#idk there isn't a lot to work with on truman's character but

[technovillain]

Reading your Delphine thing, I have two thoughts. First, I don't like some of your explanation for why they divorced, because smart woman who has ideas to fix the Psychonaut's finances is what Hollis is already doing, and Truman mostly seems to want her in charge, so it's hard to imagine him being that resistant to help from his wife.

But I do really like the idea of Delphine trying to involve herself in Truman's work, because it could mean that when Lili says "the Psychonaut's aren't what they used to be" she could be parroting things her mother says, maybe because Delphine is bitter, and views Truman's more casual style as being a bad way to run an organization.

I wasn't thinking that it was Delphine's involvement in helping in finances that he didn't like, just the decisions she was proposing and sometimes beginning the process of acting on without his behalf. Like fighting for MORE government involvement in the project which she overtime started to reveal she thought needed some serious reform because it was just a bunch of old people sitting on their hands after a disaster. They needed another big grant and to work more like a real government organization for a while otherwise they were going to go under. Because Truman wasn't any good at finances. It wasn't that Truman didn't want to relinquish control of the financial department it was that he didn't want to be asking for any more help because he didn't want to bring in any additional eyes from the gov. looking at how they were running their program. There had never been talk of defunding the Psychonauts and he just wanted to keep flying under the radar. Delphine scheduled a call with a connection she had anyways and there was a big argument about her trying to make that call despite what Truman had said.

She had taken his agreement that the Psychonauts were currently inefficient and needed some reform as an invitation to bring in the big guns in terms of money. She probably could have found a way to really help them but Truman was tainted by nostalgia and family ties I think and wanted it to stay the way it was, at least for now. I kind of think he'd be the type to string things along in general, and he probably did that with his marriage. That he wouldn't act on things until they'd already become a big problem. When he fired Bob, he had already became a much bigger problem than if he would have tried and help with the situation sooner. When his marriage started to fall apart due to both of their constantly busy schedules and disagreements on whether or not the Psychonauts needed more help, he just tried to limp it along forever, thinking that it would get better at some point. Because that's sort of how he grew up, just struggling through one thing for a long time before eventually you exhaustedly get to the other side and things turn out "okay" right? The arguments stopped but so did conversation with Delphine. She'd still let him speak to Lili on the phone, but stopped wanting to talk herself. She didn't dislike Truman by any means, but they just couldn't make a long distance marriage work. Especially when both of them spent every waking hour thinking about their jobs and neither of them was willing to give up the opportunities and responsibilities their jobs offered.

That's why I think the marriage ended in a civil way. Not like a "we always fight about money and I don't want your help" way, just in a "you didn't grow up around this organization and lack the proper emotional connection to the project to fully understand that I don't think this is the best way to help my project" way.

As far as Hollis goes, her talk of finances comes off as fully pinching pennies, because she's working with the small budget that they already have. Truman doesn't want to touch the budget, and he trusts Hollis' judgment on it. Hollis shares the same "there's probably things that it would be best not to share with the people funding us so I'd prefer if there wasn't any more government meddling in the project" mindset, especially considering her inciting incident to join the Psychonauts with Dr. Potts.

I think Delphine's help could have helped the Psychonauts be a lot better off financially but could have changed how the management there worked. Hollis would probably be a lot less stressed out about it. Part of me likes to think that the Psychonauts eventually changes pretty drastically as an organization on account of them essentially running out of money, and the project has to be continued in a different sort of way.

[skysometric]

you went on a big asking spree asking about everyone's favorite games, but I'm curious... did you have a favorite album, TV show, or movie this year?

an EXCELLENT question! but my answers my be a little disappointing, because...

Favorite Movie of 2023

i don't... really watch movies? they don't capture my interest or investment like games do. this isn't for lack of trying over the years, i've been exposed to many different genres; i just don't click with the format, i guess. i think of them like the average boomer thinks of games – they're cute little distractions and not much else.

there's definitely a few movies that i like and stand out as formative memories, i just don't go out of my way to watch more. even before the pandemic i would only ever go to the theaters like once a year, and for most of the pandemic i can't say i watched anything even digitally.

...but that did change this year! my partner and i watched both Sonic movies and the Mario movie at home, and of the three i can safely say i enjoyed Sonic 2 the most! i like what it was trying to do with its two stories intertwined, and it gave Sonic and friends a lot of time to shine both in action and characterization. plus the finale was super cool~

i do have a handful of films i want to watch one day... but it's kind of a "whenever i feel like it" basis. the ghibli films are high on the list, as are the monty python films and the truman show. maybe i could revisit ferris bueller's day off now that i'm an adult...?

Favorite TV Show of 2023

...i also don't really watch tv?? am i boring???

i mean, historically, i've gotten more into tv than movies. i like the long continuous plot threads, i like getting to know characters in detail, i like slice of life and comedy and cartoons. i have fond memories of watching sonic x, spongebob, survivor, and mythbusters growing up!

but like, as an adult i've never seen the office, or steven universe, or adventure time... and i'm in no rush to, they're just not really priority for me. i can't even think of other shows i might want to watch. idk!

i tried to watch some anime at one point but that didn't really do me either? i guess i had some fun watching squid girl a few years back... i think i just get understimulated by just watching things, vs playing them.

confusingly, you know what i do get into? livestreams and let's plays. so my weird, cop-out answer of "favorite series" is that i've been really enjoying Chuggaaconroy's let's play of pokemon bw2. his let's plays have gotten me caught up with a series that i wasn't "allowed" to play as a kid... i guess that's part of why watching someone play a game isn't as understimulating to me?

Favorite Album of 2023

you can probably guess where this is going – i don't really listen to music that plays on the radio or gets recommended by spotify. i have good reason for this one though: music with lyrics is overstimulating to me in specific circumstances, like when i'm working (always) or driving (the only time i'd use the radio).

but wait, movies are understimulating, even though there's talking... and music with lyrics is overstimulating, even though there's nothing to watch... argh! i don't even understand myself!!

either way i usually put on video game music, because that helps me focus at work, and (usually) doesn't have lyrics in it. i'm aware there's plenty of great instrumental music outside of just games, but games already have so much variety and quality to their osts – i've rarely ever had to seek out more! my music collection is already big enough!

my favorite album to listen to this year has been the music that plays in the cyberspace stages of Sonic Frontiers. the full game's ost is MASSIVE and incredibly diverse in styles, but the hardcore EDM of the cyberspace stages is extremely my style. and the remixes they added in the dlc are some of the best ones! been listening to the full playlist multiple times a week all year to power through some rough work days, and it still hasn't gotten old 💖