#importance of mobile app development

[app-web-developers]

An Insightful Blog: The Importance of Custom Mobile App Development

This blog explains why building a unique mobile app can be a crucial for your business. It shows the importance of custom mobile app development and how it can meet specific needs, improve efficiency, and give you an edge over competitors.

Discover how tailored apps can boost customer satisfaction and drive business success. For more detailed info, get in touch with us today!

[v2softunofficial]

Embracing the Transformative Mobility Landscape in Mobile App Development

The mobile app landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Gone are the days of static, one-size-fits-all applications. Today's users crave dynamic, personalized experiences that seamlessly integrate with their on-the-go lifestyles. This transformative trend, known as the mobile app development service, presents both exciting opportunities and strategic challenges for businesses.

This blog explores the concept of mobility in app development, outlining a step-by-step approach for B2B businesses to navigate this evolving landscape. We'll delve into the trade-offs involved, discuss the challenges associated with different approaches, and explore V2Soft's unique perspective on maximizing the transformative power of mobility.

Understanding Mobility in App Development

Before diving into specific strategies, let's solidify our understanding of mobility in the context of app development. In essence, mobility refers to the ability of an app to adapt and respond to a user's context. This context can encompass various factors such as:

Location: Imagine a ride-hailing app that automatically detects your current location and suggests nearby drivers.

Time: A fitness app might adjust its workout recommendations based on the time of day.

Device: An e-commerce app could optimize its layout for different screen sizes and operating systems.

User Behavior: A music streaming app could curate personalized playlists based on a user's listening history.

The Importance of App Development:

By incorporating these contextual elements, mobile apps become more intuitive, engaging, and ultimately, valuable. This translates to a range of benefits for businesses:

Enhanced Customer Engagement: Mobility fosters deeper connections with users by offering real-time, personalized experiences.

Increased Operational Efficiency: Location-based services can streamline logistics for field service companies or delivery businesses.

Improved Data Collection: Apps can gather valuable user data that can be used to refine marketing strategies and product development.

Competitive Advantage: A well-designed mobile app can differentiate your brand and attract a wider customer base.

Embracing Mobility: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here's a breakdown of the key steps to consider when integrating mobility features into your mobile app development agency's (Mobile App development agency) approach:

Step 1: Identify User Needs

The foundation of any successful mobile app lies in a deep understanding of your target audience. Conduct thorough user research to identify their needs, preferences, and pain points. By understanding their on-the-go behaviors and expectations, you can determine the most impactful mobility features to prioritize.

Step 2: Prioritize Contextual Factors

Once you understand user needs, analyze which contextual factors will have the greatest impact on their experience. Location and device compatibility are often key considerations. However, depending on your industry, factors like time and user behavior might also play a crucial role.

Step 3: Choose the Right Approach

There are several ways to integrate mobility into your app:

Native Development: This approach creates apps specific to each operating system (iOS, Android). While offering the best performance and user experience, it can be more expensive and time-consuming.

Hybrid Development: This method utilizes a single codebase that can be deployed across platforms. It's a cost-effective option, but might have limitations in terms of functionality.

Cross-Platform Development: Frameworks like React Native allow developers to build apps that work on both Android and iOS with a single codebase. This offers a balance between cost, performance, and development time.

The Trade-Offs and Challenges

Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. It's crucial to weigh the trade-offs based on your specific needs and budget. Additionally, embracing mobility introduces new challenges:

Complexity: Implementing location-aware features or integrating with third-party services can add complexity to the development process.

Security: Maintaining tight security measures is critical when collecting and utilizing user data.

Performance Optimization: Mobile apps should function seamlessly regardless of network connectivity or device limitations.

V2Soft's Approach to Mobile App Development

At V2Soft, we understand the transformative power of mobility in app development. Our team of experienced developers works closely with clients to identify the most impactful features and select the optimal development approach based on your budget and business objectives. We prioritize:

User-Centric Design: We prioritize user needs by incorporating intuitive features that leverage the context of the user's situation.

Security First: Our development process prioritizes robust security measures to protect user data.

Performance Optimization: We strive to create apps that function flawlessly across different devices and network conditions.

Embrace Mobility, Empower Your Business

The mobile application development landscape is constantly evolving, and

the ability to adapt your app to this changing landscape is crucial for success. By embracing mobility in app development, you can create a dynamic and engaging experience for your users, ultimately propelling your business forward.

Summary

This blog has explored the concept of mobility in app development, outlining a step-by-step approach for B2B businesses to navigate this transformative landscape. We've discussed the trade-offs involved, explored the challenges associated with different approaches, and highlighted V2Soft's commitment to maximizing the transformative power of mobility in your mobile app.

[wpbunch2023]

Benefits of Mobile Apps for Businesses

Are you looking for the benefits of mobile applications in business? The benefits of mobile apps for businesses and customers must be noticed. It has to build brand loyalty, offer a pleasant user experience, improve your brand awareness and be creditable in the eyes of your customers. For more information visit our blog!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş for Politico Magazine:

American democracy is about to undergo a serious stress test. I know how it feels, in part because I lived through the slow and steady march of state capture as a journalist working in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey. Over a decade as a high-profile journalist, I covered Turkey’s descent into illiberalism, having to engage in the daily push and pull with the government. I know how self-censorship starts in small ways but then creeps into operations on a daily basis. I am familiar with the rhythms of the battle to reshape the media, state institutions and the judiciary. Having lived through it, and having gathered some lessons in hindsight, I believe that there are strategies that can help Democrats and Trump critics not only survive the coming four years, but come out stronger. Here are six of them.

1. Don’t Panic — Autocracy Takes Time

President-elect Donald Trump’s return to power is unnerving but, as I have argued previously, America will not turn into a dictatorship overnight — or in four years. Even the most determined strongmen face internal hurdles, from the bureaucracy to the media and the courts. It took Erdoğan well over a decade to fully consolidate his power. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Poland’s Law and Justice Party needed years to erode democratic norms and fortify their grip on state institutions.

I am not suggesting that the United States is immune to these patterns, but it’s important to remember that its decentralized system of governance — the network of state and local governments — offers enormous resilience. Federal judges serve lifetime appointments, states and governors have specific powers separate from those granted federally, there are local legislatures, and the media has the First Amendment as a shield, reinforced by over a century of legal precedents. Sure, there are dangers, including by a Supreme Court that might grant great deference to the president. But in the end, Donald Trump really only has two years to try to execute state capture. Legal battles, congressional pushback, market forces, midterm elections in 2026 and internal Republican dissent will slow him down and restrain him. The bottom line is that the U.S. is too decentralized in its governance system for a complete takeover. The Orbánization of America is not an imminent threat.

2. Don’t Disengage — Stay Connected

[...]

Nothing is more meaningful than being part of a struggle for democracy. That’s why millions of Turks turned out to the polls and gave the opposition a historic victory in local governments across Turkey earlier this year. That’s how the Poles organized a winning coalition to vote out the conservative Law and Justice Party last year. It can happen here, too. The answer to political defeat is not to disconnect, but to organize. You can take a couple of days or weeks off, commiserate with friends and mute Elon Musk on X — or erase the app altogether. But in the end, the best way to develop emotional resilience is greater engagement.

[...]

4. Charismatic Leadership Is a Non-Negotiable

One lesson from Turkey and Hungary is clear: You will lose if you don’t find a captivating leader, as was the case in 2023 general elections in Turkey and in 2022 in Hungary. Coalition-building or economic messaging is necessary and good. But it is not enough. You need charisma to mobilize social dissent. [...]

Last year’s elections in Poland and Turkey showcased how populist incumbents can be defeated (or not defeated, as in general elections in Turkey in 2023) depending on the opposition’s ability to unite around compelling candidates who resonate with voters. Voters seek authenticity and a connection — give it to them.

5. Skip the Protests and Identity Politics

Soon, Trump opponents will shake off the doldrums and start organizing an opposition campaign. But how they do it matters. For the longest time in Turkey, the opposition made the mistake of relying too much on holding street demonstrations and promoting secularism, Turkey’s version of identity politics, which speaks to the urban professional and middle class but not beyond. [...]

6. Have Hope

Nothing lasts forever and the U.S. is not the only part of the world that faces threats to democracy — and Americans are no different than the French, the Turks or Hungarians when it comes to the appeal of the far right. But in a country with a strong, decentralized system of government and with a long-standing tradition of free speech, the rule of law should be far more resilient than anywhere in the world. Trump’s return to power certainly poses challenges to U.S. democracy. But he will make mistakes and overplay his hand — at home and abroad. America will survive the next four years if Democrats pick themselves up and start learning from the successes of opponents of autocracy across the globe.

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, who had first-hand experience with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s authoritarianism in her native Turkey as a journalist, wrote in Politico Magazine on how to effectively fight Donald Trump’s authoritarian impulses.

[whetstonefires]

After seeing your weatherbugapp reblog i installed duckduckgo and tried it.

I don't know much about technology tbh but i downloaded this app less than 30 mins ago and in that time google tried to track me 112 times?? And they tried to collect finger prints? And my first and last name? And my gender? And my country, state and city? My gps coordinates? My postal code? My network carrier? My fricking battery level for whatever reason? Can you please tell me if this is normal at all, because i'm freaking out right now. I just turned 18 and started using mobile banking and stuff and this shit scares me

Why tf does it need to know my screen density???my system volume????my charging status????? What tf are they cooking

Now it's at 476 tracking attempts bro???? barely 5 mins passed.....

I condensed your three asks into one for readability!

And yeah, I'm very far from an expert about any of this, but as far as I know that's just. Normal. That's the normal amount of spying they're doing on your phone. I assume the numbers we see are to some extent because having been foiled, a lot of these scripts try repeatedly, since I can't imagine what use thousands of trackers per phone would be even to the great aggregators.

Tracking the phone stuff like screen resolution and battery level is because (apart from that definitely not being considered remotely 'private' so it's Free Real Estate) in aggregate that data can be used to track what phone use patterns are like on a demographic scale and therefore. Where the smart money is.

Almost all of this is getting sold in bulk for ad targeting and market analysis. This does presumably make it very hard to notice when like. Actually important stuff is being spied on, which is why I feel better about Having Apps with the duckduckgo app blocker thing.

My bank's app reportedly sells data to a couple aggregators including Google. Not like, my banking info, but it's still so offensive on principle that I avoid using the app unless I have to, and force stop it afterward.

The patterns that show up on the weekly duckduckgo blocker report are interesting. Hoopla attempts about two orders of magnitude more tracking than Libby, which makes sense because they're a commercial streaming service libraries pay by the unit for access, while Libby is a content management software run by a corporation that values its certification as a 'B' company--that is, one invested in the public good that can be trusted. The cleanness of their brand is a great deal of its value, so they have to care about their image and be a little more scrupulous.

Which doesn't mean not being a little bit spyware, because everything is spyware now. Something else I've noticed is that in terms of free game apps, the polished professional stuff is now much more invasive than the random kinda janky thing someone just threw together.

Back in the day you tended to expect the opposite, because spyware was a marginal shifty profit-margin with too narrow a revenue stream to be worth more to an established brand than their reputation, but now that everyone does it there's not a lot of reputation cost and refraining would be sacrificing a potential revenue stream, which is Irresponsible Conduct for a corporation.

While meanwhile 'developing a free game app to put on the game store' is something a person can do for free with the hardware they already have for home use, as a hobby or practice or to put on their coding resume. So while such apps absolutely can be malicious and more dangerous when they are than The Big Brand, they can also be neutral in a way commercial stuff no longer is. Wild world.

But yeah for the most part as far as I can make out, these are just The Commercial Panopticon, operating as intended. It's gross but it probably doesn't indicate anything dangerous on an individual level.

[ocsgsupportgroup]

OC Support Group -- Support Account

Due to the size of the community, it is no longer possible for moderators (especially the owner) to answer every DM. Please address all community-related questions to this account, so that a mod who is free can answer it.

Anonymous questions are enabled in case you are shy to ask something general, but we will be able to help you better if we know who you are :)

Before asking, please read the Community Rules, the Sexual Content Clarifications (if relevant), and the ⇓⇓⇓ FAQ below the cut! ⇓⇓⇓

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Rule Rationale ("Why does this rule exist?") Masterpost

Q. Why was my post removed?

All removals come with a notice that can be found in your Tumblr notifications. If you are using the mobile app and do not see a notice, try checking your notifications on the mobile browser or on desktop (although this bug should have been fixed now).

90% of the posts we removed are removed for not being tagged correctly.

Q: I don't get the tag rule.

Your username must be included in the tags of your post, exactly as it appears. For example: if my username is "us3rn4-me", I will put the hashtag #us3rn4-me in the tag section of the post. Tag variations, such as #us3rn4m3, #username, or #us3r's art are not acceptable. Including your username in the body of the post is not acceptable. If you are reblogging to the community instead of posting to it directly, the tag must be on the reblog, or it will not show in to the community. Incorrect tagging is not a strike, and you may reupload the post; however, repeated incorrect tagging after being corrected may be counted as a strike.

Q: What counts as an OC for the purposes of this community?

We define OC as an original character that has an original design and is being developed in some way. Canon characters are not allowed because they are not original designs, even if heavily headcanoned. Direct, unedited "expys" or otherwise stolen designs are not allowed, because they are not original designs. "Design-only" or "illustration-only" designs are not allowed, because they are not being developed as characters--this includes adoptables you have made to sell. Adoptables, customs, or other original designs that you now OWN and are actively developing are allowed. Original characters set within an existing universe or piece of media are allowed (although art of them may not include canon characters). Original characters that fill a "sona" role but still have their own accompanying character elements are allowed. Original characters whose story is not fully fleshed out, but who still have personalities and other such elements, are allowed. Art of original elements that exist to serve your characters may also be posted; This includes character-important props, original world landscapes, character pets, or breakdowns of original species.

Q: Can I post art of other people's OCs?

You can post art you have made for other members in the community if you ping them; you may not post art of original characters that are owned by users outside the community. If unsure, you can search the members list. Feel free to invite the user to the community :)

Q: Can I post art other people made for me?

You cannot post art other people have made for you. This includes not posting art made in a Picrew, regardless of tweaks to the photo. This includes not posting images made in a videogame character creator. 3d character creators, like Vroid, can only be posted if you are using custom/self-made assets.

Q: Can I portray nonsexual nudity? Can I portray characters in underwear, nonsexually?

You may post images containing undergarments in a nonsexual context, although if the image could be interpreted as suggestive by the moderators, it should be under a read-more cut. You may post nonsexual nudity under a read-more cut--if moderators find the nudity posted to be sexual, the post will be removed regardless of the cut.

Q: How can I verify if my art is 'too violent' or 'too suggestive' to post?

Try to consider if the work could fit under a PG-13 rating, or generally, if it would be acceptable to show to a 16 year old. If you are uncertain, it should definitely go under a read-more cut. If you are uncertain if it is even acceptable then, you may not want to post it. Mods can review content for you if you submit it to this question blog, but it is de-prioritized, and responses may be slow. Please link the original post on your blog (or the image hosted somewhere), rather than submitting an image.

This post will continue to be expanded as questions roll in.

[chyurro]

How many versions of Red are there? And which one is your favorite?

Also here are some cat photos because you're cool

Hoo boy. Theres alot of versions. Uhh where to starrttt.

Okay so game red

Red from pokemon games red and blue. Also games gold and silver and crystal. He is 10 in red/blue, and about 13-14 in gold/silver/crystal. Indigo league champion. One of, if not the strongest trainer in his time. He is mute, and doesn't speak, only says "..." (real bro, me too) i really like this version of Red.

This is Red in his reappearance in Firered and Leafgreen. This red is sorta different than the previous red, though they are both from the games. Since this ver if red is strictly the player character (you) he can technically be characterized however. His design is supposed to look more mature than the prev Red, which i think they do a good job of.

This is red from smash bros ultimate. NOT to be confused with Red from firered and leafgreen. This one is weird, im not a big fan of this version. He is called Pokemon trainer in these games and his voice irks me. I Dont like playing as him in smash. He doesn't have a pikachu.

Now we have Red from pokemon masters (the mobile app) this is a sort of version of his Firered/Leafgreen version. Except he is characterized, and not the player character. He doesn't talk much from my knowledge, mostly mute. But i do know he says this classic line; "... ... ... ... words are unnecessary!" Ahhh, a classic, i reference that line all the time. This Red version also has a different outfit, his sygna suit (thats the pic above!). This outfit is infamous because of the edgy flame pants. He also has other outfits in the game, they look pretty neat, look em up bc i have image limit. (Note, i have not played this game, soo i might be missing stuff, im not too sure.)

Now this is one of my favorites!! This is Red in pokemon sun/moon. He is the boss battle of the alolan battle tree, along with Blue! He is visiting alola for the reason that he and blue were invited to be boss of the battle tree. However, people headcanon he is on his honeymoon with Blue in alola, too. And honestly fuck yeah why not.

This is Red in his minor appearance in lets go pikachu and eevee. He is not the player in this game, but rather hes a sort of post game boss fight. I personally like this version, i think it looks visually appealing, but other than that i dont much care for this red. Hes around 10ish in these games.

THIS is Red from pokemon origins. I never watched origins anime belive it or not. I personally dont like this red. He takes the red out of red. My sister has watched origins and she really likes it tho, so ill leave him alone...

This is a sort of version of red in a niche manga. I dont like this red at all. He is downright weird.

now THIS is the BEST Red. Red from pokemon special/adventures manga!! I am not biased, this Red is the best one, also my favorite. He is so perfect. I could write several essays about this dork and still wanna write more. His design is more based on the OG red from red/blue games. Except hes cute. Adorable, even. Everyone agrees this one is the cutest. He is a little...overlooked. sometimes people mingle this reds character with OG reds character, when they are so totally different. He has his own personality and plot that is way different from how game Red is. I love everything about this Red. (Sometimes when im bored i recite and analyze all the different ways hes drawn and his change of outfits and character development/growth in each manga. Its fun.)

Anyway thats all the important ones!! And NO i didn't forget his appearances in the Heartgold and Soulsilver games, it is just so similar to OG Red, just a different sprite.

Also ur cats are really cute, tell em i said meow . Thanks for the ask!!!!!!!!

In order of favorite to least favorite id sayyy

1.Pokespe Red

2.OG Red

3.Alolan Red

4.Firered/leafgreen Red

5.Lets go Red

6.Masters Red

7.Origins Red

7.Smash Red

8.Pocket monsters Red

[enki2]

The more persistent control you have over a device, the more you and the device adapt to each other, becoming a more effective group organism. The higher the input and output bandwidth of the interface (i.e., the greater the number of distinct ways you can interact with it / it can respond to you), the faster the system can adapt.

So, the horse metaphor makes perfect sense: your desktop ships with a real keyboard on which you can probably do 300 WPM without blocking part of the display, and has a display that can hold half a dozen legible non-overlapping windows. If you have a screwdriver, you can open it up and replace basically any part. Even without a screwdriver, you can generally out of the box persistently dramatically change the UI settings to fit the needs of your environment (light vs dark mode, font size and style). You can stick linux on & that opens up a lot more. On a desktop computer, it's possible for a motivated 10 year old of average intelligence to progress from normal computer use to writing non-trivial application software for their own use within a couple years -- I am proof, & I'm far from alone.

Tablets are on the opposite end of the spectrum: simplified, locked down. The user does not collaborate with the tablet; instead, the tablet has only those affordances that channel the user's behavior into habits the developers of the tablet software consider desirable.

Mobile & web achieved the dream of proprietary software people: user-facing software that the user can't even disassemble because the important parts aren't accessible; since they did this through physical distance rather than the legal system, they can profit from other people's open source software too, circumventing many of the restrictions intended to keep improvements folded back into the community or to limit commercial use. But the side effect of this is that it gives professional computer touchers much more control over regular people's computers: not only can you not fix bugs in someone else's web app yourself, but you can't refuse to upgrade to a version that's a worse fit for your purposes. Where desktop computing encouraged the development of communities of amateur computer hobbyists who, together, would adapt or create alternatives to things that didn't work right (as well as creating lots of interesting, funny, unnecessary stuff that can only be classified as Art -- little games and toys, elaborate shitposts, weird mods and skins), mobile does not. The only thing you need to make your desktop computer do something brand new is a desktop computer, the software development tools & documentation that ship with the OS, and some free time -- you don't even need an internet connection; developing for web or mobile also functionally requires a desktop, on top of your mobile device for mobile (and if it's an iPhone you gotta have a Mac & pay Apple $99/year), & for web you need to pay for hosting and a domain name.

[flutteragency]

How Custom Software Solutions Drive Business Growth in the USA

The modern and rapidly developing world requires more than simple tools and programmes to succeed in the pursuit of commercial goals. Custom software solutions are slowly and steadily becoming indispensable tools for business organisations throughout the USA. Custom solutions involve developing new or modifying existing programs to fit the particular needs of an organisation, and this brings numerous benefits that can unlock the key to growth and success for businesses as opposed to generic software packages that can be bought off the shelves.

The Growing Need for Custom Software in Modern Businesses

Nowadays, the use of technology has greatly impacted the activity of enterprises. Since the turn of the year, there have been changes in technology, and firms have no option but to embrace these changes. Nevertheless, packaged software solutions are somewhat limited and may not meet various enterprises’ disparate needs. This is where custom software solutions come into the picture. In 2024, the global Application Development Software market is expected to earn $182.70 billion, with the most revenue coming from the United States.

Custom software development companies provide an opportunity to develop applications and systems that suit the particular needs of an enterprise. From a procedural point of view, custom software can be very effective when it comes to cutting costs, offering a better customer experience and increasing the efficiency of internal processes. This is especially the case in the USA market, where all companies, irrespective of their size, have embraced this technology as a tool that gives them a competitive edge.

The most popular reason why companies decide to purchase custom software is the requirement of their adaptable nature. Sometimes, these software needs may change with the growth of the company and the roles that are played in it. Because custom software is not a rigid solution that cannot be updated structurally to meet the needs of a growing and changing business, the business can be assured that it will stay relevant in the market. This has been pivotal, especially in the current world of business, where customer demand and industries are ever-evolving.

Understanding the Importance of Custom Software

Addressing Specific Business Needs

The processes and issues that occur in one business are different from the processes and issues in another, and every business has goals to meet. This kind of software is intended to have a broad application; hence, it may not fit the operations of your business as required. While off-the-shelf software comes with its own benefits, custom software is designed with your business in mind. It’s designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing processes, enhancing efficiency and productivity.

For instance, a retail company may need a specialised POS that has to merge with its inventory and CRM software. Off-the-shelf solutions might not be capable of providing such a level of integration, which could result in inefficiencies and errors. Custom software helps many aspects of the business run smoothly since it eliminates many odd jobs that individuals must do between programs.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency

This makes efficiency a very important aspect of any Generative AI development company that continues to thrive. This means that the degree of organisation of a business enhances productivity and reduces costs when the business becomes more efficient. It is, however, important to recognise that custom software development is usually intended to enhance business processes and efficiencies. By replacing inefficient manual processes that require several steps to complete, custom software is able to greatly decrease the time and effort needed for different processes.

Suppose a manufacturing company exists that requires information on how to plan its production, store its stock, and assess the quality of its products. Pre-existing software can sometimes need key entries as well as constant modification that can slow things down and even cause mistakes. At the same time, custom software can automate these processes and provide real-time updates and clean and accurate data. This not only saves time but also minimises the chances of making costly mistakes that may prove expensive to clients.

Improving Customer Experience

In the modern world, where customers are kings, it is critically vital to deliver the best customer experience that will retain customers and influence growth. It shows that the role of custom software in developing customer interactions is immense, as it can provide optimised experiences. From an e-commerce site to a mobile app to a specific kind of customer relationship management system, custom software can aid companies in improving the way they deal with clients.

For example, an organisation that provides financial services can incorporate custom software in the provision of investment advisory services, depending on the background of the clients. It is difficult to achieve these levels of personalisation with generic software due to the fact that it is intended for use by many different individuals. One of the advantages of these kinds of solutions is that they make businesses closer to their customers, which makes the customers stick to the specific business.

Key Benefits of Custom Software Development:

1. Tailored to Specific Needs: Custom software in 2024 is developed to meet your specific needs of operation, and hence, there is always a perfect fit for your business needs.

2. Enhanced Security: Custom-made software is secured, as it is developed with integrated security measures specific to the needs of the business to minimise risks and safeguard important information.

3. Scalability: Custom software development is ideal since it is scalable and can meet any change in your business needs, as it can easily support the addition of new features.

4. Competitive Advantage: Bespoke is implemented because it offers specific aspects that make your business different from others within the marketplace.

5. Better Integration: Custom software is a creation that can fit well into existing structures and systems by optimising its functionality.

6. Cost-Effectiveness: While they might initially cost more to develop, custom software will likely pay for itself over time by centralising functions and avoiding having to use multiple canned products.

7. Improved Customer Experience: Custom software creates several interaction points with the customer, and the customer is satisfied and stays loyal to the product.

8. Flexibility: Custom software can be an excellent solution for development because such software is scalable, which means that it can be modified to suit the ever-evolving nature of business.

9. Long-Term Support and Maintenance: Custom software can be modified as needed in the future and whenever it is required and requires periodic technical updating.

10. Higher Return on Investment (ROI): This is because custom software enables organisations to simplify workflow, secure data, and manage their customers in ways that increase the overall Return on investment in the long run.

Key Considerations for Custom Software Development

Cost-Benefit Analysis: As for the PLUS factors, let us also state that, while they might be more costly compared to the off-the-shelf models in the initial stages, they have proven to provide great benefits over the long run in the form of performance optimisation, decreased manual work, and better applicability to business requirements. When the totality of the costs involved has been determined, you can then make a decision on whether it would be beneficial.

Resource Allocation and Expertise: Some of the key aspects of developing custom software are that there will always be a need to involve human resources such as software developers, software designers, and project managers. If these resources are not available in your business, it is crucial to collaborate with a software development company with the right expertise. Select a potent partner with skills and experience in developing apps so that the process runs smoothly.

Defining Business Requirements: First of all, it is important that your needs are clearly stated as they give clear guidance to how the project should be executed. It is crucial to note that without guaranteed minimum specifications, the software may not deliver the expected results. Still, make sure you let your development team know your goals, which features you want, and how the application should be used.

Agile Development and Iterative Testing: Custom software development is often done step by step. This process is called iterative. It allows for changes and improvements as the work progresses. Agile development is a flexible way to create software. It includes regular testing and feedback at each stage. This ensures the final software meets your needs. You should be ready to give input and make changes as needed. This helps the software grow in the right direction for your business.

Conclusion

Custom software can greatly help your business. It offers solutions made just for you, helping you work better and beat the competition. The upfront cost may be higher, but the long-term benefits, like better security and the ability to grow with your business, make it worth it. By planning well and contacting us for your custom software can lead to steady business growth.

[big-sankaku]

Link! Like! Love Live! SPECIAL STAFF INTERVIEW ~Beyond Graduation~

[From Love Live!Days March 2025 Issue published on Jan 30th, 2025 and now available online at G’s Channel website] Featuring: Sato Kazuki - A Producer of Link! Like! Love Live

Translator’s note: This is not a word-for-word translation. I’m heavily paraphrasing but I did my best to captures the essence of the contents. This is a second staff interview for this project, you can read the translation for the first one here.

It's been 1.5 years since the official release of "Linkura". We asked Sato Kazuki, a key figure in this project, to tell us about last year progress and important information regarding this year developments.

Overnight, the number of Hasunosora Suki Suki Club members increased dramatically! The surprising effect of Ijigen Fes.

— "Link! Like! Love Live!" (will simply be referred to as "Linkura" for the rest of the interview) celebrated its 1.5 anniversary in November 2024. First of all, let's take a look at the past year.

A: Thanks to everyone, the number of users has increased significantly. The other day we surpassed 800,000 downloads. In addition to that, in April 2024 we introduced a non-app payment service called "App-Pay". With App-Pay, you can buy SisCa cheaply. Sales from the App side are also doing well. Compared to other similar services, the usage rate of App-Pay is fairly high. Since sales through App-Pay are not reflected in the report published by Google and App Store, we sometimes hear people worrying that the app is in bad state. But for now, we would like to inform you, "Don't worry about it!"

— Hasunosora's popularity has increased significantly since the "Ijigen Fes IDOLM@STER★♥Love Live! Uta Gassen" in December 2023, bringing a large number of users to the app. Please tell us your thoughts about it.

A: Not only did the number of users increase, all the songs performed at Ijigen Fes also charted on the Spotify viral chart. I heard that the First Fan Book which was released right after the Ijigen Fes was reprinted on the day of its release. Our popularity skyrocketed suddenly and more people are becoming interested in Hasunosora. We're lucky to have the opportunity to perform alongside our seniors from Love Live, as well as everyone from Idolm@ster. At the same time, I realized that we were able to stand on such a big stage thanks to everyone who supported us for about nine months from the start of service in April 2023 until December when Ijigen Fes took place. 

I was at the venue on the day of the event. Everyone was so enthusiastic! When Nirei Nozomi did a call-and-response, we got a huge response. Perhaps it’s not a big crowd, but I felt an overwhelming passion. I was happy to hear the cheers from our fans. I feel very fortunate that we were able to show you the presence of Hasunosora, the youngest group in the series at that time.

— In the 103rd term main story. After the defeat of Love Live! in January, the excitement reached its peak with Sachi-senpai's graduation. From January to March of the 103rd term, what was the most memorable event for you?

A: January 2024 started with the episode of their Love Live! defeat. That was the "Prologue" of Linkura. With that, we've finally reached the starting line.

「What a long prologue! 」

A: At the end of 2023, Hasunosora made it through the "Love Live! Hokuriku tournament" thanks to the 「Link to Us! Link with Yours!!」, An event where "everyone" worked together to help the club collect mobile data. Then, they were eliminated at the Final. Because of that, it was decided that they were going to do Fes×LIVE at the end of January to express their gratitude to everyone who supported them at Hokuriku Tournament. We gave everyone the highest-ranked ticket for this occasion. This series of events was the user experience we had aimed for since the early stages of the project. So for me personally, it was quite moving to see that we were able to make it a reality

— Can you tell us about the process of the production development for the "Activity Records/Main Story"?

A: First of all, we have a requirement set from the app itself, then we had to adjust it based on what kind of experience we wanted everyone to have with Linkura. For example, in the 103rd term we incorporated an interactive gaming experience, such as a mini-game to collect mobile data in December, and the invitation-only live show in January, while also ensuring that it was an appealing story.

We solidify those as the "blueprint". We've been discussing this and building a solid foundation around it. The Activity Records have no narrative text at all, and are more like an anime script than a visual novel. But the scenario team is really great at choosing their words that I am often moved when reading it (laugh). We put a lot of effort into the production of the Activity Records.

The episode that was released in January, during the 103 term had a huge volume of material, its equivalent of two episodes. Since it had many important scenes, it took a lot of work. Episode 15 in particular, was developed much earlier than the usual schedule, and we created a new, extremely emotional piece of music for the soundtrack.

— Next, episode 18 of 103rd term, featured the former School Idol Club member, Sachi. The episode depicts her graduation and the send-off.

A: Sachi-senpai's graduation episode was, in a way, a trial. It was a major event to allow people to experience the base concept of the app, in which things will progress and members will graduate in real time. I was impressed by the number of people who expressed their sad feeling of her graduation. With Sachi's graduation, I think  people were able to get a taste of how traditions are woven together as members are changed.

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「It took two months to create an Activity Records of three new students joining the club.」

— In April, new members from the 104th class joined, making it 9 members. Regarding user reactions, was there anything you expected or were surprised by?

A: Typically, it's more common to introduce a new character meta-wise before adding them to the game. But this time we didn't release any information in advance. Not even a hint of their existence. It was a huge risk for the app and other aspects of the project, but after discussing it with various parties, we thought this was the best option. Of course, we wanted to create a real-time experience, but more than that, we didn't want to spoil the sentimental mood of the graduation ceremony that will take place from the end of March to April. 

The fourth cherry blossom is a season for farewell and new encounters. First, the users are faced with the harsh reality of saying goodbye, and after that, I want them to experience the new encounters with excitement. For that reason, the "first appearance" of the 104th class members: Ginko, Kozusu, and Hime was a live stream, via With×MEETS. I believe being able to witness their debut firsthand is a precious experience. After that, we provided the Activity Records, detailing how they joined the school idol club and came to participate in the With×MEETS.

However, this meant it was necessary to add episodes for three members in one go. It was inevitable that the content of the Activity Records for the first episode of the 104th class would be massive. In order to allow people to get to know the new members better, we took about two months to create the Activity Records, taking our time carefully.

— It was worth it. I feel like the addition of the first-year students were well-received.

A: Yes, a majority of people welcomed them warmly, which was a big relief. I think the fact that "traditions being passed down in different forms" being a core element of Ginko's episode was able to create a good synergy." While everyone has some degree of rejection to "change", Ginko herself, being a new student, was able to reflect the feelings of the users in an authentic and persuasive way

— The Fes×LIVE, which were held monthly in the 103rd term, has been decreased to once in three months since the start of the 104th term. I heard that you would tell us the reason for this... 

A: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about the topic. The adjustment of the frequency of Fes×LIVE is a combination of various factors, but the biggest reason was budget issues. Fes×LIVE requires six months production time before the actual event. It's not only about the virtual live itself. It involved the whole Linkura environment, including songs, Activity Records, Card Illustrations, etc., This budget change was finalized in October 2023, just before the half anniversary, around the time of our last interview. 

With great struggle to push through, we somehow manage to finish all 103rd term Fes×LIVE. We have decided that we cannot continue to do this in the 104th term. That was the most difficult and toughest decision I had to make in 2023, I ended up feeling unwell and bedridden for a while... 

However, since then, the environment surrounding Hasunosora has changed drastically due to the Ijigen Fes that was mentioned earlier. I believe that "now" we can try a different approach of how to do it. Fes×LIVE is the core experience that we want to create with Linkura. Through some adjustments, I'll try my best to meet everyone's expectations.

— Compared to With×MEETS, Fes×LIVE costs more. How big of a difference?

A: Although it is true that both are "real-time 3D live stream". With×MEETS is a casual talk stream that does not require new resources. Compared to that, Fes×LIVE requires the creation of 3D costumes, the stage itself and also detailed plans for each song and performances. And multiple cameras (to create a Dynamic View experience on the app side). The creative aspect requires a huge amount of preparation and money. The dance formation requires a big space. To accommodate that we need to use one of the largest motion capture studio in Japan. And of course, the preparation of the cast members who will be performing it in real time is also an essential part of it.

— Indeed, it may be similar to With×MEETS but it's not the same thing. Some people suggest to make it smaller in scale, or record it instead of keep it real time. After all, people want it to be held as usual. What do you think about this?

A: Yes, for example, we consider many ideas, like fan meeting or variety show. I asked someone to do the calculations for that, but there was almost no difference in the final cost. As for pre-recorded videos, the resources required are the same, and we might need to refine the motion data. In fact, it might end up adding more cost. Of course, it would be a completely different story if we have a team and setups that are optimized for these plans. But building a new team requires additional budgets and time. If we had the resources to establish that, then we might as well continue Fes×LIVE as is.

— I see... It's something that couldn't be solved by simply adjusting the content.

A: Although the circumstances surrounding Fes×LIVE is as I explained. We will continue to listen to the feedback we receive every day and strive to provide the best possible experience. Every day, the entire team is working hard to see if there is anything we can do to provide everyone with a slightly better experience. 

One of the examples is the With×MEETS karaoke stream, which finally came to fruition at the end of 2023. Fortunately, it was well received. We hope to continue to make adjustments so that it can be held regularly in the future. Also, when a new song is created and no Fes×LIVE, in order to convey the charm and worldview of the song, a lyric video is released on Hasunosora's official YouTube channel.

— Even the release of Lyric Videos are linked to the entire work.

A: That's right. One of our big projects was the surprise reveal of the song "365 Days" during the encore of the "2nd Live Tour ~Blooming with ○○○~" in Hyogo last May. This song was treated as if it was being performed at the same time in-game universe. At the end of the live performance, we released a lyric video and added a song-themed card to the gacha, making it fully connected. A similar attempt was made with the "3rd Live Tour TRY TRI UNITY!!!" that started last November. We also implemented it in the Unit Live. 

To continue promoting "Linkura" in the 104th term, we try to incorporate mixed developments outside of the app as much as possible while keeping the real-time aspect of the project intact. In fact, Fes×ReC:LIVE is one of the projects that was born from this trend.

By the time this interview is published, the finale of the "3rd Live Tour TRY TRI UNITY!!!" will have taken place. That performance will serve as the final link, the culmination of all experiences we offered across 104th term. If you are reading this and don't know about it, I would appreciate it if you look into it in more detail.

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Fes×ReC:LIVE : A novel attempts to capture the feeling of being in a live house. A perfect match for Hasunosora.

— What kind of event is Fes×ReC:LIVE?

A: "103rd term Fes×ReC:LIVE ~first crossing~" is a virtual live event with an audience at a real venue, focusing on a reconstruction of the performances shown at the 103rd term Fes×LIVE. It's a side content that is linked to the 104 term Activity Records. The highlight of the event will be a newly recorded song, DEEPNESS (ReC Ver.), sung by the six members of the 102nd and 103rd class.

As mentioned earlier, the core experience of Linkura is the virtual live concert. However, it has become difficult to hold Fes×LIVE every month. So, one option we explored was the possibility of holding a virtual live at an actual venue. We asked the live concert team to consider it. We were told that if we focused on "reconstruction" then there is a way to make it. Somehow we managed to run the event smoothly without any problems.

Since there is no similar case to it, as usual, it’s something "You wouldn't really understand until you try it". While there are still some issues to be addressed, it seems like everyone who participated enjoyed it very much, so in the future, we would like to connect it more closely with the Activity Records. Ultimately, our goal is to hold an actual "FesxLIVE" in real time at a real venue. 

Fes×LIVE itself, from a technical standpoint, isn't revolutionary. But, with Fes×LIVE you can cheer the characters in real time, engage with the story in a way that lets you revisit the events leading up to that moment, and interact with the members via With×MEETS... I think it's really different from usual 3DCG Live that a lot of people have been doing.

— With live streaming, members can interact directly with fans. This makes for an ideal event for Hasunosora.

A: Speaking of that...The app itself, Linkura, as we stated it in the app description, is a "school idol support app". It was created to give users a meaningful involvement. One of the cases is a crowdfunding campaign. 

At the end of 2023, we held the event "Let's support the members of Hasunosora School Idol Club by donating the mobile data that they need for live streaming so they can safely participate in the Love Live! Hokuriku Tournament!". This is how you can "support your Oshi" with the app. Ideally, we would like the users to participate interactively in the app as much as possible.

— So by sending gifts to streams or purchasing in-game, it’s equivalent to "Use this to eat something nice or go to karaoke!"

A: That's how it feels. I think the feeling of wanting to spend money on things you like as a way to support them and the feeling of spending money for a F2P game, it's something that closely resembles each other... and in order to connect these two, we came up with a somewhat unique structure.

As I mentioned briefly in the previous interview, the original idea behind Linkura was to create a comprehensive and enjoyable multi-media experience within a single app. In the app, you can read the original story, enjoy live streams and live concerts, and decorate your wallpapers/profiles in various ways. For the "game" part, we have the "School Idol Stage (known as "Sukuste").

For a series like Love Live!, where the core experience revolves around supporting the members, I think the most conventional and catchy option is a rhythm game. With the expectation to release it in 2023, after exploring various options, we came up with this musical card game, which will known later as "Sukuste"

— "School Idol Stage" is an authentic card game.

A: When people fall in love with the members of Hasunosora and want to immerse themselves in the story more deeply and stay in touch with it for a long time, our ultimate goal is to create a game that can respond to that desire.

However, when we released it... due to a lack of a tutorial, the initial reaction we got from many people was, "Oh, just like the other titles, it's an idol training simulation game", which gave it the wrong impression. It was a miscalculation on our part.

— After all, it's the world's first "school idol cheering app" (laugh). Now that I've been using the app for a year, I can tell there are differences between it and other games.

A: I'm glad to hear that. There are many benefits of producing multi-media project in an integrated manner within one app. The voice lines you hear when you obtain or train a card not only tell you stories related to the situations depicted in the illustrations, but also short episodes that are not told in Activity Records. The power scaling of the card was designed in a way so players can immerse themselves in the story, music and feel the growth of the character and their relationships as they play the game.

The "KEY of Like!" set, released at the end of last year, is particularly easy to understand. So, if you've never paid attention to card skill before, I highly recommend you to read it carefully this time!

― I was surprised to see some important information about the story casually revealed in voice lines. The first mention of Hime's older sister, who appeared in episode 6 of the 104th term, was revealed at "Murozaki Lattice” voice lines, released on April 13th.

A: Yes, countless of information is only available on those cards. Such as the hidden thoughts of the members that were never spoken about. All the voice lines were written by the scenario team who wrote the Activity Records. This is one of the big benefits of the intensive production I mentioned earlier, and I think it's a very luxurious thing. Even a single line, we put our utmost care into it, so it doesn't contradict the Activity Records or With×MEETS. The voice lines aren't a side content, it's part of the entire work. Those aspects add a significant value to it.

By the way, the content is not biased towards rarity such as R (Rare) or UR (Ultra Rare), so even if you have low-rarity cards that are easy to obtain, it is recommended that you try training them.

― It's amazing that the voice lines for the cards, which depict various situations, are a proper episode that is connected to the story.

It makes you want to collect every single one…

A : In November 2024, we released, "Link! Like! Love Live! 103rd Term Card Illustration BOOK", a book that contains all the illustrations of the cards released in the 103rd term. We thought about putting the voice lines into the book, but the amount of content was so huge that we couldn't fit it. So please get your voice lines from a card in Linkura (laugh).

―  I'll do my best to train my cards (laugh). I'm also curious about the new game mode "School Idol Show" that was recently announced as being in development. For now, is there anything you can tell us about it?

A: "School Idol Show" is a rhythm game mode where you can play Hasunosora’s song on it. As I mentioned earlier, rhythm games are the most popular approach and have a high compatibility of what we want to achieve. In under two years since the release date, as many things have changed, we are finally able to include it to the app.

We would like to gradually build the specific system for the rhythm game mode, but we want you to know that you can play either mode!. Be it Sukuste or the other mode. Usually, when a new mode is added to the app, it can be fun and refreshing, but in the end, having a huge amount of chores like daily missions can be tiring... I think there are many cases like that. In Linkura, we have "School Idol Stage" and "School Idol Show". We are currently developing it in the way that it doesn't really matter if you play only one mode or play both. You can play it as you like. The fact that we can easily set up such a system is one of the strengths of a "school idol support app" that is not game-driven. To the people that only love the School Idol Stage part of the game, or for those who aren't good at card games but would like to try a rhythm game, we hope you can rest assured and wait for the release!

― So it's up to you whenever you want to participate in both modes or just play one that you like. That's refreshing! I'm looking forward to the release!

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「The culmination of these last two years is the Love Live! championship. And then, the graduation of the 102nd class.」

— In January 2025, the Love Live! Finals were held, and although there was an unexpected playoff, Hasunosora School Idol Club achieved their long-awaited victory!

How will things develop from here as the 102nd class will graduate soon?

A:  At the end of the school year, Kozue, Tsuzuri and Megumi will graduate. It's the graduation for the 102nd class. I can't go into specifics … but I can tell you that we will continue doing real-time with 105th class. The 102nd class has truly walked this journey together with all of you. It's sad to part ways, but precisely because "there is a future ahead of this", a "tradition" is born. It will continue to shine forever without fading. More and more, we are going to bring you 'scenery' that you have never seen before with Hasunosora. So please look forward to it!

Translations : Afi English proofreading : Zonic QC: Eagles

[v2softunofficial]

Navigating the Evolving Mobility Landscape in Mobile App Development

Introduction:

In today's digital era, mobile app development has become an integral part of businesses across industries. As the transformative mobility landscape continues to evolve, companies must adapt their strategies to stay relevant and competitive. In this blog post, we will explore the steps involved in embracing this landscape, discuss the tradeoffs, challenges, and approaches associated with mobile app development. We will also dive into V2Soft's unique approach to this service, highlighting the importance of software and application services, application transformation, and the role of mobile app development agencies.

Step 1: Understanding the Software and Application Services

To embark on a successful mobile app development journey, it is crucial to have a solid understanding of software and application services. These services encompass the tools, frameworks, and technologies that enable the development, deployment, and maintenance of mobile applications. By leveraging these services effectively, businesses can streamline their development process and enhance the overall user experience.

Step 2: Embracing Application Transformation

As the mobility landscape continues to evolve, businesses must embrace application transformation to keep up with the ever-changing demands of their customers. Application transformation involves modernizing existing applications to leverage emerging technologies and enhance their functionality. By embracing this approach, companies can revitalize their mobile apps, improve user engagement, and stay ahead of the competition.

Step 3: Partnering with a Mobile Application Development Service

To navigate the complexities of mobile app development, organizations can benefit from partnering with a mobile app development agency. These agencies specialize in creating robust and user-friendly applications tailored to specific business needs. By collaborating with experts in the field, companies can tap into their knowledge and experience to ensure a seamless development process, resulting in a high-quality mobile app.

Tradeoffs in Balancing Different Factors:

While embracing the transformative mobility landscape, businesses must carefully consider the tradeoffs involved in balancing different factors. These trade-offs may include time-to-market, cost, scalability, and user experience. For instance, prioritizing a quick launch may compromise the app's functionality, while emphasizing scalability might lead to higher development costs. By understanding and weighing these tradeoffs, businesses can make informed decisions throughout the development process.

Challenges and Approaches:

Developing mobile apps in today's landscape presents various challenges. From choosing the right platform and technology stack to ensuring optimal performance and security, businesses face numerous obstacles. However, by adopting an agile development approach, leveraging cross-platform development frameworks, and implementing robust security measures, these challenges can be overcome, leading to successful mobile app deployment.

V2Soft's Approach:

At V2Soft, we understand the importance of embracing the transformative mobility landscape. Our approach to mobile app development focuses on delivering exceptional user experiences while ensuring scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness. By employing agile methodologies, leveraging cutting-edge technologies, and prioritizing collaboration, we help businesses achieve their mobile app goals and drive digital transformation.

Summary:

Embracing the transformative mobility landscape in mobile app development is essential for businesses looking to stay competitive in today's digital age. By understanding the tradeoffs, challenges, and approaches involved, companies can navigate this landscape successfully. V2Soft's approach to mobile app development emphasizes the importance of software and application services, application transformation, and collaboration with mobile app development agencies. By embracing these principles, businesses can create innovative, user-centric mobile applications that drive growth and success.

[demonic0angel]

Heyyy, so I finally finished my finals(yay!!) I’m free at last and kinda don’t know what to do with myself now that the academic stress is gone lmao.

Sooo I’ve been thinking maybe I’ll try getting into art?? I don’t really know yet, I just feel like doing something instead b8nge watching my fav shows again (totally going to do that anyway)

The only problem is... I’m so bad at it. Like, genuinely 2nd grader with a crayon levels of bad. But I thought of you because your stuff is always so cool, and I was wondering if you had any tips or recommendations? Like apps you liked, things that helped you improve, easy ways to start, anything like that?

No pressure or anything, but I’d love to hear what helped you when you were starting out

Hello, congrats on your finals! (I also finished mine, thank god) And oooh, I do have some advice!

I started drawing really, really early when I was young. As I got older, I got drawn into books and would often make fanart and self-inserts of my favorites (and I can now draw Princess Cadance by memory lmaooo). I only got into digital art a couple of years ago and from the get go, I only had my tablet available to me, so I’ve only been using one app to draw lmao.

My advice would be: get started! No matter what, draw, draw, draw. I usually draw a little everyday, but I rarely post all of my art. It’s the same principle as writing; just do a bit every day and you’ll start getting the hang of it!

Another piece of advice I would recommend is to copy what you want to learn/have. HOWEVER, DO NOT POST IT OR CLAIM IT AS YOUR OWN!! Copying/tracing is a good tool to get started (I got my art style by learning various ones from my favorite mangakas when I was young, but I eventually got my own and I’m still improving), but it is NOT the answer! By learning what you see, you can start identifying patterns in art and style. However, it’s also important to remember that it is plagiarizing/stealing, so use it only as a learning tool or crutch.

I would also recommend finding what you want to make or what to do, such as painting, collages, digital art, photo editing, etc. Art comes in various forms and it’s no big deal if you’re still searching for the the right one! I would also recommend looking at a lot of photos or watching videos to get the basics down, since there are a few fundamentals.

And lastly, depending on what device you have, you can use various apps to draw! Here is a video that can help ⬇️

For me personally, I have ibisPaint X bc I have a tablet :3 I recommend it for mobile device users, but it’s not that great on PC or other types of devices.

Anyways,,, I hope that my advice can help you! And remember, no matter what anyone says, art is a form of expression and even amateurs have valid works. As you learn, you’ll eventually develop your own style and get better and better! As long as it’s not blatant plagiarism or AI, I encourage you and I hope that you can do your best! Good luck! :DD

[passive-t-u-m-b-l-r-user]

I hate this horrible game of telephone people are playing with Nomura's Interview.

Read it yourself. Stop freaking out and misinterpreting.

...

Young Jump Interview Page 3

(Translated by Liodin on KHInsider)

Q1: The Kingdom Hearts series has many intricate settings and characters. How do you consolidate these and communicate them to the team?

TN: I don't think the team fully understands everything. For example, during recordings, sometimes the staff explaining the settings or characters to the voice actors will ask me, “This is correct, right?” and I might respond, “No, not quite.” This kind of back-and-forth happens (laughs). However, it’s understandable because I’m the only one who knows the parts of the characters that haven't been depicted yet. I personally navigate through the complex storylines, constantly swaying between different directions. On the other hand, I encourage the team to question or point out anything to me.

Q2: Do you have a sort of "bible" or documentation for the settings?

TN: I do have personal notes to ensure I don't forget things. These include the footsteps of important characters, events that haven't been depicted yet, and future developments.

Q3: So, these aren’t shared with the team?

TN: No, I keep them a secret (laughs). But when necessary, I sometimes write sudden bursts of detailed settings into the script to make sure the staff understands.

Q4: In Kingdom Hearts, you seem to lay out foreshadowing that spans multiple installments. How do you keep track of everything?

TN: A lot of it is written in my notes, but I also rely on the staff to remember things. Since I enjoy watching videos, I sometimes check gameplay footage and fan theories on YouTube. Rather than relying on my notes, I often ask the staff how things played out in previous titles.

Q5: Do you watch fan theory videos? Do you ever think, “They’ve figured it out, so I’ll change it,” or “They don’t get it at all”?

TN: I find them genuinely interesting to watch. Often, I think, “It’s not as complicated as people think.” I’m frequently impressed by how deeply people analyze things. For instance, some people try to connect Kingdom Hearts to the Final Fantasy series, but the writers for each are different, and even though I’m involved with both, there’s no connection between the titles.

Q6: At the time of the first Kingdom Hearts, I assume you didn’t have the entire current storyline planned. As the series progresses and more settings and characters are introduced, does it become increasingly difficult to maintain coherence? Do you mostly make things up as you go?

TN: I had a general direction from the first game. As I mentioned earlier, I do take notes on future developments. When things don’t quite align with the planned direction, I make adjustments on the fly. While the details weren’t fully fleshed out at the time of Kingdom Hearts I (released in 2002), I had thought about the next few installments ahead of time. So, while we were working on Kingdom Hearts III (released in 2019), I already had Kingdom Hearts IV and beyond in mind and worked toward that.

Q7: This year, Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link, a mobile app, is also set for release. With important story elements being released on mobile or handheld devices, are you concerned that some players may lose track of the storyline?

TN: Yes, that is a concern (laughs). That’s why Missing-Link takes place in a much earlier timeline than the main Kingdom Hearts series. However, as fans often joke, “Even though Kingdom Hearts IV is coming out, it’s really more like Kingdom Hearts XIII” since the non-numbered titles are obviously connected. Still, I believe it allows for a deeper enjoyment of the Kingdom Hearts universe. That said, both Missing-Link and Kingdom Hearts IV are being designed with a strong emphasis on being standalone titles rather than just sequels. For instance, a new approach in the scenario writing is that I’ve had staff members who haven’t been involved in Kingdom Hearts before join the writing process. Of course, I’ll make final adjustments, but the base script was written by people unfamiliar with the series, which is why I don’t think these projects will feel like obligatory follow-ups. With Missing-Link, we’re addressing “the lost history,” so the expectation is that not knowing everything is part of the experience. If you know the lore, it’s more enjoyable, but it’s not a prerequisite.

Q8: Much like how starting a long-running manga series can be daunting, the large number of Kingdom Hearts titles poses a similar challenge. How do you plan to attract new users?

TN: I’d love to know the answer to that (laughs). As I mentioned earlier, Missing-Link and Kingdom Hearts IV are kind of reset points for me. I felt like Kingdom Hearts III was a natural conclusion of sorts, so we’re resetting things by bringing in new writers and even redesigning the logo to make the series more accessible.

Q9: So, that’s why the logo changed.

TN: If you’ve seen the ending of Kingdom Hearts III, you’ll understand, but the way Sora’s story ended was a way to reset things, so Kingdom Hearts IV should be more accessible than previous titles. Of course, longtime fans will recognize the familiar feel of the series, but we’re designing it to be approachable for newcomers as well.

Q10: In a past interview, you mentioned that players would spend a lot of time in “Quadratum” (a field resembling Shibuya) in Kingdom Hearts IV. Why bring in a more realistic setting to a world that was previously pure fantasy?

TN: There are a few reasons, but I personally like settings that are slightly removed from reality rather than being completely fantastical. It’s the same with films—I find it harder to get immersed in worlds that are entirely fictional with no connection to reality. That’s why Quadratum is based on Shibuya but isn’t the real Shibuya. I’m fascinated by the idea of a slightly off-kilter version of reality, rather than a pure fantasy world.

Q11: Manga like Tokyo Ghoul, set in Tokyo, and Jujutsu Kaisen, with its Shibuya arc, are similar in that they use real-world locations. Perhaps fans of both manga and games enjoy these grounded yet fantastical settings.

TN: That might be true. It’s easier to relate to. Additionally, I’ve always thought there were plenty of creators already doing medieval high fantasy, so I didn’t need to. In 2007, we released The World Ends with You, which was also set in Shibuya, but now many works use Shibuya as a setting. It feels like everyone has come to Shibuya (laughs).

Q12: It does seem like more works are set in Japan these days. Speaking of the mix between reality and fantasy, at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts, there’s a monologue where Sora says, “I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately… Like, is any of this for real or not?” Did you already have Quadratum in mind back then?

TN: The name “Quadratum” didn’t exist at that time, but I had the concept in mind. It was a long-term plan that I knew we would eventually reach (laughs).

Q13: So it’s a 20-year-long payoff for that foreshadowing. Lastly, do you see the ending of the Kingdom Hearts series in the future?

TN: To give you a realistic answer, I’m approaching retirement age, so it’s becoming a race between retirement and finishing the series (laughs). However, I am creating Kingdom Hearts IV with the intent of leading toward the series’ conclusion.

https://www.khinsider.com/forums/index.php?threads/when-are-we-expecting-news.238707/post-6668282

[pillowfort-social]

Happy New Year! We’re kicking off 2024 with a Community Update after a very eventful end of 2023. We’ll give you a look at what Staff have been doing behind the scenes, an update from our Developer Team, and a preview of what’s in store for the platform. Community Stats: 

As of January 19, 2024 Pillowfort currently has over 170,467 registered users and over 9,928 Communities. The rest of this post is under the cut.

In 2023 we have…

Avoided shutdown thanks to your generous support.

Launched Pillowfort Premium

Tested and launched Drafts 

Added new premium frames. 

Updated our Terms of Service.

Updated our Business Plan.

Continued work on the PWA & Queue.

Blocked ChatGPT Bots our platform.

Announced our upcoming policy on Generative AI.

Increased weekly invitations keys to from 10 to 50. 

Continued patching bugs. 

Welcome New Users!

Welcome to Pillowfort. We are so glad you are part of our community. If you haven’t yet, check out the Pillowfort101 Getting Started Guide.

Thank you for keeping Pillowfort Alive! 

Your support during the End of Year Fundraiser helped us avoid ending contracts with our Staff and averted the end of our platform for another six months (July 2024). We can not express our gratitude enough to you. This has been an extremely challenging and stressful time for each member of the team. We are going to work hard to keep Pillowfort online. You have motivated us to continue the fight to be a viable platform. You may have noticed that our donation bar has reset to $5,000 at the beginning of January. This number is our monthly operating costs going forward.  Each month in 2024 that we meet our funding goal it will extend Pillowfort’s life past July 2024. 

Generative AI Ban Policy Update

We will be implementing our updated policy regarding Generative AI in the next site update. Prior to when the policy will be implemented we will share with the community what our definition of Generative AI is and our moderation process. 

We're aware that there are concerns about how moderation systems surrounding generative AI have been abused and used for harassment on other sites: we have consulted with experts on how to avoid those issues, and the suite of moderation methods from international universities also assist with identifying harassment. Abuse of reporting systems will be taken seriously by Staff.

End of Year Fundraiser Limited Edition Badge Gift Form

The form for gifting the Limited Edition Badge to other users who couldn’t donate is now live! Click Here to Fill Out the Form. (Note: We’ll be also making a separate Staff Alert with the link as well.)

Updated Business Plan

The Pillowfort Premium subscription model remains our primary answer to generate the necessary funds needed to cover the costs of running our platform. We will continue to offer optional premium features which can be purchased by users a la carte. However, we will be working on completing the following major projects / updates as an expansion of our revenue strategy in the first half of 2024:

Release of the Progressive Web App w/ Push Notifications - The data is very clear that the lack of a mobile app is hindering our overall growth. A PWA will allow our mobile users to experience all the functionality of a native mobile app and will be much easier for our Developer Team to build & maintain than a native app. We also won't have to worry about App Store content restrictions.

Post Promotions & User-Submitted Advertisement Opt-Ins - Users will be able to promote their posts (as advertisements) by paying a fee. No subscription is required to promote a post. By default, this promoted content will only be displayed on a page specifically for viewing promoted content. While this will mean potentially less revenue, it is important to our philosophy to respect our user’s experience and not force advertising on everyone. However, users can opt into viewing promoted content in their home feed, and will receive a discount on premium features for doing so.

Subscription Gifting - Users will be able to purchase subscriptions that can be gifted to other users. Subscriptions can be gifted to a specific other user, or can be added to a communal pool for any unsubscribed users to take from. We will provide special badges for users who gift subscriptions.

Pillowfort Premium Price Increase - We will be adjusting prices to help us fund our overall operating costs. We will notify the community before any price increase is final.

Mobile Pillowfort Premium Frames - Add an option for mobile users to view Pillowfort Premium Avatar Frames in their feeds.

Other Goals for Completion in 2024 (Goals are subject to change)

Release Queue & Scheduling

Rebuild the post image uploader widget.

Rebuild the way notifications are logged & retrieved in the back-end to be more efficient & reduce errors.

Release an Onboarding Guide for new users.

Release Multi-account management/linking.

Add 2-Factor Authentication.

Enable Community Membership Applications.

Release Community Topics/Organization Options.

Help Us Keep the Lights On!

At Pillowfort we do not receive any funding from venture capital or other outside investors because we are committed to keeping our user experience a priority, and not being beholden to outside interests. While this approach allows us to stay true to our ideals and content guidelines, it also presents many challenges to our team in the form of limited resources, personnel, etc.

Our continued survival depends on the generosity of our community. If you are able to, please consider supporting us with a one-time or recurring monthly donation to help keep Pillowfort online. Any money donated to us now will be applied as a credit to your account when we release paid features & benefits in the future.

Bug Bounty Reminder

We are still offering a Bug Bounty. If you find a bug on the site, particularly one that could pose a threat to the security or functionality of the site, contact Staff through our Contact form or directly at info@pillowfort.social. If you are unsure if we received your report, you can send us a DM to the Staff account here, or DM one of our social media channels to check on the status. 

We sometimes do not receive all notifications from users on other social media. DMing the Staff account on Pillowfort to check on the status is the preferred method. 

The first individual to notify us of a certain issue will be eligible for monetary compensation, depending on the severity of the issue found and the information provided.

Abandoned / Modless Communities Transfer 

We are taking Ownership Transfer requests for Abandoned and/or Modless Communities. The form is available here. 

Pillowfort Dev Blog

Follow our very own Developer Blog for the latest updates from Lead Architect & Founder Julia Baritz.

Follow Us on Social Media

Interact with Pillowfort Staff, ask questions, plus learn about upcoming features and more on social media. 

Pillowfort: Staff Pillowfort Dev: PF_dev_blog Bluesky: pillowfortsoc.bsky.social Tiktok: pillowfort.social Instagram: pillowfort.social Facebook: Pillowfortsocial X/Twitter: @pillowfort_soc Tumblr: pillowfort-social Reddit: pillowfort_social Threads: @pillowfort.social

Best,

Pillowfort Staff

[idrellegames]

As an IF author that does this with a "this is my job" mindset I find it hard to do other things in my day to day because whenever I pick up my phone I feel like I am at work and I feel like I constantly think about my story.

Do you have any tips or advice on how to separate myself from my work and stop thinking about it 24/7?

Thank you!

Having a clear division between work and regular life is really important. I think it can be a little harder to do if developing an IF isn't your full-time gig. If you're working a job or are in school and you're packing IF development on top of it, then it can get really tricky to balance.

I also think that if you're working on a large, long-term project, it's a good and normal part of the writing process to think a lot about your story. Not all writing is done when you are actively writing. Daydreaming about your characters and your story lets you work out different kinks and make new discoveries.

So, you have a couple of choices here. You can reframe IF as your hobby, the thing you do in your free time for fun. Take away the pressure of thinking about it like work. You can pick away at it when the mood strikes, write on your own terms, and if you stop having fun with it, it's okay to slam on the breaks and put it aside until you're ready to come back to it.

But if you want to continue treating it as work or if it is already is your job, then you need to set some boundaries for yourself. This is going to be different for everyone; what works for me might not necessarily work for you. But here are a few things you can try:

Set a schedule. Try to contain the times when you are actively working on your project to within certain regular hours. Set different times for different parts of your job. For example, I only do social media management (tumblr inbox and notifications, Patreon, email, itch etc) during the first couple hours of my morning and then the rest of my work day is for writing and/or coding. I don't get through everything, but it's okay. It's really important for online creators not to fall into the trap of feeling like they have to answer everyone immediately, otherwise you will not get anything done.

If you manage social media for your IF, have separate accounts for your personal stuff and work stuff. I have two tumblr accounts, one that manages this sideblog and the other for personal fandom things. Logging out of my work account and into my personal one means that I'm not seeing notifications from this blog and I'm not tracking Wayfarer stuff. It really helps me keep work as work and downtime as downtime.

Separate your work and downtime spaces. Sometimes it's just as simple as working in one room and relaxing in another. This can be a bit tricky if you only have one device that you work from. I have a PC so I can't move it around, so if I'm using it to game later I try to change up my space (by getting a different chair or changing something else about my set up) so I have some kind of physical difference to trick my brain into going from "work mode" to "relax mode". Sometimes I have to get out of my office entirely in order to get that sense of separation, otherwise I feel like I am constantly at work.

If you're on your phone a lot and you don't really use it to make your IF or have alternatives for writing, get rid of the apps that put you in a work headspace. I got rid of the tumblr mobile app a couple years ago and it was probably the best decision in terms of actually keeping me out of work mode.

Take time off. Give yourself a weekend. Pursue other hobbies, play other games, write things other than your IF. IFs take a very long time to make, you can't go at it 24/7 or you will burn out.