 2017, which is why I didn’t cover it on my first pass (and presumably why it doesn’t seem to have been covered on other chronological CRPG blogs).

A brief history of Futurewar.

Futurewar has a first person view and grid-based movement, and in those respects it’s similar to  other PLATO CRPGs like Moria and Oubliette.  I was pretty delighted to discover that I’d be breaking out the mapping tools for this one.  Hazards and monsters are scattered throughout the mazes, along with treasure, and aside from some aspects of its combat it feels much like many other first-person CRPGs I’ve played.  Although Oubliette was the obvious primary inspiration for Wizardry, I wouldn’t be shocked to discover that there’s a bit of Futurewar DNA in the mix as well.  It’s also similar to Moria and Oubliette in that it allows for players to team up in multiplayer parties. On PLATO, it seems as though the multiplayer CRPGs outnumber those that are designed for single players.

The backstory begins in 1978, with the player as a member of an elite SWAT team sent on a secret mission to infiltrate the lair of the evil Doctor Brain, who is gathering an army of mutants from Earth’s post-apocalyptic future.  Before he can be stopped, Doctor Brain escapes to the future in his time machine, and the player is caught in the time warp as well.  In the far-flung future of 2020 AD (gasp!), a nuclear holocaust has devastated the Earth, and the remnants of humanity live in the mutant-infested underworld.  It’s up to the player to navigate to the lowest depths and thwart the plans of Doctor Brain.  It seems that Futurewar does have an endgame, although what exactly that entails isn’t elaborated upon.  What it does mean is that, even if it ends up being geared more for multiplayer parties, I won’t be abandoning it as lightly as I did Oubliette, which had no goal.

It also appears that Futurewar might be the earliest sci-fi CRPG.  It’s certainly the earliest one I’ve played for the blog.  The previous holder of that title was Space for the Apple II, which was released in 1978, so Futurewar definitely beats it.

The game begins with a poem, of all things.  It’s called “Monstrosity”, and it’s by an actual poet named Steven Curtis Lance, who seemingly gave his permission.  It’s a little overblown for my tastes, but by the standards of 1970s video game writing it’s tremendous.  Too bad that the cursive font makes it hard to read.

More like Fontstrosity, am I right?

Following that there’s a short animation that shows your character being caught in the time warp, then it’s on to the title screen and character creation.

The first step in character creation is to pick a team.  Humanity has banded into five distinct groups: Americans, Guerillas, Barbarians, Martians, and Cyborgs.  The Americans are a mixture of patriotic rednecks, bikers and ex-convicts.  The Guerillas are what remains of the police and the military.  The Barbarians are those humans that have returned to a more primitive state.  Martians are the remnants of a Mars colony that have returned to Earth, and teamed up with the last nerds and dorks, apparently.  Finally, the Cyborgs are those that have been enhanced using the latest cybernetic technology.  The group you pick determines which zone of the underworld you start in, and seems to affect your starting stats as well.

Character stats are randomly generated, generally ranging from 5 up to the low 20s.  These stats are Strength, Quickness, Endurance, Technology and Intellect.  I’m not entirely sure what these all do, and there’s no explanation of them in the game’s Help file. I’m pretty sure that Strength helps with bashing down doors, and Quickness with running away from monsters.  Endurance seems to affect the player’s resistance to damage.  I only know these because the stats increase with use, and I’ve occasionally seen them go up after certain activities.  I haven’t figured out what Intellect and Technology are for yet.

Characters also receive scores in Power and Hits.  Hits are just hit points, while Power is your ammunition.  Weapons use up power when you fire them, so you only have a limited number of shots before you have to return to base and recharge.

The character status screen.  The image of the character in the middle revolves with a pseudo-3D effect.

There are eight occupations to choose from, although the ones offered are dependent on the character’s stats.  The occupations are: Leader, Techno, Soldier, Hunter, Spy, Medic, Assassin, and Holy Man.  Hunter is the occupation that I’ve qualified for most often, so I suspect that it’s the one with the lowest stat requirements.  I’ve also played as a leader and a medic, though I didn’t notice much of a difference in gameplay.  Then again, I didn’t survive all that long with either.

Each of the human groups has it’s own zone, a 20 x 20 dungeon level that’s populated with weaker mutants.  These are the levels where I’ve been doing most of my exploration so far.  Below those is the War Zone, which is said to be the place where players will most likely meet members of the other groups.  Players in Futurewar can meet each other in the underworld, and form teams if they want. I haven’t encountered anyone else so far, and much like my experiences with Moria and Oubliette I suspect that my time with Futurewar will be a solitary one.

Below the War Zone are fourteen more levels, each with its own title.  The lowest level shown in the Help file is “The Pits”, but it mentions that there’s rumored to be another level below that.  Perhaps I’ll never see it, but I’m going to give it my best shot.

“The Lethal Zone.”  Don’t beat around the bush, then.

There are lots of hazards throughout the dungeon levels, including the human zones.  Sewage, fire,  and radioactive waste all deal damage to the player, but they’re visible and easily avoided.  Sometimes they block passages though, and there are certain areas that I’ve been unable to map because of this.  Mines can’t be seen, and will simply explode when stepped upon.  I’ve had some deal 1 or 2 points of damage, and others deal as much as 20.  Characters begin with around 15-20 hit points, so they can be deadly.  Pits will drop the player to the level below, but they’re also visible (even though the Help file says they aren’t).  Apparently there are transporters as well, but I haven’t encountered one yet.

I think that’s fire ahead of me, but I haven’t walked into it to make sure.

The squares where mutants are lurking are also visible, so it’s rare that the player will be taken unawares by an encounter (it basically only happens when going through a door).  Opponents range from humanoids, to mutants, to robots.  I’ve even encountered groups of R2-D2s, and some skeletons.  So far I haven’t met any groups with more than four monsters, but I expect that will change when I delve deeper.  I also haven’t met any creatures with special abilities, like poison or breath weapons.  The Help file has warned me to expect this kind of stuff, so I figure the game’s been going easy on me in the various Human Zones.

There’s a combat encounter in the square ahead of me.

Combat is turn based, although opponents vary in quickness.  Against some foes, I’ve been able to make four or five attacks before they can act.  Against others, I’ve had to wait while the enemy attacks me four or five times.  The player begins the game armed with what appears to be a rifle.  It sticks up from the bottom of the game window, which is part of what makes Futurewar feel like a 3D shooter.  When it’s your turn to attack you press ‘s’ to shoot, and a tiny bullet can be seen before your informed whether you hit or not.  I assume your stats play into this process somehow, but your gun’s positioning is important as well.  The monsters move about during their turn, and you have to reposition your gun in order to have a better chance of hitting and doing the most damage.  Like a lot of games of the era it boils down to hitting the “attack” button repeatedly, but the importance of gun positioning does make it a little more engaging.

I should mention here that, like every other PLATO CRPG before it, Futurewar has perma-death.  If you lose a character, it’s gone for good.  So far this game has been a little more forgiving than its contemporaries, but I suspect that won’t last.

Aiming my rifle at a “Bone”.  You can see on the right that my Endurance just went up to 23.

The Help file has a list of technological devices that appear to be usable in combat: things like sleep canisters and thermonuclear warheads.  They appear to be the game’s equivalent of magic, but I haven’t found any yet so I don’t know how effective they are.  The Help file also says that only Technos and Holy Men can use them, but I’ve yet to qualify for either occupation, so I may never actually get to try them out.

Killing monsters earns you experience, which can be used to gain levels when you return to base to recharge.  Gaining levels increases Hits and Power, and also grants the occasional boost to your stats.  Some monsters I’ve fought only grant a single point of experience, while others are worth hundreds.  My current character, an American named Chuck, has 34,726 experience and has reached 6th level.

Some monsters also guard boxes or chests.  Some of those explode and deal damage (because of course they do) and others contain money and items.  I’m not sure what money is used for.  I’ve found thousands of dollars, but every time I go to recharge it disappears.  I’m not paying for the recharge, because you can do that when you have no money at all.  I’ve also found one weapon (a rifle) and two pieces of armour (a baseball cap and a ballistic vest).  The only other item I’ve found is a flashlight, although I haven’t found a use for it yet.

One nice touch that makes exploring the game a little more interesting is the graffiti that’s scattered around the dungeons.  I’m pretty sure it’s made from combinations of stock words, but I haven’t seen a duplicate yet. They look cool, and some of the are quite amusing.

They can be a little hard to read, though.  I think this one says “end of burn”.

My progress has been reasonably slow.  I started playing on Sunday night, and I have mostly complete maps of the Martian Zone, the Guerilla Zone and the American Zone.  I suppose mapping three out of twenty dungeon levels isn’t bad, but I expect that my mapping progress will get much slower when I hit the actual dungeon.  I’m on my ninth character, so the game hasn’t been overly deadly, but I’ve also been exploring what are effectively the town levels.  Most of my deaths have come at the hands of super-fast enemies, especially ones called “Worleymen”.  That changed when I found my first piece of armour; somehow wearing a baseball cap made me impervious to all damage.  It ain’t logical, but I’ll take it because I just know that this game is going to get much harder in the War Zone and below.  My hope is that it’s doable for a single player.  If the game difficulty is geared for multiplayer parties, I’m going to have to abandon it eventually, and I’d really rather not do that.

Either way, it looks like I’m sticking with Futurewar for a while.  My current plan for as long as I’m playing it is to post about Futurewar on Wednesdays and whatever other game I’m playing on Sundays.  The next game on my schedule is Mystery House, the first graphical adventure from Roberta Williams, and the first adventure game on my priority list.  Looking further ahead, I can see that my next priority CRPG is Rogue, which is somewhat daunting.  I could get into a situation where I’m alternating between Futurewar and Rogue for weeks on end, which could destroy my sanity.  Still, I got through Moria.  I got through The Game of Dungeons v8.  If I can beat those games, I’m ready for just about anything.

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/game-42-futurewar-1977/