#hi my 3 am wall of thoughts about fish game dlc under the read more

[moogghost]

okay i recently finished side order and i felt like compiling my thoughts here since honestly it's easier to write them out on here/get my point across than a list on discord. not gonna tag this one mainly bc i don't really post splatoon stuff now + i just don't feel like tagging it tbh. warning that i will be discussing heavy spoilers for side order even if i'm mostly talking about gameplay stuff

i Do really like how the gameplay is structured with side order actually the roguelike style is done pretty well and it's enjoyable to replay through and whatnot. it's not for everyone obviously but even with pmd as my only technical roguelike that i've played i still do enjoy this gameplay style as a nice break from the typical splatoon story mode structure tbh

the music is absolutely banger i Have listened to the boss themes outside of the game bc i simply like them

i'm kinda happy to see replica weapons again but at the same time i really wish some of them could've been alternate kits or smth bc. honestly i'd try luna blaster for real if i didn't hate both kits and i still think stamper nouveau should've gotten fizzy and crab. like i get why it wouldn't work but still

i will say that although i really wish there were at least four bosses to encounter on 10F and 20F for more variety the ones we do have are very cool and fun to fight (except like . parallel canon is a bit bland to me when ignoring the whole agent 4 thing sorry it's just charger practice for me if anything). personally pinball circle is my favourite i think it's just silly. and while the screaming noise tower is my enemy (light-heartedly it just freaks me out in a not good way in terms of anxiety. the slightly darker stage than usual for the spotlight and the noises freaked me out sorry). like it's a very well designed boss and i like the creativity in how it's fought i will say that outright! like it's boss theme is actually my favourite besides the final boss theme it's just that it unsettles me in an unfortunate way but otherwise? my personal grievances aside it's a very good boss it does its job well

i like the weapon upgrades for the most part? keep in mind i've only beaten the game with brella, roller, and charger atm but i do enjoy them a lot honestly and it makes levels really fun sometimes. like my charger run was really fun by the end with the portal stages bc of how much range, quick charge, and power up you can get if not really stressful bc of well. charger (and also bc i went out of my way to get killer wail sorry it's my baby and also i needed Not triple inkstrike for the final boss). and i like the option of choosing whether to go for them or not bc personally i didn't wanna get the undercover update for my brella simply bc i liked being able to push the enemies away further with my shield launch. which arguably i should've just gone for no shield launch anyways but

can i just say that brella's splatoon 2 kit was just really good to play in this dlc? like. ignoring the fact that i regularly play brellas for a moment sprinkler genuinely is really good in side order. the enemies struggle to destroy it from what i've seen and it chips away at their health which is Really good when combo'd with poison ink and/or hindrance ink. the same also applies with ink storm you just get it less than sprinkler. like no joke i actually beat order with fucking sprinkler chip damage the first time around. like i was so appalled at the kit choice at first but honestly i have so much respect for it now it hard carried me during my first successful run of the game. sprinkler mvp

and splitting up some of my more negative thoughts/my criticisms bc Yeah i do enjoy the dlc a lot but also i have Issues with it still

i know it's like a roguelike and your expected to go through it multiple times it's part of the gameplay loop etc etc. but also i just don't really like how much of a grind it feels like to get hacks/stuff at the store in postgame. like side order is DEFINITELY more generous than salmon run is with scales don't get me wrong but it still feels like a definite grind each time? then again i'm just not as much of a fan of grinding for stuff in splatoon than i would be grinding for things in rpgs by default sooo take that as you will. it doesn't feel enough that i wouldn't go out of my way to grind for certain things since there is some stuff i'd want to get both in terms of hacks and store stuff bc it isn't salmon run but Yeah

on that note i need like. a 'bad at game' kind of easy mode bc while yes i do enjoy the challenge some times and true, i can get through the spire with a few weapons. hear me out i really hate getting like three fucking rigorous floors as options and then i reset and then get even worse ones. that are like impossible for me to do whether it be a skill issue or literally bc my weapon is at least somewhat shit at it (cough cough SPLAT ZONES LEVELS cough). like i really wish they gave you more of an option with choosing difficulty overall bc like. sorry but some of these levels i simply cannot 'get gud' at them

also this dlc made me despise splat zones i think (i'm only half joking bc i just think zones is kinda boring if you aren't playing with people you know but also bc this dlc made some of the most hellish splat zones levels)

and another thing. those sniper enemies can fuck off actually they have such a good design but i really really hate how many of them spawn in some of the later levels like it doesn't even feel fair at a certain point

i'm sorry but there was such a lack of story to me and i was not that much of a fan despite not really being here for the lore or story as much now. like the characters are very good yeah but i feel like there should've been more of a plot? like yeah there's a straightforward plot true but it feels very bare bones and just a way to explain the gameplay structure/loop idk if i'm explaining this right bc i'm not saying it has to be anything grand but i am saying there was room for more story to be present and it just doesn't really feel there (and the dev logs do not count to me bc you have to kinda grind to get all of those and that's kinda. hmm. if it's story related). like i get that some of it is in part of the fact that they Expect you to know these characters but ghh. it could've been done so much better i feel

going further on the story stuff sorry i enjoy the main villain a decent amount after a few times clearing the spire again i think order/smollusk is silly and as i got more used to the plot given but also i will say i wasn't all too much of a fan of the AI goes rogue against its creator and is evil thing at first. like i got over it eventually but like it still kinda bugged me. partially bc yeah system moment there's definitely a robot headmate up in my brain that i know wasn't the biggest fan but also bc like. idk it just either could've been written like. more interesting (which is mostly an issue on with the story just being a lack thereof). or like something else idk it's just not the most interesting antagonist plot for me and while there's nothing inherently wrong with it i just feel they either could've done more with it in a more interesting way bc there's like Potential there or just done something else. idk that's just my own personal thoughts though

also i get that it's kinda explained in the dev logs with the stuff about sanitized octarians and whatnot but why is acht just. there. and just doesn't do all too much outside of being in the tutorial kind of. like i do enjoy them as a character i just don't get why they're just there without elaborating that much on it but also this leans into the story stuff. also kinda not a fan of the lore changes/retcons which yeah they can do that if they want but like. it feels like it was changed to specifically fit in with the loose plot given and idk that kind of bugs me bc then it just feels like the only reason they really grabbed acht for side order was bc they're the only real character that was fully sanitized. idk i could be wrong bc i certainly haven't gotten all of the dev logs yet or missed some stuff but that's just what it feels like to me personally

i said it earlier kind of but also i really really wish some of the order replicas were replicas of some of the alt kits already in the game instead of the base kit <3 sorry order brella ily but in multiplayer i don't think i'll have the patience i wish you were a sorella kit palette swap instead (the same Would go to the splatana but like. sorry i don't like toxic mist on stamper specifically can you tell /lh). it also makes me wish you could swap kits between like the base and alt kits bc now this just makes me wish i had sprinkler killer wail tri-stringer in the base game

also on the topic of weapons. can i just say i'm so tired of them fucking over inkjet these days. like why the hell was the splatoon 2 special carried over to splatoon 3 not an available special in the splatoon 2 themed dlc. why. why are the devs so allergic to putting inkjet on weapons nowadays (context the newest inkjet weapon was in sizzle season 2023). like this isn't even my favourite special to use or just in general at most i just think it's a cool special that's one of the better specials i can get in salmon run. but either way i'm utterly baffled why it isn't in this dlc. like they really did implement so much sting ray in the boss attacks but couldn't find a way to include inkjet despite it being in the splatoon 3 story mode too like Okay (sorry the way inkjet is shafted just bugs me A Lot)

again i mentioned this a bit earlier but i really wish there were more than the three bosses we got. like ik it's splatoon three but also it just doesn't feel like enough variety for me especially in a roguelike style game. like yes you can fix the predictability by just never having the reveal bosses on 10F or 20F on or just never buying it so it always feels random but also even then it still feels kinda stale in a gameplay sense bc you know its one of those three specific bosses if that means anything (since three isn't really. a high number). and also bc it means i'd experience the screaming tower less if there were more bosses and that's personally a win for me

my last kind of complaint is honestly more of a criticism of not just the side order part of the dlc but just in general but like. idk entirely how i feel about how much splatsville got sidelined in its own debut game in favour of dlc. which was primarily for the dlc campaign yes but also for the nostalgia factor of having inkopolis square and inkopolis plaza as world hubs. like idk there was a more coherent thought with this that just goes into my criticisms about how the game is handled itself so i won't go into detail here since this is about side order specifically but idk i just find it kind of frustrating in a sense i guess

[bookenders]

11/11/11 Tag Game: 16/17/18?

Back again to spill the tea about myself for all you lovely people.Thanks @cataclysmic-writer, @maybeillwriteit and @aurisadventure for the tags!

My answers are under the cut. 😊

Rules: Answer the 11 questions of the person who tagged you, make up 11 questions, then tag 11 people to answer them. 

Bilbo Taggins: @brittanyisart, @quilloftheclouds, @brittanyisart, @brynwrites, @creatvrae, @elisabethrosewrites, @elizabethsyson, @ren-c-leyn, @yetmorestories, @pinespittinink, @timefire25

My Questions:

What are your thoughts on throw pillows?

Do you have any podcast recommendations? How about TV shows?

What month would you be on a calendar, and what would the picture be?

What is one book that you absolutely love, no matter what anyone else has to say about it? 

What’s your favorite kind of scented candle?

What’s your favorite urban legend?

Would you ever go on an arctic expedition?

What’s the furthest from home you’ve ever been?

What is the best snack?

How purple do you allow your prose to be/get? What’s your purple limit? Is there one?

What’s one word/line/scene/character that you want to put in a story, but you haven’t found the right place for yet?

@cataclysmic-writer‘s questions:

What do you eat or drink while writing? It varies depending on how I’m feelin’. Usually a big giant glass of water. I used to have coffee and/or tea, but it always got cold because I forgot about it. That’s actually how I used to measure my progress, by how cold the drink was.  And coffee got me too jazzed to sit still, so I stopped drinking while writing. Good for academic papers, though.

Best piece of advice you ever received? Like... ever? Okay. People are more interested in themselves/absorbed with themselves to really care what you’re doing. Very empowering for someone with real bad social anxiety (like myself heyooo).

Which book inspired you to write the most? I’ve talked about Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls before, and I’m gonna mention it again. And that I went to a signing for her new book Shout and I got to thank her and my life has been enriched a thousand-fold.

Which author do you try to emulate when you write? Oh, man, I do not do this at all. Okay, well, not at all, because I find it to be a valuable writing exercise to practice with. But I super don’t. I’ve done projects where I’ve emulated Walt Whitman, Philip Levine, Tolkien, Dostoevsky, Poe (eugh), and Anne Valente. Those were super fun. I like imitating styles and I’ve gotten pretty darn good at it. Sometimes I tell myself to put a Gaiman-like twist on a section, though, or describe something like another author if it fits the tone for funsies. But I like writing like me! 

Where did you get the idea for your current wip? I’ve already talked about Heart to Heart, so I’ll talk about “Fish Food!” This one happened when I was pondering superheroes, James Bond, tropes, evil monologues, and the like. I had the image of a hero tied up and dangling over a pit of piranhas while the villain detailed his evil plan. But the hero didn’t follow the script. And then, like every one of my short stories, it spun way out of control. I started to think of what heroes would inhabit this world that erupted from the fertile soil of my brain and suddenly I had a big complicated story that I was excited about. And it was funny, which is a change for me.

Do you have a go-to beta reader/writing buddy you bounce ideas off of? I do! One of my goodest friends is a fellow writer and she’s my spaghetti wall if I need assistance. We went through the same creative writing program one year apart and had different teachers, so we offer each other pretty different advice, and it’s great. She’s super into fae lore, too, which is ridiculously helpful for me, a nerd who is writing a light fantasy story with fae in it. We operate in different styles and genres, though, so sometimes idea-bouncing is a little tricky.

Which of your WIPs is your favorite? Of the ones I’m working on right now? Probably “Incarnate.” Partly because it’s closer to my usual writing fare, partly because it’s weird and disturbing in my favorite ways, partly because the ending is really cool and surprising in a way that hits you long after you finish it. I also like it because it’s hard for me to write. Yay, challenges!

Tea, coffee, or soda? Tea for chillin’, coffee for workin’, soda for pizza times.

If you could have any fantasy creature as a pet, which would you have? A brownie to clean my house, or a domovoi to act as a weird home security system would be neat. For non-practical purposes, I’d also say a pegasus. I can ride pretty well and it’d be so convenient to just fly everywhere on my awesome horse buddy.

Do you like creepy/scary movies? NOPE. I am a big chicken shit when it comes to spooky things. As a kid, I was terrified of E.T. That’s how bad it was. 

What genre do you have yet to write in, but want to write soon? Hm. Maybe historical fiction? I already play with it a little bit without actually going into the history part of it too deeply. Maybe I’ll give it a shot in the future.  I’ve always wanted to give magical realism a good try, though. It’s always been hard for me to write. 

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@aurisadventure​‘s questions:

1. Who is your favorite oc? Why?

Right now, it’s Lithium from “Fish Food.” She’s just so fun. I also just figured out a big part of Jill’s character that I’m excited to add to H2H!

2. What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?

I got into cooking a while ago, and that’s pretty fun. I do yoga sometimes. I read a bunch. I also like putting things together. Honestly, I’m a big giant nerd who likes learning in their spare time.

3. What is your least favoured genre?

Hard sci-fi is really hard for me to get into. And some contemporary stuff, but it’s not as bad as hard sci-fi.

4. Top three favorite video games? (Any console)

DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS (with Awakening DLC, obvs) (except for the goddamn Mage Circle Fade part I hate it and it deserves to burn in hell)

Ori and the Blind Forest (I’m stuck on the last stupid fire volcano level and I’m so mad because it’s hard but this game is beautiful)

To The Moon (so many tears, such good story)

Honorable mention to Assassin’s Creed 2. 

(I love RPGs.)

5. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for inspiration?

Hm. I don’t really go out and seek inspiration like this. I just consume a whole lot of art in varying mediums. 

I went to a poetry slam one time. Does that count?

6. Buggy or Cart?

Horses, buggy. Oxen, cart. As much as I’d like to be Gandalf...

7. Have you finished any of your wips?

I am so goddamn close to finishing “When Your Song is Over and Done” I can taste it. I’m hoping to write that last stupid scene this week. It’s been the one WIP that’s been kicking my ass lately. How rude.

I’m a short story writer, so I finish a lot of my WIPs. It’s kinda nice. That’s also why longer projects scare me.

8. But like… can I read it?

😉

In the meantime, you can read these!

9. What is your favorite animal? Why?

Highland Cows! Just look at them. 

I’m sure I have a more interesting answer for this, but honestly, cows are all I can think of. I love cows. 

10. Name one place you want to visit more than anything.

Norway! Not sure why. Seems like a really cool place to be.

(I lied I love space and want to go to the observatories.)

11. What is your most cherished childhood memory?

Saturday mornings curled up in my grandfather’s armchair watching TV and eating Burger King before we go visit the animals at the farm.

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@maybeillwriteit‘s questions:

1. Which oc would you most like to go for a drink with?

I don’t drink, but I think Treena would be an excellent conversation partner. 

2. Where do you like to write? Bed? Desk? Cafe? etc etc

I have a desk in my room. Not that I usually write at it. I’m good anywhere I can sit up straight and rest my arms.

3. Which of your ocs do you think people are most likely to make fanart for?

Eventually, I hope Mel. I love her character design. Or the superheroes and villains from “Fish Food.” They all have really distinct appearances and cool costumes/uniforms.

4. Favourite piece of writing advice you’ve received?

Probably the time my mentor also admitted he hated writing dialogue, but that sometimes you just gotta. 

5. Which place in your stories would you like to live? (i’ve read this sentence ten times and i ain’t convinced it’s grammatically correct lol)

(maybe: In which place/where in your stories would you most like to live? I dunno this one’s freaking my brain.)

Linsay would be the best place to live, I think. A very chill small town that has everything you need, very supportive soon-to-be friends, an apothecary on stand-by, and lovely weather. Its residents are fiercely protective and are very willing to look the other way where the law is concerned if it helps someone.

6. Do any authors/books influence your writing? Which ones?

Oh, tons. Jim Butcher, Laurie Halse Anderson, George Saunders, Anne Valente, Tolkien, Gaiman, Matt Bell, Aimee Bender, and a whole bunch more authors. And, if you wanna get all heartfelt about it, every single book I’ve read has influenced my writing, whether it’s learning how to do something, learning how not to do something, or finding a new technique that jives with my style.

7. Pick one song that represents your wip.

I’ve done a bunch of song stuff with H2H, so this is for “Fish Food:”

Honestly, my first instinct is “Superboy and the Invisible Girl” from Next to Normal. But it’s not quite right.

I also wanna say “Super Friends” from Holy Musical B@man. 

But in my heart, I know the true answer is “Under Pressure.” How could it not be?

8. Favourite thing about being a writer?

The feels! I love writing things and getting my own feels out, then making other people feel things. It’s so satisfying. 

9. Characters or plot, what came first?

Characters! Oh my God, always characters. And before characters, concept and theme(s). Sometimes a scene just pops into my head and I have to figure out who these people are and why they’re there.

10. Do you like writing prompts?

I do indeedy. They’re pretty helpful when I’m stuck. I only write for the ones that instantly spark an idea in my brain, though. All the ones I’m getting for my 800 followers celebration are insanely good. 

11. Part of your wip that you’re most excited to write?

Oh, man! So many!

H2H: The climax! Well, one of them. The one of the magic incidents and Mel and Gemma’s relationship, to be specific.

Fish Food: When my main two dudes meet Lithium! And figure out what’s going on with her. Or anything about Lithium’s real life. Her story is wild.

WYSiOaD: The goddamn rooftop scene that’s been kicking my ass for a month. It’s gonna be so emotional and poignant and great and I can’t wait for it to be over.