#my main strategy when not working with a planned set up is just be very opportunistic and lookout for cool backdrops and decent lighting

[claidi]

I'm considering doing something of a photography day at an upcoming anime con- just bringing my camera, maybe some extra equipment like portable lights, and taking cosplay pics for people

Does anyone have any suggestions for what makes the biggest difference when taking portrait photos inside in a place with sure to be poor/unreliable lighting? My strategy is usually to find a corner with better available light but I want to get a better setup in general

[fiveht]

Proof of life (Adore pt 3)

Hello my sweet angel babies ♥️

I'm not going to be able to adequately express my gratitude for the steady stream of love (and concern, sorry) I've been receiving over the past couple of months. I'm so sorry I've been AWOL, it will definitely happen again. Because see, for me, I usually have to make a choice between social and creative fandom participation. My battery is small, and takes a long time to charge.

Thank you to everyone who's left comments and asks and DMs since I've been gone. I don't think I can respond to all of it, but rest assured those messages ping my cold, dead heart every time I see them.

So I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I did this same thing months and months ago, when I was working on Head Over Feet, and let me be clear: posting even a single word of a WIP goes against my every instinct and principle as an author. I am someone who likes to finish an entire story before I post any of it, and on top of that, I am NOT a fast writer, so the expectations that I'm setting up here might not be advisable. But I did it before and managed to finish the thing, and I want to give you guys something in exchange for being so unbelievably awesome, so here I am again.

This will probably be the only time I mention this story in public until it's finished and posted, and inquiries about my progress are unlikely to help with the writing process, I'm just saying. I reserve the right to change every last word of this before the final draft, and I also reserve the right to fall off the face of the planet and simply never finish it, as much as I will strive to prevent that from happening. Please be patient with me.

Anyway, here is my paltry offering to say thanks for the love: the (VERY rough) first ~1300 words of the third instalment of The Adventures of Soft Daddy and Danger Twink.

Sirius secures his handheld shower head to its holder at the edge of his clawfoot tub, and steps out carefully onto the bathmat. He shivers in the cool air outside the shower curtain; it's about twenty degrees below zero outside, so even if he could afford to run his ancient radiator at full blast, it probably wouldn't help much.

He dries himself off and checks his reflection in the mirror, turning his face this way and that as he tugs his hair out of the bun he'd piled it into to keep it dry during his shower. There's no need for makeup tonight, not when he's not even planning to put on clothes.

It's incrementally warmer when he steps out into the main room of his apartment. He gathers an array of splayed text books and notes from his bed and dumps them carelessly onto the couch, then closes his new laptop and places it delicately on the coffee table. It's the most expensive thing he owns, save for the Gucci backpack currently sitting in his wardrobe with a three-inch berth around it like his shoes and other bags might somehow contaminate it. It's weird owning rich-people stuff when you are still, objectively, broke as fuck.

He perches on the edge of his bed and sets his phone to charge, because his battery doesn't even last a day anymore, and he's going to need it this evening. He tucks it in next to his pillow and picks up his new toy.

The plug isn't much larger than the one he already has. A little longer, which is appealing, but no wider, so it shouldn't be a challenge to get it in comfortably. He disconnects it from its charger and hefts it in his hand, feeling the added weight from the electronics inside.

He picks up his phone, and hesitates when he sees the notification waiting for him.

Rieka: let's go out tomorrow

Rieka: the fact that we haven't been drunk since the term started is criminal

Rieka: we've had two chem labs and zero drinks

Sirius purses his lips, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. There's a fine line here, and he hasn't quite found it yet.

Me: got plans

Me: raincheck?

So complete avoidance is the best strategy, right?

Rieka: booooo 👎

He sighs, but at least she's not asking for an explanation. He opens a different conversation then, pushing all thoughts of Rieka Lupin into a tidy, sealed compartment, not to be opened during certain activities with a certain relative of hers.

Me: i'm ready

Me: are you in your office?

Daddy: Yup, I've got a few minutes

Daddy: Want me to call?

Instead of answering, Sirius hits the call button himself.

"Hey baby," Remus answers. His voice is already smooth and honey-sweet, and just from that, Sirius knows he's planning to lay it on thick tonight.

"Hi daddy," Sirius says with a smile. "Should I put it in now?"

There's a low chuckle over the line. "Are we feeling eager?"

"Always," Sirius says, laying back on his bed.

"Use the good lube I got you, it's gonna be in there a while."

He switches the call to speaker, and snags the bottle from his nightstand. "I threw out the old stuff, you've got me ruined for cheap lube."

"Only the best for that ass," Remus says, and Sirius can hear his smirk.

He gives the plug a liberal coating, running his fingers along its shape, his dick twitching just at the feel of the silky-smooth silicone, at the anticipation of what's about to happen. He spreads his legs wide, drawing one knee up to give himself easier access.

"Take it slow," Remus says, succinctly heading off Sirius' impulse to just shove the thing inside himself in one go. "Rub the tip against yourself, so you're nice and wet."

Sirius shuts his eyes as he obeys, sliding the slick end of the toy over his entrance. "Okay."

"Are you going to be a good boy for daddy tonight?"

"Uh-huh," Sirius says, teasing the very tip of the plug in and out of his hole.

"Tell me how."

"I'm not gonna touch."

"You're not gonna touch, and you're not gonna come."

"Yeah," Sirius says. His cock is starting to harden as his body tries to draw the plug inside. "Can I put it in, daddy?"

"Slow," Remus reminds him, "Slide it in nice and slow for me, baby."

Sirius catches his lip between his teeth and tries to push the plug in slowly, the way he knows Remus would do if he was here. 

The shower has left him relaxed and more than ready, and it's hard not to take advantage, just press the toy in to its limit because he can. But he's working on his patience -- under Remus' careful tutelage -- so he shuts his eyes and tries to savour it, the tease of the plug's rubber tip at his entrance, the slow stretch as he eases it past the slight resistance before he sighs, and his body eagerly accepts the intrusion.

"Mmmm," Sirius sighs as he settles the base of the plug flush against his entrance, shifting his hips and feeling the constant, dull pressure against his prostate.

"How's it feel?" 

"Good," Sirius says, splaying his legs out and just enjoying the pleasant fullness. It's been almost a week since Remus last fucked him, and that's just way too long. Christmas really spoiled him. He tugs the blankets up around him, because it's going to take some time before his body temperature is high enough to fight against the chill in his apartment.

"Have you tried out the settings at all?" Remus asks him, and Sirius picks up the phone, switching off speaker and holding it to his ear.

"No," he says, grinding his ass down against the bed to test the plug's reach inside him. "I thought you'd rather do the honours."

Remus hums, and Sirius hears the phone shifting in his grip. "I'm gonna turn it on, okay? Lowest setting."

"O--" Sirius stutters as the plug buzzes to life inside him, nestled snug against his prostate and sending little zings of pleasure down his legs. "Fuck that feels good. That's the lowest setting?"

"It is," Remus confirms. "Want to run through them all, see how high it goes? Or would you rather be surprised?"

"Mmmm, surprise me."

"Surprise it is," Remus says, and Sirius hears shuffling papers in the background as he prepares for his night class. Psychology 1001, Thursdays, 7-9:30PM. Two and a half hours of a lecture that Remus swears he's given so many times he could recite it in his sleep, so why not give himself something fun to focus on while he goes through the motions? 

Being privy to all of this brilliant, upstanding man's secret perversions is a privilege Sirius does not take lightly.

"You can turn it off from the app if you need to," Remus is saying, "Or you can call me and I'll switch it off. My phone's on vibrate, so I'll see it right away."

Sirius smiles to himself. "Got it," he says, though this is a rehashing of the rules that Remus had laid out when he'd brought the plug over last weekend. He'd called it a "late Christmas gift", as if he hadn't already given Sirius several thousand dollars worth of presents on Christmas morning.

There's more rustling over the line, the squeak of a chair. 

"Tell me again how you're going to be good tonight."

"I'm not gonna touch myself, and I'm not gonna come." The toy is still buzzing away inside him, making everything a little fuzzy at the edges. 

"Tell me why."

"'Cause daddy's in charge, even when he's not here."

"Good boy."

Sirius squirms with pleasure, his cock smearing a little drop of fluid on his belly as the toy hums insistently at his prostate.

"I have to head out," Remus says. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Sirius says, his abs tensing as he shifts his legs and the angle of the toy changes. "Excited."

"Me too," Remus says softly. "I'll talk to you soon, beautiful. Send me some pictures." With a low beep, the call disconnects.

[unquietspiritao3]

hecklers welcome vinyl review and thoughts on how the heck james did this

excessive and spoilery comedy-nerd thoughts on the hecklers welcome vinyl/kettering recording below the cut!

James was not lying when he said this recording was of a very chaotic gig. The amount of heckling got so out of hand, he had to give up on his planned material in the end. Which I was expecting going into it, because I'd seen someone on tumblr who was at the Kettering show saying the same thing. If I hadn't had that warning, though, and if I didn't have my own bootleg recording of the NYC show I went to, I might've been disappointed at just how little of the actual material made it onto this vinyl.

All that said, I'm glad I have this recording, because one of the things I love most about comedy is dissecting how it works! And thanks to my relatively-heckle-free show, I didn't really get to see how James was managing his concept for the tour without totally losing control of the audience. The vinyl definitely gave me a lot of fascinating insight there.

I've only listened all the way through once, so these are just initial thoughts. I'll probably find other things when I listen again and again in the future. Also, most of this is me guessing things. I know from a friend who was at the RHLSTP live recording James did a few weeks ago that he talked more about his process for the tour there, and I'm looking forward to hearing if any of my speculation is confirmed when the podcast drops.

The main thing that stood out is that James seems to have jokes/bits that are reserved specifically for getting the audience back on course. If you were at a more well-behaved show, you might not have heard them!

To wit: In the planned material, very close to the beginning, he explains that he doesn’t like doing standup comedy and that he’s had a pattern of getting angry at his audience. He tells a story of a particular gig early in his career where he didn’t handle a heckler well. Then it’s supposed to be sort of a record-scratch-‘you’re-probably-wondering-how-I-got-here’ thing for the rest of the show, with lots of stories from his childhood and such.

The important part to understand is he establishes the ‘I hate my job’ concept early enough that hopefully there are no heckles to derail it, so he can count on being able to do callbacks to that material at any point. This was demonstrated about 15 minutes into the Kettering show, when he went from managing a heckler, to doing a bit about a list of reminders/affirmations he keeps on his phone and reads through before each gig. I didn't get to hear this bit at all in NYC! And it was a delightful additional insight into James’ psyche and very funny, so I’m so glad it made it onto the vinyl.

I’ll share what he revealed of the list in a separate post instead of burying it in a bunch of meta. For my purposes here, the only thing to know is the last item: ‘you don’t have to keep on doing this if you don’t want to.’ To which he added, ‘I could run out here and play the drums’, and immediately started playing the child-size drum set he has on stage. And once he was done playing, he went straight into more of the material I'd heard at my show.

So that's the other half of the ‘get the gig back on track’ strategy I didn't see until now. In NYC, he went over to the drums or the tetherball set occasionally, but it wasn’t even acknowledged in his material. He'd go over, play, then continue with the next bit. But in this ‘list’ routine, he uses the drums very specifically to sort of reset the show. He goes from dealing with a heckler, to doing a joke he can stick in anywhere as needed, to playing the drums, to picking up roughly where he should be in the actual sequence of the material.

I imagine the drum solo also gives him a pause where he doesn’t need to talk and can think through how he might have to cut or rearrange things to manage his timing. Not that it mattered in the end for the Kettering gig, but I can see how it would work quite well when half the audience isn’t unruly teenage boys, haha.

So interesting!

[britt-kageryuu]

The energy of the stream was very tense today, and the audience has been watching Donnie attempting a speed run for the last few hours. This was the 8th restart of the current route that Donnie mapped, this stream.

So notifications were muted, any audio not from the game was filtered to Shelldon who would answer, and reply to notifications and read donations as they come in.

Donnie has been extremely focused on getting the strategy to work, and not lose time as best they could.

Though part of why this stream was so tense was because Donnie had been accused of cheating on one of their entered runs.

Donnie was sure that whoever was in charge of this games particular leaderboards, didn't like the fact that they were a VTuber, because when receiving the message about the cheat accusation, there was a demand that Donnie send in live feed of his actual hands and set up, and not just his 3D model.

At the beginning of the stream Donnie had gone on quite the rant about this whole situation, and claimed they would break the record out of spite. That previously they hadn't cared about the world record, but since the person in charge of the leaderboard currently held the record, they would claim it from them.

This whole speedrun was a matter of pride, and sure while Donnie had cheated in games in the past, that was not what he did in their original run submission. This was their way of getting back at the one who accused their run of being cheated.

So among those watching, there were many wondering if the face tracking was not working, or if Donnies focused face was that intense. Because there are many in the chat commenting 'Their Eyes feel like they're piercing my soul, and I don't know how to feel about that.'

Though many watching were also mesmerized by how efficiently Donnie is moving through the game, and that according to the splits they were consistently on time, or a few fractions of a second ahead of the time.

The main problem seems to be the execution of a movement glitch that was very late in the game, that also was the biggest time save of the run. And the reason Donnie had to restart so many times.

So there was much celebration when Donnie succeeded in executing the glitch, but a small slip up with the completion of the final game trigger that caused there to be a time loss that lander their final time around 3rd to 5th place.

Who knew speed runs of 'Magical Unicorn Adventures 3: The Perfect Party' were so intense.

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

Masterpost

The final line was not planned, I was more focused on writing about Donnie getting accused of cheating a speed run.

Then I was like 'what game should they be playing?' And it hit me that the funniest answer would be a game that sounds like a kids game that has a weirdly competitive speed run community.

[insert-cephalopod-joke]

YOU SHOULD ramble about your headcanons/aus NOW!

A!

I will!!

At least some of the aus because headcanons are gonna be explored in mah main comic

Also ye there’s definitely aus where the agents get mixed around with one another into different groups because thanks to au there are infinite possibilities and outcomes

Now, Top 13 AU (Numbered Randomly) ((Bakers dozen let’s go))

Green: What If scenario for/related to AU-00

Blue: New set of agents, separate from AU-00

Red: Never used/scrapped AU concept

AU-00: MC3 (Hyousuke), M4 (Liam), M8 (Milo), FN3 (Beatrix/“Bea”)

The main one I work with, pretty self explanatory (though not the very first batch of agents I’ve made)

AU-01: FC3 (Summer/“Sunny”), F4 (Ember), F8 (Saturn), MN3 (Rook)

Second most used batch. Sort of a gender and personality swap, with Sunny being more extroverted (but much, much more creepy looking), Ember being actually cool instead of faking it, Saturn being less… feral?.. and Rook constantly questioning the whole Secret Child Labor Service Thing instead just rolling with it like Bea does.

AU-02: F3 (Three), M4 (Four), M8 (Eight)

The first ever batch. Didn’t make it very far though…

Their dynamic was mostly Four getting into trouble, Three getting mad at Four getting in trouble while trying to put out whatever fire he started, and Eights there just vibing in the background or something. I think Three and Four were siblings…

AU-03: M3 (Tres), F4 (Quatre), M8 (Vosem)

The second ever batch. Lasted a teensy bit longer. Tres is a little hotheaded but it’s mainly to cover up insecurity and fears of not being “worthy” or “good enough” for Squidbeak (which leads to some… very bad coping mechanisms/strategies to be good enough). Quatre is the type to have a smaller smug look under the smug look on her face. Also she makes a majority of her income through art commissions and writes a bunch of fanfic. Vosem tries to come off as aloof and put together but is “secretly” a little obsessed with Tres. Not like in a stalker way, just always thinking about him and hanging out with him and leaving food in his backpack when Tres “forgets” (this has led to Tres being very confused because “who puts 7 oranges and an unwrapped sandwich in someone else’s backpack?!?!”)

AU-04: M?3 (Three), M4 (Liam), M8 (The Commander)

The bad end, essentially. Three (prev. Hyousuke) gets re-corrupted by Tartar and loses (almost) all of his memories, becoming a husk that only does anything when The Commander tells them to. The Commander is formed when Tartar uses Milo as a host body, but due to Milo’s Special Soul Gimmick, he essentially takes Tartar down with him and they fuse into one conscious. There is no Tartar. There is no Milo. All that’s left behind is a manic cyborg that wants to “reunite”/sanitize Squidbeak (they disbanded after losing so many members) and get Three to “wake up.” Liam was struck with grief and went into a horrible depression due to it all and Octavio tried to help him by making new Hypnoshades that would act like an advanced antidepressant. Cuttlefish, Marie, and Callie are with Octavio too, hiding until they can make a plan to get their friends (and Inkopolis Square) back. Off the hook… off forming a rebellion to fight back. Oh and I should probably mention that Three is talking to Liam through his headset and shades and maybe watching him through any other tech in Liam’s vicinity.

AU-05: M[UNKNOWN] (Three), M4 (Liam), M8 (Eros)

(Same Liam technically different Three and technically different Eight)

Sort of a role swap between my one splatband oc Etto and Hyousuke. Essentially, Squidbeak believed that Hyou… “didn’t make it out” of the metro, but when Liam and Eros split up on a recon mission down there a few years later.

Let’s just say Eros finds him.

AU-06: M3/10 (Déka), M4 (Luke), M8/C3 (Apollo), NBN3 (Zip)

(Usual 3 base becomes Agent Ten, usual 8 base becomes Captain, Four is an octoling)

What if the Octos won? Cuttlefish would probably go complete villain mode ngl. His flaws are bad sometimes but make it worse.

Octavio, who’s not even king anymore as he passed the responsibilities to others (gotta spend time with the grandkids, you know?), starts noticing reports of octos getting attacked around town and decides hey, I’ve already got military experience so let’s do some quick vigilante stuff and hire a team.

Story would pretty much be the same from then on. Maybe instead of the Squid Sisters there’s another band with ties to Octavio, but I definitely imagine the original idols becoming high ranking, vicious generals (Callie would def defect later tho)

AU-07: FC3 (Haru), F4 (Liana), F8 (Mia), MN3 (Beau)

Genderswap, except practically nothing changes design wise. You would never know

AU-08: MC3 (Hyou), M4 (Liam), M8 (Milo), FN3 (Bea)

AKA No Metro Milo. Just. Just imagine a Shadow version of Milo and that’s it.

This isn’t what he’d be like with his memories… well… sorta.. he has some but trauma repressed the rest

AU-09: Everything’s the Same Except Little Buddy is a Big Buddy

AU-10: Everything’s the Same Except Milo Got Sanitized in the Metro Yet Somehow His Personality Was Left Untouched by Tartar Aside From Increasing His Separation Anxiety

AU-11: Everything’s the Same Except Liam Wears Glasses (It Causes an Extreme Butterfly Effect)

AU-12: Everything’s the Same Except Hyou’s The Only Agent Hired Besides 1 and 2 (Trauma x1000000)

AU-13: Everything’s the Same Except Little Buddy is a Psychic (As In Can Read Minds Based On Vibes and Souls, Presumably) and is the Main Character of the Series ((Little Buddy Psycho 300???))

[nikethestatue]

To say I’ve been annoyed over the last handful of months with the radio silence on SJM’s end would be an understatement, but then to FINALLY hear something from her on the topic of the next ACOTAR book only to have her say “it’s too early” on the Spotify wrapped video has me legitimately LIVID.

EXCUSE ME MAAM, HOW??? How is it too early when it’s been over a year since she stated she was writing the next book? How is it too early when it’s been almost four years since she released ACOSF?? How is it too early when it’s been almost SEVEN years since she talked about research for Elain’s book in the ACOFAS interview??? Is she actually trolling us right now????

I’m also tired of seeing CC 2&3 thrown in fan’s faces when anyone dares complain about the long wait. I didn’t read the CC series, nor do I plan to, it’s just not for me. (I know enough about the crossover event, but I also fully believe that any necessary info can and will be efficiently summed up and recapped in the next ACOTAR book.) It is not unreasonable to be upset that she published two books in another series back to back and put ACOTAR on hold. The crossover in my opinion was too early and could have been a lot more fun as an Avengers Infinity War/Endgame style showdown after all the main characters’ stories had already played out.

Also tired of seeing comments about how she is a mom and doesn’t have as much time to write and should be spending more time with her kids. As if moms can’t have jobs?? As if they’re incapable of doing both or it’s selfish to also want a career?? To me that reads as an insult to all the working moms out there.

I just, am tired of the insane fandom discourse (which I blame heavily on the fact that too much time between releases has allowed more and more people to rip these books apart and dissect every little detail out of sheer boredom), am tired of the wait, tired of being dragged along and toyed with when plenty of other authors out there are giving fans updates and info on upcoming books. With SJM it very much feels like she’s too high level and famous to have to stoop so low to make an effort to retain fan engagement. Regardless of what the situation is, if it’s her doing or BB’s, that’s how it comes across and it is beyond offensive.

I didn’t start reading the ACOTAR series until 2020 so I haven’t been around as long as some but I have been waiting for Elain’s book since then. After it is released I am done. I will not spend another however many years waiting for another release. I don’t care what gets set up in the next book or what exciting new storyline she teases in an interview, I am through playing these games and being strung along. There are too many other good authors out there who don’t treat their readers this way.

It's always the few Redditors who like to get on their high horses and act like they are above it all and scream at anyone who ever expresses annoyance at the wait that 'she doesn't owe us anything' or that 'she has children!'

I don't think that she is not producing--she's written and published a book basically every year, 2021, 2022, 2024 since the last ACOTAR book but that doesn't mean that people can't be frustrated that it will be 4 years in February since ACOSF was published and would be 5+ years until the next book is published. And we still don't have any more info about the next book than what we had since ACOSF.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to want to hear something from the author or the publisher considering that the last time ACOTAR6 was mentioned was Sept 2023.

Yeah, I feel like many people will bow out after the next book. I think she used to be a 'must read' author for many, but no longer. And it's kind of her own doing. A strategy that did not work.

[yume-x-hanabi]

Concubinage Behind the Scenes - ch.9

And finally a new one :)

It's been so long since I started this bts series, never mind updating the actual fic. I'm in a good mindspace for it atm tho, so maybe??? Soon??? But I'm not keeping my hopes up too much because I have lots of work things pending, so we'll see if I can maintain my fandom drive this time around...

(chapter | DW post | previous posts)

So, chapter 9...

This is the start of a sort of "filler" arc (if this were an anime lol); not much plot advancement, but character moments and development. This one is about Arst and Lin's improving relationship in particular, and also an excuse to extend the setting beyond the castle grounds, for once.

My mental image of the part of town they visit is inspired from Kyoto's Kamogawa river banks. In fact, ancient Kyoto and Chang'an are my main sources of inspiration for Xian Yang in terms of urban structure and architecture, though Xian Yang has a large river splitting the city in two, with the castle in the middle of the river. It's a completely different vibe from the towns we get to visit in the game, but the worldbuilding of Auj Oule being made of different tribes, plus the endless possibilities given by spirit climes made me want to develop other kinds of environments and structures.

(No but seriously spirit climes are such a brilliant worldbuilding elements. It's such a good excuse to have a town with hotter climate close to other mountainous and super cold areas XD Man I love Xillia's settings so much.)

Anyway. It's kinda funny to write Gaius going sight-seeing or leisurely eating ice cream at a terrace, but this is what fanfiction is for ;) That's especially something I love about this fic, it's that it's a more... "mundane" setting than Gaius' actual backstory. At this point of the story, he's just busy being married. That's it. Domestic life with a sprinkle of political intrigue: the fic. And there's nothing I love more than portraying characters in situations we don't get to see in canon x)

There's been a short time jump since the previous chapter, and in the weeks since then Arst and Lin's relationship has started improving a lot. They're still awkward around each other at times, but they're getting to know each other, are communicating, and are spending more and more time together. Of course, it's not all perfect yet, hence their discussion about trust (as an aside, the fact Arst is openly talking about it is a huge improvement in itself).

I didn't want things to be too smooth for them once they start getting along, because there's a lot of heavy baggage behind them. And this kinda reflects their canon backstory in reverse: Wingul was the one who used to see Gaius as an enemy and had to learn to trust him. Here it's Arst who has a lot of reservation about Lin and doesn't give his trust easily. This sort of "role reversal" from canon is also a major underlying theme of this fic.

And Arst, it is totally a date :p

Their talk about city defense is very Gaius and Wingul, though. Here I'll admit something: I haven't actually planned yet how they're going to take control of the clan. I have a number of ideas in mind, but I haven't decided yet. I think that's something that'll come more naturally when I get to that part of the story. So Arst's "strategy" to take the city could be foreshadowing... or not lol. If they go the "conquest from outside" way, I'm definitely keeping this bit in mind as to how to plan it. But it could also be a "take from the inside" thing. Or more like canon. As I said, haven't decided yet :p

The token thing is kinda inspired by MDZS/The Untamed (which I was very into at the time lol) and how the Gusu Lan clan uses jade tokens to enter/exit the Cloud Recesses. Here they don't have magical properties, and serve a bit as ID cards in a way; Arst gets the ones reserved for concubines, but there are actually many other types depending on the person. Servants have their own (though their uniform is usually enough for the guards, but if they want to be diligent they should check it's not just a disguise), as do courtiers or council members, official suppliers etc. And for everyone else, there are visitor tokens distributed at the entrance if their visit has been approved. Long Dau family members don't need one ofc, and could technically bring anyone in without handing them a token (though they should, but again, for all the security measures, they've become quite lax and complacent in some areas).

Concubines not being allowed to leave at will is not an Arst-exclusive thing in this case, they're all bound by the same restrictions. Gilded cage and all that...

Lin letting Arst hold on to his is a big thing. As much as he wants his respect and friendship and love (tho not yet atp), he doesn't entirely trust him yet either. After all, Arst does have a reputation as a troublemaker. Plus at this point of the story Lin is still very reluctant to go against clan rules. But this is a sign that he's already changing under Arst's influence: where he used to be passive and go with the flow before, he's now starting to make his own decisions, and this is one early significant example. He's looking at the future here, a future where he and Arst have a good life together. And that future won't come on its own, so he has to plant the seeds and nurture them. So this is his move.

Not being familiar with the system, I don't think Arst fully realized just how significant this was for Lin to do, but he does appreciate the gesture.

Last point, I don't know if readers noticed, but the narration (which is closely following Arst's POV) stopped referring to Lin as "Prince Lin" in this chapter. This shows the difference in Arst's view of him since the previous chapter. "Prince Lin", when not derogatory, was neutral/polite but distant. Now that they've become closer, he's started seeing him as just "Lin", a (tentative) friend. Of course, protocol still had him use his title when speaking to him, but in his mind he'd already dropped the "Prince" part, hence why he slipped at the end out of enthusiasm. And Lin welcomes this of course. It's a big step in their relationship.

At the end, Lin's totally changing the topic to hide a blush ;p

[alt0stratuscloud]

Just found out parts of this were made outdated in the. five minutes I went to go post it in. that's fine. still good words so I'm keeping the post

So. The eggs are meant to die in six days.

I've been having a lot of thoughts the past few days about the eggs; More specifically, about how attached people got, and the problem that posed: The egg arc obviously couldn't go on forever, but how was the server meant to go on without it?

Because we know, we've watched the ccs themselves get attached. Watched the eggs take their place on the server, watched as the ccs came to orbit around them. The eggs are the main driving force of damn near everything going on on the server right now. Almost all of the characters have been built around being parents. The eggs have existed for more than 2/3 of the time the server has, but for the many ccs whose second or third stream was the egg introduction, they've been there for all but 2-6 hours of it. That's a ridiculous portion of the server to then move on from. What is the QSMP without the eggs?

Because no matter how the eggs are gotten rid of or not gotten rid of, there's likely going to be a drop in activity; Sudden helpless grief driving people away(Think what Phil said he would've done if Chayanne's death to the nightmare stalker counted) if there's an extinction event they can't do anything about, increased stress the whole time the eggs are alive if there isn't one as attachment to them climbs and lives fall. If they just go away but don't die, that's its own whole set of emotions, and the loss of eggs to take care of will likely leave many ccs unsure what to do. Just leaving the eggs alive forever isn't a great option either, as stakes will fall, eventually immersion might break for some people. In general that would result in the ending to the egg arc being a slow fade into indifference, and it's just.

It's a no-win scenario. No matter what happens to the eggs it's not going to go well. Which is I think why Quackity's making moves towards adding new players now, of all times, when there's the pressing matter of "what's going to happen to the eggs". It's the same strategy the dream smp always used; "There's a lull in activity or seems like there will be? Add new players!". Which makes sense, and works occasionally, even if it is kind of a bandaid fix for bigger issues sometimes. It makes sense to use here in premise, except for one big thing:

In the dream smp, that strategy was used to ward off boredom. In the QSMP quackity plans to use it to ward off grief. Which is! A very different emotion! And given that he hasn't predicted a single emotion that anyone would have about the egg arc right so far I sincerely doubt that he's actually like. Thought through if that's going to work. I've just been thinking about it a lot and Quackity, like cc!Quackity really just clearly had no idea what box he was opening with the eggs, and it turned out to be pandora's. He's got no idea what he's doing and he's falling back on bandaid fixes.

I could be judging this all wrong. I actually turned out to like almost everything I'd been hesitant on about the qsmp, so maybe this is just another one of those. I kind of reached into my opinions box while thinking about this for one on the dream smp's 'whenever there's a lull add new people' strategy and came up empty, so mine here is the product of only like an hour of thought and therefore isn't very polished. So I could be very wrong. But using a strategy meant for boredom on grief does Not sound promising to me? But then again maybe it is, maybe the distraction will be just as welcome. Maybe that method's not even a bandaid fix and it is actually fully thought out and sensible and will fix everything somehow. I don't know. I just have a whole lot of thoughts.

I still have no idea how he expects anyone's characters to go on with the eggs gone. At the very least like? Mariana? Slimecicle? Wilbur? q!Quackity himself? Probably plenty of others I just haven't watched or heard enough of to name? Their stories hinge on the kids so much! How the hell is this going to work!

so yeah. thoughts. that's all my coherent ones so I'm stopping now I just have a lot of them.

[variabels]

who are your favorite blue lock characters and why?

It ended up getting really long so here's the list:

Nagi

Kaiser

Isagi

Honorable mentions:

Bachira

Chigiri

Shidou

Sae

Explanations (manga spoilers):

1. Nagi

But like in all seriousness, I relate way too much to his motivation problems, especially the setting a goal, reaching it for a second and not knowing what to do afterwards part. We also have similar personalities (although I think Rin or Sae might be the most like me in that department), find a lot of stuff to be a pain and the same hobbies (manga and gaming ftw).

I also really like his chemistry with Isagi, Chigiri and Barou, Isagi really brings out the best in Nagi, Chigiri and Nagi's friendship is so fucking cute and Barou vs Nagi is always hilarious. It was really nice to see Nagi go from skipping practice to willingly joining Isagi and Barou to train.

His playstyle is so much fun to watch. I'm so happy Kaneshiro decided to pair him up with Isagi for the second selection because they were a GOATed duo. They weren't perfect for each other, so seeing them having to work together to improve and win games was so satisfying. I love how Nagi got to actually have an input on the strategies used especially since he used to be the kind of person to just do whatever he's told.

He's also badass, adorable and precious.

And can we take a second to like look at him? How is this dude 190cm??? I deadass thought he was slightly taller than Isagi until I read what his actual height was. I've never seen someone so tall have such short person energy, it's so fascinating and weird.

2. Kaiser

Kaiser's a fucking bitch, that's why I love him. He's always so much fun, if he's in the scene, you know it's gonna be good. He just has this presence, idk how to describe it, but like, he will always get your attention.

He's so interesting and there's still so much to learn about him. I'm really excited to see how his character will develop. I love how he's able to genuinely acknowledge other people's achievements despite being a shit-talker (and one who can actually back up his shit, he's a new gen 11 member after all). I really have a thing for those types of characters.

His rivalry with Isagi is also easily the best rivalry in the series. They both respect each other as players despite having so much beef. Their rivalry keeps getting crazier with all their "I'll fucking kill you" and I'm all for it. Their personalities clash so well making it entertaining af.

Also, Kaiser's design is so iconic. It shouldn't work at all but it just does. Like what is up with that mullet-rat-tail-ombre hair? How does he pull it off? Also, the red eyeliner is beautiful, it's such a small detail but it adds so much.

3. Isagi

So, I know a lot of people didn't like Isagi at the start because he seemed like an asshole for feeling great about kicking the ball in Kira's face. I wasn't one of those. I immediately loved him after that and loved him even more every time he took joy in defeating others.

It's really rare for the main character to make it into my top 3, so when one does make it in, I know they're amazing and oh boy is Goatsagi amazing. He has a lot going for him, such as being one of the calm/Kuroko type of sports manga protagonists which I just enjoy way more than the loud/Hinata protags. I absolutely adore strategist characters (especially when they say "just as planned") so having one as the protag is awesome.

The duality of Isagi on the field and off the field is so good. So many sports manga just have serious/not serious as the duality, but Isagi's is asshole/sweetheart and I love it so much, it just adds so much personality and uniqueness to Isagi.

He's a really emotionally intelligent person (why are these so rare in fiction? especially emotional intelligent guys that are genuinely good people and not manipulative), like it's very apparent in how he interacts with his Blue Lock rivals, especially Barou and Rin. It's never explicitly stated but it's shown that he understands how to interact with each one of them in a healthy way. He doesn't go to annoy Rin or Barou to get them to open up more (istg tsundere/prideful characters end up opening up solely because they were annoyed or humiliated to death way too often), Isagi treats them like actual people off the field and doesn't try to make them uncomfortable. It's so refreshing. This also makes his relationship with Kaiser way funnier because Kaiser's like the only person Isagi isn't nice with.

Speaking about relationships, Isagi has such good chemistry with the entire cast. I find his relationships with his rivals to be the most interesting since it feels like he treats most of his friends really similarly. None of his rivalries really feel the same even when they fit in the same trope (friendly rivals, humbled rivals etc...). It's also really funny how he's got so many rivals and beefs, like he got the second-best in the world to have beef with him. ISAGI IS HIM.

This is getting long, so I'll be brief with the next point. Isagi just has so many traits I respect in a person. Like, he's not afraid to change, he's not afraid to ask others for help, he's ambitious and he'll do what it takes to win.

Never thought he'd be in my top 3 when I started Blue Lock. If he ends up being football Aizen, he'll surpass Nagi as my favorite...

Other favs:

Bachira, he used to be number 3, but Isagi's grown on me a lot and Bachira hasn't done much lately (he's also a fully developed character with a finished character arc, so there's not as much development potential in him atm). He's still really likeable and I love him but he's not as interesting anymore. His design is so sick and I love his playstyle. I also love his character arc in the second selection.

Chigiri, like Bachira he suffers a bit from having a finished character arc (like, there's really only him getting injured to develop him more at this point since the author decide to forget about the Chigiri-Kunigami subplot which could have allowed Chigiri to get more development), but still really likable. He's also the only person in Blue Lock who doesn't need therapy, idk how our princess has stayed sane. His design is gorgeous, I love it so much and wish I could be 1% as pretty as him.

Shidou, like Kaiser, he's one of those characters that just enhances every scene he's in. He's just so much fun and he genuinely loves football so much. His relationship with the Itoshi siblings is also amazing, it's so funny how he hates one and loves the other. He might not have any chemistry with Rin when it comes to playing football, but their character chemistry is great (they're always so funny when they're together). And holy fuck Shidou and Sae, I don't know where to start with these two, they were made for each other. I wish Shidou luck, he got Sae's number, maybe he can get his heart next?

Sae, aka the superior Itoshi sibling. Shit talkers who talk shit because they're genuinely better are some of my fav types of characters. He also kinda reminds me of Itachi from Naruto and he's my favorite character from Naruto, so ofc I was gonna love Sae. There's a lot of potential for his character to develop, especially if whatever he has going on with Shidou ends up getting developed more. I love how he's the one who reached out to Shidou, it's rare for the quiet one to be the one to do that if they're not manipulative. I hope he plays in the U20 team because I need more of his interactions with Rin and Shidou.

[bvannn]

Weekly Update December 15, 2023

Finals week is done. I’m still worried about the one class but I’ve done everything I can. Next week I have some doctor appointments but otherwise am good to rest up and hopefully get more work done. I have tonight and tomorrow morning also before I have to do a long drive, so maybe I’ll finish off some other projects.

TRGA: 1-4 Tim’s tweens are done, and I have what I think is a faster strategy for tweens now as well, so all that should be moving faster. I just need to do Tim’s face and clean up his joints and he should be good for the shot, I can make and add in props and I’ll post the wip. I’m planning to do backgrounds all in one go at the end so they stay consistent from shot to shot, and sketch lines as well. I’ll probably do some of the more tedious work (exporting and reimporting sketch lines, and cleanup) in the evenings and the more brain intensive work like props during real free time.

Still chipping away at late drawing prompts. I got the rest of the Inktober set sketched, I’m nearing the ‘easy’ prompts for the cringe set, and the gore set I just haven’t had motivation for but I can maybe try to finish that one off in the next few days. Also haven’t gotten comic thumbnail stuff done since like 2 weeks ago but I might get cracking at that in the car ride tomorrow, or definitely after, there’s a lot more interest in my OCs than I thought so I really should be prioritizing that higher.

Music: real close on the one song, and recorded pieces for a piano arrangement of another thing. I wanted to doll it up with real instruments, and maybe I still will but I can also do a just piano version and throw that out. The main original I’m working on is close to done instrumentally, I was going to record the breakdown tonight but I’m a bit tired because I decided to do some chores, so maybe it’ll be tomorrow or maybe I will do it tonight. Also started poking around Melodies for a second song before realizing my retro sound chip plug-in set is a pain in the neck and will only play one note at a time so I need like 5 or 6 layers to do what I want and also the gameboy chip has hella delay for some reason. Not unfixable but annoying. Theoretically I should be moving to a new computer soonish so maybe I can try out some voice synths for the main song I’m working on since I don’t think I can sing.

I’m kinda hitting that tiredness wall but I should hopefully be able to get some rest in the coming week, get some stuff together to post, and be nice and ready. I should also mention I have a surgery coming up too which should take me out of commission for some time, idk how long, doesn’t sound very long though, at least not as long as the last one. That’s not until the week of christmas though so I should still be good to do stuff until then. Maybe I’ll draw tonight, maybe I won’t since it’s already late. I’ve been getting weird bouts of restlessness where I just decide to do a bunch of things at once, but I think I already got one when I decided to do chores. Oh well always tomorrow.

[davyjoneslockr]

what's your writing process when you work on fics and does it change depending on if it's a longer fic compared to a one shot?

and second question, what fic are you most proud of?

Yeah so!! My issue is that most of my writing process consists of “fuck it we ball.” For oneshots, I’ll usually have a starting point, an ending point, and vague ideas for a few scenes in between. Everything else sorta comes to me as I go. (<- This is a bad strategy. Don’t do this.)

I usually plan out long fics a lot more. For Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday, for example, I had a really long outline with a few “beats” for each chapter – at the very least, how it starts, the climax, and how it ends. My one rule with multichapter fics is that something should change by the end of each chapter. Characters should grow, relationships should change, the main character should obtain some significant information, etc. And a good chapter should have a mini conflict of some sort (this is why, imo, some chapters towards the middle of YMYYYD are kinda bland – if I did a rewrite, I’d flesh them out and make more actually happen.) So there’s the overarching plot, and each chapter also follows its own mini plot structure.

Also, to generate fic ideas, I listen to a lot of music :] A lot of them had their titles taken from the inspiration songs, but some were different. To use YMYYYD as an example again, the song that originally inspired it was The Sweetest Thing by Camera Obscura. The working title was… A Mista(ke) actually lmfao, but when it came time to post the first chapter, I considered calling it Yesterday’s Gone, and ended up going with the final very convoluted title because I thought the song’s lyrics fit the story well. Also, I thought up This Bird Has Flown while listening to this version of Norwegian Wood.

As far as the fic I’m most proud of, I’d probably have to say both parts of the Mista fic for different reasons. I think the story was more compelling in YMYYYD at the expense of some sloppier writing, and Leaves That Are Green was maybe a bit slower story-wise with better prose. Chapter 4 of LTAG, in particular, I’m pretty proud of. Just in general, though, I never expected the emotional response I got from a lot of readers on that fic, as well as how popular it got, so. Idk. To be real for a second, it genuinely means a lot :]

I’m also really happy with how This Bird Has Flown turned out overall, and the response to that fic was so fun to witness. I remember reading some of the comments when I was with my partner (who just kinda went. Hey what the fuck at the ending) and they were like. YEAH. WRITE SOMETHING HAPPY FOR ONCE. And my other one I’m pretty happy with is Setting. Yet another one I was surprised to get a lot of love for, especially because it’s a Gen fic for a duo that’s not super popular, but I’m glad a lot of people enjoyed it!! Fugo and Abbacchio emo family forever <3

[nenvyv]

Unveiling the tips and tricks of being a successful social media manager:

Social Media Manager (SMM)… sounds fun right?

I mean, we all hang around on social media the whole day anyway - posting life updates and sharing around funny, often meaningless, things  - why not get paid for it, RIGHT!

WRONG - Being a SMM actually feels a bit more like juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle…

Hectic… I know… but very close to reality.

Don't get me wrong - social media management does have it's upsides and can be fun and rewarding - but trying to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of social media and keeping your clients happy while doing so, can be hard.

That is why I am writing this blog post - to provide you with the tips and tricks I have learned throughout my journey as a Social Media Manager - tips I've gathered through trail, success and obviously... My errors.

You can call it my purpose in life - making the mistakes, so that you dont have to!

This guide I will assist you to learn how to navigating this thrilling, often chaotic realm with finesse and flair.

So let's dive in, shall we?

What if it is your monkeys, meaning it is in fact your circus?

#1

Well first of all - KEEP CALM AND PLAN!

Planning is my secret weapon and I have used it to slay many "dragons" before.

I rely on planning so much that I've actually recently started sharing my planning techniques and planner layouts on my brand new online store named "BiteMagic" (if you are into digital downloads and planning) You can check out my variety of industry specific planner layouts, as well as a category made specially for al my boss ladies out there (yeah girl... We see you 😉) in store by clicking on the link below 👇

https://bitemagic.etsy.com

Planning brings us peace - because we know what to expect when we have planned our steps and therefore we can RELAX knowing that whatever happens, we've got a plan for it!

#2

Content is King (Or Queen...!)

In the kingdom of social media, content reigns supreme. But not just any content-quality content that engages, educates, and entertains your audience. From witty captions to eye-catching visuals, your content should be a feast for the eyes and minds of your followers.

Bonus points if you can sneak in a cat video or two. 🐱

(#joking! Please don't do that… 😬)

#3

Know Thy Platforms:

Each social media platform is like a different party with its own vibe and guest list. From the bustling streets of Twitter to the polished halls of LinkedIn, understanding the nuances of each platform is key to crafting the perfect social media strategy. So, put on your party hat and get ready to mingle!

Your client will usually tell you what platform they want to use if it's not set up already.

Out of experience, I recommend that you use the platform the client suggests as the main platform (for example: Facebook) and then ad on some secondary platform like Pinterest where you can share pinsyour Facebook page… all roads should eventually then lead to the clients WEBSITE because this is where your client has direct access to their clients who are already interested in the product/services they are providing because of all your strategic content you’ve created. Which means it wil not take much to convert these prospects into loyal paying customers all thanks to your hard work!

No wonder Social Media Managers are so in demand by all kind of industries, right!

#4

Engagement strategies:

Social media is a two-way street. It's not just about broadcasting your message; it's about engaging with your audience, building relationships, and fostering a sense of community. Respond to comments, ask questions, and don't be afraid to show some personality. After all, nobody wants to follow a social media robot.

Pro tip:

DO NOT sell the first chance you get. Nobody likes being sold to… rather engage with the audience like you would with a close friend. Build the “relationship” first. You can read the 8 steps of successful marketing (which is highly recommended) right here:

#5

Analytics:

The magical crystal ball that reveals the secrets of your social media success (or lack thereof).

Dive into your analytics regularly to track your performance, understand what's working (and what's not), and make data-driven decisions. Remember, knowledge is power, and in the world of social media, it's gold.

Inform your client of any concerning factors in the analytics and also what content / actions seem to be working when looking at the stats. Keep in mind what your clients goal are and then refer to the specific metrics that evaluates your current standing in that direction.

Like for example:

Your client wants you to manage his start- up business social media page. His goal is therefore awareness (because people need to know about his product/services before they can purchase/his product services).

So your job is to work on things like his page likes, followers or maybe starts joining local groups - slowly develop an image of the target market that is interested in what your client has to offer and also set the very important foundations in terms of Brand Awareness for your client and their business.

#6

 The Dark Side of Social Media

(dramatic music starts playing in the background…)

Yes, the dark side of social media.

From trolls to algorithm changes that make your head spin, navigating the challenges of social media management isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

I will discuss the dark side and how to not only handle it - but to use it as an advantage, in my next blog post.

But for now:

Time for a small exercise!

(yeah really …. We're going there…) 🤷‍♀️

Grab the closest paper you have lying around right now and write the following in big bold letters:

 “With every challenge comes an opportunity to learn, grow, and become a social media Jedi master.

Now stick that baby in your kitchen, right above your kettle. Let it be a daily reminder that challenges are simply stepping stones to mastery. Practise does make perfect! Embrace each hurdle as a chance to refine your skills, innovate, and emerge stronger.

Bonus tip!

Your working space should be treated like the most important area in the house.

Set clear boundaries with friends and family members (even your cat... If needed) to not disturb you while you are in your working space.

Keep your space clean and organised ALWAYS!

Messy places causes messy minds!

Decorate with a cohesive colour scheme of light pastel colours for your working space.

I recently found some awesome items for my office on SellSA which you can go and check out here:

https://sellsa.co.za/home/affiliate-referral/66337c0dad57b

In the realm of social media management, where the pace is relentless and the landscape ever-shifting, it's crucial to maintain a growth mindset. The ability to adapt, learn, and transform challenges into opportunities is what sets apart the average from the exceptional!

So, as you sip your morning coffee or tea, let that note above your kettle serve as a beacon of resilience and determination. You're not just managing social media; you're crafting experiences, building connections, and shaping digital narratives.

Now go out there and GET IT...

Your journey awaits!

..........................................................................

This post contains affiliate links which means that if you choose to buy any of the products I suggested from the links, I will receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.

[dh722]

Game Journal Week 09/07

Game 1: Only One Minute Before Restart ( https://levimoore.itch.io/only-one-minute-before-restart )

A fun little experience in which the player plays a company employee who is finishing up an email to the boss and about to get off work for the day. As the employee is writing the email, a system update suddenly appears, interrupts the process and calls for a system shutdown, which will cost the unfinished email to be deleted. Player tries to stop this shutdown by tackling an apparently age-old OS which requires user to complete a series of mini-games in order to complete the process.

Through some trial and error, player gains a better understanding of the mechanics of each mini-games, eventually reaches the end. A timer is ticking at the bottom right corner of the screen, so there is a sense of urgency present in the game. However, the undertone of humor and playfulness can also be felt thank to the gameplay+artistic design of these mini-games: stick figure, galaga, etc.

Game 2: Winter-Falling: Survival Strategy ( https://rarykos.itch.io/winter-falling )

A mini RTS+chess style game based upon the GoT franchise.

The main gameplay is divided into two phases:

1. planning phase, the pre-war period during which player set up the battlefield(trench, positioning of the chess units)

2. battle phase, the period during which the battle is taking place and player has to make real-time decisions and mobilize/activate the units

The game only had one level(a game jam build), and the tutorial came after the player fails the battle(which is by design. The battle is hard enough to overwhelm most players and the planning phase is also not present during this gameplay session)

Planning phase requires players to make a serial of choices that can affect how the battle is played out in the later phase: should the player recruit more units? should player have the units rest or build more trenches? Each choice has its supposed consequence laid out to the player. Player has to mentally calculate the effect of these consequences on the later battle phase and learn to balance things out. Recruiting more units, though increase the strength of the army, can potentially result more undead army generated through their death.

Battle phase is where things get intense. The army of undead seems very overwhelming and they respawn after death. Player has to survive a timer by carefully arranging and positioning its own army at real-time. Battling certain undead units will earn action points which can be used to unlock certain events like dragon breath that can bring large destruction to the undead army. When the timer runs out, player wins.

What was really memorable for me was that I won almost at the exact moment all of army units were devoured by the undead and my king unit was suffocated by the enemy. I think this moment was actually carefully and intentionally designed by the developer of this game to imitate the Battle of the Winterfell scene in GoT. Developer did a good job on balancing/calculating the resource given to the player and the variables of the battlefield to deliver such tense moment to the player.

I wish map/battlefield layout can play a more significant factor during the gameplay session. For now everything is just flat battleground and situation can get really chaotic at times.

-A clean and simple game interface. The art style is vibrant, bright, simple and easy to read. Each chess piece is represented by a rect sprite art. A smart design details: the sprite size of the unit underlying its power level. Cavalries are stronger piece with more movement points, so their 2D art is of bigger size.

Mondar's Dungeon is a brilliant marriage between the genres of deck building and dungeon exploration.

The objective is to reach the depth of the dungeon and to obtain the amulet, which means player wants to proceed in the game as far as possible.

At each level/stage of the dungeon, player gets to flip cards from 4 decks. Cards, upon being flipped face up, reveal themselves to be either (1)an enemy card which player has to fight, (2)an usable item card which player can carry and store in the inventory, (3)money card, (4) an environment card like a door card which opens new door to the next stages/levels for player or a trap card which hurts the player every time player returns to the same level.

The gameplay is largely affected by chance and player's mental calculation on the situation. The choices that player has to make include things like:

Which deck of cards to flip?

Which items to carry to the next level?

Fight a monster, or abandon the fight, save the firepower and proceed to the next level?

Return to a previous level(hurt by trap but might proceed to an alternative path/grab an unused item) or proceed to the next one(face new enemy)?

Give food to a rat(which can lure the rat away and prevent it from hurting you) or save the food for yourself and fist fight the rat?

There are so many delicate and subtle scenarios which really drive the player to think and strategize each move.

The dungeon part of the game gives the deck building component a new and refreshing meaning: to better equip oneself and to survive as long as possible.

All the cards of different types are pretty much self explanatory and easy to understand. It's a game that's easy for beginners to get into but requires several iterations of gameplay sessions to start noticing the nitty-gritty and mastering.

[samuelizi]

Comprehensive Guide to Air France's Refund Policy

As a passionate traveler, I've learned to value reliable airlines just as much as the excitement of discovering new places. My recent trip with Air France made me aware of the nuances of Air France refund policy, which is something that often goes unnoticed until unexpected occurrences force a change in plan.

A Booking Adventure with Air France

I was thrilled with excitement when I booked my flights with Air France for my recent vacation. The combination of Air France's outstanding customer service record and the attractiveness of Paris made the decision simple. I had no idea that my plans would take a surprising twist that would need me to delve deeply into Air France refund policy.

Understanding Refundable and Non-Refundable Tickets

Life is full of surprises, and a few days before I was supposed to leave, it threw me one. I knew I needed to reconsider my travel plans with a heavy heart. At that point, I looked into Air France refund policy to see how it would affect my travel plans.

There are two main types of tickets that Air France offers: refundable and non-refundable. As the name implies, refundable tickets offer a safety precaution. Cancellations made within the allotted period will receive a complete refund, maybe with a little fee. It's comforting to know that your investment is not totally gone even in the event of unanticipated circumstances.

On the flip side, non-refundable tickets come with their set of rules. While the word 'non-refundable' might sound ominous, Air France surprises with alternatives. Instead of a straightforward refund, they allow passengers to explore options like rebooking or obtaining a travel voucher. This flexibility adds a layer of relief for those dealing with unexpected changes in their itineraries.

Navigating the Maze of Cancellation Fees

The hated cancellation charge is one thing that frequently makes vacationers nervous. The way that Air France handles this varies depending on the kind of ticket and the period of the cancellation.

The minor fees associated with refundable tickets are a tiny thing to pay for the peace of mind they offer. One comforting feature of Air France's customer-focused strategy is the ability to change plans without suffering a large financial loss.

Conversely, non-refundable tickets could come with higher expensive fees, but the airline tries to mitigate the impact by providing reasonable substitutes. Rebooking or getting a travel voucher becomes essential for people who can't keep to their original schedule.

My Personal Experience with Air France's Refund Process

In my case, the user-friendly design of their website pleasantly pleased me as I worked through the online refund process. I followed the directions on the Air France website, which gave me detailed instructions on how to handle my reservation and start the cancellation procedure. In what could have been a difficult scenario, the encounter was made less intimidating and more tolerable by this transparency.

Additionally, contacting Air France's customer service was a good experience. In addition to being empathetic, the representatives took the initiative to provide solutions. It brought attention to an underappreciated aspect of the airline industry's dedication to customer happiness.

A Seamless Transition to Plan B

I found myself choosing to reschedule instead of completely canceling as my plans changed. This changeover was made easy and painless by Air France, who charged very nothing. My faith in Air France's dedication to customer satisfaction was further reinforced when I was able to change my schedule without encountering any needless difficulties.

In Conclusion: A Trustworthy Companion in the Skies

To sum up, my investigation into Air France refund policy was more than simply a trip through the terms and conditions; it also demonstrated the airline's commitment to provide assistance when faced with ambiguity. When combined with workable options for non-refundable tickets, the open approach demonstrated a degree of adaptability that sets Air France apart as a trustworthy travel partner. Air France will always be my first option while flying since I know they will support me in the event of unforeseen circumstances as I look forward to my next excursions.

[currins545-sav]

Visualizing Understanding of Zines- Blog Post #3

As a teacher of the Arts, I think taking into consideration what visuals can add to your lesson plans is always a good idea. I personally am a visual learner & a story based learner so I wanted to utilize a visual timeline for this lesson on zines.

Below is a decade by decade explanation of what zines were utilized for. As we all know knowing your history helps you not to repeat it but within art, knowing your history helps you to be inspired by it. So using a visual history tool I thought would be helpful to any future students who would be learning from me.

Included in the timeline I have covers & pages from the zines mentioned in their given decade. When teaching a lesson that will ultimately lead to the students creating themselves I like to include historical & student examples whenever I can. This both helps them see what is possible within their level of creation as well as what can be possible within any given medium. Often I find that students are inspired by a visual & use that to fuel their creativity in the project or in their personal work.

Beyond learning history visually within the art world, learning the technical processes can be equally as important & providing a variety of ways for students to receive that information is how to best set them up for success. When doing a lesson on zine making for example, folding paper can get really complicated especially when accuracy and decisive folds are important to create a pristine zine. With this is mind I included this slide in my presentation:

On the left there are two folding strategies for students to look at as visual reminders of the steps that go into zine making. With most zine types cutting is just as important as the folds themselves & having a visual representation of where to cut to get the outcome you desire can be nothing other than helpful.

On the right side there is a link to a video that shows color coded step by step instructions on how to make this expiremetal zine format. This color coded factor can be a very important visual for students who get lost in all the moving parts that comes with that particular zine format. The artist in the video also walks through verbally what she is doing & why. This is a good resource for after class when students don't have direct access to me but still need those visual steps when working after school.

All in all visuals are a very integral part to my lesson planning as an art teacher. They help both understand concepts as well as technical processes with any art practice. It's not really a new concept for me to include in my lesson plans as most art students check off visual learning as one of the key ways they process new information & it doesn't hurt students who don't have visual as a main way they learn, win-win either way.

Here is a link to the full lesson plan integration to see how it would be used in my classroom:

[andreea-florea]

Logo, Branding, Social Media Integration 5/6

or How to project confidence when you are actually very self-conscious

In this post I will showcase my personal branding process and I will as set up all of my professional social media, as well as back up my process with research.

Brand Strategy

Branding is all about being memorable and setting yourself apart from the crowd and while this is quite sad, it is the reality. The animation industry is highly competitive and while my work is the king of my brand, mastering the art of presentation and showcasing my personality might just get me the job.

Things to remember:

I am human. I have a life, I love a plethora of things and I am interested in loads, I am much more than my work and I am not a working robot.

Most people won't give me more than 5 seconds and not everyone has to like me or my work.

Eva once told us that there are jobs for all the different types of personalities.

Be approachable and open.

Tips from different sources across the internet:

YOUR BRAND STRATEGY MUST CLARIFY AND SPECIFY WHO YOU ARE TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SUCCESS WITH THE CONSUMER. You can do this without compromising your artistic ideals because it's not about subjecting your vision to some Hollywood formula.  Instead it's about thinking of your individual's or company's unique value and figuring out ways to make the consumer want it again and again.Your brand should project 4 ideas: who you are, what you do, how you do it, and where you want to go.

Who am I:

Another big-eyed animation graduate with even bigger dreams and even bigger self-doubts. I am also a fun person, I love working with people, I love animals, laughing, working, organization, structuring things; I have a strong sense of justice and an even stronger desire to help and I love art in all shapes and forms. And I really hate talking about myself just like everyone else, this paragraph took way too long to write.

What do I do:

I animate, model, paint, texture, edit, draw, create. I can also write, learn quickly, research, speak in public, organize and plan.

How do I do it:

Based on a structure and a timeline, with loads of alterations and often frustrations over my work, but employers don't have to know that.

Where do I want to go:

Where I serve a purpose and make people happy. Animation may be art, but I see art as a service as well: if I want to be a creative person I have to serve the world with my craft, with beauty and always improve. I want to work in any studio, across Europe.

ADDITIONAL BRANDING TIPS Think long term. Know what aspect of your company predominates within the 4 main vectors and use that to your advantage.  Also consider working on your weaker aspects so that your strong aspects are not negated. Rethink your current logo, tagline, reel, website, reputation, personal stories, and name(s) in light of the 4 ideas you are projecting in the 4 environments.  How you can improve each of those items or spread their influence to strengthen your overall brand. Think about your audience and how they will react to your brand.  Your audience consists of two types: the immediate people and the sought-after people.  The immediate people are the people who hire you and/or work for you, under you or with you during every phase of production from development to marketing (paid or deferred). The sought-after people are the people all filmmakers search for after they have made their films; the critics, the festival judges, the general moviewatching audience, the film buyers, etc.  Since you as a filmmaker will most likely provide both products and services you will be catering to the immediate people AND the sought-after people.  Do not undervalue or throw the immediate people under the bus in your quest for the sought-after people.  The immediate people are just as important, if not more important, than the sought-after types because they believe in you before the film gets made and you will need them or their peers again for your next film. Remember CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY.  Your brand is determined by your ongoing behavior, whether you're working for a company full time or on a production for a limited time. When you work for a company, consider that you will be representing your company's brand and identity as well as your own when you work for them.  Can you do so or does it conflict with your ideas, goals and values?  If it does conflict, then does working for the company serve your long term needs? 

Try to think of your movie or even yourself as a Brand. Your movie is a brand and needs to have a mission statement that the filmmakers are always striving towards. Figure out what your movie's mission statement is. What is it trying to achieve with its story? Every creative decision you make with your movie should be in service of the movie's brand and mission statement.

Mission statement:

(As a child I spent most of my days watching cartoons all day as I was a very quiet child. They were my friends and my support through all of my family issues. Animation is an escape universe and art is healing.)

I want to work in the animation industry because I find it magical and I want to create escapes for all the other people who need it.

A sparse or generic LinkedIn profile doesn't instill a sense of familiarity and trust in potential buyers. Instead, they're left with more questions than answers.

Is this a person I can depend on? Will they be willing to work with me in the way I prefer? What's their take on current industry issues? How can they help me improve my business?

By openly communicating your viewpoint for the world to see, prospects who stop by your social pages can easily decide if they can envision themselves working with you or not.

My brand has to be easy to like, aesthetically pleasing and I need to project reliability, adaptability, interest and a strong desire to help, develop and have a positive impact.

5 Personal Branding Essentials 1. A complete LinkedIn profile. 2. A positioning statement. 3. An SEO-friendly profile. 4. A unique point of view. 5. A consistent posting schedule. Personal Branding Strategy Define your goals. Create a unified theme. Tell your story. Stay human.

10 Golden Rules Of Personal Branding 1. Have a focus. 2. Be genuine. 3. Tell a story. 4. Be consistent. 5. Be ready to fail. 6. Create a positive impact. 7. Follow a successful example. 9. Let other people tell your story.

Sources: http://www.filmstrategy.com/2013/07/production-tips-what-is-your-brand-as.html https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-brief-guide-to-pitching_b_9842834 https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/the-ultimate-guide-to-personal-branding https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2018/11/08/10-golden-rules-personal-branding/?sh=59da4c8958a7

Examples of animator and their brands:

Sources: http://www.adamrowe.tv/ https://ghostkid.co.uk/Reel-2021 https://mutanthands.com/ https://moonjam.com/albums/1028020 https://mocaran.com/albums/783683 https://dribbble.com/search/shots/popular?q=animation https://www.keltbh.com/

They all have:

a colour palette

a simple, neat website

a colour palette

a good logo

all of their socials easily accessible

My brand, visually

The colour palette

I have always wanted to create my personal colour palette to support consistency. I wanted my colour palette to represent me and to be universally useful, so I needed at least two of the colours to be non-colours, but because I don't like pure black and white, I started looking for the perfect soft black and off-white. I was also looking for an accent shade to represent me and to send across the right message, so I looked at my work and I thought: light blue!

I wanted to make sure that my accent colour sends the right message across so I looked into its colour symbolism.

Light blue is a peaceful, calming color. According to color psychology, blue is associated with trustworthiness and reliability. Blue is also said to promote feelings of tranquility; light blue’s gentle appearance means it is particularly likely to make that impression. Public opinion polls have found that blue is one of the colors most likely to be associated with masculinity. However due to its specific association with baby boys, light blue is more likely to be linked with youth, innocence and childhood than machismo. Blue is a very popular hue—surveys of the North American and European public have found that almost half of the population consider it their favorite color.

Sources: https://colorhunt.co/ https://colordrop.io/ https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel http://colorlisa.com/ https://www.canva.com/colors/color-meanings/light-blue/

The logo

This was perhaps the hardest part of my brand building journey, as I never seem to find a logo for myself that I like. So I started playing around with logos and looking for inspiration.

Things I know about logos from learning graphic design:

a good logo is clean and memorable

a good logo is fresh

a good logo will look good in any size and in any context

logos are a lot of work

it is a composition, use the empty space in your favour

be confident in your logo

make it appropriate

What do I want my logo to show:

that I am an animator - animate it

that I am a nice, funny person - find a funky way to write my name

that I am reliable - good structure

my name

Logo development

Logo exploration

This is the development of my old logo, but in the end I didn't like it anymore. It felt weak and not versatile.

an older version

final version in soft black

final version and off-white

Animating my logo

I animated the logo in After Effects as I needed it to look as if it is painting itself.

I have also created a thumbnail avatar painting of myself:

Exploration

Social Media Integration

I have also set up my new professional LinkedIn, Instagram and Artstation and started working on them.

www.instagram.com/andreee.afl

linkedin.com/in/andreeaa-florea

Sources: http://www.adamrowe.tv/ https://ghostkid.co.uk/Reel-2021 https://mutanthands.com/ https://moonjam.com/albums/1028020 https://mocaran.com/albums/783683 https://dribbble.com/search/shots/popular?q=animation https://www.keltbh.com/ https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/hidden-linkedin-hacks-revealed-slideshare

Thank you for reading!