#i get so distracted by the visuals/animation and the dialogue and the story i haven't had enough time to appreciate the music!!

[kanerallels]

I feel like we, as a fandom, don't talk about how incredible the soundtrack for The Dragon Prince is

[snarky-gourmet]

Hi! Are you playing Engage? What are your thoughts?

I am 🤧

I hope u don't mind this being semi-long but I wanted to mention some things I haven't personally seen Professional Reviewers™️ mention and other details that I've taken note of as well as my opinions thus far!

(No spoilers included, basic summary at bottom of post.)

Disclaimer that my perspective comes from the bias of only having played 3 Houses and 3 Hopes to completion; I do however have varying levels of approximate knowledge in regards to previous games and protagonists. As a general rule of thumb though, my main point of comparison is 3h.

Visuals:

-I'm not particularly fond of the specific art style in Engage, but there art times where it's not that distracting. I think that overall some of the 3D models look better than others. There are no still-photo icons to go along with dialogue, so focus is fairly hard to direct away from the 3D models.

-Battle animations are quite smooth, but I find some of them to be quite dramatic, especially the hit/damage animations! It's not really a positive or negative for me, just something that stands out. On the plus side it seems there are no more arrows clipping right through walls or units running through fences, etc, during battle animations.

-I actually do like all of the well-polished major cutscenes a lot. There are quite a few throughout the chapters I've played thus far and they are visually pleasing.

-Everything looks very shiny. Very shiny. There is quite a bit of crisp contrast in menu screens and the like. Text is a bit bigger than in 3h, so reading things is easier on the eyes.

Music:

-Overall I quite like the music during battles. I haven't had of the music any stuck in my head yet, so I think they're a bit less memorable than the scores in 3h, and those from Awakening that I've heard. but the music is honestly decent, I don't have any complaints about the quality.

-The music alternates between 1 song and another during the player turn and the enemy turn. I could personally do without this, but on the bright side you will always know whose turn it is.

Gameplay:

-Strictly comparing it to the gameplay in 3h maps, I've found it to be a bit more labourous in Engage. A lot of this can probably be attributed to differing controls, but I also feel like I'm pressing way more buttons to get the same things done.

-Weapons don't lose durability. I didn't know this in the first few chapters and was freaking out trying to figure out if my only weapons were going to break suddenly sjfbd

-Maps seem to be smaller in Engage than in 3h? I'm not sure if this will be consistent or not. Along with the possible smaller map size, I personally have found it to be very easy to work through maps even on hard. (Edit: smaller maps are not a constant thing; it was more common at the beginning.)

-There's a phase after battles where you can wander around a 3D rendering of the map and collect items, talk with allies, and a few chapters in, you can also adopt animals you find on the map. I like the cats :]

-Wandering around the Somniel is comparable in spirit to the explore phase in 3h. I personally don't think that the actual spaces, the Somniel and Garreg Mach, are comparable enough to pit them against each other. Somniel feels sort of like a very expensive dollhouse, I think. I am very fond of the garden. There is a wisteria tree. :]

-There are activities/minigames you can do in Somniel that will have benefits for the next battle in the story. They unlock gradually as the story progresses. I kind of like things like that because it can help break up the story a bit.

Characters:

-I like Alear tbh. I picked m!Alear to play as and I think he's neat :]

-I don't have much to say about the supporting characters as a whole. There are a few that I do like! But if someone is particularly fond of the sort of social bonding that exists in 3h, they may be disappointed, as in my opinion, there's just simply not a lot of depth going on, but nonetheless there are some fun characters.

-Similar to some games pre-3h, you are thrown new units at a pretty constant pace, so if someone isn't performing well or you don't like them much it doesn't have to hold up the game as they can be replaced.

-I am...not a fan of a lot of the voice acting. There are definitely some that this doesn't apply to! But yeah. I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to continue with the eng voice-over or the jp one going forth honestly.

Misc:

-If you have the dlc you can dress up the characters a bit. I'm not personally fond of the outfits offered, BUT. BUT! You can give Alear an earring and tbh that's all that matters. To me.

-My general impression is that the game is pretty straight-forward. I don't think there's room for many different interpretations of events that go on.

-S Supports happen at the end of the game. There are platonic ones and romantic ones, but both Alears can choose to s support anyone.

-It's a bit cheesy in a fun way.

Overall:

I think that if you go into the game generally knowing what to expect, it's decent. So far, I haven't encountered any glitches, so it does get a fair amount of points in this day and age for not being a broken game on release 🤪 If you really enjoy turn-based strategy games in general, it will likely hold at least some appeal. If you are looking for something that is very similar to 3h in every way, you may find yourself disappointed. People who have played older entries in the franchise may get more out of this game, but not having played pre-3h games won't hinder anything. There are some elements of Engage that just don't do it for me personally, but I am still having fun despite that, and I wouldn't consider it bad. My absolute biggest gripe is how the general style looks.

[joeys-piano]

Hello Joey for the writer ask game could we hear about: 1, 11, 26, 35, and 47?

Hey, Cryptid. My life has recently not been boring, so I haven't written much in some time. But, let's see where this takes me.

1.     Do you listen to music when you write? No. I'll listen to music before a writing session and that's about it. Because I write for the ear, I read my writing my out loud while working. So having music also playing in the background would distract me.

11.  Books and/or authors who influenced you the most? Francis Scott Fitzgerald held, holds, and still will ever hold a significant backdrop in how I write. It's not just the way he uses language that intrigues me. It's also how he builds it, how he uses the punctuation to bring out the best and the worst in people in a very approachable way, and I admire that.

26.  Favourite writing program? Google Docs. I've yet to find another program that better fits my needs or situation other than that. It's a big reason why in July 2022, I almost exclusively draft, revise, and edit on my phone now instead of my laptop. Because I can just get real comfy while writing in bed, and it's helped out so much in a lot of the aches and pains I used to have when writing "normally".

35.  What scene/story are you least looking forward to writing? Dialogue is my weakest link. Perhaps, because I don't talk much in general, so I only say what needs to be said and leave it out that. But characters don't work like that, most of the time. So - whenever I have a conversation going on, I read some screen plays as references for the kind of dialogue I'm aiming for and build something out.

47.  Best way to procrastinate? Watching a visual story - whether TV, movie, animation, what-have-you. Reading is not my favorite procrastination tool because I have to do a lot of that during the day job and it just gives me a headache. But watching something, that I can do.

A nefarious ask game - writers' edition

[devintrinidad]

7, 14, 66, 73 for the 100 question ask game!

Hey, Devin here! Thanks for all the questions! :D

7. tell us about the plot of the first fanfic you ever wrote

Ohhhh, that's a good one! I'm not sure if anyone knows this, but the first fanfic I ever published was on ffnet!

HOWEVER, the first fanfic I ever wrote (which was on an old legal yellow pad written in sharpie) was for Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

Yes, not even joking.

If I remember correctly, I think I wrote about Sharkboy and Lavagirl having a child (forgot the gender???) and how their child was going to save the world. It's basically a next gen au that was badly written and never saw the light of day hahaha!

14. what’s your worst writing habit? 

Oohhhhh! I already wrote an answer to that exact question! (That is to say, I don't do rewrites even thought that is pretty beneficial and pretty much necessary for people who aspire to be publishing original fiction). However, I'll give another worst writing habit!

Since I mostly focus on writing fanfic... Sometimes, I write fanfic for fandoms that I haven't touched in years. Like, I'll write something for Hetalia or Death Note and I just go off the memories and the feelings that I get from when I used to be obsessed with them. Of course, there are times when I need to rewatch certain scenes or look up quotes, but most of the time, I don't go and rewatch animes, reread books, or rewatch playthroughts of the fandoms I write fanfic for.

(I have yet to be called out for mischaracterization, so I must either have a good memory or my writing is just that good!)

66. when have you felt the most confident in your writing? 

Never???

I mean, I don't feel trepidation when writing or uploading my fanfic, but at the same time, I don't feel overly proud or confident in my work? It's not that I'm proud of myself, but I feel like... I've reached a plateau?

Like, I know I write well. I know that I have the skill to fully convey what I have in my mind's eye and transcribe it into written form. I know what my writing is worth and I'm satisfied with it.

If you mean an aspect of my writing and not the publishing-for-the-entire-world-to-see aspect... I think I write dialogue, setting, and background lore well? All of them took years to hone, but I think I'm correct in saying that I have improved over the decade or so I've been writing my work.

73. how do you visualize scenes? do you see it like a movie in your head, or do the words just flow?

Another good question! It's a combination of both! S

ometimes, I'll get.. not visions, per se, but I'll see characters blocked a certain way, saying certain things that I need to write them down. Other times, my internal monologue will be overtaken by what seems to be an ever evolving script that I can hear and will only go away once I put that monologue into actual, tangible writing.

It's one or the other at times, but it's pretty fun, especially when my hands finally join in the fun and get to pick out what stays in my head and what actually gets transcribed onto the page.

100. open question to the writer.

Ooohhhh! I think you're allowed to ask me anything that hasn't been asked already in the original game! If you ever feel like asking me something else, feel free to do so! For now, though... I'll choose...

28. handwritten notes or typed notes?

Oohhhhh! I'm not sure if this is common knowledge or not??? I feel like I've told people this, but I write my stories on paper first! And then I transcribe them into Microsoft Word/Google Doc once the majority of the story has already been written!

Handwritten notes seem more personal? And I'm not distracted by the bright lights and the open ended nature of a laptop.

That said, there are times when my hadnwriting is a trial in and of itself when I have to reread them lol.

Thanks for the questions and I hope that you have a wonderful day! (Don't be a stranger, I hope to hear from you again soon! It's been so long :D)

[askmerriauthor]

Star Wars: Visions thoughts and discussion

Been on a bit of a Star Wars binge lately. Getting ready for the Book of Fett and the return of The Mandalorian soon, just finished playing the Jedi: Fallen Order game, and recently "Star Wars: Visions" dropped on Disney+ (not to be confused with the, like, half-dozen other Star Wars properties that use "Visions" as their title). If you've got the streaming service and haven't watched the series yet, I can honestly suggest you should do so. The whole thing is a series of very short episodes and is entirely non-canon to the setting, so you don't even need a hard understanding of Star Wars to enjoy it.

In fact, it's actually better if you don't know anything about Star Wars going in. Spoilers and brief episode discussion after the jump.

Episode 1: The Duel As soon as I saw a lightsaber umbrella and a R2 droid in a hat, I knew this one was going to be a must-watch.

I REPEAT. LIGHTSABER. UMBRELLA.

Solid kick-off for the short series. Dig the aesthetic, dig the classic samurai vibe (even if it's more of an homage than a direct application of the style), dig the simple story. The particular animation style they chose here was a little wonky but I quickly got used to the visuals and loved a bunch of the design choices too much to care. This one was very action/style-focused and clearly chosen as the leading episode for that reason, which I don't fault them at all for.

Episode 2: Tatooine Rhapsody I'm sorry, I don't recall giving Star Wars permission to be this fucking adorable, how dare you.

The tale of a Padawan survivor of Order 66 who makes a new life for himself not with the power of the Force, but with the power of Rock and Roll and Friendship. Bitchin'. Super adorable, semi-chibi art style that's honestly ringing, like, a dozen different bells in my head for trying to figure out all the different styles it's drawing from. Good fun, if a bit bland in the end. The biggest problem is the music. The story relies on "using music to save the day", which is fine. But when you use that trope you need an absolutely face-melting banger of a performance, which this just doesn't have. An enjoyable entry all the same though. Not bad, not great, cute designs; the quirky story of how Jabba the Hutt got a new slave band to play at his den.

Episode 3: The Twins This entire episode is animated by the team who brought us Kill la Kill and that should really tell you everything you need to know.

You know how if you get a bunch of little kids together, they'll start playing make-believe games where they just invent stories and plot twists and super powers like "I have whatever you can do, but infinity plus 1 better!" shit like that? That's what this short is. It has only the vaguest allusions to the setting proper and immediately hurls every semblance of consistency, logic, and sense out the window with both hands. It is 1,000,000% style over substance.

Okay, y'know what, no, that's not enough to describe the utter insanity this episode is. All I can find online is pictures of the main villain character pulling a General Grievous impression or the protag snaring lightsaber whips on his lightsaber, but that is fucking tiddlywinks compared to where this episode goes.

There is a scene in this short where the protag, who is ghost-riding the hood of his X-Wing upside down in space without a space suit, super-charges his lightsaber into a giant rainbow of FUCK YOU GEORGE LUCAS with the power of familial love and fabulousness, using said rainbow super saber to CUT AN ENTIRE STAR DESTROYER IN HALF WHILE ACCELERATING TO HYPERSPEED, all to save his twin sister's life by making her explode in a somehow non-harmful manner.

This short is utterly nonsensical drivel and yes I would like more right the fuck now, please and thank you.

Episode 4: The Village Bride Wait, we're actually trying to tell a reasonable story in this series? Sorry, I was still on a sugar high from the previous episode. Lemme sit down.

The Village Bride is great. Excellent short that's just dripping with atmosphere and a slow, purposeful pace to its writing. It's short and sweet with little focus on the Force-using characters themselves, which actually serves to its credit. Even in the Star Wars universe, the Ainu people can't catch a fucking break. Easily one of my favorites in the whole run.

Episode 5: The Ninth Jedi The fact that two characters in this short have Sasuke's haircut was extremely distracting. But I actually really enjoyed this entry overall.

Despite playing extremely loose with the established lore around how lightsabers work, this episode over all others really embraces the original setting and tells a slow-burn story about the potential revival of the Jedi Order. A little meandering at times, but it's a solid piece and well worth exploring. Of all the shorts in the series, this one has the greatest potential to actually continue on as a standalone series or be folded into the canon franchise. Main protag is an adorable bean and I love her.

Episode 6: T0-B1 This episode is simultaneously a love letter to Astro Boy and a giant middle finger to Star Wars lore purists.

The tale of an imaginative Droid named T0-B1 who dreams of becoming a hero like the Jedi he's heard so many stories of. This short gets extra credit for being so unyieldingly stylish and charming. On the surface of its presentation and story choices it seems like it doesn't know anything about Star Wars lore, but it's actually packed full of some pretty deep cuts that show the folk behind it do know what they're talking about and just don't fucking care what purists have to say. The entire thing is just "Yeah, I'm ignoring your lore, but I'm doing it in a fun way that makes the setting more interesting, and I'm so genuine about it that you can't be mad at me". I can respect that. Plus the old dude in that screenshot is an armless Jedi who's retired to be a botanist and that's just fucking cool.

Episode 7: The Elder I'm Episode 1, but better.

This one. This shit right here. This is the good shit.

I'm sure y'all have heard before that Star Wars is directly inspired by Kurosawa and samurai films in general, but The Elder really digs into that hard. Where Episode 1 styles itself after a samurai tale, Episode 7 is a samurai tale. Subdued, methodical storytelling, slow-burn pace, charming dialogue amid believable characters, and a truly intimidating villain who provokes a brief but striking duel. This is my vibe. I crave more of this. Far and away the best short of the entire series.

Episode 8: Lop and Ocho Oh for fuck's sake, there's going to be so much porn of this bunny girl character, isn't there?

This entry is another that kind of meanders with the story it's trying to tell and plays very loose with the lore. It reimagines a lot of what we know of the Jedi/The Rebels and Sith/The Empire into a feudal faction-based conflict akin to what you'd see in a period samurai drama. Modernization and callous industry crushing the spirit of the people and breaking apart families. A decent work overall, but nothing really all that impressive in the end. It takes too long to get going and then peters out halfway through its pay-off for some reason.

Episode 9: Akakiri The fact that I had to look up this episode's name and scenes online and still could not remember anything about it should tell you a lot.

The series ends on a downer with the dramatic tale of a fallen Jedi who sacrifices himself and succumbs to the Dark Side. Turning evil for... the greater good? Wha? Had some pretty neat visuals, but I genuinely cannot remember a damn thing about this episode or its characters. Big swing and a miss in terms of impact.

[rainwalker-dragonblade29]

Fredrick Weidman is like in the top 5 of my spotify wrapped from two consecutive years and not without reason!

Best score tho? Hold on tight? Jerk face dance? Aaravos's theme? Last sunset? Spread your wings? Human with a pure heart? The main theme till s3? Silvergrove? It can go on.

I feel like we, as a fandom, don't talk about how incredible the soundtrack for The Dragon Prince is