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twistedtummies2 · 3 months ago

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Top 10 Portrayals of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

Earlier this month, I discussed the literary exploits of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft - two of the most iconic writers in the genre of classical horror. In a couple of days I will be returning to the world of classic horror and Gothic literature for two more lists in a row, so I decided - while between both - to keep up the trend. And there are few works of classic mystery and horror quite as renowned as Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.”

The original short novel by Stevenson was actually a rare venture from the author: Stevenson mostly specialized in historical fiction and adventure stories, such as “Treasure Island,” “Kidnapped,” and “The Black Arrow.” However, he did occasionally venture into other genres, and when it comes to horror, “Jekyll & Hyde” is the most famous example of that. The original book actually keeps the reveal - which I don’t consider a spoiler at this point - a secret: Henry Jekyll, a scientist who believes he can separate man’s good and evil qualities from each other by the use of chemical formulas, test his experiments on himself. As a result, Jekyll develops a new alter-ego: a nasty fellow by the name of Edward Hyde, who represents all the evil inside Jekyll’s soul… …Or, at least, that’s how things have been perceived nowadays. Interestingly, in the original book, Jekyll’s alter-ego isn’t NECESSARILY a proper split-personality, at least not at first. In the section of the story where - through flashback - we are told Jekyll’s story from his perspective, Hyde starts off more or less as just a disguise. Jekyll uses the identity of Hyde to vicariously do things one simply can’t get away with in polite society; Hyde looks like a terrible scoundrel, and is younger and more fit, physically, than Jekyll naturally is. As a result, Jekyll is able to use him to do things he’d otherwise never even try. However, as Jekyll’s recounting of the events continues, he starts to refer to Hyde as if he really were another personality, living inside of him. It’s therefore left unclear how much of the evil Hyde does is Jekyll’s fault; if Jekyll is simply going insane due to the pressures of his double-life, or if Hyde has his own agency and identity separate from his host. Regardless of how you read things, Jekyll and Hyde have become synonymous with the concept of characters who have dual identities or split-personalities. The story and its themes of what makes someone good and what makes someone evil in a society, and the duality of mankind itself, have remained relevant and powerful. So, without further ado, here are my personal Top 10 Portrayals of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

10. John Malkovich, from Mary Reilly.

I’m being contrarian with this choice, it seems, because “Mary Reilly” is not a very well-thought of movie. And to be honest, I can kind of understand why. Based on a novel of the same name (which I haven’t read, although I would very much like to), the story is a retelling of Jekyll & Hyde with a unique perspective. The main character is not Henry Jekyll, nor Edward Hyde, but instead the good doctor’s maid: the titular Mary Reilly, a young Irishwoman who forms a strange sort of friendship (and perhaps something more) with her employer, right at the same time he begins his strange experiments. The problem with the movie, in my opinion, is that Mary herself is frankly not the most interesting character; this may be partially due to the performance of Julia Roberts, whose Irish accent is about as convincing as a cheeseburger’s would be, and who seems to spend nearly the whole movie in a state of feeble fright that I don’t think was intended. However, while Roberts and her character are unimpressive, I unironically really, REALLY enjoy John Malkovich’s performance as Jekyll & Hyde themselves. Along with having one of the most bizarre and unique interpretations of the transformation scene yet, Malkovich does a really good job differentiating the two characters, with relatively minimal makeup differences. As Jekyll, he is highly restrained, with much of the emotion in his performance coming just from his eyes and the slightest of shifts in his voice and body language. As Hyde, he’s a madcap sociopath, swaggering his way around from scene to scene, carrying out murders with excited zeal, and doing all sorts of stuff - from the odd to the evil to both - seemingly just because…well, why not? It’s pure night and day, and it works really well without feeling like it goes too far in either direction. I know other people disagree, so if you’re not a fan of this performance or film in general, I won’t blame you. However, if you haven’t seen this picture yet, I do advise that you give it a look: whether you agree with my feelings or not, it’s always neat to get a new look at an old classic.

9. Hank Harris & Sam Witwer, from Once Upon a Time.

While “Once Upon a Time” largely focused on fairy-tales and…well…Disney movies, frankly, it did occasionally venture into other territory with its subject matter and characters. Case in point: near the end of Season 5, our heroes end up in a world called “the Land of Untold Stories,” where various characters - trying to escape the trials and tribulations of their original homelands, or even just their personal lives - have all wound up. They soon run into Mr. Hyde, who effectively rules over this Land as “The Warden,” with his alter-ego, Jekyll, being reduced to “the Groundsman.” Jekyll’s former butler, Poole, is now Hyde’s second-in-command as “the Orderly.” When Hyde learns of Storybrooke, he decides to find a way to venture there, so he can take it over and get revenge on Rumpelstiltskin, who wronged him in the past. Thanks to a special potion that separates the two egos into their own separate people, Jekyll is able to help the heroes escape…but once they all reach Storybrooke, things get a lot more complicated. This version really, REALLY blurred the line of good and evil, with a unique twist I won’t give away that effectively turned the story on its head. Normally, I’m not a fan of Jekyll & Hyde being played by separate actors - I think it’s just so much more interesting if they’re played by the same person - but in this show’s case, I think it works, especially since they do become separated figures. Jekyll was played by Hank Harris; a fairly lesser-known actor I must admit I’m not especially familiar with. Sam Witwer as Hyde, however, I’m very familiar with; DC fans will doubtless recognize him for such roles as Doomsday and Ocean Master, while Star Wars fans will know him as the voice of Darth Maul in…well…quite a lot of things, really. Naturally, with a resume like that, the role of Edward Hyde was tailor made for him, and Hyde very quickly became one of my favorite villains in the show. The twist I mentioned only made both performances all the more interesting…but I mustn’t say more, or I’ll spoil the best parts.

8. Ralph Bates & Martine Beswick, from Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde.

This film, at first, sounds almost like a joke…and that’s because it kind of was. Made by the famous horror studio of Hammer, “Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde” became a thing when the creative heads of the studio were pitching around the idea of doing a new adaptation of the classic story. (They had already done a reimagining called “The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll,” which was not received very well…and for good reason.) One of them jokingly suggested Jekyll could turn into a woman…and the idea so intrigued others involved, that was exactly what they went with. The result of this silliness turned out to be one of the most disturbing and intriguing versions of the tale. In this film, Bates’ Jekyll uses a potion that transforms him from a neurotic, scared, rather effette man into a ravishingly beautiful, confident lady. However, the potion also skews with one’s morality, and the resulting alter-ego, Jekyll’s “sister” Hyde, becomes a being of pure evil behind her glamorous smile. Jekyll’s potion requires certain hormones only found in the female anatomy; when he begins to run low on these supplies, the infamous Jack the Ripper slayings occur as a way of gaining fresh materials. The murders only heighten Hyde’s evil desire for power and destruction, and Jekyll is forced to wrestle not only with control over his body, but over his own personal identity. For such a bonkers premise, the movie proves to be surprisingly thought provoking on a lot of levels, and Bates and Beswick as the title characters both turn in extraordinary performances with several layers to them. It probably won’t be a film to everybody’s tastes, but if you keep an open mind, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here.

7. The Version from “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.”

Now, I’m specifically talking about the version from the original Alan Moore comics. However, I should point out that the film version of J&H - played by Jason Flemyng - actually wasn’t too bad, in my opinion. I would argue they were the best part of that very messy movie. In both interpretations, Jekyll’s darker half is the “muscle” of this team of Victorian-age superheroes; their “Hulk,” if you will. Hyde is depicted as a superhumanly strong beast-person, with heightened senses and incredible endurance and stamina. Jekyll, in contrast, is a nervous, paranoid fellow who - deeply traumatized by everything his other half has caused - keeps much to himself and tries to avoid conflict. Hyde is revealed to basically be a representation of Jekyll’s Freudian id. At one point, he tells others on the team, “Without me, Jekyll has no drive. Without him, I have no restraint.” In the first volume of the League, Jekyll is the more prominent half depicted, with Hyde only popping up when needed, so to speak; in the second, Hyde takes center stage, with significantly less Jekyll. As a result, we get to know both halves fairly well. There’s honestly a LOT I could say here, but it’s hard to know where to begin; suffice it to say, this version of Hyde does do some absolutely HORRENDOUS things, but there’s also a sense of sympathy and right thinking in him. As for Jekyll, there’s a lot of ambiguity about him that makes him just as much a curiosity in his own way, as the idea of one side being stronger than the other, and how that even occurred, is treated in a more literal and yet complex fashion than some others. At this point I’m likely rambling though, so…just go read the comics, or even just watch the film with Flemyng. The former option, at least, will be well worth your time.

6. John Hannah, from Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (2003).

Hannah is an actor probably best known for his more comedic performances; among horror film fans, he’s probably most easily recognized as comic relief figure Jonathan Carnahan in the Stephen-Sommers-made Mummy trilogy. However, Hannah has done some more dramatic and serious parts in his time, and perhaps none quite so intense as his work in this version. In this movie, the duality between Jekyll and his dark side is made all the more explicit by the fact that there is absolutely no physical difference between them. Other versions will have Hyde certainly look similar to Jekyll, but there’s always some level of distinction between the two: different hairstyle, different ages, different eyes. Hannah’s Hyde speaks with a Scottish brogue, instead of Jekyll’s refined RP English, and certainly wears different clothes than the good doctor would typically wear…but the face Jekyll sees in the mirror is exactly the same, no matter which identity he’s under. This creates a new wrinkle to the story, and it’s one I’ve always had slightly mixed feelings about: on the one hand, it makes a nonsense of Hyde’s very name. The idea behind the moniker of “Hyde” is it’s actually a pun: he’s able to “hide” inside of Jekyll, who would never be suspected of wrongdoing. With this version, Jekyll’s deniability is now in question, as witnesses can pinpoint his face to different crimes Hyde commits. However, the result does add even more tension to the story, and allows Hannahs’ acting chops to really shine through, as he manages to make the two personalities totally distinct without an ounce of the superficial elements other performers are able to use to their advantage. It’s a great job, but I think I prefer more typical takes a little more, hence why he loses out on the top five.

5. Christopher Lee, from I, Monster.

Released in 1971, “I, Monster” is a weird one for this countdown. It is a Jekyll & Hyde adaptation…without the names of Jekyll & Hyde attached. Amicus, the studio that produced the film, didn’t want to make “just another Jekyll & Hyde movie.” So, the characters of the doctor and his alter-ego had their names changed, and the title was made to the one we see now. However, everything else in the script - the plot, the lines, the other character names, etc. - is not only very clearly J&H, but is perhaps one of the most accurate-to-the-book interpretations out there. Aside from the ending and a few minor points throughout, it actually sticks extremely close to Stevenson’s writing. So, while the characters may not be CALLED Jekyll & Hyde - instead being referred to more forgettably as “Marlowe & Blake” - I still say they more than count. While this film isn’t without its flaws, Christopher Lee in the main double role delivers, in my opinion, one of his absolute strongest and most underrated performances. There’s such magnificent subtlety and nuance to his Jekyll/Marlowe, especially in his relationship with his best friend, Mr. Utterson - played by Lee’s real-life best friend and frequent co-star, Peter Cushing. As Hyde/Blake, the film creates an interesting evolution for the character: at first, Blake is an energized, and genuinely extremely creepy, sort of character, who looks almost exactly like Marlowe save for some minor makeup fixes to give him a more unsettling aura. As the story goes on, however, the dark side grows uglier physically, and his whole demeanor seems to fall apart; as the pleasures of evil increase, the physical suffering matches the mental and emotional, yet he just can’t help himself. It’s a little hard to find a good copy of this movie to watch, but if you can, definitely give it a look: it may not be for everyone, but it’s worth it just for Lee’s performance.

4. Jack Palance, from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1968).

This was the first (unless I’m mistaken) of a series of adaptations of classic chillers connected to Dan Curtis - the mastermind behind the Gothic soap opera, “Dark Shadows.” I’ve spoken of the another he was tied to - “Dracula,” also starring Palance - in the past. While I do enjoy both of those interpretations, in my opinion, Curtis’ first foray into classic horror is also his best. It hardly needs saying that Palance - long-renowned for playing a variety of onscreen baddies, from the manic and deranged to the malevolently cold and powerful - makes a brilliant Edward Hyde. If you ever wanted to know what it would be like if Batman’s Grissom had become the Joker, you’ll get it here. Where he really impresses me, however, is as Henry Jekyll: Palance doesn’t seem, at first glance, to be a conventional choice for the good doctor, but he pulls it off absolutely brilliantly. This version really toys strongly with Stevenson’s original ambiguity: Jekyll is not depicted as a victim of Hyde, but instead more as an accomplice, or even the real villain. He becomes conceited and arrogant with the power his second identity lends him, and it’s not till things start to go wrong for him that he begins to grow sick of it all. He is just as culpable as the monster he makes out of himself, even though the two are treated as separate personalities. It’s very possibly my favorite of Palance’s performances, which is saying quite a lot. As a result, it more than earns placement in my personal Top 5.

3. The Version from Frank Wildhorn’s “Jekyll & Hyde.”

If ever a single composer could be said to be the master of “cult classic musicals,” it would be Frank Wildhorn. While Wildhorn’s work has never been the grand darling of Broadway critics, with most of his shows lasting very short stints before disappearing, he is extremely popular in other countries (most notably Germany, Japan, and Korea), and his work in English-speaking countries certainly has a loyal niche of fans. By far the most popular of all his creations is his stage musical version of Stevenson’s classic novella. This musical has undergone multiple transformations of its own over the years, with different productions having script and score elements that change in and out. While every interpretation has had its flaws, I’ve always had a strong soft spot for this rendition as a whole, and its one of the first I think of when I think of the story. Many actors have tackled the dual roles of Jekyll & Hyde for the musical over the years; if I had to choose my personal favorite, it would be Anthony Warlow, who recorded the role for a 1994 CD production, and later would reprise the part onstage for the 25th Anniversary of the play. Other noteworthy names I’m fond of include Robert Cuccioli, Rob Evan, Constantine Maroulis, Chuck Wagner…the list goes on. Oh, also The Hoff did this show for a while…take that however you will. Suffice to say, if that was the only version I knew, it wouldn’t be in my Top 3. XD

2. Fredric March, from Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)

Produced by Paramount, this is one of two versions generally regarded to be one of the best and most classic renditions ever made. Notably, the film made history when March became the first actor in a horror movie to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He would, in fact, be the ONLY actor to win this award for sixty whole years, as this record wasn’t beaten till 1991’s “Silence of the Lambs” with Anthony Hopkins. (I should point out that, since then, nobody else has won the award for another horror picture yet. Take that as you will.) This is especially impressive when you consider 1931 gave us Universal’s “Dracula” and “Frankenstein,” which this movie was made in direct response to. As much as I love Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff in those movies, I can safely say March’s award was not ill-deserved: as Jekyll, he delivers a very human performance that still holds up strongly to this day. As Hyde, he is thoroughly unrecognizable from his better half, not only because of the intense makeup (which gave Hyde a deliberately grotesque, deformed, simian appearance), but because every part of his acting job - his voice, his physical mannerisms, his overall demeanor - is completely and totally different. Interestingly, this is the only adaptation of the story I know of that actually uses Stevenson’s intended pronunciation of the names: according to the author the name “Jekyll” was supposed to be pronounced “Jeek-ull,” as a pun on “hide and seek.” However, since at least the 1941 remake of this same film (which starred Spencer Tracy), the name has always been pronounced “Jekk-ull.” Just one of many details that makes this version so good.

1. John Barrymore, from Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920).

Alongside March’s 1931 appearance, this is the other film version that is widely considered a true classic and as one of the greatest adaptations. As you can tell by it making the top of my list, I wholeheartedly agree. While this silent film version has a few flaws (mostly due to the fact it’s OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD NOW), it actually still holds up fairly strong to this day. Most of this can be attributed to John Barrymore’s performance in the title part. In this version, Jekyll starts off as an outright saint: a pure goody-two-shoes who would never dare commit crimes of vice. However, he begins to experience doubt and temptation due to the machinations of his (admittedly well-meaning) father-in-law, Sir George Carew. This leads to the experiment that gives birth to Hyde: a twisted, warped creature who savagely enjoys all the pleasures of sin. Instead of the simian attributes of March’s version, harkening to man’s natural primal impulses, this Hyde is intentionally given the motif of a spider, symbolizing the web of danger Jekyll ensnares himself in as his trials with Hyde go on, and the poison of evil infecting his soul. Barrymore’s transformation scene is a masterpiece of physical acting: at first, there is no makeup on Hyde at all, the change being entirely due to the actor distorting his physical features, his handsome face rearranging itself into a crooked, sharp look. As the film goes on, Hyde does adopt more and more nasty makeup elements, but the face remains Barrymore’s own warped visage. While some may see parts of his acting as a bit hokey nowadays…again, the movie is more than a hundred years old, cut things some slack. I actually think the intensity of Barrymore’s performance is highly effective in most places, making Jekyll’s torment and the genuinely unsettling, scary presence of Hyde all the more impactful. The scene where Hyde commits his first murder genuinely horrifies me to this day. When I think of these characters, it’s Barrymore I think of before any other version. For that reason above all the rest, he definitely takes the cake as My Favorite Portrayal of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

Boris Karloff & Eddie Parker, from Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

This spookshow comedy was one of several follow ups to the famous duo’s more successful outing, “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.” Karloff plays Jekyll, and also wore the makeup for Hyde during the transformation sequences. However, stuntman and actor Eddie Parker - who would later play the Mummy in another Abbott & Costello feature - plays Mr. Hyde for the majority of the film. Michael Caine, from Jekyll & Hyde (1990).

This 1990 TV film adaptation very, VERY nearly made the main countdown, and has a great many merits. Caine’s performance, obviously, is among them. However, when I revisited the film for the purposes of this list, I simply found I didn’t like it as much as I remembered, so it narrowly missed the cut.

The Version from “Fate/Grand Order.”

Evidently influenced by the Frank Wildhorn musical (their Noble Phantasm takes its title directly from a song in the show), I really do love the way Henry Jekyll and his chaotic alter-ego are portrayed, as well as how that fits into the gameplay. Like Caine, they very, VERY nearly made the cut, but I guess I just like other versions of the characters more. The two were voiced by Mamoru Miyano.

James Nesbitt, from Jekyll.

This BBC miniseries featured Nesbitt as a descendant of Jekyll, “Dr. Tom Jackman,” who has to deal with the family curse coming to haunt him. Essentially a precursor to “Sherlock,” as it was made by the same creative team, this one essentially reinterpreted things as a sort of dark superhero story. Very fun, but not without flaws.

#list #countdown #halloween #horror #literature #robert louis stevenson #top 10 #actors #acting #comics #film #tv #movies #video games #jekyll & hyde #dr. jekyll and mr. hyde #the strange case of dr. jekyll and mr. hyde #theatre #musical theatre

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ao3-oner · 3 months ago

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hi oner!

im a really big fan of your writing, thank you for posting so much!

quick question just for fun: if someone could only read five of your fics and no more, and you got to pick which ones, which five would you want them to read? you can include wips if you want

im just curious lol, happy writing and hope you post soon

Hi there, anon! Thank you so much for reading my stuff. I hope I post soon too LMAO, life can be busy sometimes but hopefully I'll be able to find time to write more in the upcoming weeks. I'm glad you're enjoying my fics so far :)

Man, your question is really hard to answer, though - asking a writer to pick their favorite pieces is like asking a parent to choose a favorite child. That said, I never claimed to be a good fic-parent, so ofc I have my faves. If someone, for whatever reason, could only read five of my fics, the ones I would recommend are:

1. Metro Lines and Their Prismatic Tears - 10,000 words, Rated T, minor background ships, Peyz-centric

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think Metro Lines is my best-written fic so far. I also think it's unique in that none of my other fics really capture what it does - like if I wanted to include a GuKe fic on my list I would have a handful to choose from, but this fic is truly one-of-a-kind. I like the AU, I like the characterizations, and overall I'm really proud of my work on this fic.

2. Mad Scientist Incorrigible - 30,000 words, Rated E for lots of sex, multi-ship (Lehends x Everyone) but RuLehends-focused, Lehends-centric

Even though I think Metro Lines is better-written, I still see M.S.I. as my magnum opus and likely the coolest fic I'll ever write. Writing this fic as the tournament was going on was such a fun experience and I'm still shocked that it all came together so well narratively. I really enjoy all the drama of the piece and I think no list of ArchiveofOurOner fics would be complete without it.

I think those two very cleanly take the top spots on my list. From here on out, things get a little more debatable, but for number 3, I'll add the one other fic that I've referred to as "my favorite one" before:

3. The Man Who Talked Shit About Choi Wooje - 4,000 words, Rated T/M for violence, One2eus, shifting POV

I love this fic because it defines "crack treated seriously". Every part of it is just so ridiculous and it was super fun to write. I think part of why I consider it one of my favorites is because I had such a blast writing it, but it also shows a different tone of fic than the other two, so I think it's a good inclusion. I also sorely need to include more of my T1 boys on this list, which brings me to my next entry:

4. Facecheck - 14,000 words, Rated E for some smut, One2eus with background GuKe, Zeus-centric

As my first and most popular fic, I feel like Facecheck is another requirement for the AO3 Oner list. That's not to suggest that I don't love it - I do, but I definitely think that I've grown in my writing since then. It would still be a good include to show that growth, plus it's a fun read even if I personally consider it to be more middle-of-the-pack in terms of my work quality.

For the final slot... damn, okay, this is actually really hard. See, if the question was simply which other of my fics do I like the most, then I'd probably go with 04.11.2023, but that feels way too similar to Mad Scientist Incorrigible (since it's literally just an extension of that fic). I would also consider including my Spider-Oner AU, Strand By Silken Strand, which I'm quite proud/fond of, but let's be real - I haven't included any CanMaker on the list yet and that's a complete sin. So, with that in mind:

5. Flash-Ult - 2,000 words, Rated T, CanMaker, Canyon-centric

It was a really close call between this and Heartbreaker, but I think Flash-Ult won out for me primarily because it's much sweeter and a good deal less angsty (though there is still a bit of angst at the end). All in all, Flash-Ult is a classic, feel-good hurt/comfort fic that I think suits my dynamic of CanMaker very well and is therefore a good representation of how I write the ship. I think between M.S.I. and Facecheck, there's already enough smut on the list, but if I were to include a CanMaker smut fic instead... maybe Unleashed Power, tbh? Ig that would also allow for a taste of my Omegaverse AU...

But yeah, that's my list of 5, plus a few bonus ones tossed around in between. They aren't my best fics, they certainly aren't my most popular fics, but I think they make up the best representation of my total LoL RPF corpus so far. If someone could only read a small portion of my writing, then I think this selection would give them a pretty good taste of what my fics are like. Hopefully, they'd enjoy them as much as you have, anon!

Thanks for the ask - it was certainly an interesting one - and have a great day, wherever you are!

#oner-answers #rpf #lolrpf

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anemcia · 2 months ago

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//I don't often dive into the finer details about ol' Honeydew, but when I do? It gets a bit interesting. I've probably mentioned that she's quite the chess genius—a previously well-established champion in world tournaments, no less. While she didn't dedicate years of her life to practice or be mentored by another master, Chess was simply a game she enjoyed with her father. It snowballed from there, mostly, because of his insistence that she go the distance with her talent. As an angsty teenager, this provided her with a welcome distraction from her troubles.

//She's extraordinarily skilled to a stupid degree, able to adapt, predict, and prepare a counter strategy in advance like she's a cheating computer. Yet, Honey doesn't put too much thought into her plays beyond what she feels is the 'right' move, going off instinct more often than not. Absolutely could start up some comedic moments when others severely underestimate her.

//I like to think of it as a silent nod to her super-luck status as a person, akin to Master Chief in the respect that he's SEEMINGLY unnaturally lucky, but it's likely just the fact he's a genetically enhanced soldier and has seen some shit. She's got the benefit of having her heart replaced by a magical stone that makes her near undefeatable if you're looking to rip her apart outright. She'll just grow back :V painful as it'd be. You could put her in one hell of a coma tbf, or if you manage to shatter her stone (AKA manage to kill her for realsies), THEN she'd be in real danger there. She's not immune to extreme fatigue and fainting because she's too far down to move a muscle.

//It's just a silly little thing for her to be multifaceted in many things, but is just God-tier with this one particular thing for no other reason than "just because". And you know she uses that skill to lord it above Cell's angry face. Could theoretically play Chess with the most intelligent being in the universe and STILL pull out a clutch victory because "Eh well I thought it'd be the best move". Like, that kind of insanity skill where you'd question if what she'd do if she was actually serious.

//Rp scenarios are a little different, not sure how anyone would feel about her auto-winning shit unless she purposely gives up or loses interest. It's more about the strangest aspect of her character to be that skilled while also being lesser quality in other things. It's just a showcase of how she uses her instincts and applies it well, especially being smart with tech and where it'd actually matter.

#《🌊》𝑶𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔 [dash commentary]#《🌼》𝑫𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒍 [honeydew]#//Listen to me ramble about Honey once again for 20 minutes

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kootiepatra · 1 year ago

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#FFxivWrite2023 - Day 22: Fulsome

“May I say once again, my lady, what an absolute honor it is to have been graced by your presence this eve. That the Warrior of Light herself should take the time!”

Keimwyda’s smile was pleasant as the finely-dressed gentleman bowed, and chortled, and wrung his hands, and effused. Aymeric was the only person in the room who would be able to detect the faint current of discomfort hovering just below the surface in her expression.

“Why,” the man continued, “I was saying just the other night to Ilminne—didn’t I say so, dear?”

The woman at the man’s elbow nodded enthusiastically. “He did, he did!”

“Yes, I was saying to Ilminne, ‘Well, surely the hero of all the realms will be busy! We must not get our hopes up.’ As of course, we—along with all of Ishgard, I am quite sure—know how you may be spirited away at any moment to some derring-do or other. Likely saving the world again! Ha! Truly, we are most grateful to you and yours.”

“You are most kind, thank you,” the Warrior of Light demurred.

“‘Kind,’ she says,” the man laughed. “Haha! As if the savior of Ishgard deserves any less.”

Another, younger gentleman inserted himself into the conversation. “We may add humility to the Warrior of Light’s many list of good qualities, may we not?”

“Quite so, quite so!” the first agreed.

Keimwyda’s eyes darted briefly across the room and met Aymeric’s, as he deftly hid a snicker behind his hand. He could count himself fortunate. She was too busy being polite to the starstruck nobles who swarmed her to give him the scowl she otherwise might have. She turned her attention back to them as they continued to flatter and praise her.

It was not all people in the room who were doing so, of course. A goodly portion of those present were neither that impressed nor unhappy to share the banquet hall with her. A small, but nontrivial, group of people hovered purposefully away from her, not making much effort to mask their distaste of this foreigner who had brought so much disruption to their old ways.

But for those who wished to make it known how appreciative they were, and how highly they thought of her—Twelve help her. They were nice, they were speaking well of her, but they were loud and insistent. And things always seemed to escalate into an over-the-top flattery Keimwyda could never quite stomach.

“You must get so tired of people thanking you all the time,” another noblewoman joked, and the group erupted into congratulatory chuckles.

Keimwyda smiled and felt intensely awkward. She did tire of it. Well, not exactly of being thanked, but this…? This felt like something else. She shook her head and answered diplomatically, “Oh, my. Well. Far be it from me to scorn anyone’s kindness.”

“I suppose such burdens come with being the hero of all heroes,” a jolly older lady beamed.

“I would not say that,” Keimwyda said mildly, trying desperately to tone things down. “I am simply a person who tries to do what I can, just like so many other people in the realm…”

“Modest to a fault!” the younger gentleman rejoined. “Did I not tell you all?” And they all agreed that he did.

Keimwyda felt herself deflate a little. She would just have to ride it out until they had felt they had sufficiently spoken their piece. She kept nodding and smiling and demurring. They continued to chortle and flatter. She had not yet quite worked out how long it took proper Ishgardians to make their departure from a formal event like this, but there was always some delay filled with polite chatter between the first goodbye and the actual act of walking out the door. It seemed like one of the many, many unspoken but utterly inviolable traditions that still ruled in this place. All she could do was wait for that appointed time—however long it was—to run out.

And sure enough, in due course, it did. And it probably didn’t even take the full eternity it felt like to Keimwyda. The lords and ladies made their way out the foyer and into the chilly night; some bundling into carriages, others setting off on foot. The enthusiastic attendees were sure to get in one final word of praise. The disapproving ones were sure to get in one final pointed stare, to underscore how they weren’t speaking such things to her.

She almost preferred the latter.

But in any case it was a relief to slip her hand around Aymeric’s arm as they made their way back to his manor—giving the rest of the revelers a wide enough berth to remain casually out of earshot.

They walked together quietly for a few minutes, neither of them feeling much need to speak. They both benefited from having a moment to decompress. Her especially, being so much less used to functions like these than he was.

She would be the first to break the silence. “Does it get any better?” she asked.

He looked at her curiously, but sympathetically, placing his hand atop hers. “Does what get better?”

She nodded towards another group of pedestrians, splitting off at a fork in the road. He squinted into the streetlamp-lit darkness after them, trying to make out who they were.

“Ser Reneur was not being insulting again, I hope?”

“No,” she replied. “At least I didn’t notice it of him. I mean…”

He had an idea where this might be going, but he did not rush her to speak it aloud.

She sighed. “They are just being nice, I know.”

“Ah, them,” he smirked. “They seemed rather—excitable tonight, did they not?”

She grinned and leaned into him just enough to threaten his balance a little. “Do not act like you were not standing there laughing at it.”

He chuckled and conceded the point. “It is a bit amusing, my darling.”

“Hmm. Perhaps a very little.” Her smile faded quickly as she said it, however.

“Yet it troubles you.”

She sighed again. “It does.”

“So much enthusiasm can be exhausting.”

“It can…” she agreed, her voice trailing off as she tried to put her finger on what was wrong. “That is not fully it, though. I do not wish to be rude. ‘Twould be unkind indeed for me to snub people for trying to speak well of me.”

“What sits ill with you?” he asked.

“It is just… too much, I think.”

“Overwhelming?”

“Untrue.”

He was taken a bit aback by that, and stopped walking. He looked at her. She looked at the ground.

“Untrue how?” he asked her gently.

She ran her free hand through her hair as she thought. “Exaggerations, I suppose. Superlatives.”

“Bearing in mind that you do tend to unduly diminish yourself,” he cautioned.

“Yes, bearing that in mind,” she said with an affectionate eyeroll. “The term ‘hero of all heroes’ may have been employed. You must admit that is a bit much.”

He grinned. “If only a bit.”

“I am serious. You know as well as any that it has been an adjustment for me to accept people’s… celebration? Is that the right word?”

“Admiration, perhaps? Praise?”

“Sure,” she said, waving her hand vaguely at the terminology. “But… it is different when they talk as if any of these battles were just down to me, singlehandedly. And they certainly were not. Not at any point.

“They speak as if it were easy for me. As if I am not as prone to weakness or despair as the next person. ‘Tis as if they see me as some—I don’t know, otherworldly being—a storybook, a myth, rather than just a person with both feet on the ground and an unearned immunity to tempering.”

“You sell yourself short again,” he admonished. “But yes, I do take your point.”

“They do it to you, too, do they not?”

Now he took his turn looking mildly embarrassed. “Ah, well… not to the same degree, nor for the same reasons. I would say my reputation is rather more…shall we say polarizing than your own.”

“Which is absurd,” she frowned, as they resumed walking.

He shrugged. “It is understandable enough. Upheaval is unpleasant even for those who desire it, and so much the worse for those who oppose it.”

“But there are those who celebrate it.”

“Oh yes, there are. And some of them certainly do have their ways of making it known—particularly at parties where they can be witnessed making their overtures.”

She smirked ruefully. “You do not much enjoy it either, I gather.”

“No indeed. But it is harmless enough in the end.”

“…So, does it get better? The flattery?”

“Now that is the word for it,” he replied. “Because they do think well of you. But they also wish to make sure you see and acknowledge them thinking well of you, and they wish others to see you doing so. Such magnanimity mixed with vanity is an all too common foible of mankind, I daresay. And no doubt contributes to your discomfort.”

“It does… but I prefer that part to the outright idolization, I think.”

He hummed a sympathetic chuckle. “Well, the flattery is like to diminish in time. The novelty will wear off, and people will conclude that you are not one to be swayed by affectations. I would not expect it to disappear entirely, however.

“As to the other part: for people who know you first for your remarkable accomplishments…” he interrupted himself, “…and they are remarkable; even you cannot deny it.”

Keimwyda bit her lip and pretended like she wasn’t about to attempt just that.

Aymeric continued, “Not only do they know you by your deeds, many of them legitimately owe their lives to you.”

“Not just to me,” she protested.

“Of course. But to you, nonetheless.” He looked at her again with a quiet smile and squeezed her hand. “I doubt there is aught any of us could do to prevent them getting a few stars in their eyes.”

She did not think him wrong, but… “I cannot say I care for this part,” she sighed.

“I know, my darling. I know. But it will get better, because I have full faith in you to find both your way and your peace in it.”

“Hah, well, that makes one of us.”

“All the more reason I am glad to be by your side through it all.”

She squeezed his arm and managed to meet his gaze. “Thank you, my love. I cannot fathom doing it without you.”

#FFxivWrite #FFxivWrite2023 #wolmeric #aymeric de borel #Keimwyda Sylbdhemwyn #aymeric x wol #roegadyn wol #wolmeric nonsense #ser aymeric #ffxiv aymeric #Inspired by how looking up the prompt word so often referred to “fulsome praise”

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dr-nero-is-god · 2 years ago

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all three of the neros for the ask game :))

THANK YOU but knowing that you are a fellow nero appreciator I feel we are simply 🤝 on this matter

nathaniel nero

one aspect about them i love

I love how suave he is. If we were doing a live action film, some type of Jeff Goldblum or Robert Di Niro (lol) BUT ACTUALLY I JUST CHANGED MY MIND BECAUSE actually I would cast TIM CURRY and he would be a BEAUTIFUL HORNY GRANDPA and we would all be 10% more gay after encountering him.

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

He is both charming and insufferable in equal parts. I had a grandfather who was much like him, to be honest (or perhaps it is just a quality of beloved old men). But I think there is something enneagram-4-ish in Nathaniel that is that he spends so much time individuating from everyone else and getting wrapped up in being The Architect that results in something more depressing and self-isolating than he might be willing to admit out loud.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

out of everyone in the series, nathaniel has had the most sex! this is partially because of his age. this is also because he is a whore.

as well as

one character i love seeing them interact with

Obviously it's Max. I love how much they do NOT get along. Obsessed with them both.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

Laura. No explanation just vibes!

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

I 100% believe that Nathaniel has had other children and grandchildren by random women who he is no longer in touch with. And he can't tell Max because he will a) get yelled at and b) potentially have to get in contact with those people to assuage Max's Attitude About the Situation. So the two or three secret families he has created over the years have an absent father and they resent him for perfectly ordinary reasons, never knowing that their absent father is kind of a big shot.

maximilian nero

one aspect about them i love

He's my best friend, he's my pal, he's my homeboy, my rotten soldier, my sweet cheese, my good time boy. What's not to love?

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

He would kill the person he loves most in the world. He wants to save everyone, and will try, and when he can't, he will kill them, because that's the person he has to be, because no one else can be.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

It's pretty much my headcanon that he's secretly nice which more or less influences all my writing about him. Is it correct? Nah. But that's okay. :)

as well as

one character i love seeing them interact with

mmm! raven. lol.

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

Diabolus!!! nero darkdoom prequel WHEN

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

He and the Contessa would go on holiday together before the enemy times and would like go to wine tastings and museums and things and would get dreadfully bored with one another and yet SOMEHOW they never actually stopped doing it.

raven

one aspect about them i love

I love how much is unspoken in her character. She never says she loves Nero because she doesn't need to. She never needs to say that she's loyal to Otto, or to Diabolus, or to anyone, because she doesn't need to. She doesn't need words to be the woman she is which is frankly insane in a book which is, as you may know, primarily consisting OF words.

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

Raven is truly the H.I.V.E. Barbie. This is all to our universal benefit.

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

She has a dark sense of humor and she's a little rude and she doesn't often make a good first impression. She accepted this when she was not a teenager anymore.

as well as

one character i love seeing them interact with

Diabolus!!!!! THEY ARE BEST FRIENDS OKAY

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

SHELBY. WHERE HAS ALL THE FEMINISM GONE AND WHY CAN'T THESE TWO HAVE ANY

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

Raven is really quite fond of playing jackbox games with the c4. Party games completely blow her mind and she especially likes Tee KO because to her it is the most insane thing that children play with and she never got to.

#nathaniel #nathaniel nero #raven #the architect #max nero #bloodline #book 9 #bloodline spoilers #hive spoilers

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clairethecutepup · 11 months ago

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Dreams and Nightmares Lyrics

You're probably wondering why this has tags like, "Corn Kidz 64" and "Ed Edd n Eddy" together... Well, keep reading and you'll get an explanation, on top of some lyrics.

I actually got the song idea from Stuck Inside, the fan song pertaining to Five Nights at Freddy’s. Fitting that I found inspiration from a game that takes place at night, since this song actually pertains to a (non-FNAF) fanfiction: The Dreams and Nightmares We Share… It’s an odd read, admittedly, just from the “crossover” aspect you’d never imagine before: putting Sarah and Jimmy from Ed Edd n Eddy and Peach Creek (if you count the second a “true” sequel), with Seve and Alexis from Corn Kidz 64. Then again, finding yourself in a dream with strange, new beings from other worlds can be an interesting concept.

The plot overall, though: trying to leave the shared dream and return to their bodies, before some nightmarish face-sharers take over their souls/consciousnesses and thus become the controllers of those very bodies instead. Let’s just say, these imitating (and literal) demons have their motives for infiltrating these worlds in stolen mortal coils… Despite being entirely separate entities who simply practice “playing the roles,” while also wearing those similar faces to merely unnerve our protagonists, they do fit into a role of negative reflection. It’s especially noticeable in Sarah and Jimmy’s case, as many an EEnE or PC fan can agree on their darker qualities.

Not “negative reflection” as in all of the protagonists are seeing some perfect reflection of being violent and manipulative childhood/teenhood brats, it’s not even meant as an “eviller side” being confronted in every case! Case in point: Claire, a character from her own set of series, is instead confronted about less “evil” aspects. Her double points out why she “doesn’t” deserve to return at all, as the “stunted and burdening retard” she is. True, her double simply wants a “duel victory” at the very least: basically, “If I can’t have your body, you shouldn’t awaken in it again, either!”

Yet, it’s still technically “you” confronting yourself about something negative you see in yourself. After all, in her mind: "It's not fair that I have a better and easier life than most, especially when I have a 'better and easier' life that most hardworking people will never see during their efforts... And all because I just can't speak or am 'stunted,' so I don’t have to worry about things like getting a job..."

As for Seve and Alexis, it’s like an in-between of the two prior cases: it’s an agreeable mentality that neither goat were the past fiends Sarah and Jimmy could be, but it’s also easy to imagine them as “outcasts” in their world and thus they could have some personal fear/insecurity as a result. Who knows, perhaps even Alexis had a moment or two where she’d share Seve’s mentality: “I wish I could teach them a thing or two about being so mean…”?

Definitely something two hellhounds wearing their faces could try and tempt them with: “Let us take you over, and we’ll not only give you that revenge, but also make you heroes to similar kids because ‘you’ helped prove that anyone can always fight back...” Though likely very futile, such minions who serve the dark prince of temptation himself could easily prey on “wrath,” like any other sinful desire and no matter how weakly faint it is. At the very least, Seve likely couldn’t deny having a desire to wipe some smug, cruel grin off another’s face…

Still, no matter how they do it, each imposter is determined to either have them awaken in those bodies, or no one does. Likewise, no matter how they go about things, our protagonists will at least avoid letting this shared nightmare turn them into waking ones for everyone else back home; and especially not a now-adult Sarah and Jimmy will allow this, who already have damned their memories with many a haunting action of their own accords.

It may not be as much a story themed around “confronting your darker aspects,” but it does add a little more interest to make the tale go beyond: “Oh, we’re just facing some demons who only wear our faces because they’re ‘method acting’ for the eventual ‘big roles’...” Plus, it’d be awkward to only have Sarah and Jimmy be given the interesting additional conflict of inner and more personal turmoil, through doubles reflecting a less “proud” aspect of themselves.

So, each verse comes from the cast’s different perspectives: Sarah and Jimmy share one, Seve and Alexis do another, there’s Claire’s own one… Essentially, it’s clearly a song heavy on character perspective, including a shared one here and there.

PS: Don’t try to read the lyrics to the actual tune of Stuck Inside, as it’s a simple melodic inspiration rather than an actual rewrite of the song.

-------------

Eyes opened again, but how will I now fare?

Depends on if it’s a dream or nightmare,

Serving as the state I find myself in,

Serving as the place I find myself in,

Perhaps some place that’s in between?

Nevermind “awake,” is it “alive” I seem?

Dreams and Nightmares,

Do I truly live now or now live only in fear?

Scenes my Mind Shares:

Slumber’s fantasy or cruel truth causing my closed eyes’ tears?

Themes the Night Shares:

If dreams hold meaning, then I fear the omen is clear…

Life was not a dream, but no pure nightmare,

Not when we “outcasts” brave it together,

But now we’re shunned by more than peers:

As Lady Luck smiles not, but Miss Fortune sneers,

Down on our young selves, as we finally know pure Hell,

In dreams, was just us; but nightmares seem to include “us” as well…

Dreams and Nightmares,

Where went all the fun, with our break from waking life’s misery…?

Freaks with Bright Glares,

Through our copied mouths, they promise “retribution’s” delivery…

Screams and Fright Shared,

No bullies' “punishment” to condone, even if it could feel satisfactory…

A privileged upbringing most could only ever dream about,

Creating “nightmares”: those, a sense of consequence, without,

Karma had made a sibling’s and others’ suffering into our own:

Asleep or awake, the past forever makes our minds its home,

Once again, restless minds’ line between nightmare and dreams blur,

As Karma grants our own medicine’s more direct taste: him and her…

Dreams and Nightmares,

Wish we arrived as gifts from above, not spawns of Hell’s…

Schemes by a Pair:

Reverting us to old ways, making all newfound morality dispelled…

Please, Hear my Prayers:

Let us stay in control, it’s time to stop hurting everyone else…

I know many like the dream of being a kid again,

They know not the nightmare that drives you insane:

Responsibility’s freedom comes at dependency’s death,

Even worse, when you could never grow, like the rest…

Lacking mind, lacking size, what’s even to achieve with this life?

As she said, about my head: slight grief, but relief, if I’m dead…

Dreams and Nightmares,

Sorry, family, making yours for me into the latter, with my state realized…

Deemed my Life Unfair:

Why do I have it “easier,” than more hardworking and capable lives…?

Teemed with my Share--

of “responsibilities” now, finally: mustn’t let her see anyone victimized!

We want our eyes to open again and leave this nightmare,

But whether it is dream or night terrors that we must fare,

No matter what our shared place might be,

No matter what our shared state might be,

We’ll stand side by side and we’ll stand hand in hand,

Not just so I can survive, but to keep you alive if I can,

Dreams and Nightmares;

Don’t worry, we’ll always help those who have no others,

Dreams and Nightmares;

We’ll ensure you’re not hurt by us, too-- not even by imposters,

Dreams and Nightmares;

I’ll do my best, now that it’s my turn to ensure others’ care!

In our Dreams, let’s share the joy and laughter,

But share support and strength through the nightmares…

#corn kidz 64 #ed edd n eddy #crossover #song lyrics #lyrics posting #original song #lyric posting #fan fiction #fanfiction #song writing #free verse

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tinydreamlatex · 9 days ago

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Durable Latex Gloves for Ultimate Comfort and Flexibility

When it comes to latex clothing, one of the most popular and versatile items is the latex glove, which not only possesses a shiny sleek look but also represents a perfect combination of comfort, flexibility, and durability. You could add them to your assembled glam look for a night out, wear them in pursuit of a DIY project, or simply when you feel like adding some flamboyance to your home-and-wear. Being snug is quite flexible and gives a slick appearance; thus, they must find a place in the wardrobe of every latex personality.

Latex gloves are not so common for their hard glossy surface, which echoes light more beautifully. This high shine is one of the reasons why a big many choose these gloves to complement their outfits. The gloss not only looks appealing visually, but this feeling comes in a feeling such as having that glossier feeling in the interior. Because of latex gloves, people love that second-skin feeling where they would not want to take off their gloves next to them.

One of the other key advantages of latex gloves is their brilliantly comfortable nature. The latex actually molds very nicely to the shape of your hand, thus taking away the chance of any restriction while moving your fingers. This allows you to do a lot of things while wearing them, so at any point, you will not find them stiff or uncomfortable; therefore, they're really good for the fashion point. Latex gloves will work either way when you're going to a themed party, doing some serious cosplay, or just adding a point of interrogation in evening wear.

The durability of latex gloves is another plus point that makes them stand out in the latex fashion. Latex material is very durable, and after some wear and tear, it won't just put them out of business. With a bit of elasticity, latex will maintain the shape of the gloves all throughout, therefore lasting long for anybody who opts to use them as an accessory. It's easy enough to convey that, whether sweating it out at a party or working on some DIY fashion project, all it takes is a quick scrub or wash to restore their glossy background.

Latex gloves come in a whole range of colors, designs, styles, and lengths, so your gloves can speak for themselves as parts of your self-expression. You can choose between classic black, bright red, or even neon latex gloves. There are latex gloves suitable for every taste and occasion in some way of another. Whether you want to wear them with a full-body latex catsuit or even just as a very stark accessory to finish off your outfit, many styles of latex gloves are available.

Latex gloves appeal to lovers because of their special tactile feel. Soft and delightful, these might suit intimate or roleplay situations the best. Thus, they immediately became popular in fetish and alternate fashion. Of course, we should mention here that if yet another newbie is entering the world of latex, latex gloves are a nice place to start-easy to wear and highly compatible with nearly all pieces of latex clothing.

Whether wearing them as a complete outfit or just as a very nice accessory, latex gloves are a fine way to introduce oneself to the world of latex fashion. One must also bear in mind to take care of the quality of the gloves when purchasing them. You know that the normal thickness of the latex amounts to most of the comfort and durability; if it's too thin it's not going to feel quite right nor last as long, if it's too thick it's putting that much pressure on the fingers, thus making it less flexible. It's best to search about a bit and look for latex gloves that offer a good thickness and finish for greatest comfort; they should also be able to wear thus provide good longevity.

When it is all said and done, an excellent product of hard-wearing latex gloves is a great addition to any piece of latex clothing. Uniquely comfortable, flexible, and tough enough even for catwalks and labor, you will always be set for fun in these products. An added sense to match your outfit would make it easier to choose from the wide variety of colors, styles, and finishes to recreate your perfect set of latex gloves. So why not? Go grab yourself a pair of durable latex gloves today and be on your way to ultimate comfort, flexibility, and styling enjoyment!

#dresses #dress #fashion #beautiful women #clothes #gloved hands

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acetraveler · 9 months ago

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Utah Trip, Part 1

This is part of a multi-part blog series for a documentary currently in creation. The purpose is to document the cool things and places visited, as well as discuss being disabled while staying at a hotel. You can find other parts to this particular series HERE.

From the Bay Area to Mohave

I have wanted to keep statistics of my trips for blog posts like this. They make stories so much more interesting! Like, how many miles were driven to each location, how long these trips take, how much you think you'll spend vs how much you actually spend on knick-knacks.

But it is here that I need to point out that this won't be entirely possible for the entire trip. The reason being that I got my car broken into on my last day of the trip. But that will be expanded upon in another post and I'll like it here.

I started this trip for a documentary that I'm working on (yet another post that will be linked here). And it was decided to go in late March. This is important because there were winter warnings going on between the Bay Area and Salt Lake City.

Since there was only a 57mi difference, I decided to go through Las Vegas and go to the farthest National Park first. This way I could hit the other planned parks on the way back home.

In my 20s, I would've thought that I could drive the entire 13+ HRS to Arches. But I'm not so much in a hurry anymore.

This translated to stopping in Mohave, CA for the night. I know nothing about this town and after staying there for a night... I still know nothing. Except that they have a wind turbine farm going on. Something I did not know about these turbines is that they have red lights. Which is unnerving at night if you aren't used to seeing a thousand red dots blinking throughout the night. This is almost certainly for planes flying overhead.

In the past, I've always declared that I would never stay at a motel with a number attached to it. Since I'm a completely different person, and I remember never giving Motel + Number a try, I decided to give the Motel 6 a try. Here is my review:

Motel 6

In short, this place cuts corners. I now know that I'll never stay in another Motel 6. There's a reason they cost $65 or less.

In long: Motel 6 is a mysterious motel that has somehow survived in spite of not having any quality to their rooms.

First of all, there are smoking rooms. As someone with chronic rhinitis, it amazes me that that's something I need to look out for. But smoking rooms still exist. I worry that this point would be considered controversial, but I just don't understand the concept of smoking inside a room. That is a fire hazard, period.

Secondly, I don't know that the beds they own are technically beds. "Slab" would be more accurate. I understand that everyone has a different back. Rock Hard is a weird choice for a mattress.

Everything felt like the cheapest possible version and was thrown into the wash with bleach and cut the dryer out to save on the electricity bill. Towels are rough, as is the toilet paper. And the shower looked like a murder scene occurred there. I have no idea if that's a joke, which scares me.

Back to the Trip...

The last part of this post will cover something I started noticing after the stay in Motel 6. But I was always placed in a second story room.

This is something I hadn't paid attention to until now. My knees are hurting more and more, and bringing everything I own in my car up to my room started to prove an issue. Many people (including a 20yo me) would say that it's not a big deal and that it's laziness to just leave everything in my car.

Simply put, this is a disability to not be able to haul everything up three or four times. That's at least 3 stories! And I'm trying to look out for myself and not push anything over the limit.

But this isn't the first motel or hotel to do this. I will speculate further on why this is a thing in future posts. For the time being, I think this is age-based. Not agism, exactly. The presumption I believe is based on what most people think is an able-bodied person walking into the lobby of the hotel/motel.

#travel blog #travel tips #lgbtq community #California #traveling #Motel 6

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button-mash · 2 years ago

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What I played last week #8

Klona 2 [Playstation 2]

This was such an absolute treat to play. I had heard of the series before, but I'd genuinely never played any of them at all - in fact they'd just totally passed me by really. I think they got remade fairly recently and it suddenly felt like everyone but me had some proper beloved history with the series, so not sure how I totally missed it - especially as I love platformers. Managed to snipe an eBay auction for this for £12 which I was buzzing about considering it rarely goes for less than £30 and often sells in the £50-60 range.

Playing this it feels like it's the insane centrepoint between SO many games that have come before and since, I'd love to learn more about it and any games that were actively influenced by it, because it felt like it could somehow have come out in any area of platformers and fit in perfectly. At different points it reminded me of Nights, Kirby 64, Crash Brandicoot, Rayman, Mario Galaxy and more, yet somehow always still felt like completely it's own thing too. It's a pretty simple game at it's core - it's a 2.5D platformer where you can jump and hover, but can also grab enemies if you're close enough, either throwing them across the screen as a weapon, or using them to jump off and essentially serve as a double jump. The game actually starts off pretty slowly and at first I thought it was going to be another Kirby - something with loads of personality and character, but ultimately so easy it undermines the whole thing. However, the games levels quickly become more and more complex and constantly alternate between platforming and puzzles sections - by the end it becomes difficult enough where you have to have mastered every technique in the arsenal to progress through the levels, some of which are surprisingly long and complex.

The most amazing thing is how good the game looks, it's just absolutely beautiful - I genuinely couldn't believe it was a PS2 game at times. The occasional blurry texture or jagged edge gave it away, but there is just so much vibrant colour, detail, movement and animation on every level, it just gave the game an insane amount of character and life to each stage, and all of them have such a strong, memorable visual identity. There is even an amazing sense of scale to some of the levels where you'll get shot high into the air and you'll see these massively complex stages just fully modelled out and it just shows how much imagination and craft have gone into each one. There is one level set in a theme park and it just looks incredible. It's seemingly impossible to find any good quality gifs of this that aren't from the remake or haven't been upscaled in PCSX2, but hopefully you get the picture from an art direction perspective

The game isn't without it's flaws - there are some difficulty spikes that come out of nowhere and very strict animation windows sometimes make you feel like you missed grabs or jumps that you made, but it's rare and the platforming usually feels great. It never becomes a real chore of a challenge, but the levels become difficult enough where you feel genuinely accomplished getting through them, especially the last few levels. The bosses are also great mechanically, although they start to feel a little similar by the end.

Normally if you play a retro game without the nostalgia, there is always this element of wishing you could have played it at the time, simply because it's almost always aged in some way that diminishes the experience at least a tiny bit. Here this just feels like that rare experience where it could have come out yesterday and I think I'd still be banging on about how much I loved it - if I'd unknowlingly played the remakes without knowing they were remakes, I don't know if Id have been able to tell from a design point of view. Im glad I played the original though, honestly one of the best looking, most colourful and lively games I think Ive played on the PS2, all at a crisp 60fps. Looked absolutely phenomenal on the PVM, I wish I could somehow show off how great it looked.

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singswan-springswan · 3 years ago

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I just realized it’s May haha 🥲

What am I doing with my life that May was so far away and yet suddenly slammed me full-stop with a punching bag I don’t understand. Anyway have my Mermay contribution

Holy kriff what actually is this quality dumblr? grr.

I did the artsy a while back, but I’m pleased to announce that I still can’t draw consistent characters 😌 whaaaat? Psh, I mean—this is an aquarium AU, so obviously they can’t be clones irl come on 👀 that’s why they don’t look like each other.

Also, I wrote a lil blurb for the concept so enjoy :3

“So,” Padmé said shortly, keeping both eyes firmly fixed on the clipboard in her hands. “What do we know already?”

It was easier to stare at the infuriatingly thin packet of papers on the board than to raise her gaze just a little tiny bit and look into the pool she and Rex were standing over. For one, nothing in the pool moved much. The water only barely dipped and splashed on the very minute occasion from whatever sluggish filter had been placed inside. The water otherwise was clear and plain, and—honestly—a little boring.

It was another generic holding tank they kept at the aquarium: nothing Padmé hadn’t dealt with dozens of times before. They used the large, platformed containers to rehabilitate all kinds of sick and injured marine life, ranging from dolphins, to turtles, to stingrays, and even a few arthropods, though Padmé was decidedly less involved in some of those projects. The only nuance in this situation was the species—creature, really—currently within the tank.

To put things simply, it wasn’t something they already knew much about. And it was easier to stare at her papers than to risk looking at it.

“Nothing, really.” Rex sighed. He ran a hand over his clipped curls and gave the stack of papers a pitying look. “It’s been hard to run any tests since the three of them came in. Normal tranqs don’t seem to work as well, and anyone who’s tried to get close so far has been… compromised.”

Padmé’s thoughts strayed to Sabé’s broken arm, and the thing that had caused such a gruesome injury; how it was coiled at the bottom of the tank in front of her and—

She reigned her attention into focus.

“So this—all of this is it?” To distract herself, she flipped through all five papers with incredulous surprise. There was maybe one whole page of lab results, a few more of random notes, and a sad scattering of anatomical data. It was some pathetic compilation. Especially considering their aquarium’s research reputation. And the significance of this… species. “There’s no file? No report? This is all the information we have?”

“I’m afraid so.” Rex dropped his hands behind his back. “The director wants to commission individual research assignments for each subject. Or at least, that’s what I’ve heard. You might just be the first, so don’t get too discouraged.”

Padmé wasn’t daunted by the task of personally studying the animal in the tank before her. She was more concerned about safety parameters. The last time she’d gotten close, it’d tried to drown her (almost had, actually), and it’d taken Dooku ripping one of its fins off to subdue the thing.

She wouldn’t ask why Sheev thought she of all people was best suited to personally researching this animal. Nevertheless, she had without a doubt been assigned the project, and Padmé had never underperformed in a task. Anyway, it was… a good opportunity. She should be thrilled—honored, even. Plenty of others would certainly die to have this chance.

After her first encounter with what she’d originally thought to be a beautiful, majestic creature, however, she was a little hesitant to be working so closely with it. It was dangerous. Worse than that, it was intelligent. It was the smartest thing Padmé had ever handled here at the aquarium, and she’d barely spent ten minutes in its presence.

“Alright,” Padmé’s huff sounded more frustrated than she’d intended. She tried to ignore the amused twitch to Rex’s lips and slapped the papers down against the clipboard. “I can work with this.”

He nodded.

“I suspect it won’t be an orthodox schedule, however. I may need access to the holding tank at odd hours.”

Rex chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder, camaraderie and sympathy in one go. They weren’t the closest of friends, but they were both dedicated to their work, and he understood her undeterrable drive which—in some cases—was slightly less than healthy. If her most recent disaster was anything of note.

“I know. And Palpatine knows too, don’t worry. You’re getting a lot of free reign over this assignment.”

It was good news; not that it reassured her about much. This was going to be difficult, conditioning such an intelligent creature to recognize her as its handler. It might take weeks, and Padmé was a stubborn person, but she wasn’t the most patient.

“Good. I’m going to need it.” Padmé looked up from the clipboard and met his eyes to communicate the authenticity of her thanks. She refused to look inside the pool. Only Rex.

“I appreciate your help.”

He smiled, nodded, then turned and went for the stairs that led down the side of the tank. “Good luck!” He tossed over his shoulder, leaving her alone with the merman.

#padmé amidala #captain rex #Anakin Skywalker #anakin and padme #mermaid au #mermay #star wars mermay #star wars the clone wars #star wars as mermaids #star wars art #Star Wars Fan Art #mermay art #singswan-springswan art

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bigstripeylie · 3 years ago

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Ghosts theory- “sucked off” edition

Apologies for the title.

I have a theory about how each of the ghosts in Ghosts has a parallel with another Ghost and how this could be the key to them finally being able to move on, or “be sucked off’ as Mary would say.

Putting it behind a cut as this is extremely long and rambly. Spoilers for pretty much every episode of Ghosts

First of all I was listening to Mat and Jim on the Empire Spoilers podcast and Mat said something really interesting about how he intended “you stays how you dies” to refer to the ghost’s mental and emotional state, as well as physical. So Thomas always being obsessed with seeking love is because he died broken-hearted and Fanny always being so grumpy is because she died angry at her husband.

I believe, therefore, that if the ghosts were able to overcome each of their emotional blocks that would be the thing that would allow them to move on. Furthermore, each of the ghosts has another ghost that seems perfectly suited to be able to assist them in that.

Let’s go through them:

Thomas- Thomas died believing his love never loved him back and now is forced to spend eternity seeking for love as a ghost. If Thomas was able to find someone who could reciprocate his affections, this would the resolve that issue. In the Series 2 episode “About Last Night” when Alison drunkenly tells Thomas “if you were alive and I was 200 years older, then we might have…” we hear a choir start singing and Thomas is pulled, as if compelled, through the wall, similar to how Fanny is pulled forwards towards the window to jump when she “doesn’t even realise [she’s] doing it.” Thomas desperately craves love and affection from another person, but in life was constantly rejected by the people he loved most. You know who else that sounds like? Kitty.

Kitty- Like Thomas, she is from a wealthy family who sheltered her a lot growing up, but is ultimately good and tries to be honourable. Kitty also craves love and affection as well as companionship and she tries to seek it, first in Eleanor and then in Alison (because Alison reminds her of Eleanor, like how Alison reminds Thomas of Isabelle). However it comes up again and again that Kitty’s relationship with Alison isn’t as fulfilling to her as she would like it be because her being a ghost prevents her from sharing every activity with Alison, and Alison cannot show her physical affection. Kitty is trying to recreate aspects of her relationship with Eleanor using Alison as a substitute but this isn’t very healthy for her, as it simply traps her in the constant state of seeking affection that will not or cannot be returned fully. We don’t know the exact circumstances of Kitty’s death but after Series 3, if seems likely that her sister was in some way involved. Maybe what is keeping Kitty trapped as a ghost is her need for approval and love that she never got in life? But by seeking it in people who remind her of Eleanor exclusively, she is further trapping herself.

If Kitty and Thomas could find love with each other, they could each fulfil the other’s need for reciprocated affection. They are both equally needy so this quality wouldn’t likely annoy the other. Kitty seems to genuinely enjoy high romance in earnest and in finding an outlet for her love in Thomas, she could finally move on from her sister. Thomas would also find someone to love him and could devote himself completely to someone who would actually return his love, instead of fruitlessly pursuing women who remind of Isabelle’s rejection. This could lead to the resolution of both character’s finally moving on from their deaths.

Next up, let’s look at The Captain-

The Captain’s central conflict is obviously his sexuality. I believe that the resolution to this conflict would be him finally accepting and coming to terms with being gay and feeling comfortable with that part of his identity. Which ghost could best help him in this?

Fanny.

Maybe not the answer you were thinking, but hear me out. The Captain already has a strong positive relationship with Fanny built on mutual respect. He is more likely to value her opinion as an equal that any of the other ghosts and he seems to align himself with her on most issues. Which makes his choice to go against Fanny and defend the same-sex wedding and its guests to her in “Perfect Day” really remarkable.

In “Perfect Day”, Fanny expresses some pretty disapproving remarks about the wedding guest’s attire and some homophobic opinions about the same-sex wedding in general, which prompts the Captain to defend one of the guests to Fanny. “It’s chic, it’s now, and if it makes her feel fabulous…”

Imagine a scene where The Captain has to defend himself towards Fanny in a similar manner after coming out, showing that he is finally accepting of his sexuality as being the right thing for him.

Anyway, that was a slight digression…

Fanny is still struggling to deal with the circumstances of her own death which was brought about in part because she caught her husband having an affair with other men. Fanny needs to accept and come to terms with the fact that her husband didn’t love her and that while he was obviously wrong for murdering her, she needs to move on so she can stop reenacting it by jumping out the window every morning. Because she died feeling angry and betrayed, she is trapped in that state in death. Discovering that one of her closest friends is gay and realising that it is possible for someone to be both gay and a good person might prompt her to think differently about her own life, as she started do with Humphrey in Perfect Day.

The Captain, in turn, could be driven by Fanny’s ability to accept his sexuality into thinking ‘if she can accept that part of me, then maybe I can too.’ Personally, out of all the ghosts, I think it could only be Fanny who could prompt him to think that because it would mean the most to him coming from her.

Humphrey- Humphrey died because he was trying to protect Sophie, who rejected any attempt to get to know him and who he believed didn’t even like him. In death he is trapped in a state of being a selfless self-sacrificing people-pleaser and desperately wanting to be included in the other ghost’s activities, even allowing himself be kicked and thrown around if it means he can just be involved. In ‘I Love Lucy’ he even attempts to make a relationship with Fanny work, showing he is willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the sake of others.

Julian, by contrast, is the most selfish of all the ghosts at Button House. Deep down he feels guilty that his selfishness negatively affected the relationship with his daughter but seems not to be consciously aware that he feels like this. Julian’s selfishness to not spend time with his family ultimately leads to his death in Button House, as he neglected his family to spend more time at work and was clearly cheating on his wife, showing he is driven by selfish impulses.

If Julian were to perform a completely selfless act to the benefit of Humphrey, then Humphrey would get to feel as though someone was putting him first for once and valuing him the way he seeks to be valued. Julian would also break the pattern of selfish behaviour that caused his downfall.

The rest are little less well-defined:

Pat is the probably the ghost that we know the most about, through seeing his death and actually meeting his family in “Happy Death Day”, to the numerous anecdotes he reveals about his life throughout the show. However, I can’t decide for sure what is the thing that is keeping him a ghost. Pat himself seemed to think it was that he was missing his family, but this was ultimately proved wrong after he saw them again in ‘Happy Death Day’. Even meeting the boy who killed him and forgiving him in ‘Perfect Day’ didn’t cause him to move on. It could be something to do with Carol’s affair with Maurice but I just don’t know for sure. I like the idea of him fitting in with the plague ghosts. I think his personalty and leadership style would get along better with them than say, The Captain, who is too authoritarian. I also think Pat is someone who thrives in a group setting.

Robin and Mary are also tricky to work out what the thing keeping them as ghosts is because we know so little about their lives and deaths compared to the other characters. I think these are the only two ghosts who have not yet received a flashback to their lives. We know that Mary was in some way involved a witch-trail and this has traumatised her. Robin also has experienced a lot of trauma in his life but he seems to be more philosophical about it and accepting of it. He shows great empathy towards others both in trying to comfort Pat about his death in “Happy Death Day’ and Kitty in “About Last Night’, he could use his experience of trauma to help Mary deal with hers. They both seem to be looked down upon and ‘othered’ by the other ghosts due to their perceived lack of intelligence even though they are both very emotionally and socially intelligent.

If anyone has any thoughts about these last two pairings or any of the others, then please reblog and add your take!

I am not in any way saying that I think this is what will happen in the next series or what even I think should happen, but that this is one possibilities for much further down the road when the ghost are all ready to move on.

Also I have spent way too much time thinking about this…

#bbc ghosts #the captain #kitty bbc ghosts #thomas thorne #julian fawcett #robin bbc ghosts #mary bbc ghosts #fanny button #headless humphrey #plague ghosts #pat butcher #Horrible Histories #mat baynton #ben willbond #jim howick #larry rickard #martha howe douglas #simon farnaby

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evilwickedme · 3 years ago

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What are your film degree opinions on the post about why films are different now?

omg yes thank you for asking there's nothing I love more than talking about Things

I want to be very clear in that this post does have valid points to make. The difference between film and digital is palpable, both in the practical (color grading, the types of blacks and shadows you can capture, etc) and in the psychological (grain being added to digital footage to make it seem more "real"). Practical effects and VFX are not the same and computer generated effects tend to age much more poorly than practical ones. Also, not to be very "Tragic, the worst person you know just made a great point" but the midbudget film is dying, and most of what we get nowadays is either very low budget indie films or overly produced extremely high budget Hollywood blockbusters that are extremely formulaic for the most part. A lot of films are sequels or remakes. The rise of TV - specifically, although not clarified in the original post, the rise of Quality TV(tm) as a genre in the eighties - has impacted the way we view films. Save the Cat was an influential book that created a very specific type of screenwriting that has impacted all of film. It's just...

Well, the post sort of implies that any of this is new. And it really isn't. History repeats itself, and specifically when it comes to film, history has been repeating itself for the entirety of film history.

Let's go claim by claim.

Film v. digital. This is just my personal opinion, but I just don't think this matters much. Certain directors still insist on using actual film, but that film still goes through immense amounts of digital post production. The difference in our mindset regarding this is only palpable/relevant in two contexts: 1. VHS tapes. This video essay by HBomb and Shannon Strucci covers the effect VHS has on us pretty effectively, in my opinion. 2. Late 90s/early 2000s digital cameras, that were simply such low quality that you could not do the same things with them, which created what, in my opinion, is actually a fantastic era of unique filmmaking we simply don't have anymore.

The interesting thing here is that digital filmmaking is yet another step in what has always been happening - filmmaking becoming more and more accessible to the average person. It used to be impossible to shoot movies at all without a full fledged studio. (This is also why the natural lighting claim is BS - studios have been used to film pretty much everything in Hollywood forever, and it is only rarely or in very specific artistic movements that natural lighting was regularly used.) Film cameras were big and loud and for a long time (see Singing in the Rain) you had to have them in a separate room to even film with sound. Eventually the portable film camera was invented - this is in the sixties, more or less - and suddenly entire artistic movements were invented, because they could be. If you can carry a camera around with you, you are capable of making art that was simply impossible to make before, and as those cameras got cheaper and cheaper over the decades, more and more people got access to filmmaking. But film still has a steep learning curve, and it is not at all as accessible as the simple digital camera. And nowadays, many of us have HD cameras capable of high quality filmmaking just sitting in our phones. Digital cameras, although originally pretty terrible for many types of art because they were just... well, bad, are now the most reliable way to make moving pictures as art, because you can do anything with them. They are slightly less capable of capturing certain types of shadows, and honestly, that's not even a relevant concern for many of the professional cameras anymore anyway. Which brings us to...

Effects. After effects - including photoshop and color grading - are as old as film itself. Yes, we've gotten better at them. Yes, practical effects do still age better and don't usually have to be "fixed in post". But the use of digital VFX itself is not an evil. If anything, I think it's a good thing. An iconic story is that the reason Jaws is so scary is that the shark simply stopped working when it came to contact with the water, making it so they had to use very few shots of it, building tension. That's a success story. But how many times have practical effects made life so much worse, so much more dangerous? Everyone on the original Who set hated K-9 cause it malfunctioned constantly. If you can just add a digital explosion, you don't have to risk a forest fire. Do you understand my point? There are positive and negative aspects to both choices. And color grading is fucking critical to making movies watchable, as is audio editing. I cannot express this enough. Do not underestimate the importance of this kind of thing. Good editing makes a film, bad editing breaks it.

I have nothing to say against the death of the midbudget film. It sucks and I hate it.

I have nothing to say against the editing thing, either. Trends come and go when it comes to pacing in the editing room.

But the formulaic nature of Hollywood filmmaking? ... Have any of y'all done any research into Hollywood history? Hollywood has been making sequels and remakes and using the three act structure and five act structure and various other theories for its entire history. One of the first films we have a record of is an adaptation of a moral story that used to be told in slideshows. The original A Star Is Born was made in 1937, and there was a remake in the 50s and the 70s before the remake in 2018. While the term would be used until Jaws in the 70s, movies such as Birth of a Nation (racist propaganda that it is) and Gone with the Wind were absolutely blockbusters by today's standards - adjusted for inflation, Gone with the Wind is literally still the most financially successful movie of all time. Experimental filmmaking has existed alongside blockbusters and formulaic movies, and arguably - very arguably - the Hollywood formula actually predates much of what we think of "artistic film".

Finally, the rise of Quality TV(tm) and tv movies in the eighties was absolutely influential when it comes to how we watch movies but like... so was the television set entering 90% of American households by the late fifties. Films have been getting bigger and (literally!) wider and more colorful and more technologically advanced every single time TV has caught up with it. This is just how film has differentiated itself from television - it's bigger, more bombastic, or - in the other direction - somehow even smaller, more intimate, artistic. TV is called the idiot box (which is such BS btw), but movies were being called trash first, and had to prove themselves an art and not a business way before the TV came along and made life harder for them.

In short, there's very few things that are actually, objectively wrong with the original post. It just implies a variety of things that, in context, are just what film intrinsically is. And while I think we're entering the era of television in general, and I like it that way, there is still value in film as it is. Some of y'all just have nostalgia goggles on and no historical context for why these things happen the way they do. And the second one is not your fault - again, I just got my fucking degree in this shit. But the first one... maybe it's time for you to take those damn goggles off.

#film #tv #movies #filmmaking #film history #vfx #appreciate your damn editors and vfx artists fuck you #ask #resplendent-ragamuffin

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thecurioustale · 8 months ago

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This is Zirin Aloryane, one of the Guards of Galavar from After The Hero: A Curious Tale. A dead Guard, sadly, as she died right before the Prelude; we never actually see her alive. But her work was instrumental in Gala's plan to change the world for the better, and her absence looms large in the early chapters of ATH.

Fip industries absolutely nailed the character, and put up with quite a few revisions on my part. She's taking commissions right now, and could always use the custom, so go see what she can do!

Some context for the final image: In Gala, scarves are the symbols of sociopolitical power, and Zirin is wearing a white, blue, and green scarf befitting her position. The art depicts her at work, organizing the great endeavor of swaying the hearts and minds of the peoples of Relance to the Galance Ideal through the delivery of material and civic improvements to people's quality of life. She is dressed warmly because the City of Sele is extremely high in elevation and it's very cold there.

This is the first time I have ever commissioned original art of my original characters. Being an artist as I am, it probably wouldn't surprise you to learn that I am poor, so I simply cannot afford commissions on the grandiose scale I would like; otherwise there would be hundreds of these arts in the world by now. But this was my first experience, and it was educational and fascinating.

I learned the particular nuances of how describing a character for the purposes of having another person draw them is quite different from describing them myself in words of fiction. I learned that our personal interpretations of some more abstract words are very influential on the art creation process; some of the words I used to describe Zirin to Fip actually resulted in revisions that were less faithful to the character, and this is in part because of these different interpretations of the same words.

I also had a chance to interact with my own aversion to, yet familiarity with, some common illustration conventions regarding human bodies, like how female characters are typically drawn with legs much much longer than in real life, or huge eyes and tiny mouths. I asked Fip to give Zirin realistic proportions, but this turned out to be a very difficult thing to negotiate, because, once you factor in the confounding variable of the fact that non-photorealistic art styles have their own idiomatic transformations of real-world human proportions, it turns out that there is much more ambiguity in physical descriptions than I ever realized.

Another learning point for me—although this one I anticipated—is that I have to let go of things sometimes. If I hadn't; I would still be giving Fip revisions right now: not because there's anything wrong with the final image, but because I am a very particular sort of person, and a perfectionist, and I have very exact images in my head sometimes.

But maybe the most interesting thing I learned from this experience, and one of the biggest reasons I am happy with my choice to commission Fip for my first Curious Tale art commission, is that Fip has been a fan of my work and has her own mental image of these characters, and is capable of bringing things to them that I had never thought of but which fit amazingly well. That top-left image, with six different concept sketches of Zirin, was the very first work Fip turned in, and is just amazing in how well it captures the character despite how little I had told her about Zirin. (I basically just said "Think Nicole de Boer's Ezri Dax for looks," and mentioned how Zirin was a consummate institutionalist.) Fip, a fellow artist and someone well-versed in my work, faithfully captured the spark of Zirin Aloryane, so much so that, for the first time in a long time, I found myself feeling regret that this character is already dead and that there are not many opportunities ahead of me to write her.

So, a big thanks from me for this wonderful commission: a fitting first entry in hopefully a long line of art commissions, from Fip herself and many more artists to come.

Comission made for my good friend @thecurioustale of their character Zirin from their novel the curious tale. This is one of my favourite books and it was an absolute priviledge to get to work on this with the author.

Here are the extra sketches i did while refining the character

#Fip industries #The Curious Tale #After The Hero #Zirin Aloryane #Art commission

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snarky-gourmet · 2 years ago

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Hi! Are you playing Engage? What are your thoughts?

I am 🤧

I hope u don't mind this being semi-long but I wanted to mention some things I haven't personally seen Professional Reviewers™️ mention and other details that I've taken note of as well as my opinions thus far!

(No spoilers included, basic summary at bottom of post.)

Disclaimer that my perspective comes from the bias of only having played 3 Houses and 3 Hopes to completion; I do however have varying levels of approximate knowledge in regards to previous games and protagonists. As a general rule of thumb though, my main point of comparison is 3h.

Visuals:

-I'm not particularly fond of the specific art style in Engage, but there art times where it's not that distracting. I think that overall some of the 3D models look better than others. There are no still-photo icons to go along with dialogue, so focus is fairly hard to direct away from the 3D models.

-Battle animations are quite smooth, but I find some of them to be quite dramatic, especially the hit/damage animations! It's not really a positive or negative for me, just something that stands out. On the plus side it seems there are no more arrows clipping right through walls or units running through fences, etc, during battle animations.

-I actually do like all of the well-polished major cutscenes a lot. There are quite a few throughout the chapters I've played thus far and they are visually pleasing.

-Everything looks very shiny. Very shiny. There is quite a bit of crisp contrast in menu screens and the like. Text is a bit bigger than in 3h, so reading things is easier on the eyes.

Music:

-Overall I quite like the music during battles. I haven't had of the music any stuck in my head yet, so I think they're a bit less memorable than the scores in 3h, and those from Awakening that I've heard. but the music is honestly decent, I don't have any complaints about the quality.

-The music alternates between 1 song and another during the player turn and the enemy turn. I could personally do without this, but on the bright side you will always know whose turn it is.

Gameplay:

-Strictly comparing it to the gameplay in 3h maps, I've found it to be a bit more labourous in Engage. A lot of this can probably be attributed to differing controls, but I also feel like I'm pressing way more buttons to get the same things done.

-Weapons don't lose durability. I didn't know this in the first few chapters and was freaking out trying to figure out if my only weapons were going to break suddenly sjfbd

-Maps seem to be smaller in Engage than in 3h? I'm not sure if this will be consistent or not. Along with the possible smaller map size, I personally have found it to be very easy to work through maps even on hard. (Edit: smaller maps are not a constant thing; it was more common at the beginning.)

-There's a phase after battles where you can wander around a 3D rendering of the map and collect items, talk with allies, and a few chapters in, you can also adopt animals you find on the map. I like the cats :]

-Wandering around the Somniel is comparable in spirit to the explore phase in 3h. I personally don't think that the actual spaces, the Somniel and Garreg Mach, are comparable enough to pit them against each other. Somniel feels sort of like a very expensive dollhouse, I think. I am very fond of the garden. There is a wisteria tree. :]

-There are activities/minigames you can do in Somniel that will have benefits for the next battle in the story. They unlock gradually as the story progresses. I kind of like things like that because it can help break up the story a bit.

Characters:

-I like Alear tbh. I picked m!Alear to play as and I think he's neat :]

-I don't have much to say about the supporting characters as a whole. There are a few that I do like! But if someone is particularly fond of the sort of social bonding that exists in 3h, they may be disappointed, as in my opinion, there's just simply not a lot of depth going on, but nonetheless there are some fun characters.

-Similar to some games pre-3h, you are thrown new units at a pretty constant pace, so if someone isn't performing well or you don't like them much it doesn't have to hold up the game as they can be replaced.

-I am...not a fan of a lot of the voice acting. There are definitely some that this doesn't apply to! But yeah. I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to continue with the eng voice-over or the jp one going forth honestly.

Misc:

-If you have the dlc you can dress up the characters a bit. I'm not personally fond of the outfits offered, BUT. BUT! You can give Alear an earring and tbh that's all that matters. To me.

-My general impression is that the game is pretty straight-forward. I don't think there's room for many different interpretations of events that go on.

-S Supports happen at the end of the game. There are platonic ones and romantic ones, but both Alears can choose to s support anyone.

-It's a bit cheesy in a fun way.

Overall:

I think that if you go into the game generally knowing what to expect, it's decent. So far, I haven't encountered any glitches, so it does get a fair amount of points in this day and age for not being a broken game on release 🤪 If you really enjoy turn-based strategy games in general, it will likely hold at least some appeal. If you are looking for something that is very similar to 3h in every way, you may find yourself disappointed. People who have played older entries in the franchise may get more out of this game, but not having played pre-3h games won't hinder anything. There are some elements of Engage that just don't do it for me personally, but I am still having fun despite that, and I wouldn't consider it bad. My absolute biggest gripe is how the general style looks.

#fe:e #fe17 #long post

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