#he would take so much joy in finding a cat ver of himself

[moomoomooing]

jy sillies keep me sane

[mrpenguinpants]

Childe: First Kiss HCs

I tend to make things gender neutral by not putting in pronouns and just using “you” but you can definitely read this as female^^ But I completely agree, I love this boy so much. He’s my favourite character to play (im so sorry razor) until Xiao comes out. I literally have a genshin team named “waiting for xiao” and it’s just Childe and Zhongli haha. 

---

Today’s appreciation post goes to childes-starconch. Fitting that this is a Childe fic but ty for your support^^ I always notice you pop up as soon as I post a fic and I really enjoy seeing you. Hopefully you read this since tumblr won’t let me tag people, for whatever reason I don’t know anymore, but just saying hey, I see you 💕💕

---

I’m just gonna piggy back off my last Childe fic. I’m sorry. 

Semi Part 1:  Fiance HCs [honestly, one of my favourites haha] 

Xiao Ver:  First Kiss HCs

Venti & Kaeya: Mistletoe HCs

Venti, Xingqiu, and Razor: Kissing HCs

[Masterlist]

---

[taglist]  <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji​  @mikeysbike​ @unionwitch​ @musekala​ @twistedsunnshiii​ @stanzastic​ @akaasea​ @xoneaboveallx​ @adoring-ghost​ @asheseiler​ @childelover​@youaskedfurret​ @snowy224 

@youaskedfurret​ @diaxfeliz​ @wintergreen-aix​ @dandelily​ @thegayrubberducky​ @lovelykittycatmeow​ @yuunoagivesmelife​  @dokidokisama @simpygrimoire @minakohasmanyhusbandos​ @strwbrry-lia    @tigerpriestess 

For some reason I can’t @ certain people. I’m talking to tumblr about it. 

---

Childe: First Kiss HCs

Childe was never one to shy away from affection, be it holding your hand in his or wrapping an arm around you, he was always happy to be close to you. He was always a bit territorial which lead to some embarrassing situations for you but it was from a good place in his heart. But when it came to public kisses, he preferred to keep it between you two. It felt too private of a moment that he didn’t want to broadcast to the rest of the Fatui, especially to the other Harbingers. That is to say, if he actually kissed you in the first place. For all the two braincells Childe had, one was fighting and the other was protecting his loved ones, just imagining kissing you was too much for him and he needed to go find some poor recruit and beat his inner problems out. The Fatui recruitment process would always dwindled down during his inner turmoil sessions that Scaramouche himself, had to throw his goddamn hat at Tartaglia, and yell at him to hurry up and fix his problem. It was clogging up the air. 

When he tried to think about it, it shouldn’t be this hard to simply lean in for a kiss. But it was his first and while Childe might run into whatever danger or prospect of a fight without a second thought, he didn’t want to ruin it. What if he accidently bonked his forehead with yours? He should remove his mask then right? Just in case? He’s only given forehead and cheek kisses to his younger siblings so it should be the same right? Yeah he could do this, this was just another battle for Tartaglia to conquer! 

But whenever he would see you or you would both sit and bask in each other’s presences. He couldn’t bring himself to initiate something or heck, even looking at your face made him a bit hot under the collar in sub-zero temperatures. He can almost hear Scaramouche and Signora laughing maniacally at him behind their hands. He’s the youngest of the Harbingers, he should get a “get out of jail for free” card that all youngest children have whenever they get into trouble. But in this case it’s murder. He quickly slaps his cheeks to get his mind off fighting for one second which startles you beside him. 

The first time you’ve seen Childe shy was when he first confessed to you, stuttering that he liked you and just really badly wanted to hold your hand without using the frost of Sneznaya as an excuse. You flushed pink but nodded that you returned his feeling and slipped your hand in his. Whatever shyness Childe had was quickly wiped off his face and he cheered and brought you in for an eskimo kiss. Rubbing your nose with his as he laughed in joy, the tips of his ears and cheeks still coloured pink. You always hold that memory dear to your heart because not only was it the start of your relationship, it was the first time you felt you were staring at Ajax. Not Childe. Not Tartaglia. Just Ajax. 

But now, you’re not to sure what to call this. Lately he seemed to be out of it, always staring off into space or frowning at some poor poor snowmen that did not deserve that much pressure.  Was being a harbinger starting to take it’s toll on him? Did something terrible happen to his family or was the Tsaritsa being too hard on him? You were beginning to get concerned because you’ve never seen this much mental turmoil in him. This never really happened before and he usually bounced back pretty fast. Would it be better if you left him be and he sorted it out himself? Would it be better if you asked? 

Childe is startled out of his thoughts of possible committed murder because he’s too scared to ask his own partner if kissing was something they could do, when he felt your hand slowly nudge his. No matter how many times he holds your hand, you’re always warm. It could be snow storming outside and the only heater he would need would be you. He offers a small but warm smile as he laces his fingers with yours. He remembers when you first started going out he was so scared about boundaries and what was okay. Brushing your fingers together and overall, not doing a good job at saying he wanted to hold hands that even he cringes slightly at his younger self - even though it wasn’t that long ago and he’s doing it again just with kisses - but now he borderline clings to you like some overgrown animal. Scaramouche’s words, not his. 

It’s still evening in Snezhnaya and the Tsaritsa herself seems to be taking a vacation because there’s only a light snow falling down between the two of you. You’re both sitting outside his house while his family is inside, warm and having fun playing games. He breathes in, closes his eyes, and let’s the world fade away just a second. He slowly brings his other hand to cup your cheek, his hands are always numb and the tiny pin pricks are dancing on his fingers again before they fade away too, and guides you towards him so he can place a small kiss on your fore head. Then tilts your face to the side so he can kiss your cheek. Brings his nose near yours to nuzzle against. Then hesitates when his lips hover above yours. 

“Ajax is there something bothering you?” you ask softly, you’re so close to each other that all you can see is him. The small puffs of breathe you both take bounce off each other’s face before evaporating into the air. You never really took the time to appreciate Ajax’s bright blue eyes. His pupil from this distance seems to be slitted too. 

“Hm? Ah no, of course not. Where did you get that idea?” he tries to laugh it off and tries to move back before you quickly bring your hand to the back of his head and nudge him forward so he stays in place. It wasn’t like him to run away from something, it was really starting to bother you what could get Ajax of all people to retreat from something. 

“You know if there’s anything that’s bothering you, you can talk to me right?” you asked as you brought both your hands to cup his face as you softly rubbed circles just under his ear. He closed his eyes and hmmed happily at your actions and nuzzled further into your hand before turning his head inward to kiss your palm. Before relaxing and parting his eyelids half way as he seemed to be back in concentration mode. Before awkwardly saying what was troubling him these past few days. 

“So wait, you mean to tell me that this entire time I was worried about you. How out of it you were and how many fights you’ve been getting into. Was because you wanted a kiss?” you asked dumfounded as he pouted but nodded. You sighed but bonked your foreheads together softly, “You’re such an idiot....C’mere.” 

“Wha-” 

You grab the scarf on his harbinger uniform and tug him forward as your lips slot over his. You kiss him hard and for a few seconds as Ajax just stares at you as his brain tries to catch up, before his eyes seem to dilate and he kisses you back just as hard. All his past worries are quickly thrown out the window as slowly pushes you on your back, cushioned by the soft snow, as he basks in the feeling. It’s a bit sloppy given this is both your first kisses but that’s what adds to the charm. You both have to separate at some point for oxygen but Childe looks like he’s ready to dive in again. 

“One more,” he pants as he goes in for another but you quickly place your hand in the way so he ends up kissing your palm. He whines but you chuckle at him, place a small kiss on the back of your palm of where his lips would be, and push him off you. You’re both still outside his families home and you aren’t in the mood to be caught in this kind of position. Especially not in front of his younger siblings. He rests his cheek on your shoulder and looks at you, trying to make his eyes bigger and look like a kicked puppy. You sigh as you give a small pet on his head, running your fingers through your hair. What a troublesome partner you’ve gotten. 

“Alright, one more.” 

---

My entire taglist was just made for the  “Enemies” to “Lovers” post and I still haven’t started hehe. Trust me, it’s coming. I’ve got requests for it and we’re slowly getting there. The entire time I’m writing this I’m just thinking “honey..no, that’s not how this works.” God you’re so dumb. I hate you. You’re my favourite character. Pour one out for Xiao, I was going to make this a crack fic too but ended up making it somewhat serious. 

So yeah, xiao is a cat and childe is a fox. In other news, water is wet. But I did actually google fox behaviors just for this shitpost. ALRIGHT TIME TO SPIN THE WHEEL OF “WILL TUMBLR BE NICE TO ME?” OR DO I NEED TO DOUBLE REPOST AGAIN. 

[empirexsin]

retrouvaille / @treebitched​

his life has been a journey that most people would gasp in disbelief, or simply not believe at all. he recalls being a small boy. guessing his age would be pointless, but he knows he still had some sense of innocence, idiocy, and ignorance about the world. the three i’s that seem to be the key to a blissful existence if they can be maintained. he liked pulling things apart - objects, and then, putting them back together again. it had started when he had broken his uncle’s camouflage-designed lighter. his uncle had always lied about how he had been a military man and fought in all kind of wars. the reality was, that he was a bum and had been in so much trouble with the law, that no good place of work would take him. and so, it seemed like being a fabricated veteran was a good enough excuse to tell people as to why he didn’t work. 

but max had known the lighter had meant a lot to him. as if it would continue this image he’d created of himself. and he knew, that if unfixed, his uncle would do what he often did - and often didn’t need an excuse for; violence. max had quite a knack for fixing things. his mother, a mentally ill, abused woman, had doted over max claiming that he’d be a doctor when he was older - a surgeon. but they had such little money for an education that the idea of such a profession seemed laughable. it was only when max got into computers that he’d earned enough money to buy himself into college. to sit among kids from hallmark happy families and middle-class upbringings. for a while, they seemed to look at max as if he were the token poor kid. it was only when he began to use his intelligence, to laugh in their faces at their mistakes, and use manipulation, that he won them over. charm, he’d learned, was a good way to lure people into false security. 

he’d fucked many women throughout college. he’d smile and they’d flock to him like geese after breadcrumbs. and becoming this heartless killing machine, max had learned more things about people. like how plants are more courageous than human beings: an orange tree would rather die than produce lemons whereas instead of dying, the average person would rather be someone they are not. it’s why he finds that when he kills, it’s merciful rather than cruel. people just don’t see it that way. far too weaved into sociological ideas of how society should be. but all of these unwritten rules are written by white men from the 1500s. and max could say a lot about that time in history. 

things had changed when he met willow. simple willow. blonde and stupid. he could have killed her. should have. didn’t. somehow along the way had found himself fascinated and infatuated with her. somewhere along the way, had become distant from her. if only because she had met another man. someone seemingly more trustworthy than max. more truthful in her eyes, but max thinks she only likes the truth when it’s said with flowers and soft-spoken words. not direct, harsh overtones. he hadn’t seen her since. a weird disappearance. nothing in the news. or the papers. no words were spoken about her on the street. just gone like a leaf being blown by the wind. you see it one moment and don’t think about it when it’s out of your eye line. 

but tonight he’d seen her. he was out of town. skipped town. hands in pockets on a cold night, in a big coat. the road is quiet. empty. he waits for the bus that comes every hour thirty. but he sees her, across the street, like some kitten that’s been dumped in a cardboard box by some lousy owner who can’t make a quick purchase on a dumb cat. and joy fills him. and aggression. he wants to hurt her with how overwhelmed he feels with this...happiness. psychologists will call it cute aggression, but they don’t understand how easy it would be for max to actually follow through with killing her right now. “ weepy, ” he calls as if he’s recalling a dog that has fetched a ball. “ don’t tell me this is where mister romantic has left you. this isn’t very paris ” 

[magistralucis]

18 for soft gop bromance, please! The usual (^_^;) Thank you, love you!!

18: Drinks on the patio/deck of your fave place // Gopnik AU Bromance (Soft ver.)

---------------

Louis was at his happiest in the evenings.

After sunset was when he worked at the restaurant. It was the last artifact of their previous life, now made safe through his efforts: he loved to cook, oversee the kitchen, weave gently through the conversations of the night. He had never felt more alive as when he was there, meeting and helping people. The restaurant healed him from the years he'd spent neglecting the goodness of human beings, and afterwards, healed his lover too. On summer evenings, when Mike was on break from university, they would step out the back and share drinks together. The nights were warm, and now and then a cat would come along, nudging insistently against his hand. Life was good.

Tonight, however, was special. Tonight they were awaiting not only customers, but precious guests. A table was prepared for them in the part of the patio usually sectioned off for reservations. The guests were coming straight from their travels, so presumably, they'd want to be - no, it was the polite thing to serve them right away. It was for that reason Mike and Louis were kept busy from early afternoon; Louis sank into a chair, and took a deep breath, as the hour of their arrival drew near.

It had been years since they'd last met.

Louis was elated this reunion was happening at last, though he was mildly nervous as to whether Vincent and Sebastian would be like he remembered. Whatever he felt, though, he knew Mike would be feeling in spades. Amidst table settings and special menus he refused to forget his lover, and the moment he caught sight of him, he called out: "A drink for you, Misha?"

Mike turned around. “A... pardon?”

He was dressed casually but handsomely, befitting his reputation as the best-looking man in Krasnodar (when he was around - as well as in Kaliningrad, of course, when he was around). Louis was enamoured. “Shall we have a drink before they get here? Just the two of us.”

Then, more softly: “It’s all right. You know no one can see us here.”

No one else was to be seated in this area that night. Only the two loving couples, if all went as intended. Mike smiled. His expression was still uncertain, but he took Louis’s offer and sat down opposite him. Two beers, chosen for their chill more than the flavour. They were silent for a while, sipping from tall glasses, ice clinking against the sides. Louis watched the foam subside in his glass for a moment before he spoke up again. “How are you feeling?”

Mike laughed slightly. “Nervous.”

He wouldn’t even have admitted to that, once upon a time. Louis was surprisingly relieved. In their old city, Mike had grown to see Sebastian and Vincent in a near paternal light, and he still felt that way most of the time: he was struggling with the impulse to seek their approval, to really show them he had improved as a human being. “Is that weird, Lyova?”

“Not at all. It’d be more unsettling if you weren’t nervous.” Louis shook his head. Condensation dripped down his hand and the summer breeze soon dried it away. “I feel the same, too. It’s the anticipation that kills, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed.” Then much to Louis’s surprise, Mike suddenly began speaking of the past. “I’ve been waiting for this moment since we settled in Krasnodar. Even when I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again, when all I had were my staff and my pigeons trailing behind me... I was always thinking of how I could thank them for all they’ve done. For being there for us before we left. We must have put them through so much, when we disappeared...”

He faltered, paused, then resumed again. His cool fingers laced between Louis’s own. “I feel I haven’t even paid back a hundredth of what they did for me. Letters and gifts only go so far from this distance. It feels as if I’ve been waiting for about fifty years to see them again - and now they actually are nearby, and I actually know how to show my gratitude - I’m, I’m so tense. I’m so excited I can hardly breathe. But I’m also equally worried I’m messing this up somehow.”

“Believe me, you’re doing incredible.” Louis was amazed: Mike very seldom talked about their past unless prompted, and even then, it was mostly in apologetic terms. This was the first time Louis had heard him actually analyze his feelings across a timeline, and admit to something that wasn’t guilt for once. “If you messed up at any point, which you didn’t, I did also. I mean, look at me: it’s not just you who’s got the tremors.”

He pointed below the table, where unnoticed by Mike, he’d been bouncing his leg restlessly throughout the entire conversation. A wry little smile returned to his lover’s face. “Besides, it’s not just the plan (whispered with a wink) that expresses our thanks. I think they’d be extremely proud of you if they heard what you said.”

“Do you think so?”

“Mm.” Louis clinked his glass against Mike’s own. It was already dark. Across the surface of their glasses darted pinprick reds and greens of the traffic across the road. “They helped give you back a life of excitement and you took it. Imagine returning to your garden after a long absence, and finding that a sprout you’d left behind had grown into a tree and was flowering.”

A quiet light entered Mike’s eyes. He did not comment more upon this, nor did he obviously take this as a sign of approval, but he didn’t need to. That look told Louis everything there was to know. A creak sounded several steps away. Someone was walking across the patio. Louis and Mike stood up in a hurry, just in time to see the figures of two men led by a cheerful young waiter. They turned the corner, entered the section - saw - and stopped.

One had vivid silver hair, star-bright beneath the restaurant’s lamps. The years had been kind to him; his brown eyes softened in laughter as soon as he saw the couple, and it was ever so familiar, the warmth in his expression. Beside him stood dark-haired Sebastian, his face exactly as piercing and pale as it had been when Mike had first met him. His first reaction was much like Mike’s own, disbelief followed by relentless joy - so relieved, and so overwhelming, that he literally didn’t know what to do with himself as they rushed to meet in the middle.

Louis felt his heart swell with warmth. That was pride, all right.

“Welcome, my friends!” He cried, laughing as Sebastian and Vincent nigh tackled the two of them into an embrace. “So many summers, so many winters! - Oh, I’ve missed you both so much!”

[tally-kiza]

Horrorswap and Horrorswapfell Headcanons

So I decided to make Horrorswap and Horrorswapfell headcanons. There’s not a lot of stuff out there for it, so I wanted to throw my hat into the ring, and see what I could come up with.

This isn’t typical scary Horrortale, btw. These are soft-Horrortale inspired by popatochisssp’s HT skeletons.

(this is slightly edited and revised as of 02/25/2020 so if things seem different than before, thats why)

Horrorswap Sans (Boston)

- The famine was particularly hard on him. Alphys’s abuse really injured his head, and combined with the effects of starvation, Sans was eventually diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. His brother was always so worried when Boston started spending days in bed or sprinting throughout the underground setting up violently painful puzzles and traps, shouting about humans, but having an explanation assuaged his worries a bit. At least then he knew how to help. 

- Speaking of Alphys, when Sans became captain of the Royal Guard and bore the brunt of her anger, it left permanent damage to his bones and teeth, leaving them cracked and crooked, with strange blood stains on them (his own marrow/blood, not a human’s).

- Despite everything, he's still Sans. He’s sunny, but less so than he use to be, and even when he’s feeling miserable, he tries his best to be friendly and cheerful. ...It’s difficult though. It’s so tempting sometimes to just curl up and forget about the world, but... even though he does do that occasionally, he never stays like that for long. He keeps going through the day, trying his best to live and forget about the past.

- On better days though, he can be pretty cheerful and friendly! He likes talking to other people and hearing what they have to say.

- Boston goes to therapy regularly to cope with his trauma. He tries to convince his brother to go too but Citrine’s been stubborn so far.

- During the famine, one of his favorite things to take his mind off the stress was creating things. Like drawing maps of what the stars in the sky look like, and designing diagrams of spaceships that he likes. Very space-oriented things usually, since he’s always loved it so much. It’s... very difficult to make these though most of the time. His concentration and focus is basically nonexistent when he’s starving, so he can mostly only create when he’s recently eaten. Making them is his favorite hobby on the surface.

- Adores farmers markets. There's so many possibilities! Buying cool new foods, selling the things he’s made, meeting and talking to cool new people! He loves them, they’re so fun.

- Uses the fruits from his brother’s gardens to make preserves! Saves jars of jams, jellies, and other preserves in the cabinets for whenever he needs to use them when he cooks. They’re delicious and he always has a lot of fun making them with his brother.

- Has a collection of lava lamps! They’re so satisfying and relaxing to watch. He loves them, and they always help him feel less stressed.

- Along that same vein, he likes stim videos! Pretty much all kinds of them. they’re very relaxing to him.

- He hates the silence... It reminds him so much of Snowdin during the famine. Cold, empty, devoid of life and joy... He cringes whenever there’s too long of a silence. Boston will almost always have some kind of noise on in the background, whether it be music or tv show or an audiobook. It really eases his fears.

- Stars, he loves food. So much. He loves watching stress-free cooking shows and learning new recipes to cook. Trying something new and making food for him and his brother is one of his favorite things. 

- Awkwardly genuine. He tries really hard to fit in on the surface and be a good person to make up for what he's done. Every so often he’ll say or do something really dark and completely forget he can’t do that anymore on the surface. Sans will berate himself really hard afterwards, so he really appreciates the reassurances he gets that it’s okay.

- Admittedly, he had lost hope of ever seeing the stars... He thought they’d be stuck underground, starving to death forever... But when he and the others emerged out of the Barrier in the middle of the night, he finally saw the infinite blanket of stars twinkling above them. He’s never been quite so happy in his whole life, as he collapsed on the ground and sobbed with the pure relief of finally being free and finally seeing the stars.

Horrorswap Papyrus (Citrine)

- After getting into a big fight with Alphys and interfering when she tried to hurt Sans, he ended up with a big bad hole in his skull. Sans had to use all the healing magic he could find to save him. When Citrine woke up, his skull was throbbing and he could barely remember what happened.

- Very apathetic at times. It’s hard to care about stuff when he’s stuck underground and feels like they’re going to die soon... It'll take a lot of years on the surface for him to be anywhere close to normal again. Also doesn't have the energy to be nice to people sometimes. So he just isolates himself and doesn’t interact with them.

- That being said, it is possible to befriend him. It’ll be a long journey but With the right circumstances and if you’re good to Boston, Citrine ends up being a pretty great friend.

- Pretty touch-repulsed unless he’s close with someone. After many years of being friends with them, he can be pretty cuddly. If you’re lucky, he’ll drape himself over you like a cat.

- Like the other lazybones, the hole in his skull gave him memory problems but not as severe as the others'. Still has all his long-term memory, he just forgets recent things (like where he put his keys) ver easily.

- Since he has no suckers to chew on during the famine, he chews on sticks as a replacement. It's left his teeth chipped and scraggly. He gets them fixed on the surface, and hoards all the suckers, honey, and pocky he can find.

- Loves plants. Has a mini garden on the surface. Grows his own food and everything. Boston is so supportive of him and helps him when he’s struggling with it.

- Probably has a slight case of osteoporosis? And maybe the other horror!skeletons would as well. So his spine is kinda bent, unfortunately. 

- Still really loves puns. Dark ones make him kind of uncomfortable (he doesn't like anything that reminds him of the underground) but his favorites are plant and music puns. They're perhaps the quickest way to get him to warm up to you.

- Still appreciates memes. Doesn’t outwardly show a positive reaction to them, but they make him chuckle inwardly. Will deadpannedly meme at you when you least expect it.

- Has an unfortunate case of MVRSF: Monotone Voice and Resting Stony Face.

- Pretends he’s fine when there’s clearly something wrong. Refuses to accept help and burden anyone. He just... doesn’t want to cause any more problems. He insists he’ll be alright....

- Stars, he just? loves Hozier’s music?? so much??? It’s so ethereal and chill and it always calms him down when he’s stressed. And music! Just music in general is his one true lomfve. He can’t get enough of it. Starts learning to play the kalimba on the surface. It has such a lovely sound. He’s a little rusty at it, but he tries hard. Hozier songs are his favorite songs to play on it.

Horrorswapfell Sans (Knox)

- Like Horrorfell Papyrus, after the famine began, he sobered up. Sans didn't have the time nor energy for all his usual grandiose. Like with all the Fell skeletons, he blames himself that the human killed so many people, and it's really taken a hit to his ego. His self-esteem is a lot lower than it used to be.

- Didn't take of any of Alphys's shit, and refused to let her abuse him. They fought quite a bit however, resulting in chipped misaligned teeth and long scars on his eyesocket and side of his face. The eyesocket with those scars lost its eyelight, so hes unfortunately blind in that socket now. Scraps with Snowdin-folk have left scars and marks all over his and body, but nothing too deep, luckily.

- An incredibly responsible and capable skeleton. Like, he gets shit done. Insanely productive at times with laser-like focus. He was basically the only reason his brother survived during the famine; Knox motivates Clover to get out of bed and live.

- Mildly paranoid on the surface. He's worried that something bad will happen and is lurking around the corner, so he's incredibly suspicious everything. Especially people he doesn’t know.

- In addition to being mildly paranoid, he also is easily stressed, and has anxiety and depression. He has... a lot on his plate, to say the least. The famine gave him a lot of trauma, but frequent therapy helps a lot, once he’s comfortable opening up to strangers. His brother Clover is a great help, he’s the most helpful, supportive brother and friend he could’ve asked for. 

- Oftentimes he wears a dark cloak that makes him look like the Grim Reaper. Enjoys scaring people with it and making them think he actually is the Grim Reaper. It’s one of the great joys he has in life.

- Favorite type of music is opera and classical. He likes how quickly it can go from soft and peaceful to fast and dramatic and dynamic.

- Secretly likes baking, especially baking cupcakes, but sshhhh! No one can know. ...Mostly just because he’s new to baking and not very great at it yet, so he’s self-conscious. But! He hopes knows he’s gonna be great at it someday. And his brother is always there to cheer him on and nom all the sweet treats happily.

- He's very sly. Makes the most subtle, hidden, and deady traps out of all the skeletons, and with his silvertongue can easily turn people's words against them. 

- But... once you have his trust and his friendship, he wouldn’t dream of doing that to you. Knox isn’t someone who takes friendship lightly, so he’d never dare manipulate your words or hurt you in any way.

- Also very formal and serious. Not much of a casual skeleton, and doesn’t like letting down his walls. It’s part of his distrustful nature. Makes him pretty difficult to befriend, honestly. But it is possible, in the right circumstances.

- Sans isn’t passionate for many things on the surface, but sewing is definitely one of them. He got into it when he was younger, and starting sewing and creating more during the famine like Boston to keep himself distracted when he wasn’t working or patrolling. He enjoys it so much on the surface, that he starts doing tailoring and sewing commissions. Probably even becomes a tailor or something similar eventually. Altering clothes is the one thing he feels like he hasn't failed at, so he likes it.

Horrorswapfell Papyrus (Clover)

- Animalistic. The famine probably hit him the hardest out of all of them, mentally at least. He started acting more and more dog-like over time. Nothing extreme, he just has bad habits that he’s picked up. Hostile and distant towards strangers, growling at people with too high LV, whining if you won't cuddle him. It's pretty cute tbh.

- Once hen him and Alphys got into a fight over Sans, she threw her axe at him, and left a pretty big cracked hole in his skull. When Sans saved him with the DT, one of his eyelights became enlarged and beaming red. The other eye "overloaded” in a way from the influx of magic so it became basically unusable. Even though there’s no physical damage to it, keeping it uncovered hurts sometimes so he keeps an eyepatch over it.

- Wears beanie hats! Clover’s self-conscious about his crack, so he covers it with adorable beanie hats. He has a whole collection of them of many different types. He also likes how they make him feel cute.

- His slitted pupils make him look so adorable when they dilate when he's excited.

- Basically a cat. Drapes on top of his s/o for cuddles. Naps in the sunbeams. Complains when you don't pay attention to him. Kills pests for you. Just a 7 foot tall teddy bear kitty skeleton ;w;

- Looooves chicken nuggets. They’re his favorite food and nomming them after a bad day always makes him feel better <33. Calls them chimken nuggies.

- Also loves love songs! Especially the soft and sweet and heartfelt ones. They're so nice and calming to listen to. He really likes to hum along to them when he's drawing.

- Pretty quiet. He didn't talk a lot underground so as to not draw attention, so he rarely talks anymore. Doesn’t speak much around people he doesn’t know in public, but in private with people he’s close too he’s more comfortable talking. When Papyrus does talk, it's rather slow and his voice cracks occasionally.

-  Before the famine, Clover ate hard candies. But after he ran out of candies when the famine started, he wanted to have the same sensation so he started chewing on sticks and pebbles. It's left his fangs misaligned and cracked. They're partially repaired on the surface, but there wasn't a lot the dentist could do. So he just replaced them with more gold teeth. He has four now, instead of one.

- Has a panic disorder. He's terrified of going back underground. Only his brother and his s/o can calm him down from his panic attacks. Also has generalized anxiety. If he’s in front of strangers, he’ll try to hide it with aggression out of fear of looking weak.

- Papyrus used to love reading, but after his head wound, it was difficult to concentrate and understand what he was reading. So he stopped. But on the surface, he discovered the magic of audiobooks and uses them all the time! He can often be found wearing headphones listening to audiobooks in the background.

- Him and Knox eventually get two sweet darling therapy cats. They’re the most helpful nicest floofs he’s ever known and he loves them to bits. The cats are incredibly sweet and helpful when the skellies are having a bad day, and always makes them feel so much better.

- Works as a commission artist when he gets to the surface! He tried other jobs before, but they were always so stressful so he never worked there for long. He never lost his passion for making art during the famine, even though remembering how to was difficult sometimes. But once he relearns all his skills again, he loves working from home as an artist. It's the best job he could've ever asked for.

-He’s just Babey. A wonderfully sweet, wholesome, precious babey skellie ;w;

[sullen-defiance]

Captain Marvel summary and review- Spoilers

Captain Marvel as a movie had a lot of expectations going for it. The problem is it can’t just be fine, it has to be great to justify itself and that sucks.

The first half was...okay. The part with the 90′s was less than what was expected by the built up hype. We get blockbuster, radio shack, one of those coin operated phone booths and I think that’s it. It’s less epic than what I was expecting, and that’s fine!

I have not read the comics for this character apart from a few pages floating around. I do know some of her backstory though. The dad, the brothers...interestingly almost none of this is in the movie. The clips of her childhood in the movie are all that is. It’s a kinda montage. I wish we had gotten 10-20 minutes at the beginning of the movie that detailed her childhood.

Instead it starts off with her in the kree world with her memory lost, she doesn’t know herself and unfortunately nor do we. As the movie progresses, she starts remembering but we don’t get much of an inside look (if that makes sense). It would work in a book format, not so much for a movie, much less an action adventure.

In the kree world, Carol is known as Vers, (from Danvers). She has powers, but weirdly her mentor insists on her fighting without them. He also tells her she has to suppress her feelings to be a great warrior and she takes it as well as Anakin Skywalker. She then meets the Supreme Intelligence of the kree ppl, whose true form nobody knows, they appear instead as the opposite person’s most admired figure. So, a reverse boggart?

Jude Law also tells Carol he wants her to be her best self and that sent me screaming to You, it was not a good comparison.

The higher powers approve her going into combat, so this is her first mission, in 6 years? A little back and forth between her and the Supreme Intelligence, she can;t remember who she’s speaking to, even if its supposed to be the person she most admires. At the mission, more back and forth between the team, this time more humorous. Carol seems the outsider and we later find out why. The entire team knows more about her than she does, and they’re hiding it from her.

The mission to rescue a spy goes awry, its a trap, they capture Carol who the trap is actually for. A memory device pokes at her brain and spills montages left and right. Carol wakes up, kicks ass and crash lands on CR-45 (?) which its inhabitants know as earth. The memory spills include one of a Dr Lawson, who Carol sees the higher beings as. The kree want this doctor. She spills all to Jude Law who tells her to sit tight.

She does not sit tight.

Carol and Fury reenact the buddy cop movies of the 90s, and team up after Fury sees the Skrulls with his own eyes morphing into Coulson. Fury is basically a baby in this, since when his boss tells him, over the dissected body of not!coulson to keep this to himself and not to involve any other shield employee, Fury agrees. Has he not watched any 90s movie? He was in half of them!

They end up causing chaos in the air force hanger and find valuable clues to Dr Wendy Lawson and Vers’s past. After new recruit real!Coulson lets them go, they buddy cop over to Maria, Carol’s bestest. It explains why Coulson and Fury are so close. Coulson earned Fury’s trust a long time ago. Maria gives an infodump on Carol’s past and her last day on earth. Lawson, one day, was frantic and said lives were at stake and her prototype plane had to take off now. Carol insists on flying it. That’s all they know until the Skrulls turn up. Talos, Head Skrull, gives her a peace offering, the black box of her crash.

Voice box recording turns into flashback. Lawson was actually a kree who defected. She was working on a new fast type of plane powered by the tessaract, which was picked up by Howard Stark at the end of CA:TFA. It turns out the Kree are the bad guys while the skrulls are the good guys?! wtf? This was kinda a weird choice. I kept waiting for the skrulls to turn around and say sike! we’re the bad guys too! So the skrulls are the good guys in the movieverse? I know there are some good skrulls in comics, but they are really rare. The kree attack Lawson and they crash. She bleeds blue and insists on destroying the engine. Before she can do that, Jude Law shoots her, Carol shoots the engine and absorbs the energy. The Starforce team kidnap Carol.

Fury is still suspicious and threatens Talos with the cat, which will follow them hither, thither and yon. Talos claims it is actually a Flerken. They head to Lawson’s secret headquarters, which is orbiting earth, and is host to skrull refugees. Lawson was building her superfast plane for the skrulls, so they could go far away where the kree could not reach them and settle on a new planet. Carol, charmed by mini-skrulls, swears to help.

Goose, the cat, the flerken actually, SWALLOWS the tessaract by i shit you not using the octopus tentacles that come out of his/her mouth. Dr Lawson had strange taste in pets. Now it makes me sad, to think of the flerken left alone after Lawson dies and Carol disappears. No wonder she keeps following Carol. After I finish this I have to go cuddle my cat.

Jude and the Starforce show up and ruin things as usual. They capture everyone and tie Carol up fifty shades style and the Supreme Intelligence taunts her, saying Carol’s emotions are still holding her back. This is when Carol goes into kickass mode and wipes the floor with everyone. Goose...swallows some people. I don’t want to talk about it. Maria flies the rest of them to safety and kree forces gather at earths atmosphere and attack. Carol kicks their ass too and promises Thranduil that she’ll come for the rest of them. They leave. Carol puts Jude Law back in his place, it is so satisfying.

Fury learns what happens when you give too much attention t a cat when it does not want to be touched. I would not survive if I had a flerken. It is hilarious though that all those shitposts and memes and other posts of Fury and Goose and Fury’s eye are now canon. Carol leaves with the skrulls to find them a new home and gives Fury back his updated pager. Fury starts typing up his Avengers manifesto v1.

So, the second half of the movie was when it really hits its stride. Carol really settles into herself then, and there’s definitely a change in her. Her sense of humour also reminds me of Tony Stark and it would be a joy to see them interacting in Endgame, but I doubt they’d give Tony’s character that.

The two main drawbacks were lack of attention on her childhood and youth, which is only hinted at and the lack of introspection. There are no quiet moments where they focus on her emotions, so we get to know her and how she’s really feeling. The only facets of her you see are wisecracking, kicking everyone’s ass and memory loss angst. You don’t even see her ptsd, it doesn’t really touch her. It could just be first movie problems. The second movie, or subsequent avenger v2 movies could address this.

Everything else was great, I particularly loved the credits, Marvel has been pushing them to an art form lately and CM’s is really epic.

POST CREDIT SCENES

MID: Present day Avengers Compound. We see some numbers first, Tony’s holographic screens are up and the news is not good. The numbers missing is devastating. Camera moves to bearded Steve in a white tshirt looking delicious and Natasha standing around the holographs. Steve says, “This is a nightmare.” Nat says something like i’ve never had a nightmare like this before. Rhodey enters and says the pager turned off. They rush there, Bruce is there too. They troubleshoot a little and Nat orders it be turned on and new developments reported to her. She turns around and Carol is there. Its a bit like a horror movie scene to be honest.

END: Goose vomits out the tessaract.

[takenews-blog1]

Breath of the Wild’s implausible life classes for teenagers

New Post has been published on https://takenews.net/breath-of-the-wilds-implausible-life-classes-for-teenagers/

Breath of the Wild’s implausible life classes for teenagers

One of many joys of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the way it’s created a brand new connection between me and my seven-year-old son. He’s sunk himself into this recreation, and shares with me all his achievements and discoveries. After I lastly pry the controller from his palms in order that I can play, he cuddles up shut and provides recommendation.

Zelda is a brand new playground during which he and I can get pleasure from each other’s firm. Nevertheless it’s additionally a spot he visits alone, during which he discovers classes which might be related and helpful outdoors the confines of the sport’s world.

Many video games — from narrative adventures to first-person shooters — provide helpful classes about ourselves and the lives we lead. I’m not arguing that this recreation is the one one which we will be taught from. However Breath of the Wild’s richness, its heritage of Nintendo’s mission of discovery and surprise, makes it a herald for all video games which have one thing helpful to show children. This recreation has a lot to say in regards to the world that I take into account it a priceless addition to my little one’s schooling.

(I don’t love the truth that, like so many video games, Breath of the Wild that success comes by way of violence towards, on this case, monsters. However within the context of a dangerous recreation towards an evil drive, one during which fight isn’t the central exercise, I can reside with this.)

So, listed here are 10 constructive classes I really feel the sport can train youngsters and adults.

Position-playing video games are all about making the fitting selections within the second. Often this can be a matter of deciding whether or not to assault or retreat, whether or not to take the simple path or the robust one, whether or not to put money into defensive armor or aggressive weaponry.

These combat-related selections are all a part of Breath of the Wild’s cloth too, however its design turns nearly each act into an train in widespread sense. Merely being is a process that requires selections.

After I need Hyperlink to hunker down for the night time, I gentle a hearth. This requires wooden and flint, and a location away from dry, flamable grass. After I’m close to wild horses, I have to train warning, particularly after I’m behind them. After I stroll by way of a lightning storm, I have to stow away steel objects. After I swim and climb, I have to decide distances prematurely, lest I endanger myself by working out of vitality.

This isn’t about realism. Breath of the Wild is a fantasy. In actual life, we will’t revive ourselves within the midst of a battle by consuming a pleasant fish supper. Few of us personal paragliders to avoid wasting us from excessive falls.

However these mini-challenges are additionally greater than recreation mechanics, levered in to create challenges or the phantasm of realism. They symbolize a sub-narrative about how the hero Hyperlink is mortal, like the remainder of us, and should take care of himself in regular, humdrum methods. (Though I kinda want he’d brush his tooth at night time.)

The preservation of self in a harmful world is essentially the most pressing lesson that we train our children. Breath of the Wild does job of simulating that lesson in a means that feels natural and true, moderately than merely being a set of recreation guidelines separate from the actual world.

The final recreation my child actually loved was Knack 2. It’s set in an analogous world as Breath of the Wild, filled with monsters and historic lore. However Knack 2’s story and motion draw a straight line by way of a collection of set encounters and challenges. There’s little trigger to go wandering off, poking by way of the foliage only for the enjoyable of it.

Hyperlink is all about wandering off. If this recreation has a central mechanic, it’s to take a look at issues. Shiny gew-gews sparkle within the lengthy grass, demanding to be inspected and picked up.

However the actual finds are atop innocuous hillocks or deep in ponds. When my little one performs, he usually diverges from his process or from the story, simply to see what’s round that nook.

Breath of the Wild is salted with so many pleasant little discoveries. That is the lesson I would like my little one to be taught: that there’s at all times one thing else to hunt and discover, and that curiosity is a ability value growing, as a result of it results in surprise and to happiness.

When he started taking part in, my son would rush into battle, firing off arrows on the monsters with a purpose to weaken them. Then he’d swing his sword round till he’d killed all of the unhealthy guys.

Breath of the Wild doesn’t punish him for taking part in on this crude means. If his weapons break or he spends all his arrows, he can often discover extra. However he quickly discovered that there are smarter methods to attain his objectives.

He has a limiteless provide of bombs. He could make use of topographical options, like hills, to finest his enemies. He has different magical powers, reminiscent of turning water into ice and controlling steel objects.

Briefly, he realized that there’s multiple solution to pores and skin a cat, that there are often non-obvious (and higher) methods to attain our objectives. As a dad or mum, that is much more satisfying than watching your child determine The One Method to victory.

Most youngsters are credited with vivid imaginations, permitting them to conjure colourful play eventualities from sticks and bricks. However adaptability is a model of creativeness that’s helpful all through life.

Breath of the Wild’s broad vary of things, abilities and actions encourages gamers to attempt unlikely new approaches. And there are few higher emotions than manipulating this world in shocking methods.

In most RPGs, success depends on planning. We degree up by way of a numerical system with a purpose to face ever extra harmful foes. Breath of the Wild isn’t any completely different, although with vital variations.

Hyperlink himself doesn’t change into extra numerically highly effective by way of the sport. He seeks extra highly effective weapons and clothes. He will increase his capability to maintain harm. However there isn’t a degree 50 Hyperlink.

The weapons themselves are available in numerous shades of fragility. There are some wonderful swords available, however nearly all of them will break ultimately.

And so, earlier than embarking on large challenges, cautious preparation is critical. Breath of the Wild swings between ranging world wide looking for weapons, foodstuffs, gadgets and diving into main fight eventualities towards large bosses.

This vary throws in robust selections. Will this nest of monsters value me greater than it is going to achieve me in loot? Does this stretch of nation include the issues I would like most, or the issues I would like least?

Youngsters are, usually talking, not nice at determining what they’re going to want prematurely. Breath of the Wild teaches them that each one challenges require cautious and thought of preparation.

Breath of the Wild is jammed with humorous, annoying, foolish, pompous, devious, flirtatious, difficult, needy folks.

The sport excels at making a forged of people that have their very own wishes and desires. From Prince Sidon to Riju, from King Bosphoramos to Impa, these are all of us who’re dwelling their very own lives, who really feel as in the event that they’ve been right here earlier than we confirmed up and can stay lengthy after we’ve moved on.

I feel it’s value stating that video games at the moment are getting higher at introducing us to characters that really feel like they exist in their very own proper, versus being there fully for the participant’s profit. However too many recreation tales are nonetheless reliant on the concept that the one one who issues is the participant, and that each interplay is about them, and solely them.

It’s tough for youngsters to know that the world doesn’t actually revolve round them, however I’ll be pleased if my children can be taught this lesson earlier than they attain maturity. Breath of the Wild helps train this lesson by way of nice storytelling.

This lesson is said to curiosity and adaptableness, however I need to separate it out in reference to cooking.

In Breath of the Wild, gamers accumulate a variety of elements that can be utilized to create dishes or elixirs which might be higher than the sum of their components, providing vitality and boosts. Mixing and matching elements is a type of mini-game in its personal proper.

I’ve discovered that standing by a cooking pot and throwing in unusual mixtures could be a actually good solution to de-stress.

My son views cooking as extra like opening a Christmas cracker. He loves to combine it up in unusual methods, simply to see what comes out. Good mixtures yield particular boosts to protection, pace, sturdiness and extra. Consuming the fitting meal on the proper time is critical enterprise.

I get pleasure from watching my little one’s delight as he creates one thing that he thinks is fully new and his. It’s a bit like Minecraft, besides it takes place in a frying pan.

Little doubt, my son’s journey by way of life gained’t be a lot enhanced by understanding find out how to combine a Bokoblin horn with a summerwing butterfly, however this degree of experimentation is a lot extra priceless than following particular directions.

It additionally acts as a type of reminiscence recreation. When he’s ranging round, he’s continuously matching the stuff he finds with the stuff he thinks he may want.

Most of my enthusiasm for Breath of the Wild is rooted in its openness, its willingness to let gamers discover their very own means by way of its world. There may be one space although, the place particular options are often (although not at all times) the norm: shrines.

These are sometimes logic puzzles that require the participant to make use of varied powers, reminiscent of the flexibility to cease a particular merchandise in time. They’re particular person mysteries, often bodily, that tax our problem-solving mind cells.

Shrines require that we be taught their underlying techniques by way of trial and error, lastly coming to some realization and understanding of the answer.

What I really like about them particularly is watching my little one undergo a puzzle that I’ve beforehand solved, as he works his means towards the answer in a lot the identical means I did. Certain, he takes some daft unsuitable turns, however then, so do I.

Good video games make us really feel sensible, however I consider in addition they train some a part of us that makes us smarter. The schoolteachers I do know don’t have the assets to arrange difficult logic puzzles for his or her college students to resolve. However Nintendo does, and on this recreation, the chance has not been squandered.

As talked about earlier than, the weapons in Breath of the Wild are usually not for retains. They break. They’re additionally of considerably completely different energy ranges, and so it’s common to enter a battle with one sword that’s utterly badass, in addition to a couple of that can break after a couple of strikes.

This provides up the selection of whether or not to sacrifice the numerous, or to utilize the most effective, counting on one other excessive worth windfall within the close to future.

Nevertheless it additionally teaches the lesson that issues break and should be changed, that the wielding of one thing can also be hastening its finish as a factor of use.

We reside in an age of deplorable waste. Every little thing is throwaway. Breath of the Wild replicates this by making its weapons disposable, but it surely additionally cautions that waste has a worth.

In the long run, my child favors retaining his finest weapons for so long as doable, even when that makes him weaker in short-term encounters with enemies. This appears to me to be a sensible selection.

A number of weeks in the past, Jess Joho wrote a narrative for us in regards to the significance of recreation designers treating animals like people, moderately than as mere instruments. I considered this whereas taking part in Breath of the Wild.

It’s true that lots of the creatures on this world are mainly meals. I see a crane. I shoot it. It turns into an ingredient. However the animals have their very own lives and their very own will to outlive. If the crane senses a hunter within the space, it is going to flee.

Killing creatures isn’t very animal-friendly, however Hyperlink resides as a hunter-gatherer, whose solely real looking supply of meals is within the wild. That mentioned, there are alternate options to meat, fish and poultry. It’s doable to play a vegetarian route.

Extra attention-grabbing is Hyperlink’s relationship to horses. He can mount a horse by sneaking up quietly and leaping aboard. However wild horses worth their liberty, and so will buck towards the indignity of a rider. Even essentially the most placid horse will steer in its personal path, a minimum of till it’s been calmed with soothing actions or with meals.

If I go away a horse to go wandering round by myself, it is going to quickly be by itself means, except it’s actually change into part of Hyperlink’s life.

Likewise, being good to canine, aside from being its personal reward, additionally yields treasure.

Briefly, Breath of the Wild carries the lesson that animals are helpful to us, however that isn’t their main perform on the planet, and it’s definitely not how they see themselves.

None of my children are notably affected person, and that is very true of my seven-year-old. With most video games, if he comes throughout an issue he actually can’t remedy, he’ll ask me to do it for him.

This isn’t the case with Breath of the Wild. If he can’t resolve an issue, he simply goes off and finds one other a part of the world to discover. His failure isn’t any large deal. He can return later, when he has extra abilities or extra assets, or when he’s simply had an opportunity to consider the issue.

I don’t know if that is a lot a lesson in endurance as it’s the form of good recreation design that retains gamers taking part in. For Nintendo, all of it quantities to the identical factor, tipping the stability between curiosity and ennui.

My son often stops taking part in a recreation after about an hour, tops, with a purpose to discover one thing else to do. However he performs Breath of the Wild for means longer stretches.

For me, an enormous pleasure I get from watching him play is that I’m watching him play. Usually, I worth real-world play as extra worthwhile and helpful than taking part in video gams, which are sometimes scripted and lightweight on studying. Breath of the Wild is an exception. It’s a world during which I really feel comfy that my son is entertained and extracting actual worth, even when he doesn’t understand it himself.

I’ve many pals who’re dad and mom. Most of them are involved in regards to the period of time their children spend with video games. Breath of the Wild definitely gained’t repair that for them, however I consider it is going to add extra worth to taking part in time.

[takenews-blog1]

Breath of the Wild’s implausible life classes for teenagers

New Post has been published on https://takenews.net/breath-of-the-wilds-implausible-life-classes-for-teenagers/

Breath of the Wild’s implausible life classes for teenagers

One of many joys of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the way it’s created a brand new connection between me and my seven-year-old son. He’s sunk himself into this recreation, and shares with me all his achievements and discoveries. After I lastly pry the controller from his palms in order that I can play, he cuddles up shut and provides recommendation.

Zelda is a brand new playground during which he and I can get pleasure from each other’s firm. Nevertheless it’s additionally a spot he visits alone, during which he discovers classes which might be related and helpful outdoors the confines of the sport’s world.

Many video games — from narrative adventures to first-person shooters — provide helpful classes about ourselves and the lives we lead. I’m not arguing that this recreation is the one one which we will be taught from. However Breath of the Wild’s richness, its heritage of Nintendo’s mission of discovery and surprise, makes it a herald for all video games which have one thing helpful to show children. This recreation has a lot to say in regards to the world that I take into account it a priceless addition to my little one’s schooling.

(I don’t love the truth that, like so many video games, Breath of the Wild that success comes by way of violence towards, on this case, monsters. However within the context of a dangerous recreation towards an evil drive, one during which fight isn’t the central exercise, I can reside with this.)

So, listed here are 10 constructive classes I really feel the sport can train youngsters and adults.

Position-playing video games are all about making the fitting selections within the second. Often this can be a matter of deciding whether or not to assault or retreat, whether or not to take the simple path or the robust one, whether or not to put money into defensive armor or aggressive weaponry.

These combat-related selections are all a part of Breath of the Wild’s cloth too, however its design turns nearly each act into an train in widespread sense. Merely being is a process that requires selections.

After I need Hyperlink to hunker down for the night time, I gentle a hearth. This requires wooden and flint, and a location away from dry, flamable grass. After I’m close to wild horses, I have to train warning, particularly after I’m behind them. After I stroll by way of a lightning storm, I have to stow away steel objects. After I swim and climb, I have to decide distances prematurely, lest I endanger myself by working out of vitality.

This isn’t about realism. Breath of the Wild is a fantasy. In actual life, we will’t revive ourselves within the midst of a battle by consuming a pleasant fish supper. Few of us personal paragliders to avoid wasting us from excessive falls.

However these mini-challenges are additionally greater than recreation mechanics, levered in to create challenges or the phantasm of realism. They symbolize a sub-narrative about how the hero Hyperlink is mortal, like the remainder of us, and should take care of himself in regular, humdrum methods. (Though I kinda want he’d brush his tooth at night time.)

The preservation of self in a harmful world is essentially the most pressing lesson that we train our children. Breath of the Wild does job of simulating that lesson in a means that feels natural and true, moderately than merely being a set of recreation guidelines separate from the actual world.

The final recreation my child actually loved was Knack 2. It’s set in an analogous world as Breath of the Wild, filled with monsters and historic lore. However Knack 2’s story and motion draw a straight line by way of a collection of set encounters and challenges. There’s little trigger to go wandering off, poking by way of the foliage only for the enjoyable of it.

Hyperlink is all about wandering off. If this recreation has a central mechanic, it’s to take a look at issues. Shiny gew-gews sparkle within the lengthy grass, demanding to be inspected and picked up.

However the actual finds are atop innocuous hillocks or deep in ponds. When my little one performs, he usually diverges from his process or from the story, simply to see what’s round that nook.

Breath of the Wild is salted with so many pleasant little discoveries. That is the lesson I would like my little one to be taught: that there’s at all times one thing else to hunt and discover, and that curiosity is a ability value growing, as a result of it results in surprise and to happiness.

When he started taking part in, my son would rush into battle, firing off arrows on the monsters with a purpose to weaken them. Then he’d swing his sword round till he’d killed all of the unhealthy guys.

Breath of the Wild doesn’t punish him for taking part in on this crude means. If his weapons break or he spends all his arrows, he can often discover extra. However he quickly discovered that there are smarter methods to attain his objectives.

He has a limiteless provide of bombs. He could make use of topographical options, like hills, to finest his enemies. He has different magical powers, reminiscent of turning water into ice and controlling steel objects.

Briefly, he realized that there’s multiple solution to pores and skin a cat, that there are often non-obvious (and higher) methods to attain our objectives. As a dad or mum, that is much more satisfying than watching your child determine The One Method to victory.

Most youngsters are credited with vivid imaginations, permitting them to conjure colourful play eventualities from sticks and bricks. However adaptability is a model of creativeness that’s helpful all through life.

Breath of the Wild’s broad vary of things, abilities and actions encourages gamers to attempt unlikely new approaches. And there are few higher emotions than manipulating this world in shocking methods.

In most RPGs, success depends on planning. We degree up by way of a numerical system with a purpose to face ever extra harmful foes. Breath of the Wild isn’t any completely different, although with vital variations.

Hyperlink himself doesn’t change into extra numerically highly effective by way of the sport. He seeks extra highly effective weapons and clothes. He will increase his capability to maintain harm. However there isn’t a degree 50 Hyperlink.

The weapons themselves are available in numerous shades of fragility. There are some wonderful swords available, however nearly all of them will break ultimately.

And so, earlier than embarking on large challenges, cautious preparation is critical. Breath of the Wild swings between ranging world wide looking for weapons, foodstuffs, gadgets and diving into main fight eventualities towards large bosses.

This vary throws in robust selections. Will this nest of monsters value me greater than it is going to achieve me in loot? Does this stretch of nation include the issues I would like most, or the issues I would like least?

Youngsters are, usually talking, not nice at determining what they’re going to want prematurely. Breath of the Wild teaches them that each one challenges require cautious and thought of preparation.

Breath of the Wild is jammed with humorous, annoying, foolish, pompous, devious, flirtatious, difficult, needy folks.

The sport excels at making a forged of people that have their very own wishes and desires. From Prince Sidon to Riju, from King Bosphoramos to Impa, these are all of us who’re dwelling their very own lives, who really feel as in the event that they’ve been right here earlier than we confirmed up and can stay lengthy after we’ve moved on.

I feel it’s value stating that video games at the moment are getting higher at introducing us to characters that really feel like they exist in their very own proper, versus being there fully for the participant’s profit. However too many recreation tales are nonetheless reliant on the concept that the one one who issues is the participant, and that each interplay is about them, and solely them.

It’s tough for youngsters to know that the world doesn’t actually revolve round them, however I’ll be pleased if my children can be taught this lesson earlier than they attain maturity. Breath of the Wild helps train this lesson by way of nice storytelling.

This lesson is said to curiosity and adaptableness, however I need to separate it out in reference to cooking.

In Breath of the Wild, gamers accumulate a variety of elements that can be utilized to create dishes or elixirs which might be higher than the sum of their components, providing vitality and boosts. Mixing and matching elements is a type of mini-game in its personal proper.

I’ve discovered that standing by a cooking pot and throwing in unusual mixtures could be a actually good solution to de-stress.

My son views cooking as extra like opening a Christmas cracker. He loves to combine it up in unusual methods, simply to see what comes out. Good mixtures yield particular boosts to protection, pace, sturdiness and extra. Consuming the fitting meal on the proper time is critical enterprise.

I get pleasure from watching my little one’s delight as he creates one thing that he thinks is fully new and his. It’s a bit like Minecraft, besides it takes place in a frying pan.

Little doubt, my son’s journey by way of life gained’t be a lot enhanced by understanding find out how to combine a Bokoblin horn with a summerwing butterfly, however this degree of experimentation is a lot extra priceless than following particular directions.

It additionally acts as a type of reminiscence recreation. When he’s ranging round, he’s continuously matching the stuff he finds with the stuff he thinks he may want.

Most of my enthusiasm for Breath of the Wild is rooted in its openness, its willingness to let gamers discover their very own means by way of its world. There may be one space although, the place particular options are often (although not at all times) the norm: shrines.

These are sometimes logic puzzles that require the participant to make use of varied powers, reminiscent of the flexibility to cease a particular merchandise in time. They’re particular person mysteries, often bodily, that tax our problem-solving mind cells.

Shrines require that we be taught their underlying techniques by way of trial and error, lastly coming to some realization and understanding of the answer.

What I really like about them particularly is watching my little one undergo a puzzle that I’ve beforehand solved, as he works his means towards the answer in a lot the identical means I did. Certain, he takes some daft unsuitable turns, however then, so do I.

Good video games make us really feel sensible, however I consider in addition they train some a part of us that makes us smarter. The schoolteachers I do know don’t have the assets to arrange difficult logic puzzles for his or her college students to resolve. However Nintendo does, and on this recreation, the chance has not been squandered.

As talked about earlier than, the weapons in Breath of the Wild are usually not for retains. They break. They’re additionally of considerably completely different energy ranges, and so it’s common to enter a battle with one sword that’s utterly badass, in addition to a couple of that can break after a couple of strikes.

This provides up the selection of whether or not to sacrifice the numerous, or to utilize the most effective, counting on one other excessive worth windfall within the close to future.

Nevertheless it additionally teaches the lesson that issues break and should be changed, that the wielding of one thing can also be hastening its finish as a factor of use.

We reside in an age of deplorable waste. Every little thing is throwaway. Breath of the Wild replicates this by making its weapons disposable, but it surely additionally cautions that waste has a worth.

In the long run, my child favors retaining his finest weapons for so long as doable, even when that makes him weaker in short-term encounters with enemies. This appears to me to be a sensible selection.

A number of weeks in the past, Jess Joho wrote a narrative for us in regards to the significance of recreation designers treating animals like people, moderately than as mere instruments. I considered this whereas taking part in Breath of the Wild.

It’s true that lots of the creatures on this world are mainly meals. I see a crane. I shoot it. It turns into an ingredient. However the animals have their very own lives and their very own will to outlive. If the crane senses a hunter within the space, it is going to flee.

Killing creatures isn’t very animal-friendly, however Hyperlink resides as a hunter-gatherer, whose solely real looking supply of meals is within the wild. That mentioned, there are alternate options to meat, fish and poultry. It’s doable to play a vegetarian route.

Extra attention-grabbing is Hyperlink’s relationship to horses. He can mount a horse by sneaking up quietly and leaping aboard. However wild horses worth their liberty, and so will buck towards the indignity of a rider. Even essentially the most placid horse will steer in its personal path, a minimum of till it’s been calmed with soothing actions or with meals.

If I go away a horse to go wandering round by myself, it is going to quickly be by itself means, except it’s actually change into part of Hyperlink’s life.

Likewise, being good to canine, aside from being its personal reward, additionally yields treasure.

Briefly, Breath of the Wild carries the lesson that animals are helpful to us, however that isn’t their main perform on the planet, and it’s definitely not how they see themselves.

None of my children are notably affected person, and that is very true of my seven-year-old. With most video games, if he comes throughout an issue he actually can’t remedy, he’ll ask me to do it for him.

This isn’t the case with Breath of the Wild. If he can’t resolve an issue, he simply goes off and finds one other a part of the world to discover. His failure isn’t any large deal. He can return later, when he has extra abilities or extra assets, or when he’s simply had an opportunity to consider the issue.

I don’t know if that is a lot a lesson in endurance as it’s the form of good recreation design that retains gamers taking part in. For Nintendo, all of it quantities to the identical factor, tipping the stability between curiosity and ennui.

My son often stops taking part in a recreation after about an hour, tops, with a purpose to discover one thing else to do. However he performs Breath of the Wild for means longer stretches.

For me, an enormous pleasure I get from watching him play is that I’m watching him play. Usually, I worth real-world play as extra worthwhile and helpful than taking part in video gams, which are sometimes scripted and lightweight on studying. Breath of the Wild is an exception. It’s a world during which I really feel comfy that my son is entertained and extracting actual worth, even when he doesn’t understand it himself.

I’ve many pals who’re dad and mom. Most of them are involved in regards to the period of time their children spend with video games. Breath of the Wild definitely gained’t repair that for them, however I consider it is going to add extra worth to taking part in time.