#idk it just feels so much lower stakes

[vegetable-soup-wizard]

It’s unfortunate that I don’t like the gameplay of AC origins as much as I like Odyssey because Bayek both sounds and looks so much hotter than Alexios and yeah I’m shallow so that’s a factor for me

[toytulini]

you know whats more annoying than dems calling vance and trump weird is all the condescending posts justifying it actually. like im a bit annoyed about "weird" being used this way but also like man if it fucking works i guess

but do i have to keep seeing daily posts exhaustively justifying how normie midwesterners use weird different or whatever the fuck man just shut up and call them weird then, stop justifying it to me

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I feel like we need a refresher on Watsonian vs Doylist perspectives in media analysis. When you have a question about a piece of media - about a potential plot hole or error, about a dubious costuming decision, about a character suddenly acting out of character -

A Watsonian answer is one that positions itself within the fictional world.

A Doylist answer is one that positions itself within the real world.

Meaning: if Watson says something that isn't true, one explanation is that Watson made a mistake. Another explanation is that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made a mistake.

Watsonian explanations are implicitly charitable. You are implicitly buying into the notion that there is a good in-world reason for what you're seeing on screen or on the page. ("The bunny girls in Final Fantasy wear lingerie all the time because they're from a desert culture!")

Doylist explanations are pragmatic. You are acknowledging that the fiction is shaped by real-world forces, like the creators' personal taste, their biases, the pressures they might be under from managers or editors, or the limits of their expertise. ("The bunny girls in Final Fantasy wear lingerie because somebody thought they'd sell more units that way.")

Watsonian explanations tend to be imaginative but naive. Seeking a Watsonian explanation for a problem within a narrative is inherently pleasure-seeking: you don't want your suspension of disbelief to be broken, and you're willing to put in the leg work to prevent it. Looking for a Watsonian answer can make for a fun game! But it can quickly stray into making excuses for lazy or biased storytelling, or cynical and greedy executives.

Doylist explanations are very often accurate, but they're not much fun. They should supersede efforts to provide a Watsonian explanation where actual harm is being done: "This character is being depicted in a racist way because the creators have a racist bias.'" Or: "The lore changed because management fired all of the writers from last season because they didn't want to pay then residuals."

Doylism also runs the risk of becoming trite, when applied to lower stakes discrepancies. Yes, it's possible that this character acted strangely in this episode because this episode had a different writer, but that isn't interesting, and it terminates conversation.

I think a lot of conversations about media would go a lot more smoothly, and everyone would have a lot more fun, if people were just clearer about whether they are looking to engage in Watsonian or Doylist analysis. How many arguments could be prevented by just saying, "No, Doylist you're probably right, but it's more fun to imagine there's a Watsonian reason for this, so that's what I'm doing." Or, "From a Watsonian POV that explanation makes sense, but I'm going with the Doylist view here because the creator's intentions leave a bad taste in my mouth that I can't ignore."

Idk, just keep those terms in your pocket? And if you start to get mad at somebody for their analysis, take a second to see if what they're saying makes more sense from the other side of the Watsonian/Doylist divide.

[lesbiansanemi]

I truly do not get the spy x family hype….

[merbear25]

Saw the kinktober requests & thought I'd send a request for it.

The request is for Day 11: Facials.

Pairing: Rangiku Matsumoto x male reader.

Prompt: Reader fucking Rangiku's breasts while they're growing.

Kinks: Facial. Huge tits. Breast fucking. Breast expansion (Idk if u feel comfortable writing this specific kink, so if not, feel free to not include it at all.) Sensitive breasts. Dirty talk. Cum on tits.

I've never written anything with breast expansion, so I hope I did your request justice. I hope you like it 💜🧡

The two of you weren’t ones to hold back from placing a bet. With the stakes high and your win in the bag, you couldn’t wait to reap your earnings and neither could she.

CW: NSFW, MDNI, m!reader, reader is a shinigami, facial, boobjob, breast expansion, dirty talk

Her just desserts (Rangiku)

Rangiku was known for going a little overboard when it came to drinking. Being a bit mouthier and more prone to striking bets went hand in hand after a few shots. There were a few training sessions that were to take place the following week among the divisions, meaning it was the perfect time to place bets on who’d come up on top.

“You’re going to get smoked!” She chuckled, pointing at you as the alcohol was causing the heat to rush to her cheeks.

Cocking your eyebrow at her, you knew how wrong she was and would love to be given the chance to rub her face in it. “Oh yeah? You willing to bet on it?”

She choked a bit on that last gulp of sake and gave you a sly grin. “Sure thing,” she sang. “I’ll even let you make the terms.”

“Oh? That confident, huh?” Despite your irritation at her blatant mockery, her blind confidence caused a devious idea to brew.

“Mmhm!” She leaned back and sighed. “So tell me, what have you got in mind?”

Leaning in closer, you whispered in her ear. The alcohol was affecting you just as much as it was her at this point, making your breath hot against her ear.

Her blush spread across her face and trickled down to her chest. Shooting you a sideways glare, the trust she had in her division brushed off any doubts that her fate may come to that.

“Fine,” she faked a smile. “But be prepared to be disappointed.” She winked at you, placing an ‘L’ on her forehead.

When the time came, your division got the better of hers just as you predicted they would. Huffing and crossing her arms, she evaded eye contact with you.

“Don’t say it,” she growled.

“Say what?” You poked that sore spot of hers sarcastically.

Abruptly, she grabbed your arm and dragged you off to a secluded room. Shutting the doors behind her, she marched over to you with a stern look upon her face.

You smirked at her. “A bit eager for your end of the bet, aren’t you?”

Her ears turned red from embarrassment. “I’m just a woman of my word and a deal’s a deal.” She turned her nose up at you.

Seeing you getting aroused by how irritated she was with you irked her even more. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she decided to play along. She pushed you towards the desk and put her hands on either side of your hips.

“Hope I won’t be disappointed,” you said, pushing your luck.

She leaned in, pressing her breasts against you. Her words were just barely above a whisper. “Don’t you ever know when to keep quiet?”

As she slowly slid down your front, her breasts hugged each part of you. With your breath catching in your throat from what was to come, she smirked at you. Moving lower, your hardened arousal was already desperate for her touch.

The feeling of your cock twitching against your clothes while her breasts rested on your lap gave her an ounce of satisfaction. “Such an eager thing, aren’t you?”

Her hands roamed over your thighs before parting them. Watching your expression intently, the struggle of you containing yourself was apparent.

“It’s been a while since you’ve felt a woman’s touch, hm?”

The frustration you held towards yourself was prickling your cheeks. “S-shut up…” was all you could spit out as she released your length from its restraints, letting it graze against her soft skin.

A poorly restrained groan passed your lips as she stroked you in between her succulent breasts. You gazed down at her, panting not only from the sensations coursing through you but also the sight of her: soft features, hooded eyes, and your tip peeking out from between her breasts, ever so closely touching her lips.

One of your hands began massaging her breast. As you groped it, her face twisted into one alluding to the pleasure deriving from the attention. You took the nipple between your fingers, rubbing and plucking it until it hardened.

Watching her prior irritation towards you morph into one with pleasure washing over it was making you want her even more.

Thrusting gently, you breathed, “Let me see what else that smart mouth of yours can do.”

The little ‘hmph’ from her would have made you laugh in any other context, but with the heat rising, it only served your lust for her.

Her eyes flickered at your tip, which was becoming slick with precum. Resting her lips on it, her tongue swirled around it—completely lapping up the beaded precum. Your groans grew louder as you tried to hold onto what little self-control remained.

Both of your hands were massaging her breasts now, while you continued thrusting into them. The more you tenderly pinched her nipples, the sweeter her moans became. Her fingers gripped at your thighs, and her tongue lazily licked at your tip because the gasps you coaxed out of her were making it difficult to keep her pace.

Her breasts seemed to be swelling in size. The feminine beauty of her well-endowed chest was appearing to be engorging your cock entirely. With your tip being completely drowned in her gorgeous chest, she allowed herself to moan and pant freely; the attention you were showering her body with was simply too much to bear.

Each jiggle and ripple of them had you descending further into madness. With your climax quickly approaching, you couldn’t pass up the opportunity that was presenting itself.

“That’s right,” you growled. “Open that pretty mouth for me.”

She nodded.

“Let me hear those sweet moans of yours. Let me know how much of a slut you are,” you groaned from the sheer vision of beauty she was displaying.

As she helped work you towards your climax, she looked up at you through hooded eyes. Her earlier demeanor had entirely subsided, leaving only ecstasy dancing upon her flushed face.

“Give me my punishment,” she panted and stuck her tongue out.

Such a delicious display of submission was too tempting to deny. With her breasts shaking and swaying from the combined motions of your thrusts and both of your pairs of hands pushing them together, the feeling of being lost in her body sent you over the edge.

With a strangled groan, your cum coated her cleavage and the crevice your cock was nestled in. A stream of it still managed to shoot between them, landing on her salivating tongue. She moaned as she tasted you, savoring it by licking off the bit that was on her chin. You both huffed and shook slightly when coming down from your shared high. Moving off of you, her chest was drenched in your white hot lust.

The sight of her made it obvious that she enjoyed it as much as you did. “I’m beginning to think you lost on purpose,” you teased.

She scoffed playfully, “As if I’d ever do that.”

There were many more interesting bets placed between the two of you after having shared such a passionate encounter. Neither of you would ever admit to taking the fall to get that punishment you were secretly after, though.

[howlsmovinglibrary]

hi, im sorry if this sounds stupid but like. how do you get your brain to switch from academia to fanfic. like when im done with my lab reports and finally have time to write i feel like a textbook mimicking human speech

hey anon! none of this is stupid at all, please don't feel bad for asking a question :)

i think i should preface by saying, I wasn't a girl in STEM. I'm an English lit girlie, so often my academic work got me thinking about stories, which made me want to write stories, and thinking about D&D which made BG3 the perfect outlet! I couldn't write a paper titled 'D&D vampires are weird, huh?' but I could write stories around those themes. So sometimes my fic just became a place for me to explore the stuff that interested me but had no place in my professional work, which obviously made it easy to generate ideas and content.

but I have my advice under the cut! (bc this accidentally became a long post lol).

what advice I can give, however, is advice that was given to me by another friend, who is also a PhD student. She said (in quite a clinical way, but that's the kind of person she is) that she saw her fic and her writing as 'building mastery' - which was something she'd learned in therapy. the idea that practising something and working at it makes you better at it but also makes you feel better about yourself, because you can find enjoyment in the hobby and see improvements in your work. she wrote fic, to see a progress and a learning curve she didn't see in academia.

Idk what STEM is like, but often my experience in academia left me feeling stupid or inadequate. everything I wrote there mattered, and it didn't always bring me joy. I actually started writing fic, because I had just finished my PhD funding applications, and after sinking 100+ hours into something that made me miserable, I just wanted to write words that were fun for a change.

it doesn't always feel like it, of course, but fic doesn't matter. it should be fun. it can be silly, it doesn't have to fit a wordcount, it can be whatever you want it to be and it's never getting assessed at the end. and - unlike academia - typically it only receives positive feedback. so I write fic, bc it doesn't make me feel like shit, even when academia does. it's a different ballgame, and it has a much lower stakes, and more forgiving relative curve. i like it, becuase i switch my brain off, and get to have fun and play around in a way i don't in acadeimia.

so I guess my advice for this particular question - other than "please rest", bc like the last person who asked me about this you sound a wee bit burned out beloved - is.... it's literally fine, if you sound like a human textbook. forget the words and how they're coming to you as you write them - are you having fun with the idea? do you like the positive feeling of writing them, and the positive feedback you get either from yourself or others? that's how i switch from academia into fic mode. I find something that i actually find recreationally enjoyable (lol, academia).

let go of all expectations, and just follow the story or plot noodle that itches the happy parts of your brain. don't let it be about quality at all.

and, in case I've misunderstood the question and this is actually more an issue of stylistics - my fic got wordier as a result of my academia. even worse, my ACADEMIA got wordier as a result of my fic!!! (when the adverb curse follows you into your day job lmao). I don't think there's any way to prevent crossing the streams. But you can be sillier in fic, so add some jokes! make the stupid reference! let everyone be a little less formal!

and, if all else fails, get a second pair of eyes :) maybe from someone outside of the institution. they can tell you if you've become a pretentious ass overnight or not x

[decayedgloria]

I love your one shots, they’re so good.

Can I request a WLW with arlecchino and virgin fem reader who’s finally ready to lose their virginity to Arlecchino? Basically Arlecchino being super sweet because it hurt and it being all cute and such?

the innocence is gone

Ft. Arlecchino

Tags: virgin!afab!reader, soft sex, oral f! receiving, arlecchino holding back dirty thoughts, praise, wee bit of dacryphillia, strapfucking, thoughts of pain play, wlw, nsfw under cut, mdni.

Word count: ~1k words, not proofread

Idk if this was what you wanted anon but I tried lol (I’m not good at writing virgin readers sorry I like my smut rough)

-

“Tell me if it hurts, my love.”

Even though her words are as gentle as her fingers that danced across your skin, Arlecchino wanted nothing more than to take you and ravage you- to stake her claim over your body, mind, and heart. Ever since you had ever so shyly requested her to be your first, she had been elated with the idea of being the only person to do so with you.

You, such a sweet and precious little thing, hiding your blushed face under your arm, already sweating and heaving just from the kisses Arlecchino trailed down your body. At this point, your clothes had been strewn on the floor, skillfully undone by the woman herself, and you now lay on the bed in all your naked glory for her to see.

Red and black eyes did not miss the opportunity to drink in your body. With a smirk, the taller woman kissed your lower stomach, leaving light kisses as she descended upon your cunt, easily spreading it open with two of her fingers. Already slick with your arousal, Arlecchino found herself licking her lips at the delicious sight, giving you one last look of reassurance before delving in.

The mewls that left your lips as Arlecchino’s skilled tongue licked a striped up your cunt made the woman near delirious. With one thumb rubbing your clit, she ate your cunt as if it were her last meal, making sure not to lose herself too much in the sweetness of your juices. As her lapped on your pussy, your thighs, callously wrapped around her shoulders, instinctively tensed- holding her head closer to you as you moaned.

“A-Arle…” a soft sigh escaped your lips as she worked, hands tangling in her white hair. Shutting your eyes in pleasure, all you could muster was a weak moan as Arlecchino drank your pussy like the finest wine in Teyvat. Firm, long licks of her tongue against your folds made your stomach twist pleasurably- in a way that made your veins hot and mind fuzzy.

With every shake of your legs, Arlecchino’s tongue grew faster and stronger as she felt you coming closer to your release. Eagerly lapping you up like a puppy, you inevitably reach your high, pretty mouth parted in an ‘o’ shape as you cry out Arlecchino’s name. She stays in between your thighs for a few more moments, licking the remaining slick off your inner thighs before raising her head, looking at you with hungry eyes while her hand wiped the juices left on her jaw.

Your eyes were glassy and glazed over, the foreign sensations in your body overtaking your senses, rendering you helpless. Arlecchino places a soft kiss on your lips, wiping away the stray tears on your face with her thumb.

“Did it feel that good love?” With a feeble nod, your bottom lip quivers, as if asking for another kiss. She indulges you so, placing numerous on your face before pulling away to put on her strap. You were thoroughly prepared, she surmised, and lined the tip of her cock to your entrance.

“This is your last chance to back out.” She told you, tone unwavering. You unabashedly shook your head no, whining for her to touch you, feel you more. Desperation dripping from your honeyed mouth, she obliged; swiftly inserting her strap into your tight, but welcoming hole slowly.

“O-Oh! Oh my gods-“ Your ability to speak coherent sentences was severed as you felt yourself being stuffed fully, closing your eyes once more in pleasure. While the stretch was somewhat painful, pleasure overtook your body as you arched your back, eagerly sucking her in.

“The gods have nothing to do with how I pleasure you, my love. So please,” Arlecchino’s strained voice fanned warm breath against your ear. If you could be observant in that moment, you’d be able to hear just how desperate she also was for you- holding back her primal urge to ruin you in favor of making sure you’re alright- “Say my name, darling.”

Despite your weak voice, you oblige, “Arlecchino… you make me- ah, feel so good!” Your voice only grew higher as she started her pace, careful not to go too fast for the first few strokes. Slowly, she rocked her hips against yours, leaning over you to press her forehead on yours as she gazed lovingly at you- holding you close as she pumped in and out of your cunt.

You exchanged hot breaths and the occasional kiss for a few more moments, savoring the way you moaned and whined into each kiss. Her pace gradually became faster, earning her a never-ending symphony of your saccharine voice.

Your bodies were as close as can be, a thin sheet of sweat connecting the both of you as you rock in each others arms, savoring each and every burst of pleasure in each other’s presence. With your face blooming into a beautiful shade of red, Arlecchino can’t help but let the next few words slip out.

“You’re taking me so well.” She coos, the corners of her lips twitching upward ever so slightly. She held you tenderly and she fucked her strap into your cunt, “Your pretty pussy is stretching so good, darling.” She buries her head in the crook of your neck as you feel another orgasm approaching, whining softly in her ear how much you wanted her.

You found yourself reaching your high once more, this time washing over you in gentle waves. As you close your eyes again, Arlecchino gently fucked you through your orgasm, making sure to slow her pace as she gazes down at you lovingly; fingers gently cupping your cheek as you rode out your high.

She gently pulled out of you, aware that you still weren’t completely back to your senses yet. It made her chuckle to herself- of course, it was your first time, you were bound to be fucked out at her hands. She fetched a damp towel and sat next to you, still splayed out on her king-sized bed, and gently swiped away the remain sweat and fluids from your body, placing chaste kisses all over.

She certainly had a lot to look forward to when it came with you.

[elderscrollsconceptart]

***SPOILERS FOR NEW ESO EXPANSION BELOW***

---------

Did they officially make TES a official multiverse of sorts or am I totally misreading the new ESO expansion lore.

Like we sorta have a multiverse-esque stuff with dragonbreaks and whatnot but I appreciated the fact those were more vague and mostly just worldbuilding tools to explain lore discrepancies. They were never (IMO) meant to be anything more than that..Until now I guess? Again I may be misreading everything in the new lore.

If my read is correct the new lore is saying "oh yeah there's whole other timelines with X and Y and all this Z is happening".

Full on canonizing whole other separate realities/timelines just lessens the stakes in the mainline TES reality and everyone and everything involved in it.

Besides Dragonbreaks there sorta been hints or implied stuff like alternate realities, but tackling it head on is..IDK...Its not BAD per se but it's sorta too much? Too upfront? I like it when TES keeps things beyond the mainline reality/universe vague.

It opens up TES to have "backup" realities where the writers can tell any story they want without touching the mainline universe. Looking at that as a longtime Marvel comics fan I just groan because it feels like the kind of storytelling I hate in pulpy comic books. Alternate timelines/realities get abused to death in fiction and are increasingly a sign of a lack of imagination. They can exist in a series's lore but making them a main part of your series is not a good idea. Multiverse can be cool but 90% of the time they get abused to death by lazy writers.

Making multiple universes just lowers the stakes in the universe you care about.

Oh X character died? Don't worry, they're alive in this other universe/timeline so they can just hop on over! Dont like how this evil but cool villian is a bad person? Dont worry, theyre an edgy anti-hero in this universe so you get to root for them without feeling bad!

Multiverses CAN BE COOL but they open up your series to a whole slew of opportunities for bad writing and lazy storytelling.

Do characters deaths even mean anything if theres a million differnt versions of them out there in other timelines?

To quote a certain space opera science fiction series: "No one's ever really gone"...

I wanna be clear, the new lore isn't BAD I just worry it's a sign of bad storytelling opportunities in the future.

[sammygender]

Honestly I would’ve 100% agreed with your s8 ranking a month ago lol, ‘cause while I adore the trials arc I was meh on the earlier season conflicts. BUT I recently rewatched for a fic I’m writing and the whole season is so thematically consistent from start to finish. Sam standing up for himself and asserting his desire for a normal life, however short-lived? So good. The season is almost a catharsis for s5, to me. Because with the trials you have Sam again trying to atone by sacrificing his life, but the stakes feels so much lower, closing the gates of hell don’t compare to the impending doom of the apocalypse, so it puts so much more weight on Sam’s decision to sacrifice himself, exposes just how little his life means to him and what tragedy that is in a way that s5 didn’t since it was too busy having everyone not believe in Sam or vilify him 24/7. And for Dean, who spent the whole first half of s8 claiming that Sam has a duty, that giving up hunting was betraying that duty, now has a brother, in his own words, “more devoted to the cause than ever” and he can’t stomach it, because it was never about the cause, it was about wanting Sam devoted to him. Idk the comeuppance for Dean is so juicy for me personally and s9 never satisfactorily followed up on that because the conclusion to the Gadreel arc was immediately overshadowed by the Mark of Cain. Also, the parallels of Kevin and s1!Sam in this season?? Hurts me, physically. Sorry to be a s8 apologist but they did get me I fear lol

i do actually totally agree with u especially re catharsis to s5!!! like u said the way it reframes so much of that season is so good. sam jumping into the cage in s5 is framed totally as a heroic act of repentance ignoring the fact that it’s after a season of him being constantly beat down and blamed by dean for something that wasn’t his fault.….. vs in s8 when sam’s also being constantly beat down and blamed by dean for something and again ends up essentially suicidal, willing/ready to die to close the gates of hell, viewing his life as worth barely anything, except in s8 like u said that’s portrayed as actually…. worrying. a tragedy. love that sm makes me feel insane.

so i like it as a season in retrospect and i like what it does for the narrative i just didn’t enjoy it at all when i watched it😔. the critic in me likes it but the viewer found a lot of it (or at least the beginning stretch <3) mindnumbingly boring. have not rewatched though (currently at s7 in rewatch) so i’m excited to see if i’ll end up appreciating it more. i do also LOVE kevin. in the running for favourite side character of all time which is impressive cause he’s there for less than 2 seasons iirc…. and he’s in s8 a lot. so. <3

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Idk how I feel about armys saying Hobi's streams are lower because of the fandom hating the rapline and others saying it's because of boycotters. Something about both narratives rub me the wrong way, as if both sides are trying to push narratives that don't truly really stand up.

You've said you don't focus on streams I think but you're still a rapline bias BPP. You still bias Hobi so you know about his streams. How do you reconcile how these narratives are?

***

I don't think this is complicated. Hobi's numbers were lower because some ARMYs didn't stream his album. That's it. It's the same case for RM.

It doesn't mean the fandom "hates" the rapline or that boycotters are to blame (given they so far appear to be a small minority). It just confirms that the fandom has imploded and so there is less cohesion around music goals, and so ARMYs who just aren't the audience for that kind of music aren't going to stream it.

What I've observed is that the core fandom that also started with BTS, are hiphop-heads. They are fans who actually enjoy the grit, the experimentation, and the crudeness of hip hop, which is the bread and butter of the BTS rapline.

When we used to be a proper country, it was the fandom that worked to make much of that music more palatable for other parts of the fandom, by translating and spreading interesting nuances in their lyricism, by making cool edits and fan mixes, by hosting stream parties with fun playlists, etc. It gave the members a headstart in building an audience. It took cohesive initiative from the fandom, and now much of that cohesive initiative is either hibernating or gone. If BigHit actually knew what they were doing (which is dubious given what MHJ has shown about BigHit and HYBE), they'd take the headstart the fandom gave them and work to establish a more solid market/audience for the members as they matured.

But for that to happen, BigHit has to know how to actually market the members beyond k-pop, beyond mindless radio pop, to more specific audiences. And lol, well, I'm still waiting to see that happen. Just look at the difference in quality between the kind of collaborators the members themselves seek out to work with (Little Sims and Ryuichi Sakamoto) vs. what HYBE arranges for them (Kodak Black and Central Cee).

I'm not worried for RM though. I've never been the sort of fan to take personal stake in his accolades, rankings, or perceived success, but even then I can see he's still doing more than fine, all things considered. Could be have a better performance if more of the fandom was engaged or if BigHit marketed him more to an audience that would better appreciate his solo work? Of course, but I don't ascribe the reasons for that not happening to "hate" or whatever ARMYs think boycotters are doing.

If anything, I find the blame-shifting from ARMYs to boycotters a bit cringe. The fandom is split, people are distracted and most of the people here are more focused on fighting a war on Bang Sihyuk's behalf than actually focusing on BTS and taking time to appreciate their work. It's a bit pathetic, but not malicious and frankly, it's expected.

Stream Neuron and Right People Wrong Place.

[charrfie]

Ok, still salty over Two Realms (it SUCKED) so gotta ask you, how would YOU have done a third drawn to life game (I've kinda wanted one with wilfre seemingly being the antagonist at first before him either being dethroned or he was actually trying to help and fumbling it BADLY)

Ohhh I'm just so excited that people are so interested in my thoughts to the point I keep getting asks related to the topic!!!!! ^_^ Thank you it's very exciting to be able to talk to everyone like this. I don't often publicly interact with the fandom because of some bad experiences I've had in it some years ago but it seems like the environment of it has changed a lot... maybe I should be more vocal about my interest in the series? Everyone who's being so nice about it has been such a big help. That's unrelated to your question, I just wanted to express appreciation!

Now, to actually answer you lol.. I put this under a read more again since it's a little lengthy, but not NEARLY as long as my previous ask

-

Fellow two realms hater 🤝 It was just such a letdown idk where I would even start. The glaringly obvious answer is the actual gameplay itself what with the level design/lack of stylus being how it was but I think my personal biggest problem was the story itself. It seemed to retcon or at least gloss over a lot of the plot from previous games which not only felt clunky but overall lowered the stakes to such a degree... it made me not care about the character drama nearly as much. Which is such a shame! Drawn to life and drawn to life: the next chapter are genuinely my #1 most favorite video games to ever exist. I mean this with no exaggeration. Even if they're kind of bad. Lol. But!!! The potential that the story and characters have in the original two games completely reels me back in!!! There's SO much there, even if it's not put together with the most grace. The subject matter is so serious and something so rarely talked about, ESPECIALLY for the age demographic it was aimed towards. These characters feel so real!!! So fleshed out!!!! It's endlessly compelling!!!!!!!!

All this being said, I think what I would do is make dtl:tr a lot more character/story driven since thats such a major appeal for me in previous entries. While it's even more evident in two realms, both dtl and dtl:tnc do have levels that tend to be a big of a slog to get through in comparison to the 10 seconds of story the player might get as a reward; there would need to be more balance.

As for what this story would actually contain.... I'm a little conflicted. While I'm not the biggest fan of aldark as a villain (he kind of came out of nowhere just to fill a necessary role of "evil"), I *do* like the idea of wilfre being replaced rather than coming back again, and I REALLY REALLY REALLY like the concept of the shadow that controlled wilfre garnering the strength to present itself as a physical manifestation rather than a conduit. I don't even mind if it functions as a solely evil entity! There's something to be said for that just as there's something to be said for wilfre being more morally gray anti-hero than pointlessly evil villain. I'd love to do something in this vein, though probably leave the human world out of it? Or at least keep it very vague. The raposa world gives us as the viewers enough plausible deniability to accept ridiculous/strange events without question.... it's only because the human world is so painfully realistic that the ending of dtl:tnc has the effect it does. So needless to say that's a no on keeping it as the main storyline.

I really like your idea of wilfre trying to help and then fumbling. That's similar to what I wished for when two realms was first announced actually! I sooooo badly wanted to see him trying and failing to adjust to normalcy again post him being freed of the shadow's influence, which I talked about VERY briefly here following the games announcement. I'd love to see him trying to make amends with those he had hurt (a la "ice king apology tour" from the marcy & simon comics), rediscovering who he even is as an individual again, or parsing through what his relationship with the creator has become. It opens up for some pretty interesting conversations. Especially considering how much shit other raposa might give him when he fails to help in the way they expect him to. At the same time, I'd love to get some more dialogue on where jowee and mari are at in their lives. How mari handles leadership (as she actively struggled with it in dtl and dtl:tnc), if jowee has allowed himself to exist outside of the scope of others and their judgement/expectations, etc. The fact that those two get married at the end of two realms threw me for such a loop.... because even when nothing was actively threatening them in dtl:tr they still bickered so much? I'd really like to delve into how people can naturally grow apart as they age and come to understand they may not be right for those they grew up with, as painful as that realization may be. A remake of two realms could also be a cool way of having circi introduced into official canon since she's way too interesting of a character to be constainte to the non-canon wii game.

These are all the story changes I know for a fact I'd like. But it's hard to say definitively what the plot would be other than designating an antagonist concept and the general themes which would be at play. I'm not quite sure what or how a manifested shadow antagonist would again threaten the safety of the raposa world! I figure any retconning necessary for the raposa world to even exist in the first place could be as simple as "oh I knew we could trust the creator to establish a new world for us," which would also heavily contribute to wilfre's character struggles in a very interesting way. So that's not too big of a problem. Drawn to life has bullshitted more complicated things away than just that. I'll have to keep thinking! Maybe I can work up a proper dtl:tr rewritten au alongside the other two aus I have.

I'd love to hear other thoughts about a potential remake of two realms if anyone has them!

[chaos0pikachu]

I am here actually to appreciate your post. I saw a blogger’s post saying The sign would have been ‘successful’ had it got filled with fantasy and romance and limit action to 10%. I wondered why that person, who says BL is all about romance, watched a show whose genre is action. Then I saw your post about people watching many shows to stay in fandom and I agree. Also you are right about dramas with a complex story receiving heavy criticism. Everything (even lack of proper plot or conflict) is exempted in a romance drama. No wonder most BLs are confined to ‘2 boys and their jealous & crying moments, routine conflicts enhanced by Escola or leads explaining how important Nikon printer is for their relationship’

Well damn hit me in the feels with this appreciation I'ma get all shy and shit.

I always wonder if by "successful" people mean in terms of critical acclaim, story telling, or monetarily. When it comes to Thai shows - and some please correct me if I'm wrong - it's difficult to tell how "successful" they are terms of audience reach/monetarily because there's no easily verifiable information. Like, there's Youtube numbers sure, but The Sign as an example, aired on Channel 3 what were it's ratings total on that channel? Idk, does anyone know that? Sincerely asking lol

Personally the way I like to judge a piece of media is what I call the Roger Ebert method; he often judged films based not solely on whether they were "good" or "bad but by how successfully they accomplished their goals.

If you read his review of Space Jam while it's clear Ebert doesn't think the movie is high art, "You can watch the movie on the sports and cartoon levels, and also appreciate the corporate strategy that's involved. [...] It is difficult for an actor to work in movies that combine live action with animation, because much of the time he cannot see the other characters in a scene with him. But Jordan has a natural ease and humor, an unforced charisma, that makes a good fit with the cartoon universe."

Ebert praises that the film, while filled with obvious product placement and banking on both nostalgia for the toons & star power of Jordan, accomplishes it's goal of being a family for that can be enjoyed by adults and children, and also the ability to blend techniques of live action, animation and 3D rendering.

I bring this up specifically b/c when I see "reviews" of shows in BL - the most common form of meta I see in BL fandom as a whole and that's not a knock just an observation - it's usually always about the narrative. Nothing about the filmmaking. And if there is discussion about he filmmaking it's usually misinformed or worse misinforming - no that's not what aperture means, yaoi framing isn't really a thing in film, the t-shirt is really just a t-shirt, etc, etc.

And like I get why. Fandom is more about story, what the words on a page or what the characters on screen are doing and saying. It's easier to talk about the amazing communication two characters have b/c you don't really need a film knowledge to discuss that. Which is a factor in why I think shows with lower stakes, more streamlined and straightforward plots get praised at a higher, less diligent and harsh level, than shows that are a bit more daring. They're less challenging in structure, they take less risks, so there's less to critique, and there's less room for a show to disappoint.

There comfort food, rather than trying something new at the restaurant. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, again, this is just a general observation.

To me, The Sign is miles better than Cooking Crush on a simple technical level. I only watched one episode of Cooking Crush and I found it pretty mediocre at best from all technical points: acting, editing, cinematography, directing, storytelling.

This isn't to say Cooking Crush is "bad" or that even if Cooking Crush was "bad" people shouldn't like it. I don't give a fuck if people like it, good for you chase the things that spark joy! I like lots of "bad" media, have y'all ever watched Jason Takes Manhattan?

For me, The Sign, like Space Jam, accomplishes it's goals and those were ambitious goals. An action fantasy BL that actually lives up to that premise and looks good?? The fight choreography looks great considering the obviously budget??

Like one of my issues with Laws of Attraction - aside from how painfully disinterested those kisses looked - was the fight choreography was bad.

The characters very rarely land hits in a way that looks real, or even marginally real. I can only speculate they didn't hire a stunt coordinator and/or couldn't hire stunt doubles so there was a worry of injury on set (for both reasons).

This isn't a disparagement on the actor(s) either, like stunt work is difficult and it's important to have professionals on set who can walk an actor through the steps so both them and others don't get hurt. Jackie Chan is probably one of the best known actors alive for stunt work, but watch how many times he fumbles and potentially hurts himself to the point where other actors are actively worried for him:

So yeah I'm going to give The Sign it's fucking gold star stickers b/c aside from some missteps in the gun handling - to many one handed gun fights but even then it wasn't all the time and bullets ran out of ammo! Y'all don't know how exciting for me that was to see - the fight scenes look damn good.

I understand the work that went into them, I understand the pre-production time that it took for the crew and cast to learn that and filming them well is another beast too.

There's a couple scenes with shaky cam that I dislike, but god do I love that first long take in The Sign. I love how good the CGI looks overall again, considering what is probably less budget than Black Christmas (2019).

I'm admittedly, fucking picky about what I watch b/c I'm really lazy and prefer watching films in general. I don't really like TV all that much, but if I am watching a tv show I wanna be impressed with more than just the characters talking to each other. Especially if said show is 12 hours or more.

When I'm looking at a piece of media - a comic, a novel, a film, a tv show - I'm thinking about stuff like "what were it's goals, and did it accomplish them? How was the filmmaking? How was the narrative structure? What is the time/place/culture this was made in?"

I'm not sure if people are arguing if The Sign was "successful" in terms of narratively, monetarily, or critically.

In reality we can only really speculate on how successful a Thai BL is based on data that's not not entirely accurate - social media, youtube stats, awards, etc - and even then most of that is based off international audience.

I can glean that 2gether was successful for gmmtv b/c it got a second season and a film, pretty much skyrocketed Bright and Win's individual careers but again, and created a cross country alliance for activism. But even all that is still speculation not facts (except the alliance that's a real thing that happened lol).

[This is all regardless of my own feelings regarding the show which is not kind. But feelings have nothing to do with individual discussion about how monetarily successful or accomplished a show is or isn't.]

Like it might be valid speculation on both shows but it should always come with a disclaimer of - these are not facts. Also, what is "popular" or "successful" can and will be dependent on individual countries too.

Take Cutie Pie for example, I would argue that it wasn't super "successful" here with American fans, but given how overwhelmingly popular Zee and NuNew are in both Thailand and Korea, I would then argue that the show was a success in Thailand and Korea. So was Cutie Pie "successful" or not? I would say yes!

Because "success" isn't and shouldn't be measured only by how western fans receive a piece of media.

In regards to The Sign, I'd argue it appears to be very successful with only the partial data I have at hand - social media which includes places like twitter, facebook, tumblr, the success of their sold out showing for the finale, a special episode, etc. If people argue it was unsuccessful in terms of narrative, well that's debatable and I have no interest in debating why the show is good except in terms of technical filmmaking and storytelling.

And even then it's a pointless debate like or dislike whatever just don't lie or mislead people regarding film terminology and techniques or harass people because they did like A Thing or clog up the tags with annoying posts about how you didn't like said Thing.

Overall, I don't give "reviews" on things I watch either positive or negative cause, well, I'm lazy lol, I don't believe putting how much I hate a show in it's tags and a thorough rating system would be to much work. I actually like how My Drama List rating system works, I just find most reviews on it to be Annoying lmao. Like giving Kinnporsche a 5 or below is absolutely bonkers to me but whatever es lo que es. But I also don't think my thoughts and opinions on shows are that valuable in terms of discussion.

These are mostly my general thoughts on fandom at large and it's not directly at any particular people its just observations at large across various social media platforms.

I think if you like more squeecore shows that's totally gucci, I just wish didn't proposite that 1) those are the only valid shows in terms of BL/queer media and 2) didn't overhype them to such sky high levels

[luckydandelion1]

Maybe a controversial opinion but can Asagiri stop with the death baits? I rather actually feel a character death than just know is just a bait and they’re coming back in a few chapters, it’s gotten so out of hand I feel it makes character deaths less significant and lowers the stakes a bunch idk…

I still love this story so much and I for sure don’t need another Gege but I prefer deaths to actually serve a purpose to the story other than sock value

[absolutehush]

ok so my beef with n o s f e r a t u is as follows

(and caveat before i get into it that i really enjoyed the film! i flinched, i hid behind my fingers, i cackled - esp during the willem dafoe scenes. at its best, it reminded me of some of the pure aesthetic enjoyment i have with some of Tim Burton's stuff, like the Corpse Bride. it was really beautifully done, & the costumes were delightful.)

also uh, spoilers

pacing/stakes management: the scenes when jonathan thomas goes to the castle, are really well done - creeping dread, and then real panicky desperate fear, the feverishness of the cuts really making things feel spun out of control, contrasted with the normalcy of wisborg and mina ellen as the audience standin, sure something has gone wrong. and the boat plays this pretty well too. but when we get to the Plague section, the action becomes frenetic and aimless, and it feels less intentional and more like they just couldn't figure out what to do with them. i think keeping the stakes much lower - the friendly family slowly getting sick, succumbing to the hand of nosferatu - would work better to mirror the Castle scenes than the Grand Drama of the Plague!!!(tm) striking. plus, keeping the disaster localised to their family would i think allow more emotional tension, as not only Wife Guy (Frederick?) but also maybe Wife Guy's Wife Adoring Friend, come to blame ellen more and more. lends itself to the idea that she's the one poisoning their lives.

speaking of Wife Guy's Wife Adoring Friend, not even a shred of eroticism between her and Ellen? you couldn't give us that Mr Eggers??? >:(

and where was my 3some with orlok Mr Eggers >:((

and where were my brides of dracula Mr Eggers >:((( you could've had them be wolf-girls or smthing. i am not picky. cmon.

this feels like a mean and petty addition, so im sorry, but i also think lily rose depp simply didn't do much nuance. skill issue or effort issue, idk. i think this limitation was also reinforced by the fact that the script doesn't give her a huge amount of dimensionality - she's weepy, and haunted, and that's kind of it for 85% of the time. hoult is too but she's the Main Event so i would've liked a bit more. i think Adoring Friend was my favourite here (excepting Willem Dafoe, but since his roll was to do sick tricks and chew bubblegum and he's all out of bubblegum, i think more credit goes to the Adoring Friend).

i also think the movie kept feeling like it was going for subtle #hashtag feminism moments and idk. i do not think it felt like it was doing anything Incredible from that perspective and i wish it had simply concentrated on being sexy and dreadful.

[castlebyersafterdark]

in that bts video they give me the vibes of people with crushes who, because they have known each other so long, are super comfortable when theyre with each other but when theyre apart (even for a moment like in the video) there's a sense of anxiety and butterflies where all the crazy spiralling thoughts come in lol

its like the other version of a crush where you dont know the person so you invent stuff and fantasise and the stakes are lower and you still feel nervous around them cos you dont actually know how to be around each other.

not to say theyre clingy or unhealthy but the crush feeling is mainly when theyre apart idk

Fascinating observations!!!

My thought watching them together on that set is, hear me out (why am I saying hear me out, we're all deep in this over-analytical wonderland together heehee) - they look like two people either with feelings for one another or already a couple, who are separated at an event and are subtly looking for one another across the room. They want to get back to one another so badly. The way they gravitate to each other at the end is amazing. Just, seeing their body language in motion like this is so interesting and I'm having so much fun!! 😘

[thedeafprophet]

see if I had been doing something with Mask, i would have invested the mystery plotline into being more involved within the neath and the city itself?

like idk, its supposed to be a prequel fl game but the plot felt minimal and nothing like a Fallen London story. Maybe one of the lower rank ES story, but for a full game, on par with skies and seas, you'd expect something grandeur?

I dont know the whole details of this idea im just rambling but why not have the invesitgation tie into more areas ur not supposed to look into and answers your not supposed to know, make it so character development and story can actually happen.

OR if you really want it to be Simple and Human plot, focus more on the survival aspects of the neath and the fall. theres small hints of it there, but it would be far more brutal to actually hammer in on how much you as the character struggled. we here about food issues and people struggling, but none of it ever affects the PC. lean into that plot wise if you wanna keep the game enticing.

idk. just more stakes and more reasons to actually feel invested

the one bit during the parliment ending where things felt intense, and I knew shit was up but the PC didnt was such a strong moment. if only there had been more compelling aspects like that