#her game mechanics are simple yet complicated

[momo-shut-the-fuck-up]

So i ve done the main story in infinity nikki and im gonna stop playin now, before i squeeze the game dry of content and have nothing (new) to do on release.

Time for a lil review/thoughts post

I m not gonna review every single mechanic in the game, simply things that stood out to me or that i wanna talk about. I also wont add more images, i kinda want ppl to see the world for themselves... i ll share more when the game comes out tho.

There s a lot of text under this. Tldr, i like the game i think it's a solid, enjoyable experience with a good gameplay loop, the story isn't for me, and i'll keep playin of course. And u should try it too if ur device wont blow itself up tryin to run it.

Dress up

The bread and butter of Nikki games... it's good as usual. Game doesn't shy away from long skirts or coat tails or complicated ballgowns just cuz nikki can run and jump and dash now and i'm very happy bout that. There's some clipping issues once in a while, but it's nothing major and the clothes we do have in the game are lovely. There s an evolution system for some of the sets, which makes em a diff color.... usually they can evolve once, but i saw Three extra evolutions for one of the UR sets and that scares me. Bcs to evolve them u have to craft the suit again. So u have to pull 4 copies of a suit to max it out..

Combat

Game's definitely succeeding in its quest for being cozy. There's no real stakes, combat isn't difficult in the slightest but i do welcome it- super simple but it's pretty fun regardless. The boss fights were surprisingly creative and fun for what they are, it's just unfortunate that you have to do them more than once or twice (crafting mats)- but they do change what the boss does so it's different depending on what mat u are farming for... and u can claim double or triple or however much stamina u got-le of the mat after u complete it once. So that s rly nice.

Exploration

I actually think it's really really good. Again this isn't a difficult or complicated game, not yet i guess... but with the major goal being "get new clothes" and "take pretty pictures maybe", the open world feels actively engaging to participate in. There's collectibles everywhere, little challenges you can do that are diverse but quick, styling battles, collecting everythin from animals fur to bugs to fish, and allll of this brings u closer to that never ending goal of woo more clothes.

However even if a challenge doesnt give you a blueprint, it's still just. Really Nice to exist in this world. It's very whimsical, as expected of Lilith, and the world has a combination of realism and cartoon artstyle that is just soso appealing to me. It's genuinely how i would've imagined miraland to look in 3d. Shame it's not the same miraland we know..

Story

Hmm... silly is one word i could use for it. Cute also. The story isn't doin anythin bad per se, and i did start skippin dialogue near the end w the pieceys because i want to keep at least Some part of the story for the game's release... but i get the gist of it, and it s just not my thing.

It feels like a story made for children, and it definitely would get a G rating. Easy and simple to follow, there's moments of tension or sadness sure but with the antagonist bein a literal babie lookin cutey fairy with a grown man's voice, or the creatures that i'm interacting with are a bunch of. Fuckin weird lookin big eyed balls of fabric that look closer to plushies than somethin Alive... it's all so silly and dramatic sometimes i can t help but cringe.

Part of it is a me problem, if u just open ur heart and free urself from the cringe the story is fine. It's just a little too kiddy for me and i so desperately hope it won't stay like this forever. My prayers might be answered though, there's a whole war beyond the borders and we have refugees around... shit's lookin bad for Umbrosa.

Other things i noticed that i liked:

The effect on nikki's skin when it's raining, she actually has water dripping down her face... its so cool

Momo capes are actually kinda neat ngl. Especially cuz the fucker follows u around everywhere, at least i can bedazzle him

Npc models look really good im a fan. They do suffer from "everyone is very beautiful" syndrome, which makes some of the npc villains look/sound ridiculous, but they have kid-teen-adult-elderly versions of models (i never see teen models in these games! Its cool!) And some body variation. The grandmas look so lovely i cry

The dark skin tone is really dark, and it looks quite nice and natural.

The lighting engine in this game is just rly good in general. God bless UE5

The edges of the map where there s forest, which u obv cant go thru, the forest is made to be darker, thicker.... i m a huge fan of this idk y. It's not just *invisible wall in front of an open field* nopee cant go there lets explore that area later tee hee. And it looks good to boot.

Camera function is p robust, has more options for changin brightness/saturation/contrast etc which i feel Shining Nikki lacks.

Some of the creature designs are so good man i looove themm <3.... the pieces are awful tho. Ok creature design is a hit and miss sometimes but the stray hatty? Peak. All the weirdy fashionable animals? Peak.

Bein able to quick switch thru ur saved sets while in the overworld is real neat

Oke that was it. Bye

[microwavedautism]

I don't know if there's a Warframe community on here, but I started playing 3 days ago, and I'm having a lot of fun!!

↓ Rambling Below ↓

I really love how the movement feels, and the gun sounds are very pleasing for some reason.

I only have Volt at the moment, but the Austim has latched onto him and I fear I will not be able to play another frame, his first ability is just so useful AND satisfying 😭

I LOVE the accessibility options this game has, being able to have a permanent highlight on the enemies helps SO much it's actually insane. I can finally play a shooter game without losing track of the enemies, or just not being able to see them, it's great! I do wish there was an option to toggle sneak on and off instead of holding the button down, but it's very rare that I actually use stealth so It's okay.

So far I have only bought the starter weapon pack, and the Rajhin skin pack, but both have been amazing, my Volt looks awesome and he has a cool gun (I spent my platinum on an awesome sword too!!), but I'm tempted to buy the Ember Heirloom pack, for the skin and the platinum, even though I don't have Ember yet. Maybe I'll buy her with the platinum from the pack? Or maybe the 'female heroes' pack I saw. It was named something similar to that anyway.

I'm not really sure what I'm doing, there are a lot of mechanics to learn and I'm trying to avoid spoilers, I've been told the story is really good after all, and I don't want to risk anything by looking at tutorials and such.

I did have a look at all the Warframes though, and I want to build Inaros, Banshee and Hildreyn, they seem interesting! A few of them have abilities that seem just a bit too complicated for me unfortunately. Which is a large part of why I enjoy Volt so much, he's very simple.

I've gotten.. a little bit through the story, I'm like, sworn to the Red Veil or something, and I am at Mastery 3. So, not too far but not just starting out either! I just reached, I think it's called, Deimos. It's the cool red firey planet!

That's all I can think of to say right now, just thought I'd get my thoughts out, if you've read this far I hope you have a nice day !!! :]

[higanbana-games]

Hints in Point&Click Adventures. How not to make players feel stupid?

The Point&Click Adventure genre implies a very simple gameplay from its name. Whether it’s a 1st person or a 3rd person game, players are meant to click in various areas on their screens. And that click calls many possible actions: talk to an NPC, pick up an object, use an object, examine some area, trigger an event/action and many other possible variants.

Story is what gives such games a meaning. Detective stories, romance novels or even horrors. However, a good story can simply go unnoticed if the gameplay doesn’t complement that story.

I’ve played many games of different genres, but when it comes to a story quest I often stumbled on one thing that unites such games as Syberia, Fran Bow and even Elden RIng. It’s the lack of in-game hints.

Every story is unique and has its own deep meaning, and I absolutely love every game I mention in this post. So, the following examples will just show some hard parts in the games I mention.

“Fran Bow” - ticket to the Club

The overall game is a masterpiece! Yet, I had a really hard time trying to understand what I was supposed to do to get into the Club in Ithersta.

(The following might be a spoiler if you haven’t played the game yet)

What the quest is about:

you have to find a hidden passage from the back of the club and send your cat in there,

you play as a cat too steal a ticket from one of the guests and bring that ticket to Fran,

Fran shows the ticket to the security guy at the entrance but he can easily tell she’s lying to him and doesn’t accept the stolen ticket,

Fran takes a smeared pest control specialist’s card she picked up ages ago and a green crayon she had got even earlier than that. And she draws herself a ticket on that card.

Fran gives that ticket to the security guy and he lets her enter the Club.

The main problem here is that Fran has had the objects she needs in her inventory all that time, but the quest makes players find a way to steal a ticket and try it first. Only after that sequence of actions can she fake her ticket. Of course, it can be explained like Fran had to see the real ticket before she could draw the one for herself. But this idea wasn’t emphasized in any way, which makes it extremely hard to figure the logic out by yourself.

No chance to skip the mini games

Another concern I had was on release of a wonderful game called “Children of Silent Town”. The game has stunning art and gives pretty but creepy vibes. The story felt so smooth that I did not even once think of looking into guides. Yet, some mini games were relatively hard. Though they had basic visual hints explaining how to play, some of the games took me too much time to enjoy them. And there was no button to skip it nor the more precise instruction showing how to complete it.

“Rusty Lake” - good visual hints

As a good example of guiding players through the game, I would call the “Rusty Lake” series. There are good visual hints following through the gameplay. And when there are no such obvious hints and players feel stuck, it’s up to players whether to try and figure everything out by themselves or press a button and see a thorough visual instruction.

My point here is simple. Hints should be balanced.

If you have to use a head of cheese to open a door with a complicated mechanism and there are no hints on such a unique usage - players might feel too stupid to solve it.

If a player character or an NPC comments on every action with phrases like “The door is locked” or “The villain ran over there”, it might frustrate players. For such comments are too basic and don’t give any extra helpful information while on the other hand they don’t guide players nor hint at what to do next.

The balance between making players feel too smart or too stupid is really delicate. 

The main idea is to make players feel smart when they solve another puzzle or listen to an NPC carefully and follow the implication; or just let them enjoy the game in a simple way they choose by directing them smoothly and letting them skip the hard parts.

There probably isn’t one correct answer or a universal solution on the subject (should there really be one?), and I just shared my thoughts and observations.

Every story-driven game is unique, and game designers choose the best way that suits every single project to reveal its potential and touch people’s hearts. <3

[tothepointofinsanity]

Do you have any super into detail thoughts on kyosaya? I know you've drawn a few art pieces for the ship, but I haven't seen any written think pieces about it from you.

I know there are some who don't like to use ships as a way to tie to a characters personality, so I guess I'm curious what your overall thoughts are on it and how it ties into sayaka as a whole.

"Think pieces" is a pretty neat way to put it...The primary foundation of KyoSaya to me revolves around a uniquely sapphic relationship that I hope would be expanded upon in future shows in the series.

↑ Yet, what are all these words supposed to mean? Sayaka has always done things for the sake of others. Her sense of justice elevated to the point where she views herself as a knight, someone who kneels in the face of goodness in respect of whatever is honourable to maintain it. But a knight is just another form of a pawn, just a stronger one whom everyone perceives has the ability to: 1) protect others 2) kill The Enemy.

Sayaka used to only ever have been able to interpret this in an extreme and binary vision. If she has to defend others, she has to devote herself fully to the cause. To her, the notion of self-care and self-preservation is difficult to comprehend since she feels as though she always has to be a monolith of one singular thing, of one side of things. To her, everything is like a chessboard. There is no way to play knight for both teams at once: either you prioritise yourself, or you prioritise others.

I understand that it is also a realistic depiction of how individuals like Sayaka constantly push through their own struggles alone while always uplifting others, a demonstration of unbalanced relationship dynamics. When this vision is challenged, Sayaka does not know where and how else she is expected to just "move forward" when she realised reality is not a simple game of chess. So she shrinks her view of the world further by clashing with Kyoko, since Kyoko is The Enemy who obstructs Sayaka's own perception of all that is Good and Just. Sayaka knew she was manipulated by Cubey™, but it was not only in the later movies that she comprehended the full extent of it. Something like that feels too complicated in her mind, so it's easier, much less burdensome to just lock onto one person to be angry with. This mentality is almost a sort of fallacy for Sayaka given she becomes a Witch in every cycle she becomes a magical girl.

Sayaka wants to feel relied on by humans. Kyoko does not desire nor expect anything from people, and thus balances out the extremes of Sayaka by being detached from worldly expectations - at least, that is what's consistent with Kyoko's perception of herself. A puppet without strings. She is not a pawn, not a knight. That's why she was angry when she realised the wish-granting alien omitted information on magical girl mechanisms and their life cycles. Instead of shovelling forward headstrong like Sayaka, however, Kyoko reconsiders her childhood memories and her desire, and it was to die with Sayaka so that Sayaka would not have, in Kyoko's eyes, perished for the sake of The Greater Good, because Kyoko believes still in the Self, not the vague promise of a better future.

Uhm. It's probably nonsense now that I put it in legible words. Some other KyoSaya fans who are big brained enough should educate me more on their dynamic, but I find their relationship to be interesting. It's very fallen angel x demon coded. I feel...as though Sayaka and Kyoko are hard to separate given they exist as characters that neutralise and support each other. Perhaps not codependent, but Sayaka was unhinged enough for Homura to not threaten her once, but twice whenever Madoka's feelings are involved. Meanwhile Homura was more...tolerant of Kyoko. Kyoko is there to keep Sayaka in check to make sure she doesn't piss off the Devil to the next century, and to me that is also funny.

[Although, it is tragic that since Sayaka embodies the sea, the only way Kyoko can only be with her "in death" due to the theme of Ophelia, her lover and the flame of the witch. Who could have predicted the doomed yuri is doomed. A sinking ship, even.]

[kuromi-hoemie]

10 and 24?

10: About someone I think is funny: random tumblr users and kids lmao 😭 and me..

further out of my sphere i love Kennie JDs personality so much. fellow black woman rawdogging ADD

she has a YouTube channel and has a “Bad movies and a beat” playlist where she talks about bad movies while putting her makeup on. she's so gorgeous and her looks come out beautiful and her personality is a huge part of the draw 😹 she's sorta got a series within that series too called “Good movies and a glam” which is the same thing p much but she talks about movies she enjoyed.

we don't fully overlap in our interests but she talks about horror movies sometimes and i love listening to her talk and watching her reaction to things. there are definitely some videos that have me stopping like 5-10 minutes in like wait let me go watch the movie first bc this sounds like it's gonna be an Experience. i think it's very validating and fun to see how she feels about things I've seen, and even if it's stuff I'm not interested in i still think it's fun to see her do her thing :3

sometimes she does a good analysis, sometimes it's more of a summary w some thoughts and reactions here and there, and for some she's just does a straight reaction to it bc she doesn't think there's really anything to talk about. the worse the movie is the funnier she is 💀 but she's just funny period. Atlanta queen 🫶🏾

comedy is a hard one for me.. there's a lot of jokes and comedians that don't really land for me but i think it's bc I've always been surrounded by ppl i think are funnier or more outta pocket offline and online.. something something ppl who try to be funny vs ppl who just are.

24. An unusual talent I have: o: i don't know.. electrical engineering i suppose? as an end to end process w schematic design, 3d modelling and printing, soldering n circuitry etc. i think it's very rewarding to have a bespoke thing that's the only one of its kind.. technology that does exactly what u want it to do nothing more nothing less no unwanted upgrades/planned obsolescence/privacy policies/cloud bs etc. u can make technology do plenty off of ur home network alone, if u want it to be controllable/accessible from a network at all. i only call this strange in the sense that it's not common.. but in another perspective i think I'm v good at tinkering with stuff in general!! I've built and taken apart enough things in life that a lot of stuff feels very intuitive atp, more so for furniture or something more.. mechanical, than electronics but I'm good at tinkering w that too :3

not good enough to be able to tell which specific part of a complicated circuit board stopped working (unless there's obv physical damage or a disconnected cable), but i can put stuff together from scratch or bypass certain things for more desired behavior. like i built an ebike once but instead of using its pedal assistance i bypassed it and just made it full throttle. it did like 32mph lol 😭 i made that when covid first hit and i didn't want to bus anymore but i usually otherwise make stuff for taking care of my indoor gardens, when i have them (i do not rn). a simple and handy one to do is replacing a battery source with an AC adapter so u can get full power and the thing will never die on u. or at least when it does it's in the way that all electronics will eventually stop working after enough use, but nothing's died on me yet :3

also making web tools for data analysis! (or just something u can use in the browser basically but it's on ur computer not The Internet™). i don't have the time to educate myself in other fields fully but i do like looking at the data they produce and learning more about things that way!! my favorite visualizations to make are maps but I'll make utilities that i can use to strategize for my games sometimes too.

oh and i also like modding games :3 i have made my own mods for 13 games so far. playing the game is already nice but to me it's about really fine tuning the experience to be how i want it to be and making it my own. sometimes I'll start modding before even starting the game 💀 like hmm let me take a peek at what y'all got going on here, then being like eh that sounds annoying I'll just do this instead. my favorite game to mod is elden ring, their spell system has a LOT of different pieces and phases and effects of spells that u can mix and match and chain together to make ur own spells. in this way getting a new game can be like getting a new project at times, and when i don't wanna do that i just use WeMod and call it a day :3

[shiawasekai]

△- Nela, if you had a chance to make it so you weren't the one chosen and kidnapped by Areelu and later made into the Kc, but someone else was taken in your place and had to live through that, would you take that chance to live a normal life, or would you leave it as it is and know that whatever happens, you could have avoided it or another person could have done it better?

[sorry if thats long or confusing. i know shes all about duty but im curious how she would talk about her decision]

And you hit exactly where it hurts! This is a 10/10. This is the One Single Question that tortures her the most AND the single thing she is most scared to admit, but probably not from the angle you expect!

The thing is: Nela clings to duty as a way to stay afloat mentally. She grows into the role, but Duty isn't one of her key values. She just needs something to keep herself from collapsing into a non-functional mess and the role of Commander gives her a perfect method to achieve that.

It starts as a coping mechanism, in short. A role she clads herself into as an armor. And if someone were to discover the truth and asks her outright, she would probably give the answer that's expected of her. For the longest time, she is a huge liar about anything concerning her own mental state and her feelings about her lost life.

Now, the Actual Answer is much more complicated and depends a lot of when you ask it. She has a harder time with it the further along we go.

In early game, she isn't really that ashamed to admit to herself she wants to be back home. World and whoever has to take her place be damned. She would take that chance any day. Good-natured or not, she is young and this is one of those moments where that's obvious. She is too blinded by pain to think in others at that point.

What changes her perspective isn't so much the fact another anonymous and faceless person would suffer in exchange, but her relationship with the world around her.

As in, the actual problem comes when she genuinely starts caring for the people and the life she's building during the game. Because, on one part and knowing everything, she would still choose to remain in her simple life. She wouldn't, however, choose to return to it.

She cares for these people and this war now, but just not enough to give up on what she has lost. Which now makes her feel guilty on both accounts! She is betraying (in her head) her family by starting to move on. She is also betraying her community in the present because she still yearns to go back even as she builds a life with them.

And the more responsible she becomes and the more she grows into the role of Commander, the more that aspect haunts her too. Would the one to take her place be capable of leading it to success? Would they still protect the people she cares about?

Both things (missing her past and enjoying her present) don't have to be at odds, yet they are for the longest time. This question simply exemplifies that particular struggle way too well.

[jadeoxfordrose]

OTP asks: 5, 10, 11 for your favorite ship that has you in a stranglehold!

So I'm gonna answer these for one of my TTRPG OCs, Thea, and her paramour Adelaide (an NPC). For a little context, the game where I play her is Court of Blades which is a Forged in the Dark system focused on interpersonal relationships, political intrigue & the interplay of the noble houses as you play a retainer for one of said houses. It's very Game of Thrones meets the Borgias in fantasy renaissance Venice.

I won't go into full details of the backstory but while Della is *mechanically* Thea's paramour, the two of them are still in the longing/yearning part of the relationship - yes they are both in love with each other, no they haven't actually said those exact words to each other yet. It is complicated of course by the fact that Della is currently married to Thea's former husband who did try to kill her 12 years ago and until very recently believed he had been successful. And Della is pregnant with his baby. Like I said, it's complicated lol.

With that in mind, I'm gonna approach answering these as if the two were already at a more established point in the relationship :))

2. What would they do if the other woke in a manic state after a nightmare? Of the two, Thea is the one who struggles with nightmares more often. I can see Della putting Thea's arms around her, letting Thea hold on to her as tight as she needs to, hands resting over Della's heart and the two of them just breathing together until Thea feels ready to talk (if she wants) or fall back asleep. Then Della turns to face her, hands wrapped around one of Thea's, so she can fall asleep knowing Della is there.

5. Describe their cozy night in. Baby settled for the light, the two of them curled up together on a big pile of cushions or a conversation pit style seating arrangement. Thea working on some embroidery or sewing something, Della working on research or reading aloud to Thea.

10. Describe their first date. Arguably it was Thea bringing Della a picnic that they got to share in the vineyard in late summer, the heat of the sun kept at bay by the shade of one of the trees that are peppered through the arbor.

If they were to do an official first date? A walk through the artist's quarter, listening to music and watching performers, small gifts being bought and a meal as the sun goes down, making the canals look like they are shining pink and gold.

11. Do either try to hide their emotions if upset? Can the other still tell? Thea definitely does, a habit born of necessity, and while she isn't there quite yet, Della will get to that point soon. Roles reversed, I think Della does it less/is less practiced at it and Thea can usually tell right away. (Her inability to realize Della was in love in her is due to other factors, Thea is usually pretty emotionally perceptive.)

20. Choose one song that perfectly describes their relationship. I don't know if I have found the song that does it perfectly but if I think about them while listening to First Light by Hozier, it's like being body slammed with feels lol.

30. Your OTP gets to pick out each other's outfits; what is each wearing? Thea for Della: Long floaty dress in a light but rich colour, soft outer layer, well worn boots. Comfort is first priority, but also a mixture of pretty and practical. (Della has had to dress to social expectations for a long while, Thea doesn't want or expect that from her.) Della for Thea: Genuinely not sure, I kind of want to ask the GM lol. I could see it being something simple, without all the layers of (mostly metaphorical) armor Thea wears, a sign that Thea was safe enough to not need them.

44. Who would dance in the kitchen making dinner? Would the other join in or watch from the doorway? Della is making dinner and dancing, Thea would watch for a little while (probably until she's spotted) then join her because Della would absolutely hold out a hand to her and Thea is always going to take it. Thanks for the questions @emilykaldwen and @homosociallyyours <3

OTP Asks!

[hopeymchope]

Loooong final thoughts and lingering questions regarding A.I.: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative

Even moreso than the first game, this game is really hard to discuss without digging into spoilers. Yikes. But I’ll try for a little while, I guess.

1) One the one hand? I loved this game, and I really hope the series gets a third entry so it can be another great Uchikoshi trilogy alongside the “Zero Escape” games. On the other hand? These characters are insanely overdue to get their happy endings, and I’m saddened to see them get delayed for YEARS on that. :P

2) I know I’ve already mentioned this, as did an ask I received before even playing the game. But it bears repeating that the lengths this game goes to in order to avoid spoiling the first game REGARDLESS of whether you already played that game are truly absurd. If they ever DO make a third game, I hope they can find some way around this mess (which would only get even MORE complicated after the events of this sequel). Might I suggest doing a prequel adventure, perhaps... ?

2) Looking back, it’s HILARIOUS how incredibly, deeply wrong my initial speculations were :) 

3) ....okay, but it seriously drove me FUCKING NUTS that nobody in-game even commented on the shape of Komeji’s head. Or why he has a big dot on his forehead where his “third eye” would be, for that matter. That’s all just... normal to the people of the AITSFverse, huh? Really?

4) I’m so very grateful for being able to adjust the difficulty of the somniums. I sucked so bad at somniums in the first one. 

Okay, SPOILER COMMENTARY BEGINS NOW.

1) The first game built an effective mystery out of information our lead doesn’t know, but the sequel builds a mystery out of information that only the player doesn’t know. The characters themselves really had plenty of information that should’ve made them capable of solving the case before SIX YEEEEAAARS had passed, IMO.

2) Can’t say I’m a very big fan of “Tama” and her personality/design. She’s HYPER-sexualized in a way that Aiba wasn’t and isn’t, really. It’s.... kind of uncomfortable sometimes. I have to wonder how an A.I. eyeball decides to generate such a holographic body type or gets so into sexual references anyway? What experiences developed her in this fashion? Hrrrrrm.

3) AS SOON as we started talking about “genetic editing/engineering,” in the game’s second chapter, I said, “Oh man, I really hope they use this plot point to retroactively explain Mizuki’s crazy strength and Date’s wild porn-induced powers.” And hey, one out of two isn’t that bad! I *love* that they went to this trouble to go back and logically justify something that was just a goofy gag in the first title. And after Date provides everyone with a detailed explanation for how his “porn mag = enhanced strength and speed” thing actually works, I was convinced that part of it was still yet to come! Sadly? Not to be. Hey, maybe they can still retroactively introduce an origin for that in part 3! Suffice it to say that I LOVE the idea of going back and retroactively explaining the silliest parts of the series using actual logic and lore. LOVE.

4) Lien’s huge “DANGER ZONE” tattoo is something that amused me from start to finish. I’m simple sometimes. Give a Japanese thug a tattoo referencing a Kenny Loggins classic, and I’m happy. And yes, I absolutely do believe it’s a reference to that seminal Top Gun anthem.

4) More than the first game, this game has the cops just... not even try to negotiate or coerce or otherwise even ATTEMPT to get reticent suspects to tell their secrets. Instead? Everything always comes down to “sync with them,” and if that doesn’t give you the answer you desired? You give up and let them go and never ask about it again. Admittedly, this because game mechanics gotta happen, and the first game isn’t completely innocent of this problem either, but the ���drop the issue like a hot rock” element is definitely unique here. .............................. God DAMN do you guys suck at this ‘policing’ business. And that’s not even getting into information that you keep to yourselves when you ABSOLUTELY should be sharing it with your colleagues and superiors.

Y’know, like when a suspicious figure it somehow obscured in your vision while you chase them, and you don’t know why your cybereye is blocking out what they look like, but you just don’t tell anyone it even happened AT ALL........... fuuuuuuuuuuuck

5) Ryuki getting chewed out and threatened with losing his job unless he could hit some arbitrary deadline just because a suspect appeared and escaped within the underground cathedral? Really pissed me off because it made no sense. This has never happened to any cop, ever. I guess we can kinda excuse it because it fits with some old-school movie tropes about cops, maybe? But once the timeline is “corrected” and we see that that didn’t even HAPPEN in the past? IT MAKES EVEN. LESS. SENSE. He is literally never seen or known to do ANYTHING wrong that would warrant such a reaction from Boss!!!! Furthermore: Since he DIDN’T catch the HB Killer back then, does that mean he’s not a cop with ABIS by the later timeline? Because that certainly does not appear to be true! He seems to still be operating as one, just a fucking crazy one due to circumstances beyond his own control that nobody seems to have discovere/addressed in the interim.

6) I absolutely adore that the terrifying visage of Gen’s mask is ultimately hiding... the sweetest, most noble person you can possibly imagine. I am *always* here for someone to subvert the expectations of your first visual impression. ALWAYS down for that shit. Wonderful, thank you, no notes.

7) Although I eventually expected what was under the mask of the mysterious woman in the cool cloak, it also feels like one of the most overt examples of making the story jump through hoops just to suit the twist they wanted. I feel like Uchikoshi definitely thought up the “We told you the story in the wrong order!” twist before he ever came up with the existence of a second Mizuki to explain it all. The fact that they dress exactly the same and act the same and both have that name and both use Aiba but AIba forgets about the first Mizuki by coincidence and... YEAH, it’s pretty forced. 

8) I was both horrified and delighted by the reveal that Amame is one of our culprits. I never once thought that a character we met in the first game - someone who was portrayed as just a quiet, good-hearted, sweet kid - would actually go off and murder someone in our sequel, and I LOVE that twist. In truth, I kind of wish she’d killed Tokiko too as Aiba originally theorized. Just let her go all the way off the deep end! But uhh... that would really make our relatively happy ending a lot less happy, because then Amame wouldn’t be getting that light jail time, huh? So maybe not... lol.

9) Because these games tend to ultimately be so hopeful by the end, I thought Kizuna might even get some futuristic cure to her paralysis by the conclusion and be up to dance by the big finale. But it’s probably better that she didn’t. There have to be SOME consequences to these events, after all. 

10) I wish Mizuki would actually show some concern/affection for her long-missing adoptive father after he finally resurfaces. Like, instead of just insulting him and treating him like shit?? The brief moments when she ISN’T insulting him and belittling him are heartwarming, but they’re SO few and far between. And there’s no denying how much he’s done for her and how much he loves her. Mizuki even took his family name eventually. But from her actual words, you’d be hard-pressed to know that she even likes him at all. Girl needs serious psychological help to learn how to communicate properly, because kee-RY-st.

11) Given how utterly fucking psycho Kizuna’s dad goes in at least one route — particularly with how he sends a massive army of thugs that have no compunction about even KILLING Lien — I was really hoping we’d see Mr. Chieda taken down and arrested for his connections by the end. Alas, there is no ending where he pays for his cruelty and associations. He always just walks the hell away. Meh. :P

12) What... on EARTH.... was the point of Boss pretending like Ryuki died in the final battle?! Only to reveal to EVERYONE that he was alive/fine the whole time... ?!?! So clearly there wasn’t even a need to hide that he lived at all?!? I guess she really just likes fucking with everyone by devastating them for no reason. Jesus Christ, Boss. What the actual FUCK is wrong with you. I guess now I can finally appreciate why someone as whip-smart and hot and utterly girlboss as her is single... it’s because she’s secretly a goddamned SOCIOPATH.

13) The introduction of the “The Frayer” and the unlockable Secret Ending is in keeping with Uchikoshi’s other works, sure, but it also raises a lot of problems that I think I’d rather not contemplate in regards to the universe of the game series. I’ll have to try to compartmentalize that as “stuff that cutely refers to the fact that you’re playing a video game” and not consider that information strictly, y’know, canon. 

Ultimately, I obviously have far more plot/writing concerns than I did with the first. I would still say the first is better. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t having a DAMN good time throughout. I’m still very happy this exists. And here’s hoping for some more adventures down the line...

[pinacoladassmau]

13 🍹

The rest of the week carried on in much the same way. The faxes always came at night, when Stede’s colleges had long since vacated their cubicles and offices; the man on the other side of line having enough common sense not to send through anything incriminating during business hours (only once did Fuckface - surely there was a better name he could use- shoot off a rather professional memo during the day; a memo that was simply a rambling account of his day, if anyone had cared to look for longer than five seconds.)

With all the overtime he was pulling, Stede was making a rather sizable dent in his workload, even with all the distraction. And it was very distracting. One night they played tic-tac-toe over and over again (Stede continuously lost. He wasn’t sure how, or exactly what it was, but he knew Fuckface had a winning trick).

The next night they rated their top movies of the decade (The Breakfast Club reigned supreme on Stede’s list, but the other made a compelling case for The Princess Bride- a surprising choice) Another night they played a chaste game of 20 questions ( What’s your favourite colour? Purple - Blue. What’s your dream job? Motorcycle mechanic - Captain. What’s your favourite drink? Piña Coladas - Piña Coladas!)

—

Mary brought up the overtime one night at dinner. “They don’t treat you well, Stede.” She said, rolling a roasted potato around her plate absently, as though this thought had been weighing on her mind for quite some time, “it isn’t fair of them, to keep you from your family like this.”

“I know,” Stede acknowledged quietly.

“Why don’t you quit? We can figure something out.” Mary said. The words were gentle and kind, but they settled oddly; a knife twisting strangely in Stede’s gut.

“It’s not that simple, Mary-”

“I know it’s your fathers company, but-”

“That’s why it’s complicated. I won’t find a job that pays this well anywhere else.” ( Nepotism, Baby Bonnet) “ And if I quit, the perks go away. The car. The holiday home. The bonuses. The mortgage payments.” ( You’re useless. You’ll always need my handouts.)

“But you’re unhappy,”

“I’m not not happy.”

Mary relented, shifting back to her dinner; an understood sadness hanging, heavy, between them, pooling at the centre of the table.

Stede knew his working conditions were less than ideal. Stede knew he’d have to break free from his fathers iron grasp eventually, if he was ever going to be truly happy and fulfilled. Stede knew he’d have to quit, one day.

He didn’t tell her that the only friend he’d ever known lived in the Bonnet Industries fax machine, and that he wasn’t willing to give that up quite yet.

Start here 🍹

[salami-dono]

I’ve been renaming some of my Sonic OCs.

There was a mechanical Echidna named Nintendo. Nintendo was evil. (Bold!) I haven’t settled on a name yet. I’m slowly getting used to the name, Saturn. It matches his counterpart named Genesis. (Sega Genesis and Sega Saturn)

Saturn is the ancient warrior resurrected by the engineer, Dr. Jester. Those two will become romantically involved somehow. (It would probably seem more like a queerplatonic relationship.) It’s simple. Dr. Jester fell in love when Saturn awakened and punched him, sending him flying across the lab. He was very impressed by his strength.

Saturn as a mechanical monster has poor memory and his body sometimes malfunctions. His movements aren’t as fluid as Dr. Jester’s. He patrols Dr. Jester’s lab like a horror game monster. With time, memories of his previous life reemerge and... Itzpatli(?) gains more awareness. It complicates things.

His real name is still up in the air. Saturn is an ancient echidna. Itzpatli was a name that I made up based on Nahuatl sounds I knew. It was very close to Itzpactli, or obsidian medicine. It was an accident! Itzpactli was a potent drug given to those sacrificed to the gods, or so I’ve read. It dulled their senses...

On to the next character, finally.

Beatle the Hedgehog looked suspiciously like Sonic and sometimes used it to his advantage in the other universe. Normally, he wouldn’t like to trick others. He’s an honest guy. It’s just nice to be popular. His appearance has changed a little.

Anyway, I can’t use that name!! His name will probably be Ramón. Ramón is a lover, not a fighter.

There is a character whose name was changed to Dorothy. She prefers to be called Dottie. I can’t tell you her original name. It’s personal. :) She is an average girl with a strong interest in chaos magic. She is the one who frees Chaos the Hedgehog from the Dark Emerald.

Dottie is a bit of a chatterbox. She enjoys reading romance novels. She also likes vampires.

I have another one that could use a new name, Jet the Fox. I’ll come back to this post later.

[teachingfeelingblog]

Teaching Feeling: A Deep Dive into the Visual Novel

Teaching Feeling is a unique visual novel that sparks both curiosity and controversy. Created by developer FreakilyCharming (FreakÜyâ), the game dives into themes rarely explored in mainstream titles. With its psychological undertones and intense narrative, Teaching Feeling invites players to ponder choices, ethics, and the human need for connection.

What is Teaching Feeling?

At its core, Teaching Feeling is a simulation game with strong visual novel elements. Released in 2015, it garnered attention due to its unconventional premise. The story begins with the player character, a doctor, receiving a girl named Sylvie. Her past is marked by trauma and abuse, and your role is to guide her toward recovery. The choices you make determine whether Sylvie heals or falls deeper into despair.

Visual Design and Atmosphere

The artwork in Teaching Feeling stands out. The character designs are expressive, capturing Sylvie’s fragility and gradual transformation. The environments are simple yet effective, using muted colors to reflect the game’s somber mood. Subtle visual cues—Sylvie’s eyes, posture, and reactions—respond directly to your actions. These details make the experience intimate and engaging.

The interface is straightforward, focusing the player’s attention on interactions rather than complicated mechanics. This minimalist approach supports the game’s emotional weight.

Themes and Narrative Depth

Teaching Feeling delves into heavy themes. Trust, recovery, and morality sit at the center of the story. The game challenges you to consider how you treat someone who has suffered trauma. While controversial for some, the narrative pushes players to reflect on responsibility and empathy.

Sylvie’s character development depends on the player’s choices. Do you build a safe environment for her? Or exploit her vulnerability? The game doesn’t force you to take a moral high ground, which has led to mixed reactions. This freedom of choice is both the game’s strength and its most debated feature.

Gameplay Mechanics

The mechanics are simple but effective. You interact with Sylvie through dialogue and actions. These interactions impact her trust and mental state. Over time, Sylvie’s reactions change based on how you treat her. Small actions—like offering a gift or having a conversation—have significant consequences.

This design keeps players aware of their behavior. The lack of complex gameplay puts the focus squarely on emotional engagement. Every decision feels personal, making the experience immersive.

Controversies and Criticism

Teaching Feeling has faced its share of controversy. Some critics argue the game’s premise is problematic. They claim it blurs lines between helping and exploiting a vulnerable person. Others praise it for handling trauma with care and nuance.

The game’s freedom to choose darker paths unsettles some players. This discomfort is intentional, forcing players to confront their decisions. Whether this approach is ethical remains a hot topic.

Why Teaching Feeling Matters

Despite the controversies, Teaching Feeling holds significance in the visual novel genre. It experiments with moral ambiguity and emotional depth. The game shows that interactive fiction can explore themes as complex as any novel or film.

It also highlights the power of choice-driven storytelling. Unlike traditional narratives, your decisions shape the outcome, making the experience personal and reflective. This is why Teaching Feeling continues to draw attention years after its release.

Conclusion

Teaching Feeling is not a game for everyone. It requires emotional investment and a willingness to engage with difficult themes. Yet, for those who give it a chance, it offers a thought-provoking experience. The game’s strengths lie in its raw exploration of trust, healing, and choice.

[daughter-of-fire-and-dreams]

Matching Limbs

Sward  would sigh, staring down at the little Mammet and pleading with him with warm tones while his little home was coming together. "ZeTa, I can make you another arm-- a better one-- with the parts I have, so please..." Sward muttered, on a knee as he was looking at the socket at the Mammet's side. "nO! i NeEd ThAt OnE bAcK!" ZeTa spoke up, its mechanical systems whirring more than usually as if indicating it had been worked up. Sward shook his head, gazing around at the walls and peeking through a crack to see the weather outside. It wasn't a blizzard yet, but knowing the area it could become one within a simple moment. "ZeTa, it's fine. Listen, I am not upset and you know that; it's natural for species to lose things that belong to them." Sward explained, but ZeTa wasn't so compliant. It moved its left arm over to the right socket, feeling the emptiness and shaking a bit. "...yOu Do NoT uNdErStAnD zEtA's FeElInGs... Do NoT uNdErStAnD tHe PrObLeM!..." ZeTa retorted, its little clockwork face looking up at Sward; the lights almost squinting at him before ZeTa moved over to one corner of the room to look through a crack in the wall outside; trying to look a bit.

Rhua isn't obligated to visit. She's had more free time as of late thanks to her extra pair of limbs each time she goes out on rounds. But that doesn't mean she can just go off and take more things to do in return. Heck, even the medicus in town was now warning her to making sure her immune system and overall health are at top notch to avoid any complications for procedures later. But, even then… Rhua curses at the fact she still has some small glint of compassion for others. She just prays this isn't a recurrence that gets worse with age. She's hauling a generic set of blankets this time. Nothing too hard to carry around with her one limb. She still has a drone accompanying her. By the time she reaches the far end corner of town, she stops before the old building. It's still in shambles yes. But progress was visible on rebuilding some of it's walls. "Oi. Old man. . You there?" she called out, still wary, but also knowing that at least this one wasn't going to pull off something to add her to the hypothetical chess game she'd run from. 

Sward  heard the voice, and shook his head from side to side. "Now is not the time for guests..." Sward muttered to himself, slowly beginning to take a step towards the 'entrance' of the building before ZeTa had already rushed out towards the familiar voice. "ZeTa?" Sward asked, glancing around to where he had gone as he walked to greet Rhua. "sHoOtY gIrL, hElP zEtA!" the Mammet spoke up, not hesitating as he latched onto Rhua's leg with its one arm before falling off given his lack of grip.  approached, watching as ZeTa was on the floor before sighing and shaking his head. "ZeTa please, not now, not with her." Sward spoke, looking up at Rhua before offering a tilt of his head. "Why come here now? Does someone need this building so you've come to evict us? I don't believe that's justified..."

To say that the sight gave Rhua some pause was an understatement. First the mammet rushing off, but most of all, it's missing arm. In dry irony, they matched. But. She'd seen enough of senile old man to know he wouldn't be the kind to hurt his own creations. Not when it was practically a mini him. Or. .. a diluted version of him. That's as far as Rhua's interpretation went after all. At Sward's question though, she arched a brow. "Do you really make assumptions like that all the time? Because if so, you're worse than me in pessimism." she commented, pushing her foot to a side quickly in the same manner she'd done before to raise ZeTa up in the air, but making it land this time on a bundle of blankets. "I brought blankets in case you were freezing yourself. A set's the most we can spare for weird outsiders." she told him, though from the sight, it seemed Sward clearly had that covered. How? She wasn't going to question it right now. 

Sward  stared a bit confused; he didn't think hospitality was something he would receive. Anyone and everyone who had been in contact with him during his time here had been selfish or not wishing to interact with him. This girl, however, seemed to care if even only a measley fraction. "I see..." Sward spoke up after sometime, raising a hand to his chin and rubbing it a bit. "My apologies... I'm not used to this, that's a--" "sHoOtY gIrL, hElP zEtA!" the Mamment piped up, this time bringing a tiny hand to her cheek while he was on her blankets. "ZeTa LoSt ArM, fAtHeR wAnTs To MaKe NeW oNe, BuT zEtA wAnTs OrIgInAl OnE bAcK!...pLeAsE!..." ZeTa continued, flopping back down onto the blanket bundle as it looked a bit defeated. Sward sighed, removing his chipped glasses and rubbing at his eyes for a moment. "ZeTa... don't trouble the girl, I'm sure she's dealing with her own situations right now."

 Rhua could grimace slightly. The cold touch to her face had thankfully not triggered her fight or flight effect, probably little ones really did maker her lower her guard some more. Or. . Maybe she was just more partial towards constructions. ". .Did you go outside this place?" she asked ZeTa first. It was only fair to acknowledge it's plea after all. Not waiting to be let in though, Rhua walked closer to at least have some refuge from the wind currents. Not that there was a good place to set the blankets down once inside. "What's the metal for the arm even? Brass? ... Putting originals back sometimes is more difficult than making a new one." 

Sward  allowed for Rhua to walk in, he had to show some courtesy afterall as he was still learning about such. Though, the question of the metal type had caused Sward to remain quiet. "a WhItE mEtAl!... iT wAs PrEtTy AnD sTrOnG!... bUt... It Is StIlL oUt ThErE..." ZeTa spoke, carefully gripping onto Rhua's shoulder strap as she handled the blankets. Sward still remained quiet, fetching a few tankards and other small items for the guest. "I... wAnTeD tO sEe WhAt ThE bIrDs WeRe DoInG... sO i WaItEd By A nEsT oUtSiDe..." ZeTa explained, but his expression despite being plain and clockwork felt saddened.

 "Nest..." Rhua mumbled at first as she opted for a corner to place the blankets at. Based off what her brother had told her about Sward. .. She knew the man might not feel the cold. But, that also clashed with the red nose she'd seen when he arrived the last time she had been here. More ambiguousness to add on what exactly he is. The biggest problem right now though, was the word nest. Because birds wouldn't come too close to Alvarium. And there was only one nest that was well established in town. "Constance.." she mumbled with panic both for the damn chicken and then maybe a little bit for ZeTa. "Was there an eggshell inside it bigger than the bird on the nest?.." she asked, because though Constance was a good chicken, and a well behaved one at that, there was still a creature she'd hatched still missing. The mystery egg from her mother's lovebird. 

 Rhua has yet to question what ZeTa even means with white metal is. Silver would be too hard to procure at all times.

Sward  still worked in silence, placing a few metal pieces to make a makeshift tray, adding two tankards on top and filling them with a small powdery mixture of white and brown. Afterwards, he reached for a canteen and filled the two tankards with water. "nO eGgS!... wAiT nO, mAyBe OnE eGg?..." ZeTa thought, releasing from Rhua and landing on his feet as he stared down at his tiny hand. The color of his left arm was a charred black; a common metal and nothing significant, so why was the other so precious? "i ThInK oNe EgG, bUt I dO nOt ReMeMbEr... HaPpEnEd FaSt... ThEn It ToOk My...ArM..." Zeta muttered that last part out softly just as Sward lowered his hand by the tankards and added a few pieces of old straw and fibres under the metal and snapped a finger; causing a small spark to ignite the tinder and begin to warmup the tankards. "We can make another..." Sward muttered again, gazing down at the tankards as he fell silent once more; his gaze a bit distant as he tightened his gloves. ZeTa just gripped his tiny hand in response and approached Rhua once again. "HeLp ZeTa, Au--...ShOoTy LaDy..."

 Rhua frowned, this kind of situation is definitely a first for her. But. .. Can she really side with Sward after all the shit that had happened in Alvarium. Even from a basic standpoint, ZeTa was like a little one asking to have it's old stuffed toy back rather than getting a new one. It should fall to the parent to decide. But. . It didn't mean she could say a few words. The sight she'd seen before when she caught the two drawing on a wall was the first one to come back to mind. "Hey." she said, facing Sward's direction at first. "White is practically your trademark. But you didn't give this one an entire white set to come with it." she told him, glancing down to pick up ZeTa herself and let him sit on her palm for now. It was easier for conversation like that. "If so, that makes whatever is white precious and rare." she continued in this off tangent. "So what will happen if one is lost?.." 

Sward  heard Rhua speak, yet his attention was to the tankards. He was processing, thinking, and recalling all at once; but with a soft sigh he came up empty. "...I do not know... for starters, I don't remember what I used for the arm..." Sward stated, looking a bit ashamed at that. "If it's lost then... maybe it was fated to /be/ lost... maybe it wasn't meant for me to have or use..." Sward continued, yet never glanced over Rhua's way. ZeTa leaned forward from Rhua's hand, gripping her finger so he wouldn't fall over. "iTs ImPoRtAnT tO mE!" ZeTa piped up, whirring a bit more as it squinted at Sward. "i WaNnA gO bAcK aNd GeT iT! i NeEd It! YoU dOnT uNdErStAnD!" it continued, grumbling some as Sward just let out a short exhale followed by a smirk. "Maybe I never understood... Maybe she didn't want me to..."

 Rhua sighed. "I didn't come here to hear about your love stories you know. .. I'd appreciate if you gave more confirmation that the 'senile old man' in front of me isn't in fact fantasizing about my own mother." she told him as she paced some around the building. It was probably something insensitive to say to him, who looked so lost. But getting consumed in one's own mind was also bad. And Rhua didn't exactly have the patience to help him figure it out. "You heard your little one, he wants it back. You ain't the one walking one armed." case in point, there were two one armed ones in Sward's vicinity now. "Besides, if he stepped inside Constance's nest, it shouldn't be too far. We only have one chicken in town and maybe a weird creature rumbling. The faster the search is done, the lower the chances the local cats hoard it by accident. We already got a bot hoarding eating utensils." 

Sward  slowly reached down to the tankards and removed them from the heat; the weight of the metal tray falling atop the timber and causing the fire to puff out softly. "If we must go out..." Sward exhaled, slowly taking a sip from the tankard and nodding a bit before setting his tankard back down on the floor. Then, he reached over and picked up ZeTa before offering the other tankard to Rhua. "A token of thanks-- be careful, it's hot." Sward said, carefully keeping ZeTa on his shoulder as he then knelt down to retrieve his own tankard and drink from it again. "...ZeTa or yourself will need to direct us to wherever this is... and let us not try to disturb anyone or anything..." Sward muttered, ZeTa making little gleeful beeps and curling up into Sward's muffler scarf. Glancing up over the rim of his tankard towards Rhua, Sward spoke up. "I was told this was a sweet hot beverage called 'Hot Chocolate'... but it tastes more like what I think milk tastes like, yet I used water  thought for a moment. "I would need to research this later..."

 Rhua was cautious to say the least. It was a quiet measure to take for herself, but she wasn't eager to reach from point A to Be and find out she'd suddenly collapsed on the ground due to something she'd eaten. But as she saw Sward take a sip, she begrudgingly obliged. "You're taking quite a few precautions on not causing trouble.." she commented, because what little she knew of him was still a starking contrast to this.

"I want peace." Sward admitted almost instantly. "However, that is just a feeling I still have... I am not even sure what 'peace' I want... but I know not disturbing others is a start..." Sward continued, finishing his tankard and setting it near the spot he made it before tightening his gloves once again. "If what we're doing makes ZeTa happy then, I must do it. For their sake." Sward muttered, a tiny Mammet hand poking out of his scarf to grab his cheek and squish it slightly; yet Sward was unphased at this. "Once you finish, lead the way please,  Rhua."

 Rhua only has a half empty tankard. The gun is still hanging by her thigh on it's holster, and she has enough self control to not lash out like a panicked idiot. But it's clear in the manner that her hair and ears fluff out like that of a miqo'te, that his words hit a nerve. "I don't remember giving you my first name." she commented, a fiery amber that only knows rage and sorrow, being reflected on Sward's eyes, desiring peace. Rhua has the decency to not say more. Because she still doesn't want more involvement into crazy shit. But it's clear that it's a warning over what manner of technique he's using to know something about her that she hasn't said. And to stop using it. She finished her drink rather quickly despite it being still hot, and carefully set it to a side. "The chicken coop isn't too far away. Barely anyone visits to give Constance time to lay eggs." she stated, trying to avoid whatever had been said and make for the damn place in tentative peace. 

Sward  had nodded to what Rhua said about the coop, but seemed to almost not remember what she said about her name as he cluelessly followed behind. He remained quiet, yet ZeTa had been seemingly excited to go out again and try to retrieve its arm. The Mammet had practically been using Sward as a motor vehicle as it was on the lookout for more. "oNwArDs To ReTrIeVe My PrEcIoUs!" ZeTa exclaimed, breaking the silence as they made their way towards the chicken coop.

 Just as Rhua said, the chicken coop wasn't exactly too far away. It was a tiny hut, with barely enough space for a handful of nests. Or at least, the space was there. But inside, there was only a single nest in use. Constance the chicken was right there, still nesting, still trying to hatch unfertilized eggs. A giant broken and empty eggshell right next to her as if it wasn't too much of a bother. "Was this the nest you decided to camp at?" Rhua asked, kneeling beside the already complaining chicken to look through both for eggs and any white residue that may have been left within. 

Sward  squirmed as ZeTa escaped the warm confines of Sward's neck to fall and faceplant into the snow and walk towards the coop. "yEs! MeAn BiRd, WhErE iS mY aRm?" ZeTa exclaimed, though was cowering a bit behind Rhua as the birds still seemed like fearsome creatures to a small Mammet. Sward on the other hand was glancing around at their surroundings. The land, the hut, how the sky felt abnormal before he felt a pining sensation pluck at his heart. In silence, he began to walk around the hut and trudge through a small bit of snow; almost getting lost in it given how white he was. "dId ThE bIrD eAt It?! ThEy ArE fEaRsOmE... tHeY mIgHt EaT mE, tOo!" ZeTa said to Rhua, tugging at the back of her leg.

 "Constance doesn't eat constructions. Chickens eat seeds, and then lay eggs that they try to hatch." Rhua explained, still carefully trudging her hand through the now very puffed out chicken to show a few of it's latest spoils. "Like these. .. But there's no rooster, so no chicks will hatch from them." she continued, though in reality she was feeling through the nest for any random tough branch that didn't belong in there. No luck so far. She sighed. Guess it might be time to look through the snow, though she didn't exactly have the metal detector prototype that she'd discussed with Sergius so long ago. She paused instead to clean out some of the giant empty eggshell. "We don't know what this one was, but it could have been the one that took your arm. Did you see how it looked?" 

ZeTa looked a bit relieved after Rhua's explanation, easing from behind her and approaching the birds while maintaining a distance. "bIg EgG?..." ZeTa asked, staring over to the egg that could practically house the Mammet itself. "oH, hE wAs A mEaNiE! nO fRiEnD oF mE oR tHeSe BiRdIeS!" the Mammet spoke, noticing a few marks and signs of the animal. Meanwhile, Sward was on the other side of the hut sifting through a mound of snow. Wafting away chunk after chunk before reaching down and pulling out a small white piece of metal; ZeTa's missing arm. It was a pale white, and it looked well enough despite being covered in ice, cold, and stiff to the touch. The sight of it still brought a pining sensation to his heart, but maybe it was relief? Coming out from around the back, Sward approached from behind the two and spoke out gently. "...I found it, ZeTa." Sward said, holding the frozen limb in his hands as the Mammet approached gleefully. "yAaAaY!" the Mammet exclaimed as Sward carefully handed the arm back to ZeTa. "Keep it warm for now, and once it thaws we'll reattach it... ok?..." Sward spoke, hiding his hands from ZeTa and Rhua as he slowly turned back. "...I'm... going to head back first, so you can finish talking with her..." Sward spoke, still hiding his hands as he began to walk away.

 None of Sward's actions or emotions get past Rhua. She's had to read harder beings, Sward might as well be an open book. Which only adds to the melancholic atmosphere he seems to carry himself with. Her eyes then focused back on the tiny arm, because she knew he could conjure something new on his own while they'd been busy. But the arm had some ice stuck onto it, and that was the only sign that this tiny limb had been exposed to the elements for a while. "What did the 'meanie' look like?" she asked ZeTa, trying to stir the conversation somewhere else while she pondered over more clues rather than asking directly. 

ZeTa had finishing waving Sward goodbye before turning its attention back to Rhua; keeping a firm hold of the limb with its arm. "iT wAs SmAlL, bUt NoT zEtA sMaLl... BiGgEr ThAn ZeTa!..." the Mammet spoke, nudging its face against the limb some more as if trying to... breath on it?... to warm it?... It didn't have a mouth. "...iT wAs BiTeY, bIt ZeTa'S aRm, SeE?" ZeTa said, carefully extending up the small limb to show that part of what would normally be an elbow had an indent on it not bent, but damaged just a little bit. "iT wAs A mEaNiE, bItInG mY pReCiOuS aRm... BuT... nOw It Is BaCk... So I aM hApPy!"

 Oh boy. . Town really couldn't have an extra biter. It was enough with the cats causing mayhem with Brutus. But, it was something that Rhua had to look into for later. She carefully picked up ZeTa with her hand and held it up for him to take a seat. "Slide your arm inside my glove, there's fire shards in it so it'll warm up faster." And maybe soak her hand a bit, but that was fine, she'd go back indoors soon. "What color or shape did the meanie have? We haven't seen it in town yet." she told the little mammet as she started making a slow walk back to Sward's chosen spot in Alvarium. 

ZeTa hesitated in giving the limb to Rhua, but wanted to also warm it up faster... it was a moral dillema, but in the end ZeTa stuffed it inside her glove. "cOvErEd In SnOw, So It WaS wHiTe-- LiKe My ArM! bUuUuUuT, iT wAsN't PrEtTy... RoUgH lOoKY." ZeTa explained, looking down at the limb tucked in Rhua's glove before staring up at the woman. "...tHaNk YoU fOr HeLpInG mE... aUnTy..."

 "Auntie.." Rhua mumbled at first, eyes glancing down over at the mammet. "I'm not that- Ah no. .. I guess I am that old.." she commented, realizing that by now she probably should have turned 40 years of age. Heh. . Many of her old co workers would probably be reeling about not having a husband or kids at that. But Rhua didn't really mind. "Aye aye. . Just be careful next time. We got too many cats and a giant guard dog. If it finds you, I don't think even your helmet will come out intact.." 

ZeTa just beamed and beeped at that, patting Rhua's glove some more. "yEs AuNtY, zEtA wIlL bE gOoD!" it spoke, still beeping for a time as they returned to the building.

[journalsoftheunknownarchive]

Journals of the Unknown - Witches of Salem - Episode 03: Just for the Night

This one is a harder episode to put together in its entirety, and I believe it’s about time I introduce a concept that was prevalent throughout the game: the Preliminaries.

What are the Preliminaries? The Preliminaries are a game mechanic that allows the player to learn more about the case at hand without depending on a fully drawn episode and, occasionally, without depending on Jane Goodhart’s presence at all. These interludes often provide the player with unimportant information to the overall pacing of the story, but still relevant enough for the context of it - for example, during the time that is yet to come in which Jane runs in trouble with the police, the Preliminaries are spent with Jasper and Ben, who discover that officer Stewart takes bribes from Gregorious Putnam - ; sometimes, though, it provides the player with information on how Jane would go from episode x to episode y.

And here’s where the problems with this recap start: the Preliminaries are missing, and therefore I have no idea how to trace the fact that Jane Goodhart went from being unconscious in the forest to visiting a hotel by the road. I can induce that she woke up, and that Eva Hope had either left instructions on how to find said hotel or that Jane found documents in her camp that led her to the place. All of that is only especulation, though.

Onto the episode: Jane Goodhart finds a simple hotel by the road and decides to stop by, possibly because she believes that Eva was there before. She enters the reception and, upon finding no one, starts to investigate on her own. She starts by entering on the digital database that keeps track of the clients, and she does so by using Nora Bradstreet’s birthday as a password. She discovers that Eva was, indeed, at that hotel recently. The next step is to invade the “glasses safe” where she keeps the keys - which she does with a clip - and get the key that opens Eva’s old room.

Inside, she notices that the carpet looks strange. Upon taking it away from a part of the floor, she notices that some of the wood looks different than the rest of it. With a GODDAMN CROWBAR she destroys that part of wood, and she finds a weirdly shaped ring: it has a pentagram star on it, and it seems to be... well, impractical to wear, unless you want to sting yourself. She also sees a red card, but before she can check it, all of the lights go off. There is a running sillhouette behind her, but it’s too fast for her to check.

Jane leaves the room, and goes to find the circuit breaker to fix it, which for some reason in a basement? Listen, it’s complicated to explain, so I’ll just show the picture and if anyone can tell me what this is and IMG ID it, I would thank you so much:

Anyway, after she goes into Brazil, she’s locked up and can not get out. She’s trapped inside of the “basement”.

[lovelywingsart]

If Emelia was in the game, where would she come in? Would she be a mini boss like the Demi sisters or just a side character you would see on occasion? Like with Vixen, she would replace that fight with Sturm and be a mini boss for Karl (also if you're curious, i'll tell you how the fight would work) - Lu

HHHH IVE BEEN WANTING TO GET INTO THAT FOR SO LONG- Buckle up Buttercup, here we go 👀 This is gonna be long because I've been holding this to myself for MONTHS. But also note, this isn't all the details. There's alot more, and i DO plan on writing/drawing alot of this out!!

SO

The answer is... Kinda both! But definitely similar to the Dimitrescu sisters but with a /much/ longer fight!!

So, you know when you go to make the Large Gear in the Foundry? That's when you physically meet her. Beforehand you actually find a journal page or two that you know is obviously NOT Karls from difference of writing and the fact that she calls him 'Lord Heisenberg' in the first entry. (you can actually read all the entries you find here!! I wrote them out and posted to twitter~ uwu)

Anyway

When you go to make the gear, the casting machine... stopps. It gets stuck. Ethan, obviously, fuckin panicks- and then Emelia shows up. She actually simply brushes past him, unsticks the machine, and... hands him the gear.

See, despite watching her friends get fucking murdered by this man, she's still willing to try and HELP him because she knows their end goal is the same- kill Miranda. She also does NOT agree with Heisenbergs plan at ALL. She despises the idea of using a child, especially considering she's always wanted one of her own, and she straight up tells Ethan that. So she offers to help Ethan and talk to Heisenberg to change his plan so Rose is safe and, yknow, NOT used as a weapon, and they can all escape and Kill Miranda. Ethan actually agrees despite her saying she's also a Cadou mutant, and they almost shake hands on it;

Until he mentions killing Karl too.

But why? Well, to him, he sees a form of Stockholm syndrome. Which... I mean, yeah, kinda... Thats an understandable viewpoint if you've JUST met her and don't know their 30+ years of history. So he says, Kill Heisenberg, and she'll be free too.

That, uh... that doesn't go over well. It actually enrages her to the point of picking him up and throwing him across the Foundry, and before he can shoot her in defense, two Soldat Zwei appear and she runs off when they attack him. (They would actually USUALLY attack her too, but they don't this time... for a reason that I won't quite reveal yet. 😏 Its not exactly a fun reason, either, and one that's already made two people cry because I've only TOLD 2 people.)

You see more evidence of her around, more journals and whatnot, but you don't actually physically see her again until her fight starts. The problem? You do still fight Sturm. Sturm IS still a fight, and she's literally RIGHT after him. As in, when you get to the Lift to get to the surface to meet Karl again, she drops down infront of it, already partially mutated, and goes after you.

Her fight is a tad complex- You start off shooting, of course. Its pretty simple, but incredibly claustrophobic, because you're stuck in that small area until you shoot her enough so she stumbles over the edge;

And then she Fully mutates and jumps back up, and chases you down.

Thus starts the sequence which I like to call the 'Cat and Mouse' or 'Hide and Seek' sequence, where she's fully mutated and chases/forces Ethan BACK down a set route. The game mechanic here would be that there's set places you can hide (VERY much like the closet in Beneviento), and you HAVE to hide- if you don't, she WILL catch you, and she WILL kill you. After every successful Hide, you get a chance to Shoot. Fun fact, she's the only one who you are almost NOT safe in with the Duke, because she tries to get into the ficking elevator. She only doesn't because Duke is still there, but he will comment that you've 'angered the 'Lady' of the House'.

She pushes and pushes back until you get back to the Foundry or another large area, and then you FIGHT fight her again while she's still fully mutated. The usual shooting is involved until you get her weak enough to where she mutates back to the partial mutation, and then the events of 'A Crystal Heart' happen. (her running to find Karl, and her death) You then continue as normal, but as you're on the lift back up to the door, you hear... a scream. You hear Karl scream, because Emelia just died with him, and now he's going to fucking kill you.

And then you meet him again as usual and the game goes on as normal.

Also, when you kill Heisenberg, you get BOTH crystals- because her own crystal is in the 'chest' of his mutated form, because he didn't let it go the entire time. Giving them both to Duke at the same time will result in a similar comment to 'Romeo and Juliet, only together in death' as well as his normal comments about Heisenbergs crystal, and another comment about Emelias strength from her crystal.

So, she IS a 'mini' Boss, but also a pretty big boss at the same time because of how long you're fighting her! The big reason for the Hide and Seek is to give you a chance to get your health and ammo up and buy time since its literally right after Sturm.

You'll need the ammo. 😂

[quibbs126]

I decided to start drawing my favorite Cookies

These aren’t all of them, but I didn’t want to put too many without the canvas getting super stretched, so I just put three of them. However I do plan on doing more of them, so this is Part 1

Aight, let’s get into it

Dark Choco Cookie: he’s quickly become a hyperfixation for me, mostly due to him checking off my list for hyperfixation character traits (mainly tragic backstory, tragic family drama, at some point an antagonist). But anyways, I just like this cookie, his backstory’s really tragic, and as I said, I hope he’s able to find happiness by the end of the story.

Also, I drew this the day before the Holiday update, but from what I can gather (I haven’t gotten there yet because I’m out of Baker’s Piping Bags) it seems like this may very well be true

Though, I do have to say, his voice acting doesn’t always hit it for me? Sometimes it sounds a bit like a Batman impression and I can’t take it as seriously. Though other times his voice acting is good. I just think maybe his voice needs to go at a bit of a higher pitch sometimes, particularly in more emotional moments, instead of his really deep voice

I was originally going to draw him with the Strawberry Jam Sword, but given what happened in Episode 14 (which I haven’t gotten to, I just started Episode 9, but I have seen cutscenes of), I thought it would be better to draw him without it. So instead I drew him doing that dramatic cape flutter thing Descole sometimes does

Side note, but have any of you seen Ginjaninjaowo’s Cookie Run humanizations? And how like, with some of them at least they tried to make the humanizations more than just “make them human” and put some sort of spin on their designs? Well I realized while drawing Dark Choco (specifically his cape and shoulder pads) that his design could translate well to a gundam sort of outfit. You know, have the shoulder pads be mechanical or something? I dunno, it’s what I thought. Or maybe I’m thinking of Megaman characters, specifically from the X series. So maybe mecha is what I’m thinking?

Dark Cacao Cookie: I like him for very similar reasons to Dark Choco, particularly the tragic backstory and the fact that he’s the other half of the family drama, but I also like him on his own as well. He’s just this old man who’s also a badass king and warrior willing to do whatever it takes for the good of his people, no matter the personal cost, and there seems to be a lot of nuance to his character. Honestly I think it was the Sorrow of Dark Cacao Cookie video that made me like him just on his own as a character. Unfortunately I have not met him in game yet, so I just have a few cutscenes to go off of

Also, his voice acting is really good. Speaking of which, funny story but back when I had just seen the characters (I mean Dark Choco and Dark Cacao) and hadn’t seen their voice actors, I thought “you know, I could see Patrick Seitz voicing one of them”, as I’ve heard him before as Olberic, the legendary but disgraced warrior from Octopath Traveler who also carries a large sword (also I’ve heard him as Dio, but that’s irrelevant). Then one day I’m watching some of the voice actors reacting to fanart, and I see that Patrick Seitz actually does voice Dark Cacao, and honestly that blew my mind. Didn’t think I would be able to guess that

I swear, when drawing this, it went from Dark Choco’s fairly simple design, to “dear LORD this outfit is so much more complicated”. The sword as well. I gave Dark Cacao this outfit mostly just because I like it

Onion Cookie: As I stated in my last post, I find Onion Cookie to be adorable, but also her backstory is really sad. She’s a literal child who died and doesn’t know she’s a ghost, and she’s also scared of ghosts. I want her to be happy as well

Also, I’ve used her in game as part of my B Team, and honestly her ability’s pretty darn strong. I’m also convinced it has like the longest cooldown of any ability. It’s just that the rest of my main group is a lot better than her in terms of strength

Also the little gasp thing I have her doing was just something she sometimes does when you interact with her in your kingdom that I thought was cute. Also I didn’t want to draw her crying

Yeah I don’t have as much to say on Onion, she’s just a baby that needs to be protected

[breaddaerb]

hi bread!! how are you? and can i please request killjoy, viper, and sage’s favorite date to take you on c;

<3, elle

[ sage, viper, and killjoy x reader I ]

✎↷: i’m good!! i went out on a run today for some Gains and it was honestly refreshing to do before my exam today! which went well, i think? wasn’t expecting this honestly LOLL i read it this morning and i was like oh?? getting the ladies? on another note— wow you guys are so sweet wishing me good luck;; someone said best of luck (misspelling the best so, beat) on your exams and i thought it said beat the fuck out of my exams… which i will! don’t worry guys— although, do expect posts to slow down a bit, i’m doing this post between my reviews <3 (and these hcs are in second person because i’m not about to say ‘yeah, sage and i go on dates every week’. although i wish i could!)

sage

sage is a simple woman, and judging by said simplicity, it’d be easy to turn everything into a date. i hc that she’s someone who shows her love with quality time, and that’s exactly what she does. sage’s preferred date (with me, so my interests are also included here actually) is staged on a sunny day, featuring probably a small business’s food of some kind, or even homemade! trying new foods and eating it with others as the company falls into one of her favorite activities, and it wouldn’t be any different if it was with you!

for that day, you and sage had ended up flying kites and going through a few rounds of volleyball. it was nothing crazy, it was just a simple outing. but filled with joy and love and laughter, you both had ended up falling asleep on a checkered picnic facing the blanketing sun from above. it’s not much, yet around her, it never has to be. in another life, you would’ve loved doing laundry and taxes with her. (hehe.)

killjoy

killjoy’s preferred dates are definitely something of a night in. although she’s generally extroverted as a person, being placed in vibrating raves or bars don’t make for the best environments to really get to know someone. instead, the evening is spent posting video games and watching movies and documentaries and basically anything nerdy under the sun. for the record, killjoy looked like the epitome of sex— mismatched socks and a hoodie and some torn up jeans. you end up spending the entire night like that, huddled against each other and wordlessly holding hands beneath the blanket.

(most times, killjoy would go on to ramble about computer software, the types of camera angles used, and the equipment used in the films you watched. and despite not understanding, her insanely detailed nitpicks put you at a comfortable ease.)

on the few occasions where you two would actually go out, an arcade turns out to be frequent stops. killjoy isn’t insane at video games despite understanding the mechanics, so instead the outing is spent like a competition. and then also losing most, if not all of your funds on claw machines. your losses might feel like a waste, but buying ice cream for her and seeing her smile certainly wasn’t one!

viper

viper's dates are a little more complicated. she’s not your stereotypical romantic, and probably far from it. the whole “art of courtship” actually turns out to be a game of cat and mouse, and by the time dating has solidified, she has no idea what to actually do. so she ends up resorting to the traditional, highly spoken of things. she’s been recommended dinner places, coffee shops, parks, all kinds of places that detail some kind of chatting environment.

it’s a lot of trial and error, figuring out what the perfect date spot is. viper gets so into dissecting which place results in the best chemistry that she nearly forgets that it’s a dare in the first place, honed in on agenda over enjoying herself. it had taken a careful reminder for viper to snap back to reality, although, what can she say to explain herself? perhaps trying all of these new spots had really made the perfect adventure of all.

(except for hikes. hikes will forever remain removed from the adventure list.)