#it'll be the most highlighted in the final piece

[https-furina]

“your order is complete!” this order is for @jingyuansbird:

“heyo heyo ✌🏾 congrats on 500! so, for my order, it'll be for alhaitham, size medium, with a cappuccino, soy milk, and foam please, and thank you!!!”

alhaitham x gn!reader | fluff, college!au + established relationship | 1.1k words notes. thank you so much !! i hope you enjoy your order (it should be mentioned that alhaitham despite being a previous main of mine is not one of my strong suits so i apologise if it's bad...) <3

thirsty? see our café menu before you order! | order receipts

with finals week drawing ever closer, it can sometimes feel like you're going insane with the repetitive revision and those god awful prep talks from your professors but adding onto that to make things worse, the most (seemingly) sane person in your circle really doesn't help the looming feeling of insanity. he seems to have no qualms with the endless academic revision thrown onto you for the sake of grades, his head always buried deep in a textbook that keeps him occupied whilst your friend circle do what they're best at… procrastinating.

"i'm really starting to think college isn't worth it," you mumble, highlighting another line in your notes - you're hoping the pretty colours will attract your attention more, "when am i ever going to use this in the 'real' world?"

your boyfriend makes an evidently amused noise from where he sits opposite you, his slim fingers working diligently at typing on his laptop; the one that you had snuck a cat meme sticker onto, much to his dismay but he is still yet to remove it. it is silent for a few moments save for the exceptionally fast clicking of laptop keys before your boyfriend presses the enter key, his turquoise eyes flickering up to meet your already staring gaze. you smile sheepishly and he rolls his eyes, a crack of a smile on the corners of his lips.

"we're almost finished and you're giving up now?" he mumbles back into the quiet of the library, almost filled to the brink with students and their numerous cups of coffee. you recognise that alhaitham has a point but all of this seems excessive when you glance around at all the dark circles under people's eyes, hair tied up in messy buns and stomachs full of leftover food because they're lacking time to cook. a frown adorns your face and alhaitham is quick to pick up on it, clearing his throat as he fixes his posture, sitting straight.

"it's all we've done for weeks now, haitham," you pout, jutting your lower lip out. without realising, you'd just made your boyfriend keen in a matter of seconds, his eyes quick to look away before he's caught slacking, "can we go for a walk? anywhere but… here."

alhaitham can't deny that the pair of you had locked yourselves away in the library for far too long to the point where his limbs have gone stiff and he's sure his knees might sound like he's aged beyond his years when he stands up. this means - much to his disliking - that he also cannot deny you, his darling partner, this walk you're requesting.

"alright, fine," he groans, slamming his laptop shut before he turns his body to slip the piece of technology into his worn leather satchel. he doesn't miss the way your face he adores so much lights up almost instantly, your eyes twinkling and wide, "but you have to promise to finish this chapter tonight."

you don't even reply to him under the premise that it'd be unwise for you to make a promise you may not be able to keep, not that it would be your fault. your friend group had tendencies to rope you into unwise things, to say the least. it could be any of them; kaveh, nilou, cyno, dehya… you have the inability to say no unless alhaitham is there to beat you to it. you're thankful for his input when it keeps you on the right track throughout college.

with your fingers laced with alhaitham's own, the two of you begin to make your way out of the jail that is the campus library. the spring sun beams down a hug of warmth on sumeru during these months, slightly sticky with humidity. alhaitham is always less than pleased about the heat, more so when he has tasks to do that require him leaving his accommodation. to quote your boyfriend, this weather in his eyes is good for nothing at all but here you was, removing him from the safe confides of an air conditioned building that was nonetheless silent - that's his idea of perfection! he bites back saying his complaints out loud, only because it's you.

"do we have a destination to this walk?" alhaitham breaks the silence first, slightly out of character for your boyfriend and it shows when you glance over at him in mild surprise, your eyebrows raised. he scoffs, looking away. you take this moment to trail your eyes over the beloved features of your partner from his silver locks and the pair of white bluetooth headphones that hang around his neck at all times. he never parted from them, almost like how he never parted from you.

you shake your head when you realise you never answered him, clicking your tongue to your teeth as you admire the bustle of the college campus - usually a little too crowded for your own liking but today it seemed to be just perfect, at least it lacked to feel like a sweaty tin of sardines, "nowhere in particular."

alhaitham appears to nod out of the corner of your eyes, his own gaze falling to a patch of empty grass on the green in the middle of campus. he squeezes your hand to catch your attention, beginning to lead you silently as you weave through the aforementioned crowds you'd been mindlessly watching prior. you didn't question his sudden change in directions, knowing alhaitham there was always a possibility the man had gotten overwhelmed in the current situation. he settles onto the lush grass first, pulling you down at his side due to your joined hands which only earns him a yelp of shock and a glare.

"that was unnecessary." you comment stubbornly and a small noise comes from your boyfriend as he watches you finally settle down, resting your head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"this walk was unnecessary." he retorts, earning him a slap on his leg that curls his lips as he looks away, squinting to watch other students.

"it's good to get outside and feel the fresh air, haitham," you muse as your eyelashes flutter shut, relaxing as you feel alhaitham's thumb brushing over your knuckles subconsciously - this is just one of his many habits he does without realising but you most definitely notice every single one, "y'know… photosynthesis."

alhaitham scoffs, suddenly turning his attention back to you as he glances over your face while your eyes are shut. he takes in the way you styled your hair today and the minor details of your face you think nobody notices. seconds pass with no more words said before alhaitham leans to press his lips to you, catching you off guard as your eyes widen. pleased with your reaction, he pulls away with the faintest of a smug expression on his face as he dares to utter a response to your earlier comment, "love, we're not plants."

© https-furina 2023 | please do not copy, re-upload or translate my works on any form of media. heart banner by @/cafekitsune.

[nicoline1998enilocin]

Flufftober Day 14 | My favorite piece of art

Pairing | Avenger!Best friend!Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Best friend!Fem!Reader

Word count | ~ 780 words

Summary You've been trying to get Bucky to model for you for the longest time. When he finally agrees, you decide to go all out and make a beautiful painting of him to highlight everything you love about him. When he sees the end result, he can't help but joke about it, but deep inside, he's very moved and touched that you did this for him.

Warning(s) None.

A/n This one shot is written for day 14 of my Flufftober 2023 Challenge! I want to give my undying love, thanks, and firstborn child to @ccbsrmsf1 for proofreading this on such short, SHORT notice. You're an angel, and I appreciate you more than you know. 🧡

Events Flufftober 2023 | 14. ''I hate it'' - ''No you don't'' | @flufftober

Banners: @vase-of-lilies | Divider: @firefly-graphics | GIF credit: the owner

Main Masterlist | Bucky Barnes Masterlist

Drawing and painting have been your passion ever since you were a kid, and before you were on the path of becoming an Avenger, you were supposed to go to art school to live your dream.

Now, it is something you enjoy doing between missions in your downtime, and because of this, you have found a great friend in Steve. You two often chat about new supplies you got, or you give each other inspiration, and it's something you two have bonded over.

What you didn't expect, however, is that you would become the best of friends with Bucky. He was permanently closed off and didn't let anyone in besides Steve.

But when he joined the Avengers after you, you were constantly paired on missions together, and one thing led to another.

Right now, you are trying to convince your best friend to sit and model for a painting because you've been dying to put his beautiful features on a canvas.

''C'mon, it won't take long! Just one afternoon, and then it's finished. You would help me out if you did it! Pleeeeeaaaaaseeeee?' you said with the most prominent puppy eyes you can muster.

Bucky has always had a soft spot for you, and of course, the man can't say no to you. He's not made of stone, after all.

''Alright, but it'll stay between us! I don't want to see it anywhere other than your studio,'' he says with a sigh, and you pull him into a big hug while you squeal excitedly.

''Thank you, thank you, thank you!'' you say, excitement dripping from your voice. You quickly let him go to find Steve so you can tell him the good news.

A few days later, you're in your shared studio, which is basically at the top of the Avengers tower, which Tony gracefully lets you and Steve use for all your artsy needs.

Bucky sits on the couch, clad in black jeans, a tight black t-shirt, and boots. His Vibranium arm glistens beautifully in the sunlight as it falls right onto it, making it almost look glowing.

Between painting, you and Bucky talk about everything and nothing, and you keep looking at him to ensure every single line, feature, and shadow is laid down correctly.

All in all, it takes you about 5 hours, but you're thrilled with the result so far. But he's sitting too far away for you to get the details of his arm right.

''Bucky? Could you come and sit next to me for a little bit? I want to make sure I get everything correct,'' you say, and with a groan, he gets up, stretching out his muscles after sitting in the same position for so long.

You have gotten your gold paint out, and all you need to do now is replicate the intricate pattern laid out all over the Vibranium.

''Wow…'' he says softly as he sits on a chair next to you, deeply impressed with your work so far.

''All I need now is to replicate the golden pattern on your arm, and after you're all done!'' you say with a smile, but Bucky can't stop looking at himself on the canvas.

You captured every little detail of him and made him look angelic despite the dark colors you used for most of the painting.

''So? Can I see it?'' you say softly, and his head shoots to you before he finally realizes what you're asking of him. He extends his metal limb, and you look it over a few times before replicating it.

From every single line on his fingers to the more significant lines on his arm, nothing escapes your skilled eye, and with the precision you would expect from a trained assassin like yourself, you finish it.

''All done!'' you say with a big smile, and you turn to Bucky to see his reaction to the painting; he's trying to fight back a few tears because he is so moved by it.

''What do you think?'' you ask as you grab his Vibranium hand, rubbing his knuckles softly with your thumb. You're not sure if he can feel it, but you often like to do it just in case he can.

''I hate it!'' he jokes, a teasing laugh coming from his body.

''No, you don't!'' you tell him, and Bucky shakes his head. He couldn't hate it even if he wanted to. You have captured him perfectly; for a moment, he doesn't see his past.

He sees the man he has become after all his hard work; he sees himself through your eyes. He sees the man he has always wanted to be and couldn't be happier.

[ravenstargames]

✦ Lost in Limbo Devlog #1 | 01.31.23

Welcome to Ravenstar Games' first devlog! ✨💜 We are so excited to finally share this month's progress with all of you! It has been a surprisingly productive month for the team, and we have not only done everything we scheduled for January, but also some extra work!

I want to first and foremost congratulate my team for their wonderful job this month. We hope February will be another amazing month for us and the game!

We want to thank you all so much for sticking with us, for sending us asks, showering us with love and good vibes, and overall for just being here! Without further ado, let's jump into the devlog, shall we? 💜

One of January's highlights has been, without a doubt, Vycar's debut! He's one of six supporting characters you will meet in the demo, and he is very dear to the team.

Calm, shy and a bit of a workaholic, Vycar is the complete opposite of his Lord and close friend, Amon. The dynamic of these two is extremely fun to write, and you'll be seeing a great deal of it in Amon's route!

We did his concept art around late 2022, but this month we focused on his clothes, the color palette and his sprite.

He's not our first finished supporting character, though: we already did Neela's sprite—a character you'll also meet in the demo, and one of the main supporting characters of Envy's route— a few months ago. We want to do some tweaks as her sprite sadly is a bit outdated now compared to the rest of the cast, but you most likely will be meeting her soon! 💜

Ah, yes, the team's personal nightmare! This month we have made outstanding progress with our backgrounds: as of now, six out of ten backgrounds are ready for rendering, or are already finished!

I may as well point out that Raquel, our lead character artist, is also in charge of rendering the backgrounds, which is a ton of work. As we'll be focusing on the characters next month, it'll be a while until Raquel can keep working on finishing backgrounds, but the wait will be worth it! 💜 In the meantime, Astro and Kayden will keep working on them.

Here you have a WIP of one of the first places you'll visit in the demo: your kitchen! We also wanted to show how the background department works with this little gif. Every member of the team is in charge of a different stage; I, for example, write down a briefing for each background and create a moodboard for Astro, and then we all offer our feedback as he works.

Well, this is your mother's kitchen, but it counts...right?

Astro, our lead background concept artist, has also been working hard on bringing Lost in Limbo's world to life. We don't want to spoil too much, but as the director, I wanted to highlight Astro's work today, so I'm leaving here one of the concept pieces he did for another background, as a treat! 💜

What could possibly be happening here, I wonder...?

As of today, 76% of the demo script is coded! ✨ Courtesy of Seyl (that's me!), who has suddenly become a Ren'Py pro (quotation needed).

Jokes aside, we are slowly but surely getting closer to tie all the knots and solve all the mysteries behind Lost in Limbo's demo programming. The pronoun selection works great, the choices don't make the game explode, and variables change when they have to, which may not sound like a lot, but for us first-timers it is like a dream!

You can punch Amon in Lost in Limbo's demo! Yay!

For me, the most complicated thing has been programming the LIs sprites, as they will change clothes in the future, they blink, etc. A bunch of unexpected problems came out (as they always do) as I got familiar with Ren'Py, but fixing them has been an equally rewarding and maddening experience. There's a lot of work left to do and I'm sure I'll suffer a great deal trying to figure everything out, but isn't that the fun part?! Coping mechanism!

Honestly, as an adult who still has to count with her fingers, finding out that I can program with Ren'Py quite correctly is making me feel kind of smart.

Our UI is still on the making, but we hope we can show y'all some sneak peeks real soon!

Seyl's programming adventure also includes absolutely beautiful placeholders like this one, made by yours truly. We promise your mom looks better than this.

As for the writing department, I keep saying the prologue / demo script is finished, but I find myself going back to it to modify stuff. To this day there's still some changes I think can benefit the narrative—but I have to sit down and think about them thoroughly first. As the story grows and the plot thickens, it is my job to make the demo as engaging as possible, and I'm committed to it.

The first chapter of Amon's route is done, and the second is on the making. My plan is to at least write three chapters of every route before focusing on finishing one, to make sure all of them are coherent and cohesive.

January has been a good month for the team. I'd say that the progress we have made especially in the programming and background department has relieved us from a lot of stress.

Sadly, as you all know, Raquel, Astro and me are full time students, and our master degree is being quite intense. How much time we can dedicate to the game depends on the amount of work the master demands from us, so February could be as good as January for the game, or it could be not as fullfilling. Only time will tell! Know that in any case, we regularly work on the game.

If you've made it this far, thank you so much for your time! 💜 I hope it wasn't too boring, and please forgive my overworked brain if there's a bunch of nasty typos around. I promise I'll check the post (again) soon, just in case.

Sending you all a lot of love from the Ravenstar Team! Have an incredible week, take care, and remember to drink water!💜

[coleopterabyte]

INSECTOID INSPECTION | An Anthropod Adventure Awaits

Hey folks, my brainrot's getting terminal so I'm starting this blog series: Insectoid Inspection! I'll be rating various exoskeletal/anthropomorphic characters from across all media-- hopefully for at least once a week while I can keep it up.

Below the cut are descriptions of my planned rating categories, for those interested:

Accuracy: This can get tricky for characters that aren't based on any real species in particular, but what I'm hoping to highlight is the amount of thought put into the character as being something bug-like. While aesthetics will be important, behavior will also be a factor.

Aesthetic: This is by far the most subjective category. Does the character have aesthetic appeal? Does it appeal to *my* specific tastes of non-standard? This is where this starts really becoming an opinion piece.

Amusement: Getting even further into the depths of subjectivity, how are they as a *character?* Perhaps they barely act as one, and instead as a force of nature-- I can still rate based on how they fulfill that role. I guess you could say this would be "how likable/interesting they would be to me if they weren't also a bug thing".

Attunement: How does this character, this insectoid, fit in with the rest of their world's setting? This is more a judgement of the world than it is of the character themself, but I think it's worth analyzing. You can take or leave this category as part of the final rating, it'll mostly be a breakdown on how I feel about the work's worldbuilding.

Actuality: Just the average rating across all scores, acting as a final rating. I guess I could've named it "Average", but "Actuality" is so much more relevant to this as a critique, don't you think?

[trappedtowers]

Trapped Towers Dev History ~ How We Got Here (Final Part)

(Middle art piece done by @/evilredyoshis)

CORRECTION FOR PART 2: THE TRAPPED TOWERS REBOOT ANNIVERSARY IS IN MAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUNE. NO IT IS MAY 15TH. I GASLIT MYSELF FOR OVER A YEAR WHAT.

Hey again everybody !!

So we reached the beginning of the current stage of Trapped Towers last time, the official beginning to the reboot in May 2021. This final part will cover a bit less I do think, mainly because a lot of the old/scrapped content I think I'd like to go a bit more in-depth with in seperate posts. However, there's still stuff to go through. It's gonna be a lot less story of Trapped Towers and a bit more sappy emotional though, hope you all don't mind.

So, for the final time in this mini series - lets hope into it shall we?

May 2021 - Present ~ The New Trapped Towers:

I will always remember those first few months of the new TeamT VERY VERY fondly. It wasn't perfect, we weren't all fully motivated, but we sure were making progress slowly. TeamT was always very chaotic - and sure some of it hasn't aged great and isn't the best to look at, I should have cut some stuff instantly and cut ties with others quick - but nights like staying in voice call with some of the best team members I could have asked for just screwing about, playing video games and screensharing it in about the worst way, and coming up with some amazing ideas for the project. I'll remember those fondly.

Stuff like this is what makes projects like this worth it. The memories and friends - as corny as that is.

But hey, you're here for the story, not for the sappy "the real trapped towers was the friends we made along the way" schpiel. So, what happened in the months from the Trapped Towers reboot beginning? Well, we worked. We made songs. We made new concepts, new art, and more. The story I'd written made - and I won't say who and if they out themselves AGAIN it's their own fault - made somebody CRY. Have you ever made somebody cry from a story you've written. The initial thoughts is "oh no they're crying, that's sad I didn't wanna make them sad" but very quickly the giddyness hits.

Emotional aspects of storytelling are one of the things I've been wanting to hit for ages. To have somebody connect to a character and their story to a point where it brings genuine emotion - it's the best. Not only for the reader's attatchment and immersion, but to you. To know you managed to create a story that compelling that it caused that. I won't drag this out much longer, but it's really something I'm aiming for with Trapped Towers and I do hope to get you all with some of these plot points.

Back to the timeline though, things began to slow further around November, with most things basically halting in December - though shoutout to the artists and musicians who carried us that whole time. January was a break month, February we hoped to be back in action but things didn't quite resume for a while. April picked it up a little more, with new art and concepts and writing happening, but not much else.

It's not a satisfying end to this story is it. We just kind of... died off.

But it's not the end, is it?

This was something I said in the team general channel in February 2022 and I still hold by it to this day. Trapped Towers has been a major part of my life since the day it was first made, and it always will be. I'm forever grateful for how things have turned out, even if it feels like the project never gets anywhere.

So until the day comes where I can release this, I'll keep posting, writing etc. I will keep working until it happens no matter how long it'll take. That's the end of the timeline and sappy stuff for now though. Lets go through some content.

Content Highlights:

(TO NOTE A LOT OF OLD CONTENT IS MADE BY VARIOUS OLD TEAM MEMBERS AS WELL AS MYSELF. @/evilredyoshis like usual, JackInASack who I believe does not have tumblr, Mojo, StellarDee, and many many more names I wish I could list. A full Trapped Towers credits list will happen one day, every name who was involved will be respected and honoured <3)

Y'know instead of "old content" this time, we've got highlights instead. Some of it will be old yes, but there's too much overlap with yesterday for me to just show old content because then there'd be barely anything.

MOST RECENT TRAPPED TOWERS SOUNDTRACK

ALSO TWO WHOLE DEVLOGS YOU CAN LOOK AT !!

AND THE SECOND ONE !!

Y'know I put that a lot of this was made by old team members, and yeah especially in the soundtrack more people appear but a lot of this art is done by Madeline PFFTT. Shoutout to her once again @/evilredyoshis she was actually the goat of TeamT. Did so so much.

There's SO SO much content I could share here and I would love to share it ALL. Unfortunately I don't want to ram this post with too much. If we do get a game out of this, I'll be sure to include a gallery with EVERYTHING.

There's also a lot of great animatics done. You can guess who by at this point. I have already got permission from her to use her old work for all these posts, so I'll likely do a post dedicated to the relevant/appropriate ones and explaining a bit behind them.

But seriously to end this off, I just want to say again how grateful I am for everyone and everything that has happened to Trapped Towers in these past 6 years. To anyone who sees this if you were a part of TeamT, still (technically) are a part of it despite how nobody is really doing anything besides me lol, or if you've just been following the project. Thank you. Thank you so much.

That's all from me. I'll speak to you all again soon.

- JustDaniel

[carlandrea]

hi :) i love your art and your style a lot, and i was wondering if you maybe have some tips?have a nice day <3

omg thank you!! this is such a sweet ask :)

Artists don't actually really. know how to draw. this is why they always tell you to practice. Unfortunately, this is true. You do need to practice. There aren't any shortcuts.

While true, the "practice" advice is pretty unhelpful, so my advice is make sitting down to draw as easy and seamless as possible. Carry a sketchbook and pencil (and pencil sharpener!) or download a drawing app on your phone (what I did) so that pretty much any time you could just be scrolling on your phone you can instead be drawing

(I recommend artstudio pro if you're willing to shell out I think $10 per year or $40 up front—i don't totally know the conversion rates, but for just doodling there are probably free ones. Doodling is also good practice.)

The MOST important thing about a drawing are the big things—proportions, composition, overall color scheme etc. It NEEDS to look good as a sketch or else it won't matter how good you are at rendering.

If your sketch is warped, it will continue to be warped in the final image. Trust your instincts even if redrawing something seems like it'll take too long and you really don't want to—it'll take longer if you need to redraw it later. Adding more detail won't help.

It's pretty common advice (if you're drawing digitally) to flip the canvas to make sure your drawing really looks good, and I recommend doing that at each stage—from the first sketches to the finished piece.

Colors next to each other need to be visibly lighter or darker than each other. Otherwise they clash.

As for my particular style—

i've developed a style where I don't need to worry about the details too much—my line art is kind of rough and my rendering is painted and a little messy. This is because I draw on my phone.

The thing about this is i need to spend a lot of time thinking about colors to make a piece look put together. Colors are soooo difficult you have no idea.

Mess around with blending layers! I like to put light colors on multiply for shading and darker colors on color dodge for highlights.

Anyways that's all I can think of rn :) hopefully it's at least a little actionable (the gold standard for advice)

[marypsue]

Ahh I’m so excited to see what’s cooking up with former heroes especially bc I know some of the things that bothered you with season 3 were some of the plot points I have the most so I’m excited to see how you change them. Also I’m excited to see the rise of Joyce Byers, love triangle fiancée who is on fire ! (And hopefully not with a hopper that was s3 Hopper) Robin and Steve still scooping maybe?? Nancy and Mike being peak siblings and also Lucas hopefully getting some time shine.

Also I was wondering you hand any sneak peeks available for the Bodyswap AU or the Vampires+Steve pt3 fic!!

Hello hello nonny!

First and most importantly, I am fistbumping you through the computer screen over season 3. I'm really hopeful that this AU version is going to be satisfying, and avoid the major issues I had with season 3 without being unrecognisable from the canon. While I was considering what changes to make and how, I tried to tie it back more meaningfully to the themes of seasons 1 and 2, and I'm pleased with how that's coming through in the outline so far. Hopefully it'll work in the finished product! (Also, I can promise considerably more Peak Sibling Nonsense, and considerably less of season 3 Hopper. Although I am not making any promises at this time on the matter of dumb teenage romance bullshit.)

Also, because you asked so nicely, from the third and (hopefully) final chapter of don't let the sun go down on me:

“Did you hear? They found the Byers kid.”

Steve doesn’t have any kind of a response to that, beyond a blank stare. It’s too fucking early in the morning for how fucking early in the morning it is. He was up way too late last night, again, thanks to Nancy and Jonathan. The last thing he’s prepared to process is Tommy Hagan’s weird enthusiasm about knowing some piece of gossip Steve doesn’t.

Ordinarily, Steve wouldn’t rise to the bait. He’d play it cool, like he doesn’t actually care. Tommy will fill him in eventually, whether he cares or not.

But ordinarily, Tommy isn’t casually dropping a bombshell that could decide the future of Steve’s sanity. If they’ve found Will Byers – then there’s no reason left for Nancy and Jonathan to stick around. “What? Where?”

Tommy’s shit-eating grin gets even wider, and he slings an arm around Steve’s shoulders, steering them both deeper into the crowded, noisy halls. “Floating facedown in the quarry. Sounds like maybe whatever took a swipe at you decided to go after easier prey.”

Tommy keeps talking, but Steve barely hears him. There’s a weird roaring buzz rising in his ears, drowning out all but the pitch and cadence of Tommy’s voice. Suddenly, the crowded hallway is suffocating.

Steve barely manages to mumble out some halfassed excuse before shrugging off Tommy’s arm and breaking for the bathroom. He tries not to look like he’s running. He doesn’t know if he’s succeeding.

He’s no sooner made it into a stall than he’s hitting his knees on the grotty tile floor, clutching the porcelain bowl as his hasty breakfast makes a surprise reappearance. That bagel hadn’t tasted like anything special on the way down. It’s not improved the second time around.

When his stomach seems to be finished turning itself inside out, Steve sits back on his heels, coughing out the last lingering flecks of vomit as he wonders what the hell just happened. It’s not like he ever actually met Will Byers. Or like he’s known Jonathan for more than two days. And Steve had spent part of one of those days thinking Jonathan was a murderer.

Except. He’d been so angry when he’d thought Jonathan was a murderer. Like Jonathan had personally betrayed him. Steve’s not sure what that means. If it means anything. He’s not sure he wants to think too much about it.

Whether or not Steve actually cares about Jonathan Byers and how hurt he’s going to be by this, though – still. Still. That’s a kid. Will is just – was just a little kid. And – Steve’s memory, unhelpfully, decides to play him the highlight reel of that monster’s teeth, his dad telling him there were bites missing, Tommy saying easier prey, the excruciating pain in Steve’s stomach where the monster had slashed him open –

He wonders, with fresh horror, whether that thing got Will while Jonathan and Nancy were busy taking care of him. Even though that timeline doesn’t make any sense, he still has to dry-heave over the toilet again.

“Stevie?”

It’s the last voice Steve wants to hear right now. He groans as he twists to look over his shoulder at Tommy, and it’s only half exasperation.

Tommy ignores him. “Hey, man, you okay?”

“You look like shit,” Carol says, with a pop of her ever-present gum, following Tommy into the boys’ bathroom like she belongs there. “Rough night last night, Steve-o?”

She’s giving Steve an out. A way to save face. He flashes her a grateful smile, and hopes he doesn’t have bits of upchucked bagel stuck in his teeth. “Guess I must still be hung over.”

“Aww,” Carol tuts, with a sarcastic pout, as Tommy leans over to offer Steve a hand up off the disgusting floor. “And you didn’t invite us?”

“Hey, I know what’ll make you feel better,” Tommy announces, like he’s about to put a man on the moon. “We skip first period and hit the diner. Get you something hot and greasy to fill that bottomless pit.” He thwaps the back of one hand against Steve’s stomach with a grin.

Steve’s stomach gives another lurch. He swallows bile.

“Thanks, man,” he says, when he trusts himself enough to open his mouth. “But the diner’s been closed since Monday, remember? The owner killed himself?”

Tommy’s face falls. Steve swallows around a stab of guilt. Tommy’s his friend. He’s trying to help.

He just – he has no fucking clue what Steve’s gotten himself into this time. Neither he or Carol do.

And it’s gotta stay that way.

“Good idea, though,” Steve offers, an olive branch. “Skipping. Think I’m gonna ditch for the day.”

Tommy doesn’t totally lose the kicked-puppy look, but he does try for a smile. “You want us to tell Sanderberg you’re out sick? Sorry, sir, he was throwing up all morning,” he says, to the absent first-period teacher, voice pitched up and eyes wide in a mockery of innocence.

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” Steve says, knowing Tommy will at least get a kick out of winding up the notoriously suspicious Mr. Sanderberg. “Thanks, man.”

“Don’t mention it,” Tommy says, slapping Steve on the back just a little too hard.

“Are you actually sick?” Carol asks, or maybe ‘demands’ is a better word. “You’re acting weird lately.”

Steve forces a smile, hoping it doesn’t look too much like a grimace, as he shuffles over to the sinks to rinse out his mouth. “Nah. Told you. I’m just hung over. Gonna head home and sleep it off.”

Carol, in the mirror behind his head, does not look convinced. But she doesn’t say anything more, either.

Steve does feel a little bad about leaving her and Tommy behind, as he heads out to the parking lot and his car. But they’d never understand. They’d never believe him. Hell, in the cold, bright light of day, Steve barely believes himself.

And, he thinks, as he peels out of the high school lot, there’s no way he could bring Tommy and Carol with him where he knows he has to go now.

[jinxedshapeshifter]

Y'know what, since this is back on my dash, here's what I use layers for, in the general order they're in on the layer palette:

Background

I usually have a folder for my background if my background requires multiple layers, which it generally does because I like using gradients and overlays in my backgrounds. Makes it harder for people to take off my watermark lmao

Sketches

Occasionally I use more than one sketch. Usually this is when I'm tracing over a 3D model or when a drawing has multiple parts (for example, if I'm doing a scene the drawing is more likely to have multiple sketch layers).

Color

My art teacher in my sophomore year of high school said I use layers for color weird but I don't care because I use it how it works for me lol. I usually use one layer per color, unless I for some reason need to use more than one layer per color. An example of times I've done this is when I use the same color for clothes as a character's markings. Usually I use separate layers for the eye color and the clothes, even though they're the same color, because if I for some reason need to adjust the position of the irises it makes it easier if I don't have to select anything (plus I sometimes clip the irises to the sclera layer which means the clothing color won't show up if I color it on the same layer as the irises). Additionally I always use a base color and clip all other flat colors, shading, and lighting onto that layer. Shading usually also gets its own folder, because I use multiple layers for shading in more complicated pieces.

Lineart

Lineart always goes above the color for me. Pupils are usually done as part of the lineart, which is important for the next part of my layer order.

Eye Highlights

I do eye highlights in one or two layers, depending on the detail of the art piece and my mood. Sometimes I'll add highlights to the upper half of the eye and use a soft eraser to kinda blend it a bit (I guess? That's the easiest way I can think of to describe it lol) which I use one layer for. Secondary eye highlights (like you see in my icon) are on a separate layer from those highlights.

Effects

This is things like overlays over the entire piece, rain, etc. Generally I just use a gradient over the entire drawing and mess with layer effects until I like how it looks. This usually only takes one layer but sometimes it'll take more.

Watermark

And the final layer in my process is my watermark. I use a vector layer for it (so that I can resize it without messing up the quality or anything) then set it to an overlay. Alternatively sometimes I'll leave the layer mode to Normal and just turn the opacity down.

So for me, everything is organized into folders (not always named, but definitely organized into folders). The most layers I've ever used on one canvas was I think around 175? That was when I had multiple characters on the same canvas though, where using separate folders for each character is easier. Like I don't even use that many layers when I color comics. I think I would go insane if I pulled any of the stuff I'm seeing here tbh, and lag isn't even a concern for me because I use Clip Studio Paint on a touchscreen laptop. Like how can you mentally handle that many layers??

If I want to doodle I just do it on one canvas and save it as a png, why use more layers than necessary?

WAIT GENUINE QUESTION FOR ARTISTS, DO YOU GUYS NOT USE THE SAME CANVAS FOR MULTIPLE DRAWINGS???? YOU JUST MAKE A NEW ONE EVERYTIME??

[princepestilence]

NYR: August in review.

Post-August horoscrope: "Remember when we used to dream of days like these?"

This was the busiest month of the year so far by pretty much every possible metric, but also a very good one. For example, here's some of what happened:

Dissertation revision! There's still more to go to get it ready for the proofing stage, but I'm very happy with how it's coming together. The end is very much in sight now. .

Lots and lots of theatre. We went to nine different events in August, which was wonderful but definitely part of why the dissertation revisions are a touch behind my initial schedule. Some highlights include: an orchestral performance of How To Train Your Dragon at the Opera House, some experiemental theatre and dance performances, the actual opera (not at the Opera House), a drag queen wearing hi-vis and a hard hat downing eight beers in a talent show while the crowd went fully ballistic, the epic highs and lows of local amateur theatre, my first time attending a Rocky Horror screening, and my most anticipated piece of work for this year (which did not disappoint!). .

Somehow managed to friends + family. There's still a long list of people I want to spend time with but for now this will do. .

Homeowner stuff, like a real adult. I have accidentally become the Lorax of our apartment block so am now having to liaise with tradies and strata (i.e., call up and badger until things get done). This just keeps happening to me.

In September, I will:

Finish dissertation revisions! My plan is to give the final version to my supervisor and friends for proofreading / final edits and suggestions around the end of September or early October. I have two weeks booked in for another project so I think that's the ideal time for other people to read through my thesis while my attention is elsewhere. .

Jury duty? I've been summoned to attend this week coming but we'll see what actually comes of that. Really unideal time re: what a busy time it is at my work this month (the busiest of the year for me) but there's a strong possibility it'll only be the one day. .

Celebrate mum's 60th. Her birthday this year is on Friday 13th, which she always loved. It was her favourite whenever that happened. She was planning on having a big party to celebrate this year, with music and dancing and good food and drinks, so we've planned a nice evening together doing things she loved. .

Go to the art gallery. They have an exhibition of Alphonse Mucha's work at the moment and I've been so so excited to visit.

[blinkvisa]

Navigating Academic Honesty: Using Chegg Plagiarism Checker Effectively

I. Introduction

In the vast sea of academic challenges, honesty is the beacon of integrity. But how do we ensure our work shines with originality? That's where the Chegg Plagiarism Checker comes in, an invaluable tool for students and educators alike. Let's understand how this tool can be a lighthouse guiding us through the foggy waters of academic integrity.

II. Understanding Academic Honesty: What Does It Mean?

Academic honesty is more than just not cheating on a test; it's about being truthful and original in every aspect of our learning journey. From essays to projects, it's the commitment to create work that's genuinely ours. But why is this so important? Because each time we're honest in our work, we build trust, credibility, and respect – qualities that define us far beyond the classroom.

III. The Rise of Plagiarism in the Digital Age

In our digital world, copying and pasting information is just a click away. This convenience, however, brings a challenge: the rise of plagiarism. It's like a sneaky shadow that can fall on even the most well-intentioned student. The ease of accessing information online has blurred the lines between inspiration and imitation, making tools like Chegg Plagiarism Checker essential in our educational toolkit.

IV. An In-Depth Look at the Chegg Plagiarism Checker

So, what is the Chegg Plagiarism Checker? Think of it as your academic detective. It scans your work against a vast database of sources, pinpointing any line or idea that's too similar to existing material. This isn't just about catching mistakes; it's about learning to see and understand the thin line between inspiration and copying.

V. How Can Chegg Plagiarism Checker Help Students?

Here's where the magic happens for students. The Chegg Plagiarism Checker is more than just a 'gotcha' gadget; it's a learning tool. It shows you where to give credit to other authors, helping you avoid unintentional plagiarism. It's like having a wise mentor over your shoulder, guiding you toward better research and writing habits.

VI. Why is Using Chegg Plagiarism Checker a Smart Choice for Educators?

For educators, this tool is a double win. Not only does it help maintain a standard of integrity in your classroom, but it also saves you time and effort in reviewing assignments. Imagine being able to quickly check for originality, giving you more time to focus on teaching and less on policing.

VII. Step-by-Step Guide: Using Chegg Plagiarism Checker Effectively

Ready to get started? Here's your step-by-step guide to using the Chegg Plagiarism Checker:

Upload your document or paste your text.

Hit the 'Check Plagiarism' button and watch the tool work its magic.

Review the report. It'll highlight problematic sections and show where they match other sources.

Make the necessary changes to your work, ensuring everything is properly cited and original.

It's like embarking on a treasure hunt, where the treasure is your improved skills and confidence in your work.

VIII. Are There Any Limitations?

While the Chegg Plagiarism Checker is a fantastic tool, it's not infallible. It might not catch every single issue, especially with cleverly paraphrased content. This is where your judgment and understanding come into play. Use the tool as a guide, but always trust your learning and instincts.

IX. Chegg Plagiarism Checker: A Case Study

Let's look at a real-life example. A high school junior, Emily used the Chegg Plagiarism Checker for her history essay. The tool highlighted a few phrases that were too similar to her online sources. Emily reworked those parts, learning more about proper citation in the process. Her final essay was original and richer in quality and understanding.

X. Beyond Chegg: Fostering a Culture of Honesty in Academia

While tools like the Chegg Checker are vital, they're just one piece of the puzzle. Fostering a culture of honesty in academia is about more than just avoiding plagiarism. It's about open discussions, creating environments where mistakes are learning opportunities and originality is celebrated and nurtured.

XI. Conclusion

In conclusion, navigating academic honesty is a journey made smoother with tools like the Chegg Plagiarism Checker. Remember, these tools are not just for catching mistakes; they're stepping stones towards becoming more responsible, skilled, and confident learners. So, let's embrace these tools, not as shortcuts but as compasses guiding us.

[og-reesetti]

I do not post here often, much to everyone's appreciation. So let me get a little annoying about the One Piece live action adaption.

(tldr It's good, some inaccuracies and cruddy changes but overall a delightful celebration of One PieceL

Early on when this was first announced, I was cautiously optimistic, with the rather dogshit history of manga to live action adaptions. I mean, sure we've never seen a single good adaption outside of maybe the Death Note movies? But maybe this time. Surely it'll go better this time.

We started seeing some of the sets, and imo, it was pretty lifting. They were building boats, using proper locations and translating designs of shit like the marine base and especially Baratie with excellent accuracy. Faith was building.

Then the casting started to be announced. I vocalized being cautiously optimistic, but I think at that point I was honestly sold. The casting and costumes of the show are honestly my favorite part of the whole project, and it was obvious from the choices that whoever was behind this show knew their shit and gave a shit besides. I can't remember when in the timeline it was announced Oda himself had a hand in the shows making, but that was also a glowing sign of "this might be it, folks". The man took time from working on the manga to travel and work on this even, the stars were aligning.

My big worry was that I've seen Sky High and Fantastic 4. Hollywood is not known for making rubber stretchy powers look believable, or good for that matter. Considering that the main character's power is the big stret, getting to see how the vfx team tackled it was what I was biting my nails the most over. Then we got the first trailers, and I was sold.

Cut to present, the show is out and I've watched it. There is a lot to think about, and I think I don't want to spend all the time just comparing it to the manga, so I'll start with the good. Visually, the show looks like One Piece. It's weird, things are just weird while still being believable. The costumes and sets are bar none my favorite part of the show and if I was an award giver I'd give it to those teams. It's a treat for the eyes. The casting was spot on and the acting is mostly right what I wanted. Acting highlights go to Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, Mihawk, Kuro, Zeff, the young SH crew, and ESPECIALLY Buggy. Music design was also a good translation from the anime. You have Bink's Sake playing, you have the We Are moments, and the character specific scores are all enjoyable.

With any adaption there'll be changes, and for the most part the changes here are good. My personal favorite was the handling of Syrup Village. Siam and Butchy were way more fun than their manga versions, the whole murder house vibe, Zoro getting trapped down a well compared to a slippery hill. Other things like showing more of Coby and Luffy's relationship, Sanji being not a drooling freak like his recent manga time, and Arlong Park being an actual amusement park. Tons of small details building to an incredible experience.

Things that I wasn't so hot on are a shorter list, but still present. First and foremost is Garp. We got a few shots where he got violent and loud, and the actor crushed those moments. But so much of the series with him is brooding, talking quietly and taking everything way more seriously than he should. Coco Village actually resenting Nami for her deal with Arlong instead of secretly bearing it with her, and really a lot of how that final stretch was handled, just didn't fit right. Once the fighting started it's aces (sans Hachi being absent) but aside from Nami's past, I think Coco Village should've been done closer to the source. The whole Garp chasing Luffy through the East Blue bit I understand but don't like. Okay, you wanted a natural way to show Coby and Helmeppo's growth without just whole cutaways like the source, but I think because of how... wrong, Garp was portrayed, the entire plot line just feels off.

You have a few small details that could've been better, but overall I think the series crushed it and definitely helped introduce a lot of people to an incredible world. I do not trust that Netflix will continue the series, because their leadership is pretty damn stupid regarding what to continue and what to cut. But if they did, and the team manages to capture lightning in a bottle more than once, I'd be more than happy.

Okay, I'm done. Fuck off, let the door hit you on the way out.

[beckugo]

Thesis ideas

Idea number one is something I've thought about making a video on for a while, and while this isn't something I want to focus on enough to make my thesis film on, I still think it's an interesting concept. Hair has been a big part of my life, especially before I figured out that I was trans. I loved having long hair as a kid, it was one of my favorite things about myself, and it gave me a sense of piece. When I started to come to terms with the fact that I was trans, I felt like I had to cut it off to be perceived correctly. While I still think that's the case, I think I've stopped caring as much. I want people to refer to me correctly, but to confine myself because of fear was dumb, and I want to represent that it's just hair. It's not the most compelling idea so I won't be using it, but I thought it was a bit interesting.

Idea two, this one is about caregivers and caring for those you love. This revolves around how I care for my abuela when my dad or my uncle can't, whether they're at work or at the hospital with my abuelo, and the concept is pretty black and white. I don't have the same responsibilities as them because they don't want me to, I don't deal with bathroom duty, diaper duty, or any hygiene in general. I'm there to watch her and feed her, and it's pretty similar to what I did when I would babysit my cousins. I feel guilty that she has to depend on other people so much, but she has no choice. The entire situation is unfortunate, and my abuela just doesn't have the best medical service to lean on since she barely has any social security or hospice privlages. All we can do is make her feel comfortable in her final years, however long that is, and this video would just be to highlight what it's like taking care of her. I don't think it has enough depth to use as my final thesis film, though.

My final idea is doing a video based on the people at my dojo. I've thought about doing this for a while, especially after the video with my dad did so well, but I have some issues with it. One, I don't know how compelling it'll be. I have a list of questions similar to that of which I asked my dad, but I don't know how well it'll work. I want this idea to be it, because I really like it and I want to use it as an excuse to be closer with the people at my dojo. However, I am still missing a main theme that I would use as a cohesive idea. Karate, self respect, regret, loss, those are all options, but I need to workshop it to come to a correct conclusion. However, even with all of these issues, I believe this one has the ability to hold the most weight emotionally with an audience, and I love seeing the reactions I get from my videos.

[clothinghideout]

Stay Stylish with Women's Printed T-shirts: A Must-Have Wardrobe Staple

Are you tired of the same old boring plain t-shirts in your wardrobe? It's time to add some flair and pizzazz with women's printed t-shirts! Whether you're rocking a casual look or want to make a statement, these trendy tops are here to save the day. From cute graphics to inspiring quotes, these must-have wardrobe staples will keep you stylish no matter what the occasion. So, get ready to upgrade your fashion game as we dive into the world of women's printed t-shirts. Trust us, once you start wearing them, there'll be no turning back!

The Stylish Possibilities of Women's Printed T-shirts

A woman's wardrobe is not complete without a few printed t-shirts. They are versatile, comfortable, and stylish. You can dress them up or down depending on the occasion. Plus, there are so many different prints and styles to choose from. Here are some of the most popular ways to style women's printed t-shirts:

1. Tuck it into a pair of high-waisted jeans or shorts for a casual yet chic look.

2. Layer it under a blazer or cardigan for a more polished appearance.

3. Wear it alone with a pair of statement earrings or a funky necklace.

4. Knot it at the waist to show off your figure.

5. Pair it with a denim skirt or distressed jeans for a relaxed and effortless style.

How to Choose the Right Printed T-shirt for Your Body Type

It's no secret that a well-fitting t-shirt can make or break your look. But with all of the different cuts and styles out there, it can be tricky to find the right one for your body type. Whether you're looking for a relaxed fit or something more figure-hugging, here's a quick guide to help you choose the right printed t-shirt for your shape:

If you've got a larger bust, opt for a style with some extra room up top, like a loose cami or slouchy tee. For a more flattering look, try one with a V-neckline – it'll help to create the illusion of a longer neck. If you're petite, go for something cropped or close-fitting to avoid being overwhelmed by fabric. A fitted tee will also help to accentuate your curves.

If you've got a hourglass figure, lucky you! You can pretty much rock any style of t-shirt. Just make sure that whatever you choose doesn't cling too closely to your waist, as this will only serve to highlight any lumps and bumps. An oversized tee or tunic style will suit you best.

And finally, if you've got a boyish figure, go for something with a bit of structure to it, like a button-up shirt or tailored tee. Avoid anything too baggy or boxy – it'll only make you look bigger than you are.

Ideas on How to Style Your Women's Printed T-shirts

A printed T-shirt can add a touch of fun and personality to any outfit. Here are some ideas on how to style your women's printed T-shirts:

-Pair it with jeans or shorts for a casual look.

-Layer it under a jacket or cardigan for a chic and stylish look.

-Wear it with a skirt or dress for a fun and flirty look.

-Tuck it into a pair of pants or shorts for a polished and put-together look.

- knot it at the waist or tuck it into a high-waisted bottom for a trendy look.

Conclusion Women’s printed t-shirts are a great addition to any wardrobe and can help you stay stylish while expressing your own unique style. With the wide variety of prints, colors, and styles available, it is easy to find one that will look perfect on you. Not only do these shirts look good but they also offer many comfort benefits due to their lightweight material. Add a few of these must-have pieces into your wardrobe today and enjoy looking effortlessly stylish!

[button-mash]

What I've been playing this week

After my last post I decided to take a very well earned 9 year break before posting again, as I simply didn't want to bombard the reader with constant posts.

Now that enough time has passed for the reader's pallete to have gently refreshed, it's clearly the right time for my return. In all seriousness, I think I've often struggled with a mental back and forth with myself when it comes to writing that essentially just boils down to wanting to write about games but also a) having no idea what I'd actually want to write about them and ultimately b) being incredibly lazy

Over the last couple of years, I'd started tracking which games I'd completed over the course of that year - this initially started as part of a challenge I took part in on a gaming forum to try and finish 50 games in a year, but gradually over the next couple sort of just became a way to highlight what games I'd seen all the way through to the end. It also functioned as a sort of gaming journal and let me look back at the end of the year to see what I'd enjoyed the most.

At the end of this year however, it made me realise it also created a massive blind-spot for me where any game I didn't finish kinda just got forgotten about in the periphery of my mind... even though of course not every game I finish is good, and not every game I stop playing is bad. Additionally, I realised I don't always play games in a neat way where I finish one and move onto another - sometimes I'll drop one for a while and come back to it, sometimes I'll be playing multiple games alongside each other, sometimes I just wanna throw on a game and fuck around for a little bit and then get bored because I have zero attention span rather than actually make any real attempt to finish it.

So that's why I've decided to resurrect this blog from it's almost decade long hiatus. I've basically spent a decade umming and ahhring over whether I wanted to write reviews, or opinion pieces, or something a little more in-depth and insightul, and trying to second guess what people might want to read, and how they'd want me to write it.

I've finally realised now that the real anwer is much more simple than that - I really just want write dumb stream of consciousness hot takes about what I'm doing in the moment, but on a blog nobody reads so I don't actually have to give a shit and I can just endlessly ramble into the void for my own benefit. Essentially just the blog equivalent of just shouting my opinions directly into a freshly flushed toilet in terms of audience reach and required effort.

So here we go - in true style I'm gonna post what I played last week even though I've said 'this week', because I know if I wait another week it'll actually be another decade. The stakes have truly never been lower

WHAT I PLAYED THIS LAST WEEK

Superliminal [PC] First up with a game I actually finished. This is a first person puzzle game based around optical illusions, forced perspective puzzles, non-euclidean geometry and so forth, with extremely mixed results.

It actually has a lot of cool ideas, and the overall concept is very fun, but it ultimately doesn't lean enough into it's core to stick it's landing.

I think one of it's main issues is what it feels like it's trying to be the entire time, where it's very clearly trying it's level best to fall somewhere between Portal and The Stanley Parable - and whilst it did a good enough job to certainly constantly remind me of those games, it was unfortunately usually only to remind me how much better those games are in just about every facet.

From a more gameplay focused uh...perspective, it's main issues are just that it's core mechanics are just too finnicky, and inconsistent puzzle design and odd difficulty spikes just made it quite a frustrating experience - all too often in this game I would figure out a solution fairly early on, and then spend ages trying to get the game to do what I actually wanted - or worse still assumed I was wrong and spent ages trying something else... a cardinal sin in any puzzle game. It has moments where it feels very cool and it's hitting the beats of it's premise in a way that feels very unique and clever, but it's mostly hamstring by it's own jank and clumsiness, and comes away feeling like a fan-mad mod than it does it's own game. It's also really buggy which often meant restarting puzzles or reloading entire sections, which was a pretty tough ask in a game I felt like I was borderline about to quit almost the entire time I was playing it Another issue is that it wants to encourage you to come up with your own outside the box solutions to puzzles at times, but that just meant the puzzles can come off as feeling like they're not fully realised, and it's often not satisfying to actually solve them - either because you feel like you've just kinda skipped the puzzle entirely, or kinda just stumbled your way through it and you just come away thinking 'was that how they wanted me to solve it?'. Ironically, for a game that seemingly wants you to try and pick at it's seams and break it in your own way, the game was always at its best when it funneled you into more myopic solutions in it's more linear sections.

Finally, it tries to have some sort of meta-story that seems to be genuine attempt at emotional resonance, or some profound meaning behind it's lightheated tone, but it just falls incredibly flat - the script is terrible and the voice acting is not great. This functioned pretty well as a GamePass special - something that I'd probably have never played without it being on a subscription service, but just about interesting enough to be noteworthy. I don't think I'd recommend it overall though. I actually forced myself to finish this, I don't actually know why I persisted with it - I think I just hit a point where I found I wasn't too far from the end and figured I'd just power through because of sunk-cost fallacy.

I was surprised to see this game actually reviewed relatively well. I am usually a big beliver in the notion that there aren't really any 'bad' games, just interesting and unintersting ones - in this case I think this is an interesting game that is bad...

High on Life [PC]

Aw jeez, Rick, it's like a Rick & Morty game ya know? exept we didn't get the license to do it but thats okay, cos aw, jeez like Justin Roiland just does the Morty voice for everything anyway! haha, right? and...and that stammering stream of consciousness affectation...so really its just the same thing anyway, right? a..and meta humour, don't forget that! did you forget that? aw, jeez I actually quite like Rick & Morty in the times that I've watched it - I think it mostly suffers from that 'popular thing that is actually kinda good but it's fans are fucking exhausting so you instinctively think you hate it even though you don't' phenomenon (aka Anchorman Syndrome)

Honestly, I've just found almost everything about this game just so instantly tiresome. It's strange because I have played both Accounting (which I quite enjoyed and found genuinely very funny for the most part) and Trover Saves the Universe (which I enjoyed a lot less, but didn't really actively dislike), which were both extremely heavy on the whole 'Roiland doing his one trick act', but I feel like this game just started doing my head in almost instantly.

I think part of it is maybe Roiland's shtick is probably a little well worn by this point, but I think a lot of it is that the game tries SO incredibly hard and just does not shut the fuck up at any point ever. It eschews trying to patiently land a well formed gag with just bombarding you with constant commentary hoping that something lands, and it just means that even when it did (because some bits are still genuinely very funny), I was just so weary of the whole thing that it completely undercut any genuine humor that was there. Undercutting is basically the entire theme for this game from what I experienced - the humour can be funny but mostly spends an insane amount of effort trying to appear effortless, so it diminishes anything that does actually land. The game constantly makes you feel like it's provoking you to go off script a-la Stanley Parable, but often doesn't actually know what do to the second you don't play along with whatever it was trying to set-up. The combat and movement have promise but every encounter is essentially a hollow wave shooter, etc, etc, etc. I will say the music is actually great, but even that feels like it belongs in a completely different game, as cool as it is. It also does that irritating thing where it'll do some meta-gag about a certain gameplay trope or level design thing being boring, completely overlooking the fact that simply pointing out something being boring doesnt suddenly make it some subversive twist and stop it being boring. I remember the Deadpool videogame did that a lot and that game was absolute runny shit, so poor company to keep really.

It's a shame really, because there is a framework there that actually has promise - the world is relatively world conceived from a visual standpoint, there are some occasionally genuinely funny gags, and there are moments that show genuine craft and care - it's biggest issue is that it has zero restraint and cannot climb out of it's own way from wanting to constantly show you how clever it things it is. I don't think there is a clearer indication of that than how you cannot skip the dialogue in this game, god forbid you rob it of a chance to show you how cool it is. Actually the clearer indication is probably all the Justin Roiland text messages that have come out the past day or so, showing that he really is just an excruciating piece of shit, so in that regard, this game is a perfect reflection. Aw, Jeez!

TMNT: Shredder's Re-Revenge [Mega Drive]

This is a comprehensive romhack that someone has made where they have put TMNT cast and characters into the levels of Streets of Rage 2, and refined the animations, combat and AI where the gameplay and movement is sort of a mix between the two. There is actually a similar Romhack that came out a while back called TMNT of Rage, but this one focuses on trying to recreate the visual look and moveset of Shredders Revenge - and for the most part it succeeds. What struck me was just how well these games actually meld together - obviously shouldn't really be that much of a surprise considering SoR2 and Turtles in Time came out around the same time and were both brawlers, but it never really occured to me how well their visual styles, settings and music fit together - like the opening stage of Turtles in time is a still under contruction bridge just like the 2nd stage of SoR2, and there are a few other levels that have a decent amounf of visual overlap.  

What was a bit different about this hack is mostly with romhacks, even if they change up gameplay stuff or difficulty, they ultimately always just feel like reskins, so you always feel like you're playing the game it's based on. With this it genuinely felt like a meld between the two - the combat is close enough to the Turtles game to feel like you're playing with Shredders Revenge movement and combat, but it's still following SoR2's rule on their stages - for the most part it actually felt like a genuine standalone game, with the only real hacky feeling holdover being that you couldn't pick up weapons but presumably they couldn't find a way to remove them, meaning you'd just pick them up and instantly discard them. They also did a great job of matching up the enemies from turtles to be a solid equivalent to enemies in the game, both visually and how they attacked. With that said, there was probably less enemy variety overall which got a little tedious, but they did a really good job of feeling like they'd tried to recreate SoR2 using Turtles assets and AI, rather than just plonking it over the top. I think also I would have liked if they'd mixed in some Turtles music, as as far as I noticed it was all SoR2. - no argument as it's a goat videogame soundtrack (and again it actually fits the turtles really well anyway), but I think that would have been the extra step to make it feel like a true mesh. Only other thing was that the game felt way way easier than the original SoR2 did, I think maybe as a consequence of the deeper moveset and improved mobility, it was just much easier to avoid damage and juggle enemies, especially the bosses. Still, well worth checking out if you're a fan of either game really

Red Dead Redemption 2 [PC]

I punctuated various points throughout last week with further attempts in what appears to be a neverending quest in not accepting to myself that I don't think I actually like RDR 2 very much despite really wanting to. My wife started watching Yellowstone the other week, and watching a bunch of cowboy achetypes act like they were in a videogame at all times was enough to relight the fire, but like always it never actually takes long with that game to realise to myself I am not actually having that much fun. I think my main issue is the same with most Rockstar games in that the worlds are always just 1000 miles wide and 2 inches deep - for all the incredible detail the world contains, it just feels like you can never really interact or become a part of it in any real meaningful way. The trouble with RDR2 is that the setting just means it's so much more limited in creating fun moments, since even getting around is entirely more cumbersome. GTA always suffered with the same issues with depth for me, but the difference was in GTA it feels like the game is it's most fun in those moments between missions - here those are the absolute dullest moments of the game, and there are only so many beautful country vistas and random encounters you can have until it all just starts to feel a little rote.

Additionally, that game really does not get enough shit for how clumsy it is in general - the way it controls, its awful radial menus, it's UI... almost everything about it mechanically just feels like a game constantly trying to get out of it's own way. Maybe I am just the world's worst RDR2 player, but the ratio of me pressing a button and then Arthur valiantly doing something completely different to what I wanted or expected just seems to be astromically higher than just about any game I can think of. So time is a flat circle and here I am a few days later, already bored of it again but wishing things were different. Can't wait for another 9 months to pass, at which point something else will inspire me to play it again and like always I'll try and convince myself it'll be different this time. Just like updating this blog

[elbytron]

Dave Strider

photography-enthusiast

(References: [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] )

[luckyrabbit1927]

Can we talk about Bluey for a sec?

This is a long one, but something that's been on my mind for a while. I've mentioned I'm a fan of this show a few times on my blog now, but I think it's time I delve in and highlight what this show has accomplished, and why I think it deserves to be seen by others.

For those who may not have seen it yet, I'll give a little bit of background. Bluey is a Disney Jr. original made by longtime animator Joe Brumm (Who also worked on the equally awesome Charlie and Lola back when I was a kid!). The series takes place in the real life Australian location of Brisbane, but with actual dogs in the place of the humans. The main setup for this show is to highlight the day to day life of little 6 year old Bluey heeler, along with her sister Bingo, mother Chili, and dad Bandit.

Throughout the various episodes, we see how playtime and games of pretend affect each of the main cast, and the show stresses how important this time is to help not just the children, but the parents too to grow as people. We often see Chili and Bandit getting involved with their children's games or being a strong influence in their lives, and the show frequently highlights the mother and father's wonderfully realistic, but beautiful relationship. This is something I always felt was done especially well here, and is something that is a lot more rare in children's cartoons than one might expect.

Joe Brumm's vision for this show was to not only give a closer look into the more suburban side of Australia, but to also highlight his own experiences as a parent and show how beautiful playtime can be. While the show may be a Disney Jr. original, it is most certainly intended for all ages to take something from it. Its humor is expertly written, enough to get groups of all ages laughing at the family's antics, but there is also a distinctly emotional side as well. In my time of watching this show I've seen it discuss serious topics such as:

Death, and how children can learn to cope:

How quickly friends can sometimes come and go, but the memories will never leave you:

Regardless of whether you're a mother or father, parental stress is going to happen, and in Bandit's case, it's okay to need to take a step back and breathe. While on the flip side, Chili has to learn to enjoy the moment and realize that everything will work out in the end:

Your family will always be here for you, even when you can't see them:

And finally, and my personal favorite lesson; the impact we can have on a child's life with even the smallest of gestures.

Each episode of this show I feel deserves their own posts, especially just how much depth and love goes into the making of each one, (which I'm considering doing a small series of if there's interest). After I was able to binge both season 1 and 2 for myself recently, I feel like I walked away a better person, even though I have yet to have any kids of my own yet. It's wide range is one of Bluey's best strengths. Regardless of whether you're a kid, teen, adult, or a new parent that happens to be watching it with your little one, there is something everyone can take away from this incredible little show. During a time where I had to leave behind my home and find my way in life, I couldn't have asked for better guidance in life than from Bluey.

I don't usually do longer pieces on my blog, but Bluey is something I feel genuinely changed me as a person, and it needs to be shared. I can only hope that my post here might convince any newcomers to give Bluey a chance, and that you too are able to find appreciation in what might be one of the best children's cartoons of all time.

(A quick side note: Since I can't go in depth here without making this post a couple years long, I thought of an alternative. If any of you are wanting to see me make a separate little episode-by-episode analysis series, I'm more than happy to give it a go if that means it'll help gauge more interest in Bluey! I hope to see you then!)

"Gotta be done!"