#it has all the proper starting elements for me to build with! problem is that... its a horror genre... im not good at writing horror...

[aria0fgold]

I think my biggest problem when it comes to creating a story of my own with original characters is that... I don't know "What" the story is about so they're all just stuck in limbo.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Toad's Turnpike Debut: Mario Kart 64

Ah, Mario Kart 64, an iconic game for many reasons. It was the first 3D Mario Kart game, the first game to feature the Spiny Shell, the first Mario Kart where you could select Wario, and also the first good Mario Kart game! Or maybe it also sucks, and I'm just blinded by nostalgia. It is the first game I ever played.

While Mario Kart 64 featured many of the same course themes as Super Mario Kart, it also introduced a handful of new ones into the fold, like "busy highway!" Toad's Turnpike is the first course in the Mario Kart series where you have to dodge traffic. Now, holding a go-kart race on an active road might seem dangerous, but thankfully, having gotten my license earlier this year, I learned that driving on a road is what you're supposed to do, so it's probably fine.

What's NOT fine however, is driving against the flow of traffic! In Mario Kart 64, Toad's Turnpike is infamous for its Mirror Mode layout, where not only is the layout of the course mirrored, but the cars will move in the opposite direction as well! The penalty for crashing into a car is pretty severe in this game, and combined with the brutal CPUs who love to cheat, Mirror Mode Toad's Turnpike ends up being a very difficult race.

The Mirror Mode variant ties into a mechanic in Mario Kart 64 where the speed of cars will change depending on the cc. Are you late on the commute to work? Too bad! Toad has declared that he's doing a 50cc race today, and as the owner of this turnpike, you BETTER abide by his speed limit...!

But why are you commuting on Toad's Turnpike in the first place?! This road just loops back in on itself, with nowhere to get off! Heck, there's nowhere to get on, really, either. I have no idea how you or anyone else got into such a precarious situation. This is true of nearly every traffic course (besides Mushroom City), but this post isn't about any of those.

But what if I told you the cars may not be real cars at all...? You see, in Mario Kart 64, the cars on this course have no hit detection with anything besides the player. Items will pass straight through them, and so will any racer that's currently in a star. Is it possible these cars... are GHOSTS...? Jeepers! It would seem that after being trapped on this road for so long, that all the cars died off, and now nothing but phantoms remain...

You can still crash into phantom cars though, so be careful while driving.

It would seem that Mayor Toad of Toad City thought that something had to be done about his turnpike's ghost problem, so in the time between Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart 8, he had a service station built on the side of the road. This must have worked out big time, as the cars have proper hit detection now! Hooray for necromancy!

Mayor Toad did not, however, pour any funds into building roads in and out of Toad's Turnpike. In fact, he turned the starting line into a toll gate, meaning not only are you trapped on Toad's Turnpike, but you have to pay for every lap you drive! The course was also scaled down quite a bit, meaning you'll be passing the starting line much more often. Clearly, the government of Toad City is very corrupt.

I guess this is my segue into talking about the Mario Kart 8 version of this course, huh? If I'm being honest, I don't like this version of the course nearly as much! But it's not really for anything that has to do with the gameplay...

Sure, it's disappointing that Mirror Mode no longer reverses the flow of traffic. Sure, the anti-gravity walls feel shoehorned in and kind of defeat the purpose of the course. Sure, the road being widened and the track being scaled down makes the cars much easier to dodge, and getting hit is much less impactful than before.

But none of those things really bother me. I mean, they added cars with glider ramps and whatnot! It's definitely easier than the N64 version, but I do think it gains some from its more dynamic elements. But you see, the reason I don't like the Mario Kart 8 version of Toad's Turnpike is because of a much more egrigious sin:

The vibes are off.

You see, the thing I love the most about Toad's Turnpike in Mario Kart 64 is the atmosphere. You know I'm a sucker for good atmosphere! It affected a few placements in those Galaxy rankings I haven't touched in like a year! But yeah, between the late sunset skybox, the excellent music, and the remote feeling of it all, Toad's Turnpike in Mario Kart 64 is a course with A+ vibes. Between that and its unique obstacles, it becomes a highlight of the game for me despite a pretty bland layout.

With Mario Kart 8's version, the time of day was shifted from the late evening to the middle of the night, the music was given a new arrangement that's much more energetic, and the course was reimagined as being in the middle of a big city. I definitely get what they were going for—the big city theming fits the highway environment, and it definitely feels more fitting for a fast-paced racing game. But to me at least, the relaxing evening drive feeling of Toad's Turnpike is a lot of what I loved about the original, and I feel like that was ultimately lost in the remake.

Despite my complaining, I find it important to emphasize that change is not an inherently bad thing! It's good to appreciate the things in our past, sure, but nostalgia can be a prison of our own making! People who refuse to accept change often end up like the Old Norm, grumbling about pronouns and rainbow beer. Heck, Rainbow Road is another course with great vibes from Mario Kart 64 that got a massive aesthetic overhaul in Mario Kart 8, and I love how they handled that remake! Sometimes you just gotta learn to appreciate the new and the old on their own merits.

With that out of the way, the changes made to Toad's Turnpike were bad and I don't like them. They totally should've kept the sunset.

[kob131]

Lily Orchard and Pokemon: Gen 3

Okay I'm gonna try to keep these shorter. But to be fair- Lily is going to start belly aching in Gen 4 beyond so I might have more to cover.

"Brendan misogynyist because he assume Gym Leader kid guy!"

Lily's, he's fucking ten. I don't even think you CAN be sexist at that age because I don't think your brain is developed enough to form complex thoughts or beliefs. Also that is LITERALLY the one time he mentions it.

"I like Brendan because he's not trying super hard to be friend or be rude!"

Again, Lily. You misread Blue who does nothing but slag you off and throw tantrums. Your view on story elements is so thoroughly tainted they can't be taken seriously.

"Brendan's salty when he loses!"

Huh, he actually kind of is. I never noticed that. I guess Brendan has about a quarter of a character. ... What, more than what May or anyone in Gen 6 got.

Still doesn't raise him above 'one of the worst rivals in Pokemon.' Also, good job Lily. You actually showed me something new. Took you only...50 minutes...

*Another captialism dig*

We get it Lily- You long to be locked into a gulag and then shot by a firing squad. Move on.

"What is it about Rock that makes it good for a first time Gym?"

That's the kind of thing a retrospective is supposed to SOLVE, Lily. You're supposed to be asking yourself 'Why did the developers choose to do this at this point instead of something else?' But so far, your video has been nothing but you either belly aching or you making half baked jokes.

Anyway- Rock is chosen to encourage the player to diversify their moveset as Rock resists Normal, the most common attacking type in the early game, as well as all of them being physically defensive, which counters most attacks in the early game as Physical Normal moves. It's also weak to Grass and Water, encouraging the player to experiment and understand type matchups better. The Fire problem is solved by either slapping the Fighting type onto the starter or giving it a Steel move in the case of FR/LG.

"Match Call is stupid! Before you could refuse everyone's numbers but now they get forcibly added and they bother you all the time!"

It's called 'world building' Lily. They call to make them feel like real people.

"The Macho Brace is dumb in the main game because you can't control what you fight in the main game so all your Pokemon become worse faster!"

... What?

First off- Wouldn't that make the Macho Brace a competitive focused item? Thus there being no real reason to bring it up?

Second- Yes, you can control what you fight. Go fight wild Pokemon with the Macho Brace. They'll give you the proper EVs if you care THAT much.

Third- EVs...can't make your Pokemon worse. They can be wasted but they are only ever buffs. And you don't need perfect EVs for the main game. Try proofreading.

"Team Magma/Aqua are good because you don't encounter them that often so they can concoct their plans!"

Lily, you just got done explaining why Maxie (and by extension, Archie in Sapphire) is a fucking moron for trying to erupt a volcano which would kill INNUMERABLE PEOPLE just to make land (or water) for Pokemon. (She says it's for people.)

By definition, they are not good just because there is less of them and thus they can make plans. It just means they have less time to fail those stupid plans.

"The Lavaridge Gym sucks because you have to navigate mud titles and which ones transport you and which ones are trainers are up to fate to decide!"

... Lily. If there are two titles right next to each other that seem to be blocking off more, distant titles that correspond to ones from above- they're probably trainers. Its very obvious which ones are trainers.

I found this out when I was EIGHT.

"Flannery stammers her intro which is dumb!"

Her character is that she's a newbie Gym Leader uncertain of what to do.

Story telling, Lily. A key feature of RPGs. Engage with it.

"Gardevoir broken because Special bulk and Calm Mind!"

A. This is a game for children Lily. Numerous Pokemon can sweep Gym Leaders.

And B. Fun Fact Lily- Most offensive Pokemon prefer high Speed over high bulk since cries are a thing. So if a bulky Psychic is broken, guess how monstrous a Psychic with say...10 extra Sp.ATK, 20 SP.Def and a HUGE increase in Speed would be.

... Oh right, that's GEN 1 ALAKAZAM. The same Pokemon you mocked as 'not being that strong'. Contradicting yourself AGAIN Lily.

"Hoenn has too many water routes, which are boring and annoying-"

Hub, I actually agree-

"-but everyone mock IGN!"

And there it is.

Lily, people mocked IGN both as a joke abd because they gave Ruby and Sapphire, objectively worse games, a 9.5.

"No one ever talks about how Pokemon uses music! They use good themes for the legendaries causing peoples in Ruby and Sapphire but not Emerald! Certainly not BW where N is fucking stupid or Zinna's theme is intense but not battle! The remakes ruined them!"

A- People bring up how Pokemon uses music all the damn time. The Area Zero theme was dissected for giving an atmosphere of entering a new world, unknown and dangerous waters and something completely foreign to everywhere else you went.

B-Lily, the remakes simply had cleaner OSTs. They sound very much the same. You even admit this as you call Omega Ruby's OST for Groudon 'like trying to escape a star going supernova'. A supernova. A term synomous with IMMENSE, INCONCIEVABLE HEAT.

and C-Ignoring N where you just go 'N bad!'- Zinnia's theme is intense because you're facing a Dragon Specialist, using a VERY dangerous Type of Pokemon, before rocketing into space to destroy a meteor threatening to kill everyone.

"Team Aqua and Magma aged well because they're charming! Not like other villains who just spout off philosophy!"

We get it, Lily. You don't pay attention.

Doesn't change the fact that you admitted that these one-note caricatures are so fucking stupid they didn't know fucking with primordial gods would cause issues. Or that exploding a volcano is BAD. That's bad writing Lily. You are praising bad writing.

"Why did you change Wally's Gardevoir to a Gallade? YOU MADEIT EASIER, SEXISTS!"

... Because they wanted to promote Mega Gallade. And they both represent Wally growing from a shy, insecure kid to a confident ACTUAL rival.

Gallade was made because it's a fucking knight guarding a lady, moving on.

"I was pleasantly surprised by Gen 3-"

Not surprised one of the blandest Gens got your approval, Lily. Considering your response to any game that tries to have any kind of ambition is to get pissy.

Well, let's go check Sinnoh.

[cboffshore]

"I hear the sea, it roars/and I want out of here." - Coeur de Pirate, "Our Love"

For #quins1kdtiys: ol' reliable couture art meets a proper model in "And That's All We Are".

(Writeup under the cut, as usual. Minor Dragons Rising part 2 spoilers there, by the by, but you'll see them coming. I'll let you know.)

Congratulations on 1k, @quintastiic! I hope this does that milestone some justice.

I've done Skybound couture work before; I've done Nya analysis before. Somehow, I have never blended them, and this DTIYS gave me the perfect chance to try that out.

For the first time in my fashion fanart history, I'm not using a boilerplate mannequin - I got my hands on one of those IKEA artist figurines and decided, well, if there's any time to try and draw someone, let's start with a favorite. I'm not hiding behind a standard template here.

For the most part, this is a simple urban riff on Nya's Skybound gi: a black velvet vest and fingerless gloves over a crimson blouse, paired with bright combat boots and flared jeans. A durable ensemble, I like to believe this base of blended aesthetic represents what Nya spends the first five seasons building herself up to be: well, herself. She scrapped a mech and her own role together - and built a legacy in the process. In one way, that's all she is: everything she's crafted so far.

Overtaking the outfit, though, is a cropped leather jacket with a sheer train designed to resemble waves.

It doesn't match the base at all - it glows. It floats. It almost seems alive with motion and light, but at the same time, it's a weight on her shoulders that makes her conspicuous among her teammates. It's a dilemma that plagues her throughout Skybound and beyond - can she make herself work with her powers? Does she want to? In another way, that's all she is: her powers? Or not?

Bridging the gap between the wave jacket and the base ensemble is an element inspired by Nya's monologue to Jay about being friends - and nothing else.

That, of course, is the friendship bracelet inspired chain belt, adorned with four venom-shaded charms:

Closest to Nya herself is another symbol of her powers, and the way she has to reform herself to solve the problems at hand: a simple water droplet, a symbol of life turned into one of risk with the venom-green tint.

On the next layer down, something more classically Claire's jewelry rack bracelet set: a lightning bolt with a tiny heart, representing Nya's evolving relationship with Jay throughout the season. Although I find it important to analyze Nya as her own character in the context of Skybound, it is important to acknowledge Jay's influence, and that's what this is for.

(Partial Dragons Rising part 2 spoilers in this one!) Dangling as far away from Nya as she can get it, but apparently trying to climb back up close to her of its own accord, is a twelve-pointed sun motif that appears in the second half of Dragons Rising to - without getting too spoilery - indicate a curse on the bearer and mark them for inevitable suffering and eventual death. In Skybound and beyond, Nya narrowly evades this fate; the symbol overtakes both of her gloves here, representing her struggle and the hand motif I adore in the season. However, she does eventually escape - and wears it dangling loosely, even casually, from her belt, almost like a trophy.

Hidden beneath the jacket and attached to a belt loop for easy access, like a tool, hangs a charm modeled after the flask of venom used in episode 61. This is resilience, almost to a fault, and a bittersweet reminder of the events of the erased timeline - they go to such lengths to keep the venom, and for what end? Nya's eventual death - and their victory. And everything that comes with that.

The charms round out the trifecta of all she is during Skybound: the circumstances, mortal or not, that shape her actions and determine her destiny.

[mdhwrites]

Different anon here! About your post about the owl house, just out of curiosity, how much do you think is forgivable due to how Disney screwed them over? I do agree, the arcs feel impatient and couldn’t dedicate the time to the middle of the arcs, but that’s also in part because of how Disney cut the show prematurely short and they were scrambling to tell the story.

No. Zero. Nada. Nothing. Jack Shit. How many more ways do I have to put this: The cancellation is NOT why the show has writing problems. The show has writing problems because the writers are bad storytellers who have no clue how to actually do plot. For just the most obvious, basic example, let's take the end of S1. Belos presents himself as the big bad. Eda, Lilith and King are almost killed because of him and Luz destroys the portal door to make sure his plans cannot come to fruition. By all means, the show is ready to start its story and Luz is ready to start facing off against the Emperor's Coven.

She won't until Hollow Mind. Now you might disagree with me on this because Shifting Tides has her face off against the Golden Guard, Escaping Palisman is Golden Guard and Kiki, Eclipse Lake is Kiki and you even have Terra showing up in Falls and Follies. What are the character's goals in those episodes? Hunter is a surprise villain in Shifting Tides while Luz was just looking for cash, in Hunting Palisman, the two literally had no clue about the other until Luz was accidentally abducted and fighting them is just saving the palisman, not standing up to the coven. In Eclipse Lake, the coven just happens to be here at the same time as Amity, Eda and King and in Falls and Follies, they aren't standing up to the coven... They're getting Eda's love interest back.

The idea of Belos being evil and of facing him AT ALL... Happens in Hollow Mind. And Luz brings it up right after Eda's old wild witch pal says no to fixing Luz's magical cloak. Which, you know... Has problems for WHY Luz is now deciding to yell in public about how evil Belos is.

Instead, that time is spent on Hunter, who really has a very minimal effect on the plot overall. Like... Besides giving screentime to Belos where we still aren't learning anything about him, his relevance is just very low. We also Lumity which NEVER has plot relevance and King gets a few episodes episodes but still not much despite easily being the most important character in hindsight as far as the plot goes. Raeda and angst about that is given at least half as much screentime though and the closest you can come to justifying that is the failed plan of the CATs.

If you REALLY need something not from S2, then just look at Amity. She was already 99% reformed by the time Adventure in the Elements happens, if not Lost in Language and those are her fourth and fifth major appearances. Worse yet, their treatment of Boscha and her friend group is effectively the EXACT same as how they treated Amity's parents. Just an obstacle to be blown aside for Lumity to happen. The flaws in how TOH is constructed from a basic level are there even in S1, it's just easier to ignore them because the show was willing to be fun back then.

None of this even gets into the Collector, who was explicitly chosen to be moved forward in their plans when the show was cancelled. Instead, you know... Not. Just not introducing a character you have NO TIME to do anything with.

Then there's the condemnation of S3's creative decisions. If they REALLY had a plan for all of this stuff, S3 should feel like it's constant payoffs without proper build up as they wrap up loose ends, deal with the threats that are unresolved, etc. like that. Instead, S3 is so desperate for ideas to fill its runtime that the finale starts with a 7 minute dream sequence that actively goes against the character arc, shit as it is, Luz went through during the time from Hollow Mind to Watching and Dreaming.

If the shortening could be used as a real excuse, you shouldn't have been able to cut 80% of S3... And lose nothing. TOH is not bad because of the shortening. It's bad because because the writers are bad storytellers. (Yes, this was technically asking about the arcs but I decided to focus on how they just wasted time in general, especially on characters or elements that didn't matter. I still stand by the idea that TOH either NEVER wanted to end or that it wanted five seasons to cram literally every idea it had into it. Shortening S3 doesn't change the flaws of either approach.

[isabeljkim]

Hi! First I just want to thank you for putting your work out there. You have one of my favorite writing voices I've read in ages. I was wondering how you go about the process of plotting. I think you do a really good job creating emotionally satisfying setup/payoff and question/answer cycles (the pod-switching in Benthic especially was really satisfying!)- do you usually plan them out before you get to the story proper, or is it more a matter of pantsing it and then going back to plant hints?

hi! thank you so much, this is deeply flattering to hear, and i'm glad you like my stuff! :D

well you see doing a plot is essentially just: :3 ????? ?????? [redacted] [airplane woosh noise] [cartoon cussing] ?? !! [muffled bangs] > story is done.

ok jokes aside, the way i think about plots is that... one way to think about a story is that x amount of the story is about setting up a problem, and setting up the pieces that are part of solving that problem, and y amount of the story is about actually resolving a different problem related to the first problem (which is actually the real problem!), and using the pieces in a novel but satisfying way.

so i usually have about half figured out when i start a story, and the other half is a puzzle box i've given to myself, and through writing i figure out the other half and then go back and weave it in more conclusively. i have the question to begin with, but i usually have to build myself the tools to find the answer.

[under the cut if you want disjointed rambling]

sorry. that's vague. lets do an example.

when i start a story, i usually have the idea of "what the story is about" (the problem and premise) but not necessarily the "resolution to the story" (whether the first problem is actually the issue, and what the solution is).

so for example, bc you brought up Benthic - the orignal idea was that i wanted to do something about spaceship scavengers carving up a generation ship as a whalefall metaphor, and space as an equivalent to the deep ocean. so then the logical next step is that "ok, whats inside?" > and then whalefalls, spaceship wrecks, shipwrecks..... "its got to be a survivor."

so then the story becomes "ok, the generation ship scavengers find a survivor in the generation ship, but this needs to be a problem for them, because otherwise...there's no plot. there needs to be a problem. so ok, culturally, what if you need to kill survivors on the generation ships for [some reason]."

and that creates the problem, which is the ethical dilemma: will the protagonists kill the kid, or will they choose not to kill the kid, or will they find some other way? I don't know what they're going to do! and from there i write the story and build the boat as it is being floated. i add in cryotubes, and i add in the idea of it being a legal issue, and i write seam and mica and figure out their personalities a bit, and i extrapolate out what leads a person to being a scavenger in debt... and then i figure out that the logical past for them is haunted.

and that nails it all together. the story is is ethics, emotion, and scraping the barest bit of humanity you can get on the edge of the world.

so the solution to the problem has to be kind, but grim. because all of the above has created a world where the logical, practical outcome is cruelty. but because this is a story the ending cannot be the logical, practical outcome! the characters must change, or rail against their situation. (this is one of my tenets while writing - i used to be awful at endings, and i ve gotten much better. i think a good ending shifts your understanding of the prior work/uses the pieces given early on in a surprising way)

so then because i've nailed enough elements in place that have extrapolated from my original scenario, the only solution is then: the cryotube swap.

i dont know if any of that makes sense to anyone but me. i honestly just come up with fuckup premise problems and then write half of a story and then think about it in the shower for a few days and then write the rest. (i'm lying that's only like, a third of my stuff that gets written that way)

[rickie-the-storyteller]

Happy Tender Tuesday! If you could choose your favorite traits in any of your character's romantic relationships, what you it be? What would you say is the most important thing in said relationship for each of the characters involved?

Soooooooooooooo sorry for the late response! I've been suuuuuuuuper busy.

Thank you for the ask. This is a really good question!

I personally believe that communication is a key element of a healthy, positive romantic relationship (or any relationship, for that matter - even with family). I mean, when you think about it, a lot of the biggest issues in most ships on tv/books/movies and stuff all come down to misunderstandings and disagreements that could have easily been avoided by having a proper conversation lol.

(It's super annoying to me when a pointless misunderstanding pops up in the middle of a movie JUST as a contrived way to trigger a "third act break up" scene...)

I don't typically want to give my characters this problem. This is why for most of the ships that I write, I tend to have at least one character that isn't entirely useless when it comes to effective communication.

For my two Steph's Crew ships, I try to incorporate this rule. I'd say that Ben is the emotionally mature one in his and Steph's relationship overall, but they have pretty solid and effective communication all around... mostly. I mean, at the start, it's great! But once they go long distance, things change a bit. Mostly from Stephanie's end. She kind of closes herself off and downplays how much she's struggling with the distance. The thing with her though, is that she hates not expressing how she truly feels, so this is all kind of building up to a moment when she has this huge breakdown, leading her to make a change in her life.

(Can't really give more away without spoiling future posts lol)

But I'd say that's probably the thing I like most about Stephanie (in regards to her romantic relationships). It's the fact that she's honest about her feelings and she has the nerve to make tough choices.

Bret and Elise are a slightly different case, though (mostly because they are a newly formed couple, not a long-standing one like Stephanie and Ben. They're in the honeymoon stage lol). I wanted to give them a few weeks of just happiness and sweet moments and fun times before things go off the rails... because of course it will.

These two are comfortable sharing stuff with each other - they're besties, after all. Bret loves being with Elise - she makes him really happy, and he just wants to make her as happy as she makes him. That's the nice thing about Bret, in my opinion - he's a sensitive soul (more so than he lets on lol). People that feel deeply tend to love deeply also. However, he has a lot of issues that he struggles to open up about (with anyone, not just El) for a couple of reasons, and this puts a lot of strain on their relationship later on in the story.

And Elise doesn't really know how to deal with him. She's out of her depth, for a couple of valid reasons - she's never been in a romantic relationship with anyone before, so she's navigating all this stuff for the very first time, she comes from a family that's kind of cold and private and rigid, preferring to deal with things like this in a particular way, so her upbringing may not be the best preparation one could have for dealing with matters of the heart lol, etc. But the good thing about El is that she's very mature, perceptive, and she learns quickly. She gets the hang of things and finds a way to deal with their problems properly. This is the reason why she's rather good at maintaining relationships in her life (she makes friends really quickly, despite the fact that she's naturally quite shy and super introverted, and she's the only person in her family that still has a close relationship with Adam after he got kicked out).

So yeah. Needless to say, there were already several issues going into this ship that they weren't properly taking the time to address (because they're just having too much fun on ~Honeymoon Avenue~ lol) until things start to go crazy later on in the story. That's all I'm going to say about that.

So yeah! These are the main traits from my ships that I admire a lot (from each character).

Hope this answers your question!

[maximumcollectivepanda]

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[markusleben]

I’m gonna give this as comprehensive of feedback as I can. For context, I’m a game designer, highly enfranchised magic player, pauper player, and former modern player.

First, the elephant in the room. Modern Horizons III is the first proper Modern Horizons set that exists in the context of Modern as a pseudo-rotating format. MH1 had some serious power, and even made some decks outright start existing, but didn’t do a lot post Gaak-winter to invalidate previous decks.

By contrast, MH2 was the set where modern arguably became a rotating format. The pitch elementals became the cards that were critical to maximally exploit. LotR did similar with the one ring and bowmasters, but the pandemic-ness of MH2’s release timing combined with huge spikes to a few decks and near invalidation of others made for a pretty big off ramp.

For MH3 I dont really feel like it’s much different. The free cards are less problematic, and there are more cards to supplement weaker decks like Merfolk, but stuff like Energy feels very pushed in a way that’s prescriptive. And the energy deck doesn’t even really care about Kaladesh energy cards? Why bother with them when the rate on the MH3 ones is so pushed that they’re better than most non-MH3 modern cards on their own?

This is really likely to contribute to a sort of “loudness war” where each modern horizons has to do battle with being even higher rate than the previous one. Personally, I’d like it better if more cards were printed with the intent of beating the strategies that have cropped up and breathing life into old cards than just being more choc full of rate. When Ragavan and bowmasters make birds of paradise obsolete I feel sad. When harbinger of the seas helps fish out I feel happy.

But, I understand that this is the direction the format is going, I understand if it’s something that’s not for me. All I worry about is that it’s not sustainable.

——

For the limited environment, what can I say? Whirring Chris is so loud, so head and shoulders above other stuff that it kinda makes the format about itself. I’m not sure if that was a late change to deal with 5 snacker decks or something, but it makes the context of stuff a little funky.

I like the mdfc duals quite a lot. They felt skill testing in a similar way to the artifact lands of MH2.

I felt like the green white signpost uncommon was somewhat underserved. You only occasionally get value out of either of his abilities in my experience.

——

For pauper, I’m left with a very positive impression. While Ponza is a bit of a villain deck, it was extremely behind and the handful of gifts it got are all pretty cool. Green was the worst color in the format so that’s nice to see.

Refurbished Familiar, aka Furby, is a potential mistake, but that’s more to do with the artifact lands than with it. The artifact lands are slowly lurching their way towards being unbannable cards like workshops in vintage or brainstorm in legacy, and I personally don’t mind. Some folks feel different and I respect that.

Snacker is cool in my book. The format having about a billion deadly dispute effects makes this fae a really cool build around. Massively positive addition to the format.

——

Overall I think the weakest part of mh3 is templating, and the current Nadu crisis is indicative of that. Nadu looks to me pretty clearly like a card that was intended to work one way and instead worked a very different way.

Similarly, Springheart Nantuko is among the worst templated cards I’ve ever seen, and I see a lot of custom cards with serious wording problems. It’s almost chains of Mephistopheles level bad, and it’s not difficult to re-template, even if you need a 100% mechanically identical effect.

This has been a growing problem for a while. In Lost Caverns of Ixilan the craft reminder text on all but the simplest craft cards was extremely hard to parse, and three different mechanics had essentially the same name.

There seems to be a recurring theme of templating problems. Maybe I’m just a dweeb and I’m the only one noticing them, but I think they’re a serious issue worth addressing. It’s not an end of the world level problem, but I think we’ve seen that it has knock on effects.

Feedback on Modern Horizons III

I’m about to write this year’s “State of Design” article, and I’m interested on your feedback of Modern Horizons III. What did you like? What did you not like? Tell me all your thoughts. 

[felixtam]

Audiovision Blog Post week 5

1. Research (technical, academic, creative practice)

I didn't have much time to work on my project this week as I have had assignments due in other classes.

I have primarily been researching the environment gathering a lot of reference material, with footage and sound recordings from within small tight environments similar to the 'coffin rooms'. This helps me get a better idea of how I want to pan and layer the various diegetic elements within the scenes. The sound effects will be primarily diegetic with the soundtrack being the only proper non-diegetic sound element.

I have also run into a bit of a roadblock being the implementation of sound as this project will be in the form of a 360 degree video. I have begun learning how to implement this through various Youtube tutorials and other forums so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I want all the sounds to feel positioned correctly so that the viewer feels more immersed and doesn't feel disconnected from the world. This has led me to decide to record most of my sound directly in my room as the environment will be consistent and similar to that of a coffin house.

2. Reflection

Analysing the sound design for the 1998 film 'A Bug's Life', opened my eyes to a wide range of subtle implementations and storytelling techniques to enhance a film. While listening to the score-only playthrough, it shines a light on the music flow and subtle musical motifs used that are barely even noticeable within the complete final cut version. These small details not only inherently improve the movies pacing but also drive the emotion in the scene.

The various soundtracks and musical elements that are used to differentiate characters and emotions are clearly portrayed and help build a deeper connection between the characters and the audience.

Regarding the sound effects, I really liked the usage of visually comparable metaphors and the characterisation of certain sound effects with real-world similarities. An example is the fleet of fighter planes layered within the sounds of the grasshopper's wings fluttering. I feel that this builds such a rich and compelling sound composition, as it creates a sense of relatability when depicting a smaller-scale world and environment from the perspective of these smaller insects.

In future sound design projects, I really want to explore scale and different ways, as well as try my hand at the world of foley-based sound design using a wide variety of unorthodox items to create compelling sounds. I will definitely be referring back to the breakdown video in the future to better structure my sound layers of score, vocals and effects to get the cleanest and most refined final product.

Another thing I found interesting was the differentiation and contrast between the score and the sound design. The score provided the core emotional depth and energy to the film, with music tying in with the onscreen key moments. Randy Newman uses the small nuances of musicality and composition to illustrate the feeling the audience should be feeling (for example uplifting melodies might underscore scenes of heroism or success, while softer, more melancholic tunes might accompany moments of sadness and despair.

Alongside this, the sound design is focused towards grounding and imitating the small intricacies of the insect world. Heavy use of live foley and insect recordings are scattered within the composition to make the world feel more vibrant and tangible.

both elements ultimately work in harmony to enhance the overall viewing engagement and experience. Something I found interesting was the use of score being used as an emotional or thematic cue to present danger or something about to happen before it actually happens.

3. Progress

Again like I stated before I did not have a lot of time this week to work on my project so I mainly did some small testing and planning work.

I have started to create a sound map for how I want each section of the video will play out, along with what sound effects will be used. I want to incorporate a wide range of sonic elements and try to use self-made/ recorded components. I have tried recording elements simply through my phone using the 'Voice Memos' app. I will eventually use a proper high-quality mic for the final recordings.

By positioning the mic in a consistent spot in the room I will be able to get a more realistic feel as the video is from the first person perspective. As the character is primarily bedridden, I can do the same in my room and record stereo audio that will already be panned to the correct direction I want the sound to be regarding the video environment.

The small condensed environment portrayed in the video is quite similar to my room allowing me to create a greater layer of authenticity to the sound usage. This will also help me get a good basis on how the atmosphere and white noise will be shaped in combination with the non-diegetic sounds.

I have also been working on the music composition as this I feel will be the most important aspect over the sound effects.

Bibliography:

Audio enhancing tool to improve clarity and remove unwanted noise

[kitelineonline]

My Thrilling Ride with Cabrinha Kiteboarding Gear

Attention all daredevils and water sports fans! Today, I'd like to introduce you to the thrilling sport of kiteboarding and especially talk about my time using equipment made by the Cabrinha brand. Cabrinha has always been my first option when I want to fulfill my fantasies of feeling the breeze in my hair and floating across the ocean.

Before we start, I want to stress the importance of proper kiteboarding equipment. Although several brands are available, Cabrinha kiteboarding gear has established itself as a reliable leader in the industry, which is why I've just become a huge admirer.

Longevity and dependability

The amazing longevity of Cabrinha kiteboarding gear was the first thing I noticed about it. Gear takes a hammering from the elements when you're out on the water. Your investment in a Cabrinha kite or board will be protected from the elements thanks to its sturdy construction. My Cabrinha equipment has withstood the test of time and extreme situations.

Cutting-edge Technology

Cabrinha is well-known for its innovative spirit and cutting-edge technology. Their dedication to improving kiteboarding technology is seen in all of their wares. Cabrinha is known for producing cutting-edge products in every category of the watersports industry, from cutting-edge kite designs to cutting-edge board forms. You may be certain that you are obtaining state-of-the-art equipment thanks to this company's commitment to constant improvement.

Suitability and Adaptability 

Cabrinha provides gear for all levels of riders, from those just starting to those who want to take their talents to the next level. You may find kites in their collection suitable for freestyle, freeride, wave riding, and other disciplines. Having tested several of their kites, I can attest that they all provide something special and suit various riding preferences. This adaptability is what makes Cabrinha equipment suitable for beginners and pros alike in the sport of kiteboarding.

User-Friendly Features

I value safety above everything else, no matter how much I like kiteboarding. Cabrinha's products are well-known for their intuitive design and high level of use. Their interfaces are user-friendly, and the security measures they employ are cutting-edge. With Ozone kiteboarding gear, I can forget about safety and focus on having fun on the bike.

Customer Support

Cabrinha's superb customer care is just another factor that sets it apart. They have a committed group of professionals standing by to answer any inquiries or address any problems you may have. Cabrinha can assist riders of all skill levels, from novices seeking advice to seasoned veterans needing technical assistance. Building confidence and loyalty among passengers requires a high standard of customer service.

Final Thoughts

Cabrinha isn't simply an equipment supplier and is heavily active in kiteboarding events and communities. Through worldwide contests, seminars, and other activities, they give kiteboarders a community. Joining Cabrinha allowed me to meet other sailors like myself and expand my knowledge of the sport.

The concept of sustainability has become more important in modern society. Cabrinha is dedicated to minimizing its ecological footprint and has made tremendous progress in developing environmentally friendly equipment. As an eco-friendly rider, I like that they utilize renewable resources to construct the 2023 Cabrinha Mantis Wing and other equipment. 

In summary, using Cabrinha kiteboarding equipment has been an incredible experience. My experiences kiteboarding have been life-changing because of the company's dependability, inventiveness, variety, user-friendliness, and exceptional customer service. Cabrinha is a name you can trust whether you're a seasoned rider or just getting your feet wet in this exciting sport.

I highly recommend trying out some Cabrinha kiteboarding gear if you want to feel the adrenaline of wind and waves like never before. It's not simply equipment; it's an entry into an unforgettable experience. Go on an adventure you'll never forget by taking advantage of the wind with your Cabrinha.

Original Source : https://bit.ly/3EVTaFT

[moranroofing]

How Residential and Commercial Roofing Contractor Fix Leaks

Roof leaks can be a major problem for businesses and homeowners, causing damage to the structure of the building and potentially inviting mold and other health hazards. However, your residential and commercial roofing contractors take several approaches to addressing roof leaks and preventing them from becoming a major issue.

Using High-Quality Sealant and Caulk 

Residential and commercial roofing contractors make short work of leaks and minor roof damage by deploying a strong sealant and caulk. These products seal up small cracks and gaps in the roof and stop water from entering the house. Because roofing professionals work quickly and adeptly with these products, attentive homeowners search for “roof service repair near me” at the first sign of a leak. They want to take immediate corrective action before the situation worsens. 

Making Use of Flashing 

Skilled roofers often install flashing around areas of the roof that are vulnerable to leaks. Flashing is a metal or plastic material used around chimneys, vents, and other openings in the roof. It creates a barrier between the roof and the opening, preemptively blocking water from entering the house. 

Installing a Roofing Membrane 

A roofing membrane is a waterproof layer that residential and commercial roofing contractors install on top of the roofing material. This prevents leaks by creating a barrier between the roof and the elements. Roofing membranes are often used in flat roofs and can be made from a variety of materials, including rubber, PVC, and TPO. 

Attending to Roof Ventilation 

Proper roof ventilation can also help you avoid leaks. Ventilation allows heat and moisture to escape from an attic space. Residential and commercial roofing contractors will often install vents in the roof or attic, such as soffit vents, gable vents, and ridge vents. In all cases, it’s important to have a professional inspect and repair your roof if you notice or suspect a leak. You want to be connected with a professional roofer who has the tools and expertise to locate the source of the leak and get your roof back in working order. This might involve replacing damaged shingles, flashing, and other materials. You could start by searching for “a roofing company near me” and then meet with a company that has a track record for solid service. What you don’t want to do is wait. A leaking roof can be a serious problem that damages the structure of the home or building and presents significant health hazards down the road. Regular roof inspections keep your roof in good condition and prevent those dire leaks that lead to expensive repairs and replacements.

 Commercial Roofing Contractors 

If you’re looking for a better roofing company or investigating “commercial roofing companies near me,” check out the repair services offered by Moran Roofing. We would love to step in and assist. 

[alexod]

Rare GameDev update May 2023: Good news and bad news.

Hello all, it’s been a while since I gave a proper update or #screenshotsaturday as to what I’ve been up to with the game. There are several reasons for this which I’ll explain later but essentially the main two reason are 

1. Most of the outstanding framework/refactoring work I’ve been grinding away at, like most software work isn’t really something you can “show off”, and there hasn’t been any art-side work to demo either because of this. 

To give you an example in 2023 I have:

• Refactored the entire rendering (twice cause I’m an idiot) to support transparent views within buildings

• Refactored shadows so they can be cast backwards

• Refactored collision again cause its my most hated gamedev aspect

• Implemented sound/music with spatial audio

• Created a nested GUI/Menu system from scratch

• Developed a full day/night cycle across all maps

• Calendar system

• Questing sytem

• Inventory stuff

• Save/load data stuff 

• Gamepad support

• Weather shaders

2. Life stuff and, again, working on this in my own hours on top of a full time job means that this takes time

--

This leads me to talk about the good and the bad:

The BAD NEWS is that the “BIG ONE” is delayed until further notice, because the GOOD NEWS is I’m going to be working on releasing a smaller scale game made with the same framework first.

So what lead to this decision?

• Uncertainty with releasing a game and how my game engine framework will cope

Due to the nature of one-man development, it’s safe to say there will be bugs and issues that will fly under the radar, which is why with working on a smaller scale game I can highlight these problems before they impact something a more larger scale project.

To give a real life case study, compare Breath of the Wild to Tears of the Kingdom. A lot of the time and hardwork with BotW you can see probably went into getting the damn thing to work, hence why TotK has a lot more going for it gameplay element wise, as they had BotW groundwork to build upon.

• I want to release something in a smaller timespan and build an audience for the “big one”

• Apart from the “Big one” I’ve been fixated on working on this one for a long time now.

• I want to show the flexibility of what I’ve made and potentially make it open source

--

Outside of things like launcher->deployment->release piplines, the framework itself is basically done, and it’s safe to say outside of gameplay specific elements I have all the building blocks to actually make a “game”.

We’re at the point now where I can actually start cracking on with pixel art work again, and I’m looking forward to hopefully showing off the direction the new game is going soon.

TL:DR: The big game I wanted to make is being put on the backburner while I make a smaller game using the same framework that the big one was being made in.

What kind of game? Well... you’ll see in due time.

[pannimanagementteam]

Understanding Sage Software: A Complete Information

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They provide larger interoperability and mitigate knowledge loss from teams using completely different proprietary design software. Construction management software leverages the cloud to deliver geographically scattered teams together. The cloud has numerous advantages that make it troublesome to ignore. Keep in mind, accessing these techniques requires an internet or data connection, although some present offline capabilities. All AEC and building professionals achieve aggressive benefits from incorporating construction administration software.

We additionally issued a major new launch of Sage Intacct Manufacturing and are working with clients and partners across six countries to drive development. I just lately spoke to Phase 3, knowledgeable and managed services supplier primarily based in Manchester, and so they advised me Sage Intacct saves them three days a month of manual effort. And having established Sage Intacct throughout our English-speaking markets, we're now rolling this resolution out in continental Europe, starting with its current launch in France. Start with the modules foundational to your corporation and build from there. Companies often begin with a finance module to automate basic accounting duties and allow leaders to simply view available money and the move of money into and out of the organization.

Some enterprises have additionally deployed two-tier ERP, which makes use of a SaaS solution for elements of the enterprise and integrates with the first on-premises ERP. An ERP can strengthen a company’s associate and buyer relationships. It can present insights on suppliers, transport carriers and repair providers, with the cloud enabling even better, extra convenient information sage x3 product walkthroughs trade. When it comes to clients, the solution can monitor survey responses, help tickets, returns and more so the group can keep its finger on the coronary heart beat of buyer satisfaction. Data is beneficial only if firms can analyze and understand it, and an ERP helps with that.

ERP systems deliver probably the most value when a company has modules for every main enterprise perform and ensures timely, accurate data entry. Real-time information is then woven into business processes and workflows throughout product tour sage x3 departments. Finance can evaluate gross sales to rents to assist executives resolve whether to consolidate. Information entered by one department is straight away out there to approved users across the business.

However, some manufacturers continue to use QuickBooks and QuickBooks Enterprise to deal with manufacturing and accounting needs. 29% plan to switch QuickBooks with a different software program solution, while 20 % acknowledged their next MRP system is not going sage x3 product tutorials to be changing existing software program. Whether it’s standalone MRP resolution or an integrated QuickBooks app like MRPEasy, there are alternatives to think about when wanting to implement MRP into your business.

[mdhwrites]

How sick are you of the "TOH season 3 was bad because of Disney" argument?

I feel bad that I've been talking about the shortening as much as I have lately and this ask feels like a part of that. XD It's probably the one thing that the troll from a bit ago really got under my skin with and what seemed to piss them off the hardest. The idea that I was 'blatantly ignoring the circumstances' that led to the problems in the show.

But frankly, I just don't hear the argument being used much anymore. That might just partially be because at this point, I feel like I see more Amphibia art than I see Owl House art on my timeline because... Who is really defending this show at this point? It seems like even die hards are glancing back and fidgeting about it, like that person who I reblogged about the glyphs. That was a decently popular post for something that should have been controversial considering how theoretically important the glyphs are to at least the branding of the show.

S3 in general seems to have left a really bad taste in people's mouths and it's not hard to see why. When you had two and a half hours of content to give your story a proper bang of a finish, even if you can't make it all cohere thematically or the like, you should be able to do SOMETHING. That's WAY longer than most movies and TOH didn't have to do the first two act of establishment that most movies need to do. They had their players, they had their villains, they had their stakes and they never have to find an answer on their own to the Collector or Belos so they effectively already had their solution. They were setup to have payoff after payoff after payoff.

But I made an entire blog about how S3 could never have been great... Because what was there to payoff? Beating Belos is about the ONLY thing S2 left for the cast to do, especially once the second special came around and the interesting elements of the Collector were killed. He's just a sad but playful boy, just like Hunter was sad but mad and Amity was sad but smart. We had no other villains that we as an audience were connected to, all the character arcs were done, to the point where they have to make shit up for Willow so they can do SOMETHING with her and even that feels like shipping fodder, and the thematics were left so far down the road that... What can you say about the ending positively besides "I'm happy everyone is alive and seems happy where they are"?

None of these issues only arose in S3 of TOH though and I think that's the real problem for the fandom right now. Literally the longer the show has gone on, the more its inherent flaws in its writing become obvious as well as the fact that these writers simply aren't good enough to improvise off of the flaws in their own writing to make it better. We have no one who is Toriyama during the Cell Arc here where they can change on the fly and actually build off of what has to now be discarded. Or, hell, me, because I don't plan my stories from go but I take GREAT pride in being able to build on surprises I leave for myself on accident. Remember: The Power of Love did not start even with that title or Boscha planned to ever make more than joke appearances. Now it has a lot of people's favorite versions of both Boscha and Amity.

And that story is over a hundred chapters long. I had at least another hundred chapters of plans in mind. But when my brain stopped working for it and I decided I needed to write an ending so readers could be satisfied, I managed to do one in six parts that word count wise was probably at most 15k words. Not that long frankly but I was able to highlight the mended relationship between Amity and Boscha, how far Boscha had come socially as to be able to ignore those who might have gotten under her skin before, her better relationship with Luz, tie up the biggest loose ends and get them all together.

Was it entirely coherent? No. Was it as impactful as it could have been had I done all my plans? Of course not. But it was satisfying and true to the story and none of it wasted my audiences' time while still giving them an ending that was not only poignant to what had come because of how far Boscha had come but also just give the audience what they wanted. I knew what to cut and I knew what was important.

The Owl House never knew what was important to it though. Never met an idea it didn't like. So... How do you end a story that has never had a focus, clear thematics, plot, world or even characters? That throws everything into the kitchen sink and just waves away the elements in the sink that will stop them from adding new elements that will never get past the surface?

In a lot of spectacle that shows you were always a lot more shallow than you claimed and that's gonna leave a lot of people cold. I know it did for me, even well before the finale.

=========

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead, If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

[edenfenixblogs]

An Addition!

(Because I’ve been thinking about this all morning)

And don’t worry. This isn’t a callout @daughter of stories! I think you’re great and you just made me think about things is all.

In the circumstance you laid out, I would argue that this is NOT tikkun olam. Yes. It is part of Jewish belief and ethics. And yes it is sometimes permissible or necessary. But tikkun olam starts before the moment a choice in made to take violent steps to prevent imminent violence. Tikkun olam is how we build a world where that violence doesn’t arise in the first place.

But tikkun olam, I feel, is by nature not reactionary. Rather, it is holistic. And even any violence enacted AS A PART of tikkun olam should be as gentle as possible. You may have a different belief and that’s ok. I can only tell you how I was raised and how I was taught to think about tikkun olam.

And, because I’m me and am a predictable plant lover, I will resume a plant metaphor.

Let’s analogize good gardening with Judaism. When you garden, sometimes weeds or fungi or pests invade your garden and start to destroy the fragile life you’ve built there. In Judaism and in good gardening you just rip out the weeds before they destroy the lives under your protection. This is good gardening practice, but it is not ideal to have to do this. Ideally, you preventatively treat potentially hazardous areas with weed killer and fungicide and insecticide. You provide proper lighting and water and fertilizer. You prune your plants so they don’t get overgrown and start harming plants around them or themselves. And, if you do this correctly, you won’t need to spend weekends weeding your entire garden. You stop small problem areas as they arise. You spray and gentle extra round of fungicide. You buy a humidifier and help your plants carry enough moisture to deter mites. You plant non-invasive native flora nearby so the neighboring plants aren’t naturally as destructive and you care for those plants as well—because they are also living things with needs. You create an environment where every element has both a purpose and a set of needs that can reasonably be filled. Sometimes a well placed and maintained weed can regulate water to a main plant to keep it healthy with less hands on maintenance from you.

This is tikkun olam. Working toward world where only gentle maintenance is necessary. Where if violence is necessary, it is spraying fungicide and not ripping out weeds and having plant casualties along the way. Each item in a garden has its own needs and it is our garden and it is our duty to keep it healthy. Not to make sure everything in the garden is the same or that only one thing grows there. But to make sure every thing in that garden can thrive as its best, most beautiful, and most effective self. Tearing out a plant is sometimes necessary. But I hate doing it.

The world is our garden. Every living thing here serves a purpose and has needs and we should strive to meet those needs—not just in terms of immediate and urgent needs, but in terms of systemic structures that support each individual group so that they can thrive and live harmoniously. In this way, having to represent a weed represents good gardening practice, but it is a failure of the garden holistically speaking. Taking a life of an aggressor to save an innocent CAN be acceptable practice under Jewish law, but it is certainly not ideal practice. And it is dangerous if used to justify any political violence ever. It is not tikkun olam. It means we have failed to create an environment where that weed had its needs met in a way that prevented it from becoming dangerous to the other plants. It doesn’t make the weed more important. Our failure doesn’t mean we let the weed kill our other plants. But it means we did something wrong and we have to figure out what it is and fix it so this doesn’t happen again.

This, to me, is tikkun olam.

re: your comment about the misinterpretation and misuse of "tikkun olam" by non-Jews, could you please explain what it *does* mean? I've heard that it roughly translates to repairing the world (like with Rabbi Tarfon's "it is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it"), but idk if that's what it actually is or not (sorry if any phrasing is weird, i've been awake for way too long today)

Your understanding is correct.

It does mean repairing the world. This means doing charity and choosing kindness whenever possible and generally doing small and large things without recognition in order to leave the world better than you found it. Plant a tree. Read at a nursing home. Save all your loose change for ten years then donate that amount to a cause you care about. Make kindness that helps others heal a part of your daily practice. This is tikkun olam.

I have seen bigots who consider themselves progressive try to goysplain tikkun olam as Jews attempting to impose their idea of perfection on the world around them and that we use it to justify violence. I have seen people say that Jews consider the bombing of Gaza and Rafah to be the ideal practice of tikkun olam. And it is a blatantly and horrifically false and disingenuous to say this. Tikkun olam is my absolute favorite aspect of my faith. I wake up and choose kindness and peace every single day and have since I learned about this concept. It is not always easy, but it is always worth it.

And to see others pervert it into something violent and to associate that violence as synonymous with Jewish religious ideology is truly one of the most painful things I’ve experienced in this conflict and one of the most bigoted things I’ve experienced in my life.