#i'm tidying up my 2023 art

[arczism]

old sketches vance belongs to @jasakime

[thepeachboys]

Double Threat, December 2023

A few months ago I was tidying up the notes in my phone and I found one from Aug 14th, 2022 simply stating "Gentlebeard in Reylo's thigh grab pose". I don't remember when I got the idea (probably while sleeping) but it was good enough for me to sketch it. I am still pretty bad on a digital canvas, so I sketched Rey and Ben's thigh grab on paper, then moved on my iPad to transform them into Stede and Ed. I'm not convinced I like them, but they're still my art babies, so I'll love them just the way they are.

[zedecksiew]

BLOGGIES 2023 THEORY WINNERS

A week of voting has passed, and the results of the final round are in. We have our winners for the BLOGGIES 2023 Theory category.

And now: winner announcements, medals, acceptance texts!

(I asked the winners to say a few words about their winning work---where they were at when they wrote the posts; whether they have additional insights; how they feel about winning.)

+++

BRONZE BLOGGIE FOR THEORY POST:

🥉 being a problem - playable orcs at the limits of humanity 🥉

from A Most Majestic Fly Whisk

Ènziramire:

Wrote this while putting my nieces to sleep (exhausted by the Pete the Cat incident mentioned in the post) and they helped me pick the Marshall painting so it's only fitting that I name Ms. Amaya and Ms. Malia as my co-authors. Race / orcs talk will probably be bad forever, or at least as long as the hobby is structured this way, but a benefit of The Discourse's remarkable ability to trivialize and misinterpret is that it illustrates the flaws of liberal incorporationism in a manner seldom achieved by other critical traditions. I'd like to thank Sylvia Wynter and white guilt for this bronze medal.

+++

SILVER BLOGGIE FOR THEORY POST:

🥈 Critical GLOG: Base Resolution Mechanics 🥈

from Goblin Punch

Arnold K:

I see no reason why tabletop RPG systems shouldn't be as customizable as the characters; the hobby would very much be enriched if they were.

Certainly there is interest--DMs are continually generating their own small hacks, but only the most adventurous are writing their own systems. The largest obstacle is a lack of familiarity with system design. People may know what they are trading when they sacrifice Dex in favor of Con, but the pains and joys of trading d20 resolution for a highest-in-a-dice-pool are still clouded.

If I have been able to empower even one person to design their own system--the last push that they needed--then the blog post has been a success.

Thank you everyone who voted for me. You guys fucking rock.

+++

(In lieu of a medal, Gold winners will get a linocut print; here's the plate inspired by Marcia's post: a dragon intertwined in / strangled by a banyan's branches and roots.)

GOLD BLOGGIE FOR THEORY POST:

🥇 OSR Rules Families 🥇

from Traverse Fantasy

Marcia B:

Zedeck asked me to say a couple words about this post, so I figured I'd say that (although I'm not sure how many people voted one way or another) I haven't been satisfied with its reception in general. It's been read as a neutral feat of statistics, a basis for taxonomic discourse, or a celebration of the OSR.

As the author I'm obviously dead, but as a fellow reader I'd like to suggest an alternative interpretation: there is so much collective effort spent on making books of rules that are ultimately formal and predictable permutations of each other. Only a few of the books originated rules that would then be incorporated into many of the other books.

Maybe it's that game designers aren't that creative; maybe it's that authors prefer to write systems over adventures; maybe it's that hobbyists feel pressured to systematize and christen their house rules. You can argue for one or more of these angles, each one representing a lens through which to criticize and re-envision the hobby. Whichever lens you prefer, though, I think they are all preferable to seeing no problem at all.

That being said, I am glad that for some people it helped them find a ruleset that works for them, or to just know what's out there. I hope this spurs us to find new ways to (literally, i.e., mathematically) break the norm.

+++

Congratulations everybody!

(Special thanks to Martin / Sharkbomb for his assistance tidying up the medal graphics; I dunno how to photograph art properly ...)

[snail-legs]

heyyy tumblr! long time no post :)

I keep forgetting to post links to my new comics & zines here, so here's a round-up of the hot new stuff I made since last we spoke !! fresh out of the art oven!!

nightmare complex sketchbook - free!!!

a sketchbook containing some cool art I made on a concept art and worldbuilding course I was on in May :)

imagine if a shopping centre was. you know. for some reason. your own personal idea of hell. I'm so normal about shopping centres and resturants and swimming pools and loud loud loud loud noisy places with lots of people in them definitely don't have nightmares about them definitely didn't give those nightmares to one of my ocs definitely not who would do that I mean

Top Surgery Diary! - $2

12 pages documenting my experience having peri-areola top surgery :)

I posted the pre-op bit on here a while back when I was pre-op, but I finally got round to tidying up the post-op section that I drafted in recovery when I didn't have a lot of stamina haha

Paige Turner & the Black Dog - $4

26 pages of comic! it's a fun little adventure story following Paige's investigation of a mysterious black dog that seems to be terrorising a small village and causing disasters

I made the first draft of this on 24-hour comic day in 2023 and I'm super excited that I got to polish it up and make it into something more complete!

I'm also just like. very proud of how it turned out?? very thankful to anyone who reads it! print version coming sooon (next week or so) for people who prefer their comics on paper :3

[ofliterarynature]

NOVEMBER 2023 WRAP UP

[ loved liked ok no thanks (reread) DNF ]

The Moonstone • Chaos Terminal • (The Raven Boys) • The Ghosts of Trappist • (Fugitive Telemetry) • From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler • The Art of Destiny • The Bell in the Fog • (Exit Strategy) • Who Goes There? • Salt Magic Skin Magic • The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up • (Dracula) • (Rogue Protocol) • The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store • The Boneshaker • The Archive Undying • (The Scorpio Races) • Camilla

Total: 18 (audiobook: 15 / ebook: 3)

I started my month off by finishing my reread of The Scorpio Races on November 1, as is right and proper :) This has consistently been my favorite of Maggie's books, and it never feels right the years that I haven't reread it. I think I hit the right method this year and rather than binging it or following a structured reread (which would be cool, if you could match the timeline of the book) I listened to the audiobook on and off throughout Oct and finished it off in one last burst one the 1st. I think this is some of Maggie's best writing, but I also admit I am no longer able to judge this one objectively and will save you all the sales pitch for now :)

The Archive Undying was...confusing. It wasn't that I couldn't follow what was happening on the sentence level or in the immediate present, but try zooming out to the larger picture and I was lost. It was hazy, very much like a fever dream. I would not be opposed to trying some of the author's other work in the future, but I have no interest in revisiting this book/series, and wouldn't really recommend.

The Boneshaker has been sitting on my bookshelf for years ever since I picked it up at a library book sale, and it's managed to survive every shelf purge since. And I'm glad it did! It's a strange MG/YA book about a girl, her bicycle, a small western town just off a crossroads, a snakeoil salesman, his medicine show, and deals with the devil. It was fascinating! I've been almost tempted to send a copy to Sydnee McElroy just for fun. I will definitely be investigating the author's other series.

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store - I got tempted into this one because the Book Riot Podcast couldn't stop singing it's praises, and then it started making some of the year end/best of lists and... it's ok I guess? I don't really get the hype, tbh, and I got close to DNFing because it just wasn't interesting. I was at least forewarned that the "murder mystery" in the marketing was overblown, but I am here to tell you to ignore its existence completely. There is no mystery, there isn't really even a murder, and it doesn't happen until the end of the book anyway. I fully admit this was just not a book for me, and anyone who wants to read it I wish you well.

Not much to say about my Murderbot reread, other than choosing to give the audiobooks a break and rereading in a text format was an excellent choice, I really feel like I've picked up on a lot of things I didn't before, and it gives me time to think about things (I have some questions about the actual irl existence of rogue secunits, tbh). This is my second full time trough the series, and I think Exit Strategy is maybe the weakest solo link in the original quartet, but that makes me very happy to have the newer books as well. And I have to say it, FUGITIVE TELEMETRY IS BETTER IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

Dracula Daily wrapped up this month, so I'm probably not the only one to have Dracula show up on their reading list. I listened to most of it via RE: Dracula, which I appreciated so much for helping keep me on track this year. I probably won't follow along next year, but big thanks to everyone for helping me learn to enjoy a book I hated both times I had to read it for school! I'll still be percolating that Greenwing & Dart AU somewhere in the back of my mind in the meantime.

I picked up the idea of "sparking joy" from the general internet and have found it hugely helpful in letting go of things in life, so I've been meaning to pick up The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for a while, and was finally spurred into it when I picked up a copy at goodwill. I found some actionable advice in Kondo's method, but sooo much of the book felt like a sales pitch on how following this method could fix everything wrong in your life (and I mean *everything*). It left a very bad taste in my mouth - I think a workbook or checklist could be useful, but wouldn't recommend the book itself.

Salt Magic Skin Magic is a historical fantasy with magic, adventure, and a gay romance, which is so entirely in my wheelhouse. It hit all the same points I tend to find/enjoy in KJ Charles' work, and I had such a good time reading this - no surprise, apparently she helped edit this! Thanks to the HOTE discord group for reccing this one, I'll definitely be checking out some of the author's other work!

If you didn't know, Who Goes There? is the short story that the movie The Thing was based on - which I have not seen, but I went on a brief dive into antarctic exploration/horror in anticipation of this month's book club (All the White Spaces, which I actually read for last month but that meeting got delayed) and this popped up pretty quickly. It was available from the library and short, so why not?! The beginning felt a little rough, but I would have loved to see the tension of the main plot drawn out even longer. Liked this a lot better than the actual book club book, but I don't know that I'll watch any of the adaptations.

The Bell in the Fog - Lavender House sequel! I was so glad when this was announced; I love queer books, historical books, a mystery with a lead who actually does some detecting, and a character trying to find themselves and their community? Absolute catnip for me. It also doesn't pull its punches about the violence and injustices faced by the queer community, so it's definitely a bit darker than my usual tastes and will have to try hard to make it onto my favorites list. But if the author continues to write these I will absolutely pick them up.

The Art of Destiny - bless the library for not dragging their heels on the audiobook for this sequel, but lucky me, they did finally add the first book in time for me to get them both in the same year. Unlucky me, this does not appear to be the end of this series D: third book when??? Anyway, I won't deny that these books move a little slowly, but when they move, they move. If you want a big fantasy that's diverse, funny, cartoonish but epically violent, has a cast of all ages, and centers it's story on non-romantic relationships - this is so good, come join me in wailing for a book 3 announcement.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler has lived in the back of my mind for a while as a favorite childhood book of a booklr friend who is sadly no longer on tumblr, but who I say hi to occasionally on other sites - anyways, I found a copy at goodwill and took it as a sign. This one's for you, Lourdes! If I'd found this as a kid, I probably would have reread it a lot, that's how I was too lol. For now, it was a fine read, but I don't think it'll have a lasting hold. Any fans interested in more middle grade about fine art might check out the Chasing Vermeer series by Blue Balliett.

The Ghosts of Trappist - I think it's impossible for me to not enjoy myself reading this series (NeoG), but this one was a bit of a backslide from the improvements in book 2. On one hand - a very ambitious plot, probably the least soap-operaish of the bunch, and I loved the emotional arcs (and the possible ART/murderbot reference?). On the other - over a dozen pov characters is too too many. my god. I think a tighter focus could have done a world of good, but if this is also where the series wraps up I'd be totally satisfied. I'll definitely check out the author's other series.

I admit, rereading The Scorpio Races sparked something in me and now I'm determined to set off on a full Maggie Stiefvater read/reread, starting with The Raven Boys. I really loved this when it first came out, but my interested petered out as the series progressed and I started college, and I haven't touched the spinoff yet. My impression from the first book is still that Maggie's writing is so goddam beautiful. Her sentences make me want to weep, but for me there's so much focus on the line that I'm constantly losing track of the big picture. I'm still enjoying myself, but I feel like I'm coasting a lot on nostalgia and aesthetic between moments of a story - though is it me, or does she write a lot in scenes/vignettes, rather than a constant flowing story? I've found some success in centering myself by imagining the scenes as depicted by a CW supernatural teen show of my high school years and it's quite lovely, actually - I can't believe the TV show plans got dropped and never picked up again. We'll have to see how the rest of the series goes.

Genuinely, I can't believe that I read Station Eternity earlier this year and that the sequel, Chaos Terminal, is out already. Despite liking the author's first book (Six Wakes) and normally liking the tropes they're playing with here, I did not like the first book. No idea why I read the second one then (hope?), but it was better, definitely! I still didn't like it. No idea if I'll finally call it quits on this series or get lured into another one if it gets written.

The Moonstone was an unexpected surprise! I made it to November still 2 books short on my 6 classics challenge and panicked when the first one ended up dnf'd - what if this one was bad too??? But I really should know better, give me a half decent mystery and entertaining characters, and I'll be fine. And it was epistolary! I had a good time groaning over all of the characters foibles and quirks, even if I spent the whole time just going, Hey Guys? you could avoid all of this if you just let the nice Indian men have their diamond back. Good fun if you like a mystery and have some patience.

My only DNF this month was the previously mentioned classic - from the moment I decided on a classics challenge, I knew I wanted to try something by Frances Burney given how much I liked her novel Evelina. Unfortunately for me, the only one the library had on audiobook was Camilla... and it was 37 hours long. I gave it a shot, but only made it about 3 hours in. I really do applaud Burney for her ability to create characters who are intentionally/unintentionally causing harm even if they sometimes have the best of intentions. It's absurd, truly, but I'm not in a place I can take that right now - especially since the victims were children, and it happened *repeatedly*. I think if I was to try this one again I'd need to take it slowly in small parts.

Am I horribly wrong about anything? Do you have any classics you'd recommend for next year?

[sadghoststudios]

STATE OF PLAY 12/23: a little news and updates roundup!

Howdy all! Squeaking in just before the new year, I thought now's as good a time as ever for a little roundup of anything you might have missed, and what we're currently working on! Aiming to do these quarterly from now on 🫡✨

If you wanna keep up with posts like this from us without relying on social media, you can also sub to our newsletter! Promise not to annoy you. Good emails only.

Recap and news under the cut!

2023 Roundup

DemiDato

We had two releases this year, but DemiDato was the big one! For those that don't know, this game spent a long 5+ years in and out of development hell, so it was a big relief to finally put everyone's hard work out into the world back in March.

We were also lucky enough to feature DD in the Queer Games & Queer Halloween bundles this year, so even if you haven't had a chance to grab the game outright, check your itch library - you might already own it!

As for the future of our monsters, a 1.1 update is still on the cards! The bulk of it is already complete - there's some script tidying and quality of life improvements already in the WIP build, as well as a fancy schmancy CG Gallery (which you can see a little preview of in the devlog I wrote). 

1.1 development has admittedly stalled a little, as I really want to implement some animated video transitions plus an animated intro and trailer into its final build, but it's been hard to find the time to teach myself a whole new skillset while also being in preproduction for our new title (more on that in a bit!). In my head for all the years of development, the game has always had a really cheesy reality show intro with horribl(y good) graphics, just like the real life shows that inspired it. So even if the feature didn't make it to 1.0, I still really want it to happen eventually. (Plus, when we do eventually rerelease on Steam, a trailer is very important for the store page! That means it counts as futureproofing, right...?)

If you want to hear some more about what the release was like, my dear friend Kaiju of Digital Diversity interviewed me right after the game came out! You can read the interview on Digital Diversity over here.

GrandNya

Our second game of the year was a short little nugget written for 2023's Josei Jam, and devved almost solo by timepatches (hi! that's me!)

It'd been a long time since I managed to get anything off the ground in a jam setting, and I still find it a little intimidating (it's really difficult for me to get new ideas & iterate on them fast enough to meet the start deadline and recruit others), so solo dev it was! My art is hardly intricate but it gets the story across, and I'm proud of the VN as a whole - whatever you think of 'wholesome games' as a movement, it's hard to deny that we all need a cosy space now and then, and that’s the kind of story I like to tell most. And it's not like GrandNya is all sunshine, either, which you'll know if you got to the end!

I also managed to apply to Hand-Eye Society's Super FESTival with GrandNya, and was somehow accepted, which I'm still pinching myself about! What a stellar lineup of games to share a page with.

Fest aside, it was a pretty quiet release all things considered, so don't worry if you missed it! Your grandmas are still there on our itch page anytime, to give you a lil’ pocket of safe queer story to live in whenever you need it.

Intoxicated

Now for something completely different!! Despite some prior medical commitments around the jam date (which then got moved, typical), I was VERY stoked to be able to hop on the team for Kristi HusbandoGoddess' Yuri Jam game, Intoxicated!

It was an absolute blast. Turtles were drawn in the group chat for reasons I can no longer remember. It singlehandedly made me decide that I want to do more jam work on others' teams, because I forgot how fun it can be working toward a common goal in a more relaxed environment! 

And the game turned out incredible. Check it out if you support women's wrongs! ♡

Plans for 2024

[Codename BAT 🦇] (the big otome/amare game)

Oh yeah. It's big.

I won't spill too much just yet, but just know that I've had this idea as a vague plot bunny in the back of my mind for years. Then, as my dear friend Charlie and I were on VC beta testing a late DemiDato build, it came up and they were so excited about the idea that I couldn't help but start seriously thinking about how to make it.

Well. That was in March. After I took a break and worked on GrandNya, I've been working ever since on building out the world (it's set in the same universe as the rest of our library, but deals a bit more with the actual ramifications of it all, so I had to set some things in stone I haven't before). More recently I've been building out the most coherent, easy-to-follow outline I can (not my strong point, and bless my beta readers for their support while I complain about it). 

Very soon I should be able to start writing! Terrifying! I can't wait. Once I'm a fair way into the script writing you'll get to hear about exactly what I'm cooking, and I think... you'll like where we're going.

[Other Redacted Thing]

Not my project so I won't spoil exactly what it is, but I get to do some UI work for an upcoming jam project and I am SO excited! I get to work with some very familiar faces again! You'll know what it is as soon as I'm allowed to tell you 👀

What I will say is that it shares a coincidental similarity with my long project...

That's it!! ✨

Thank you for reading all my waffle (being long winded is my special talent), and for sticking with us through the inevitable periods of radio silence! We're still just little fish in a very big pond, but every time someone plays something I made and feels some type of way, I remember what the point of all this is. 

It makes me very happy to be able to share stories with y'all. Here's to more in 2024!

♡ Madi Wander (@timepatches)

[savage-rhi]

✨House Keeping✨

I have a backlog of writing requests going to April of 2023. I'm going to tidy up the inbox, and try to churn out 1-2 writing drabbles a week.**

You may continue to send in writing requests either on or off anon. Keep in mind I do these on my own time at my own leisure.

You may send me stuff that isn't drabble or writing related. You can pop in and say hi and I'll respond when I have the spoons and or hit points.

You may send me fanfic you are working on or stuff you'd like me to read. You may request feedback. Like with drabbles, I will do this on my own time at my own leisure unless we agree on another arrangement.

We can totally geek out over fandom or blorbo stuff together. I am never opposed to that, especially regarding theories.

I will be adding Stripe to my tumblr page to give folks another option to donate for drabbles and such aside from Ko-Fi and CashApp.

I am still working out how I can have a sustainable writing platform on Ko-Fi and also support my art (which I'm getting back into). I don't have a time frame at the moment.

Friendly reminder: if you don't like the content I post, the way I interact within fandoms, etc. you are free to block. There's no need to waste your energy sending hate when you can be having fun and enjoying your blog space.

You are more than welcome to tag me in things especially if you think it's something I'll like.

This time of the year is excruciating for me due to chronic pain and disability. Writing and general movement has been extremely difficult. I appreciate your patience.

I love you 💙 thanks for being here and sharing this experience with me.

**I have graduate studies and work. I may be unable to fulfill 1-2 drabbles a week due to my time constraints.

[max1u3]

Blizzcon 2023 Omg...

First of all here's the video I watched if you want to go watch it yourself, but I'm just gonna outline what I think are the highlights in this post!

First of all, Blizzard actually serving this Blizzcon like?? Woah there, slow down, are you sure you actually want to deliver what the fanbase wants... you've never done that before but slay.

And secondly, I'm late to this cos your girl put off working on a brief deadline for her degree until the last few days and had to draw like a mad woman. So excuse my late reactions to everything haha

ANYWAYS

THE COMP CHANGES?? LIKE SLAY OMG

Let's be honest, even Blizzard knew the 5 - 15 bracket was shit, and now they're finally getting rid of it, and replacing it with this ->

Like are we actually getting ranked on what we do in the match or is this some kind of amazing dream?

As a hard stuck gold/plat support main with an average of 20k heals a match, this is like some kind of blessing from God.

Plus not to mention the rank reset?? Last time I rank reset, aka made a smurf account that I never used, it was two ranks above my main. I'm going to cry literal tears of joy.

Plus, we're getting these bad boys back ->

She looks a little different but it's ok, we still accept her as the placement matches we know and love.

(I am very sassy today apologies, I have borderline carpool tunnel in my main hand and a backache to slay all backaches so I'm feeling slightly unhinged.)

Then they're also tidying up the competitive challenges tab? Like actually slay!

Like look how clean and sexy she looks like omg. Can't wait to actually understand all that information now that it's feasible to read haha

I'm not as hype about these but they still deserve mentioning ->

Tree guns! Oh wait, I mean Emerald guns. Mb. I think they're just like... meh. Like me and my duo have had long and detailed discussions on how we would improve gold guns. We eventually settled on them progressing in rarity and price. We suggested a gun started at bronze and worked it's way up the ranks like you do in competitive, and each rank would be a thousand more expensive. So obviously Bronze for Bronze, Silver for Silver, Gold for Gold, Platinum with like a purple sheen for Platinum, Diamond with a white and blue reflection for Diamond, then either Ruby or Sapphire for Masters and Grand Masters.

If you hadn't figured it out by my grumbling already in this post, but I'm a digital art student in uni, literally studying concept art, and by gods would my lecturers turn their noses up at the green they chose for this promotional ss.

Personally, I would saturate the colour more, it's much too dark. Sure, up close you can see the colour well, but realistically you want to be able to see the colour in game as well, and the green here is much too dark. I would saturate the colour more, but not too much. There's a thin line between it being a distraction or a flex. Next thing I would do is give it a darker sheen so when it catches certain lights it has a muted sparkle. I say darker so that it doesn't cross the distraction line again, because a lighter sheen would defiantly distract a player.

ANYWAY those are just my thoughts on it as someone studying this stuff at uni :)

I'm not a professional and will never be cos I'm never touching the art industry after this course again lol

Next I just wanna briefly look at the two heroes other than Mauga we got a look at.

Which are obviously Venture ->

Who's a dps who digs underneath the ground and launches out to deal dmg to the enemies.

Personally, I think it's a really innovative idea, and a really nice idea lore wise, but realistically I don't think this is going to play well, and I'm sure we're going to see lots of changes to him before and after he's released.

Also that concept art is just chefs kiss. It's so beautiful, with such clean lines and such an understandable concept. The facial expression is so cute and clean as well, and I already love them just from what I can see.

Oh, they are a they/them as well, so they're slaying.

Then there's 'Space Ranger', which is only a code name, and all we can call her so far ->

Again the beautiful concept art is literally making my drool, the lines are clean, it's understandable, conveys exactly what the artist wants.

I also love the unique UI of having the two guns above. It's also really thrilling to get more of a design perspective, for me at least. Even if I'm not going into the art industry (I'm taking a course to become a teacher after I gradate next year) it's still really exciting to be able to see the processes of it all. Now I can't help but imagine what the rest of the heroes concept art looked like when drawn onto the ss like the image above.

She's also a support by the way, so we support mains are being FED.

Next on my little list that I have here, is the hero mastery updates. Which are all for next year, so 2024.

The first point was that we'd be getting D.va, Lucio, Genji, Echo and Mei maps to master. I've 5 stared all the Mercy courses cos she's one of my mains, and my other is D.va sooooo can't wait to spend 20 hours on that haha.

They've also realised that it being solo can be a bit of an obstacle for groups, so they're adding a tower defence 3v3 vs bots mode. Every season the heroes on the roster for the mode will cycle out, as will the special rewards for completing the game mode every season. Basically, they're trying to make it as replayable every season as possible. Even with the heroes and reward cycles, I still have a sneaking suspicion this is going to end up slightly monotonous.

Here's a ss of the tower defence ->

It's not very clear and that's mb, I forgot to ss until too late lol.

Finally, the last big thing that they discussed was the new game mode 'Clash', plus the re-work of the Hanamura 2cp map for this game mode.

They basically described clash as 5cp, and even with this image it took me a while to get my head around it. Disclaimer, I am dyslexic though lol, so you'll probably get it faster than me.

Basically, (from what I understood from the dev's explanation) all five points will be lined up in a row on the map. When the game starts, team blue will posses 2 points and so will team red. Only point C will be available to cap, and it's a race to see who can claim the point first. Whoever claims the point will then push the enemy teams spawn room back a point, and the next point to claim will be either one to the right/left from the middle. The game ends when one team holds on the points, or the time runs out and whoever holds the most points win. The co-streamer I was watching alongside it said it resembled a tft game mode, but since I've never played tft I can't vouch for that.

I actually really like this idea, and it actually does remind me of 2cp quite a lot. It has a very nostalgic OW feeling just to the description.

Moving on, we have the Hanamura re-work, which is last, but not least.

They've adjusted the map in a way that supposedly makes it feel organic and not just a re-work of Hanamura itself. Basically, they've expanded off the main map, left some noticeable features and vibes to the map, and dropped the previous map into the background. It's a very smart way to evolve a map in all honesty.

This map has been designed specifically for Clash and will be called Hanaoko (sorry if I'm butchering that, they didn't write it down anywhere and only said the name).

Normally, I won't be too bothered to write so much about a new map, but bro this is Hanamura! I adore Hanumura, so, so, so much! I miss 2cp and all those maps so badly. It's nice to see them evolving the concept to incorporate those nostalgic elements for OW1 players.

What also interested me was that they talked more about the Hanamura lore. Naturally, there's a lot of it. With the Shimada brothers, the Hashimoto Shimada fight for dominance, and Kiriko with her Yokai gang. They specifically mentioned more lore for those three groups which got my very excited. They also mentioned, and I feel stupid for not noticing this cos it's obvious once it's pointed out), but all the dragons and tigers on the map are symbolic. They represent the struggle between the Shimada (dragons) and Hashimoto (tigers) clans when they're fighting. Like in this photo ->

So, it's official, we are being well and truly fed this Blizzcon. I can't wait for ranked to actually feel rewarding again.

Here's a random Tracer play from OW1 to finish of the post :)

[graha-stan-account]

Clear: Day 14

Clear: n. free of any obstruction or unwanted objects. 

Make-up post! 

Present. Self-restraint is not G'raha's strong suit. Still, somehow he's holding himself back from the thing he desperately wants to do. Thankfully, he has an enabler. Post-6.0. 

FFXIVWrite 2023 Masterlist

--- 

If bringing Etheirys back from certain doom seemed like an insurmountable task, G'raha Tia couldn't recall. The events of the past months felt a blur, a flurry of running two and fro, a breathless dream, even. On the other hand, these stacks of paperwork were very, very real. It had only been a few weeks since the Students of Baldesion began to accept new requests, but the speed with which they flooded in stirred dread which not long ago might have overtaken him. 

Part of the problem was the requests which had arrived before the End of Days had been averted hadn't been sorted out. As he and Krile sifted through the missives, it became evident a good amount of them were no longer relevant, given the circumstances. 

But they could not simply be tossed away wholesale. No, they needed to be examined by hand, each and every one. For all the magic he could wield, G'raha lamented he had not studied the art of conjury nearly enough to call up a familiar to help with even these menial tasks. 

He eyed the piles before him, each indistinguishable from the last. One of these stacks had been sorted, though. He was unsure which. 

He picked up a sheaf of paper and skimmed the page. It was not expired, as they'd taken to calling obsolete requests, but was it a priority? No, however... could it be taken care of quickly? Well... 

"Leave already. Go!" G'raha started at the sound of Krile's voice, the sheaf he'd been examining becoming a crumpled bouquet in his hand. He turned to face her a moment later, Krile standing with hands on her hips, staring with wide-eyed scrutiny at G'raha. 

"I-I'm working as fast as I can, Krile." He turned back to his work, wiping the newly-formed sweat from his brow. "Before we can begin to delegate these requests, we must prioritize them f--" 

"You're useless, Raha!" she shouted, her voice resonating up into the rafters. His posture stiffened and she dropped her pretense of anger, smiling knowingly. "Ever since J'napha stopped by you sigh and sigh and reshuffle the same pile. You know which request you ought to prioritize." 

G'raha blinked vacantly at her, tilting his head in lack of comprehension despite the burning in his face. 

"Go and see her!" She shoved at his thigh. "It wasn't an idle invitation. Have you lost your sense?" She paused a moment, and began again softer this time: "Go and see her." Her smile warmed all the way up to her eyes. 

"I..." He cleared his throat. "There is much yet to be done. I cannot bring myself to leave you on your own." 

Krile tapped her chest. "Raha, I haven't been alone. Besides, Ojika agreed to help me." 

"When did he agree to that?" 

"While you were sighing and fretting over that discard pile just there!" She covered the stack of paper with a slap of her hand. "Raha, I know you have simply been out of your head since everyone scattered to the four winds. Do you not think this is difficult for her, too? If she's calling on you, I see no reason to stand her pretending you're not ready to jump out of your skin for want of catching that next airship. Go. See her." She studied him a moment longer in silence, his expression still murky. "I'll file a request myself if it'll get you out of here faster." 

"Your point is made, Krile." G'raha chuckled, struggling to tidy the piles before him with trembling fingers. 

"Bah! All the wild things you do and yet this is what gives you pause." 

"If something comes up, do not hesitate to reach me via linkpearl. I won't be gone long." 

"Consider your schedule cleared!" She pushed him toward the big double doors of the main hall. "Besides, I'll do better with a helper who's not as lovesick by half!" 

"Krile!" 

"Give your lovely Warrior of Light my regards!" 

[pandorkful]

These are not new years resolutions, but some things I'd really love to get done in 2023 hopefully:

Start Art Streaming! I'm planning on doing my first stream soon, hopefully in mid-january! Still trying to decide on twitch vs youtube, kinda leaning towards yt since that seems like the easier way to keep a stream vod and I don't have much in the way of free space for video backups at the moment... (I think my backup drive just died too :-/ )

Extended edition of MerFolk, to make it a page-a-day MerMay coloring book! I forget how many more pages I'd need to draw, but I've also been wanting to tidy up some of the pages and add interesting backgrounds to color for a while--this would be an excellent excuse to do both!

Start drawing one or more of the many, many comics I've been writing over the past year!! Or at the very least, figure out how best to share scripting updates with my patrons... hmm....

Finish the mini comic (boobtrain) I started last February... I kinda need to figure out an ending for that one. :B

Get a webstore open!!! I have a foursquare account, I just gotta fill it with designs!!!

Make! More! Stickersssss!!!

I really wanna design a few enamel pins someday....

Make a completely new coloring book! Still need to decide on a theme... but MerFolk was so fun to make, I really want to make more coloring books!!!

reboot/continue @ask-ghaleon :3c and get back into customizing dolls in general.

And some personal goals:

Get driver's license!!!!!

Go table at more conventions!!!!

Make enough money. To, like, live.

Figure out a better state to move to possibly????¿

[acompassrosa]

Decks On My Desk - February 18, 2023

I don't know about you, but I am very bad at keeping my desk area tidy. I can do pretty alright with the rest of my space (though putting laundry away sometimes takes a week or more), but it's hard to be motivated to clean the place I know I am about to make a mess again until it hits critical mass.

Today is one of those days.

In addition to pens, journals, dice, and so many cough drop wrappers... the above decks were found hanging out in my space and I thought I'd tell you a bit about them.

Top Row, Left to Right:

Little Visions - a new arrival (this will be a theme) that has, honestly, taken my life by storm. I own all three decks (Prisma, Light, and Cosma Visions) in the larger sizes as well, but actually struggle to get myself to use them. Not so with these decks! I've been using them (together, no less!) basically since the moment they arrived. I suspect I'll be doing a big write up about them later so I'll stop myself from gushing too much right now.

The Diviners Court - Another new arrival-- from this afternoon! I love playing cards both for divining and for games. This actually arrived with the Scrying Ink Lenormand and a print, but I'd dutifully put those away. This deck is out because I had the sudden overwhelming urge to play solitaire.

Star Dragons Oracle Cards - Semi-new arrival here, I think this came in mid-January. I don't do a lot of work with oracle decks, but I saw this one was on sale and I do love me some dragons... so I got it! No regrets, it's worth it for the stunning art alone-- AND it is a fairly balanced oracle deck. If you want to be lovingly read to filth, I cannot recommend this one enough.

Le Beau Monde Tarot, pocket edition - I love her I love her I love her.... *big breath* I love her. I am sad she's out of print, I am so glad I have her in both sizes. This deck is such a treat for the regency inclined. If she came back in a giant/oracle size I'd buy her again. Not for everyone, but 100% for me.

Bottom row, left to right:

Heavenly Bloom Tarot - I used this for a reading for a friend's D&D character last week. I really need to use this deck more, just in general, but golly it's a pain in the butt to shuffle.

Mermaid Tarot - Another D&D reading for another friend, but also here because I used it for the Queen of Cups challenge Lionharts is running on Insta. Love this deck so much!

Fountain Tarot - Another one for the Queen of Cups challenge. I've been following it pretty faithfully, though privately, in my journal. I started the latest chapter of the challenge with this deck but had to change part way through because 2016 me has a lot of feelings about these cards and 2023 me was having a hard time being heard. Still a beautiful deck, definitely one I keep around precisely because of that strong emotional time capsule it represents.

Shadowscapes Tarot - This is the deck I switched to, an old reliable. It actually has one of my all time most favorite Queen of Cups cards. I actually bought the print from the artist ages ago and it hangs on my closet door! A classic, beautiful deck -- definitely would be one of my top mass market deck recommendations.

Seaborn Kipper - Another new arrival! I've look through this but haven't tried it yet. I'm hoping to learn a little more about Kipper before I "dive in"-- but I am a sucker for a Siolo Thompson deck AND for merfolx. The deliberate emphasis on the parts of both Thompson and Witholt to make this deck gender inclusive delights me as well.

So yeah! That's what's on my desk. I am going to put these away now.

[woodenela]

My only wishes/ resolutions for 2023 are being healthier and more free & goofy with my art💪😤

Thanks for sticking with me despite my lack of art lately, y'all are peaches💕 (Personal ramblings under the cut).

So you might've noticed the lack of art from my side for the last months. Reason is that my health isn't very good. The last two months especially were hard cause I couldn't really eat much and therefore had next to no energy. I pretty much spent my time in bed, only ever dragging my body to doctors if need be.

I have a desktop setup with a tablet, so no real means of drawing in bed, and I doubt even that would've worked since I just felt so weak all the time.

I've tried to funnel my love into reblogs, comments and twitter for the time being - I hope I'm not annoying you all too much, the love's gotta go somewhere haha💕

Things are hopefully looking up though. Left another 100 bucks at the doctor's today to get me on a three month medication plan to stabilize my innards, basically :') (gotta love "free" healthcare huh, if you ever want things to move forward, you gotta pay anyway)

Another appointment in two weeks with another doctor that'll cost me quite a penny too... I usually don't wanna nag and whine about this stuff but I really feel like whining right now, being sick is fucking expensive y'all!! I just hope that I'll get back my footing this year, be able to go outside again without having to fear getting sick and all. Maybe even be able to get a job again, that would be pretty dope.

Another resolution is being more free with my art. I'm always so pressed to make everything I draw neat and tidy and pretty; and while that is fun sometimes, it also really slows everything down and I lose interest in so many concepts. I also really wanna draw a Lawsan comic idea I have. These months in bed have given me ample time to dream stories up✨

I also just wanna draw more goofy things, not just One Piece stuff, but in general. Branch out a bit, have fun, make awful colour choices and get dirty with textures and effects :) Don't know if I'm gonna post non-fandom stuff here, probably not but we'll see.

For now I'm gonna take my disgusting-tasting medicine and look forward to brighter days, thanks for sticking around✌️

[an1tak]

Check list summer things ¡

I generally organize everything to develop this vacation, a little late because I have been extremely sick but well lifes goes on, everyone will have their own particular planning and specification!

Some.things:

P: Permanent obligations S: Studies (private and university) S: Self-care V: Vacations

Project Development (elab & tea) ¡

Organize evening and morning schedules and routines ¡

Development Reports tea, club and plans for the next semester ¡

Preparation of subjects next semester ¡

Continuous Italian plan!

Online courses!

Continuous exercise routine !

Continuous general self-care routine!

Schedule of changes in general + Vision !

Events I'm going to attend this summer

Writing and drawing routine

Writing again!

Genarals of: Organize evening and morning schedules and routines + Notion Calendar + Google calendar

Morning:

Wake up at 7:30 am, play music and tidy up the room

Do some exercise, dance, pilates and a workout routine depending on my mood and energy level

Eat a healthy breakfast and wait at least an hour for coffee

Take a bath, get dressed and put on makeup

Organize / review the day's tasks

Do some kind of gratitude activity, manifestation or visualization.

Night:

Sleep as early as possible, between 10 pm and 12 if possible (I have insomnia and I know I can not ask so much at the beginning).

Wash my face every night before going to sleep or take a bath depending on the day.

put on music to sleep

Pray and give gratitude / light a candle

Courses for this summer: Learning can't stop less on vacation I have more time, I am considering the following:

Justice (Harvard college online on EdX) : This introduction to moral and political philosophy

Italian Language and Culture: Beginner (WellesleyX on EdX)

Leaders of Learning (Harvard college online on EdX)

URosarioX: Corrección de textos jurídicos (on EdX)

URosarioX: Introducción a los derechos humanos (on EdX)

URosarioX: Planeación de textos jurídicos (on EdX)

URosarioX: Memoria, emociones y arte para la construcción de paz (on EdX)

Openlearn: Design thinking

Openlearn: Diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Openlearn: Getting started with Italian 1

Openlearn: How arguments are constructed and used in the Social Sciences

Openlearn: Inclusive Leadership: Effecting change

Openlearn: Leadership and followership

Openlearn: Rights and justice in international relations

Openlearn: Talk the Talk

Openlearn: Working in diverse teams

Exercise for this month: 2023 Hourglass Challenge

+ Walking and running.

Schedule of changes in general + Visionboard !

[zedecksiew]

BLOGGIES 2023 GAMEABLE WINNERS

Another week of voting is over, the responses have been counted, and the results of the final round of the BLOGGIES 2023 GAMEABLE category are in.

Here are your winners, medals, and acceptance speeches!

(I asked the winners to say a few words about their winning work—where they were at when they wrote the posts; whether they have additional insights; how they feel about winning.)

+++

BRONZE BLOGGIE FOR GAMEABLE POST:

🥉Flux Space🥉 from Papers & Pencils

Nick:

Even after years of percolating in my head it took 5 months from the first draft to feel like I'd communicated myself clearly. Almost immediately people began telling me about ways they planned to use Flux Space which I'd never intended, some of which contravene the whole point I was going for. That's not a complaint, it's something I marvel at, and am humbled by. The author is dead, long live Flux Space!

+++

SILVER BLOGGIE FOR GAMEABLE POST:

🥈Pointcrawling Character Creation🥈 from Rise Up Comus

Josh:

How I feel winning an award:

but for real: It's enormously humbling to get a single vote when the competition was against some of the best blog posts this year from all the people I so greatly admire. Blogs are the best way that I know of to quickly get an idea out of your head and onto paper, look at it, turn it around from a different angle, and see how it resonates with people. That's all I was trying to do with Pointcrawling Character Creation, and I'm pleased someone out there thinks it's an idea they'd like to play with, too.

+++

(In lieu of a medal, Gold winners will get a linocut print; here's a design inspired by Jo's post: a clutch of eggs that are worlds, and a dragon hatching from one of them.)

GOLD BLOGGIE FOR GAMEABLE POST:

🥇Laws of the Land: meaningful terrain via in-fiction limits and conditions🥇 from Was It Likely?

Jo:

This, as with all such statements, is a thing only true in the moments of its making; accept then, the memory of a truth: the most valuable contribution of the OSR is the idea that TTRPGs are more or less choice generation machines; they provide decision points situated in contexts of complexity that cannot be replicated outside of the human mind. The OSR also has made a fetish object out of the idea that such decisions should be procedurally derived, rather than placed directly into the game. “Laws of the Land” was born out of a dissatisfaction with that fetish object and a desire to place the object of play directly in my games. Be brave enough to make the statement: this is true, this must be done, the world is shaped in this way. The best art is itself of itself, and aren’t we all artists? Those of you I love are, anyway. And I love you. I hope the things I make bring you joy. Kisses, Jo.

+++

And I love you, too. Congratulations everybody!

(Special thanks to Martin / Sharkbomb for his assistance tidying up the medal graphics.)

[thetcdptimes]

Beauty, in the eyes of the beholder

Taken from 2023 to 2024, all around Cebu. These shots from my phone have perfectly captured the art of everyday life, and beauty in the ordinary.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with the way inanimate objects simply stood in their places–imperfect, and maybe even untouched–yet picturesque. After all, I am a firm believer that everything has a beauty and charm of its own, even in things other people perceive to be ugly.

It seems universally acknowledged across cultures, places and periods that beauty holds significance in every aspect of existence, yet the understanding of its essence is subjective. I thought, if beauty and ugliness are believed to be at opposite ends of the spectrum, why do we still find ourselves being drawn to what isn’t conventionally pleasant, tidy, useful, and perfect? In the first place, why should it be a basis for moral evaluation? This thought led me to the conclusion that it does not have to be the opposite, but rather a feature of it.

Growing up, shelves, coffee tables, and cabinets were filled with photo frames, trinkets, souvenirs, books and magazines, in places I have called my home. Being surrounded by the novelties that held pieces of my family’s history and personalities has given me the privilege of keeping those memories alive, despite how impractical, corny and messy these may seem to others. After all, this is where I first learned how to find beauty in the ordinary.

“The common Filipino is a maximalist, filling up every available space with forms and things. It springs from an expressive exuberance deeply rooted in emotional sensitivity and the strong urge to connect.” - Prof Felipe M. De Leon, Jr., “In Focus: Life as Art – The Creative, Healing Power in Philippine Culture”

I once read a quote from Nate Berkus saying that a home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love. From then, I understood why our family puts so much value and sentimentality in possessions so deeply rooted in us, that we find it difficult to let go.

Every magnet on the fridge speaks of my dad’s travels, he would tell us about his experiences when he came back.

Every figurine, crucifix, and rosary on the altar serves to remind us of our faith.

Photographs old and new on display to remember each other’s presence.

Plants our family members have taken care of so much have ended up having a name.

Old toys that bring back childhood memories are still kept to remind us of our innocence.

Souvenirs tell of the fun times spent together, wondering when the next one will happen.

This was the soul that has made our space not just a house, but a home.

Everywhere I go, I unconsciously have a special love for places that look and feel cozy. My favorite cafes, hostels, stores, and even small eateries all embody these common denominators: being unassuming, homey, and lived-in. Later on, I realized that I'm drawn to these places because they feel like an extension—a home away from home. In a place where time stands still, people are welcomed, novelties add beauty, and stories are told whenever surrounded by those walls.

Just like my home, even the places we often pass by are adorned with the most arbitrary decorations, not necessarily the most grand and aesthetically pleasing, but blending quite beautifully throughout the space. After all, being around such novelties reminds me that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It may often be overlooked but it is everywhere, you just have to look closely.

Where and how do you find beauty in the ordinary?

Blog post by Gavyn Rain R. Erediano | BA COMM MED-2

[comicreliefmorlock]

(My) BEST READS OF 2023

[I literally just went through my "Books Read" journal and pulled the titles and authors out, then Googled to get first names because I jotted down only an initial and a surname. {Good job, me.} And honestly, having at least one to two SLAMMIN' books per month is great! 35 really awesome books out of a total of 143 new books read for the year is a high percentage of amazing!]

SO. READ THESE!

Swordspoint - Ellen Kushner (Yes, I should've read this DECADES ago.)

The High Crusade - Pohl Anderson (I laughed so many times reading this.)

The Bone Orchard - Sara Mueller (I LOVED the concept of this.)

Contact - Carl Sagan (Again, should've read this DECADES ago.)

Hell Followed with Us - Andrew Joseph White (Monstrous angels are my JAM.)

Briar Rose - Jane Yolen (Yes, another one I'm just… sO late reading.)

How to Invent Everything - Ryan North (Non-fiction with a fictional framework, it's glorious.)

The Art of Tidying - Marie Kondo (Non-fiction and so, so gentle.)

Reigning Cats and Dogs - Tanith Lee (Is anyone surprised that her name is showing up here?)

Fairy Tale - Stephen King (THE DOG LIVES.)

The Library of Fates - Aditi Khorana (Oh, it's so beautifully written.)

Amygdala - Sam Fennah (DENSE but tbh the world building is so, so unique.)

A House with Good Bones - T. Kingfisher (I read anything with this name on it.)

Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir (This name will come up again, obviously.)

Blaze - Stephen King (It was so SAD.)

Harrow the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir (Told you.)

How to Sell a Haunted House - Grady Hendrix (I will also read anything with this name on it.)

Nettle & Bone - T. Kingfisher (Told you.)

Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir (This should surprise no one.)

Mr. Humble & Dr. Butcher - Brandy Schillace (Non-fiction!)

MAUS - Art Spiegelman (No, I'd never read it before. Yes, I am ashamed of myself.)

Lavinia - Ursula LeGuin (This was just… haunting.)

Cannibalism - Bill Schutt (Non-fiction and I bought a hard copy LOL)

Camp Damascus - Chuck Tingle (All those Tinglers have refined his writing to a razor's edge.)

Dr. Mutter's Marvels - Cristin O'Keefe Aptowitcz (Non-fiction, I wanted to learn about the origins of the museum.)

Dark Castle, White Horse - Tanith Lee (Are you really surprised by this?)

Holly - Stephen King (Elderly cannibal serial killers? Yes, thank you.)

A Guest in the House - Emily Carroll (For the story AND the art, it's so good.)

A Long, Fatal Love Chase - Louisa May Alcott (Her writing a Gothic blew my mind, but it was such a SOLID Gothic.)

The Emperor's Soul - Brian Sanderson (I held off on reading EPIC FANTASY for ages, but this? This lovely single volume? It sold me on his magic systems, I gotta find more.)

Books of Blood I-III - Clive Barker (I'm so glad I'm aging into short stories, these were fantastic.)

Night Shine - Tessa Gratton (So unique! So queer! I delighted in it!)

The Three-Body Problem - Cixin Liu (DUDE. FUCKIN'… JUST! DUDE!)

Pegasus - Robin McKinley (I NEED THE SEQUEL WHAT THE FUCK ROBIN???)

The Pink Triangle - Richard Plant (After learning of Somerton's plagarism, I went hunting for books and publications that could give me accurate and researched information.)