#i like that the quick draw creatures are useful even if you don't have equipment

[dravidious]

You're very cool

Black commons!

[teradul]

Moxtober - Week 2

Here's this week's batch of cards:

Day 8: Trial

Embodyment of Justice 4WWW Creature - Spirit Advisor 6/6

Vigilance Council’s Dillema — When Embodyment of Justice attacks, each player chooses guilty of innocent. For each guilty vote, tap a creature defending player controls. For each innocent vote, you draw a card and gain 1 life.

I myself have my Big Creatures™ proclivities, and have a dear friend that has Reanimation™ proclivities, and we often converge on big, white or black creatures (rarely both, tho). This was very much informed by that.

Day 9: Error

Grave Mistake U Instant

Counter target spell or ability that targets a card in a graveyard, or that is cast or activated from a graveyard.

Two things:

How the fuck is this card name not taken? Three visits to Innistrad, At least 2 sets each, and you mean to tell me that this NEVER came up? How? Midnight Hunt/Crimson Vow wasn't that far from Thunder Junction, which has Holy Cow as a card. Grave Mistake should have come so, so much earlier than that.

When I made the mechanics for the card I could see the art I wanted. A blue cloud-covered sky in the backround as a zombie is mid-rising from the grave looking at a comical scene with a confused expression on its rotting face. I could not find ANYTHING in that ball park. I struggled to find a screenshot of Emily looking mildly confused. Again, I ask: How the fuck is this not a thing?

Day 10: Cat

Lion Charm 1G/W Instant

Choose one — Create a 2/1 green cat creature token. Destroy target artifact or enchantment. Gain 2 life for each creature you control

I have had this idea of Animal Charms for a long while. The idea is that all of the charms have the first option as a token, the second option as some kind of interaction with your opponent, and the third is something for yourself. Originally, Cat was the Green card of this batch, though its design was so White as well I shifted it to multicolor, which was as yet undecided. I think it works well.

Day 11: Mouse

Rat Charm 1B Instant

Choose one — Create a 1/1 black rat creature token with deathtouch. Target opponent discards a card at random. Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

I know. I know it said mouse. And I know we just had Bloomburrow that have created a mechanical identity to Mice. I don't care. Rats are much more well established, AND I wanted black to have a card this batch. So yeah, a pretty strong Charm, imo.

Day 12: Cut

Blade of Grass 1G Atrifact - Equipment

Equipped creature gets +1/+0 and gains “T, tap an untapped creature you control: Add a mana of any color” Equip 1

I'm very conflicted about the costs of all of this. I like the flavoring. I do think that the effects like a boost and a mana ability is exactly what I wanted. But the cost of the equipment and the equip itself feels off. I like the idea of tapping another creature, as a singular blade of grass is less effective than a forest, but all of that feels like you'd never use the mana ability outside of limited board stalls, which is not what I want here. Thoughts?

Day 13: Thrust

Improvised Thrusters 2 Artifact - Equipment

Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has flying and haste. Whenever a vehicle becomes a creature, you may tap an artificer or pilot creature you control. If you do, equip Improvised Thrusters to that vehicle.

I love shit that doesn't work as it should. An enchantment that taps for its effect. Creatures that don't actually have creature types. Or here, an Equipment that doesn't have an Equip or Reconfigure ability. Also, I did not think that I would have two "Artificers matter" cards not even halfway through Moxtober. Huh.

Day 14: Quick

Strike Fast R Instant

Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains haste until end of turn.

Strike True R Instant

Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn.

Honestly, "Quick" had to be red. I honestly was just browsing art pieces for inspiration, and with this gorgeous landscape-oriented piece, I felt that a Split card was due. This was done quickly, too, as the prompt would imply, honestly.

[hughiecampbelle]

Instinct (Bucky Barnes Oneshot)

((TFATWS SPOILERS))

Character/s: Bucky

Word Count: 1,110

Tag List: @dontdowhatisayandnobodygetshurt @myriadimagines @lilyswritings @encounterthepast @writerdream22 @brithedemonspawn @megnotfound @ladyeliot @locke-writes @thedarkqueenofavalon @fangirlsarah16 @randomfandomimagine @amirahiddleston @diana-westmoon @valkyrie-2312

A/N: I haven't written in over a month and I'm scared it shows 💔 I'm really unsure with writing lately, I thought about not posting this, but I feel like I owe it big time. This was supposed to be something different, but I can't say I hate the direction it took. There aren't any major spoilers, it just follows the general plot, but I figured better to be safe than sorry. I hope you like it, and that I'm not too "out of the game" or bad at this lol. Feedback is always appreciated.Thank you for being so patient with my break my loves, it means the world 💜💖💜

Summary: He wants to move on, you don't 💕

Gif Credit: @captain-james / link :)

FIC MASTERLISTS 1 -> 3 / WANNA BE ADDED TO THE TAG LIST?

There is a static between you. One that is ruthless, hostile, sharp. It makes your gums bleed to describe it, tasting nothing but iron, bitterness, a resentment that is otherwise untouchable by any other creature. A hatred towards the mirror, towards your own skin and bone, your entire fucking existence. Catching his eyes, even for a second, is staring into the sun. Blinding. Aggressive. Burning, until every inch of you is set aflame, itching to turn and run, to tear apart, to scream. Scream until there is nothing of you left. A reminder of what was, what is, and what will never be. What neither of you can go back to, as fitting as the mold may seem, as secure as that title may be, as comforting as that role used to be, he refuses, and you follow along. Bury the body, he thinks that will make him someone new, someone worth everyone else's time. Do not flinch when they say your name, when they whisper every awful thing you did, when they tease you, leaving the door open, enough so for the light to peak through. An escape plan, you think. You hope. A way back to the life before, where your mind was someone else's, when the world was cruel and you were allowed to be cruel back. He does not see it that way, slamming that door shut, locking it from the outside, and swallowing the key.

One word, an invitation, that's all you need. The risk is great, but the urge is greater. Split yourself open. Self destruct. Skip the steps, skip what they insist is healing when all they do is rip open old wounds. Skip the apologies, the sob story, the introduction. The look in their eyes never flinches, no matter how many times you beg. Why bother? Return to what they wanted, needed, feel a certain belonging you could never get back walking into the civilian world.

Your footprints made of blood, a sticky red trail left wherever you go. That's what they see, and they don't bother hiding it. The disgust. The references you don't understand, too old to laugh, to sigh, to roll your eyes. The world moved on without you, spinning faster than you remember, and you are left to catch up. They have their lists, their paper and pencil, all the recommendations one could offer. It would be endearing, maybe, but you have nothing to offer. None of the energy to play catch up. None of the want. Time slips through your fingers, wasted, growing spoiled, mocking you. You have better things to do than watch a movie, more important things, things that filled you with purpose, no matter how sick.

You would have been disgusted. Horrified. Speechless. You would have hated yourself more than you already do. But you are older now, far more experienced, hardened by a life you never could have expected. Learned to want it, though. An animal secured by captivity does not know how to survive in the wild. You were never equipped to live like this: free. The knives, the guns, the special ways in which you read even the smallest of actions, turning people into pages, an open book for you to skim, before placing back on the shelf.

You adapted, grew to fit what they wanted, who they wanted, until you too loved what you were. Dangerous, powerful, unfeeling. The numb became a high to chase, unsatisfied by anything else. Where he mirrored a version of yourself you left in the past, you embraced this role. The damage was done. The bodies put to rest. None of which you could take back, nor make up for. He sought redemption. You wouldn't dare. It wasn't by your choice, that much you could admit, but you could feel it, from the fits bullet to the last, you were never meant to be anything else. As gruesome as you had been, uncaring, quick, but painful, you would be nothing else. Assassin. Killer. Murderer.

They say it like it's a bad thing.

The guilt eats you alive, chews you up and spits you out, shattering your very being as you wake, each night, from another nightmare. The aggression, the shame, all of it you share as fairly as you can, and yet, you wear it so differently, making you more distinct than you could ever explain. The only other person in the world who has seen you at your lowest, your highest, faced what you have, seen what you've seen, and you can't stand to look at him. Not for the wounds he sewed up, his eyes falling on your broken body, nor is the sobs, the pleas, the prayers he heard escape you in moments of desperation. Not because he knows the way you scream, your body used for their own gain, enveloped in a pain only the Devil can inflict, or because he has seen you shoot without a second of hesitation, moving forward before their body hits the ground. None of it, not even the things you care not to mention, to think about, nit even now. It's that he has become resistant, soft even.

He fights a fight he knows he cannot win. He draws the line between good and bad, hero and villain, as if there even is one, as if they are not the same in moments of desperation, of selfishness, or of great selflessness. That he thinks he can stop being what they made him, resisting the instincts they worked so hard to ingrain. You feel it, too. Turning off everything around you, picking apart the situation before it plays out. Footsteps, whispers, how many there are, where, how quickly they can get to you. A dance you know each step to, the two of you in sync. This time, no leader, no follower, but two soldiers taking orders. Without them, he thinks himself above who he used to be, who you used to be, what you were, but you know better.

You want nothing more than to slip back into old habits. That look, that stare, the wince he hides when they bring up his crimes, he wants the same. Step back, fall into old ways, let go until there is no one left to scorn you for what they put into your head.

Where they see Bucky, a man escaped, in remorse, righting his wrongs, you see The Winter Soldier, a friend, a weapon, an old accomplice. One of them, you respect, trusting with your life. The other, nothing more than a facade, a mask, a weakness, an act even he has tricked himself into believing.

[sebastianshaw]

RP meme from "Chapter Four: Aspects and Renown" in The World of Darkness Ratkin Breedbook

"What you can actually do is far more important."

"The experience is little more than a challenging contract to prove one’s mettle."

"Not everyone can stand so much isolation and seclusion."

"Along the way, they work whatever scams and schemes they can to survive."

"After all, mavericks are known just as much for their quick wits as their stealth and subterfuge."

"Some do this to escape lives they cannot stand; others quest for ideals they may never achieve."

"If there’s a great place nearby to find food, adventure, or perils that threaten the young, a wise scout or spy will find them quickly."

"Relationships on the road are temporary and superficial."

" A scout or wanderer who hasn’t seen an old friend or lover in years immediately picks up the relationship exactly where it left off."

"Each year, they move from city to city, use and discard temp jobs like old clothes, and evolve a series of personas for different situations."

"Not all of them are impoverished and homeless; as long as you know where to find crash space, you’re never really helpless."

"They are fascinated by places inhabited by other creatures, especially humans."

"Some are smart enough to emulate the people they live near; others come up with bizarre explanations to explain human activity."

"Instead of a straightforward military report on the strength of predators in the area, the data must be condensed into a format even a small child could understand."

"When problems with the physical world grow too great, it’s tempting to just vanish into the ephemeral realms for a while."

"These alternate identities aren’t very flashy, just the sort of quiet identity that no one questions."

"It can also draw attention from police officers, irate merchants, and hostile humans."

"This isn’t my world. I just hide in it. If you’re looking for a place to run, talk to me."

"This isn’t my world. I just hide in it."

"If you’re looking for a place to run, talk to me."

"Seers are the keepers of ancient secrets."

"A human is still a human, and can never be trusted."

"Just because they’re victims doesn’t mean they’re virtuous; they’ll still rip you off when you least expect it."

"They seek wisdom the human race has discarded or left behind."

"They make their lairs in areas where the police fear to go, where the only law in both physical and spirit worlds is survival."

"Her body remains in the physical world; her spirit watches what transpires around it in the spirit world."

"You worry about fighting what you can see. I’ll worry about fighting what you can’t see."

"If they feel strongly enough, they will enforce their beliefs as they best see fit."

"Unfortunately, when passing judgment on their own kind, they have restraints placed on their activities."

"These harsh practices have millennia of precedent."

"They reason that it’s better to have a few small, secure ratholes to hide your equipment and yourself than to go to the trouble of defending a larger turf."

"Many secretly enjoy “pronouncing sentence” on anyone who offends them thoroughly enough."

" Justice is far more important. . . and unfortunately, far more subjective."

"Most know they can’t change the world by openly practicing violence; if anything, they’ve got to be really secretive about their revenge."

"Epic carnage is best left to less sophisticated creatures."

"The threat of one of the local politicians getting killed is usually enough to dissuade them from disagreeing any further."

"They do not disguise themselves when pursuing an assassination, as they will not apologize for what they do best."

"We had a contract. You broke it. Now I’m going to make your life a living hell."

"When rage flows freely, violence reigns."

"Some have the wisdom to choose their battles carefully; others don’t care who dies when battle lust seizes them."

"Peace is nothing more than a temporary cessation of the ways of war."

"Developing martial skill involves far more than just killing things — sometimes it involves crippling them, weakening them, or demoralizing them.

"These soldiers don’t just slay; they also use their knowledge of chaos to confuse their enemies, striking in the night when madness reigns."

"All of them pride themselves on discipline and composure. . . until rage overwhelms reason."

"Warriors of both sexes are mildly insecure, and feel the need to show off their martial prowess."

"What? Just because you’ve got an army surplus jacket and a pipe bomb, that makes you a man?"

"Any fool can pull a trigger."

"Saving the world requires true warriors."

"Technology isn’t evil, after all. It’s just in the wrong paws."

"Many are convinced that if they don’t watch their actions carefully, someone from a local laboratory will capture them and experiment on them to find out why they’re so smart."

"Wherever technology thrives, these rats will move in to scavenge it."

"Humans have a fetish about continually acquiring more stuff, newer stuff and cutting-edge state-of-the-art tech."

"The struggle begins with fierce discussions about technological innovations, and rapidly breaks down into name calling and slander."

"Two machines enter; one machine leaves."

"Whether they tinker with ancient computers or rusting cars, they have an insatiable need to fix anything that’s considered unsalvageable."

"Sometimes, she’ll spend the whole day collecting knickknacks just to see what she can build out of them that evening."

"Genius has its price."

"Each one has a physiological trait that identifies him as the gene freak he is."

"Dark powers tutor them in forgotten arts of destruction."

"He’ll be deposed by forces he’s summoned up, but can’t put down."

"Turn your head and cough. Oooh! I’ve never seen it that color before."

"Not all of them are swashbuckling heroes, but all of them are delusional about their origins and their heroic prowess."

"The conflict of egos can become so intense that bystanders get hurt from the fallout."

"Dueling etiquette demands satisfaction."

"Anyone who hears this tale will swear that it is true."

"My good sir, adventure is my middle name!"

"What? You don't believe me?"

"Keep her pointed in the right direction, and she’ll masterfully eliminate your enemies."

"If you’re not careful, she’ll blow up right in your face."

"Any place populated by the desperate, frustrated or down-and-out is another good choice — not only does it make for a good place to hide, but it has its share of potential allies seeking vengeance. . . or potential victims at which to vent your anger."

"They’ll need a really powerful common enemy to unite them; otherwise, each will suspect the other of conspiracy."

"Many come from criminal backgrounds, broken homes, abject poverty or the sort of banal borderline existence that breeds cynicism and contempt for just about everyone."

"Each one has a surprising degree of truth to it."

"It controls all forces of order."

"The balance of the world will not be restored until we destroy everything that smells of stasis, stability or the status quo."

"Hey, nobody saw me do anything. Besides, he had it coming. . . he pissed me off. What? You talking to me? You talking to me?"

"Hey, nobody saw me do anything. Besides, he had it coming. . . he pissed me off."

"Hey, nobody saw me do anything."

"Besides, he had it coming. . . he pissed me off."

"What? You talking to me? You talking to me?"

"You want a piece of me?"

"Chant the creed, kid, and learn. . ."

"I shall seek revenge against those who prey upon my kind."

"I will survive so that I may breed."

"I must respect strength and exploit weakness."

"I shall grow stronger through conflict."

"I will learn from the mysteries of the spirit world."

"I will revel in the visions the spirits grant me."

"I shall nurture, instruct and aid the young."

"I will trust my own kind before I trust outsiders."

"When someone is responsible for injustice, I will make sure someone pays."

"Legality is a subjective concept at best."

"Fighting to survive is difficult enough."

"What else could heal the world?"

"They’re doomed to self-destruct."

"The day that the buildings come crashing down, I’ll dance in the streets."

"Survival comes first."

"Mankind’s days are numbered."

"The strong breed. The weak die. Does that sound harsh? That’s evolution."

"Instinct will tell you when to kill, so follow it."

"We need an army to overwhelm our enemies."

"I still do not know if this is wise."

"If only the strong breed, then you must prove your strength before you can reproduce."

"Don’t be some addle-witted wharf rat who breeds with any half-dead body in the sewers. You, soldier, are the paragon of your race."

"Such egotism!"

"That is nature's way."

"That is nature’s way. If the population of creatures in any one area is too high, a few can be killed or a great number will starve."

“Property is relative. If I can take it, it’s mine. If you can’t defend it, you don’t deserve to have it."

"They buy far more than they need, go to great lengths to defend what they have, and insist that they have the right to determine who owns what."

"If you own more than you can carry, you’re wasting what others can use."

"Betray others before you betray your own kind."

"We’re running into the world together, kid, so we’ve got

to stick together. You ready to go? Um. . . you first. . .”

"You ready to go? Um. . . you first. . .”

"We’re running into the world together, kid, so we’ve got

to stick together."

"I just feel this rage in my blood that’s been there since the dawn of time. And I just feel like acting on it."

"Show me your true face, and it’s my call whether I want to slash it off."

[klimp42]

Final Fantasy 8: An Amazing Story Hidden Behind Weird Mechanics

So it should be said that there is one thing that I love and that is some good narrative in gaming. I love it, give me a game with a good narrative and at least decent gameplay and I am in there, and a good narrative doesn't mean oscar level writing because I love Deadly Premonition, a notoriously weird game, but a golden game in my heart. Its story is weird and unique and at times outright strange, but it's endearing and I love how wild the story gets as it goes on. Now why am I talking about this? Why it's because of my lovely new bad gameplay good narrative obsession, Final Fantasy 8. That's right, gamer boys and girls we are going back to another old game, and that's because I just played it, and the remastered just got announced at E3 this year.

Alright so if you know nothing about the Final Fantasy series, let alone the 8th installment, let me help you out. Final Fantasy is an old franchise, it started in 1987 and got its name because the original name Fighting Fantasy was taken by a board game in the states, the myth of it being called Final Fantasy because it was a last ditch effort to make a successful game is just that, a myth. The game is prolific, being one of the granddaddy's of the JRPG genre and helping bring that good ol fashion turn based combat system popular in tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)  to videogames. Final Fantasy 1 is a classic of gaming and also is kind of like D&D, you have classes similar to the previously mentioned board game; Warrior, Monk, Thief, Paladin; with a few of its own unique classes; Red mage, Black mage and White mage. The games story was very simple, worlds ending, killing these fiends and go back in time and stop Chaos from doing this over again, also at some point the game explains that you are from another universe and that's why you just start outside the beginning kingdom, Final Fantasy stories like to be a little wild at times.

Like D&D you gained levels in this game by fighting monsters, getting stronger with each fight and eventually being strong enough to be able to face the final boss on even grounds, or maybe a little above them if you grind out yourself to max level. This system, if you are into the RPG genre, is incredibly rewarding as you get to see your team of lowly nothings evolve into masters of combat who can slay gods. The best part, to me at least, is going back to the starting area or an area that gave you trouble and stomping on those monsters who thought they were so cool 20 levels ago. Now in Final Fantasy series this system is in most of them, fight monsters, get exp, level up and your stats go up with it, the special cases are Final Fantasy 2,6,8 and 10, and of these the worst offenders of weird leveling are 2, 6 and 8. That's right, I said it, 6 has a weird leveling system with level not raising stats and needing summons equipped to level stats, I personally don't believe that it deserves its spot as one of the best Final Fantasys but that is an article for another time. I could explain why each is weird and 10 is fun and different in a good way, but forget all that and let's get into the focus of this piece, Final Fantasy 8.

Now even though it is my new obsession in good story bad gameplay, my fascination for this game goes way back to when I was a 3 year old with a pizza hut demo disc. Yeah you bet that was a thing, you would order a large pizza and it would come with a playstation demo disc that had a couple of games, but the only one that mattered to little old me was the demo for Final Fantasy 8, or that game with the guy with the cool sword and big water snake, as I was 3 and couldn't read that well. Seriously, if you have played a Final Fantasy game before you would know that you can use summons by clicking the tab they are in and then selecting the one you want, well ol kid me thought it was random as I was just picking things at random. So what I am saying is, I have always had a special place for this game in my heart, so there might be a bit of bias.

So I spent some time flip flopping over what I wanted to discuss and explain first, story or gameplay, on the one hand I wanted you to know what FF8 had to offer narratively, but on the other hand I feel I should let you guys know what you're getting into when you play this. So I decided to compliment sandwich this one, but like a subway compliment sandwich where the teenager who doesn't really want to work there barely tries to cut your bread so the top part is like really thin. So thin that what I am going to give you is this, FF8 is a great story of a young man learning to overcome his own weaknesses to understand that strength can be found in companions, listen I know that sounds cliche but I need more space to talk about the amazing character development and got to tell you about this bad gameplay.

So remember when I said that old Final Fantasy's had a nice leveling system based on fighting enemies, getting exp and raising stats? Throw it all out the window, because like I told you earlier FF8 is one of the weird ones. So for some reason FF8 has a whole system based around equipping "Guardian Forces" (summons) and then through this unlocking the ability to junction (equip) magic to your stats; like strength, magic, hp and the other classics; while also being able to junction magic to element and status attack and defense, allowing you to be able to either protect or do damage based on said elements and statuses. Now you might be thinking how does this work, because magic is usually used based on magic points (mp) well there is no mp in FF8. This is due to the narrative stating that it is very rare for people to do raw magic instead they need to draw magic from nature and creatures/people and use it that way. This means that in FF8 magic is a finite resource and instead of regaining mp you have to spend time drawing magic that is randomized to be either 2 or 12 magic, so it can take awhile. If this sounds a bit weird and confusing, don't worry it kind of is, there are tutorials to explain it, but man is it a weird system. So why is this all necessary? Well unlike other Final Fantasy's, in FF8 leveling raises your stats by the littlest amount, so to be able to do decent damage and also defend against it you need to junction magic. Also to make things even worse, leveling can be a problem as monsters level with you, so if an enemy is tough for you at level 20, raising your level to 30 won't help you as they will be doing more damage and have more health. The game does try to offset this by making it so if an enemy had fire to be drawn at lvl 10, at lvl 30 they would have fira to be drawn, which would make it so that you can junction a more powerful magic and do more damage. FF8 also gives you the option to just cast magic instead of drawing it from enemies, and can be useful since most bosses have healing magic to draw from them meaning you can go in without a huge stock of cure's.

Alright so we have a confusing system with a bad mechanic of monsters getting stronger with you as you level, is that all that is weird? Nope. So remember the guardian forces I mentioned earlier? Well they are necessary to be able to junction spells to stats and make your party stronger, but there are a limited number of them and that usually means only three of the six party members will have guardian forces so you can make a decent party for fighting. The problem is that the game likes to switch around who is playable a lot, and while it is fun and interesting in the narrative, it sucks gameplay wise. The game does make it easy by letting you be able to switch who has what guardian forces in a menu, but it gets tedious after the 15th time you have to do it and especially when the game switches between two perspectives like 4 times in 30 minutes. Also sometimes you have dream sequences where you play as another team and when you come back to your main party everyone but Squall, the main character, has everything unequipped, so you have to go back and re-junction everything and it's just a waste of time. Listen I could keep going on the weird aspects of this game, but I don't want it to take up this whole article and we got cool card games to talk about.

FF8 does a lot of things in a weird and bad way, but that doesn't mean it doesn't do things really really right, and thats with Triple Triad baby! Triple Triad is the super fun card game that exist within FF8, a game so good that you can also play it in FF14. The game is easy to get into and can get pretty hard with each area of the game map have unique rules, yet you can game the system by going to areas and abolishing rules and bring rules from other regions to new regions. Well except for one region, it is the king of rules, no exceptions! The fun of this game is not just showing the npc's of FF8 why you are the Yugi Muto of Triple Triad, you see you can learn an ability to turn cards you win from Triple Triad into items, which in turn can be turned into spells, powerful spells, I'm talking spells you are not meant to gain until like lvl 45 or 50. This means that if you want to you can spend time in the starting area at lvl 7 and leave a powerhouse that level thanks to Triple Triad. But there is a problem, this method is not quick, it takes hours to do this and also to even be able to get the ability to do this you will need to get AP for your Guardian Forces, which means either fighting fights normally or carding enemies which kills them but doesn' give exp, it can only be done at low health so be careful not to accidentally kill them.

So I have given a decent way to have fun but let me give you guys, in my opinion, the best way to enjoy FF8's gameplay, cheats. That's right a game that's so weird that the PC port has cheats that you can add to your save. I'm not talking about the normal ones we saw when FF7 and FF9 were ported to modern consoles, like the ability to turn off encounters and have it so you don't lose health in combat and do max 9999 damage. I am talking about the ability to modify a save file so you start with most low and mid level magic at full stock on all characters, and let me tell you it is a blessing. On PC it also allows you to at anytime raise all magic stocks to 100 and max level Guardian Forces, and let me tell you guys if you don't have the patience for the grind or want to try and just enjoy the story I highly suggest using these cheats, it makes things so much easier and I hope that the FF8 port coming to console has these cheats too. Also I should let you guys know I didn't immediately use these cheats, I tried to play it legit about three different times and every time the grind burnt me out, honestly if it wasn't for these cheats I would never had enjoyed FF8's amazing story. Speaking of amazing stories, let's finish off this subway compliment sandwich and talk about the good stuff.

So let me give you guys the easy lore of this world, on this planet, there are two types of people, normal people and sorceress, sorceresses can use magic naturally and a lot of them use this power for world domination especially the last sorceress, Adel, who was in charge of the country of Esthar and almost succeeded, due to this the Gardens were created by a man named Cid with the sole purpose to be able to kill sorceress should one like Adel show up again. The thing is one will show up and I don't mean because of plots need for a main antagonist, I mean because a sorceress can not die until she passes her powers to another female. Our story follows the character of Squall Lionheart, a quiet and distant youth who wants nothing more than to be able to prove that he is strong enough to be on his own, so badly that he actively shuts out other people who try to get close to him. Our boy here is a SeeD candidate in Balamb Garden, which means he is close to graduating and being basically a mercenary for the Garden until the need to fight a Sorceress arrives. And from there that's how the story grows, you have a cast of characters that join over time each interesting in their own right, helping as you deal with a looming sorceresses threat. Sounds pretty standard right? Well let's be real even something standard can be handled masterfully and that is exactly what FF8 does. Before I get into that there are two more characters I need to talk about. Laguna Loire, a soldier of the Galbadian army, who Squall keeps having vivid dreams about, through these dreams you see piece by piece of what he went through and how these events shaped him and the world around him and also how he is connected to Squall. There is also Rinoa Heartilly, a young girl who wishes to free the city of Timber from Galabadian control and in the process acts as the catalyst to what motivates Squall to change, all do to a chance meeting. When you look at the plot of FF8 it is abit generic what with stopping a Sorceress from creating her perfect utopia and most characters, outside of the ones mentioned above, get little depth to them, but what makes this story so engaging and interesting is Squall.

You see Squall starts off as a character who I can say I was disappointed in and didn't really like, a character I had adored since I was a kid due to my memories with that demo. He is angsty, off putting and really annoying, hell it feels like half of Squalls Dialogue is "...", but the thing is, that's the point. Squall is like that because he is afraid of trusting people again, fearing that if he does he will get hurt again and abandoned like he was as a child, so he puts on this cold front to make it easier for him, he doesn't have to worry if people like and rely on him if he is cold and indifferent, they would all just hate him. It is through this premise and his chance meeting with Rinoa that we see how Squall grows and changes, a man who I started off hating and grew to love and it's because it feels natural. Squall isn't cold because he thinks its cool or because he knows he is better than everyone else, he is a kid, a sad kid who went through heartbreak way to young and is afraid to love someone again. He is thrust into a dangerous world and has to come to terms that his lifestyle will not work for him, that he needs and wants to rely on others and he can't just keep ignoring a part of himself. Through the course of FF8 you see a quiet kid with a broken heart, overcome himself and become a real hero and use his new strength to make sure he can protect those close to him as well as himself.

And now we reach a bit of a problem, I would love to explain more, I want to explain why certain scenes moved me so much and why Squall's journey brought me to tears, but then I would need to spoil parts of the story, and that is the last thing I want to do. This is a Final Fantasy story that has incredible character development and I want people to be able to experience it themselves, to see what makes it great. I should also at least mention that the story is not without faults and tropes with Rinoa starting off being your typical manic pixie dream girl and if Squall really wanted to be alone he would have left SeeD after completing his training, and of course the other characters are not given as much screen time as Squall and Rinoa. However, tropes are not always bad and can still have depth, and by the end of the story I would say that Rinoa sheds the trope but it is on the nose in the beginning.

I left a lot of stuff out and with the HD remaster coming out sometime this year I think that if this article intrigued you, pick up a copy and experience it yourself. Experience a masterpiece of character growth that I believe is held back by clunky gameplay choices. I sincerely hope if you do decide to pick up this title that you enjoy Squall's story as much as I did.

[gotyvideogames2022]

Awarded for Best Action Adventure

Kena Bridge of Spirits

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the game that PlayStation 5 wanted, and more importantly, it is a unique and engaging fantasy-based platformer that visually appears amazing on this new gaming console. Moreover, this consists of an extremely relatable and likable champion known as Kena, the young soul guide who bears the ability to aid spirits in moving forward. In addition, this game is inspired by Japanese heritage, specifically, its skill form and the way spirits are managed. This provides a stimulating alternative to what's on the market at present.

In the form of an action-adventure Kena: Bridge of Spirits allows players to explore a lush and varied world to defeat evil spirits and cleanse the area of corruption. Equipped with a sword and capable of drawing upon the energy of the spirit, Kena is truly adaptable in what she will be able to complete. The storyline is truly told through fully-voiced cinematics, some of which use the in-game engine while others employ fully animated CGI, all arriving together like something from Pixar as well as Dreamworks. The display is truly magnificent as it travels through a spiritually charged universe inspired by ancient Eastern civilizations. While you're cheering up one group, other plot lines follow the same profound templates worthy of a feature film. This is a universe that's uncomplicated to lose yourself in, plus the cast is compelling as they each go through a journey of longing and loss in their way. There's quite a bit of combat in this game, and with probably the most sections, it is fantastic; however, you might be performing on almost everything aside from the "story" difficulties, and it's becoming more difficult. Ordinary foes will go down without a lot of difficulties. However, more difficult adversaries and bosses—of which there are plenty—need precision and expertise. The good news is that Kena truly provides the armory, and you'll begin to unlock impressive expertise very early in the game. Her staff allows you to attack with both heavy and light strikes. Potentially, you'll get a bow that permits anyone to attack from a distance. Add to that the abilities you can unlock for your current Rot, such as the ability to transform them all into a powerful "Rot hammer," and you have an incredible array of songs to help keep your enemies under control. It is essential to remain quick on your feet, stay out of the way of the attackers, and use your shield—a fantastical bubble that surrounds Kena for a short time—at the most suitable time to perform a parry. There are numerous jobs or tasks you can complete, some as simple as thankfully, allowing the Rot to replace an old statue, and others that require an extra step by testing your precision with the bow in the shooting contest that will unlock another Rot. unlock one thing I like is the new cursed chests, which are locked to a specific battle (within that speedy region) that you must complete before you can open anything in that chest.

Right Now, before we get into the fight with Kena, why don't we discuss the fact that I mentioned in the previous paragraph? These black blobs are adorable, and the way the video game makes use of them is incredible. As you collect them all, you will find them useful in several steps. One of the most appealing aspects is that you won't have to spend time babysitting them because they won't die as frequently as NPCs during combat. "They're terrifying creatures, and you need to build up their particular nerve by fighting to build up a meter," explains the author. That's a good way to explain the amazing techniques they offer. The use of these techniques can cause a great deal of injury and is recommended in situations exactly where your overall health could be in decline. The place where the rot can be more and more advantageous is, truthfully, helping with lifting different stuff to discover a whole lot more rot, move statues back into place, or possibly even move the box to help Kena reach segments that are tough to reach. There will even be a super-powered Rot capability that transforms them all into a rushing cavalcade of Rots that mimics their natural manner and can remove the corruption while unlocking and healing different regions. They aren't completely useless in your absence, though, because they can feed on corrupt flowers after you've cleared the bad guys out of the area, washing it clean.

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While the action aspect of the action platformer is strong, the platforming part shines a bit less brightly when compared to the jumping. Invisible structures can be seen as fans leap towards platforms or rooftops that they're not crafted to reach. The jumping, particularly the double jump, seems fluid, but the choice to make it especially vertical was misguided, and not just because it won't feel well; however, it enables you to believe you will be able to reach certain surfaces, which the invisible wall structure will eventually keep you from. Kena: Bridge of Spirits might be influenced by the past; however, the way this assembles the parts of the mystery alongside each other creates a very modern feel. The game does amaze you with its beautiful world simply to kick the player around with its violence; although the gameplay is the weakest point, overall Kena is honestly a great time and should not be skipped.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is truly an incredible game title. Just as significantly, this is truly an imaginative, thoughtful version of an iconic Marvel property. After playing the game, I want to rush right into the content that forged this ragtag gang of personalities. At this moment, I believe I truly will, because I've fallen even more in love with this galaxy. Even though the world is flooded with superheroes on the silver screen, it is only in the past decade that gaming fans have been graced with truly original and entertaining games based on comic book attributes. With Guardians of the Galaxy, players can play among the greatest comic book games on the market, one that can separate itself on its own from the immensely loved MCU brand and transform the vibrant and illustrated world that it is based on. The original obstacle that the Guardians of the Galaxy had to overcome was distinguishing it from James Gunn's vision. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2" had been fantastic films that helped bring the Guardians to the forefront and added much-needed characters to the individual pre-"Avenger" movies. Without a doubt, Eidos Montreal's job is cut out for the upcoming films. Guardians of the Galaxy initially appeared to be dismissed as a cut-and-paste copy that was copy-paste version of the MCU equivalent. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Eidos Montreal uses Gunn's stylistic decisions to paint. Star-Lord offers to be ripped away from his new home, the earth, throughout the 1980s and is infatuated with the music and sounds of the day. Character traits such as the rage of Rocket Raccoon and Drax the Destroyer's tendency to take things literally are present in the game. The acting and direction in these films were excellent and defined the non-comic personas of the characters. Nonetheless, after only about twenty hours in the race, I had no idea who Chris Pratt or Bradley Cooper was. It seems like there could end up being some enthusiasts that will have issues distancing each of those qualities from the other, which is just the way brains work. However, it's not as big of an issue as last year's Avengers game, where the titular characters and actors weren't offered enough product. Guardians of the Galaxy has become one of the most talkative games ever produced. Many RPGs have inane conversations between NPCs who are not atypical, but I am unable to imagine how many pages and words were in this software. From Chapter 1 until the end, Peter "Star-Lord" Quill, Drax, Gamora, Rocket, as well as Groot are talking nearly nonstop. In a way, you might call this the "Gilmore Girls" of gaming. The fast-paced banter among all five characters in the show is a constant. While that word may have negative connotations, I can't think of enough adjectives to fully describe it. Discussions are generally threaded through exploration, battles or idle strolls, dogfights, and death-defying situations. Sentences occupy the player's ears as Groot discusses his trademark, "I am Groot," and Rocket translates, while Gamora, as well as Drax, are fascinating in conversation.

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These heroes speak, yet it never feels like they are speaking without purpose. Every word, joke, or mean-spirited remark originates from a thoughtful perspective, which the writers utilized to make the characters more distinct. The dialogue never felt like an overflow of nonsense. This might be the way the Guardians speak within their group and with one another. A single thing that Guardians of the Galaxy greatly benefits from is, truthfully, exactly how structured an experience of gaming it provides. There are no multiplayer games or games-as-a-service physics to consider; the overall game appears highly refined, well-crafted, carefully curated, and, most of all, full of details. Through the game's story, you'll be able to switch between your own home along the Milano, the Guardians' starship, and the different locations you visit during the game. Every location is unique and features a truly alien-like environment with a kaleidoscopic palette of colors. In between missions, it's enjoyable to look around the ship for new items to chat about, talk with the crew, and, for those who are like me, to closely watch the door to the refrigerator that is regularly open across the kitchen of the ship. As you find treasures hidden in every area, you'll be able to open an additional dialogue with the other Guardians, which reveals their character and background, providing probably the most particular connections you'll have in the overall game. You'll also have a variety of options for dialogue; usually, these ask you to flank either Guardian or another, help make decisions on how to respond to an issue, or determine what the focus of your team should always be. These alternatives may change the course of your story. For an instance, specific options could affect the alliances with the assorted space factions or your interactions within the group. part against Rocket repeatedly, and he may begin to take it himself, limiting his genuine willingness to assist you in the future. These options do not feel like they alter the narrative in any way. However, you can play them out based on "which sounds additional and enjoyable at the moment."

The battles are spectacular. People control Quill throughout every battle and legitimately feel like the commander of the Guardians. Drax and Co. all come with their strengths, and they'll also battle independently; however, they're influenced by Quill. Each hero brings a distinct force to the table, whether it's the ability to manage crowds (Groot) or the ability to inflict massive destruction (Gamora). The way you use their strengths will determine the flow of combat. In combat, players move through the streets, shooting their guns at enemies and dodging with Peter's rocket boots. As close Peter is to an opponent, the more harm he may do. It's not a long-lasting weapon, as ultimately the firearms will overheat, but they can be quickly loaded by pressing R2 at the appropriate time. Fans, like Peter, are generally expected to fight with a tactical impression in their minds. Peter and the other Guardians have four abilities that are unlocked and placed on their button faces as a result of story evolution or ability points. Peter's competencies can be activated by pressing the left stick, which may be somewhat awkward at times when fighting. By holding down the L1 button, focusing on an enemy, pressing a face button assigned to a specific, and thus hitting a distinct face key for that player's specific ability, his personnel is highly activated.

Puzzles play a major part in exploring, but none of them is especially difficult. The search for the various areas and planets you visit is truly tailored to perfection. I loved exploring secret passageways and ledges that let me explore to find treasures like personal objects to give to my teammates to discover more about their valuable history and discover brand new costumes to equip. The various spots are surprising to look at, and each is so unusual with the vegetation and beasts. Lady Hellbender's animal sanctuary planet is full of vast, lush greenery and strange humanoid sculptures. You'll also need them for exploring spaceships and the large spaceport "Knowhere," which resides inside the head of a massive celestial being. The hidden crafting components are scattered all over the world, and those let you upgrade the perks. When you're at the workbench, Rocket can upgrade Star-Lord by giving him new equipment systems that are symbolically represented as perks. You'll find fifteen in total, which ranges from a speedier protection recharge to much more wellness to delaying the time required to complete a perfect dodge.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect example of a Marvel videogame filled with a blend of electric moments and thought-provoking junctures. The artwork automatically catches the eye with breathtaking views and radiant hues, including neon-lit streets and lights located in Knowhere for the wide scenes in Lady Hellbenders' Seknarf Nine. The facial animations complement the game's stunning artwork.

[my-claudia-cantarini]

BTF -Vision&Technology Reflective text

Reference:

Reading, Anna (2009). ’Mobile Witnessing: Ethics and the Camera Phone in the ’War on Terror’.’ Globalizations vol. 6 no. 1 (March 2009), pp61-76.

SUMMARY OF YOUR CHOSEN TEXT

I felt a connection between my personal project and this text as the writer refers to the camera phone as a “DANGER”: “Drawing on a range of studies on mobile phones […] the danger of mobile camera phones is developing new languages and practices within visual culture […] extending and modifying media languages […] Phone developed into a handy multimedia computers that is effectively personal […] virtually unique and wearable multimedia functionality  […] it lives with us and on us.” All of these phrases are, in a way, expressing the meaning of my project. Though my critique/observation is addressed to the people who, being so busy with the speed in which they scroll images on mobile phones, are forgetting the depth of them, therefore it doesn’t matter how much effort, time, planning and commitment the photographer invest into taking photographs because the will still be scrolled in a frantically and accelerate timeframe.

The approach used in my project is similar to that used by Anna Reading when she talks about “the velocity in which the mobile witness image traveled from the realm of private experience into public virtual space”, and “The speed with which mobile image can travel and transform is significant here, enabling the rapid translation of a private sensory experience into a public mediated record”, in her case is the mobile phone and in my project is Instagram.

Anna Reading also uses the term “Mobile Phone Penetration” meaning that almost 100% of the world population own mobile phones with a camera in it. This is having a huge impact on photographers as well as on the way in which people look at photographs and only those who really care about photography can recognise and appreciate a good photograph. (the meaning of my project)=

CAMERA

Every week I used a different medium to demonstrate the effort that photographers put into creating an image.

Digital ( My Canon 6D and Canon 5Ds) Medium Format ( Digital PhaseOne and Bronica) 35mm Canon A1 (Black&White and Colour Films) Large Format, Phone Photography, and Screen Shot from a Video Camera.

This has also helped me understand which medium I feel more closed to, what medium to use in order to achieve the result that I am looking for and what is more suitable for my taste and needs.

I am very impatient, therefore I don't particularly love using the large format, although I absolutely love the quality of the images that can be produced from it.

The medium format PhaseOne camera is my favorite in terms of image quality and result, yet it is limited in terms of speed of processing images.

The point of the project is, however, to demonstrate that it does not matter what medium photographers use because from the moment that the picture gets uploaded on Instagram becomes ephemeral, immaterial, an “information” on the computer.

PRODUCTION & PRESENTATION

The presentation will be a recorded video projected onto the wall.

Simply because I wanted to explore diverse ways of presenting images that were not the typical prints hanged to a wall.

I have also used material objects such as eyeless and brainless ceramic dolls to represent humans while using phones.

In addition. created an Instagram account under the project’s name where every week I would upload all the images created.

Ultimately, I have made 3 metal stands in the 3D workshop to support the dolls.

The fact that the video will be on loop with no sound makes it feel like a “meditation”, where you just look and reflect. The dolls are symbolising people too.

My initial idea was to place a phone connected to a projector at the exhibition for people to play with, but I thought just a projection would be better for people to just watch and reflect as the phone can be distracting if people start just playing with it.

What techniques you use to produce, display, or disseminate your images (fine printing? Instagram? Digital postproduction? Fly-postering?).  How does the presentation play into the meaning of the work?

COMMUNICATION

Emotionally, my project communicates my feelings towards the changing status of photography and the role of the viewer as well as the fact that we are slaves of it.

Mine is MEDITATION to what’s happened to photography in the 21st century, more specifically to the speed in which images are consumed, forgetting about the depth of them.

It does not matter how much effort, time, planning and commitment the photographer is investing into making a photograph, using the most expensive and sophisticated medium or model or setting or equipment or concept, because when uploaded on Instagram, the pictures will all be looked at roughly the same way.

The viewer will stare at the soundless video and “meditate”, also will look at the dolls and realizing that those are there as a “comparison with us human, they represent us,

We are becoming brainless and eyeless creatures since technology is having such a strong impact on social development.

The experience  :

SUBJECTIVITY

As photographer I am expressing my personal feelings towards what is happening, I am my self producing those images with these magnificent pieces of equipment, I am even making the metal stands, I am my self investing so much of my time and creativity in planning, producing and processing these images that will be then “scrolled” in quick and effortless way.

I am also putting my self in these images in a very intimate and vulnerable way to see if the viewer will notice that or will simply “scroll” through.

IMAGES OF MY WORK

(Screen Record of Instagram Scrolling - Will be projected on the wall) and ( Ceramic dolls on stands made by me )