#my design of him has a mustache but i didn't know how to incorporate it

[sunshines-child]

mf was ass out, cheeks clapping istg 😭

[littleoneamanda]

GF: Fiddleford Hadron Mcgucket

Alright, I think I'll just continue drawing in the original style. It's actually pretty fun xD The only difference is colored lines and maybe background. Hope you like it!

And here we go again to my thoughts on the book of bill, thisisnotawebsitedotcom and my thoughts on Fiddleford as a character. Or in this one is more like a summary of what information we have about him. Welcome to my second essay on 2D characters xD (SPOILERS)

Oh boy, where do I begin with this one? xD

Fiddleford, probably (imo) one of the most tragic character in this show. Going from once a brilliant inventor to a deranged hillbilly living at the dump. His life ruined by trauma, his fear of bad memories, and by his own invention.

College

Fidds is the first Mcgucket in the family to go to college. His first day starts off pretty rocky. The school's mascot "THE BMU B-", shoved him into a locker, got his mustache caught in a pencil sharperner (???) and getting laughed out by a whole class for trying to prove the universe was a giant hologram. While sitting in his room in tears, his room mate barge in the room. Confidently declared that his theory was plausible and was ready to not sleep until they have proved it accurate. Not only did they cracked it, but Fidds did something else that he thought was impossible: He made a friend, Stanford Pines.

This is pretty much (currently) the information we have about them in college. I really wish there were more. It seems both of them became friends very fast. Both being nerdy and outcasts for different things. Ford with his sixth finger and Fidds coming from a hog farm ( I relate so hard with Fidds on the farm background you have no idea I love it) However, while Ford is more of a socially awkward introvert, Fidds seems to be a little bit more extroverted.

After college

Fiddleford moved to Palo Alto, California. Around this time he met his wife Emma-May and they had their son Tate.  He starts up his own computer buisness "Fiddleford Computermajigs". It's unclear how the relationship between Fidds and his wife were, but the fact that he doesn't seem to hesitate to leave them behind to help an old college friend he haven't talked to in 6 years is a little weird. Six years is how long Ford had been in Gravity Falls before he contacted Fidds. (Source: Journal 3). Sure, if the whole project was a positive thing, it could be have been their big break in science and fame. But Fiddleford had a life in California. He had a family, but how good was the marriage? Maybe Fidds didn't get any other friends after college. So when Ford called for help, he didn't seem to hesitate to say yes and join him.

"Success! He has agreed to join me! With his assistance, I am confident we can complete the machine. He has already made several suggestions over the phone that I intend to incorporate into my revised designs."

-Stanford, Journal 3

Gravity Falls, Fiddleford is now Stanfords assistant/partner.

Some things Fiddleford brought with him: A vase/pot when he chews tobacco, a photo of his family, the banjo, floppy disks , two laptops which one of them is special designed for Fords extra finger. The other one is Fidds which has Fords name as password. And a Cubic's Cube that Ford scrambles when Fidds is not looking. Fidds solves it without a problem tho.

When seeing the blueprints for the portal for the first time, he asked Ford if he had any help with these plans because of complex they are. Ford describes Fidds as a suspicious man (pretty ironic knowing how Ford will become later).

During his time in Gravity falls we learn early that Fidds seems to have some trouble handeling his anxiety. Especially after some of the things they encountered. His knee starts bouncing when he's agitated or he starts pulling out his hair. Being Fords assistant turned out to be adventurous and scary at the same time. Reading Journal 3 you kinda wonder why he even stayed for so long with Ford. There was times he really got traumatized. It is now where the we get into the speculations and the hints of Fidds having a bit of stronger feelings for Ford than just a friend.

The gifts. Already in Journal 3, he gives Ford a special designed laptop with extra keys for his extra finger. He buys a pumpkin at the fair because it reminded him of Ford.

"He pulled it out of a barrel of "reject gourds" because he said it reminded him of me! (Suppose I did inherit my dad's nose.)

-Stanford, Journal 3

From the thisisnotawebsitedotcom, if you type in Oroborous, you will get two pages of when Fidds gave Ford an axolotl that Ford named it Frilliam.

"F said it's frills reminded him of my sideburns and he thought it could keep me company the next time he's out."

-Stanford, thisisnotawebsitedotcom, Code: Oroborous

I'm still pretty traumatized after Frilliam...that damn dorito asshole demon. Also...Ford drew a heart over the "i" in friend instead of the dot??

In the TBOB, Fiddleford gives Stanford a snow globe that HE MADE. And not only that! He gives Ford knitted a pair of six-fingered gloves that HE has KNITTED.

Fiddleford flies back home to visit his family for the holidays, but the reunion have not been exactly happy. Fidds and his wife had got in a massive fight when she realized he'd forgotten to buy her a Christmas Present...man. Look. I mean...I honestly do not know what to say to that. My guy gave gifts that he had made to his bestfriend that he might have some certain feelings for and just happen to forget he had a wife...that's normal right? xD

Let's talk a little bit about Ford cause I forgot to mention some other things as well. In journal 3, Ford talks in a certain way. It's more sterile and stiff. Keeping distance from emotions pretty much. Especially before the 30 years on the other side of the portal. In TBOB+ the pages from the website, these pages are more personal. Which is a whole new view of Ford that we didn't see before. This time we get to see what Fidds and Ford did when they weren't focused on the project. When they had a winter break from it. When Fidds tells Ford he's leaving to visit his family, you can kinda read between the lines that Ford seems very sad about that. His fear of being alone again. On that page, there are some blue stains which some believe are tears... :(

"Sixer was a lot better at science than he was at making friends, and he tended to rip out journal pages that had anything to do with his issues with others..."

-Bill, TBOB

After the massive fight between Fidds and his wife, he decides to return to Gravity Falls as soon as possible. When he reurns, he sees Ford being in trouble and saves him from the Krampus by hitting him with his banjo. They embraced. Fidds explains why he's back and Ford asks him if there is anything he could do to cheer him up. But Fidds feel pretty defeated by everything that has happen.

That night, Ford calls Fidds to come down to the lab for a portal update.

"I'll admit that it wasn't the most efficient use of our electricity, but the smile on his face proved I'd made the right choice."

-Stanford, TBOB

Ford later tells that it was time to drink nog until they didn't remember what a Krampus was. And they spent the rest of the night building snowmen and reminiscing about old times.

This is wholesome asf. Also, Ford said himself he's not really a drinker, but after that kareoke drunk thing, I wonder if he kinda wanted have a similar experience? Perhaps a stretch, but interesting in my opinion.

But all good things comes to an end. In Fiddlefords case, in a very tragic way. After some traumatic encounters (especially after the  Gremloblin), he invents the memory gun. He uses the gun multiple times on himself during his time with Ford. He have even used it on Ford at one point when Ford tries to talk him out of ever using it.

The night before the testing of the portal, Fiddleford expresses his concerns to Ford about the portal. He tries to talk him into publish his research as a thesis instead of the portal. Ford who has been ver manipulated at this point to believe Fiddleford has ill intentions, refused. And the next day...the portal incident that makes Fidds mental state go so south. Seeing the Nightmare realm and  predicting apocalyptic catastrophe that was about to be the consequences of the portal.

Now here is a interesting thing about the portal scene (this could be a stretch once again). Something i did notice while rewatching s2. When Ford tells the story about the portal, it seems pretty cut and clear of what happen. Fidds get dragged into the portal, traumatized, warns Ford, stands up and leaves. And Ford calls Stan. Which makes it look like everything happened in a very short time period. But when Ford talks about the portal incident again with Dipper, Ford has different clothes, sitting down and have Fidds in his lap. Now this could just be a mistake or something they choose for more dramatic effect. But seeing the difference how Ford talks in Journal 3 and TBOB, it is a interesting choice for that scene. Like, when he has the white shirt and black tie, there is a more serious tone and stiffnes. When he has his blue shirt and brown sweater vest he is more personal. In TBOB, it takes like around 2 days before he finally decides to contact Stan. He decides to do that after he found the 5 failed knitted prototypes for the perfect 6-fingered gloves and the ripped photo. When he realized he had lost Fiddleford.

Fiddleford's mental health keept getting worse. After quitting the project, he found himself still very haunted by everything he has seen. He started to use the memory gun even more and created an organization, The Blind Eye Society. Hoping this would help other people in the town to forget bad memories. Ford found this out and suspected Fidds to be behind it. Unfortunaly, Fidds started to use it as soon as he had seen something scary. The more he used it, the more he started to lose his mind and forgetting words. 618 days. It took around 1 year, 8 months, 1 week and 6 days. That is not really a long time. He used it so frequently, and knowing he had some trouble handling his anxiety from the start…this hurts. His body aged so fast during this time as well. And he's suppose to be around the same age as Ford, around or in his 30s.

Fiddleford before the portal: a very smart, brilliant inventor, sensitive and a very kind person.

After the portal: An old deranged hillbilly who lived at the dump with no memory of his past, but still haunted by what he saw in the portal.

He does starts to regain his memories in S2: Society of the Blind Eye. Finding out after 30 years who he really was.

"After all these years I finally know who I am. Maybe I messed up in the past, but now that I've seen what happened, I can begin to put myself together again."

-Fiddleford, S2, "Society of the Blind Eye"

When Ford and Fidds reunite in Weirdmaggedon, he forgives Ford for everything that led up to this. After Weirdmaggedon, Ford visits Fiddleford. Fidds was overjoyed to see Ford and they spent hours talking. Ford is feeling guilty for the things leading to Fidds causing losing his memories, but Fidds dismisses his attempts to apologize.

"Not only is this man's mind superior to mine, but he has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen."

"Before I left, Fiddleford insisted that I listen to him play the banjo. I could have sworn that as he joyfully played, i could see the age lift off his face, and see the the Fiddleford who had been my friend so many years ago."

-Stanford. Journal 3

I swear a tear dropped from my eye while writing this quote. And I have an idea for a drawing for just that one.

And that's where I wanna leave this. A happy ending after all :)

I'm very sorry again if there are any grammar errors in this one. I have to go back and forth on the sources a lot here. The show, books, website and the wiki just to try understand the timeline and if there were any details missed. I did not intend for this one to be as long (maybe even longer) about Stanford. But I kinda wanted to put Fiddlefords story together and give some of my thoughts on it as well. Fiddlefords story is so sad in so many ways. He and Ford, Best friends and room mates in college. Both of them having no other friends than each other. He sacrifices a lot when he leaves his family to help Ford in Gravity Falls, Returns to Ford when the family reunion goes south. The fact that he could have done anything else, but he decides to go back to Ford. Maybe because he felt he didn't feel welcome there anymore and only has Ford left. Tate is probably the one I mostly feel sorry for in this situation. His father coming home for the Holidays and then leaves again to not come back. Fidds trying and wanting to help Ford, but get his concerns about a real danger ignored. Then Fidds trauma and fear of remembering bad things takes over so much he invents a memory gun that becomes his addiction. Ruined by his own invention.

Now, I'm someone who has NEVER done shipping art or not really expressing any thoughts about it. I'm pretty careful with that honestly and I have been with Ford and Fidds as well. But this time feel so different from the other times of speculations of what happend between them. It feels like it's right there. Especially with Fiddleford reading TBOB what he did for Stanford. Or maybe I'm just another person hoping a little bit too much xD It's just...the possibility of them having some kind of stronger feelings is there. Again, Especially when it's from Fiddleford. Stanford is kinda bit harder to read when it comes to his feelings. Kinda what I said before, he talks in two different tones. Probably depends on who he trusts to talk to.

Alright, That's all folks! I promise I won't do a essay like this for the other drawings xD But I just needed it to get out of my system. And I haven't really seen a post like this that sums up the information we have atm. So I wanted to contribute xD

Thanks for reading!

Next up is actually going to be a GF video🍃

[neoyi]

Summer Steam sale happened, so I picked my annual batch of games that will, nevertheless, take me the next 5 - 84 years to complete, forever gathering dust in my ever expanding digital library till then.

Here are my purchases and my excessively detailed reasons on why I bought them. I'm sure a few of them will have you screaming at me, wondering why I wasted money on Game Such and Such.

American Arcadia I played the demo and found it intriguing. A mixture of The Truman Show with a conspiracy behind it is one thing, but the 70s background and style and how the game graphically incorporated it visually drew me in. I don't, in any way, find 70s aesthetic appealing, but darn it, the whole thing looks pretty.

Plus I'm rather drawn to the main character's design. He looks like someone's pathetically sad, nerdy dad. I'm aware his appearance, right down to the sweater vest and bushy mustache, is just culturally fashionable of that time period, but just look at that him in that promo pic. He's trying so hard to pull off an action-y pose. It's cute. I wanna help this Ned Flanders-ass guy figure out what the fuck is happening. I wanna drop him off at a nice, cozy cottage where he can have some time for himself. He just looks like he'd rather be grilling in his backyard, socks and sandals-clad, while casually chatting with his neighbor, Ted, on what 8-track tapes they bought and how persistently annoying "Disco Duck" is lately.

Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore I'm not sure how much I want to devote what little time I have playing any of the CD-i Legend of Zelda games in preparation for Arzette. I know I'll miss the experience of its banality and unintended cheese in order to truly appreciate Arzette, but I'm only human, and I'd rather play a good game that so just happens to pay tribute. I've heard people whine and discuss the dang CD-i games since the late 90s, so I think I know enough just through pure osmosis.

In any case, I didn't feel compelled to play Arzette (despite an incredibly faithful trailer) until I discovered the creator was the guy responsible for remastering the CD-i Zeldas into something resembling tolerance. And I can harp the same complaints everyone else has dished out onto those games, but in reality, I've not played a single one to truly say how I'd feel about them. As a consumer of awful, endearing media relevant to my interest, I'm sure I would have kinda even loved them.

I don't know the developer's thought process, but it sounds like he had that exact feeling when he made Arzette. Right down to the style, the same voice actors, and animators, you do not create your own Original Characters Do Not Steal based on some of the most infamously awful games to ever exist if you did not have an ounce of sincerity behind it. That's insanity. That's dedication. That's love, and I respect the hell out of it.

Bear and Breakfast

I'm getting used to seemingly endless games of crafting and house sims and hotel managements and what-have-yous, but I always appreciate the ones that has a plot that you can complete behind it. I've devoted countless hours into Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, but there's immense relief knowing there is a finale that allows me to end it there if I need to.

Bear and Breakfast feels like another good, turn-off-your-brain-and-enjoy-while-a-Youtube-video-is-playing-on-another-monitor type of game, but I'm just as intrigued on the plot. It might be a whole lotta nothing (bear and friends solve some mystery that might be lurking in the woods or something), but between an actual plot and maintaining an inn? I'm sold.

Cavern of Dreams

It was described as Spyro the Dragon+Banjo Kazooie.

With the prospect of either of these games series ever getting a sequel dwindling each passing year (Activision, for fuck's sake, would you kindly release a Spyro the Dragon 4?), maybe Cavern of Dreams will sate my classic platforming thirst.

En Garde! Oh, come on. You think I wouldn't get this game? it's got sword fighting! It's got swashbucklers dueling rapiers and wearing fancy feathered-hats. it's got capes and swishing and swooshing.It's got cheesy European accents in a fantastical cavalier setting! It's got daring-doos! Look at the poster! It's got a kickass lady in masculine clothing which I am always gonna be drawn to. It's got another lady with a piratey hat and an eye patch! It is EVERYTHING that appeals to me! So shut up and take my money!

Everhood

All I've ever heard from trusted mutual is that Everhood's story is very, very bad. Nothing about this game aesthetically vibes with me in any way other than it being a rhythm game (I guess from the trailer it shows me), but I am an intensely curious fool when something piques my interest based on a set of criticisms. Will I feel the same? Will I disagree? I guess I'll find out someday.

Florence

"An interactive story about love and life" tend to fall into what I like to call, Indie Quaint, where an indie game attempts a theme with deep meaning that ultimately just feels so sentimental and heart-wringing that I end up feeling exactly the opposite of what it was set out to gravitate.

But Florence is auto-biographical, so there could be something genuinely sincere from something deeply personal (very understandable) that might warm the cockles of my dark, dark heart. I don't begrudge the creator for speaking directly from her heart.

Also, this was on sale for, like, 2 bucks.

Gunbrella I'm not particularly fond of the grim, apocalyptic setting, but as a long-time fan of absurd weaponry, especially the gentlemanly umbrella, I couldn't keep my eyes away from this game for too long before I ended up buying it.

Gunbrella, 'nuff said.

Melatonin It looks like Rhythm Heaven and Steven Universe had a baby together.

Fine with me. I could use another pretty rhythm-based game that I absolutely suck at to play with.

Powerwash Simulator: Alice Pack This one was not on sale, but I love Powerwash Simulator, so I pick up pretty much any DLC they release.

Almost.

I still regret purchasing the Spongebob one; I figured my love for the game would overwrite my indifference towards the show (sorry, I didn't watch anything but a handful of episodes), but I find myself not as motivated to wrap that one up as I did the FF7 one and eventually, the Back to the Future one. I skipped out on the Warhammer one for precisely that reasoning. And if this DLC had been released maybe a decade back, I might have passed on it, too, because there was, for a time, an overwhelming amount of Alice in Wonderland adaptation that I really grew tired of. Nowadays, not so much, so I'm looking forward to this one in my spare time.

Summerhouse Definitely looks like one of those super chill games I would be able to play at my own leisure. And my desire to make fictional houses is more than enough to draw me into purchasing Summerhouse.

Super Kiwi 64 Man, can you tell I'm a nostalgic-baited son of a bitch who loves N64/PS1-era platformers?

Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom Man, can you tell I'm a nostalgic-baited son of a bitch who loves N64/PS1-era platformers?

YIIK: A Post-Modern RPG

"NEO WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" "NEO WHY DID YOU SPEND MONEY ON THIS!?" "NEO WHY ARE YOU TORMENTING YOURSELF!?"

Same reason as Everhood above: if it's a supposedly bad piece of media that is relevant to my interest, I want to play it. I want to know the method of its madness. I want to know specifically what makes it so pretentious and Indie Quaint. I want to know what on earth this hipster chic game has anything to say that I can formulate my own opinion of it. I want this game, which takes place in the 90s, a decade I grew up in, to bewilder me with on the hows and ultimately the whys the creator chose this particular era and specifically named it after the Y2K bug, a once persistent doomsday-bringer that severely drove my then 14-year-old's heart into full on anxiety the likes I've not experienced at the time.

I am but a moth to flame for shit like this and I am absolutely looking forward to seeing what this game has to offer me.

Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't say what really convinced me to give this game a go is Youtuber Zingus' video essay on it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avX7hqzT7ag) which is exceptionally well-made. Please give it a look.