#if you didn’t hear I’m hosting a multi animator project

[rosy-fox-art]

Soon…

[avatar-news]

Avatar Studios updates from Bryke’s interview on the official Avatar podcast: they have a “very ambitious, multi-tiered plan” and more!

If you didn’t know, Nickelodeon has launched an official Avatar podcast called Avatar: Braving the Elements. For the most part, it’s a rewatch of the show with hosts Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) and Dante Basco (the voice of Zuko and Iroh II). However, they also have special guests on from time to time, and for the most recent episode, they interviewed Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra co-creators, and Avatar Studios co-Chief Creative Officers Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

While they didn’t get too into Avatar Studios (keep in mind this was likely recorded several months ago), they did mention some stuff that does give us some key new information.

Here’s all of it!

They’re working on “new stories” and have been “finding great creative partners to work with” them.

They have “mapped out a very ambitious, multi-tiered” plan

They actually used the words “multi-tiered” more than once. My best interpretation of this is that there will be main, flagship stories, as well as secondary spinoffs, potentially miniseries, etc.

They also said that there will be “shows and animated stuff” but also “other stuff beyond in publishing”. This could also fit the “multi-tiered” description, and seems to indicate that future Avatar content in the form of novels, books, comics, etc. will be under the Avatar Studios banner. (However, they did also mention “and podcasts like this” (paraphrase) which notably is under the Nickelodeon banner, not Avatar Studios, and doesn’t seem to have Avatar Studios involvement (again, Bryke were specifically guests) so I’m not sure what to make of that.)

They have a “long plan” that could take “20 years”

Okay, the 20 years thing was mostly a joke, but it does give us an idea of the scale they’re planning on. Specifically, Mike said that if they “make all this stuff you guys are gonna be podcasting for the next twenty years or so I think”.

Other franchise-based production companies like Marvel Studios are known for phases of storytelling planned well in advance, with releases set for many years in the future. It’s good to hear that there’s some indication of a long-term plan from Avatar Studios (even mostly relayed as a joke).

Avatar Studios will have stories set in the past and future of the world of Avatar

They’re going to “go deeper into this big, rich, largely untapped history and future”.

This is pretty exciting news to hear! There are so many interesting time periods to explore, and specifically mentioning the future seems to hint that the next earth Avatar after Korra will indeed be coming as a third main series at some point.

Each project will have its own feeling, look, and tone

They “want each of these projects to have its own feeling, its own tone and look” that are “true to the Avatar world but very different expressions of it”.

This is very interesting information. I personally don’t interpret this as saying there will be vastly different art styles, but rather in the way that ATLA was more travelling fantasy while TLOK Book 1 was a gritty noir piece.

Related to that...

Avatar Studios projects will target different audiences and age groups

They were talking about how the two original series already attracted different audiences and age groups despite being technically kids’ shows, and then said that “new stuff will even push into other audiences”.

Could we be getting movies or series made specifically for adults, that are able to push some boundaries that the originals couldn’t? The Kyoshi novels already did a great job of this, bringing in some more explicitly mature moments as well as realistic violence including blood and “on-screen” death.

Avatar Studios will realize some ideas that the creators have had since ATLA and Korra

There are “ideas that we’ve been excited about for a long time that we’re finally getting to dive into”.

Notably, this has happened before, with the Avatar Wan backstory having been planned during ATLA but not included until Korra, and the story of Fire Lady Ursa having originally been pitched as a post-series animated film before being done as a graphic novel trilogy. Who knows what else is in store that will finally see the light of day!

That’s all the new information as far as I heard in my listen. Notably, they didn’t specifically mention the animated theatrical film that was announced as Avatar Studios’ first project. Not sure if this means plans have changed, or it was down to the timing of when the podcast was recorded, or what, but I do find it interesting. Also interesting is that none of the official statements at the launch of Avatar Studios earlier this year actually included the film, that was a detail relayed by (still official) news articles. I’m not sure what to make of this, but I guess we’ll find out soon!

San Diego Comic-Con is traditionally where big Avatar panels have been held to officially announce and reveal information about the main shows. This year’s is from July 23rd to 25th, and is our current best bet for new info! The schedule hasn’t been announced yet, so look out for that. If there’s an official Avatar Studios panel, that’s where we’ll get our first big news.

[why485]

2020 Games of the Year

Yeah I know that was last year, but for various reasons I never got around doing a GOTY write up for 2020. I’m going to do this one a little different from usual. Instead of a single game of the year, there are three games in particular that I want to talk about. Also unusual for this year, all the games on this list did indeed come out in 2020, so I don’t need my usual disclaimer.

To see the list of all games that I played in 2020, check out the 2020 page of my game-tracking sheet.

Most Representative of 2020: Animal Crossing New Horizons

It’s hard to think of any one game that represents or symbolizes 2020 like New Horizons did. Its release coincided with the explosion of a worldwide pandemic, it broke every Switch related sales record, and was how so many people escaped from the newfound troubles of isolation. Actual real life talk show hosts held interviews in it for a short time. Animal Crossing was a social experience shared among friends both near and far, a place to virtually hang out, and a relaxing break from the stresses of everyday life. 

This game was a part of my daily life for almost the entire year: an hour of Animal Crossing after lunch or before bed. It was a regular and lackadaisical refresher from not just reality, but also my own work on my own game. It was the perfect game at the perfect time.

Most Personally Inspiring Game: Project Wingman

⚠ Gamer Disclaimer ⚠ I backed this game on Kickstarter for $200, bought it three times over to support the game even more, and am friends with the lead developer.

First things first: If you are at all into arcade action flying games, you need to play this game. I’m obviously biased, but I’m biased because this is exactly the kind of game that I want to see more of. Until the game came out, Ace Combat was the only entry in the Ace Combat genre, and this game more than earns its place alongside of the best examples of that series. Don’t just take it from me.

I’ve been following this game since its early days. I still have one of the earliest public builds ever released of this game from back in 2016. This game is made predominantly by one absolute madman with no prior experience who literally learned how to make video games (3D modeling, programming, sound design, etc.) just to make this game. It is passion project in every meaning of the word, and the final is nothing short of astonishing. Play this game.

Best Game I can’t Believe Even Exists: Star Wars Squadrons

In 2020, EA, a multi-national 5 billion dollar company with a very poor track record in the past few years, notorious for being risk-adverse and at the forefront of exploitative monetization strategies to maximize profit, released a new X-Wing game. Squadrons is a traditional space sim, flown only from the cockpit, where every instrument in the cockpit is functional, featuring shield management, power management, and enough targeting keys to fill your keyboard.

I genuinely don’t understand how a game like this can possibly happen in this industry, at this company. I’m convinced EA was tricked into greenlighting this game. There aren’t even any monetization options! It’s just a video game you buy and play!

On top of that, the game is actually good! It is unfortunately multiplayer focused (though it does have a short SP campaign I didn’t play), so I’m not sure what state it’s in today, but I had a blast playing this when it came out. Between all the energy management and flight mechanics, it had a surprisingly high skill ceiling for a game of this type. This game was a dream come true: a modern AAA(!) take on a classic game. The visuals, audios, and immersive space fighter pilot gameplay are the Star Wars experience I never thought could happen today.

(Bonus!) The “Your Father’s Lightsaber” Award: F-19/F-117 Stealth Fighter

I’ve been hearing for years from my father about how good this game is. In 2020, I finally played it myself and I was so awestruck by how brilliantly designed and presented this game is, that it gave me a game design crisis. Every aspect of this flight simulator is in service of creating a tension-filled, immersive, flying stealth action game. Even the manual is part of the experience.

Honestly, it’s something that deserves its own write up, so I’ll just leave it at this: If you were to remake this game 1:1 today, it’d be a phenomenal game. This flying game is so well designed, it could be adapted into a top down 2D radar screen UI, and it’d still be an excellent game.

[pluto-art]

Syncytium - Chapter 1

Title: Syncytium Words: 3,311 Rating: T Summary: Teacher AU. Takes place in a fictional universe in which Professor Ronald Pinkus and Dr. Brian T. Globetrotter (played by Pinky and Brain, respectively) are college professors at an esteemed school for mice that focuses on science and the arts. Mainly told from Brain's point of view; sometimes from Pinky's. He's too egotistical for his own good. Pinky is too happy-go-lucky for his own good. The two clash. High jinks ensue. Dr. Globetrotter gets more than he bargained for. Way more than he bargained for...

Fan fiction link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13712482/1/Syncytium

This was 100% inspired by the drawings I did of Brain and Pinky as professors. It’s planned to be a multi-chapter story, and I already have the major points of the entire story outlined. Here be chapter one. Enjoy.

Syncytium - n. a single cell or cytoplasmic mass containing several nuclei, formed by fusion of cells or by division of nuclei.

\/\/\/\/\/\/

January 17, 1994 - 4:35 AM

Darkness.

All around them was dark, it's impenetrable cloak cut only by the crimson beat of the emergency lights.

No one could see them. No one could hear them. No one even knew they were there. But if they could see them, by way of those steady emergency flashes, they'd make out an aging mouse struggling to carry his blue-eyed comrade to safety, light reflecting off his broken glasses. And if they could hear them, all they'd pick up, aside from a distant alarm, would be a heavy, breathless panting.

Brian paused in his efforts to set down the taller, much lankier mouse on the concrete below, an arm coming 'round to support his friend's head. Heavy lids threatened to close their curtains on a pair of periwinkle eyes, their owner barely managing to stay awake.

"Pinky... Pinky, wake up!"

Nothing.

"Pinky!"

He tapped his cheek sharply.

Slowly, surely, the other mouse awakened.

"Brain...?"

"Yes, Pinky. I'm here. I'm here."

"Brain...," Pinky whispered, a paw coming up to grasp his arm tightly before his head fell back into Brain's palm.

"It's all right," cooed Brian. "It's all right, Pinky. I've got you. Shhh. Shhh. I've got you. Shhhhhh shhh shhh shhh..."

\/\/\/\/\/\/

September 10th, 1993 - 7:30 AM

Darkness.

"Sh sh sh! Quiet! Everyone calm down! Quiet!"

A pencil sharpened. A ruler placed just so on a dated, mahogany table. Half-moon violet glasses were pushed square up against a pair of pink, deadpan eyes by a delicate, nail-bitten finger.

"Good evening, class," droned Dr. Brian T. Globetrotter. "Today we shall be delving into the fascinating subject of cellular mitosis..."

Sunlight, warm and bright and quite the opposite of the teacher it poured the morning's blessing onto, shone through the dark, wooden blinds of the university classroom, the better to illuminate the scene. Rows and rows of mahogany benches, arranged in a stadium format, and each with a polished table set in front of it, could barely be seen thanks to the sheer number of students adorning every bit of space available. It wasn't cramped, per say, but it was filled. Not a seat was left, and not for reason of enthusiasm. The countenance of those in attendance told all: no one was here because they wanted to be, but because they needed to be. Required classes were always the least interesting, and the occasional passed note or whispered joke barely managed to keep the atmosphere animated, provided one was even able to communicate such messages without getting caught. It was common knowledge that this particular professor had no room for flippancy. Detentions were a standard affair. Not being spoken to or called upon was considered a kindness.

Said teacher continued his sunrise spiel, seemingly oblivious to the complete lack of interest permeating the room as he droned on and on about the fascinating life of the cell.

Fascinating, indeed. If he at all harbored any excitement about the subject his profile certainly failed to project it, his demure expression reflected on the faces of practically every student in the room. Only one outlier remained: a golden-furred girl mouse, glasses a little askew, cheek resting against her paw as she sighed dreamily. An equally amber-tinted mouse beside her rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"The intricacies of such a seemingly primitive topic are much more complex and absorbing than might first be assumed, and although I don't expect any of you to give a Heterocephalus Glaber's crotch about an ounce of it, we are henceforth going to engage in the undoubtedly invaluable study regardless."

Somewhere in the back, a student scribbled "Heterocephalus Glaber's crotch" on a page of his journal labeled "The Globular List of Insults", sniggering to his freckled companion.

"Please turn your attention to page seventy-five of your textbooks. We will begin with the genesis of the process, in which a single cell divides into..."

But whatever that cell was going to divide into had to be put on hold, for at that moment the classroom door flung open to reveal a completely new fascination entirely.

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Judson!" blurted out the newcomer, one foot in the door and the other still sticking outside the classroom, a loaded box of paraphernalia nestled precariously in his arms. "I'll never forget this! I promise to pay you back with a whoooooole bouquet of flowers! Nya-ha-ha-ha!"

In he tumbled, paraphernalia and all, right onto Brian T. Globetrotter's desk, knocking an ink pen, two calculators, and his name sign off the table in the process.

"Whoops! Eheh. Sorry! I'll get that for you!" offered the mouse, hastening to clean up his mess, albeit rather haphazardly.

"Wha-... What are you doing here?! I am in the middle of a very important session!" growled Globetrotter.

"Oh, yes, and I'm sure it's a very lovely session, too! But... if you don't mind my asking...," and he got right up to the other's ear and whispered: "Isn't this, ummm, my room?"

"Wha-? Puh... It most certainly is not! This is my classroom and you're intruding!" Globetrotter spluttered, poking a finger into the newcomer's chest for greater emphasis.

Three rows up, a student typed furiously on his phone: New teacher about to get ROASTED by Mr. B.

"Well, how do you figure that one?" the other mouse questioned.

"Maybe you should read the fine print?!"

And with the starkest finality he could muster, he picked up his name sign and slammed it down in front of the other mouse, turning it so that the name BRIAN T. GLOBETROTTER on the front flashed out proud as anything. The new teacher didn't seem at all perturbed by such harsh behavior. Indeed, he put his face right up to the sign, tipped down his own pair of half-moon glasses, and carefully read each word, muttering them to himself softly.

"Oh! Well, that's different then, isn't it?" he declared, straightening up to smile brightly at his fellow colleague. "But, umm, you might want to change the name there, don't you think? I mean, it says "globe trotter", but I don't see you trotting around any globes. No. Not at all. More like globe sitter. Ha-ha-ha!"

Globetrotter stared at the newcomer, mouth agape. It was all he could do at the moment, taken aback by the sheer audacity of this... figure and the pure chaos he had caused. Half the room was already in hysterics, for his buck-toothed make and slight slur, coupled with a lightly pronounced Cockney accent, made his proclamation of "sitter" sound like a different word entirely.

Everything about this mouse was... off. Compared to Globetrotter he was exceptionally tall and lanky, all the more exacerbated by the fact that Brian was quite a short mouse to begin with; he had to crane his neck to look up at him. His laugh was prominent, and his eyes were an astonishing robin's egg blue. Never in his lifetime had Globetrotter ever seen a mouse with eyes that color; he hazarded to guess they were contacts. He wore a lab coat, but only out of necessity, it seemed, for it clashed with the rest of his outfit: a pink polo-style shirt with some band's logo slapped on the front, striped corduroy pants that sported every color of the rainbow, and what looked to be black and white bowling shoes. It was as if a Goofy cartoon had vomited all over him. The heavy cardboard box he'd unceremoniously deposited on Globetrotter's table seemed to carry all assortment of bits and bobs - a globe, several petri dishes, a bag of chips, a baseball cap, some notepads and pens, a small keyboard, a roll of Gouda, some tape, a framed photograph, a book on Regis Philbin, two VHS tapes of The Honeymooners, and not one... but three Bunsen Burners, as if he had packed them in a feeble attempt to complete the look of someone who was supposedly intelligent. Every eye in the room had turned towards him as he entered, and every eye had stayed on him since. Golden-haired girl had actually dropped her pencil, grabbed her brother by the shirt sleeve, and clutched at her heart, a light whisper of, "Oh my gosh, he's hot...," fluttering past her lips. Her brother facepalmed. To complete the effect, he carried under his arm a pad hosting a number of rather childish stickers, which Globetrotter grabbed from him.

"Shut up!" he snapped at his students, who were still chuckling. They all quieted down at once. "Dr. Ronald Pinkus, Professor of Trozology," Globetrotter read aloud, disgust painting every syllable. "What in the bloody hell is 'Trozology'?"

"Oh, well, it's very simple, really. It's-," Ronald began, but at that moment, a wee mouse popped in, her eyes nearly covered by a pudgy blue tam o' shanter.

"Excuse me? Mr. Pinkus?" she squeaked, thick Scottish accent nearly muffled by the gray scarf swathed about her.

"Please, call me Pinky!" Ronald squeaked back.

The girl smiled and giggled.

"Pinky. Mrs. Judson told me to tell you that you're actually in two ten, not three nineteen."

"Hm? Ohhhhhh!" the one named Pinky exclaimed, peeking at the front of Globetrotter's classroom door. A giant number '319' was painted on its front. "That does explain things, doesn't it?"

"Yes. Now, would you kindly disencumber my desk and plant your quixotic accoutrements elsewhere?" Globetrotter fronted, already pushing Pinky's possessions towards him, and would have thrust it clear off the desk had it not been for Pinky's quick reflexes. He grabbed his loaded box, that ridiculous grin still plastered on his face.

"Thank you, Mr. Brain! And thank you, Ms... errrr...?"

"Flaversham. Olivia Flaversham," piped the girl, beaming from head to toe.

"Thank you, Olivia!"

And he waved at her, as best he could anyway, nearly losing the box as Olivia waved back and skipped off. Shifting his grip so as to take better hold of his possessions, Pinky turned to Globetrotter, panting a little.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for barging in on your class, Mr. Brain. It won't happen again!"

"It's Brian. And see to it that you don't," retorted Globetrotter, flicking stray dust off his precious desk. "You may leave at your earliest convenience, which I hope will be immediately."

"Right-o, Brain!" Pinky saluted, and with that... he trotted off, slipping a little under the weight of the box, and doing his best to close the door behind him with his long, pink tail.

For five whole seconds Globetrotter stared at the closed door, as if attempting to retrieve what little bearings he had left. Despite the poisonous nature of their teacher, many of the students couldn't help but exchange excited mutters, babbling in haste about what had just transpired. Already, Globetrotter, with his exceptional hearing, could catch such questions as, "Did you see how many burners he had?", "Do you think he's single?", and, worst of all, "Is his class full?".

In a rare move, no one was punished for such comments. If anything, for the rest of the class, Globetrotter aimed to be a bit more... amiable than usual, which only fueled the chatter. The session was a long one - three hours, to be exact - and it was with great relief that the bell rang, for if there was anything more "exciting" than cellular mitosis, it was gossip.

"Homework is due on the twenty-first. I want a count of three-thousand words at least and no exceptions!" Globetrotter rattled as the entire class practically flew out of the room in a flurry.

Many paired up with friends; some hitched up their bags and backpacks, running in haste to their next class. Three of the girls, two mice and a shrew, banded together, all a-flutter.

"Oh. My gosh. Did you see that guy? Ugh. My heart is still beating a mile a minute," one of them crooned. It was the golden-furred gal, whiskers shining as she licked her fingers and smoothed them out one-by-one.

"Gosh, Maisy, you're so superficial. One minute it's Globetrotter. Now it's this Pinky guy," mused a mouse to her left, a pair of goggles resting atop her blonde hair. "You need to pick a side."

"I am! I'm picking the cuter of the two," Maisy stated, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"He looked like Pee-wee Herman walked into Dexter's Lab or something..."

"Dexter's Lab is more fun," voiced Tillie the shrew, who adjusted the tightness of the little cloth draped over her head. "What did Globetrotter mean by giving us only five pages of homework? Usually it's at least ten..."

"I have a theory for that," said the goggle-adorned mouse, biting her fingernails.

"Would you stop doing that?" Maisy bit, slapping at the other mouse's wrist playfully. "It's so gross."

"What? They get gnarly. You know I don't wear gloves when I work."

"You should."

Goggle-mouse sighed.

"Anyway, you wanna hear my theory?"

"I do," piped the shrew.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," droned Maisy, not at all enthused.

"Okay. So... my theory is that he's jealous. He doesn't want this Pinky guy to suddenly snatch up all his students, so he's trying to be extra nice to us to get us to stay."

Maisy snorted at this.

"As if we could leave. It's a required class."

"Yeah, but we could always drop it and take it next semester at a different time with a different teacher."

"But why would anybody go through the trouble of that?" said Tillie. "We'd all rather get it over with sooner than later."

"Exactly," "Goggles" said as they turned a corner, heading for the cafeteria. "Anyway, I'll see you guys later."

"Where are you going?" Maisy asked.

"It's Wednesday. I have Engineering on Wednesdays. Duh. Bye, guys!"

And off she went.

"Bye, Gadget!" Maisy waved, then said, under her breath, "She's so weird."

"Yeah, but we love her," Tillie said.

"Yeah, I know," smiled Maisy, as they walked into the cafeteria together.

Running past them went little tammie-headed girl. She practically flew past the throng of students milling in and trudging down the hallways, deftly weaving in and out of them like a snake in the grass. It was a wonder she didn't bump into anyone even once.

Down the maze of hallways she flew, finally stopping at a dividing lane to peer down a path at a familiar figure.

"Mr. Pinky!" she called out, desperately trying to catch her breath as she sprinted up to him.

Pinky smiled down at her, one paw resting on a handle on a door labeled 'Professor Ronald Pinkus, PhD Trozology, 210", his other arm still balancing the heavy box.

"I forgot to give you this!" Olivia panted, stretching out a sweaty hand to proffer him a little white note.

He took it, not without some difficulty, and tucked it into his box.

"Thank you, Olivia! Here..."

And he extracted from the box the bag of chips and handed it to her. She took it, puzzled.

"Tuppence for your trouble," he said, winking at her.

"Thank you, Sir! Good-bye!" Olivia waved, practically glowing as she ran back down the hallway, ripping open the bag and popping a chip in her mouth in the process.

Grinning sweetly, Dr. Ronald Pinkus opened the door and stepped inside.

It was dark, and it took a moment for him to find the light. When he finally flipped a switch, it revealed to him his new abode. It wasn't the most spacious area. In fact, as compared to Dr. Brain's (or... was it Brian's?) classroom this one was visibly a tad more... cramped. Only twenty seats lay stacked in a corner, their blue paint a little chipped and their legs a mite bent. They looked more like middle-school chairs than the nicer seats found throughout most of the school. The light was dim - perhaps a little too much so. He'd need to fix that. There was a fairly solid-looking desk, at least, as well as a small waste bin, some pencils, a large chalkboard behind the desk, and one of those roll-around televisions in another corner. By all accounts, this room was trash as compared to the rest of the university, but where anyone else would have turned their nose up at it... Pinky beamed.

Setting his box down upon the desk, he hung his lab attire up on a nearby coat hanger and inhaled, breathing in the smell of old glue, old chalk, and a very slight tinge of old bubblegum. The glue smell tickled his nose and he giggled. He rather liked that scent. It reminded him of something. Something sweet...

Quietly, he relieved the poor box of its contents, placing everything in the best places he figured they should go, and set the empty box down in a corner.

"There you go, old box. Sorry for all the trouble!" he apologized. The box said nothing.

He turned back to his desk, smiling at a job well done. The three Bunsen Burners stood proudly on one corner of the desk, looking very professional indeed. The notepads and pens looked quite nice on the desk, along with the roll of tape, and there was even a little shelf under the roll-away tv that he was able to put his Honeymooners tapes on! It was perfect. Well, almost.

From his lab coat, he pulled out a handkerchief, which he carried with him to an empty bathroom across the hall. Wetting it and wringing it out, he stepped back into his classroom, shut the door behind him, and carefully, gently, wiped down the picture frame, a smile kissing his lips as he did so. Four little figures beamed up at him: two older mice, himself as a child, and, curiously, a spool of thread, which he was hugging in the photo. Having cleaned the little glass and frame, Pinky brought it up to his face... and kissed it... before setting it back down on his desk, right there in front, where he could always look at it.

There was only one thing left to attend to: the note that Olivia had given him. He picked it up from the desk, unfolded it, and read:

Mr. Pinky,

My sincere apologies for directing you to the wrong classroom. I hope that old bat didn't give you too much trouble. Please, alert me if you need anything.

- Mrs. Judson

Pinky grinned, chuckling a little as he set the note back down on the table and stepped out from behind the desk.

He sighed happily and looked around the room, gaze glistening.

"I made it, Mum. I made it."

[blizzardinferno]

After thinking about this for a long time, I've made a choice to post this, and I'm sorry to anybody who wasn't expecting this. Have a lovely day.

Nate Schoonover (this is not a doxx, their real name is available publicly in multiple places and they're fully aware of that), known on tumblr as @/charadreemurr, @/whirlibirb, or, more popularly, @/draikinator, is a very manipulative and awful person.

You ever hear of the Warrior Cats fandom? Nate was kicked out of the fandom the moment they sent porn to a 14 year old while they were angry in order to prove a point. They said it was an accident, but contradicted themselves in stating that they did send it on purpose.

Many minors were their friends, and became unsafe around them. Aside from the situation above, they've told a minor to get hit by a train, send their fans to attack anybody who calls them out, and lie in order to manipulate the story in a way that will make them sound in the right.

They'll delete anything they can so their fans don't get information on what they did, and despite saying how many times that they'll change, they never do.

They promised to stay out of the Warrior Cats fandom, but came back about 6 months later with a story about how they couldn't stop creating content for the series and just HAD to share it. So. They broke their promise, and that's all the community asked for.

When joining a Warriors MAP (multi-animator project), they left the link to the MAP Call in the description. People who saw immediately commented on the call, requesting for them to be removed. Even the participants were dropping out, feeling unsafe in their presence. Later Nate deleted the link to the call, complaining about how they were ashamed that people went to the call and got them kicked out. They said they didn't want the host to get harassed. They were the one who left the link and let it happen.

When they did post their apology video back before they rejoined the fandom, they apologized to their fans. Not the people they directly hurt. They did end up removing their apology video later, claiming it was old news and that their fans already knew about it, and I'm not sure if it's back up at the moment.

Here is a link to a thread with multiple people talking about their personal cases with Nate.

Now: the reason why I'm choosing to discuss this here is pretty important to me.

Nate was the one who got me into Transformers with their videos about it. I followed their advice and watched Prime first. I followed their word when it came to the franchise and basically worshipped them for their views.

Of course, they probably don't even know I exist, and only ever interacted with me once in a comment I made on one of their videos, but it's a big deal for me. I idolized them. They were one of my biggest inspirations and I tried to get into whatever they got into just so I could keep up with everything they did.

They're the whole reason I got into this franchise and it absolutely disgusts me that something I love to dearly came from somebody like this.

And I'm saying this as well because I can see their posts being reblogged and I can see people talking with them and it just reminds me how almost nobody knows who they are and what they've done. You can call this an overreaction from me, but this is something I feel so strongly about.

The fact that somebody like this can just escape to a larger fandom where nobody's aware of what they've done in order to escape the criticism and the harm they've caused to other people.

I'm saying this because I just want some peace of mind. I'm saying this because I just want to know at least who I should avoid or who might cause me harm.

I know it's selfish and I never wanted to bring up anything like this, but I just want people to know. If you know, then that's that. If that's the case then I can know who to avoid at least.

Will this get me excluded from the tf fandom for bringing up drama that might not be necessary here? Yeah. Probably.

I just want people to know.

Thank you for reading.

Edit: I should mention, this all took place second half of 2019, early 2020. So it's very recent.

[thedreamingscorpio]

Undulations

Chapter 1

Hey guys, this is my first project and I’d love to hear your views and opinions on my work. I kinda got this idea from a song, and I’m not really sure about the finer details of the story, but I’ve got a broad idea, let’s see how it pans out!

Really excited!

Love Always!

Goten sighed. He was tired and did not feel like doing anything more at the moment. About two years back he had started working as a veterinary doctor, and although his job was very demanding, he sure wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world.

After all, no matter what anybody thought he had worked very hard to be where he was today and nobody could tell him otherwise. He may not be as innately smart as Gohan, or a genetic genius like Trunks, but he was not to be mistaken to be a run-of-the-mill product, and he had proved himself by becoming a vet.

Or so he thought…

His mother though happy that he was his own man now, would occasionally slip up and let it known how much happier she would’ve been had he become a medical doctor instead. Although she tried to cover up immediately after, it still hurt, and her covering up somehow only managed to make it worse.

Ah well….

Honestly, Goten loved his job, no matter the hours, the sometimes outright bizarre conditions, or the criticism he received on a daily basis, he worked a job that combined his love for animals and making people happy, isn’t that all that matters?

Given the amount of studying he dedicated himself to, he knew he could’ve become a medical doctor, but contrary to people’s thinking he had willingly chosen to become a vet instead, since he was good with animals and it was far less demanding than the other option.In the end, he figured the only person he needed to make happy was himself and…

Ring Ring

His thoughts were interrupted by a phone call, he glanced at the wall clock, 9:50, hmm, odd time to be receiving a call, he checked the caller ID, Bulma…oh, he kinda wished it’d had been Trunks instead but since he got married 4 years back nothing had been really the same since.He shook his head to clear his mind and and picked up his still ringing cell phone..

“Hello?”

“Oh, hey Goten how are you?”

For a brief moment, Goten debated as to whether he should give her the honest truth, but then sighed and decided to stick with a conversational, “I’m doing good Bulma, and you?”

“Well I was just wondering as to when was the last time that all the Z fighters were together, and since I couldn’t recall, I figured it just had been too long!”

Now that he thought about it, even he couldn’t remember the last time that happened, wasn’t it Trunks’ wedding?, but no his father hadn’t been there, not that it was anything out of the ordinary…

“Uh huh..”

“…Yeah, so I was thinking of hosting a get-together coming Saturday…”

He didn’t like where this was going..

“…yeah and since Goku is also here for a change,and not wandering off like a monkey…hey…you’re there right?”

“…uh, yeah…yeah sure Bulma!" 

"Wow, well that was easy, so then your dinner this Saturday, to be hosted by the Capsule Corp, ooh…I already like the sound of that, you’re such a good kid Goten, see you then!”

“..yeah..Bul..”

Sigh.

He really wanted to know what his best friend was up to, since their times together were few and far in between, not that anyone was to be blamed, after all you can’t expect the president of a multi-trillion dollar company to be free for playdates.

No. He wasn’t gonna do that, he was no better either and his mother left no opportunity unfounded to remind him of that.

He was doing it again damn it. That’s it. Too much work for today, time to turn in.

So he got off the couch, fully intending to sleep, cleared the take-out containers from the table and opened the door to his bedroom and laid down on the flannel sheets his mother had given him. As soon as he hit the bed, he was out like a light.

Not that it helped any.

The morning after his restless night, he was rudely awakened by a frantic knock on the front door, he squinted at his alarm clock…4:37, flashing blearily at him in red.

He was pissed, beyond pissed, scowling he sprinted off his bed, with just one intention, to give the shitty person who dared to disturb him at this ungodly hour, a piece of his mind…

“Who the heck do you think you…”

He opened the latch and was met with a very apologetic looking young woman, and in her arms a dog he could recognize anywhere, Cepheus. 

He always wondered who was the owner of the said bearded collie, not only was his name a little strange for a dog, but he also acted like it.

Apparently, Cepheus was named after a constellation, which basically stood for ‘The King’, and although his breed weren’t commonly shy, they weren’t aggressive either, so for him to come across a fussy and arrogant bouncing beardie was quite a surprise.

Though he was used to it by now, he was his most frequent patient, at merely 1.5 years , he sure had a lot of health issues. He often thought about having a word with the owner personally, both for medical reasons and out of sheer curiosity, but never really got the chance, that is until today…

As soon as he caught site of the young woman, his words died in his throat, she was a crying mess, with her hair all disheveled, shivering uncontrollably, from the cold or from whatever had upset her he did not know.

He tapped into his role as a vet and saw the bored looking face of the beardie, no surprise there and realized he must be the reason for her torment. 

He noticed the woman was still in her pajamas, and still shivering and crying inconsolably so, swallowing his long forgotten anger and irritation, he put a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped and looked at him as if she just realized where she was, her green eyes suddenly wide.

He flinched slightly, not the best move on his part,but felt relieved when a sense of reality returned to her, and she was back to being red-faced and decidedly shy.

“Come on in, let’s talk about it, over some tea..”

Facing the ground, she only nodded.

[amazingalphys]

Prompt: Alphys and Undyne play Mario Kart. VERY AGGRESSIVELY. 

Thanks for the prompt, @eevees-garbage!  I hope this was something like you were looking for.

Rating: G

Characters: Alphys, Undyne (POV), and a special guest appearance from THE GREAT PAPYRUS

Pairing: Alphys/Undyne

---

Undyne liked to compete.  There was something about the thrill of competition that pushed her to new heights of skill.  Alone, she could carry six, maybe seven children at once.  If she was in a child lifting competition, she could lift fifteen and a half children, all the while shouting taunts at her rivals.  

Alphys was different.  Undyne would say she had been ambitious once, and when Alphys was sure she was right, she would state her point for hours at a time, but those just weren't the same thing.  

No matter how many times Undyne tried to rile her up into an intense air hockey battle, or tried to transform self-esteem jogging with Papyrus into a race, Alphys just cheerfully accepted her own defeat.  Undyne didn't mind hearing how cool she looked when she won, but still.  

She'd thought, once, that she had managed to get Alphys worked up about winning a high stakes  bowling game against their friends, but during the harrowing final few rounds Undyne had glanced back at where Alphys was sitting and found her checking her phone, watching the trailer for the new season of her favorite anime.

Undyne learned to accept it.  Alphys wasn't competitive, but she was passionate.  She was brilliant, she loved her friends, and she was always trying to improve herself in ways that mattered to her.  So what if she sat on the side when Undyne got a team together for beach volleyball? Undyne loved her for being herself.  Wouldn't it be worse for Alphys to pretend to care about winning the annual monster arm wrestling competition, or whatever?  Undyne was pretty proud of herself for being such an understanding girlfriend.  

But she was wrong.

Completely, 100% wrong, from start to finish.  Undyne would have said Alphys didn't have a competitive bone in her body, but she actually had one, just one, and it contained an entire skeleton's worth of condensed competitive energy.

"Oh, sweet!  A racing game?"  Undyne knelt on the floor, digging through a pile of videogames to find one she felt like playing.  They'd recently finished an epic multi-game fantasy dating sim, and its conclusion had left a hole in their schedule that only a new video game could fill.

Alphys leaned over the back of the couch, checking what she held up.  "...oh, right!  I, uh..I really liked that game for a while."

"Who's the mustache gremlin?"

"You d-don't have to play as him, even though he's the one it's named after! There's all sorts of characters!  Princesses, turtle monsters - " Alphys launched into a full description of the character choices while Undyne brought over the game and set things up.

"So don't kick my butt too hard!"  Undyne said, laughing.  "You're an expert, right?"

"Um, I've played...well, I got really into it for a little while, but it was mostly me against the computer which is a completely different experience than playing against a person, obviously, so then I - well, I did find some friends to play with and then...well!  Never mind!  Let's pick characters!"  

"Hell yeah!"

"Maybe you should play against the computer a couple times, to get the hang of the controls?"

"Nah, that's for babies.  Show me what you've got."

Undyne noticed unease flicker across Alphys' features, but passed so quickly Undyne wondered if she had imagined it.

She expected to lose, and she did, handily.  Where did her hands go?  At one point, Undyne almost ripped her controller in half in frustration.  The worst part was she got the impression Alphys was trying to help her. She spotted her start to lean in, and then Alphys leaned back again and suddenly she'd be in second place instead of first.  

But she'd still be the first one across the finish line, every single time.

"Th-thanks, Undyne.  That really took me back," Alphys said.  "Eheh...I used to play too much."

"You won!  I'm proud of you," Undyne said.  

Alphys looked away, just for a second, and then she smiled.  "Yeah!  It was fun!"

Undyne needed to get better.  She only seen the tiniest flicker of the skill Alphys was hiding, and she wanted to see it all.  She wanted to see Alphys struggle to keep up with her.  She wanted to beat her and see her swoon in admiration at a display of skill that she understood and admired.  Screw volleyball!  Screw bowling!  

She was going to get so good at Mario Kart that Alphys was going to fall in love with her all over again.  

She hid her plan from everyone but Papyrus.  He was her training partner.  He thought the game was a silly child's game, at first, but he eventually admired the puzzle-like structure of the racing tracks and looked forward to their friendly competitions.  

"I've been playing that Mario Kart game with Papyrus," Undyne said.  "Just a couple times!  But I think I have a handle on the controls now."

"Oh!  It's really a fun game, right?  More complicated than you think when you start - like there are levels of strategy that - uh, anyway!  Ok!" Alphys took their dinner out of the microwave and brought it into the living room.  Undyne couldn't wait until she showed Alphys how much she'd improved.

Alphys beat her again, immediately.  "You really have a hang of the controls!"

Undyne almost threw her controller through the window.  "Yeah!" she said, through gritted teeth.  "How much did you play this, again?"

"W-well...um." Alphys looked away.  "I don't remember how many hours I logged, but there were a couple months where I probably played....a few hours a day?"

There was absolutely no way Alphys didn't remember the exact number of hours she had played.  That wasn't how Alphys' mind worked.  

"But you're so much better!  Let's play again!"  Was there a light in Alphys' eyes, or was that just the lamp reflecting on her glasses?

-

"I have to beat her," Undyne said, pacing back and forth in Papyrus' kitchen. "I have to run her smug adorable face right off the road!"

"YOU MEAN IN THE GAME."

"No shit! Jeez, Papyrus, what do you take me for?"  She whapped him on the back, laughing, and he fell on the ground.

"YOU CAN GET VERY...COMPETITIVE."

"This is just a friendly girlfriend thing!  I want to kick her ass at this freaking game, and then make her some tea and eat snacks and watch cheesy anime the rest of the night."

"I SEE!  SO THIS IS PART OF SOME ELABORATE DATING RITUAL."

"Uh, yeah, Papyrus.  Step one - complete devastation in Mario Kart.  Step two - we get HITCHED on the BEACH on a MOONLIT NIGHT."

"HOW ROMANTIC! DID YOU BUY A RING?"

"No - ok YES you nerd, but -- ANYWAY, STEP THREE!  I noogie all the huge dorks in the room!"  

"OW, WAIT, BUT WE HAVEN'T REACHED THAT STEP IN THE PROCESS YET."  

-

"W-wow, Undyne, you're really good!"  Alphys said, smiling.  

Alphys had beat her.   Again.  Easily.  

"Alphys, I need you to do something for me," Undyne said.  "I need you to be honest."

"Wh-what? I'm...trying to be honest, all the time!  How could you say that about..."  She trailed off into a long silence, and then she sighed.  "What do you want to know?"

"How much of this game have you played?”

"Oh, god.  Um. Way too much."  She laughed, nervous.  "Do you remember when I was supposed to be working on that project for Mettaton, and I was...sort of.  I, uh, hit a snag and I decided to play a game to try and...loosen up, a bit?  Clear my head.  This was that game.  I got, um, reeeeeally into it.  Partially out of frustration because I still couldn't figure out an answer to his battery issues, but also, I don't know.  It was...fun?"

They had gone on quite a few dates during that time, but Alphys had always seemed tired.  Alphys when she was tired tended to have a frenetic energy, almost a level of desperation underneath everything she did.  Undyne had assumed she was having trouble with her work and was watching a lot of anime.  This wasn't that different.

"It kind of got easy, so I joined a club, and then there was a, uh, tournament, and - "

"Wait!  You were in a competition, and you didn't tell me?"  

"I was supposed to be working!  I felt so guilty!  Every second I wasn't playing, I felt guilty."

"But I would've cheered you on!"

"I...thank you. That would have been nice."  Alphys relaxed.  "I don't know.  Mettaton found out eventually, and he and his cousin and Sans for some reason hosted an intervention, and I haven't played much since then."

All this had happened behind Undyne's back.  "Did you win?"  

"I, uh..." Alphys drew something out of her inventory.  It was a gold statue of the mustache gremlin.

"Holy SHIT, Alphys!"  Undyne hugged her tight.  "I'm so freaking proud of you right now!  That's amazing!  That game is actually really really hard!"  

"You're...p-proud of me?  It's just a...silly game, honestly.  I shouldn't have gotten that into it.  I was just avoiding my problems, again."

"Ok, yeah, but that's still really cool!"

"Is it?"

"I mean, you're a huge nerd!  This is like the ultimate cool thing for huge nerds!"

"Go big or go home, right?"  Alphys giggled.  

"And now that I know I'm going up against a championship winning gamer -"

"It was just a regional - "

"A friggin CHAMPION with a creepy but totally badass statue, I know how much training I have to do to kick your butt!"

"Wh-what?"

"I'm going to win against you so hard you're going to beg me to take your trophy away from you, because you just don't deserve it anymore!"

"What?  Undyne, I earned that!  I spent months - and you think you can just waltz in and play a few games and beat me?"  

There it was.

"YUP!  Maybe you know a bunch of lame strategies, but I have the honed reflexes of a natural warrior!  Once I start to really try -"

"I'll - I'll just beat you again!  You really think you can - are you serious? You have NO idea what you're up against.  I could fall asleep and kick your butt!"

"That's what I want to hear!"  Undyne grabbed her controller.

There was a fire in Alphys eyes.  The desire, no the need to win.  

-

It was a month of regular games before Undyne won her first one.  Alphys had been playing cocky all night, and she finally paid the price for it. Undyne jumped on the couch, ripping the controller right out of its socket and almost throwing the game system onto the floor.  She pumped her arms in the air.

"HELL YEAH! There's a NEW champion in THIS house!"

"Oh, come one, Undyne!  That's one out of, wh-what, a hundred?"  Alphys scrambled to put the system back in order.  "That wasn't skill! That was just luck and I'll prove it to you."

When Alphys won the next one, she clambered up onto the sofa and yelled, "S-suck on th-that!  No one can beat the champion!"

"YEAH!" Undyne jumped up next to her and held her in the air.  Alphys' head almost bumped on the ceiling.  "You're the winner!"  She spun Alphys around until she got queasy.

They put away the controllers for the night.  Undyne made tea and Alphys got some snacks and brought them into the living room.  

"I think I'm going to, um, get sick if I go around the track again tonight," Alphys admitted.

"We were like halfway through that lacrosse anime before we got kind of distracted," Undyne said.

"Oh!  And the team captain was just about to confess something!  I can't believe I forgot."

Undyne grabbed a blanket and tossed it over both of them.  "I just want to know if they're going to win."

"Well, even if they lose, I'm sure it'll be like a moral victory," Alphys said.  

"Screw moral victories," Undyne said.  "I want to see someone get their butt kicked."

Alphys laughed.  She leaned against Undyne's shoulder as the opening theme blared through the living room.  

[thepermanentrainpress]

REVIEW: CONTACT FESTIVAL AT BC PLACE - DEC. 27TH AND 28TH, 2019

Contact Festival is one of the most successful annual festivals in Vancouver. Over the years, it’s moved from Rogers Arena to the larger BC Place and hosted some of the biggest electronic music acts in the world. “Raves” are no longer limited to underground clubs – today, DJs play for tens of thousands of people at stadiums and festivals.

It was a very long event. The doors opened at 5 with music on both stages beginning at 5:20, extending all the way to midnight with minimal breaks. Not everyone attends for the whole seven hours, of course – but even for one day, that’s much longer than a typical concert. You really have to prepare for a big evening, and it’s even more important to stay fueled and hydrated once inside! It’s a hot, draining, crowded function, and keeping energy is essential.

The entire stadium was part of the event. On the floor area was the main stage and dance floor, holding a massive crowd amongst stadium seats and a few tents. However, on the second floor level where restrooms and concession were outside the main event was the “FVDED stage,” hosting a smaller but still crowded mass of people. There was really no escape from the noise – you could hear the pounding bass from both stages anywhere in the building, and for a couple of blocks outside BC Place as well. The upstairs stage had a more upbeat, contemporary, bass-heavy style for most of the evening. The main area’s music tended to be slightly more chill, feeling less like a club and more like an actual event. Performers on the FVDED stage for Night 1 included Kompany, Graves, and G Jones. Although the stage and dance area were much smaller, there were still many lasers and pretty colours flashing for an immersive experience the whole time.

Any crowded event can be difficult to navigate, particularly one with such an intense energy and fanbase as Contact. I was impressed with the crowd: I moved around a lot both days and walking, excusing myself through the people, etc. was never an issue. I didn't witness or experience any aggressive or rude behaviour. I appreciate everyone – not just the audience, but especially the staff and security – who worked to keep the event safe, fun, and accessible. 

Contact is about more than just the artists: it’s an entire experience. People travel for this event and spend hours preparing their outfits, plans, and energy. Amongst the audience, there were lots of costumes, people adorned in glowing/flashing lights, and all sorts of vibrant colours. There were people dressed in Christmas costumes as elves and even Santa. Contact is a big party, and the clothing adds an immersive and distinct element. Every rave will have people dressing up, but only at somewhere like this do you see such a variety and number of stand-outs. Just walking around and taking in the audience visuals is a big part of the fun. 

EDM events are not like concerts. Obviously, the music isn’t being performed live by a band – it is mostly pre-recorded and sampled. Of course, the DJ does still perform – there’s a lot of improvisation in a set and control. It’s more than just pushing a button. Nevertheless, the focus is on the visuals and crowd energy more so than the music, due to its nature. A lot of the music is repetitive; it is mostly pulsing bass, and a lot of the stuff played is actually recorded by a different musician. It’s not something I have a lot of experience in, and thus it was very different from the shows I’m used to. 

On Night 1, the first act I caught on the main stage was Denver-based DJ Said The Sky. His sets are a combo of trap, future bass, and dubstep. All of the music on both nights was pretty intense, but this set was one of the more mellow of the fest. It was slightly ambient, with a mesmerizing/hypnotic effect. He brought a lot of energy to the performance, and lit up the room just as much as the later headliners. The visuals involved a lot of rainbow lasers and flowing clouds.

On afterwards was Dutch DJ San Holo, who continued the trap and future bass set themes of the evening. His visuals were extremely colourful, flooding the entire screen with neon, bright hues, and explosive patterns. He played guitar a lot on stage, adding a live element that really stood out amongst the popping giant patterns—a small figure holding an instrument, against a background of fiery shining flames. It was really cool to watch, and the visuals that personally stood out to me the most. The arena was equipped with pyrotechnic equipment, and San Holo repeatedly used giant sparks to create live explosions on stage – awe-inspiring to an audience now well into the night. It was like watching sparklers dance as a child, except the sparks are 30 feet tall.

Chicago DJ Kaskade was on at 9:15. He’s been a major EDM figure for almost 20 years, and really showed his experience that night. The visuals were distorted, colourful, and aesthetically pleasing. Images of nature like flowers and lightning, roads, and fire were dominant. There were also many subdued hues of Kaskade’s name and shadow in blue and pink. Naturally, there was also use of pyrotechnics – giant actual flames pumping on stage never failed to impress the crowd. This was deep house music, and Kaskade’s expertise means his music was some of the most recognizable of the era. There were many original hits (“Us” and “Atmosphere”), but also a lot of sampling of classic rock songs, unexpectedly. He sampled “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Welcome To The Jungle,” and even “Under The Bridge”—songs you don’t expect to hear at a rave. The audience sang along every time. Out of all the sets of the weekend, this was probably the most engaging in how the actual music seemed to connect to the people there. Most of the sets were about the live experience in the moment – this one seemed to emphasize the actual music best.

The final act and headliner was Major Lazer – fronted by major producer and DJ Diplo, also including a current lineup of Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. There was just so much energy throughout this set. Diplo tours all over the world and has been a part of several EDM groups, and he really brings his all to exciting a crowd. The visuals were many geometric patterns and multi-coloured images, projecting the artist’s name, the audience, and backup dancers. There were all sorts of lasers and images of cartoon drawings, like a DJ with a record or a wall of speakers. Of course, there was some pyro and lasers as well. The backup dancers were very in-tune and well-choreographed. They ran all around the stage area, climbing platforms, touching each other, and twerking in time. It’s not easy to engage that attention when there’s so much music and visuals literally banging around you – they were so good at what they did. I’ve seen backup dancers at rock concerts that weren’t as engaging. 

Major Lazer had the most engagement with the crowd of everyone I saw. There’s a lot of festival experience, and Diplo knows just how to keep people going and keep them motivated. There was never a dull moment – whether it was chants of “I say Major, you say Lazer! MAJOR!,” sampling the bass of “Seven Nation Army,” or reminding us it was the last Friday night of the entire decade. “I know right now that you’re going to have the best f***ing year in 2020!” to roars of applause. 

Day 2:

The FVDED stage included artists such as Wooli, Dabin, and Feed Me. The music ended slightly earlier at 10:00 instead of 10:30 like the night before, but the dance area and music was no less intense.

All the way from Australia was producer Fisher. His house set was engaging musically, but the visuals weren’t nearly as impressive as the other acts. A lot of it was repetitive patterns of his own silhouette or his DJ name mirrored, or just lasers bouncing with nothing on the screen. Some of them were more interesting, projections of shapes and patterns – things like spots, stripes, and fingerprints. They were nice to look at, but the sequences were very repetitive, so it just wasn’t that interesting after a few minutes. A lot of the music was sequestered by a high robotic voice saying “Let’s play it again!” before yet another bass drop. I guess maybe that applied to the visuals as well. It wasn’t a bad set, it just really wasn’t as unique or fun as the others. There were a bit of pyrotechnics near the end for when he played “Losing It,” but nothing very memorable. 

Our own Canadian talent Rezz came next, and her entire set was my highlight of the festival. I wasn’t familiar with her at all before, but heard she puts on an amazing show, and she definitely did not disappoint. At only 24 years old, she’s got two studio albums and is a prominent addition to any festival. She emerged to the ever-present giant flames and blasted the fire many times throughout, and it was just… so cool. Her visuals were themed and very in-tune with the set, instead of seeming almost random like the others. There was a lot of hellfire and church-type imagery, and an animated avatar in goggles (clearly supposed to be Rezz, who was wearing the same goggles on stage) burning things and running. Towards the end were gorgeous cosmic galaxy projections, something I’m surprised not many other DJs incorporated. There was also a disturbing tentacled monster and off-putting geometric patterns, near Lovecraftian imagery. 

A computerized, booming, commanding voice echoed a narrative periodically throughout the set, telling the audience to think about their feelings, to let it all go, and to “relax” – right before another bass drop. It held everyone’s attention and it was a really interesting, unique set. I would love to see her perform again at another fest or headlining show. She was the most interesting and probably the best act of the night – putting male DJs twice her age with many more years of experience to shame!

Closing the fest was one of the biggest DJs in the world, and my main reason for wanting to attend – Tiësto! With a two decade career, he’s performed all over the world and is very prominent in the live EDM scene. I saw him at Pemberton Festival a few years ago and it was amazing, so I was really looking forward to what was coming. Sadly, he was no Rezz. I’m not sure what was different, if it was the indoor setting or the music he chose, but it was just not that fun visually or audibly. There’s energy, and there’s getting the crowd moving, but it never overly impressed. The visuals were pretty forgettable – flashing lights, golden lasers, a lot of flashing of the act’s name in case we forgot who he was. There were animated Minecraft-like sprites when he played “Jackie Chan” (with Dzeko, Preme, and Post Malone rapping) but they were ugly and not very colourful. He sampled other EDM classics like “Titanium” and “Wake Me Up.” There wasn’t even much pyro. 

For a closer and such a respected DJ, I really wanted something more. I don’t know his inner mind, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this set was forgoing anything awe-inspiring for some phoned-in, basic heavy sets and even more basic visuals. When you’re Tiësto, people will come no matter what (I know I did) and I guess you can relax. The man is 50 years old. Not every set can be the best. Everyone still had fun and the music was still nice, and in the end, that is what’s most important… I guess.

Contact is a full experience. It’s unique in its size and scope as a festival, and is one of the largest annual concerts and annual EDM events in the area. It is extremely intense in all aspects and definitely not for everyone. I can recommend it, but only if you know exactly what you’re getting into and if you like this style of music. I’m sure I’m not the only one who was overwhelmed and exhausted afterwards. It’s a fun event… but it’s a lot.

Written by: Cazzy Lewchuk

[ladypjmoon]

BTS FF Reads for July...

Greetings Readers!!!

Sorry this is a few days late—I like to post my reviews during the first week of each month—but it’s summer and I’ve been spending time with friends and family...while enjoying the sun and beautiful weather!  

So, without further delay...here’s my BTS FanFiction recommended reading list for July!!!

Summertime was made for reading and these are some fantastically amazing stories I’ve had the pleasure to read—and, of course, cheerzzz to all these talented writers...and Thank You for sharing your beautiful works of art with the fandom!

­­­__________

01)   Title: Pull Me Closer

Ship:  Yoonmin

Author:  by Willow_Odessa2333

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/11002941

Summary: College!AU where Jimin can’t sleep without listening to a *certain someone’s* channel, and then hears someone in the library that sounds JUST like him, but brushes it off until..... Or in which Jimin meets Yoongi, the voice behind the anonymous live stream host he kind of fell in love with.

My Review: I’m starting you out with a sugary delight that’s so sweet it’ll give you cavities—so remember to brush after reading, lol!  But seriously, this is Yoonmin at their most romantic—full of fluff and feels galore—and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face...so, enjoy!  

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02)   Title: Butterfingers

Ship:  Yoonmin

Author:  by ohdizzy

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/7848391

Summary:  Jimin's life is no fairytale.  But if it was, it'd go something like this.  (Or: the AU in which Jimin is cursed to drop whatever he’s holding every time he sees the person he loves)

My Review: Here’s another Yoonmin gem where Jimin’s lost his creative edge and has a painting project due.  Taehyung decides he needs a muse—enter barista Min Yoongi, covered in tattoos.  The plot is pure love, the twist is Jimin’s cursed by the gods to drop things around the person he loves because he hates love and the friends to lovers ending is predictably cliché but beautifully done!    

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03)   Title: Come First

Ship:  Yoonjin

Author:  by jinified

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/10155545

Summary:  “You could go in there, you know.” Hoseok suggests offhandedly.  “No,” Seokjin says immediately with a dismissive shake of his head, “he told me to never interrupt him when he’s in there.”

“Bullshit.”

“I’m serious! We have an established boundary zone because—”

“Please don’t.”

“—we’re roommates.”

or: Yoongi has been in the studio too long and Seokjin tries to persuade him to leave. It doesn't go quite according to plan.

My Review: This shorty is pure Yoonjin smut and fun while the simplistic plot only adds to the air of humor and believability—I can actually see this happening...oh yes!          

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04)   Title: Dahlia

Ship:  Yoonseok | Sope

Author:  by signifying_nothing

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/8726908

Summary:  witchchild jeongguk accidentally summons a pair of demons

My Review: I find the summary on this fic a little misleading because it’s actually quite a soulful piece of work.  There’s a lot of meat to this one so don’t be surprised by the plot depth and fully developed characters.  Make sure you’re heart, mind and soul are open when you read this one because there’s a fuckton of good questions that are sparked by this basic angel-demon theme.  I loved this story a lot and those of you who like to read unusual story lines will too!!!

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05)   Title:  Daily Smoothies

Ship:  Taekook | Vkook

Author:  by Missmozzie

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/8291000

Summary:  Taehyung likes smoothies, and so does Jeongguk.

My Review: I love awkward Taekook and this is a really cute college au with an added Yoonmin flare...enjoy!

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06)   Title: Eternal

Ship:  Jikook

Author:  by staycute1234

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/6228838

Summary:  Jungkook has been chasing Jimin for centuries.

My Review: This story spans a few hundred centuries following the vampire, Jungkook, as he waits for his soulmate, Jimin, to be continually reborn so they can be together for another human lifetime. There is blood and smut in this story but it’s sensual and not gore—however, if you’re the squeamish sort you might want to refrain from reading this one.  For all you vamp-lovers, this is a fabulous story and a great read!  

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07)   Title: Finally

Ship:  Vmin

Author:  by rosiex

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/10577745

Summary:  In which Jimin and Taehyung finally share their first kiss.

My Review: I adore this story—it’s quick but thorough!  We follow Jimin’s thought process surrounding his first kiss with Taehyung...which is also his first time kissing a boy.  Jimin’s mental dialog is genuine and detailed as he leads the reader through the physical and mental aspects that change his relationship status of his best friend from friend to lover.  This is a great little story with a big emotional footprint!          

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08)   Title: Homefront

Ship:  Namji | Minjoon

Author:  by ACatWhoWrites

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/7998787

Summary:  There were times Jimin felt a lot and didn't feel at all. Times before he was a dad that he'd rather never forget and times he'd rather never think of again. Times when he was alone and choking on ash and slipping in mud made of blood and exposed dirt. Times before dancing with his daughter to animated guitar music and planning dates to pick flowers in the park.

My Review: I don’t normally read fictions that portray BTS members are parents (not my thing) but this one grabbed my heart. This is a multi-layered piece that surrounds a soldier (Jimin) who’s past and military obligations overlap with his life as a single father.  I love the underlying theme of finding love when and where you least expect it...because it reminds the reader there’s always hope!

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09)   Title: Insanity (in G minor)

Ship: Yoonmin

Author:  by neatospiffy

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/9575978

Summary:  Yoongi is a pianist who runs a music shop in a small town. Jimin is his unlikely studentroommate?  the music!au that nobody asked for tbqh heavily inspired by Yoongi's First Love, the piano version of Butterfly, and several Yoonmin fics I've read in the past.

My Review: I have a hard time reading plots about or with child abuse—however, since it was implied, not graphically depicted, I got through it fine.  Most of the fiction revolves around how Jimin comes to live with his piano instructor and how their bond forms over a love of music...eventually, they fall into a romantic relationship.  This is a very touching Yoonmin story that deserves your attention and will reward you with a happy heart in the end!

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10)   Title: Meet The Parents

Ship:  Yoonjin

Author:  by rosiex

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/7851541

Summary:  Yoongi predicts that meeting Seokjin's parents will be a disaster.  He was right.

My Review: An honest and cringe-worthy account of meeting your partner’s parents and knowing they instantly hate you.  I found this story both funny and sad as I suffered through second-hand embarrassment and dreaded the ride home and ensuing fight that had the potential to rip them apart, but doesn’t—with an ending that’s pure Yoongi...at least in my mind.

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11)   Title: Never Judge a Book by its Cover

Ship:  Jikook

Author:  by whenIseeUsmile

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/9841067

Summary:  Thanks to Jungkook's idiot best friend, he drowned the books he borrowed from the library. Now, he has to work there to work off his debt. He doesn't really like the job but that one boy that always has his nose buried in his books makes his days much better.  Or in which Jungkook meets bookworm Jimin and falls harder than he thought he would.

My Review: This story is fabulous!  It has a generous amount of fluff and feels along with a well-structured plot that flows easily, making it a great read—and it doesn’t hurt to that there’s a healthy dose of side Taegi either...can I get an Hell Yeah!

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12)   Title: Passengers

Ship:  Yoonmin

Author:  by unclassified_senpai

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/9180250

Summary:  The spacecraft Starship Avalon is traveling to a distant colony planet, Homestead II, a journey that will take 120 years to complete. The colonists and the entire crew are in Hibernation Pods, but a malfunction awakens one passenger, mechanical engineer Min Yoongi, 90 years too soon.  A YoonMin PassengersAU.

My Review: You all know I’m Yoonmin trash (she said proudly) and this is Yoonmin in epic proportion!  This is a must read!!!  And, if you’re a stalker (like me) you can go read the comments I made throughout the story however, here’s a section of my last comment...

“Seriously, you did a spectacular job on this story and the research you put into it (behind-the-scenes) shows immensely! I love Yoonmin but in this setting...I don't know, there was just something so beautifully quiet and peaceful about the Yoonmin ship that I haven't found in any of my other reading travels. The characters were so truthful and exactly how I see them in my own mind, including all their pain and insecurities--somehow you managed to keep this same quiet echo through the entire series...which is a feat in and of itself. And Namjoon killed me--every chapter watching his body fade and fail was done with honest and painful simplicity...I cried more for Joonie than I did when Yoonmin separated after their misunderstanding.”

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13)   Title: The 8 by 8 Rule

Ship:  Taekook | Vkook

Author:  by Rix

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/7344526

Summary:   Jungkook drinks a lot of water. Taehyung's into it.

My Review: This is another story that won’t be to everyone’s liking so READ the TAGS!  I laughed and blushed my way through this one because Rix’s sex scenes are off the MF hook!  I enjoyed reading this one—but again, I love me some bottom Jungkookie so yeah...don’t read this one in church, lmfao!

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14)   Title: sidereal

Ship:  Vmin

Author:  by darling

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/8029858

Summary:  Here we observe the Earth and the Sun in their natural habitat: each other.

My Review: This story is another with the theme of domestic abuse—it’s heart-wrenching and bittersweet—with a happy ending but I caution you all to READ the TAGS for triggers!  Darling is one of my favorite authors because of the unique perspective, style and voice...so I highly encourage you to read this or any other piece by this fantastic writer!    

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15)   Title: you have 1 new message

Ship:  Namjin

Author:  by bazooka

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/7481172

Summary:  

r u n c h r a n d a.

fuck, this is going to sound like the weirdest shit. okay look i used ur selcas to catfish and this older dude is gonna buy me stuff but i have to send him a selca with a peace sign

~ * ~ pingkeu jin ~ * ~

hahahahahahaha wtf

My Review: This is a long one however, don’t be afraid—it’s written in a texting format so it’s a very fast-paced read.  It’s Namjin centric with the other members contributing here and there but the plot spirals into a suspenseful thriller and has a great ending...that’s sure to put a dimple in your smile! ;)    

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16)   Title: Figuring It Out as We Go

Ship:  Jikook

Author:  by peppermint_wind

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/6078801

Summary:  Jungkook never thought this would happen to him; eighteen years old and questioning everything he used to know. Staying up late watching gay music videos with wide-eyes, phone tucked to his chest, probably isn't helping him much, either, but what is he supposed to do when he realizes seeing two men together makes his whole body ache?

**Based off of Jungkook covering Troye Sivan's, "Fools."

"Jimin’s breathing begins to even, and Jungkook watches his chest rise and fall, steady and slow, like how waves wash up on Busan beaches."

My Review: A very sweet coming about Jungkook discovering and accepting that he’s gay and has feelings for Jimin.  The feels in this story are deep and intense—it’ll make your heart beat faster, ngl!      

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17)   Title: breathing underwater

Ship:  Taekook | Vkook

Author:  by parallels

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/3604374

Summary:  Taehyung meets Jungkook on an impromptu summer road trip to Busan.

My Review: This is an odd little gem that I really love—it’s very poetic and beautiful.  I will mention that Taehyung almost drowns and Jungkook saves him so if this is a trigger for you please be careful as drowning is described with great feeling.    

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18)   Title: describe your ideal type here

Ship:  Sugakookie

Author:  by fruitily

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/11229873

Summary:  he means well. this is what jungkook tells himself when taehyung shoves a sheet of paper in his face at eight in the morning when he’s mechanically shoveling cereal into his mouth at the kitchen table in sort of a dissociative state. TAEHYUNG’S MATCHMAKING SERVICES, it reads at the top in taehyung’s glaring handwriting. jungkook doesn’t even want to read the rest of it.  or: taehyung makes a business out of matchmaking. yoongi smiles at jungkook at a coffee shop and it's really a downwards spiral from there on. both jungkook and yoongi probably need new roommates.

My Review: This story is wonderful!  Sugakookie done well is always a good time but honestly, I absolutely loved Vmin in this one.  The fact that you never know for sure if Vmin is a couple through the entire story is delightful and fun! Definitely read this one!!!    

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19)   Title: Good Job (with a G and a J)

Ship:  Namseok

Author:  by taetaetiger (sexyvanillatiger)

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/8045644

Summary:  “Good, Hoseok," Namjoon says. "That’s exactly right. Very good.” Oh. Oh, Hoseok thinks. Oh, he feels crawling down his spine. Oh, he sits higher in his seat. Oh, he tightens his legs together and feels a rush through his stomach, through the insides of his thighs, through his groin. Oh.

My Review: A college au story with brilliant Namjoon tutoring Hoseok at Seokjin’s request.  This story is cute, funny and all-around a good read so add it to your summer reading list!    

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20)   Title: when the lights go out (run away with me)

Ship:  Sugamon

Author:  by JemKay

Link:  http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/5690152

Summary:  Yoongi’s soft when he’s tipsy, softer when he’s cold, and softest when Namjoon says “I

love you.”

My Review: God this story is “Chick-flick-central” and so worth your time an effort—Namjoon is precious and Yoongi is his spitfire-self that melts in Joonie’s hands—this is a beautiful love story...so check it out!  

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Alright, that wraps up my listing for July—it’s a long one because it’s summer and most of you have extra free time on your hands...I know I do!!!  So, hope these keep a smile on your face during daylight hours by the pool, lake or beach!

As always, let me know if you’ve fallen in love with a certain story and send me the link so I can check it out!!!

Happy Reading and see you all next month!  

^___^  PJ

[xseedgames]

Little King’s Story PC Relaunch - Guest Blog

Hi everyone,

So we’re very happy to have a guest blog entry today from Peter Thoman, better known as “Durante” in gaming circles. Rather than a lengthy intro explaining why, I’ll let his own words below do the talking, so we hope you enjoy it.

Ken Team Leader @ XSEED Games

A few months back Ken Berry of XSEED contacted me to ask whether I could do anything about the issues with their Little King’s Story port. Despite hearing good things about the game, I hadn’t really followed that particular PC version, since a lot of other titles were released around the same time and it’s not really my genre. Still, I was intrigued to see what was wrong with it, and delighted at how Ken was able to provide me with the source code for the game without too much bureaucracy.

Initial Impression

Before going into the details of how I improved the port, I want to remark on the difficulty of this project for the original team who worked on it. After receiving the source, it was immediately clear that this was not a simple port. Little King’s Story was built on a custom engine designed from the ground up for this particular game, and its particular original target platform (the Wii). Clearly, during its development, it was seen as a one-off project that would be done once it ships, and portability or maintainability were secondary concerns.

In any case, I quickly figured out that the largest issues with the port were overall performance, intermittent stuttering, and a whole host of issues with the 60 FPS mode, and decided to tackle these in order.

Overall Performance

First, I removed the frame limiter to more easily investigate performance issues. Even on my high-end system, I only measured roughly 80 FPS in the overworld area at the start of the game. Basic profiling revealed that it was entirely CPU-bound, and I assumed this was not going to be caused by the original Wii code, given that it ran acceptably on a ~700 MHz processor.

This assumption turned out to be correct after more in-depth profiling: the vast majority of the game’s CPU time was spent interacting with the DX9 API. I won’t go into the full details here, but the crucial point is that many individual objects induced a state change of the rendering pipeline, with its associated CPU overhead. I decided to tackle the issue by implementing various caches (for passes and materials) which prevent state changes unless they are necessary. After a bit of tweaking, this lead to a performance of around 123 FPS in the same testing area, an improvement by more than 50%. More could be done - like always in optimization - but since the game is limited to 60 FPS at most anyway I decided to move on to another issue.

Intermittent Stuttering

On a high-end CPU, stuttering was actually a more fundamental problem than the performance overhead discussed above. While moving around in the world, every few seconds the game would noticeably drop one or even more frames. First, I thought that the culprit could be some timing issue, and while improving the frame sleeping logic helped by making the game play feel better, it still didn’t eliminate the major stuttering.

Profiling an intermittent stuttering issue such as this is far more difficult than working on overall performance. Sampling-based evaluation is almost useless, and that’s by far the most developed category of tools. Ultimately, I resorted to using Nvidia NSight and its integration library, and manually narrowed down candidates for causing stutter by marking individual regions in each frame execution. A somewhat time-consuming process, but it paid off:

In this image, the colorful stacks indicate the stutter causes I ultimately tracked down, and the lower half shows a similar sequence after dealing with the underlying issue. Note that the marked regions, which previously could take up 2 to 3 frames, are now in the 0 to 2 millisecond range. To give you a more visual idea of the improvements I’ve created this comparison video.

Issues with 60 FPS

Offering 60 FPS - or, much better, support for completely arbitrary framerates - is a common demand for PC versions of games, and one I fully agree with. In quite a few cases where it is not offered, mods later demonstrated that the effort to do so would have been very small for the developer, and that the only reason it was not provided is a lack of care for the PC version.

Little King’s Story is not such a case. There are many reasons for this, here are just a small subset of them:

1.     The game does not have a unified system for handling time or animation speed. Many modules act independently of each other, and often time-specific information is encoded in places where it would not be expected.

2.     The central NPC simulation code assumes that it can pre-compute how long it will take (in frames) for an NPC to complete an action, such as moving to another location.

3.     Some bosses, enemies and scenes are moved or designed in custom scripts, which use a custom virtual machine and instruction set that is not intended to share framerate information.

 My initial goal was to provide arbitrary framerate support, but point 2 in the list above makes that an infeasible goal. It would basically require rewriting large parts of the simulation, which makes up a significant portion of the entire game’s ~1 million line codebase.  Given that, I shifted to the goal of making locked 60 FPS work as well as possible.

The original port fixed the speed of most NPC animation sequences, but left many other hardcoded animations, and even the gameplay-relevant time progression rate untouched at 60 FPS (resulting in double speed).

I employed a side-by-side 60/30 FPS setup as shown above, and chipped away at framerate-dependent speed mismatches little by little. In the end, I managed to fix the simulation speed, the speed of many hardcoded object animations (such as trees or grass), and the movement speed of NPCs and animals.

However, the custom scripting system used for some boss battles and scripted scenes, point (3) in the list above, still prevents the 60 FPS mode from being perfect throughout the game. However, unlike the initial release, 60 FPS is playable (and a huge improvement in smoothness) during the majority of the gameplay. As a workaround for the remaining situations, I’ve implemented a 30 FPS toggle for the 60 FPS mode, which is engaged using the “F1” key. Note that this comes with some issues due to point (2) above: animations already in progress at the moment the framerate is toggled will run at an incorrect speed until the next movement starts.

 Graphics, Launcher and Control Improvements - What I Wasn’t Asked For

While working on the game, I noticed a few things which would significantly improve the visual quality and not really take too much time to implement. So I did. This include multi-sample anti-aliasing (MSAA), anisotropic filtering, transparency supersampling and a few other minor tweaks.

The most complex addition was creating an option for more shadow casters, including trees and grass. I found the lack of tree shadows a bit disappointing given that other objects cast dynamic shadows, so I added this as a (somewhat CPU-heavy) option. While I was at it I also added an option for soft shadows, to better fit with the soft dropshadows cast by NPCs.

Of course, I also had to add options for these features, and since the original launcher was not particularly extensible I replaced it with a new one. As a personal preference I also re-implemented options to be stored as XML rather than in a custom binary format, and added a lot of information about each option in order to hopefully make their impact more clear.

Finally, while playtesting the controls of the game always felt a bit “off” to me. Even though I was playing with an analog gamepad, movement was restricted to 8 directions, which in particular makes precise directional aiming (a significant gameplay component) more cumbersome than it needs to be. To solve this situation, I added support for analog directional controls for Xinput controllers.

Conclusion

The new version of Little King’s Story should perform significantly better on all systems, most sources of significant stutter should be eliminated, and the 60 FPS mode now provides an accurate (and smoother compared to 30 FPS) experience except in some scripting-related cases. Furthermore, the game now features additional graphics options to make better use of high-performance GPUs, and can be more precisely controlled with analog gamepads.

While I couldn’t achieve everything I initially wanted to - arbitrary FPS and even a completely perfect 60 FPS mode prove intractable for this game - I’m happy that XSEED gave me the chance to contribute a lot more directly and meaningfully to the quality of this PC port.

   *  *  *

So Ken with XSEED again here. To celebrate this relaunch of Little King’s Story, we are running a week-long 40% off sale on Steam and The Humble Store starting right now. Though these enhancements only apply to the Steam build at the moment, we plan on applying them to our DRM-free and GOG Galaxy builds soon, so just hang tight for a little while longer and those builds will be updated too.

Thanks to everyone for your patience and ongoing support, and we hope you enjoy the new and improved Little King’s Story for Windows PC.

Ken