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atopearth · 3 years ago

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Collar X Malice: Unlimited Part 7 - Adonis Route

Honestly, I find the way Ichika joined Zero's side to be pretty iffy even back then in the original game, so I kinda hoped something like Kazuki dying would have changed here but I guess not.. I feel sorry for Kazuki that they reconciled but she still ended up joining Adonis alongside Akito, it must be a pretty big shock having to deal with that. (EDIT: guess he is gone..) Ichika being at the top and training people in marksmanship and stuff is very interesting lol. She looks all right with short hair but yeah, I agree with Zero, I liked the long hair more. Anyway, Zero wants her to find out if there's a traitor amongst them before the next X-Day (since the one 2 years ago failed) in 30 days. Anyway, it seems like you go through each of the Adonis' executors' stories so that's interesting. I'm just going to go from the ones I least like to the ones I like the most haha, and then leave Mikuni for last I guess. Well, Hana's story first then~

Kobayashi Hana

I guess Hana is as bright as ever. I quite enjoy seeing her try and dress Ichika up and make her cuter lol. On the other hand, seeing her mercilessly cut through that panda cake was pretty hilarious. One thing I enjoyed insight into was hearing that Hana has been avoiding going to Isshiki's concerts to avoid causing any trouble to them with the police just in case they come to crash it because of her or something. Honestly, I was pretty impressed. Like, she's always been pretty selfish, and she's always prioritised her love for Isshiki above everything, but to see that she could stop herself to protect him was nice in its own way. Even though she's a pretty ruthless killer, and even though she's obsessed with Isshiki, I guess she does think things through a bit so that Isshiki won't ever have to suffer because of her. Hmm Ichika seemed to reminisce about Kazuki, does that mean he died? Anyway, these investigations are short? Are they really just segments of story for Ichika to become friends with each person? Lol. I mean, Ichika literally did nothing but talk about random stuff with Hana lol. I actually find it rather endearing that Hana and Ichika can fight so openly about their feelings and understand that they actually do want the best for each other, it's kinda nice how they became good friends under such circumstances.

Soda Manabu

Honestly, I kinda wish we could just pick one character and continue until the investigation completes because it's sooo annoying having to press on each one like 7 times just to get a couple of lines of story each time Zzz. Anyway, gotta admit Ichika is pretty judgmental towards Soda, and actively tries to "fix" him and thinks what he does is "wrong", which is pretty annoying tbh. Just because she doesn't understand games, she thinks it's useless to Adonis, and then judges him for his eating habits? Lol. Anyway, at least she tried playing his game though lol, and even got lessons from him haha. I see, I can understand why Ichika would go to Zero for "revenge" but not sure about the "sadness" thing if that's what she's going for tbh. Losing Yanagi, Enomoto, Shiraishi, Okazaki and Kazuki is a big hit and I can understand it shattering her world, but going to Adonis is basically breeding everything that killed everyone important to her. Anyway, Sasazuka's pained voice telling Ichika not to go to Adonis really hurt. I'm sure he's really hurting over the fact he didn't notice the weapons that ended up killing everyone, alongside survivor's guilt of being the only one who survived out of the group, and then now not even being able to stop Ichika from going over to the other side.. It's painful to see. Anyway, lmao, Soda is probably a tamer little brother than Kazuki. His words are harsh but you can tell he only talks like that to protect himself, so any time he swears, I don't bother taking him seriously, he's a hurt little kid. It's cute how Ichika mixed his hated eggplants into the gratin and he didn't even notice, but he ate the whole thing happily🤣 He's so adorable lmao, especially when his face went red and he told her he'd eat her stuff again (even though she shouldn't hear it), and then he ran off🤣

It seems like Soda regrets his actions much more than I initially thought. He was able to get revenge, but now he's even more scared of death because of what he had done, and now he's just in this never-ending cycle of fear, needing to have Zero's power to protect himself, doing his bidding so that he won't die, but at the same time being so scared of his life that the only time he probably feels "safe" is when he plays his games. I love how happy he was when Ichika gave him a SS tier rare item and he put it on, locked it and kept it in a special box🤣 That's so cuteee. Definitely enjoyed Soda's mini part more than I thought hahaha, he's such a cute little kid, which makes it kinda sad lol. Soda blowing up and getting mad at Ichika for playing solo and saying she didn't need connections when she made him realise he wanted to start building connections because of her was really...heartwarming. Soda gave up on people and a lot of things thinking that he could never have them because that's how it was considering how people are, but he changed his mind after Ichika so insistently barged into his life, and now to say that it's practically useless would be extremely hurtful to him. I was really impressed with Soda, and I'm happy that he even told Ichika that she can rely on him more, he's such a sweet boy🥲

Uno Suzune

Lmaooo poor Shion, the woes of a big brother. I found it hilarious how Suzune would give him the green peas she doesn't like even though Shion hates them too, definitely something siblings would do🥲 I superrrr agree with Suzune about handwriting diaries instead of writing a blog! I mean, I have both obviously, but I definitely have different feelings when I read my blog and when I read my writing in my diary. Through my blog, I can easily read my exact thoughts and get to the gist of what I'm talking about, but with my diary, I can see stuff like when I started getting tired of writing, when I felt like changing my pen, and a lot of other feelings that can't be seen or portrayed properly in a typed blog, and yes, the memories of me writing all this usually comes back better when I've written it, mainly because I either say it in the entry or because I can actually remember sitting there and putting time into writing about my life/day.

Guess Suzune's pretty yandere for her brother if any kind of possible romantic interest from Ichika gets her other self to come out and threaten her about it lol. Anyway, it's cute how she’s starting to kinda think of Ichika as a big sister. Suzune willingly taking Ichika to Shion and calling Ichika Chi-chan is probably the biggest improvement you can get considering she could stab you as the worst case hahha. Well, Suzune was definitely cuter than I thought and seeing her so vulnerable, shy but wanting to protect Shion and getting out of her shell for him was sweet. Are there endings for each executor? Well, anyway, Suzune saying she would be sad if anything happened to Ichika was really sweet.

Sugawara Rika

Lmao, I forgot Sugawara is obsessed with Zero, this is going to be fun I guess. It's kinda funny that getting a 50,000 yen strawberry entices her lol, I'm surprised Zero approved it as an expense, like dang, can I have one too, I'm curious lol. Lmao when Sugawara wanted to keep the strawberries as a memento instead of eating it😂 She should have been convinced when Ichika said it'll become a part of her hahahah. LOL when Sugawara started lecturing Ichika about dressing better in front of Zero, and then tried to get her makeup to make her look better, but then Ichika runs away😂

Okay, I loved the girls dress up night with Hana, Ichika and Sugawara. It was so funny how they started arguing about what Ichika should wear and then became fast enough friends to recommend each other stuff and then wear it for fun. I loveee that they had a CG for their new outfits because they're all so pretty, I love them! I think Hana's is my favourite because it's so simple but cute in a different way from her usual. I guess it's kinda cute how in Hana's investigation, Hana focuses on Ichika's clothing fashion, but Sugawara takes it further or I guess mainly focuses on skincare, makeup and haircare haha. I guess it's nice that Sugawara is definitely much more open about standing up for herself and other women when it comes to men who try to objectify them or think of them as "lesser". She's become stronger. I think it's kinda sad to see that amongst all the other happy mini endings with the other executors, Rika's one with Ichika is actually pretty sad because it was through them bonding that Rika noticed Ichika's true intentions of revenge, and that's why they can never truly see eye-to-eye and be friends.

Ogata Tomoki

I guess I didn't expect Ogata to be the type to go to batting cages, but I even more didn't expect him to reserve sweets to make sure he can get them hahaha! It's nice that he enjoys wagashi though, I definitely should have tried it when I went to Japan, but I completely forgot😭 Aww, Ogata had such a sweet daughter! Whenever his wife wasn't looking, she would eat his hated tomatoes for him! Such a kind kid😭 I've never heard of monaka before, so I googled it and they look nice!! Kinda like an ice cream sandwich but not with ice cream and has red bean paste and other stuff inside I guess? I would totally eat it. Lmaoo at Ichika's impression of the typical salaryman😂😂 It's true though, I can't imagine Ogata going home to watch comedy shows with a beer in his hand🤣 Aww it was so cute how Ogata did an impersonation of a character in a drama because he got so used to doing it for his daughter. But lmao at Ichika though, telling him what he can improve on since Adonis might have end of the year parties he could use it for, imagine a bunch of terrorists partying for something so normal like the end of the year hahah😂😂

It's actually really sad how Ogata feels like he can't be a father anymore because he knows that he prioritises his current ideals and dreams more than his daughter. And I guess considering how long they've been separated and how much he has changed, it would probably feel awkward to try and be a normal father, but I guess at least through Ichika's encouragement, he's willing to try and reply to his daughter's letter of wanting to meet him. I think the reason why I've always liked Ogata is because he doesn't regret his actions. Like, he knows that he's killed people and that's why he doesn't want to see his family and get them involved with what he's doing right now, because he knows the gravity of his actions. But at the same time, his hatred for Fujii, the police and the whole mistaken arrest that led to such injustice for him and changed his whole perspective on life is something he can't let go of, and that's why it led him to Adonis and to fulfill his "new" ideals. He knows it's a path that will not necessarily have a "good ending" but he's willing to sacrifice everything for it, and I think that's what makes me attracted to his character. Anyway, LMAO at how insistent Ichika was on seeing young Ogata with a buzzcut playing baseball, absolutely hilarious when she was ready to tie him up with a rope and search his room😂😂 It's pretty sad to see that Ogata wanted to be like Isshiki and save people with his justice without faltering in this cruel world but he just wasn't able to do it because hatred was what fuelled him to move forward and not forgiveness or hope. But I'm glad he encouraged Ichika to listen to Isshiki's song and hear Kazuki's guitar, because seeing Ichika show her emotions again, even if just a little bit was nice...

Uno Shion

Aww, it's cute how much Shion cares about Suzune, but also so cute how he's embarrassed to say he likes chocolate🤣 It's nice that he's more cooperative than Suzune I guess hahaha. I never expected Shion to like to paint though, that's interesting. Anyway, it's pretty sad to think that the "outside world" was much more unforgiving to the Uno siblings, and that it was only after they joined this terrorist organisation did they get to feel safe and secure that they have shelter and food without people going crazy on them. In that sense, it's understandable how much more comfortable Adonis would be for them. Aww Shion and Suzune getting excited over a chocolate cake is so adorable. Them saving up to buy a home for themselves is so heartwarming, it makes me really want to cheer for them. I'm dying from how cute they are trying to feed Ichika the chocolate cake too because they really like her and think she's really kind like their mother was before. Shion buying a cheese tart for both Ichika and Suzune was sweet, she's like a part of his thought process when buying stuff for his sister hahaha. Lol when he just shoved it into her mouth instead of giving it to her like a normal person🤣 Lmaoo when Shion drew a portrait of Ichika stuffing herself with cheese tart🤣 To think that Shion was so serious about drawing that he's actually thinking about a future with it after the X-Day stuff..it’s so endearing.

Sera Akito

It must be difficult for both Akito and Ichika to talk to each other. Just seeing each other's faces would make them remember the past and compare it to the present, making their whole encounter just...painful to watch. It's so like Akito to hide that he dislikes shiitake mushrooms so that it wouldn't inconvenience Ichika and make her remove it from the cooking menu. Lmaooo at Akito being so scared of bugs, enough that Ichika has to call cockroaches dark fairies to make him feel more at ease🤣 I'm sure Akito must be hurting too, but his consideration for Ichika above himself really makes my heart feel so warm. Awww, my heart swooned when Akito said his ideal type was Ichika! If only there was an Akito route~ Anyway, I didn't expect Akito and Soda to really interact but lmaoo at Soda having spent millions of yen on in-game stuff, Soda is right though, gacha rates are cruel😭😭 Aww, it was so cute how honest Soda was about wanting to have defeated the boss with Akito instead of dumping him and killing it himself, since what Soda values is playing together with other people. So, Kazuki was stabbed by a guy who was influenced by Adonis into taking revenge against his bullies or something, and I guess Kazuki was killed when he tried to step in? Honestly, I feel terrible for Akito. He was already feeling doubts and guilt over getting revenge for his sister, but after experiencing Kazuki's death, he must hate his choice for joining Adonis even more than before. It honestly broke my heart to see Akito break down like that not knowing how he could atone for his sins in causing Kazuki's death. His heartwrenching screams really cut me and made me tear up from all the pain Akito must have been bottling up all this time. Akito will always be my favourite side character, I think his pain, his feelings and his emotions were portrayed so well.

Sanjo Keisuke

Aww, Sanjo's favourite food being ramen is very him, kinda hahaha. I can't imagine a 7kg bowl of ramen and having to finish that in 30 minutes😱 On the other hand, Sanjo being into arcades is kinda unexpected, lmaooo at Ichika thinking he would play the crane games😂 I didn't think about the fact that Ichika is a former cop just like him now, I wonder how he feels about that or whether he even cares😅 Lmao at Sanjo seriously answering Ichika what his type of woman is and then even describing the body shape with sound effects😂 I can't believe Ichika just tickled Sanjo and made him laugh like crazy, I would have liked to see that😆😆 I think it would have been so nice if Ogata was Sanjo's boss, I feel like their values and ideals of justice back in the day would have matched well since Sanjo probably desired something "pure" back in the day and hoped to be a part of an organisation that helped people, and Ogata was always helping people already, so they would have worked well together. It's just sad that they both got betrayed by their ideals of what the police should have been to them and others.

The idea that you can't feel any fear because you don't value your life is a pretty interesting and saddening thought. Maybe because I get that feeling sometimes. I agree with Sanjo, Zero definitely doesn't truly care about those ideals of saving the weak that he keeps spouting, he's not like Mikuni, and that's also imo the reason why Zero believes that he and Mikuni will never truly understand each other. Ichika and Sanjo eating ramen together is so cute lol.

Mikuni Rei

Lmao at Zero calling Mikuni an old man for liking fish, disliking carbonated drinks and other junk food because they're not nutritional hahaha. Otherwise, nothing much to say tbh, Mikuni has always been a rather bland character to me? I like him, but at the same time I don't because even though it's interesting to see that he actually has "noble" goals compared to Zero, the fact is that Mikuni as he himself said has been told that he's a "saviour" of sorts, and I think that really exemplifies the type of person Mikuni is. Someone who believes that he can and wants to "save" people in his own way as if he is someone above them all, but at the same time, he is very apparently flawed exactly because he is like that. He's not someone who truly understands the people "below" him and he also doesn't seem to perceive that as something that can be helped, and that's why even though his goals are "noble", he's not really noble at all. But it doesn't really change the fact that Mikuni is kind in his own way though. Mikuni eating shrimp crackers is so cute😂

Saeki Yuzuru

To be honest, I've always liked the chill policeman Saeki, and I personally think Zero likes that version of himself too. I feel like he always enjoyed just talking about stuff with Ichika during their drinking charades, and had fun visiting her. But at the same time, I feel like because of the existence of Adonis and Mikuni, Zero never really allowed his negative emotions to be "accepted" in order for him to move on, so instead it just continued piling up inside to the point of indifference towards the world and others imo. Anyway, it's sad, seeing Zero and Mikuni happily play chess together. They really look like two brothers just having fun in their own way. Hearing them say that they've been doing this since they were kids makes it all the more saddening when they realised that despite how "close" they were to each other, they never really understood each other. In a sense, I feel like in the end, both Mikuni and Zero use Adonis as a way to get the things they want and feel like it's one of the only ways they can do it? I mean, I do feel like Mikuni treasures his relationship with Zero more than Adonis or anything else, because when it comes down to it, I feel like he tries really hard to understand Zero by trying to see things from his perspective and hanging out with Ichika, the one that Zero thinks understands him best and the one Zero likes the most. On the other hand, Zero seems to use Adonis as a way for revenge of his mother and as a way to vent those emotions and scars he got, but at the same time Adonis also granted him Mikuni (a brother), and it gave him opportunities and power.

Zero definitely loves Ichika in an obsessed way, probably the only way he thinks he can love someone, since he doesn't want to become "weak" like his mother was. So if he felt anything like love, he would prefer it to be a love that would destroy him, because in a sense I think I can understand that sentiment of wanting the person you love to solely focus on yourself and no one else, whether that is hatred or whatever emotion doesn't matter, because being the entire focus of someone else's is a sort of "love" to enjoy, so I don't blame Zero for his twisted "love" lol. Especially since you can tell how much he has always enjoyed his after work beers and just chatting with Ichika. I quite enjoyed their little date walking around reminiscing the past and discovering new things they missed out on, now I really want to eat crepes🥲 The ending where Ichika kills Saeki is pretty sad though. Seeing Saeki the most relieved and happy he has ever been is probably what made me kinda happy for him though. He still sucks, but like Ichika said, I can't hate him, because it was true that he did reduce the sadness of many (whilst creating sadness for many others too though) and at the core, he was like in a sense a guy who consumed so much sadness from everywhere around him, always in pain, always sad despite his appearance, and thinking that makes it difficult for me to truly hate him.

Overall, I like the Adonis route! Initially, I was a bit sceptical whether it was really necessary and whether it would be interesting at all but I really loved bonding with all the executors. Seeing more of the human and emotional sides, seeing them warm up to Ichika and become friends with her really made me enjoy the "what could never be" part of it all. I think I especially loved Akito's because of how emotional it was tying into Kazuki and everything. But I also really enjoyed seeing the different sides of all of them. It really makes me wish Ichika got an individual route with like Akito and Sanjo and Ogata because I loveee them🥲🥲

Overall Review

I definitely enjoyed CxM: Unlimited much more than I thought I would! In the beginning, Sasazuka and Okazaki's routes kinda made me wonder whether I really wanted to continue this, but I'm so glad I got through them because I enjoyed Enomoto's, Yanagi's and Shiraishi's routes a lot! If I ranked them, I probably liked Shiraishi's the most, then Yanagi, Enomoto, Okazaki and then Sasazuka. It's definitely what I wanted in a fandisk, which is more fluffy romance and just bonding with all the guys even more, and I absolutely loveeee the potential romances with Yoshinari and Minegishi, they were so unexpectedly nice. Definitely no plot but that's okay since it's a fandisc and I think it fulfilled really well what its goal was when it comes to more romance in the story haha. 8/10! I'm definitely going to miss the characters, I'm so attached to Enomoto and them lol.

#collar x malice unlimited

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mistress-of-the-obvious · 6 years ago

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Thoughts On Hikaru Quitting Spacecraft and Idle Speculation

Hikaru quitting Spacecraft was surprising and also not. Her message months back stating there was “more behind the scenes” could have meant anything.

It could have meant that she was happy, working on a single, and to please wait. It could have meant she was unhappy and planning to leave Spacecraft when her contract was expiring…that could also have meant she was working on a single since we didn’t know when that is. I just sort of shrugged.

Since that message I have been very unhappy when I’ve seen Hikaru and Wakana. Hikaru’s message was deliberately vague and the idea the she was miserable counting down the days to the end of her contract was heartbreaking. The fact that she was clearly getting email, snail mail, and messages sent to her directly asking what was going on because Spacecraft, her own representative company, refused to explain even a tiny bit and thus refuse to do their job upset me. She was clearly upset enough to write a message about and yet Spacecraft never addressed it. I don’t doubt Wakana is getting similar mail.

In more strangeness, Yuuka Nanri is still listed on Spacecraft’s official site. There is going to be a big anniversary event for Flying Dog with FictionJunction Yuuka. This is pretty big news as she’s been inactive since 2016. Nowhere on the site. She has her own little site that while it has its own domain name has the same design as some of the other sites hosted by Spacecraft. Last news: 2016. Her blog has an update from September saying she’ll be at the Flying Dog event. I suspect her to disappear from Spacecraft’s roster either before the event or sometime after.

In the case of Yuuka, I didn’t think much of it before the event as she went inactive when she became married and had a lot of health problems going back to 2013 slowing her career. It’s pretty typical for Japanese society to expect women after they get married to have children and thus be full time mothers. That is changing though, especially as not all married Japanese women want to or do become mothers.

So when I first saw Yuuka some months back, it was “Wait a minute…oh she’s retired and they’re keeping her on there because she’s still technically under contract. If Spacecraft were to terminate her contract before it was up, they would owe her money.” Now, there’s this event…and they aren’t promoting her.

Going back to Keiko’s trademark claim, I have some new information where the results are rather curious.

I found this great youtube channel called TheJapanChannelDcom. It’s by an Australian man with a Japanese wife, children, and has been living in the Nagano region for over a decade at least. While enjoying the channel, I found a video that indirectly dealt with Keiko’s trademark claim.

There was a video dealing the then potential breakup of the huge group SMAP (you can see the video here: https://youtu.be/gPBgFZYu9iw). SMAP was a boy band. The now former members are in their 40s and in everything. Movies, tv shows, and at the time still active in their music group. Their talent agency was Johnny and Associates sometimes referred to as Johnny’s. The group broke up in December of 2016 and it was all over Japanese news.

The big rumor at the time was that four of the five members wanted to quit Johnny’s, but still continue in some fashion together. Fans were worried for three reasons: 1) the trademark was owned by Johnny’s. 2) Johnny’s could make their lives very difficult, as they are a very powerful talent agency. 3) There is a stigma of shame surrounding leaving a talent agency, mostly if you have been with one for a long time. This is the perception that the agency built the talent up and that the talent owes it to the company to stay.

What happened was one member stayed with the agency, one went on to something else, and three went to another agency called CULEN. It seems it’s theirs as right now CULEN is just listed as them. They also have a website called atarashiichizu. At this time they are promoting their individual works and have not released anything together, but it’s only been almost two years.

So what does this have to do with Keiko? Typically a talent agency will decide they want a music group or singer and hire them. They trademark the name and choose the songwriters the singer/group will work with. They also work to have a contract signed with a record company. I might be wrong on a few details, but that’s the general picture. The only thing different with Spacecraft was Yuki Kajiura and whether she owned any of that trademark. The fact that after Yuki left, the name Kalafina continued suggested it was owned by Spacecraft.

Would Keiko not know any of this? Highly doubtful. Not only was speculation regarding SMAP all over the news in late 2016, there were also negotiations with Yuki Kajiura and Spacecraft prior to her leaving that affected the group. Knowing how active Keiko was in her advocating for both herself and Wakana and Hikaru (we see this in the 10th anniversary film), she would have kept tabs on it. This on top of the fact that she was signed with Spacecraft with Ayaka Ito for Itokubo. She seems like she has a good idea how the Japanese entertainment industry works.

Even if she didn’t know, the company she hired to represent her would be able to find out if anyone registered that trademark. As someone who has dealt with civil court paper work here in the US regarding my mom and my uncle, I can tell you lawyers and law firms don’t make much money filing these paper work claims. Most of the fee goes to dealing with the bureaucracy. I doubt Japan is much different. In fact, Japan’s bureaucracy seems worse. They would tell her not to waste her time and theirs…unless there was some other point.

What that point was, I don’t know. What we do know is that after she formally told Spacecraft she was leaving, a few days later she filed that claim. Unlike Kaori’s long blog post when she left or Hikaru’s handwritten letter, Spacecraft posted Keiko’s mere one paragraph statement for her. Then there was the letter released for Harmony 4 where people thought it sounded like they were blaming Keiko. While I wouldn’t quite go that far, it was cold in the English translation.

Japan is interesting in that there’s this spectator sport regarding apologies. When a celebrity screws up, like in the case of a member of SMAP a few years back, whom was caught being drunk in public at night, said celebrity will publically apologize on television. People will watch and discuss this apology: how good it was or wasn’t, whether the person bowed deeply enough, whether they meant it or not, etc. Celebrities will be sent on apology tours on various shows.

With this in mind Spacecraft was at best completely tone death at worst they’re arrogant. Since new management took over they have lost 12 people. Most this year. It’s not just people associated with Yuki Kajiura but also long established voice actors.

Based on the little bit I know, what happened with Yuki Kajiura and Spacecraft is that the new management wanted to add restrictions to her. The previous administration let her do what she wanted for the most part.

With Keiko I suspect something similar. Again complete speculation on my part. What we know is the official line is that Keiko didn’t see a Kalafina without Yuki Kajiura as the songwriter. We know this isn’t quite the case as there was that interview where Yuki revealed she was taking a step back allowing them to use other songwriters, she would likely contribute a few songs, and be more of a manager and mentor.

One thing I found surprising was with the tabloid news articles, which were highly accurate, was the statement that if Keiko had stayed they would have headed to the recording studio early this year. Of course, the three of them were touring all last year, so where would they have the time to vet songwriters and find out how well the interaction is…unless Spacecraft wanted to manage them as a standard pop group where they were the sole deciders. If they were being controlling with Yuki Kajiura, why wouldn’t they do that with Keiko, Hikaru, and Wakana?

I suspect this in part with how Hikaru opened her letter, “I, Hikaru, left Spacecraft on good terms (paraphrasing)…” Why would she say that unless someone left not on good terms recently? Again that’s speculation, but we do have some albeit small bit of evidence Yuki and/or Keiko didn’t exactly leave on the greatest terms. She certainly wanted to squash any rumors before they started.

Interestingly, I also suspect that Wakana has more freedom with Spacecraft being solo since there is less money and expectations.

As far as more idle speculation on my part:

Yuki stated recently she has 18 new songs done for a project and is still at the studio recording more. I suspect Keiko to pop up in some of those songs. It might even be a Keiko centric project.

The reason why Hikaru has a Twitter and was interested in having an Instagram, is in part because she’s floating going solo. She maybe in some FictionJunction concerts here and there, but she’s more interested in going solo. Yuki stated she was considering going solo for some time. Also based on her massive support, about 6,000 followers within around 24 hours, not only fans but Yuki, FMB members, Atsuko from Angela, and a director from Animelo concert series, tells me she’s in good position. It also tells me that industry professionals have an idea what was going on with Spacecraft and didn’t like it.

I find it interesting that while there has been an announcement for Wakana’s new single, there has been nothing about an album. Based on her tour setlist she already has enough original songs for an EP. I’m curious what record company she’s on. Is this a new contract or is she piggybacking on Kalafina’s? That might be the reason why Spacecraft refused to fold the group. They are still listed on Spacecraft’s site as though they’re active. It will be interesting to see if the next Harmony magazine contains the name Kalafina on it or if it turns into Wakana’s fanclub. Simply put, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wakana’s contract ends sometime next year and she chooses not to renew.

If Wakana leaves, I do not see a full reformation of Kalafina. While this can be done under a different name, the three of them do not have the finances to form a special group like the three former members of SMAP (which even they have not yet released something together yet). Instead, I anticipate things like the three of them performing an old Kalafina song or two during a FictionJunction concert or a song released by Yuki Kajiura here and there that is essentially a Kalafina song (Wakana, Keiko, Hikaru and Yuriko and/or Remi as assist).

Be on the look out if Keiko tries to go after that trademark claim after Spacecraft drops using Kalafina. I’m not sure if she will or how long a trademark needs to be inactive in Japan to file a claim, but it will give us a good idea if she filed this last one for mysterious unknown purposes or not.

I suppose that’s enough silly idle speculation on my part. Much of this stuff we will never know and frankly don’t have a right to know since all of this is very personal.

#Hikaru Masai #Spacecraft #Kalafina #Yuuka Nanri #FictionJunction #FictionJunction Yuuka #SMAP #Keiko Kubota #Wakana Ootaki

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corkcitylibraries · 3 years ago

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Cork In Verse | J. Michael Tynan

J Michael Tynan worked for 40 years at the Irish Examiner newspaper, acting as a sub-editor and equestrian correspondent. His poetry has been published in literary journals in Ireland, the UK and USA, along with the Blue Mondays Poetry Anthology 2021. He is the co-writer of the winning entry in the 2019 Cork International Folk Festival Song Contest. He has staged two solo exhibitions, featuring works combining his poetry and his photography. Delving into film (scriptwriter/producer/director) has seen his first short, ‘Sorry’ premiere at Fastnet Film Festival and reach the semi-finals in Stockholm, Berlin and Madrid. He is finalising plans for his second short film, ‘Leap of Faith’.

When did you start writing poetry?

I was a latecomer to writing poetry and a rook is to blame. I had worked for the Irish Examiner for almost 40 years - acting as a sub-editor and equestrian correspondent, but also writing about science, art, basically anything that took my interest.

However, creative writing was not part of my output… until that raucous rook called to me in 2015. Such was his insistence, that I promised to listen to him and his friends instead of music while cleaning out a stable. In that moment, I was transported back to my childhood, engendering my first line of poetry: A rook called me back to my past. More lines emerged and I decided to put them into the ‘notes’ section of my phone. To this day, I write my poetry in my phone, as it is ever present if a moment of inspiration reveals itself.

I genuinely believe, now, that writing is in almost everyone’s capacity, as in its essence it just amounts to expressing our thoughts through words. We all have thoughts... One should consider that this writing is a private expression - one that is often essential more than desired - and is not for public consumption, then it will be its truest form. Any decision to share it can come later.

With prose, I think that, once you put down the first words, it can be like taking a dog (the story) for a walk, with the route only limited by one’s imagination. Sometimes, the dog takes me for a walk, in that the work takes on a life of its own.

Besides writing poetry, you are also a photographer and a film-maker. Do you sometimes intertwine those art forms?

I have staged two exhibitions of framed pieces that combined my photography with my poetry. The exhibitions were held in the fantastic venue of St Peter’s on the North Main Street. The exhibitions gave me huge personal satisfaction. I had one very special, intimate moment with a man, who had bought a piece that resonated with him to such an extent that tears drenched his face and he could not speak. I felt compelled to put my arms around him to console him. The first exhibition was memorable, too, in that John Spillane performed the opening, singing some of his best-loved songs and reciting some of my poetry.

I have made one short film - ‘Sorry’ - which made its debut at the prestigious Fastnet Film Festival - and am about to start my second. These are based on short stories that I’ve written. I do harbour ambitions to adapt a feature film from a novella I’ve written.

While writing poetry is, typically, a solitary exercise, I like making films for their collaborative element, so, perhaps, one day I’ll get around to making a poetry film and contribute to a genre that has flourished in recent years.

Where do you seek inspiration from?

I don’t actively seek inspiration. I await it. I don’t like to force things, as the work can emerge as contrived.

However, I have learned to seize inspiration when it emerges. Like all skills, it’s one that improves with practice.

Also, I am a member of the Blue Mondays Writers’ Group - we meet most Mondays on Zoom - and we always finish with prompts that get the creative juices flowing for the following week… and there now follows a blatant plug: ‘The Blue Mondays Poetry Anthology 2021’ can be purchased in outlets throughout the city and also at [email protected]. It costs just 10 euro, features great poetry and artwork, and 50% of the proceeds go to Cork Simon.

In your opinion, what are the most important elements of a good poem?

The best poetry comes from the writer’s experience, particularly interaction with others, along with self-awareness and awareness of the natural world. Insight and fearlessness are major components for me. Confession: Sometimes, I will aim to provoke, even if I don’t necessarily agree with the sentiment of my words. Is that disingenuous or a betrayal of myself? I don’t think so, as it means you have touched the reader, while getting a reaction is an achievement in itself. As for the aesthetic elements, expressing thoughts and emotions in language that is lyrical, combining words in a symphony, so to speak, will help the work resonate with the reader. Cadence is also something I like and strive for.

In saying all of the above, it’s important to remain open to fresh and inventive styles.

What are you reading at the moment?

I’ve just finished ‘The Dark’, by John McGahern and am now reading ‘War and Turpentine’ by Belgian author Stefan Hertmans (translated by David McKay). Shortly before his death, Hertmans’s grandfather gave him a set of notebooks that revealed the old man’s heroics in the First World War.

‘The Brendan Voyage’ is now top of the pile on my bedside table. I’m passionate about currachs, so am a little embarrassed to say I’m only now getting around to reading Tim Severin’s account of his epic voyage across the Atlantic. ‘Saving Eden - The Gearagh and Irish Nature’, by Kevin Corcoran, is another I’m looking forward to reading.

Potato picker

Day calls, unrepentant…

Digging shallow

deep

brooding

Brittle air

sifts vapour from breath

hhhuuuhhh

Evanescent ghosts

Fork shares in my tact toil…

Soil crumbles

and

soul

tumbles

Denied tears nourish nothing

Propagate pain

hhhuuuhhh

The earth blithely accepts and gives

Scarified memories…

Stalk comes

Soft

lift

Extract anguish

Leaves brown blotch

hhhuuuhhh

Telling of terminal love

So sense, the Earth spinning…

Orbs dangle

goodness

signals

virtue

Salve for the suffering

Of blighted summer

hhhuuuhhh

Emotional famine since you crossed many fields

(First published in Blue Monday’s Poetry Anthology 2021)

#CorkInVerse #CorkCityLibraries #JMichaelTynan

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bmgmw · 8 years ago

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Homecoming (chapter 2)

I finally reunited with my computer so I could write chapter 2! Apologies for any grammar/punctuation errors. I’m running on 4 hours of sleep after a long work day, so…

Anyway, I think this thing may end up being more like 5-6 chapters instead of the 3-4 that I initially planned…..oops!

Thanks for all your lovely comments on the first chapter (chapter 1). I don’t really (aka ever) write fiction, mostly just research or poems, so this is all pretty new to me!

Chapter 2: Observer of Humanity

The harsh city streets of Greenwich Village softened as the autumn leaves speckled the asphalt in shades of red and gold. The wind provided an encouraging nudge to the throngs of people moving about with their own individual rhythms to form the city’s unique collective cadence. Mid-rise luxury apartments, renovated 19th century row houses, and NYU’s signature purple flags encircled the downtown neighborhood, inflicting architectural warfare on the ghosts of the Village’s bohemian past. As Riley made her way down MacDougal Street, she passed one such ghost, the cornerside club Cafe Wha?. Home to one of Bob Dylan’s earliest NYC performances, the club still stands today–although rising cover fees and the changing neighborhood landscape have slightly diminished its once bohemian atmosphere.

But as Riley gazed at the club’s quirky signage over the door, her train of thought wandered to the club’s lesser known history. Observer of humanity, the phrase formed in her mind. Her great-grandmother Rosie McGee was a frequent patron of the club in the 1960s, and although the two had never met, Rosie’s story came to life every time Riley passed by Cafe Wha?. Riley pictured Rosie in a cozy booth feverishly jotting down poetic fragments in her journal, about the nomads she encountered passing through, about the folk artists attempting to get their music and message to travel beyond those four walls, and about the love she found–and then lost–there. Observer of humanity, the thought echoed once more. Riley was fascinated by her great grandmother’s intuition regarding others and her uncanny ability to tap into previously unbroken ground in order to connect so deeply with people. As Riley thought about the people in her own life, she desperately hoped she had inherited even just a small fraction of that talent. Riley crossed the narrow street, weaving her way carelessly between taxis stalled in traffic, and descended the stairs into the courtyard of Topanga’s. She eyed Farkle and Smackle tucked away at the corner table seated across from each other and deep in quiet conversation. With their eyebrows furrowed and their backs slightly hunched, they emanated a sense of gravity that Riley did not want to intrude upon despite her natural curiosity. From the corner of her eye, she swore she felt them glance in her direction. I’ll say hi later, Riley thought as she made her way to the entrance.

Riley continued on through the door, and the warmth of the bakery enveloped her as she took her place on the orange sofa next to a very relaxed Maya. Maya dropped her feet to the floor from the coffee table and turned to Riley. “So how’d it go? Did Ranger Rick finally show up?” she asked. “Yes,” Riley replied. “You were right. He didn’t forget about asking me to homecoming!” Well, of course I was right. I did help him with this after all... Maya thought to herself. She smiled and revived her best terrible 1950’s educational video accent. “Well, golly gee whiz! Riley Matthews asked to the homecoming dance by that swell lad Lucas Friar! Cheese souffle!” she joked, with accompanying gestures. “Did he bring ya a Yogi on skates, Sally?” The joke had long worn thin, but Riley didn’t have the heart to say anything. Instead, she forced out a slight chuckle. "No, no Yogi on skates. But lots of my favorite candy.“ Riley tossed a handful of chocolates from her bag to Maya. “I got some for you and Auggie”.

“Thanks,” Maya said, losing both the ‘cheese souffle’ accent and enthusiasm. She couldn’t help but feel weird taking the candy that she had told Lucas to buy, unbeknownst to Riley. Maya slowly unwrapped one anyway, hoping the sweet chocolate taste would overpower her discomfort. “So are you excited? It’s only a week away,” she said.

“Yeah, I’m excited! But I still need to pick out a dress! Want to go to Demolition later?” Riley asked as she took out her mountain of textbooks, grasping them tightly in order to keep in place her scattered notes burrowed in the pages. “Sure. I guess I should get a dress too.” Maya didn’t have a date, but that wasn’t going to stop her from having fun with her friends. “But I can’t stay long,” she added casually. She glanced at Riley with slight apprehension, hoping Riley wouldn’t ask for a more detailed explanation that Maya wasn’t ready to give. Luckily, Riley was already buried deep into página 72 of her Spanish textbook, trying her best to memorize the long list of verbs for the upcoming quiz. “Caminar…..cantar…..conseguir…..cambier…” “Cambiar”, Maya corrected. “To change.” “Cambiar”, Riley repeated intently. Spanish was not her strong suit and she was glad to have Maya to help her. Riley giggled as she went through the vocabulary list one final time. “Even when I get them right, I still think I sound like Chewbacca.” She uttered its cry and Maya laughed. “Well if you’re Chewbacca, then does that make me that Han Solo guy then?” Maya asked. She had never seen a Star Wars movie, despite telling Riley otherwise, but she had read enough of the Wiki page at least to pacify Riley when the subject came up. “Sure,” Riley answered, her eyes glued to her textbook. Sudden silence grew between them, teetering the fine line between comfortably studious and tensely awkward. As it slowly evolved into the latter, Maya pushed a tuft of her soft, blond waves out of her eyes and picked up her strawberry smoothie. "So why do we always order these things when it’s not even warm out? I’m much better at pouring them than drinking them anyway,“ Maya stated, hoping the self-deprecating humor would lighten the mood. She wasn’t quite confident in its success, but it was her go-to method in awkward situations. Riley looked up from her book. "Out of habit, I guess,” she replied. Maya smiled and stretched her feet back out on the table and began to drink her smoothie. Feeling deserving of a study break already, Riley looked over at her friend and did the same. “Ya know, life’s pretty good right now,” Riley said in earnest.

“It’s–,” Maya began, before she was interrupted by the bakery door being swung open with urgency. Smackle and Farkle stood at the door in tandem. Their expressions had softened since Riley had seen them, although neither looked entirely comfortable. They stood in front of the girls and took a deep breath. “Riley. Maya,” Smackle began, turning towards each girl as she addressed them. She continued on, quick and undeterred. “Farkle and I were just discussing homeostasis— how variables are actively regulated in order to remain constant……like how the plasma ionized calcium concentration level is controlled in our blood via the parafollicular cells of the thyroid, as well as the parathyroid gland.” Smackle paused and looked intently at the two girls. They stared back. Unsure of what to say, they said nothing. Farkle took a half step back and listened silently as Smackle continued. “Sorry, I forgot we’re not all in AP Bio. Let me rephrase.” Maya and Riley exchanged a glance before smiling back at Smackle. They were neither angry or offended, but rather, slightly surprised that Smackle didn’t call them amoeba brained or some other colorful description. “Yes, Smackle, explain to us lowly peons, please,” Maya said in slow exaggeration. The girls loved Smackle, refreshing honesty and all, and Smackle was used to the girls giving as good as they got. Smackle looked at them warmly and continued. “In biology, an organism being able to regulate and remain constant despite outside changes allows it to maintain life.” The girls nodded. “Okay, that makes sense,” Riley replied. “Yeah, yeah. Science and stuff. But what about it?” Maya chimed in. She knew they were going around in circles to get to a point, and she wanted them to arrive at it sooner rather than later. Farkle straightened his shoulders and looked up towards friends, still avoiding eye contact. "Smackle and I were talking not just about homeostasis at the molecular level, but at the human level as well. When the external variables of this world make us go haywire, who is the one that helps us return to homeostasis? Who helps us maintain our true selves even as we grow? “ he recited. For a boy whose eyes typically gleamed when it came to science, there was a dullness to them today. An unusual reluctance replaced the typical ardor in his speech.

Riley and Maya’s eyes remained fixated on Farkle, expecting a further explanation, or at least some type of follow up. This wasn’t the first metaphorical science speech Farkle and Smackle had given, and the girls were waiting for the pair to answer their own question as they usually did. But Farkle offered no answer. He turned to Smackle, who stood up and announced simply, "If we are not each other’s regulating factors, then we cannot achieve homeostasis. Based on this scientific fact, Farkle and I have decided it is in our best interest that we separate ourselves on amicable terms. We wanted you to be the first to know”. Farkle nodded silently in agreement, keeping his eyes glued to the floor and his hands glued to his jean pockets. Before either Riley or Maya had a chance to process the bomb that had just dropped in front of them, Farkle and Smackle nodded and left the bakery as quickly as they had come in.

Maya finished the last sip of her smoothie, still not quite sure of what had just occurred. Smackle and Farkle were the most stable relationship of anyone in her class. “What the…? Well Riles, I definitely did not see that coming, did you?…”

Riley absentmindedly shook her head as Maya continued on. But Riley wasn’t listening. She had scooped up her books and bag, and before she knew it, was halfway out the door. I have to go talk to him. She wasn’t sure exactly what to say, or what she thought talking would accomplish, but she could feel every instinct in her body screaming at her to go. This isn’t the Farkle I know, she thought as she entered the courtyard. He was holding something back, though Riley had no proof nor any inkling of what it could be. As she brushed passed the round tables on the way to the stairs, flashes of conversations past rang in her head. “We don’t lie to each other, Riley.”

Riley accelerated as she went up the stairs and onto MacDougal Street. The evening sun was reflecting off the windows and for a moment, it almost felt like the Village was glowing.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Maya appeared at the foot of the steps, puzzled.

“I’ll be back soon and we’ll go to Demolition, I promise,” Riley replied, eager to keep moving.

“Okay, but what about Lucas?” Maya shouted as Riley walked down the street.

Shoot. Lucas was supposed to meet them at Topanga’s in fifteen minutes once he finished his baseball practice. Riley fiddled with a strand of her hair as she thought about what to do. She had already not watched his practice, and the thought of ditching him at Topanga’s made her feel worse. She didn’t want him to think she wasn’t excited for homecoming. Feet frozen on the cement, Riley bit her lip. “Tell him, I’ll be back in half hour!” she replied. Pivoting, she continued down MacDougal and unlocked her phone.

‘hey. can you meet me @ the arch in ten?’ she clicked away with her thumbs with ease.

The purple doors to Cafe Wha? peered at her as she made her way north towards Washington Square Park. The doors were closed, but she could picture Rosie’s booth clearly. She paused and gazed at the doors for a few seconds longer, hoping this feeling in her gut about Farkle wasn’t just her imagination. She hoped she read him as well as Rosie read the people surrounding her.

Observer of humanity. Riley repeated as the arch of Washington Square Park began to emerge in the distance. Or at least…so I hope.

#gmw #girl meets world #riley matthews #gmw fanfic

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badwitchgame · 6 years ago

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Busy with Blender

Thanks to Grant Abbitt’s tutorials on YT (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFUrFoqvqlN8seaAeEwjlw) tutorials, I’ve picked up a few quick skills. Until he makes the part 4 of the tutorial with the texture painting, I decided to hit WoW and made a few screenshot about objects and houses and tried to make them in Blender.

First attempt: Barrel and cart:

I really liked this one, despite the fact that it’s super low poly, it is quite obvious what it is and even with basic shading, it looks very good.

2nd Attempt: House in Evelynn forest:

and the reference screenshots:

It had some very strange angles The house normally would just straight up but as they made this “cartoonish” in WoW they distorted the house from the sides:

Also it was not super obvious how the walls go. I think they are double sided planes, not actual geometry, at least around the windows for sure. I don’t know how to do that yet. Also as I was studying the structure from all sides, I noticed a few optimizations as well. The geometry was not really obvious, since the texture painting created a lot of “illusion” geometry, it was hard to tell what is shape, and what is texture painting sometimes.

In any case, it was a good exercise and it kept me pumped so I ended u modelling a few more things in Blender:

A signpost:

and a bed scene:

Without texture painting these all look a bit plain, but I think I make good progress in understanding and creating simple models.

I also bought Portia on PS since it was reduced price. I thought it’ll be different but after playing it for a day, I can’t say I’ve seen a more snowflake friendly game in my life. There’s absolutely no conflict in it in a meaningful way. Everyone is nice, the weather is pretty, whatever you are tasked to do is super easy, the whole game feels like a safe place simulator..

Regardless, I bought it because of the art style. It was quite OK, although the lack of texture painting results in a very low quality models some places. I’m positive I could make 60-70% of the models I’ve seen so far. I don’t know about the programming aspect or game systems just talking about models of houses, walls generic objects around the world etc. Some are surprisingly badly made for a fully released product, but it was quite consistent in execution. If nothing else, the game gave some hope that I can make a game one day, since if they could release and sell this quality of assets, it is absolutely doable to make something with similar quality (or better) solo.

The more I dig into game making, the bigger the task seems to be, but so far I’ve not seen anything I couldn’t solve (maybe bunny fur on the “official” blender Udemy tutorial, but that’s useless anyways.). Models can be made with blender. repetition and level design can be learned from WoW, and how they re-use parts of their models and textures to build variety in the scenes without actually making new models. Sound design and music theory can be learned from Udemy tutorials and programs like FL studio or that strange midi generator can make music. Concept art and drawing can be learned, I bought a complete drawing tutorial on Udemy as well. Eventually I will be able to make models, concept art and music. Animation I have a book on that I can read. UE4 I have a complete course as well as an UE RPG course as well. All I need is just the game idea and execution. After seeing some ideas I still have more idea on what I don’t want to do than what I do want to make. I liked the wider game design of Portia, but that conflict-less blank characters are just creeping me out. I liked the huge sunsets and the ancient ruins on the horizon, I like how bright the game is, although it does terribly miss dark areas and creepy, evil places etc. As I played Portia, all I thought was maan, this is TOO cheerful, this is TOO happy. This game is like Stardew Valley on drugs for overly sensitive people. For those who cannot deal with conflicts so they need their game too to be without real confrontation. Portia surely doesn’t follow the typical “Hero’s journey” since there’s nothing heroic in it. nothing to overcome or learn from, nothing to challenge. FFS the first dungeon doesn’t even have enemies and the game is proudly presenting it as a safe place to explore. I expected some reaction from the bus driver when I started axing the rainbow lamas everyone was just watching cheerfully as those nightmare monsters went off with a puff and dropping a nicely folded leather.

I definitely don’t want to do that. I want extraordinary creatures like in FF and PoGo, I’ll probably want companions like pets etc.

About what the game would be.. Probably a journey with many easter eggs and side quests. Something where decisions shape a world state, Regions are similar size as WoW areas with similarly packed with small towns, areas of interest etc. Something that can be explored, and quests would lead to the next areas. Player can choose where to go from similarly hard areas.

I do want some form of building in the game and regarding that I had the idea of a player building their house, either as freeform building like in Conan exiles or upgrade it and have fixed attachments added to it like Skyrim or WoW garrisons. I can restrict the building area in each region and the player can cast a spell to “pick up” their house and move it to the next area or build more and travel between them. Like in NMS. NMS building system is good, just the building pieces are not good enough.. All the buildings look like cubes.

Both building systems (upgrade with fix pieces or free building from parts) have its charms. Pre-made parts probably easier to make. I potentially would like to end up with a “howl’s moving castle like monstrosity where towers and planks are sticking out. The pre-made and upgrade system can also be combined with shelves and furniture so people can customize it. I do enjoy free building better though, free building is one of the cornerstones of Conan exiles, without it I’d probably not played it for this long. The idea that you can just set up shop anywhere on the gigantic map and build a massive base, castle, whatever you want is pure imagination. You see a place or a cliff side and you have an idea what could look good there. Or you just settle on a random place and follow along what the world gives you, build inside a cliff side, or set walls along the vulnerable openings. You can climb a mountain to get a good vista or a cool sunset and start building there. Originally I wanted something like that, but I admit I have no idea how to make it work well. It works for Conan because it barely has a story. remove the bracelet, fill the shopping list and no ending.

The problem with Conan’s ending is that it’s non-existent and I realize now that it was a conscious choice. During my first play-though I thought it makes no sense to remove the bracelet. By the time you can do it you are king of the world, you have a palace, you have an army of thralls, you have many beasts following you, you own an oasis, you conquered all bosses and enemies in the game. And you cannot die. Why would you want to remove the bracelet and become mortal again and walk into the desert? So it makes sense that the developers don’t want you to finish the game. 80% of Conan exiles is building. it’s not about finishing the story. This is a strange relationship between what the game tells you and what it is actively trying to force you to do. By story they want you to remove the bracelet, but every game elements wants you to stay and keep building on new locations. Conan exiles still pulls me back occasionally just purely to build and make a new base. There’s nothing in terms of story in the game for me, I’ve seen every corner of it, yet when new building pieces came out, I feel encouraged to go back and build a new base because of the free form building.

Things that can make a game infinite:

- Random levels to play on (Diablo’s Rifts)

- Free building where you can build any house you want (Conan exiles)

- Character customization (Maple story 2)

- Free form crafting (Paper life)

The problem with these is the more random a game gets, the harder it is to write a consistent and freely explorable story to it. The more random the game is, the more possibilities are for the player to miss / skip story either by accident or by simply going towards something that is more interesting on the map. You can either write a main story arc or small hubs with mini stories perhaps? Maybe you can have mandatory quests and optional quests as in other games.

What I aimed for at the very beginning was 2 states for each areas. For example you have a woodland forest, and depending on your actions it will be a trade hub because you made it safe or a bandit hub if you selected certain choices. This can result a “World state” that can be used for New Game +. You go through the game, make your choices, and that results a world that has less or more problems. When you finish, you have the choice to restart, but the world is in the state you left it. If you left the woodland that became a trade hub, in NG+ you find a rich area that have a set of problems coming from being rich (eg attacked by bandits). If you left the area in the main play through as a bandit hub, you have quests to liberate it or profit off it etc. Liberating the bandit hub results a trade hub, neglecting or exploiting a trade hub results a bandit hub. If all areas have 2 states, you can play through the game at least 2 times.

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dorothydelgadillo · 6 years ago

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The 7 Best Facebook Groups for Inbound Marketers

As marketers, we all eventually encounter many of the same challenges.

Whether you’re working on an email campaign and are trying to determine the best frequency and send times, or are writing new content and optimizing it for search engines, you’ll run into something that makes you wonder “am I doing this right?”

Despite your best efforts to read blogs, books, and marketing news to stay on top of the latest trends, things are still constantly changing. It’s a lot to keep up with. How can one person keep up with so many things?

The solution is joining an online marketing community.

Whether you’re on a marketing team or are flying solo on your marketing journey, it can be comforting to know you’re not alone.

Through a community, you can get answers to those burning questions from a trusted group of people who’ve been through it before. The hive mind of an online community takes some of the pressure off of you so you’re not in it alone.

After all, why should we each reinvent the wheel every time we want to try a new marketing tactic?

Plus, when we do try something risky and it doesn’t go as planned...who can we turn to? Your community is there for you - and I guarantee the members have similar stories to share.

Thankfully there are a number of online communities specifically for marketers.

In these communities, you’ll see people asking the same questions you’ve wondered about before. A helpful marketing community will answer those questions and provide you with feedback - all without judgment.

Many of these online communities exist as Facebook groups.

The only challenge is there are a ton of them out there. With so many to choose from (there are literally millions of Facebook groups), how can you decide which ones to join?

That’s where I come in.

As a member of many groups and manager of IMPACT Elite, an inbound marketing Facebook group, I’ve checked out almost every related group on Facebook and have narrowed them down to the top 7 best ones I think are worth joining.

I have also learned a few tips along the way for deciding whether or not a group is for you.

How to Choose Which Groups to Join

When not filtered by topic, there are over 200 million groups on Facebook right now. Even when you narrow it down to marketing, there are tons to consider.

How can you choose which ones are worth joining?

Granted, joining a Facebook group isn’t exactly a big commitment. If you’re not happy in the group or aren’t getting value out of it - you can always leave. In fact, group admins will not even be notified if you leave the group.

However, you can save yourself some time and energy by vetting groups before you join.

Here are a few tips I’ve collected from joining (and leaving) quite a few of these groups.

First, read the About section - the whole thing.

The amount of effort a group puts into their about section is typically a direct reflection of how much effort they put into the group itself. Groups don’t always deliver what their About section promises, but it’s a good place to start.

If a group admin has put time into developing a mission for the group, outlining rules and expectations, and included testimonials from existing members, then they’re probably going to have a good group.

Unfortunately, groups are not always as they may seem in their About section.

One group I joined recently was not as impressive as its About section led me to believe.

I was intrigued by their statement of: “This group is for skilled marketers and entrepreneurs that know what they’re talking about.”

Based on all the information in their About section, I was excited to join.

Once I was in, I felt completely let down.

I was met with a seemingly endless series of posts from the admin of the group that had little to no value or engagement.

An experience like this is why the About section isn’t always enough.

If the group is public, you can scroll through some of the recent posts to get an idea of the group’s content and level of engagement.

Ask your friends for recommendations.

If there’s anything I’ve learned from working on IMPACT’s Facebook Group, or even just this article, it’s that most marketers have at least one go-to online community.

Granted, they might not always be on Facebook (some are on Slack, LinkedIn, etc.), but if you get a recommendation for a group from someone who is already in it, it’s much more likely to be of good quality.

Read the Reviews.

Finally, there are a bunch of reviews and guides out there (like this one!) about these groups.

Give them a read and you’ll find a few groups tend to stand out above the rest. Taking the time to do this research will help you find groups that are just what you’re looking for.

So with that, let’s dive in. Here are my top 7 Facebook groups for inbound marketers.

1. The Daily Carnage

Total Members: 3,120 Who Runs It: Carney When It Started: August 29, 2017

Join The Daily Carnage

The About Section: “Bringing you the freshest news, tools, tips, and tactics in the marketing world. Get ready to break free from the monotony.”

What I Like About It: The Daily Carnage group started from Carney’s newsletter, called The Daily Carnage. The group began as a place to continue discussions on topics from the newsletter and has since evolved into a vibrant group of marketers asking and answering questions, sharing ideas, and genuinely having fun.

This is one of my absolute favorite groups. I definitely recommend joining but if you do - you’ll also want to subscribe to The Daily Carnage to get the most out of it.

I asked Mark Rogers, Marketing Director at Carney and admin of the group, what makes the perfect group member. Here’s what he said: “I like members who are willing to engage with others. The best groups are the ones where members give and take advice. That’s what I want every group member to do. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to marketing or a seasoned marketer, you have an opinion and that’s what I love to see.”

2. Word Workers

Total Members: 2,970 Who Runs It: Copy Hackers When It Started: October 15, 2016

Join Word Workers

The About Section: “The only Facebook community for anyone and everyone that writes as a major part of their work.”

What I Like About It: There is a ton of engagement in Word Workers. I’ll admit, I do not spend enough time in here. Since working on this article I’ve realized I’m missing out by not checking out this group more often. Plus, the amazing Joanna Wiebe (The original “conversion copywriter” and creator of Copy Hackers) is seen around the group from time to time. From tools people use to tips and tricks - there is so much value in the discussions in here. Definitely check it out if you’re a writer or write for some part of your job.

I talked to Karine Bengualid, of Brought to you by the letter K, who manages the Word Workers community and she told me: “Joanna Wiebe, of Copy Hackers fame, created Word Workers for (copy)writers who want a place to get and give advice, celebrate wins, and (most importantly) convert like a MOFO. While those who aren’t part of Word Workers should have serious FOMO. Thanks to her incredible following, thousands of writers from around the world (including some of the best copywriters) have this amazing place to go to talk shop and make new copy friends.”

3. Social Media Managers Group

Total Members: 30,895 Who Runs It: Social Media Pro When It Started: October 6, 2010

Join Social Media Managers

The About Section: Facebook's oldest and most active free group of SOCIAL MEDIA PROFESSIONALS. All skill levels welcome. All questions answered.

What I Like About It: With over 30,000 members it’s no surprise Social Media Managers gets a ton of engagement. Drop a question in here and you will get a wide variety of perspectives and answers. I am amazed that a group of this size doesn’t have more spam, but the admins do a fantastic job of keeping the group free of nonsense and filled with value.

With so many people posting, you probably will want to turn off the notifications for this group, but definitely bookmark it in your favorite groups and keep it handy.

They also have a fantastic pinned announcement for new members including a video where the admins introduce themselves. This is the only group I like that has also managed to nail the welcome content.

4. CXL - Conversion Optimization, Analytics & Growth

Total Members: 5,329 Who Runs It: CXL When It Started: September 7, 2016

Join CXL - Conversion Optimization, Analytics & Growth

The About Section: Conversion optimization & growth discussions. Not a place for link dump or ads.

What I Like About It: Questions get answered. Simple as that. When someone asks a question in Conversion Optimization, Analytics & Growth, people jump at the chance to help. Plus, CXL’s Peep Laja comes into the group and posts and I love seeing that. Interestingly, a moderator of the group posted recently that they had gotten a lot of feedback that people prefer to have professional discussions on LinkedIn. LinkedIn groups have recently been revamped and seem to have a lot of potential so I’m interested to see where they take this but, for now, I’ll be sticking around their Facebook group.

5. Digital Marketing Questions

Total Members: 13,069 Who Runs It: The Blueprint Training When It Started: May 30, 2015

Join Digital Marketing Questions

The About Section: This group is meant for all digital marketing professionals (or people who want to learn) - SEO, PPC, social, Analytics - to ask questions, network and share relevant industry content.

What I Like About It: Digital Marketing Questions is another truly spam-free group that has valuable discussion after valuable discussion. Sensing a trend? I’ve vetted many groups and the ones that don’t make the cut are either filled with spam, have questions that go unanswered, or are simply not valuable. They have a fantastic pinned post for when new members join that sets the tone of the group and reminds members of the rules.

I asked Ryan Stewart, Group Moderator and Founder of The Blueprint Training, why they started the group and he said “I started the group as a means to build a community of like-minded people on Facebook to share ideas and network. It ended up growing into something so much bigger than I could’ve imagined.”

6. Women in MarTech

Total Members: 229 Who Runs It: Spark’d When It Started: October 2, 2018

Join Women in MarTech

The About Section: The initial goal for this is to create a resource for:

- people looking to book speaking opportunities (#JustSayNoToManels)

- collaboration

- peer support, and more

What I Like About It: Women in MarTech is a very new group and doesn’t have a ton of members yet but there is a massive amount of value. The admin does a great job of starting new and interesting discussions and is adding further value by creating a directory of women in MarTech that members can sign up to be listed on.

As a woman in marketing, I love this group and the support I’m already seeing from the members. Plus, the idea of having a group that helps its members get speaking opportunities and learn from those already speaking often is really exciting to me.

7. Marketing Solved

Total Members: 15,013 Who Runs It: Marketing Solved When It Started: March 20, 2015

Join Marketing Solved

The About Section: Here you will get exclusive access to marketing training, tips, and tutorials, articles, business and marketing strategies, success stories, amazing business support, freebies and greatness!

How to Get the Most Out of This Group: Engage, Ask/Answer Questions, Provide Expertise, Be Visible, Be Positive

What I Like About It: Marketing Solved is a group of 15,000+ people who, for the most part, are not in the other groups I’m in. I don’t know how there’s not more overlap, but I tend to see a lot of the same faces in some of the other groups I spend the most time in. Birds of a feather, you know?

The admins of this group do a fantastic job of creating traditions - threads on certain days that focus on one specific thing. Sometimes these threads encourage people to promote their own content, share job opportunities, or promote their services. This is a great way to keep all of that content out of the regular feed of the group.

Finally, people seem to feel really safe in this group. From the questions people ask, I can tell that this group is welcoming and judgment-free. I recently read a post where someone shared their updated speaker website and asked for feedback. That’s a tough thing to do, but he felt comfortable doing it in this group. which says a lot (and he got detailed feedback).

Go Find Your Perfect Inbound Marketing Facebook Group

So there you have it; my top 7 Facebook groups for inbound marketers. If you join one, be sure to tag me in a discussion so I can say hello and hopefully help answer your question!

A few others I love that are more specific to video are Film School for Marketers and Personal Branding with Video.

If you’re an agency, there are a lot of agency-specific groups out there that do a fantastic job including The Sprout Social Agency Network, HubSpot Agency Partners, and DM Certified Partners.

Go forth and find your community!

from Web Developers World https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/best-facebook-groups-for-inbound-marketers

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