#if there is anything that indie games have taught us

[lynxgriffin]

[hxneyfarm]

have a little father's day blurb about complicated father-son relationships. 1k. cross posted to ao3

steve's relationship with his parents has been complicated at best his entire life but it's only after he and eddie have an apartment together in chicago that his perception of of the father-son relationship shifts.

for the past decade or so, he's watched eddie's relationship with wayne and ached a little bit. because that's the kind of father-son relationship he wishes he could have had with his dad.

it wasn't always great, especially after his dad realized steve could mostly fend for himself and started leaving him alone more and more often for longer stretches of time. but it wasn't all bad either. his dad used to take him to ball games and he taught him how to ride a bike without the training wheels. he taught him how to change the oil in his beamer and how to bullshit his way through a book report.

mostly, though, he taught steve how to be lonely.

over the past couple of years, steve has slowly been trying to repair that stilted relationship with his old man. the guy isn't going to be around forever, and if nothing else he owes it to steve to leave him with some good memories after he's gone.

father's day has always been a bit of a weird day for steve, because his dad has always kept his feelings close to the vest, so steve's never had any idea how to navigate the day around him.

he thinks about the year he was thirteen; they'd gone to a cubs game together at wrigley and his dad let him have a cup of beer with his hotdog. he thinks of the year he was sixteen, before hawkins turned itself upside down; his dad was out of town at the condo in indy for some work conference the following week and he'd sighed when steve called him to wish him well, thinking there'd been something wrong at home.

this year is going to be different, steve tells himself.

he and eddie have invited both his dad and wayne to their apartment in chicago for dinner, and his dad is going to be here. steve's already bought a card for his dad, and his mom sent him her lasagna recipe, and he splurged for a good bottle of red wine.

hopefully this year will begin to repair the distance between steve and his dad.

steve finds himself hovering over the coffee maker at the kitchen counter, staring off into space while it brews, and eddie startles him a little when he comes up behind him to wrap an arm around his waist and kiss his cheek.

'you good?'

"yeah. little nervous.'

'it'll be fine. i made him laugh at christmas last year. remember?'

steve does remember. it was a good christmas.

it took steve's parents some time to accept steve and eddie as steve and eddie, but it's been so long now that it's not something that the harringtons can just ignore. if they want to be a part of their son's life, they need to get used to eddie. and this past christmas felt like a win - the harringtons had gifted them concert tickets and a fancy toaster oven for their apartment.

that night, after the sunday chores have been done and the laundry has been folded and put away, richard and wayne show up within moments of each other. steve and eddie's beagle mix, ozzy, greets them at the door, his tail thumping against the floor as he resists jumping up to beg their visitors for pets.

dinner goes really well; richard doesn't say anything offensive about their little apartment and eddie doesn't goad him into a discussion about politics. together, the four of them reminisce about steve and eddie's childhoods around the table, their plates overflowing with noodles and red sauce. wayne tells them stories about eddie that steve's never heard before, and richard tells stories that steve had completely forgotten about.

it's giving steve hope, this father's day dinner with his dad and his boyfriend and his boyfriend's uncle-dad.

until steve and richard are at the sink washing up the dinner dishes together, and everything crashes down around them.

'you're still young,' richard says. 'there's still time.'

'for what?'

'for you to come to your senses.'

'dad...'

'no, i mean it. there's always a job waiting for you at my firm. plenty of pretty girls in administrative roles there, too.'

'dad...' steve says again.

'i'm just saying, steven. it's time to stop playing house like this and settle down.'

'i am settled. we have a good life here. i love my job at the school. i love my life. i love eddie.'

'don't you want kids of your own? he can't give you that.'

steve scoffs.

'why would i want kids of my own? i didn't exactly have the best parental role models growing up. i'd fuck a kid up, just like you and mom fucked me up. besides, i have my students. that's plenty for me.'

'we gave you everything, steven.'

'everything except your presence. i needed you guys, especially as a teenager. and you guys just... didn't give a shit. why would i want to keep that cycle going?'

the silence in the kitchen is so loud.

'it's late. you should get going. eddie's got work in the morning.'

richard sighs.

'the offer stands. the firm is always there when you're ready.'

'just go. happy father's day.'

it comes out bitter. snappy. steve doesn't apologize.

richard goes. steve stays in the kitchen and tries not to think about it. he pops open a second bottle of wine - cheap, sweet, white, the kind of wine his father would mock him for drinking if he gave him half a chance.

he feels stupid for thinking his father could change, for thinking it could ever be different. people his dad's age are so stuck in their ways that there's no getting through to them. it's not easy but it's reality.

after wayne leaves, eddie comes into the kitchen to join steve and pour himself a glass of that cheap riesling steve's been working his way through. he doesn't say anything because he doesn't have to. ozzy curls up at steve's feet and the three of them sit together in a comfortable silence. eddie holds steve's hand atop the table.

at least steve isn't lonely anymore.

[hanasnx]

diff anon but what fandoms did you meet your close moots through? i don’t know if that counts as indy lore

that counts! more under the cut. i wanted to talk about all my mutuals

@its-clockwork-princess one of my best, oldest, and dearest friends. years and years of friendship, roleplay, fanfiction, writing. every time i see a duo on screen or in any media my first thought is always her and my second thought is always “us.” we went through a thousand different fandoms and i can’t remember our first but we definitely bonded heavily over fandoms like marvel, dc, and fnaf at the very early stages of our friendship. her dad was actually dating my mom for a long time, which gave us plenty of time together. literally cant even summarize everything we’ve gone through together, everything we’ve built, seriously been friends for a decade and i plan on staying that way for the rest of my life. i cant imagine my life without her, how bleak and colorless it would’ve been. i’m honored to know such a generous and kind person, and someone who helped shape me into who i am today. a love truly unconditional.

@ohgodmyeyes loved his takes on anakin, thought he was so real and so down to earth even though he could stand to be more egotistical considering how talented he is. i think about a certain post he made about anakin -> vader's dick literally once a day. i'm not even exaggerating at all when i say it was my roman empire. in just that small amount of time i was taught his quiet confidence, his exquisite way with words, and his unapologetic thought process. i maintain a distance from him because i'm playing the long game and from what i've seen on his personal posts i feel like he might be overwhelmed if i come on too strong, as i often do. but that doesn't stop me from grinning every time i see him in my notifs and i get to think, "this message was approved by ohgodmyeyes." very proudly.

@somuchfrstardust we talked in the comment section of anakin edits on tiktok i feel like and then i was like "hey wanna be friends" and we haven't talked in a while but that's totally cool, that's just how i am. i still consider them my friend i think they're a rly cool person.

@banakinbabygirl was one of the first anakin/hayden blogs i followed, i love how they write smut. it's a very emotional way of writing, very heavy on the descriptions and realistic reactions that drew me in and kept me there.

@starmanskywalker is one of my favorite writers in general. anything on her masterlist is an instant recommendation from me, instant like, instant reblog, instant indy review. i'm such a jealous person in general but the way i feel about alanis' writing is beyond jealousy. it's admiration, it's fondness, it's awe. i don’t feel envious i feel fulfilled. i was very proud to become her mutual, her friend, be on a first name basis with her, and write fanfiction with her. we have a collab we've been working on for a while but because we're both so busy and it's such a big project it takes a lot of time and a lot of love, but i'm still so excited for the day it's finished and can be published.

@xstarkillerx is so much more than a person i met on the internet. truly one of my best friends, and i can’t imagine not having him in my life. there’s so much i can say that i have actually already said on this blog before. donnie has a way with seeing the world i just love to hear about. i’ll ask his opinions and experiences on everything simply to hear what he, specifically, has to say about it. when we have conversations inhibitions are left at the door for the both of us instead of just me. i feel skinless, muscle-less, body-less with donnie. an entity obsessed with him on discord as we write novels to each other, sonnets about how we view the world and its fictions. donnie is my bread and butter, and i’m so glad i found him and stalked him and forced him to be my friend and now he’s reliant on me just like i want.

@weixuldo such a sweet person and very understanding of me and my boundaries. i first found wei’s blog through their fanart of darth vader which i loved so much i sent every single one of their posts to my best friend who i mentioned at the beginning of this post. i still go back to look at those works every so often to brush up on my love for them. such a talented artist i’m very happy i’m worthy of a follow back, and that we enjoy each other’s content.

@mcondance i met through hobie brown back in june 2022. i loved how they kept luring me to their page by mentioning me and my hobie works they kept reading, i swear they were using my vanity as bait and it worked. they are, genuinely, so fucking funny. i only have friends that are funny don’t get me wrong, but there’s something about jupie that when i’m talking about them to other people, that person is like “omg jupie is so funny.” like. jupie just transcends my sense of humor to other people’s. they’re funny to the masses. i’m very bad at texting, but jupie is a person i try to reach out to so they know i’m virtually loving on them. they like the attention. another writer i’m so pleased to be mutuals with when they’re so skilled at the part of writing i always feel like i’m most wooden at. the side of smut writing that takes feeling and sensation and even an edge of genuine horniness, jupie is so good at translating that onto a page.

@murdrdocs is another mutual i gained from the height of the hobie brown era and i believe i saw her content through jupie’s page. now we don’t get to talk too much but that doesn’t mean i don’t think she’s not a super cool person. i don’t read much, but the things i do get to read specifically on icarus’ page make me very proud to be her mutual. not only is she an accomplished and gorgeous writer, but her blog designs are always envy-inducing. she shifts her aesthetics so seamlessly—even tho i know how changing a theme can be draining and time-consuming—and it’s always easy on the eyes. her navigation is especially creative and i’ll never forget her newspaper clipping themed announcement for last kinktober.

@princessbrunette another writer i’m constantly in awe of. i met her through her anakin works, and invited myself onto her kinktober taglist when she was still a relatively new blog that’s how much i was instantly attracted to her work. her style is so distinct and so refined, i can overlook non canon work because hers is just that good. she’s also very funny, and has a gifted silver tongue. i’m always impressed with how she’s able to paint a picture in her pieces using nothing but the most concise and visualizing words. it’s not often that i watch something because a friend watched it, but i watched obx for her so i could still enjoy her work that’s how much i love it. our universes we create in our dms are so special to me.

@empiresheir was someone i met through their anakin one-shot about order 66 which i’ve reblogged several times and it’ll never be enough. it was such a good piece i gave live updates to my best friend who was reading it too. i sent those screenshots to her orc cos she deserved to know what i had to say. she was also an essential help when i was writing my kinktober project, kind enough to read my pieces and give me line by line feedback just like i like so i wouldn’t go crazy from lack of attention on pieces i couldn’t post til october. not only another talented and powerful writer (capable of dropping my jaw at how insanely good she is at wording things), but such a sweet person to talk to. and though she’s not active in the fandom anymore i think of her fondly and i hope she’s having such a good time with baldur’s gate.

@darthvvder had a collection of anakin drabbles that i found on wattpad of all places and i was amazed at what i read. thoroughly impressed by the physical reactions her works were eliciting in me. got me to care about smut tropes i hadn’t cared about before simply bcos she was so good at writing them. i posted about a line that gripped me and she commented that it was her, i followed and the rest is history.

@jarebare99 is my boyfriend :) he gets an honorary mention. i wrote him an entire book of poetry and my thoughts on him so he can read that if he’s feeling left out from everyone getting paragraphs. i met him in irl not through a fandom but idc.

@ddejavvu was someone i’d see in my notifications including my inbox every so often and she was very recognizable. i really can’t remember how us being mutuals happened? i’d like to say i somehow discovered she wrote and wrote well and once i began noticing i consistently liked her content then i followed and lo and behold she was following me too. mei is very respectful of my space and i like that she texts me without expecting an answer back bcos i like to read her updates and don’t always know what to say. i have some of her inbox messages i gatekeep and i go back and read them every so often and think about how diabolical it would be if i answered them and floored the world, but i have yet to be ready to share the genius.

@anakincentric technically through anakin. even though we don’t talk much bcos both of us have really similar no-contact ways that doesn’t mean i don’t think she’s real sweet. i like when she pops in, drops a banger, and then peaces out. like a disney cameo appearance.

@harrisonbrainrot i wanna say han/indiana. i feel like i was already following his blog because i got to read some of his stuff when i was in a han mood and was like, “yea, this guy gets it.” and then when we reconnected in the comments of someone else’s post, i told him i was a big fan which was true, and then wham bam thank you ma’am mutuals. i have no idea if he knew who i was before or if he was following me, but he’s cool asf. not only is he hot and chill, he’s also really kind with me about not texting. a very generous soul who let me use his crunchyroll to watch jjk out of the goodness of his heart, which i am kissing him for. one of the rare writer’s on here who’s unapologetic in the shit they say, which i always admire and prioritize in who i choose to follow. love his han characterization, so when he’s reblogged a han work of mine, i believe it’s been christened by the harrison ford pope.

@anitheus tagging this blog bcos it’s what i followed first but i also follow her other account @silxani because i love her art style. i love how she draws anakin every time. her spider-sam fanart, and her nsfw anakin works are my favorite, as well as the fanart she made of us for my birthday. gorgeous art style i could look at all day, and i like her personality when we text.

@ivysangel i wanna say it was dc comics but i can’t remember the character, might’ve been jason todd. she came for the dc, and stayed for the other stuff including my general tomfoolery. she flatters me with kind words about how i’ve influenced her, which always makes me soft. we have a lot in common, which is always so much fun to compare, and i love that she watched batman beyond when i recommended it even though i wasn’t expecting her to a) do it and b) love it. she’s aware and respectful of my boundaries when it comes to sharing my ideas which i appreciate, and i love seeing her in my inbox. we haven’t had enough time together for me to nail down everything i like about her, but i will.

@loveliestlovelygirl eloise caught me by surprise bcos it’s not often i get instantly hooked, or at least it hasn’t been that way for a while. i haven’t been in an anakin mood for a while, but i still reblog her works instantly so i can get to it later because i know i’ll like it even though i haven’t read it. idk much about her, but her theme makes me bonkers jealous. it’s so beautiful. like her chapter HTML for her fallen angel au makes me drool.

@psuedosis newest mutual. her reaction towards me made me instantly endeared, and i loved her jet works. some zuko pieces as well! hit at the right time bcos i just finished atla animated. very excited to get to know her more.

boom. indy lore and extensive thoughts on tumblr mutuals.

[ldrfanatic]

Hiii! How are you?

Milk with slytherin boys please?

I apologize in advance this is my first time making a request so i hope its ok :)

Physically: i'm short 5'0, i have fair skin, rosy cheeks, i'm a little chubby, i have an hourglass body shape, a little tummy, thicc thighs, i have a small button nose, a heartshaped face, foggy green eyes, hooded lids, i have meduim size lips? If that makes sense. I have dyed copper hair, bangs, a long wolfcut type of haircut, my hair go down to the middle of my back. About me: i'm French,i can speak english, sign language and learning italian. i'm funny. I'm autistic, and i have general anxiety disorder, i have verbal tics, i often do 'pop' sounds with my mouth or reapete things out loud sometimes on a loop, (TW: I grew up in an abusing setting and i have scars, bad ones, especially on my back.) I'm insecure. My love language is giving the bigger half when i'm sharing, or giving anything really. The Way i liked to be loved is through words of affirmation and physical touch. I'm very forging, I like to make my own opinion on people, i'm the mom friends. I have a short temper when i'm stressed, i am very blunt, i'm not scared to speak my mind, of i like people i compare them to bugs or animals as they are my special intrests. If i had to describe my style it would be fairy grunge? Like long skirts, knitted sweaters (the soft kind not witchy cause few sensory issues), converses or sandales, golf jewlery i can also be dressed in full black, form fitting maxi dress with new rock or naked wolfe type of shoes. I love music, anything. And i mean it. Pop, alt, rock, metal, screamo, indie, country, rap. But mostly 2000s 2010s music for the nostalgia. My favorite s'ingère is Billie Eilish. I love doing crafts, i do crochet, i love reading books (dark romance/fantaisie/fiction) i'm a 'nerd', i love happy Potter, lord of the rings, the Hobbit, i love vampires, i love video games, such as animal crossing, SIMS unpacking, and cozy games but as the last of us, the walking dead, until dawn, the quart etc. I have a black cat. I'm a picky eater, potatos are my safe food though, i'm more of a sweet person than savory, brownies are my favorite desserts, I smell like vanilla. Roses and hydrangeas are my favorite flowers. I love trinkets, i collect pretty much any pretty thing i find, twigs, Shells, rocks, little lost things like beeds, crystals, sometimes little toys. I love plushies, i have a teddy bear and a white tiger. I'm a night owl. I love looking at the moon (i have a moon phase tattoo between my boobs. And sun tattoos around my nipples ) i also love taking pictures especially polaroid of people and animals :)

I hope that was enough, thank you for taking time out of your day to read, and thank you for writting.

Again, CONGRATS ON THE 1,000💕💃🏻

Much love ♡

Thank You Soooo Much @alygatorcow !!

1000 follower celebration my bookcase

This one took some thinking but I’m gonna pair you with our sweet Theodore Nott. I know what you might be thinking but hear me out.

Theo is a little tall but he lovesss having short girlfriends. (even if you were 5’7 tho he’d still adore you). Theo likes that you’re all cute and little and he can just hug you and you fit so easily in his arms. (I have a tall bf yall and he tells me all the time how cute and “widdle” I am).

He also adores your figure and won’t accept anything else for an answer. His mother always taught him that the most important thing in a woman is a good heart. really though, he just loves thick thighs and likes having something to hold onto.

Theo thinks that it’s really hot that you can speak French. He helps you learn italian and you try and help teach him french but he struggles enough sometimes with english so that endeavor was quickly put on hold.

At first, the noises you make are very foreign to Theodore, but once he understands them and you, he comes to appreciate them as just a part of who you are and he loves you for it.

Growing up with his father, who used to hit him and his mother, Theo also has scars. He doesn’t like to talk about them but he will with you if you want him to. More than anything, Theo tries to comfort you. He knows what it’s like to have that sort of background and when people get angry, he knows that it comes from a place of care but also he realizes that he always finds it more helpful when people are just there for him rather than when they get angry. So that’s what he does for you.

Finally, Theo loves your tattoos and your style. He really has a thing for your long skirts he thinks they make you look very fairy like and ethereal. He’s not a night owl I wouldn’t say, but it’s very cute when he tries to stay up as late as possible with you. His eyes will get all droopy and his accent will get a little thicker. He will however, do really sweet romantic gestures for you that are very personal like creating or buying you a display case that you can put all the stuff you collect and he will listen to you talk about all of it for hours on end.

theo’s nicknames for you include:

- love bug

- piccola fata (little fairy)

- sunflower (given to you after a particularly cute little date to a sunflower field)

tysm for this request!!! tysm for being a follower and let me know if I got anything wrong. I tried to include as much information as possible without making it like a book for you to read 😅💚

[maytheoddshq]

Indigo LeVis (She/Her). District Eight Tribute. 25. Emma Watson.

Indigo wasn't meant for a special life. The oldest of four daughters, Indie was the first to enter the same factory her parents met in. The LeVis (luh'-VEE) family were true-blue District Eight stock. They kept their heads down, worked hard, and made about as moderate an income as could be expected from the District. Inevitably, Gunner LeVis fell to the curse that so many in Eight did - an arm crushed by the machinery. He was relegated to a life at home, taking care of Indigo's three younger sisters, while she and mother Twill worked overtime to provide.

It was a tough life in Eight, but between Twill and Indigo, they managed to scrape by. No one in the LeVis family took tesserae, and all supported the Vox as they could. There wasn't much of a movement in Eight, as it was in the heartland of Panem - but that allowed for a certain amount of organization and coordination in plain sight. The youngest two daughters were shielded as much as possible from the turmoil, but Gunner, Twill, Indigo, and Denna all actively organized and supported the Vox during the overthrow.

Unfortunately, life did not improve much under Vox control. If anything, it got notably worse. As a highly urbanized District, Eight found itself rapidly running out of food, out of fuel, out of power. Factories shut down as exports stalled. Then, when Tarrenfree invaded, focus was shifted even further from the wellbeing of people in Eight. Public support for the Vox rapidly deteriorated, including within the LeVis family. Was it better than having the Games? Yes. But where was the leadership? Where was the plan?

Indigo felt betrayed by the government - again. As her District started to starve, the entire LeVis family couldn't stand to see it happen. The conversations at their dinner table - meager as the meals may have been - were focused and politically charged. No one at the table was shut out, and all four of the daughters were taught a deep civic duty to their District. After all, if Snow wouldn't look out for them, and Cacus wouldn't either... Only citizens of Eight could look out for Eight.

Indigo in particular had a penchant for strategy and innovation. Wasn't there farmable land out west? Couldn't some of the textile factories be converted to weaponry or vehicles? The rivers in Eight were undrinkable, but they could be used for power plants. Under Snow, these plans would never be approved. Under Cacus, though... Indigo would spend hours each night ideating with her mother, tossing ideas back and forth, back and forth.

Twill LeVis was in the process of making a change. Indigo stood by proudly as her mother gathered local support for a strong, independent Eight. Their neighbors seemed amicable enough, and within only a few months, Twill was garnering support to run for political office.

But Cacus had other plans. Enlist or submit. And with her father unable to fight, her mother with a political future, and three young sisters she wouldn't see sent to the front, Indigo made an easy choice: submit her name - just once - for the Games. The odds had been ever in their favor all these years, and it was a single slip of paper amongst the hundreds. Her name would be in that bowl fewer times than ever in her life. One more drawing to appease the newest awful government, then she would be back home to help her mother lead Eight into the future as an independent nation. There was no way she would be drawn.

Right?

+ fiery, driven, inventive

-- short temper, spiteful, stubborn

PENNED BY: M

[zebrazebra44]

Important message to my Subscribers and colleagues

So basically the past month taught me something and made me realize something in this case it's about my personal work if you guys didn't know Im a person who is trying to write a story and make a book and I have been for years

In short I will be putting my YouTube content on hiatus as in I won't be making anymore content in order to pursue my dream of becoming a writer,manga artist,book writer and a indie game developer meaning I won't be covering or analysing Earthworm Jim or anything else on my channel anymore

But don't worry I'll still upload videos on YouTube and post on Tumblr but it won't be as often as I used to do and I'll still be around but I won't be making content anymore

I thank you all for your love and support for me and if you guys are curious about my work I have a second channel and account I made known as Zebra_Sapphire Wich is on both YouTube and Tumblr

I will also make a video speaking more about this and answering some of the questions you guys might be thinking

[softmick]

not quite a week late tag game monday

thank you for tagging me deanna @deedala, tee @mickeym4ndy, and gigi @sgtmickeyslaughter! :))

Name: meg

Age: officially old, according to my body

Location: further south than the last time i answered this and 1-step closer to the beach. guys i am officially completely moved!

And now...

What is your DJ name? i used a generator and it gave me dj tense meagan which doesn't sound like a good time, but who knows?

If you were a genre of music, what would it be? indie folk

What would you title your biography? ...Still Haven't Figured It Out

What are the first three things you'd do if you were invisible? i have so many questions about how it works, but… follow interesting people around/home, sneak into concerts/movies/museums, shoplifting.

What subject do you wish was taught in every school?  i just wish the us offered better life prep in general. like applying to college/fafsa/loans for college-bound kids. or for people headed for employments taxes/withholdings/insurance/etc.

When was the last time you tried something for the first time and what was it?  yesterday i tried a new chinese place with amazing dumplings and sad entrees.

What is the most underrated city you have ever visited?  nikko was mind blowing for me even despite the hype.

What day in your life would you like to relive? there are like a billion.

If you could eliminate one thing from your daily routine, what would it be and why? everything to do with eating! shopping, prepping, cooking, dishes, be GONE! i just want home-cooked meals in my mouth.

How long would you last in a zombie apocalypse? listen, i am built for endurance but not for speed. i am not running. i have no experience with weapons.

What would be the most surprising scientific discovery imaginable? anything related to an afterlife? i just assume nothing happens. intelligent life somewhere out there? idk man.

If you could have any view out your office window, what would you choose? i don't work but i have a dream of eventually seeing the maine coast or lake michigan on the reg.

i'm not tagging anyone specifically because it's been forever, but you should do it if you wanna.

[boomblebee-420]

Sk8 Headcanons

Random Sk8 headcanons because I can. If you don't agree with them, please just keep scrolling

There is some shipping between characters. Some of this is me projecting onto characters because I kin them lol

Fluff, Angst, Crack

Warnings: Mentions of self-worth issues, self-harm, suicide attempts, homophobia, anxiety, meltdowns, death, intrusive thoughts, and panic attacks

REKI

-definitely chews on his pencils

-has wanted a dog for years but he’s allergic

-transmasc demiboy 

-biromantic and demisexual

-uses he/they pronouns

-AuDHD

-they’re a hopeless romantic

-his binder is orange 

-started a fund for top surgery

-gives Langa wheels that they make as birthday/holiday gifts, or just whenever

-spins/jumps in a circle to stim

-also repeats memes, vines, sounds, pretty much anything he finds funny or interesting

-he doesn’t look like it, but he reads a LOT 

-they don’t like reading for school because the books suck

-bouncy leg bouncy leg bouncy leg

-separation anxiety with Langa

-FAST FAST FAST MUSIC OR DEATH

-used to cut, but stopped since meeting Langa and the gang. Relapsed when he and Langa were fighting

-depression and anxiety

-knows how to drum (self taught on buckets and empty bins. He’s actually really good)

-inferiority complex

-incredibly impulsive but also very cautious

LANGA

-constantly tapping fingers on everything

-autism, inattentive adhd, ocd

-cat person

-gayyyyy

-asexual

-uses he/they/ice 

-talks to his dad a lot (even though he’s gone, it makes ice feel like he’s still with them)

-non-verbal sometimes

-donates some of his paycheck to Reki’s top surgery fund every month

-has no regard for his safety

-my guy can’t take a hint to save their life

-plays a lot of video games

-hyperfixated on omori and undertale 

-clicks ices tongue a lot

-has made an attempt on their life before. Ice is better since meeting Reki and the gang

-doesn’t really like books, more of a movie person but he usually doesn’t finish them in one sitting

-really bad intrusive thoughts. Ice will often shut himself up in their room for days because of them

-gets Reki flowers all the time

-Everytime ice meets a new skater, he demands a beef

-Can play the piano

-Monster Energy addict

-depression 

-Used to be extremely emo (style-wise)

-Listens to midwest emo, regular emo, shoegaze, indie, some pop 

-Likes to stick to a schedule and has meltdowns if it’s disrupted

MIYA

-Aroace

-They/He/She 

-genderfluid as fuck

-hates polka dots (STRIPE SUPREMACY)

-loves all fluffy animals

-loves going to the zoo and making fun of random people there

-royalty of embarrassing his friends

-huge abandonment issues

-tends to stay up till three am eating fruit snacks and playing video games

-she and the gang have mario kart contests every saturday night

-has hidden in Langa and Reki’s houses before and scared the shit out of them

-listens to fleetwood mac but will never admit it

-learned german just to fuck with people

-photobombs everyone (even people they don’t know)

-Wilbur Soot and Lovejoy fan. He and Langa listen to them together while playing video games

-Perfectionist

-Has G.A.D and depression, finds it hard to do simple tasks a lot of the time

-Gets panic attacks sometimes

-Watches MCYT

JOE

-Bisexual disaster

-he/him

-Knows spanish and uses it to his advantage

-my guy got mad rizz, as we all know

-Used to be in a band with Cherry. They were called Skate Bomb. It didn’t last long

-Plays bass and guitar

-Sings, but not very well

-dude’s been cooking since before he could walk

-dominates mario kart almost every single time

-listens to everything under the sun (mostly surf rock), and sings country songs to annoy the gang

-has memorized all the vines. Good luck finding one he doesn’t know

-sucks at dying his hair so he forces Cherry and Shadow to help him

-Was a theater kid

-Favorite animal is a penguin. Thinks they’re the funniest things to walk this earth

-Self-harmed as a teenager

-Has anxiety, and tries his best to help the gang when their not feeling the best

-Horrible eyesight, he wears contacts

CHERRY

-He/She

-Gay as fuck

-Agender

-Autistic

-had horrible handwriting and Joe kept making fun of him for it, so she got really good and opened his calligraphy business out of spite

-secretly loves musicals, and knows every word to Hamliton. Like, she memorized the entire script

-Fluent in english and french

-plays a shit ton of instruments and really good at all of them

-major perfectionist

-extremely tech savvy

-believes that Carla is his soulmate

-sings like a fucking angel

-can’t cook for shit, but has really high standards for food

-has horrible self-worth problems and only Joe knows 

-Parents were incredibly homophobic and strict, so she’s really sneaky

-Acts like he hates being touched but is secretly touch-starved and craves attention

-Grew up rich 

-Donates a shit ton of money to charity. Also donates to Reki’s fund when she finds out about it from Langa

-Doesn’t really like animals

SHADOW

-Been gardening since he was small

-He/They

-Trans FTM

-Pansexual

-Really good at makeup, and occasionally will get into drag just for fun

-Amazing fashion sense

-Loves his grandma and brings her flowers all the time

-Been in love with his manager for years

-Has O.S.D.D, and O.C.D

-Horrible relationship with his parents. They cut off all communication with them as soon as he turned 18

-Sucks ass at mario kart

-Has a god complex and inferiority complex 

-Gets intrusive thoughts a lot

-Saved a shit ton of money and managed to get top surgery at 22

-Listens to goth and punk music and hates country (except Dolly Parton, he loves her but will never admit it)

[galactic-pirates]

1, 14 and 21 for the ask game, please!

1) what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

I am unfortunately an honest person so this might be a bit of an over share I don’t know. I’m not very good at judging so I apologise in advance. I’m going to put it under a cut as it’s quite personal.

- being undiagnosed autistic for 26 years. This is probably by far the biggest slice of the ‘what shaped me’ pie. I was me - I am me - and I have never known different and so I thought life was just like this. That I couldn’t cope, that I was weird and always unwanted, all my failures I assumed that they were mine - that I was just wrong and bad and I learned to deeply hate myself. I broke. I have had 3 mental breakdowns and got worse each time. I now have a reason for why I struggle but I have these learned patterns of behaviour that I can’t shake. The self-loathing is in my bones, the depression and anxiety are intense. It’s not like that for all autistics but because I didn’t know. Yeah :/ it’s a real problem and I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know how to let go, as I have never let go of anything in my life. I am stuck just getting worse and worse :(

- mum was my grandparents carer. I debated whether to put this in black and white. Mum doesn’t know my tumblr but I would hate for her to think I blamed her for anything. Absolutely not. Mum did the best she could, she always did the right thing, I support her totally. But it would be incorrect to say there were no consequences. I was a child and though mum insists it wasn’t true, I felt that my grandparents came first. On times I felt resentful like about Christmas plans or something, I then felt immediate shame and guilt about how I had thought it wasn’t fair, as it wasn’t about me. I do feel it has taught me to always put everyone else’s wishes above my own and to feel a lot of guilt about being any kind of burden, or even just existing in a space because surely I must be trouble.

- being on disability. A lot of self-loathing does come from this, that I am not contributing to society. But there’s also a hefty dose of fear. I am not in control of my situation. At any time the rules could change on me. I’m afraid of everything constantly. I mean fear is the singular constant in my life. But disability is definite constant low level anxiety, forever in the back of my mind. It never leaves me. I hate it. If I could get a job and leave it behind I would.

14) what’s something you’ve always wanted to do but maybe been to scared to do?

Go places. I’m virtually agoraphobic. I have panic attacks in the local supermarket. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. There’s a couple of science museums in London which look so cool, or there’s the Lego House.

But I think my real answer is to write professionally. True I mostly talk about novels and I did an attempt at indie publishing, but that was short-lived and I suppose I want to feel good enough. I didn’t give it a fair enough shake back then to tell if the market would eventually approve of me or not. However I have shied away from even trying since. I don’t expect they would have paid much but I have seen openings for staff writers a handful of times on sites I read everyday like WoWHead or BrickFanatics. I have contemplated sending in an application but haven’t dared. Honestly I’m not sure if I am more scared of rejection or success. I know rejection is a hell of a lot more likely obviously but I was just too afraid of the possibility of any kind of response.

21) are you a spiritual person?

Not really no. Death is something that terrifies me. Not for me but for losing mum. Sometimes I wish I did have some kind of faith. The closest thing to comfort I have in that sphere is the second law of thermodynamics, that energy can neither be created or destroyed. Yes I am quoting from an Agents of Shield episode but the sentiment really stuck with me. That everything that is, used to be something else, and will be something else again.

Thanks for the ask ❤️ sorry that I got a bit heavy there but hey you asked the questions.

[digital-chance]

Oc ask game: the personality section for an oc of your choice

the whole thing? [from this ask game]

well, it'll be a good challenge. i'll pick lucian because i need to work on his character a bit more. anything that's a spoiler or too close to plot elements I'll skip.

---

🏙 Do they prefer rural or urban environments?

Urban. They grew up in a city and moved into cities. They love to visit other places though and feel most comfortable with the ambient noises of people living in cities.

🚪Are they introverted or extroverted?

I would say they're pretty good mix, with introversion being slightly more prominent. When they're around other people they tend to be more extroverted most of the time.

💤 What's their sleep schedule like?

It's pretty shitty, tbh. They've got two jobs, once of which holds very irregular hours and he's on call for most of the time. His other job at a bookstore holds pretty regular hours but he works instead of sleeping or resting. Good sleep schedules and Lucian haven't heard of each other.

🍽 What's their favorite flavor or dish?

Lucian most enjoys their mother's specialty dish. Other people on their home planet make it regularly since it is a dish deeply rooted into their culture, but they prefer their mother's recipe.

🦠 Do they get sick easily or is their immune system stronger?

They have a pretty strong immune system since their home planet's atmosphere holds special chemicals that Earth's doesn't.

🏀 Have they played sports? What are they best at?

They enjoy snowboarding, boxing, hiking, and parkour. They're best at boxing since they've trained their body to withstand and dole out strong hits (along with the benefit of super strength of course) but they're getting pretty good at snowboarding. They have teleportation as a superpower so I'm hesitant to say they're naturally good at parkour. It does make for some wicked parkour videos though...

🪡 How's the homeliness? Can they consistently do things like thread a needle?

He wasn't taught much housekeeping and tends to watch tutorial videos or ask his neighbor for help for tasks like what chemical to use to clean certain materials. His parents taught him to maintain cleanliness but Earth's culture and his lifestyle keep him busy and working so the cleanliness isn't as big as a priority as it normally would be. He knows his parents and people at home would be disappointed in him but he's way too busy and exhausted to change anything.

🍳 Can they cook?

They often either buy pre-made meals or eat at restaurants. Lucian can cook but it's very average and tends to be bland.

🎵 Favorite genre of music?

indie rock mainly, but they can't get enough of indie music in general.

💍 Do they wear jewelry? Watches? Etc?

They wear necklaces, rings, earrings, hair clips and pins, hairbands, and so much more. Accessorizing is totally his thing, along with some jewelry pieces being a very important part of his home's culture.

☔️ Do they like the rain?

Not really. It doesn't rain on their home planet, so it's very strange to them. They're used to it after years of living on Earth but sudden storms startle them.

🍂 Favorite season?

He enjoys fall and winter the best. They're the best for layering up on clothing and the chill feels nice to him. He also enjoys the winter activities and sports much more than summer's.

👥 Are they good at socializing? How much do they talk?

They're quite good at socializing. When they were going through media training at their hero job, their trainers realized that he's quite good at clever and half responses. He tends to be truthful and often has a very honest and open look on his face but that can be deceiving. Otherwise, he's a friendly guy and will chat with everyone around him unless he's having a bad day. Some people say he's very chatty but most people will say he's very friendly and will listen to and include everyone around him in conversations.

thanks for the ask!

[jeffs-gamebox]

Please Support Indie and Third Party Publishers.

What happened to #DnDBeGone? What happened to #Stopthesub? Anyone remember #OpenDnD? "Ooh. Shiny new giants book and the social media influencers say we should buy it." Did we learn nothing in January?

Was January really so long ago? Have we all completely forgotten the Wizards of the Coast Dungeons & Dragons Open Game License debacle of the year 2023 already? Is the D&D community as gullible and stupid as we’re being made out to be? Has 2023 taught us anything? What happened to, “Vote with your dollars?”Sorry, family. I wasn’t going to do this. I tried to convince myself to just stick to…

[darkrooklobby]

[✨Since i'll be keeping this blog now, here's some info about me, my likes, dislikes, fandoms, my personality, art techniques, and opinions✨]

General info:

-🍀Rook Lobby / DRL / " T " - ⚧️ They/Them - 🏳️‍🌈 Ace - 🗣️ I welcome criticism - ⚖️ Libra, INTP, True Neutral, phlegmatic

Tools I use:

Krita / Fountain Pen / Recycled Supplies / Acrylic / Mechanical Drafting Pentel / Ink / Watercolor / Photography / Whatever I get my hands on, occasionally.

Techniques:

I've used so many online tutorials in my lifetime, I can say with certainty that I'm self-taught, and that the internet helped tremendously. My art experiments are archived here.

I've only started receiving proper art classes in college... 😔

My Goals so far:

Create a portfolio! ⭐ I'm still a student, but I've taken commissions before & I've been accepted to colleges, although I need a job rn. I wish to one day become a video game artist or tattoo artist or illustrator or graphic designer. Anything that has to do with art, I'm eager to try!

My Concise Opinion on Art:

Art is a skill, not a talent. Talent, in my personal opinion, doesn't exist. What people call 'talent' doesn't get you far. Talent might be your liking of the subject - the rest is hard work.

People never see the 90% of the work we put in, attributing it to talent, which, again, doesn't do much for you!

Art is a method of visual communication, a universal language, if done properly. Art is an illusion, and goes against nature, since you try to trick the eyes to see & imagine something while looking at a 2D plane or at a 3D sculpture.

Art is short for "artificial" - but that word means "made & designed by humans". Humans are the only species on earth capable of recognizing "art", and that is what makes humans ... human.

My Fandoms:

[Tl;Dr] It's mostly video games... Although I'm known to like some anime / manga / manhwa occasionally + and older cartoons from my childhood.

fnaf 

fnac

wick

WTTG2 + Scrutinized

sonic games

BBIEAL

Layers of fear + dlc

CoF, AoM and Grey

Slender : the arrival

Genshin Impact

portal2

the crooked man - the RPG

tattletail

the girl's glass staircase

Identity V

Ib (RPG, 2012, didn't play 2022 yet)

Minecraft

Popgoes

scp

spooky's jumpscare mansion

SOMA

overwatch... 2...

Phoenix Wright TRILOGY ONLY

AAI1&2

Dai gyakuten saiban 1 & 2

NoxTimore 

Kraina Grzybów: The Apple Escape

EWTP

StanleyParable

The Quarry,

imscared (steamedition)

Mirror layers

dsaf

Danganronpa - fav executions: (After School Lesson, One-woman army, Strand of Agony)

dbh

persona 2 (Innocent sin + eternal punishment)

persona 5 ROYAL

Yume Nikki/Yume 2kki

.flow (dot flow)

Yakuza: Like A Dragon,

Little Hope

Witch's house

The theater - the indie horror

YTTD

Other Socials:

I've left Deviantart since they stole my artwork and sold it to AI. Greedy bastards 🫠

"X" is annoying to use

I have plans for uploading tutorials to Youtube someday

On ticktock I've only uploaded memes so far 😭

[nuclearspring]

𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐕𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐒 ( 𝐎𝐑 ) 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐌𝐁. INDEPENDENT FALLOUT BASED MULTI FEATURING CANONS AND OCS FROM NEW VEGAS, FALLOUT TV, AND FALLOUT 1. 21+ & MUTUALS ONLY. PLEASE READ RULES BEFORE INTERACTING.

by scout (27, any pronouns).

note: my fallout tv verse is adjusted to mesh better with new vegas canon. more information on that here. (link leads to fallout tv spoilers; proceed with caution).

roster includes (primaries bolded; the rest are secondary): albert cole, alejandro "cash" castillo (vegas & ncr based oc), arcade gannon, benny, betty zhao (vegas based oc), boone, cooper howard, courier six (sasha dubrovhsky, alias boris medvedev), lucy maclean, maximus, ulysses, & veronica santangelo.

you can find more thorough descriptions of characters here, including links to bios.

to interact: if we're mutuals, shoot me a meme, send me an ask, or dm me! provided i'm following you, i am open to interaction or plotting whenever, and will respond when i can.

rules:

001. i'm generally comfortable with most subject matter covered in fallout canon (within reason - there are some things handled by fallout that i personally think were handled very poorly, and i am certainly highly critical of the media, which does include grievances with new vegas, and there will sometimes be criticism of it on this blog), but i won't write incest, rape / csa, etc, and will block those who do / who fetishize anything of the sort.

no racism, antisemitism, zionism, (and if you think those latter two are the same thing, dni) etc will be tolerated. terfs dni. the usual. i won't interact with muses from harry potter, peaky blinders, attack on titan, or detroit: become human / other david cage games. i may not follow multis back if they have content on them that i worry my mutuals might not be comfortable with as well, and tend to be quite wary given past experiences. i will also sometimes block or softblock if i see interactions with people or characters i'm not entirely comfortable with for whatever reason. indie is a little weird and, as previously mentioned, i've had some strange experiences. i encourage controlling your own space in the indie world. for that reason, i'll never take a block personally. also on that note, if we're mutuals and you see me interacting with someone who has, for lack of a better phrase, done some harmful shit, feel free to send me a dm and let me know.

while i'm not personally comfortable disclosing my ethnicity online - it is something that i've been taught to hide when possible - except to people i know and trust and talk to, i will disclose that i do look to new vegas as something to process and explore certain aspects of my identity and family history. i do have intergenerational trauma and that is another reason i may use the block button quite liberally/be either slow to follow back or not follow back at all in some cases as i have seen a lot of interpretations of canon (as well as numerous aspects of canon itself) that i don't feel okay with at all. i expect that people do their research when writing cultures and situations they're not familiar with, and try to meet that expectation myself.

002. minors dni. i'm an adult, and i only want to write with adults.

003. i'm fine with shipping but i like to build rapport between characters first and figure out where they stand. rivalry, friendship, etc are also plots i value - my focus won't entirely be on shipping.

004. best way to start interacting if we're mutuals is just to shoot me a meme or a dm - i guarantee that if i follow you, i'd like to write.

005. if i don't follow back, it's likely because i'm unsure of your rules (aka certain things aren't touched on and i'm not sure where you stand), or if i can't see us interacting. nothing personal.

006. i usually don't write nsfw on tumblr! if i do, it will not be the main focus of the thread. don't mind if others write it, nor do i mind prompts that allude to it, but if i'm writing it i'd prefer it not be the whole story, if that makes sense, and i'd also prefer only to write it with people that i've known for a while.

007. themes present on this blog will sometimes be heavy - canon is heavy. content warnings for colonialism, violence, militarism, fascism, allusions to genocide, allusions to slavery, assimilation, indoctrination, intergenerational trauma, and post traumatic stress disorder. i will tag things whenever possible. if there is anything you need tagged in particular that i miss, or if i ever make a mistake, feel free to reach out and let me know so i can course correct.

[hanasnx]

indy review under the cuttttt

"(us acting like we weren’t giggling in dms about this 😝)" no literally i was having so much fun

"he’s a slut idc" starting off so strong

"did we even watch the same movie? aotc ani was bricked up for the entire 2hours and 22 minutes" this still makes me cry

"he’s already stiff" stiff. such a good word here

"the way you call him “ani” in that sweet breathy voice, reaching up to fix his short blonde hair. he knows your game. he stares down at you with that obscene smirk, shuffling a bit closer to you so he has a better view down your top" crying. sobbing. oh my gdo "he knows your game" iS CRAZY he knows all your little tricks. referring to his smirk as "obscene" is so choice i can see the one he wears in my head like its so knowing and so mischievous. he knows hes doing wrong and showing you at the same time he doesnt care

"not in the sweet romantic way, the sort of vacant and dark smile that says ‘I’m not focused on anything going on right now, because i’m imagining you creaming on my cock.’" calling it vacant and dark fuckkk princess im so obsessed with your word choice bcos it conveys so much using so little. also i can literally see reader cumming on his cock through his eyes .. like anakin pov holo porn

"maker forbid the conversation ever is lead down one of a sexual nature whilst you’re still friends" genuinely one of my fave things in the friends to lovers trope. that and the "we taught each other how to kiss" or "we taught each other how to give oral/handies/fingerings"

"you make him wait even longer to fuck you just because it’s fun" STOPPP i love this. so cruel

"ignoring the way anakin was eyefucking you as you spoke to his master." gulped like i was a fucking cartoon character in trouble. adjusting my collar and everything holy fuck its hot in here. this is so anakin. shameless, unapologetic, ravenously horny aotc anakin in its purest form

"you take his strong, pretty hand and bring it to cup the shape of your cunt through your panties beneath your skirt." big hand big hand bIG HAND BIG HA😵‍💫

"you speak between sloppy kisses" great visual

princess. PRINCESS. god i feel so superior knowing this was written cos i said smthn. wow.

how do you feel about flirting with aotc!anakin? whether it’s established relationship flirting or you’re just getting to know one another or whatever. i’m rly interested in seeing how you’d decide to write a younger (maybe more naive?) version of anakin. make it as dirty/smutty/suggestive as you want, i love anything you put out

(us acting like we weren’t giggling in dms about this 😝)

okay but yes.

flirting with him is so fun because… he’s a slut idc. i guess i understand when people wanna present him as some shy virgin but also like… did we even watch the same movie? aotc ani was bricked up for the entire 2hours and 22 minutes in this essay i will-

when you’re still friends — flirting with him is so much fun because he’s barely keeping it together. he shamelessly glances at your tits when you’re talking to him because how can he not? you’re practically begging for it with them pressed together like that, blinking up at him with faux innocent doe eyes. he’s already stiff before you’ve even been standing there for more than thirty seconds. he won’t shy away from telling you that, either.

the way you call him “ani” in that sweet breathy voice, reaching up to fix his short blonde hair. he knows your game. he stares down at you with that obscene smirk, shuffling a bit closer to you so he has a better view down your top. but soon enough, you’re pulling away slyly, putting an extra sway of the hips in your walk as you leave him to give him a show.

you have to constantly tell him to stop staring at you, because whenever you look at him he’s got this slight smile on his face — and not in the sweet romantic way, the sort of vacant and dark smile that says ‘I’m not focused on anything going on right now, because i’m imagining you creaming on my cock.’ aotc ani definitely dabbled in a fair share of holoporn, so he can get super creative with his daydreams.

maker forbid the conversation ever is lead down one of a sexual nature whilst you’re still friends — his curiosity causing him to prod and pry at your sex life, and brazenly offering to be added to your roster at a drop of a hat. “did your ex ever taste you?” he’s stepping into your space once more. you roll your eyes at his intrusiveness but shake your head anyway. “i would have. you should allow me. wouldn’t you like to see how it feels? i heard some girls compare it to heaven…” he gets impossibly closer like he’s going to kiss you but you break off the moment.

“what girls?” you frown jealously which only makes him grin boyishly and chuckle, stuttering over an explanation.

when the two of you finally end up together, you make him wait even longer to fuck you just because it’s fun — doing everything in your power to make him flustered. your favourite moment would have to be when you’d come to visit the temple for work purposes, running into anakin and his mentor obi wan. you’d been discussing something of a professional nature, ignoring the way anakin was eyefucking you as you spoke to his master. as soon as obi wan briefly leaves the room, leaving the two of you behind — you pounce, pouting and pushing yourself up against the flustered blonde.

“miss you ani, need you really bad.” you whimper quietly, being met with wide eyes and red cheeks. you take his strong, pretty hand and bring it to cup the shape of your cunt through your panties beneath your skirt. “m’so wet.” you watch ani take a jagged breath in, letting his fingers feel around for your soaked spot before you’re pulling back again, hearing obi wan returning. he gets so frustrated he has to excuse himself.

but that’s not the last you see of him that day, on your way out of the temple he ambushes you — hurrying you into a dark closet space with spare sparring mats and faulty saber hilts on shelves, lips finding purchase on your neck and his hands grabbing greedily at your ass.

“ani!”

“please— please let me fuck you.” he groans, pushing his hips against yours, hard cock pressing against your tummy. “cant you feel what you’ve done?”

“not here, in a dark closet. i would like it to be more romantic than that.” you speak between sloppy kisses, his hand coming up to gently hold your cheek still.

“well forgive me, but i don’t care too much for romance right now. you’re getting me way too excited.” he grips your waist.

“i care.” you turn your head, looking at him with a serious glint in your eyes when he pulls back. he sighs, rolling his eyes and steps back, nodding.

“very well then.” he frowns. you place your hands on his shoulders and stand on your tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips.

“ask obi wan for some time off, we’ll fly somewhere — can take our time. it’ll be worth it.” you smile and he exhales out his nose, nodding.

“alright alright. now don’t tease me anymore, it’s not nice.” he’s practically pouting and you giggle. it’s hard for his own smile not to break through too.

[ajkelletportfolio]

Game Not Found

“TROYVERSE's first EP, an exploration of nostalgiac yet new synth tracks that are inspired by 00's video game soundtracks. Solo produced, wrote and mastered.”

This EP was my first release and experimentation of all the skills I have taught myself. Video games have played a massive role in my childhood, which led to my inspiration to make a video game based EP, returning to an 8-bit and chiptune familiarity. All songs on this EP were made within GarageBand for iPad. At the time of creating these tracks I didnt have a form of external MIDI, synth software or really, anything! Just used tools within in GarageBand and melody writing on my instrument, piano.

Track 1 - SIREN DISCO

Directly inspired by the soundtrack of the indie game ‘Crypt of the NecroDancer’, composed by video game music artist Danny Baranowsky, I tried to recreate that feel of disco with something a little haunting, emulating the themes found throughout the gameplay.

Active gameplay, showing a dungeon with a disco patterned floor underneath.

To emulate this sound i have used a phased rolling octave bass line, a common but classic dance drum beat and a polyphonic lead synths. I also used a sample of a siren to create that contrasting and darker element to the music.

I also transcribed this piece onto to sheet music!

Below is the MIDI piano playing that piece:

Track 2 - PORTAL

This track is inspired by video game ‘Portal 2’, composed by Mike Morasky. This soundtrack is dark, uncanny and robotic.

PORTAL Uses a ‘Vox’ emulating synthesiser to create an uncanny lead vocal, placed between robot and human, with dissonance synth chords underneath to recreate that uncanny futuristic sound.

Track 3 - ANIMAL / Track 4 - EXPERIMENT NO. 4

ANIMAL comes inspired from the Undertale fan-game, ‘Everhood’.

I transitioned to a track that has no direct influence from video game culture, and was - literally - an experimental piece with what I have made so far!

Track 5 - DETERMINATION

A short outro piece, inspired by micro-tracks found within the Undertale soundtrack (Composed by Toby Fox).

This piece is free-time, and i tried to convey a more emotional feel towards this piece. Using a piano replicant synthesiser that faded into string chords.

[gamesindustrynormal]

There's been this talk about the democratization of game development for the last 15 or so years, professional tools being freely available to everyone so you can build a portfolio by yourself. Even distribution platforms are open to everyone now, meaning people have fewer hard restrictions on starting their own studios.

But back to AAA. It used to be the case that you would start in QA and work your way up - at least if you were going into game design or production. No-one knew these things, no-one taught these things and all of the tools were proprietary anyway. That's not really the case anymore - QA moving into other roles still happens, but mostly people outsource QA to companies that only ever do QA. And there are enough game educations and hobbyists around to make sure there is a constant supply of entry-level candidates that have a good grasp of what they will be doing.

And there are definitely benefits to this. You are not good at game design, art or software engineering because you are good at QA. But it is also kind of awful how the jobs that you can learn onsite are losing their development prospects, because it means only the people who can afford to spend a few years picking up game design on their own have a chance. The schools can definitely be a shell game as well, and the indie market is oversaturated.

And I definitely believe in making art for its own sake. There's that Charles Bukowski poem. It might be better for the art form overall. But I think this 'democratization' has, more than anything, made things easier for the people who already have the money and time. And not for anyone else.