#he is a connection between the player and the narrative. the Link

[7-oh-ta1]

I'm always foaming at the mouth about music in zelda because as a character w little agency music is oftentimes how Link's thoughts and emotions are communicated to us rather than verbally and I just think that's why for me starting w the 3d games (my first was wind waker) Link has never been a blank slate to me actually I understood his emotions easily because the sound design, cinematic cutscenes, and body language. He didn't need to say anything.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Alhaitham and Kaveh - not 'friends' but 'roommates'

(This is a reworked excerpt taken from my Haikaveh essay! If you're interested you can check it out here or as a pdf <3)

Due to Chinese game restrictions, explicit mentions of homosexuality or overt queer references have resulted in less implicit ways of conveying queer relationships or characters. Therefore, same-sex characters in romantic relationships are assigned the platonic status of “best friend” or “friends”.

As such, these restrictions can be used as guidelines in establishing queercoding within Genshin Impact. It is of note, however, that this rule does not mean that all characters who are canonically “friends” are in a romantic same-sex relationship. Differentiating between same-sex couples and platonic friends (who have all been assigned the label ‘friends’) can be done by identifying particular care undertaken to ‘style’ characters. This is done so by queercoding, as in, using taboos linked to queerness; references which point to romantic connotation; or omitting certain details which casts obscurity on the nature of their ‘friendship’.

Alhaitham and Kaveh’s relationship has been styled in this way, as although various titles have been given to their relationship status, there has been no definitive term supplied overall. Alhaitham tells the Traveller that the two are “roommates”, with Kaveh confirming this, although stating that they “used to be friend(s), but not anymore”.

Within Kaveh’s Character Stories, their history as “best friends” is a painful one of separation, which can be seen as akin to a break-up, and despite their lack of status as ‘friends’, the two share an intimate knowledge of the other that no other character is privy too.

Condensing their relationship down to ‘roommates’ is an oversimplification that the narrative challenges the player to question.

This is achieved through their rapport with each other, seen within Alhaitham purposefully goading Kaveh, something which he cannot be seen to do persistently with any other character, as well as Kaveh’s unique reactions to Alhaitham, which present a side to him unlike which can be observed in his interactions with others. Additionally, the two mention the other without them present, as Alhaitham mentions Kaveh unprompted twice within the Archon Quest and once within his Story Quest, and Kaveh is prone to discussing Alhaitham with those who are aware of them living together, as Collei observes: “Seems like you always include him in the conversation, even when he isn’t here…”

When the two confirm themselves to be roommates, this is immediately followed by Paimon asking Kaveh if they are friends, to which Kaveh does not give a definitive answer too. When Paimon asks Alhaitham the same question in the Archon Quest, Alhaitham evades the question, and turns it back on Paimon, who notes that “[she] doesn’t know. That’s why [she’s] asking,” to which Alhaitham then describes Kaveh as his roommate. Although, this still is an evasion of Paimon’s initial question, Alhaitham neither denies nor confirms their friendship status. The status of their relationship is constantly called into question, for the characters they interact with, and for the player.

This casts an ambiguity over their relationship which aligns with Chinese gaming regulations in regard to same-sex couples, which in turn, points to a certain ‘styling’ of relationship which differs from general platonic friendships within the game. Where both platonic friendships and same-sex relationships can only be openly dubbed as ‘friendship’, signifiers must be present in order to differentiate these platonic friendships from the non-platonic.

Obscurity of relationship status can be used to do so – where characters are not explicitly “friends”, but are evidently tied to each other in some way, more than their assigned platonic status. Here, Kaveh and Alhaitham are irrevocably connected beyond their “roommate” status, and although they are not currently described as “friends”, they used to be, “best friends” according to Kaveh’s Character Stories, which creates a gap for interpretation.

The player is encouraged to interpret the reason for the two’s parting of ways, along with the reason for their current rapport. Although Kaveh asserts that there is a mutual “disdain” between the two, Kaveh observably talks about Alhaitham enough for Tighnari to assert: “No dinner with Kaveh is complete without a few words about Alhaitham." Rather than out of disdain, it can be surmised that Kaveh talks about Alhaitham due to the fact that he cares, as he states that the reason he has so many troubles regarding his work is because he cares so much about it.

When paralleled with his troubles with Alhaitham, being that Alhaitham finds a way to “infuriate” him every time they talk, it can be inferred that Kaveh’s approach to dealing with his work is the same as to how he deals with Alhaitham.

If Kaveh’s assertation that the “disdain” between the two of them was true, then there is no basis for him to talk about Alhaitham as much as he does. This is due to his attitude in caring about something results in him verbally expounding the problem, the same behaviour he exhibits when dealing with Alhaitham. By his own reasoning, if Kaveh did not care about Alhaitham, he would not be so “infuriate[d]” by his words.

In turn, the player can see Alhaitham’s care of Kaveh manifest in his concern for Kaveh’s wellbeing within A Parade of Providence. In this sense, the rapport the two have currently which the narrative prompts the player to question can be explained. The two hold a mutual concern and care for the other, but due to elements in their past, they cannot address this, and thus it goes unspoken. The same can be said about the explicit status of their relationship, as no canon label applied to the two can truly explain their relationship, with ‘roommates’ being a clear oversimplification of their bond, and always followed up with the question of their friendship.

Alhaitham and Kaveh’s status as ‘friends’ is disrupted, not only due to the canon ending of their friendship in the past, but also in the current narrative of the game due to this refused label. Alhaitham and Kaveh do not adhere to the status of ‘friends’, either evading it (Alhaitham) or outright denying it (Kaveh), however, their bond remains central to each of their respective narratives, so much so that their differing viewpoints are integral to the other.

Alhaitham and Kaveh have been designed so that they are integral to each other, and the obscurity of their relationship acts as a signifier that their bond is not of a typical platonic friendship.

In Chinese gaming restrictions regulating platonic bonds and romantic bonds between same-sex characters as strictly ‘friendship’, Genshin Impact can be seen to subvert this in order to queercode. By creating an obscure bond between a same-sex relationship, a bond which the game constantly calls into question, a silence has been generated as to what the status of the relationship really is. The depth to Alhaitham and Kaveh’s relationship and the unspoken nature of it alludes to the queer taboo, in that its inability to be definitively labelled generates an otherness than that of an easily understood platonic bond.

[shmowder]

In case you missed it, Game Rant did an interview with Nikolay Dybowski about Pathologic 3. Here is the link for it.

And here are the bits that stood out the most to me:

Q: The non-linearity of time and how it will be related to the nature of the Town are also core story components. How did this affect design and direction?

A: Connecting non-linear time with a long, narrative-heavy story that involves many characters and cause-and-effect chains would be extremely difficult. We focused on what the player feels in the moment rather than on gathering information in the right order. The latter approach works well in shorter formats like Her Story or 12 Minutes, but in Pathologic, it would be overwhelming.

We wanted players to feel like “everything, everywhere, all at once”—similar to Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five. Different versions of reality coexist simultaneously, creating a “quantum” feeling for the player. Look at the time travel mechanic as an opportunity to correct mistakes, or even to make deliberate mistakes in order to unlock new paths and ideas. It is like a "sanctioned save scum."

-

Q: Conversely, how will it (Pathologic 3) connect to and consider the events and characters in Pathologic 2?

A: Consider it as two subjective retellings of the same events. This is the same Town, the same twelve days, the same participants and events that occurred in the Haruspex’s story. But this is a different perspective. Like two witnesses recounting the same event in Rashomon, the stories vary greatly, each focusing on different details. Finally, we always give our heroes the right to make honest mistakes, forget, and even lie. Every narrator is an unreliable narrator.

-

Q: How did Pathologic’s previous philosophical explorations help inform or play into the narrative and themes here?

A: Everything we now see as true and valuable, we’ve kept. Everything we’ve outgrown, like childhood clothes, we either reimagined and reinterpreted to give these ideas new meaning, or let go of them. After all, we’ve grown a lot (hopefully, along with the industry). When I first conceived Pathologic, I was 21 and completely alone. Now I’m 47, surrounded by incredibly talented people who enrich this universe as much as I do, and that makes a difference.

We’ve kept the idea of the tragedy of utopian projects. We kept the idea that the plague is a voice of the natural order—one that the thinking human mind cannot accept—and that it has its own truth. We retained the belief that evil cannot be defeated with its own tools or outplayed on its field; yet it can be defeated realistically in a different, orthogonal way. In another dimension.

-

Q: It’s mentioned that the Bachelor is searching for an immortal man in Pathologic 3. Can you say if this is in reference to Mark Immortell?

A: No, there’s no connection between Simon Kain (one of the town’s rulers) and Mark Immortell (the director of the town theater). Mark is a clown. He awkwardly mimics Simon, parodying him, which is why he takes on this pseudonym. He's fully aware that he’s a jester, and the gesture itself is ironic.

-

Q: What do you hope players will take away most from Pathologic 3?

A: The hope that humanity remains a promising and capable species.

-

Also, new game pictures and screenshots dropped:

(some are old ones I forgot to post)

[patchwork-crow-writes]

A couple of days ago I wrote up a rough essay highlighting some passing similarities between the characters of Miquella in Elden Ring and Ralsei in Deltarune (read here if you'd like!), and how their shared affinities to childhood and dreams might inform the latter's character and serve to "compel" the affection of the players to one end or another.

I have had additional thoughts on the subject of Ralsei and his associations with childlike characteristics, which I would also like to share.

This may be another long one, so under the Read More it goes!

If you have read my previous post on the subject, you'll know that I drew up all the different ways that Ralsei displays or embodies the concept of childhood and infancy in his character design and personality. But one idea I failed to touch upon, which more closely links Ralsei to his dark kingdom, is that of play. Exploring the connection between the make-believe-esque natures of the dark worlds, and Ralsei's position as their prince, has yielded up some interesting insights which I would like to share with you all.

I think it would be a good idea to define what is meant by the term "play" here. The most obvious definition is as an activity which is undertaken for pleasure or recreation, as opposed to more practical concerns. But there's also believed to be an evolutionary component to play, as a way for children to learn more about themselves, their peers and the wider world in a safe and controlled environment. Children at play often imitate the behaviours and rituals of the adults around them, like cooking, socialising, working at jobs, and even the more performative aspects of romance and child-rearing (which we shall return to in a moment). Of course, play can also incorporate more fantastical elements, such as the plots and settings of movies, TV shows, comic books and video games, as well as larger-than-life concepts such as outer space, ancient history and human cultures of all stripes. To enhance the experience, participants can be assigned various roles to perform, with the aid of props that can be fashioned from all kinds of mundane objects lying around. From these building blocks, new narratives are constructed and played out, power roles are tried on and tested, and through the actions and reactions of their peers, children can learn how to get along with each other and forge stronger bonds.

And so we come to the Dark Worlds, the settings where much of Deltarune's core gameplay takes place. I'm certain you would have already begun to see how the above elements of play translate onto them. We have fantastical settings and plots - a sprawling kingdom in the first chapter and a towering megacity in the second; roles are conferred upon their participants to contextualise their journeys through those spaces; mundane objects become weapons, armour, provisions and even additional characters; and in their concluding moments the participants learn more about each other and are brought closer together as friends. This reaffirms the idea that dark worlds are glorified versions of make-believe, albeit with a clearly supernatural aspect that literally brings the fantasy aspects to life.

You can also see how this relates to Ralsei himself - as someone who has experienced almost nothing aside from his small and empty kingdom, it is through his experiences with Kris, Susie and Lancer that he begins to attain a greater understanding of the world and how it works, the people he calls his friends, the broader concepts of friendship and love, and even of his own sense of self. In many ways, he is a literal child at play, and in this context his more childlike attributes make sense.

And yet, in what might seem paradoxical, Ralsei is fairly mature and grown-up for what we might call an emobdiment of the notion of play. For one thing, he is the one that orchestrates and directs how the dark world games are played - he sets the terms under which the adventures are conducted. He casts Kris, Susie and himself as the Three Heroes, charged with the exploration and closure of new dark kingdoms; he offers guidance on how the game's mechanics work - which conveniently overlaps with teaching new players of Deltarune how to play; he is the one to offer suggestions on where to go and what to do; and he does this all in the service of ensuring the game that's being played is as fun, engaging and rewarding for the lightners as possible. There is an argument to be made on whether the Prophecy hamstrings Ralsei's ability to act, or is otherwise directing him in one way or another, but his conduct is a far cry from how we would expect a young, impulsive and easily-distracted child from performing in such a role.

Perhaps the most telling thing about Ralsei's maturity is that he is very insistent on when these adventures must come to an end. What we see of the dark worlds are finite, tightly-designed narrative experiences, though there is evidence of much more sprawling and unordered segments of these kingdoms that we are not permitted to access. Each one ends with Kris/us sealing the dark fountain away and restoring the room back to its light world arrangement. And when a threat to that finite experience presents itself, as Berdly is about to open another dark fountain in Chapter 2, Ralsei uncharacteristically snaps at him, telling the lightners that such thoughtless actions will bring about the Roaring, an event of apocalyptic proportions that will put an end to the dark worlds and their denizens once and for all.

Thus, Ralsei seems to occupy this strange, almost liminal space between childhood (learning about himself, his friends and the world through play) and adulthood (orchestrating and contextualising these play sessions, ensuring that the rules are understood and upheld, and that play ends at an appropriate moment in time). As to what this points to? Perhaps it is meant to convey that Ralsei is himself the embodiment of regulated, purposeful play - play which provides social, educational and emotional benefits to its participants - while the Roaring and the Titans might represent a notion of unregulated, self-indulgent play that is dictated by impulse and feelings, without any guiding hand to ensure that things do not run out of control, or that nobody gets seriously hurt.

And that's where my thoughts on this subject have landed so far! There's not really a point I was trying to make, just exploring a theme that I found interesting and may hold some clues about Deltarune's narrative and Ralsei's place in it. If I have additional thoughts I may regurgitate them here in a similar fashion, but otherwise, that's it for now! Thanks for taking the time to read :)

[hollowwhisperings]

Heart Stations (KH spec)

after realising how much Foreshadowing and Sneaky Plot Points were lurking about in KH3's "demo" section, i finally remembered that a LOT of KH3 is done in parallel with KH1: which means that ITS "demo" is ALSO subtly plotty!

The first thing I remembered about Sora's heart station in KH1 is it being able to connect DIRECTLY to the heart stations of Princesses.

despite Sora never having met these princesses before.

except... VENTUS has!

the heart stations that Sora visits in the first Heart Dive belong to Snow White, Cinderella & Aurora: the order of their stations is in the same order as Ven's meeting them in BBS. Ventus befriended Cinderella personally, becoming friendly enough with Snow White & Aurora to have [link] attacks based on them (mostly through his friendship to the dwarves & Aurora's non-evil fairy godmothers).

There is also, in KH1's tutorial, a heart station depicting the three "free" princesses: Alice, Jasmine & Kairi. I had forgotten about this one. It's... interesting that, despite SORA being best friends with Kairi, Sora's heart instead connects to the "idea" of these three princesses altogether rather than individually (if only in the background, given the lack of need for a player to have 7 stages in a tutorial rather than 5). Sora knows Kairi personally but only Ventus could have known Alice or Jasmine, even THEN, his meeting them would have been during KHUX (a time he does not remember in BBS but treasures enough to enable his reunion with Chirithy in KH3).

The last heart station Sora visits in KH1's tutorial heart dive is Belle's: Belle is the princess who Sora ultimately ends up reasonating with most, in his heart at least, and she notably takes on the role of "Riku" to Beast's "Sora" in CoM.

it is EXTREMELY odd that Sora, well before Riku's heart gave him Kingdom Key, was able to directly walk from his heart station to those of the Princesses of Heart: Ventus did not have this ability nor any personal connection with Kairi. There are two plausible explanations as to why Sora's heart was ALREADY connected to that of the Princesses, prior to personally meeting them: Ventus might have joined their hearts by his being an 'artificial' Princess of Light courtesy of Xehanort & Vanitas; RIKU was connected to the princesses and, when Riku gave his crown necklace to Sora, Sora inherited that connection.

Ventus: Artificial Princess of Heart?

this theory is technically canon, working with the definition of princesses as "beings whose hearts are made entirely of light". it seems unlikely that this technicality would result in a metaphysical stairway between Sora's heart station and those of the Prinxesses': if it was THAT easy, Xehanort would have noticed the connection while he had Ven all comatose. Ven's heart being sheltered in Sora's MIGHT, however, explain why the heart stations of Snow White & Cinderella & Aurora were so much closer than the other stations (though the Sleeper/Dreaming connection is a stronger factor shared by Sora & these three).

Riku as Kingmaker?

Sora's first keyblade, Kingdom Key, gets him specifically scouted as Special by Donald & Goofy: Kingdom Key has narrative significance to it, tying it to Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Key was also, originally, an existence dormant in RIKU'S heart: when Riku['s heart] was consumed by darkness in KH1, Sora was able to reach the light within Riku and receive its protection.

the ease with which Sora inherited Riku's keyblade betrays A Lot about Riku's Heart but it ALSO hints that this is not the ONLY example of Riku's Heart being considered interchangeable with Sora's. in later games, Riku and Sora are able to wield each other's keyblades without hesitation and are even capable of merging: other than SoRiku & Sora's Heart Roommates, Aqua is the only instance of someone summoning & wielding another's keyblade.

The keyblade of a deceased Eraqus came to Aqua in her time of need: this makes sense, the keyblade of a teacher coming to protect its student. Eraqus taught Aqua how to call and use a keyblade; Eraqus [knighted] Aqua with this keyblade; Eraqus died with this keyblade, died realising that he had failed his students and that original duty of protecting them.

Sora, meanwhile, began wielding a keyblade because Riku's Heart knew Sora could use it when Riku could not.

So what makes Riku so special, to keyblades and Princesses of Heart specifically?

It seems increasingly likely that Riku is the "Child of Destiny" that Xehanort believed himself to be: Riku's resemblance to Ephemer makes it likely that, just like Xehanort, Riku is his descendant; additionally, the light of Riku's heart was strong enough to catch the attention of both Terra AND Aqua in BBS. Both Terra & Aqua had, by then, met three Princesses of Heart AND lived alongside the artificially-light Ventus: nevertheless, Terra and Aqua only note that Riku's light is "strong" but not in the same way as any heart they'd encountered before.

Riku also, just "incidentally", happens to have had a Crown since infancy (if we quote Sora in CoM but correctly attribute to Riku what he says of Naminé's charm)... that Riku GAVE to SORA, who now wears it as a necklace. A crown necklace that Sora subconsciously gestures to when speaking from "the heart". *insert Necklace Theory here*

so, even before receiving Kingdom Key, Sora had been given a kind of "kingdom's key" through Riku, in symbol & oath.

this leads me to conclude that the CROWN must have connected Sora's heart (which, in DDD, appears a hop skip & a jump away from Riku's) to the Seven Princesses of Heart, the Seven Lights.

which, in turn, leads me to believe that Riku's gift & oath to Sora was significant enough to be recognised as a form of "Coronation": Riku CROWNED Sora, even without knowing it, and did so while meaning it with "all his heart". Riku's Heart recognising & accepting Sora as its "[king?]" (partner? equivalent?) seems to have continued from that Fateful Meteor Shower, throughout Riku's Entire Villain Arc & Redemption, continuing past Sora's failing to exist: Riku has pulled at LEAST two True Love's Sacrifices for Sora, not counting repeats across timelines, just within DDD & KH3. Riku's sacrificing himself has never lasted long enough to learn any repurcussions beyond Sora.exe going offline. SORA'S nonexistence has not significantly affected the integrity of his universe at large, beyond Riku.exe presumably shortcircuiting, which leads me to believe that so long as ONE of the two has a heart where it should be, the potentially disaatrous ramifications of "oh, btw, this one kid's heart has direct access to our universe's suns? should we be worried about that" has been prevented.

(Riku launching himself OUT of said universe to follow Sora? UH. let's just hope Kairi's still in touch with the other Original 7 and can lead the New Lights when it potentially/inevitably becomes necessary?)

Speaking of Kairi...

interestingly, Kairi never really indicates feeling "connected" to Riku.

Kairi feels connected to SORA and HIS heart, something many characters share in common (often very literally). Another product of Riku (& thus Destiny) sharing his role with Sora, when not designating him [his] King absolutely?

Speaking of Kings...

Riku ends up manifesting ANOTHER keyblade, just casually, despite Sora's having Kingdom Key being a Big Deal.

we could dismiss Riku's having Soul Eater in KH1 as "that's Xehanort/Terra/Ansem SoD's heart at work"... but we can't dismiss Riku's STILL having a keyblade post-KH2, Sora wielding the original Kingdom Key while Riku so happens to summon a second keyblade from his heart without any fuss at all??

it is... interesting, that Donald & Goofy never ended up explaining [to the audience] why Kingdom Key SPECIFICALLY was something King Mickey was looking for in the first place.

if it was due to Mickey's searching for the Wayfinder Trio, Donald & Goofy would have been searching for multiple "keyblade WIELDERS" instead of one "KEYBLADE": we can only assume that Xehanort's repeated efforts at starting another ragnarok have sufficiently distracted everyone from Kingdom Key's origins.

I personally find it very heartwarming/plot-foreshadow-y that Kingdom Key has STAYED with Sora, even upon reuniting with a Riku whose heart is at peace again: consciously or otherwise, Riku's heart continues to choose "Sora".

(which, given how likely it is that Riku is the foretold Child of Destiny... means that RIKU'S choosing Sora makes DESTINY choose Sora... for better of for worse, right? plz just let them be married already, Disney: Nomura & Utada have Riku's vows all written and everything)

[mmmmalo]

Listened to a reading of Openbound during work today. Takeaways:

Aformentioned veiled misogyny with Meenah's dismissal of "Light Players" for their chattiness. The eternal BLUH BLUH HUGE BITCH establishes the sexist trope "women talk too much" as a motif, and marking Bitch as a mode of speech renders Huge Bitch synonymous with Lord English and Imperial Drone. Jack Noir sighing that Hell Hath No Fury (Like A Women Scorned) and thereby dismissing PM's revenge quest as hysterical is not as structurally interesting, but demonstrates some continuity of the themeing outside of gameplay sections.

Kankri's opening content warning for "pail filling slurries" struck me as a miscegenation joke, with pail > pale > white and slurries > [censored] > black. Slurries fill the pale. The link between Imperial Drones and Huge Bitches affirms for me an ongoing suspicion that the Imperial Drone taking two genetic payloads was a DP joke.

Never noticed Latula saying Girlz In Da Hive before, but the play on Boyz In Da Hood affirms my sense that Porrim is targeting Latula's black-coded speech affectations for the feminist critique.

On a similar note, this set of tags from Kankri made it clear that Latula's disability is another media for insinuating her blackness: #Nasal privilege #H9riz9ns #6r9adness #H9riz9ntal width l9ngenning Kankri implicitly frames the width of a black nose as a disability, and apologizes for his white nose privilege like a true ally.

Meenah renarking that she gives Kurloz "wide berth" struck my interest. In the context of the child symbolism floating around Openbound and the infantilization of masculinity (Boys Drool!) that renders the codpiece into a daiper, I found myself wondering if Kurloz, with his briefs and skull costuming, represented a dead baby. Not entirely new, since possible connections to Mom's stillborn child defined my old takes on Openbound, but in the context of Slurquest I suppose I'm interested in how a superabundance of abortion imagery might feed into the atmosphere of reactionary scaremongering. For example, the way that the narrative cultivates our disgust towards Cronus as he verbally abused the babbling Mituna, says he should be culled, tells him to shut up (in a context where silence is linked to cherubs in heaven) -- I suddenly suspect I've been sucked into a morality play on abortion. It adds another dimension to Kankri wondering aloud if Mituna ought to exist at all. All of this would imply the skull-monster cherubim are dead babies par excellence, naturally

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Thursday: Native American Heritage Month

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

In an urgent and visceral work that asks essential questions about the treatment of Native people in North America while drawing on intimate details of her own life and experience with intergenerational trauma, Alicia Elliott offers indispensable insight into the ongoing legacy of colonialism. She engages with such wide-ranging topics as race, parenthood, love, mental illness, poverty, sexual assault, gentrifcation, writing and representation, and in the process makes connections both large and small between the past and present, the personal and political - from overcoming a years-long battle with head lice to the way Native writers are treated within the Canadian literary industry; her unplanned teenage pregnancy to the history of dark matter and how it relates to racism in the court system; her childhood diet of Kraft Dinner to how systemic oppression is directly linked to health problems in Native communities.

With deep consideration and searing prose, Elliott provides a candid look at our past, an illuminating portrait of our present, and a powerful tool for a better future.

An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States by Kyle T. Mays

Beginning with pre-Revolutionary America and moving into the movement for Black lives and contemporary Indigenous activism, Afro-Indigenous historian, Kyle T. Mays argues that the foundations of the US are rooted in antiblackness and settler colonialism, and that these parallel oppressions continue into the present. He explores how Black and Indigenous peoples have always resisted and struggled for freedom, sometimes together, and sometimes apart. Whether to end African enslavement and Indigenous removal or eradicate capitalism and colonialism, Mays shows how the fervor of Black and Indigenous peoples calls for justice have consistently sought to uproot white supremacy.

Mays uses a wide-array of historical activists and pop culture icons, "sacred" texts, and foundational texts like the Declaration of Independence and Democracy in America. He covers the civil rights movement and freedom struggles of the 1960s and 1970s, and explores current debates around the use of Native American imagery and the cultural appropriation of Black culture. Mays compels us to rethink both our history, as well as contemporary debates, and to imagine the powerful possibilities of Afro-Indigenous solidarity.

Canyon Dreams by Michael Powell

Deep in the heart of northern Arizona, in a small and isolated patch of the vast 17.5-million-acre Navajo reservation, sits Chinle High School. Here, basketball is passion, passed from grandparent to parent to child. Rez Ball is a sport for winters where dark and cold descend fast and there is little else to do but roam mesa tops, work, and wonder what the future holds. The town has 4,500 residents and the high school arena seats 7,000. Fans drive thirty, fifty, even eighty miles to see the fast-paced and highly competitive matchups that are more than just games to players and fans.

Celebrated Times journalist Michael Powell brings us a narrative of triumph and hardship, a moving story about a basketball team on a Navajo reservation that shows how important sports can be to youths in struggling communities, and the transcendent magic and painful realities that confront Native Americans living on reservations. This book details his season-long immersion in the team, town, and culture, in which there were exhilarating wins, crushing losses, and conversations on long bus rides across the desert about dreams of leaving home and the fear of the same.

We Refuse to Forget by Caleb Gayle

In We Refuse to Forget, award-winning journalist Caleb Gayle tells the extraordinary story of the Creek Nation, a Native tribe that two centuries ago both owned slaves and accepted Black people as full citizens. Thanks to the efforts of Creek leaders like Cow Tom, a Black Creek citizen who rose to become chief, the U.S. government recognized Creek citizenship in 1866 for its Black members. Yet this equality was shredded in the 1970s when tribal leaders revoked the citizenship of Black Creeks, even those who could trace their history back generations - even to Cow Tom himself.

Why did this happen? How was the U.S. government involved? And what are Cow Tom's descendants and other Black Creeks doing to regain their citizenship? These are some of the questions that Gayle explores in this provocative examination of racial and ethnic identity. By delving into the history and interviewing Black Creeks who are fighting to have their citizenship reinstated, he lays bare the racism and greed at the heart of this story. We Refuse to Forget is an eye-opening account that challenges our preconceptions of identity as it shines new light on the long shadows of white supremacy and marginalization that continue to hamper progress for Black Americans.

[silverstringmedia]

Hello Again Tumblr!

We’re Silverstring Media, a queer indie game and narrative design studio based in Vancouver Canada. We're world-builders that like to experiment with the boundaries of interactive digital media. You can check out our latest game Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between here: https://www.glitchhikers.com/

Our team is a multicultural and multidisciplinary group of dreamers and artists that want to bring you stories that share diverse perspectives, push back against injustice and social hegemonies, and inject hope. We have a people-first approach to game development, which basically boils down to thinking that games should be for everyone and represent all kinds of people, and that the people who make them should be proud of what they do and treated well. 

We’ve consulted on games like Celeste, Timespinner, and Where The Water Tastes Like Wine, and now we’re bringing you our own projects like Flow Weaver VR, Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between, and have more on the way ;) You can also check out some of our shorter free projects on Itch.io 

Like many folks who are joining up recently, we come to you as Twitter refugees. As not-good as we expected the takeover of a delusional billionaire with Lex Luthor tendencies to go, we’re still impressed by how quickly he’s managing to drive the bird app off a cliff. We’re not new to this space, but most of us were last here when nerdfighters and superwholock ruled the earth, so please be patient with us as we re-acclimate and update our meme references.

Making meaningful connections with our community is very important to us. If you love weird story-rich games, whether you’re a player or a dev, we’d love to keep in touch. We have a few prototypes in development to bring you some exciting new stories, and we’re keen to find and share other indie games that we come across. 

Give us a follow here, and find our other relevant links in bio :)

[lapsedgamer]

Immortality (iOS)

I've settled on a term "hypertext maze" for this kind of game: bundles information like rooms, with connections between them like twisty little passages. Before search engines flatted everything, we used to "surf the web", bouncing from site to site through links to find unexpected treasure, and when we forgot to bookmark something that later proved important, retraced our steps from known landmarks. It's a wonderful space for a treasure hunt, expressed in web page form in Hypnospace Outlaw of course, but the master of the genre Sam Barlow loves video; and most of all, he loves movies.

Immortality is a bold swerve in gameplay and by far his smartest storytelling. A simulated moviola plays back movie clips from the career of vanished movie star Marissa Marcel (see the "About" page for some inessential context) with no explicit objective except to understand. As in Barlow's previous explorations, this archive begins with a blank slate and expands as you unearth new footage. Unlike those, the logical connections are abstracted: most objects in a scene can be selected to move to a matched shot in a different scene, regardless of the underlying context.

How does one pursue information on possible grudges, or on-set accidents, or even follow the plot of a movie when the path through the story is defined by the reappearance of coffee cups or cigarettes or revolvers? Eventually you lay down clips as landmarks; you begin to realise how themes are made concrete in the visual world; you notice amusing match-cut jokes. Yet even as this logic begins to set in, you realise the links are not static. One coffee cup in one scene may lead to different cups in other scenes each time you view it. The walls in this maze are moving.

It's an unsettling, dreamlike and giddy experience, not unlike my first brush with the novel House of Leaves, even before it becomes clear you are being guided. This virtual moviola is haunted by a presence subtly moving you down certain passageways to revelations and away from ideas you are not yet ready for. Of course we realise to our relief that it's the director, pulling off a magic trick of responsive interactive narrative not unlike Hades' systematically interwoven narrative threads but on a far tighter loop.

Said story is delicious. The glossy melodramas that constitute Marcel's career as an actress are exciting even when (or perhaps because) they're viewed piecemeal and out-of-order, and their sickly, rich delights are leavened by the biography and history the player steadily assembles in their own mind, full of fascinating ironies and important thematic counterpoints. This backstory eventually threatens to overtake the movies themselves, perhaps inevitably. The hardest stories to escape are the ones we make inside ourselves, after all.

The only bum note is this wobbly iOS port. Netflix subscribers can get the mobile versions of the game for free, but I'd urge them not to. Video sticks at inopportune times and unfreezes again of its own accord; the lauded soundtrack simply did not play on my iPhone 13; the game crashed outright after an important revelation; controllers, indicated as preferred for the other versions, are not supported at all. Immortality deserves better and I will be getting a console version when I inevitably revisit it later in the year.

[delightfulsheepcreator]

“A Deep Dive into Story-Driven Games Available on Steam”

Introduction

In the significant universe of gaming, few experiences can rival the emotional engagement discovered in story-driven games. These narratives captivate avid gamers, drawing them into immersive worlds packed with advanced characters and compelling plots. Steam, certainly one of the biggest digital distribution systems for PC gaming, hosts a treasure trove of such titles. This article targets to delve deep into the area of tale-pushed games obtainable on Steam, exploring their narrative structures, gameplay mechanics, and the way they resonate with gamers.

A Deep Dive into Story-Driven Games Available on Steam

Story-driven video games are extra than simply amusement; they serve as an art shape that engages clients on assorted phases. From heart-wrenching testimonies of loss to interesting adventures full of unpredicted twists, these video games present immersive storytelling experiences which could linger in our minds long when we placed down the controller. On Steam, avid gamers can find a plethora of alternate options catering to numerous tastes—from indie gems to blockbuster titles.

The Appeal of Narrative in Gaming

Why do we love thoughts? The reply lies in our innate need for connection and expertise. Stories permit us to explore numerous perspectives and emotions, creating entertaining bonds between avid gamers and characters. In gaming, this connection is intensified with the aid of interactivity; avid gamers don't just practice occasions spread; they actively take part in shaping the narrative.

Steam's Role in Promoting Story-Driven Games

Steam has been instrumental in promotion tale-pushed games simply by its substantial library and group options. Titles mostly reap traction by means of consumer evaluations and techniques shared on platforms like SSteamer.com or the Steam Blog. The platform's refund policy additionally lets in avid gamers to test with no concern of commitment, making it less complicated to locate new narratives that resonate with them.

Top Story-Driven Games on Steam 1. The Witcher three: Wild Hunt

An Epic Saga

With its prosperous lore and tricky person building, "The Witcher 3" is a flagship name for story-driven gaming. Players navigate the tumultuous international of Geralt of Rivia as he seeks his followed daughter amidst political intrigue and monster hunts.

Gameplay Mechanics

The online game seamlessly integrates fight with narrative offerings that have an effect on result. Players ought to make moral choices that affect now not solely their experience however additionally the lives of several NPCs.

User Reception

Critics have lauded its storytelling prowess, obtrusive from its a considerable number of accolades. Its success story normally circulates in discussions approximately modern-day gaming narratives.

2. Life is Strange

A Journey Through Time

This episodic photograph adventure online game tackles subject matters like friendship, love, and sacrifice by time manipulation mechanics. Max Caulfield’s capacity to rewind time facilitates avid gamers to make impactful selections that structure her story.

Narrative Depth Visit this link

The emotional weight carried right through every

[zombolouge]

So I know for mass effect and dragon age, a big impetus for your fics is “how does this specific flavor of player character respond to the events of the game”. How do you approach your fics that have canon protagonists instead of ocs, like link or phoenix wright?

ohohoho yet another top tier question!

For cases like AA or Zelda, I usually approach it from the angle of "do I have something to say that the narrative didn't cover? Is there an angle of the character that canon didn't touch that I find fascinating?" Then I kind of wait to see if the things I have to say pile up enough that I feel like I can make a cohesive narrative and fic out of them. I'll usually even scribble down a scene or two as they come to mind. There's a non-zero number of fanfic scenes I've written that didn't quite make it to capturing my fancy enough to turn into a fic, so the scenes just kind of exist in a drafts folder until I figure out a use for them.

For A Hundred Years in the Making, BotW gives you SO much free real estate. They give us only these small little flashes of memories, but there's a WHOLE BUNCH of stuff that's just left ambiguous and up to interpretation, and as I thought about the story and the characters I found that I had a LOT of ideas about how I thought those in-between moments played out. So, I found myself wanting to tell the story of what actually happened 100 years in the past, then connect that to where I think Link and Zelda would have been at in the end of BotW. lol I definitely had a specific ideas I wanted to explore, like what if Link was insecure in himself and his abilities? What if he was as shoehorned into the role as Zelda was? And WHAT IF both their respective parents knew what their children were going to need to be from the moment they were born? There's a lot of exploration in what happens to cyclical fates and how it shapes the person that has to live through them. It's a somewhat darker narrative that I buried under sunnier colors, which was also a fun thing to play with. I definitely had enough to put in a fic, as you can tell XD

For my Ace Attorney series, that's another series that has large gaps in time between each scene, so there's lots of room to build out the complexity of the characters' relationships. I also set those fics post canon, which gave me a lot of room to set up a plot that was doing what I wanted it to. I think because of that blend of being free to do what I wanted but also considering the gaps in canon narrative, it resulted in me leaning into flashbacks as a regular part of the story formula a little more often. A lot of the scenes are contextualized by the character remembering something from the past (from the games), which then re-contextualizes that moment in the game to bolster what I'm doing in the "present" of the fic. I have a LOT of layers going on in that story. AA also doesn't do much exploring of the real depth of emotion that I feel is always hovering behind the scenes. I think it's there, and I even think the writers of the series are aware of it (I think they do too many clever things with subtlety and absurdity to consider it circumstance), but it's not explored because it's not what they're interested in talking about when they're writing. So, I saw a lot of potential in crafting a plot that was like an Ace Attorney game, but actually going into detail about what happens from moment to moment, how the characters interact outside of the mysteries...and to make them kiss. That is always a big motivator haha

[themovieblogonline]

Longlegs Review: Maika Monroe and Nic Cage Are Electric

Osgood Perkins‘ Longlegs is a masterclass in horror and thriller filmmaking. It blends atmospheric tension with a deeply unsettling narrative that haunts long after the credits roll. With Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe starring as the leads, the film delivers a chilling exploration of occultism, psychological terror, and the insidious nature of evil. Set against the eerie backdrop of 1970s and 1990s Oregon, Longlegs opens with an unforgettable sequence that sets the tone for the entire film. A little girl with a Polaroid camera follows a mysterious voice into the woods, only to encounter the grotesque figure of Longlegs, played with unnerving intensity by Nicolas Cage. This scene, steeped in foreboding and dread, introduces us to the film’s central antagonist, whose presence looms large over the narrative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXOtkvx25gI The film then shifts to the 1990s, where Maika Monroe’s Lee Harker, a newly recruited FBI agent, is introduced. Monroe’s portrayal of Harker is compelling, blending vulnerability with a steely determination. Her character’s inexplicable intuition and possible clairvoyance add a supernatural layer to the investigation of a series of brutal murder-suicides, each linked by cryptic, Satanic messages signed by Longlegs. The narrative intricately weaves together past and present, gradually revealing the connections between Lee, the mysterious Longlegs, and the horrific events she is tasked with investigating. The plot’s complexity is a testament to Perkins’ skill as a storyteller. He maintains suspense and delivering well-timed twists that keep the audience engaged. Nicolas Cage’s performance as Longlegs is nothing short of mesmerizing. His portrayal of the disfigured, erratic antagonist is both terrifying and captivating, embodying a palpable sense of malevolence. Cage’s ability to switch between moments of calm, almost tender menace, and explosive violence is a highlight of the film. He makes Longlegs a memorable and genuinely frightening villain. Maika Monroe shines as Lee Harker, delivering a nuanced performance that captures the character’s internal struggle and growing realization of her connection to Longlegs. Monroe’s chemistry with Blair Underwood’s Carter, her skeptical yet supportive supervisor, adds depth to the narrative, grounding the supernatural elements in a believable investigative partnership. The supporting cast, including Alicia Witt as Lee’s mother Ruth, Michelle Choi-Lee, and Dakota Daulby, all contribute to the film’s immersive atmosphere. Witt, in particular, stands out in her portrayal of Ruth. Her transformation from a seemingly oblivious mother to a pivotal player in Longlegs’ scheme is both shocking and heartbreaking. Perkins’ direction is masterful, utilizing a slow-burn approach to build tension and unease. The film's visual style enhances the sense of dread. The use of lighting and shadow, combined with an evocative score, creates a hauntingly immersive experience. Perkins’ attention to detail is evident in the film’s symbolic imagery and the recurring motifs of dolls and Polaroid photographs. These serve as unsettling reminders of Longlegs’ influence. Longlegs delves into themes of trauma, familial bonds, and the nature of evil. The film’s exploration of Satanic rituals and occult symbolism adds a layer of existential horror. It'll make you question the boundaries between free will and malevolent influence. Lee's journey from FBI agent to confronting her dark past and familial connections to Longlegs adds depth to the film. The film also raises intriguing questions about the nature of clairvoyance and intuition. It positions Lee’s abilities as both a gift and a curse. Her relationship with her mother mirrors this duality. Overall: Longlegs is a standout entry in the horror thriller genre. It offers a richly layered narrative, exceptional performances, and a meticulously crafted atmosphere of dread. Osgood Perkins has crafted a film that is both intellectually stimulating and viscerally terrifying. It's anchored by standout performances from Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe. Read the full article

[olgbenga-agboola]

Flutterwave CEO, Agboola named Vice-Chair of US-Africa Business Centre board

This announcement was made in the US-Nigeria Executive Dialogue in New York City with the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, accompanied by the commendation of USAfBC Board Chair company, PepsiCo.

The US Chamber of Commerce’s US-Africa Business Centre has announced Flutterwave as the new Vice-Chair of the US-Africa Business Centre board of directors, represented by the company’s Founder and CEO, Olugbenga Agboola. This announcement was made in the US-Nigeria Executive Dialogue in New York City with the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, accompanied by the commendation of USAfBC Board Chair company, PepsiCo.

Flutterwave is the leading payments technology company that enables businesses across the world to expand their operations in Africa and other emerging markets through a platform that enables local and cross-border transactions via one Application Programming Interface (API). It has processed over 630million transactions in excess of USD $31billion and serves more than 1.5million businesses, including customers like Uber, Air Peace, Bamboo, Piggyvest, and others.

The company was founded by Mr Agboola, who is the CEO. A serial entrepreneur, Mr Agboola, who is popularly known as GB, has over 18 years of experience in building scalable financial technology solutions, with two exits under his belt. In October 2022, he was conferred with the Nigerian national honour as Officer of the Order of the Niger by President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Agboola is a recent graduate of the illustrious Advanced Management Programme of the Columbia Business School.

“Flutterwave is at the forefront of the digital revolution in Africa. Their leadership and vision in the digital economy sector exemplify why Africa is a key player in the global economic narrative. We are eager to explore Africa’s digital transformation and to advance the US-Nigeria business initiative announced at UNGA,” said the organisation.

The US Chamber of Commerce’s US-Africa Business Centre said that it connects with Flutterwave’s commitment to strengthening US and African relations, cultivating the ever-changing commercial links between the two and championing emerging technologies.

[yesact]

Prince-Origin

Ch4-The Hidden Truths-1

Prince, the unknown man, and his cat waited for the five individuals. Several minutes later, they arrived. This time, they didn't look like alien creatures; they appeared as ordinary humans, each exuding a unique aura.

The unknown man handed his cat to one of the newcomers. "Let's start our introductions," he said. "My name is Grein, and this is my cat, Snvy, from Planet Rumhei. The elder person you met earlier was Ideyl from the moon Cryos. Twel and Sako are also from the same moon, and the last one is Genep from Tr..."

"Wait, we'll continue this later," Genep interrupted. "We should have this conversation inside, where we can talk freely."

Grein agreed, and they walked toward a small wooden house. From the outside, it appeared modest, but inside, it was entirely different. The interior had a modern look, with advanced technology seamlessly integrated into the design.

Prince was taken aback but remained silent. His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the surroundings.

Twel smiled and said, "The things you can see can be virtual, and the things you can't see can be real in this place."

They all sat around a round table. Grein took out a display panel showing an image of ten different universes.

"Prince," Grein began, "you might be wondering why I disguised myself as your classmate. I needed to keep an eye on you closely. We all did."

Prince's brow furrowed, but he didn't speak.

Grein continued, "There are ten planets from ten different universes interconnected in some way. The multiverse is linked, and I've named these planets: 1. Zureryo, where you live, 2. Evren, 3. Yernul, 4. Monoy, 5. Trgao, 6. Vami, 7. Rumhei, 8. Suya, 9. Deiro, and 10. Haikom. Something unnatural is happening, and it all started with a creature from the moon of Jery, the largest planet in Zureryo's solar system. Cryos, another moon of Jery, was destroyed by this creature."

Prince's eyes widened even more, a mix of confusion and curiosity evident in his expression.

Grein paused, studying Prince's reaction. "Before I tell you more about this creature, you need to know that you and I were reincarnated. The soul of King Savue of Planet Jery was divided into ten parts during his death. It's a long story, but what's important now is that King Savue's soul gave birth to Yaduro and his brother. Yaduro is causing disturbances everywhere and won't stop until he reaches SERY."

Prince struggled to process this information, his silence reflecting his inner turmoil.

"We need you," Grein said earnestly. "To maintain balance, stability, and peace, we need you to join us."

Prince felt a surge of emotions—fear, disbelief, and a hint of hope. Despite his confusion and fear, he felt a strange sense of belonging. Maybe, just maybe, he had found his purpose.

Author's Note:

The fourth chapter unveils the broader conflict and the cosmic connections between the universes, setting the stage for Prince's deeper involvement in the battle against Yaduro. As the story progresses, Prince's transformation from a lost individual to a key player in the cosmic struggle will be explored, adding layers to his character and the overall narrative. Stay tuned as the tale delves into the mysteries of SERY and the true nature of the multiverse.

[fmpfinnm]

The Story Of King Midas & Possible Themes

The story of King Midas is a classic Greek myth that revolves around the consequences of a wish for the golden touch. King Midas, a wealthy and powerful ruler, helped the drunken Silenus, a follower of the god Dionysus. In gratitude, Dionysus offered Midas a reward, and the king wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Initially delighted with his newfound ability, Midas soon realized the drawbacks as he turned his beloved daughter, food, and even water into gold.

Overwhelmed by the unintended consequences of his wish, Midas pleaded with Dionysus to reverse it. The god instructed him to wash in the river Pactolus to remove the golden touch. Midas followed the advice, and his touch returned to normal.

The story of King Midas offers several themes that could serve as inspiration for a game, this could go further than just directly linked to the story, as these can be expanded on and inference can go further from just the story directly,

Consequences of Greed: The central theme of King Midas revolves around the consequences of greed. A game could explore unchecked ambition and the impact it has on the protagonist and their surroundings.

Value of Relationships: King Midas' realization that his golden touch alienated him from his loved ones emphasizes the importance of relationships over material wealth. A game could focus on the value of connections, forcing players to make choices that balance personal gain with the well-being of their characters' relationships.

Redemption and Second Chances: The story of King Midas also features a redemption arc, as he seeks to undo the damage caused by his wish. A game could explore themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the pursuit of a second chance, allowing players to navigate a character's journey towards self-discovery and positive change.

Power and Responsibility: Midas' wish for the golden touch highlights the concept that great power comes with great responsibility. A game could delve into the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities associated with possessing extraordinary abilities, challenging players to make choices that have far-reaching consequences.

Divine Intervention: The involvement of the god Dionysus in the story introduces the theme of divine intervention. A game could incorporate elements of mythology, where gods or supernatural forces play a significant role in shaping the narrative and influencing the characters' fates.

Isolation and Loneliness: The game could delve deeply into the emotional toll of King Midas' isolation resulting from his golden touch. Players may experience the profound loneliness that arises when material wealth takes precedence over meaningful connections, highlighting the human need for companionship and genuine relationships.

The Quest for True Value: Characters in the game might embark on a transformative journey, seeking to understand the deeper meaning of wealth. This theme could explore the contrast between material possessions and intangible values, challenging players to reflect on what truly brings fulfillment and purpose to their characters' lives.

Sacrifice and Selflessness: The narrative could revolve around characters making difficult choices that require sacrificing personal gain for the greater good. Players might navigate moral dilemmas that emphasize the importance of selflessness, portraying the profound impact such decisions can have on both individuals and society.

Legacy and Impact: The game might focus on the concept of legacy, allowing players to shape the lasting impact their characters leave on the world. Through choices and actions, characters can build a legacy that extends beyond material wealth, exploring the idea that true significance comes from contributing positively to the world.

The Price of Vanity: Vanity could be a central theme, with characters grappling with the consequences of excessive pride and the pursuit of external validation. The game might depict the downfall that accompanies a relentless quest for admiration, encouraging players to reflect on the balance between self-worth and the perception of others.