#need for speed 4 high stakes
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fvmods · 2 months ago
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Largo Hillio with INSANE graphics (GTA 5 Enhanced)
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newfalco · 7 months ago
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Need for Speed 4 High Stakes en Windows 11
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liubovricci · 4 months ago
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Astarion. Undead weirdo.
I thought a lot about this post after I first read it and realized that a lot of it is actually my headcanon. And a lot of weird stuff started coming into my head that could be done with this kind of Astarion. This text is split into two parts, because I went further, delving into the contrast between Spawn Astarion and AA. This part is about SPAWN, so it's still odd (I warned you!), but not as much as the next part about AA.
1. Breathless
Sometimes Astarion forgets to breathe until he starts talking, and then takes a sharp breath as if to gather air for a line. Sometimes he forgets to breathe mid-sentence, his words dissolving into raspy croaks. Yara mimics breathing for him, placing his hand on her diaphragm. He stares, fascinated, as her chest rises. But during sex and feeding, on the contrary, he starts breathing too much, panting deeply and loudly, so much that any mortal could get hyperventilation. Not because he needs it or is trying to imitate life, but in order to constantly smell the scent of his lover's blood and body.
2. Eyes and sounds
His pupils dilate enormously when he's excited, turning a metallic shade like quicksilver. When light hits them, they glow with a subtle red reflection, and when he drinks blood, they turn completely black, the irises disappearing almost entirely. Yara loves to watch in fascination as his pupils return to their normal size and dilate again at the same speed as a cat's.
He often makes inhuman sounds: a hoarse hiss when he's angry; a low rumble in his chest when he's happy; and a grinding of his teeth as if he's sharpening his fangs before a hunt. During intimacy, especially when he is sincerely lost in sensations and feelings, he can forget how to sound human, tempting, and sexy, and then his voice splits—one tone is gentle, high-pitched, and almost inaudible, the other is raspy, deep, as if from the depths of the earth.
3. Sleep
Astarion neither sleeps nor meditates but can fall into a motionless brooding state when he wants to rest mentally, or torpor, a complete trance-like oblivion, when he needs to restore his vitality. While resting, he can move, and his thoughts transform into dreams that he can't or doesn't want to control. In torpor, however, his body is completely motionless, his breathing stops, and he becomes even paler than usual. He doesn't just look dead; he is dead. At first, this scared Yara to shit. The first few times she shook him in tears, trying to wake him up. She had to sit next to him until he came out of the trance on his own and sat up in bed with his back straight as a stake, not taking a single breath, like a fucking Dracula. Over time, she got used to it and even began to lie on top of him on particularly hot nights, taking advantage of the fact that he is cold and feels nothing at all.
4. Blood and feeding.
When he drinks from her, he does so slowly, with aching self-control. His hands cradle the back of her head, his lips pressed to the wound as if he wants to seal it, not open. He purrs and sniffles into her neck, taking only a few sips, and then nuzzles his face to the bite for a long time, as if he's going to keep going, but he never does, just licks up new drops until the flow slows down completely. Perhaps he's training his willpower, or maybe he's really enjoying it. With his love, this act is never about hunger, always only about sacred pleasure. Afterward, he always makes Yara do something about the blood loss, and sometimes she thinks he feels just the slightest hint of guilt.
“My love... you shouldn't be so generous. One day I might be unable to hold back.”
5. Sex.
Over time, he realizes that he can stop pretending and playing roles in bed and do what he really likes, and Yara won't judge him. Sometimes he gets too chatty and mumbles something about her being a real witch, a plague, a disease that infected him; sometimes it's just loving, sweet nonsense, and sometimes he starts to speak Elvish, and Yara really doubts that it's something meant for her ears.
After sex, he often fascinatedly counts, touches, and kisses the bruises, hickeys, and teeth marks he left on her body this time. He licks the sweat off her body and likes to stay inside her for a while, until he starts to harden again.
6. During periods
Yara doesn't need to keep a calendar because Astarion can smell her period coming a few days in advance. When it begins, Astarion becomes extremely affectionate and clingy, both because he cares and wants to ease her pain and because the constant scent of blood beckons and doesn't let go. He heats the blankets for her and brings her the herbal tea that she always brews for herself according to her father's recipe. But he adds something of himself to this recipe, and then the spoon stands upright in the cup because it is no longer tea with honey, but honey with tea. He drapes her thighs over his shoulders and presses his cold cheek to her lower abdomen. His voice cracks—part concern, part hunger. “Gods, you're hot like a furnace. Does it hurt? Tell me how to fix it.” But she never has time to answer, and it ends up with his face buried between her thighs anyway.
7. Weird habits
He can sit for hours twirling a strand of her hair around his finger like a boy playing with thread. Sometimes he tears off a single hair and puts it in his pocket like a talisman. When Yara silently looks at him questioningly, he makes an indifferent face: “What? You don't mind, do you? It smells like you, darling.” He collects her hair/objects, but never admits how many he already has. This habit makes Yara really happy because it reminds her of the behavior of rats, which she adores, when they drag everything they think is treasure into their den. But I wouldn't be surprised if among these treasures there is something bizarre, like a piece of bandage from Yara's wound, which almost killed her once.
Astarion lays his head on her stomach and listens to her body work: her stomach rumbling, her intestines moving, her lungs filling with air, her blood rushing through her veins. He knows he once had the same thing, but he can't remember what it felt like. “Mortal temple,” he murmurs under his breath, thinking she can't hear. But of course she does, and she smiles sadly and caresses his hair with her fingers.
Sometimes he puts her on top of him in an uncomfortable position for both of them, her back to his chest, so that her heart is in the same spot where his should beat, but she never complains. They lie there for a long time, silently. And he imagines that her heartbeat is his own.
He doesn't feel cold and always wears clothes unsuitable for the weather. And when Yara starts to freeze, he tears his own clothes and wraps her in them, trying to “warm her up,” but instead freezes her even more. Does she complain? No, hardly.
He watches her sleep, perched at the foot of the bed like a gargoyle. When she wakes up, he's inches from her face, eyes wide and unblinking. “You twitched. Were you dreaming of me?” At such moments, in the absence of light, it seems that his smile doesn't reach his eyes, and he looks like a ghost.
8. Care and romance
He never says “be careful,” but every time Yara goes on a dangerous mission, he discreetly puts some nonsense in her pocket that he considers a talisman. Maybe a cinnamon stick dipped in sandalwood oil because he remembers that she loves that smell. Or a fang that looks suspiciously like a vampire's, and she doesn't even want to know from whose mouth he ripped it.
He memorizes her heartbeat. When she's stressed, he curls around her like a serpent, aligning his stillness with her pulse. His hands flutter, unsure where to touch without triggering her trauma, so he settles for tracing the scars on her forearms with a feather-light touch.
Yara has almost completely given up the sun to lead a nocturnal lifestyle with Astarion. And when she goes too long without seeing the sun's rays, he cups her face in both hands, examines her skin and the dark circles under her eyes. He frowns, makes a noise. “You're getting pale. You'll soon turn into a drow.” And he goes to build her a nest of pillows and blankets by the window so that she can bask in the rays. He hides behind a curtain in a dark corner, watching the light play on her skin. They talk for hours, until the sun goes down.
Sometimes he silently creeps up behind her and demands that Yara tell him she's alive with a blank expression. “You know I'm alive,” she replies with a sigh.
“No. Say it out loud.”
“Fine. I'm alive, love.”
“Say you'll still be alive the next time I wake up.”
“OF COURSE I—”
“Say it.”
“Uhhh... I'll still be alive the next time you wake up.”
“Good,” he replies, burying his face in her hair, and for a moment he looks like an ordinary elf again. But after such conversations, he follows her around like a shadow for a long time.
He gives her gifts that he considers romantic, not those that are acceptable to give to loved ones. A wilted rose that he picked up from who knows where (“She's as beautiful as you are, even when she's hurt.”); perfume that he made for her, which has a completely incompatible mixture of scents (“Smells like a disaster. Specially for you, darling.”); live rats that he hates and she adores (“If you smiled like that because of jewelry, I'd steal it for you every night.”).
He teaches her how to waltz in the silence and darkness of the abandoned estate hall, but his movements are mechanical, as if he were copying movements from a past life. Suddenly he stops:
“I... don't feel the music. Could you... speed the rhythm for me?”
“Speed... the rhythm?”
“Yes, darling. Your heartbeat.”
Astarion kisses her scars with aching compassion and draws out all the darkest details of her own slavery. Sometimes she thinks that he is too distant and indifferent, his eyes become glassy and void, as if he doesn't hear her at all, but in fact he is experiencing all these moments with her live and comparing them to his past. And when she weeps, he never tries to stop her tears. He just cradles her and whispers, “Give it to me. Give it all to me, my love.”
And I love him like that.
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saltyyetbland · 2 months ago
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so here i am just simply bored on the lukey twitch channel watching vods and i scroll down and see this thing called "high stakes sudoku" that lukey did like 4 years ago and im like "huh, is he good at sudoku?" cause im curious like that.
i click on the clip and he's doing a medium level sudoku. the clip is 8 minutes long.
first 30 seconds i watch and am absolutely appalled at his speed. i skip to the end of the 8 minute long clip. he is not even half way done at the end of the clip.
bro sucks a sudoku and i feel like this needs to be known by more people.
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thesillyfreak · 2 months ago
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Why I Personally Don’t Want SonAmy in Sonic Movie 4 (and it’s not because I hate the ship)
Okay, so before anyone gets heated, I do NOT hate SonAmy. I totally get why people love the ship. They have chemistry in various games and shows, and Amy’s introduction at the end of Sonic Movie 3 basically cracked the fandom wide open. This post isn’t here to bash anyone’s fun. Ship what you want, love what you love. This is just my take, mostly from a storytelling/writing perspective.
So here’s the thing: I’ve always seen Sonic and Amy’s dynamic as more platonic than romantic. They're friends, teammates, and they support each other in high-stakes situations, but I never saw it as “endgame couple” material.
Let’s start with Sonic himself. He’s not a romantic character. He never has been. Sonic’s whole personality revolves around freedom, speed, and moving forward. Romance has always felt kind of out of place for him, not because he’s incapable of love, but because it slows him down in a way that doesn’t fit his core character. He’s not the “hero saves princess, falls in love” trope — and that’s the point. He is the subversion.
So then, what’s up with Amy? Why is she the way she is with Sonic? Why the chasing, the obsession, the love?
Well, let’s rewind to Sonic CD, where Amy was first introduced. She was sweet, optimistic, a little naive, and yeah, she got kidnapped by Metal Sonic. Sonic saved her, and boom — instant admiration. But I don't think her love for Sonic was ever just romance. I think it started as idolization, gratitude, and a genuine desire to be more like him, to be someone who helps others and makes a difference. That’s what Sonic did for her. It inspired her to find her own strength.
And over time, she did. Amy has grown a lot. She’s no longer a helpless character chasing her crush, she’s fierce, independent, and can totally handle herself. Her feelings for Sonic have evolved too. She doesn’t need him, but she respects him.
So here’s where Sonic Movie 4 comes in.
I honestly think they’re setting up a role reversal from Sonic CD. In that story, Sonic saved Amy. But in the movie timeline? I think Amy’s gonna be the one who saves him. We already got a glimpse of this in the Sonic Movie 3 end credits. She looks strong, capable, confident, definitely not someone who needs rescuing. And I think that’s gonna be key.
Sonic’s next arc might center around growth, vulnerability, and maybe even needing help for once. Amy will probably play a huge role in that ,as a catalyst, a friend, maybe even a mentor of sorts. Not as a love interest. Not as “the girl who gets the guy.” But as someone who challenges Sonic to grow.
That’s way more interesting to me than a shoehorned romance. Again, if they do go SonAmy, I hope it’s done well. But I personally think there’s a more powerful, more meaningful story to tell if they don’t.
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underatedwords · 3 months ago
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notes from fp1 - jeddah
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upgrades
mclaren have a reshaped diffuser and a new rear brake duct winglet arrangement to aid flow conditioning
ferrari have shortened the top flap of their rear wing and offloaded their rear and beam wing to reduce drag
redbull have enlarged the central exit on their engine cover to improve reliability and reduced the chord on their beam wing to improve local load
stake have made changes to their central floor geometry to improve local load
track changes
pit entry, pit exit and safety car lines highlighted blue
blue line added behind the white line at the apex of turns 2, 5, 8, 9, 14 and 17
blue line added behind the white line at exit of turns 8, 19 and 23
track action
very warm, much warmer than quali or the race will be and track grip is much lower than it will be for the competitive sessions
charles ran wide in the final corner, unable to hang on to the grip
pierre also ran wide in t27 on his first flying lap, carrying too much initial speed
carlos was on hards initially and managed to go p5 - the top 4 were on mediums
carlos also said later in the session that he's "very happy with the high speed" - crucial at this circuit
lewis had a big moment in t16, rear snapped out but he caught it well and kept it on track
oscar reporting that his "drink is leaking ... leaking into [his] helmet" - mclaren may have moved their drinks system and its causing some issues
ollie had a big lock up in t1, flatspotting his tyres, again bc of low grip
isack was still looking to set a quick lap on softs towards the end of the session bc the rbs went out later than all others - struggling to find a gap, leading to confusion on the radio
mv has been struggling w/ understeer and a lack of balance the whole session
neither ferrari driver looked particularly comfortable - also struggling to find a good balance
williams are looking really strong at this track, both drivers seem comfortable and they have the highest speed at the end of sector 1turn 2 causing some trouble this session w/ multiple drivers locking up and running straight over including kimi and lando
liam lawson is under investigation for two incidents of not following the race director's instructions - he crossed the white line at pit entry twice
all 6 rookies finished outside the top 10 - need to get used to the circuit and build up confidence
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mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year ago
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Rebecca Roque’s “Till Human Voices Wake Us”
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I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TOMORROW (Apr 17) in CHICAGO, then Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!
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"Till Human Voices Wake Us" is Rebecca Roque's debut novel: it's a superb teen thriller, intricately plotted and brilliantly executed, packed with imaginative technological turns that amp up the tension and suspense:
https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/till-human-voices-wake-us-gn3a.html#541=2790108
Modern technology presents a serious problem for a thriller writer. Once characters can call or text one another, a whole portfolio of suspense-building gimmicks – like the high-speed race across town – just stop working. For years, thriller writers contrived implausible – but narratively convenient – ways to go on using these tropes. Think of the shopworn "damn, my phone is out of battery/range just when I need it the most":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIZVcRccCx0
When that fails, often writers just lean into the "idiot plot" – a plot that only works because the characters are acting like idiots:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot_plot
But even as technology was sawing a hole in the suspense writer's bag of tricks, shrewd suspense writers were cooking up a whole new menu of clever ways to build suspense in ways that turn on the limitations and capabilities of technology. One pioneer of this was Iain M Banks (RIP), whose 2003 novel Dead Air was jammed with wildly ingenious ways to use cellphones to raise the stakes and heighten the tension:
https://web.archive.org/web/20030302073539/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.03/play.html?pg=8
This is "techno-realism" at its best. It's my favorite mode of storytelling, the thing I lean into with my Little Brother and Martin Hench books – stories that treat the things that technology can and can't do as features, not bugs. Rather than having the hacker "crack the mainframe's cryptography in 20 minutes when everyone swears it can't be done in less than 25," the techno-realist introduces something gnarlier, like a supply-chain attack that inserts a back-door, or a hardware keylogger, or a Remote Access Trojan.
Back to Roque's debut novel: it's a teen murder mystery told in the most technorealist way. Cia's best friend Alice has been trying to find her missing boyfriend for months, and in her investigation, she's discovered their small town's dark secret – a string of disappearances, deaths and fires that are the hidden backdrop to the town's out-of-control addiction problem.
Alice has something to tell Cia, something about the fire that orphaned her and cost her one leg when she was only five years old, but Cia refuses to hear it. Instead, they have a blazing fight, and part ways. It's the last time Cia and Alice ever see each other: that night, Alice kills herself.
Or does she? Cia is convinced that Alice has been murdered, and that her murder is connected to the drug- and death-epidemic that's ravaging their town. As Cia and her friends seek to discover the town's secret – and the identity of Alice's killer – we're dragged into an intense, gripping murder mystery/conspiracy story that is full of surprises and reversals, each more fiendishly clever than the last.
But as good as the storytelling, the characterization and the mystery are, Roque's clever technological gambits are even better. This book is a master-class in how a murder mystery can work in the age of social media and ubiquitous mobile devices. It's the first volume in a trilogy and it ends on a hell of a cliff-hanger, too.
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/16/dead-air/#technorealism
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gingerdusk · 10 months ago
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Ask anything? I gotchu Pookie.
In Skyward Sword, in the part where Link is fighting Demise in that water mirror dimension (Idk what its called, if someone knows do tell me) do you think that time passes by slower in there? While out in the past and feature it speeds up?
Like, take Voltron for example, the fight with the prince in that dimension that left the gang away for (4-8 years was it?)
Do you think that if Link were to fight Demise, and finally end him (Being cursed, blah blah blah) but when he leaves he ends up in the past with no one there, the portal had closed but opened up (or something idk yet) and when he goes though, he's still the same age ‘n shit but everyone else is like- adults? And he's not sure how to take this, everyone else is not sure how to take this yet wants to constantly be around their follow friend (Teenager friend) who might not even wanna be around them bc of the situation he's in?
Would love to hear your thoughts on this idea.
I think time definitely passes slower in there, actually.
The stakes are high at the end of Skyward Sword, with Demise digesting Hylia's soul to regain his full might. Impa actually tells Groose about it.
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This implies that there's a timer. You save her, now, or you lose her forever. Yet Demise seems completely unbothered when he gives you his ultimatum.
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How long is a few moments?
As long as you need it to be. Theoretically, enough to upgrade all your gear, complete every sidequest, and stock up on as many potions as possible. No matter what you do, though, Demise doesn't even seem bored when you come to see him. There's no impatience in him, and Zelda's still not forfeit.
So yeah. Time definitely passes slower in the storm puddle dimension.
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This whole 5-minute fight might have taken days. I think we can rule out anything longer, though, or else Zel would have died of starvation in the meantime and/or Groose would have been more freaked out and exhausted.
(Side note, though, how does Demise know he's been waiting for eons? In THIS part of the timeline, he's been waiting for like...a week. This is right after Hylia sent the humans to the sky. Skyward Sword does NOT care about its time travel consistency.)
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il3x · 2 years ago
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Worm OC Tumblr I would like to present my silliest most self-indulgent OCs:
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They're a largely non-violent villain duo known for high-profile thefts. I keep them around because a) fun to draw, and b) if I ever need a few low-stakes enemies to throw at other OCs they work pretty well.
Power details (a lot of details...) below the cut.
NU11 (Alicia Lee, she/her)
Age: Early 20s
PRT Classification: Tinker/Stranger 4.
Affiliation: Villain
Null is a Tinker who specialises in breaking or "nullifying" other technology, including Tinkertech. The more complex, the easier to nullify, though some tech requires specialised tools or conditions. PRT have her down as an infiltration/countersurveillance Tinker, and there's some debate online as to whether she's actually a Thinker.
Null uses her powers for infiltration, hence the Stranger rating. She "nullifies" such things as cameras, security systems, and locks. Her power sabotages a device's intended function, so if a lock is intended to stay closed, Null can get it open. Again, the more high-tech, the easier; Null learned mundane lockpicking to use on simple mechanical locks, since that's easier and less intrusive than trying to Tinker them open.
Null can only create tech if the result is solely for tech nullification, e.g. her EMP cannon. She approximates other gadgets by starting with a complicated piece of technology and selectively nullifying its functions. This is how she got her goggles' attachments. Her power sometimes manifests in combat-Thinker-esque ways, like "I want to nullify that load-bearing wall, on top of those people, using, oh, this handgun". (It gives her the necessary mental facilities to use her "tools" for the nullification, which can include perfect aim if the "tool" is a weapon. She is still limited by her body, though, so things like hand tremors will get her. Someone like Tattletale could tell her aim was due to one-off power hax.)
These two don't have much backstory, but Null triggered from being stalked.
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Void (Undecided, he/him)
Age: Undecided (adult)
PRT classification: Breaker (Mover) 7-ish
Affiliation: Villain
A shameless Kurogiri expy. Void's Breaker state is purple-black fog that acts as portals; Void can split himself up into blobs of fog (usually roughly door-sized) and anything or anyone entering one blob is instantly teleported out of another. Void chooses the exit point.
His fog acts like normal fog, can be kept out of a room by airtight sealing, can't really interact with solids in a meaningful manner. He has telekinetic control over his 'true consciousness' blob. Portals are anchored in place, so you can't blow them away or disperse them.
He can have a (seemingly) indefinite number of portals open at once, and a (seemingly) indefinite distance between portals, but there are some limitations:
He can only leave a portal somewhere he is, and he has to move conventionally. He can telekinesis himself along at up to his top human running speed, without exhaustion.
He produces more fog at a fixed rate, so there's a time delay between making portals
Portals vanish when Void exits breaker state, meaning he has to spend a lot of time in his fog state to use his typical M.O. (multiple portals far apart to get rid of enemies and/or retreat). He can't speak in fog state, or interact with solids objects much, and his senses are limited.
Void can also swap his consciousness, and effective respawn point for his human form, to any of the portals. Tldr: teleport himself and any people and loose and less-than-door-sized objects pretty much anywhere. Justifies a 7+, I think?
Physical engagements with Null and Void tend to end with being shoved in a portal and finding yourself in Australia. Void also leaves portals open to their HQ, so you're fighting a Tinker with a shortcut straight to her workshop. Fun!
Void is the powerhouse, but his weaknesses make him pretty useless without a partner. He flows in around the vault door or whatever, the safe is there, and... now what? The way his portals work, you have to enter them with some velocity, and he can't push the safe in himself - he's barely corporeal. Exiting Breaker state kills all the portals, leaving him Just Some Guy locked inside the vault for the cops to find.
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Fun Facts:
One of them chose their cape name as a pun on the other's. Null would be more in-character, but Void would be funnier, so I can't decide which.
Null does not need her EMP emitter to be that big, or to look like a weapon. She's just extra (and the look on her enemies' faces when she levels a gigantic Tinkertech cannon at them, albeit as a bluff, is well worth the cost in subtlety).
Null (or rather, Nu11) has never had a copyright suit from the Yangban. She's never had ANY contact with the Yangban. She's just covering her bases.
I don't have much backstory for how they got into villainy, but I reckon one or both of them worked for hire on the Blacklist, and they ended up hired for the same job. Power and personality synergy led to them striking out as a team.
Void has more of a serious backstory and motivation, though I don't have any specifics in mind. Null is here to break shit because she gets happy shard feedback from breaking shit. The pay and cool outfits are a bonus. (She also kind of turbo-nuked her civilian ID, but she wouldn't admit to that.)
Void helps with evacuation at Endbringer fights.
Void exists for the pun and cool power synergy. Null exists for me to draw in fun sexy outfits (at least, I think they're sexy? I'm aro-ace, so not really qualified to judge). In-universe, Alicia partially created the Null cape persona to wear fun sexy outfits, as a fuck-you to the people who insinuated that if she looked or dressed differently she wouldn't have been stalked and harassed (and a fuck-you to her stalker: "I do dress slutty, just not for you").
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rockspider556 · 2 months ago
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some thoughts on sports docuseries eg. Drive To Survive
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the wave of Netflix-style docuseries sweeping through every major sport—Drive to Survive (F1), Break Point (Tennis), Full Swing (Golf), Full Speed (NASCAR), and so on. And honestly? I think they’re starting to ruin what makes sport… sport.
To be fair, these series have done a lot of good. They’ve expanded audiences, made niche sports more accessible, and offered fans a new, behind-the-scenes perspective. The editing is slick, the storytelling is compelling, and there’s undeniable entertainment value. But there's a side of this trend that no one seems to be talking about.
These docuseries are turning sports into reality TV.
Athletes—real people doing high-stakes, physically and mentally demanding jobs—are being reduced to characters. Their struggles and setbacks are edited into “redemption arcs.” A single glance between competitors becomes a manufactured rivalry. Before you know it, you’re no longer watching a sport—you’re watching a scripted narrative, complete with dramatic voiceovers and swelling music.
Even worse, many of these shows are starting to feel indistinguishable. Golf, Formula 1, tennis, NASCAR—they’re all edited with the same tone, structure, and pacing. They don’t reflect the unique rhythm or identity of the sports themselves. Instead, they feel like part of a sports-themed cinematic universe: Hot Guys With Commitment Issues But In Different Uniforms: Season 4.
Now, I want to be super clear: I have nothing against the fans who come into a sport through these series. That’s actually one of the best parts of them—getting more people to care, to pay attention, to fall in love with something they might never have discovered otherwise. Everyone starts somewhere, and new fans are a good thing.
The problem isn’t the fans. It’s the framing.
These series flatten nuance into narrative. They turn competitions into episodes and reduce complex performances into moments designed to go viral. And once you start seeing the sport through that lens, it becomes really easy to forget that these are real people. Athletes start getting treated like fictional characters. Fans speculate about their personal lives, assign them “roles,” take edited drama as truth, and start online wars over things that were literally just good editing.
As well as this, some athletes genuinely dislike being filmed for these shows. They’re not trying to be marketable or camera-ready every second—they’re trying to win. And the constant presence of film crews can mess with their prep, their focus, and their mental health. It’s invasive. It’s distracting. And sometimes, it actively hurts their performance.
It’s also created a weird kind of culture clash:
Longtime fans who care about the stats, the strategy, the ugly wins and quiet losses.
Newer fans who are sometimes more interested in storylines, aesthetics, and vibes.
And look, I get it. Storylines are fun. Vibes are fun. Watching with emotional investment is part of being a fan. But when athletes are only celebrated when they fit a narrative—or worse, villainized when they don’t—it stops being about the sport and starts becoming something a little… toxic.
Sports are already full of drama, heartbreak, triumph, and tension. That’s the beauty of them. They don’t need to be edited into TV shows—they are the story. Just let the athletes compete. Let the sport speak for itself. And let the people on the field, track, or court be human, not content.
So let the sport breathe. Let the athletes be human. And let us remember we’re not watching a script—we’re watching real life, in motion.
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beerdobaradoblog · 4 months ago
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The PlayStation 1 Drum & Bass DJ Mix | Jungle, DnB, Breakbeat, Big Beat
Exploring the amazing PS1 library on its 30th anniversary, going from DnB to jungle to breakbeat and big beat. Featuring gems such as Tekken 3, Ridge Racer Type 4, Gran Turismo 2, Planet DoB, Ape Escape, and a bunch of very obscure stuff.
0:00:00 - PlayStation 1 Startup Jingle 0:00:15 - Rage Racer - Silver Stream 0:03:19 - Gran Turismo 2 (PAL Version) - Blame (Grooverider Jeep Mix) 0:04:06 - Meremanoid - Destination Village 0:05:20 - Ape Escape - Time Station 0:07:03 - Tank Racer - Whalter 0:08:51 - Aironauts - JAZZ 0:10:20 - Rollcage - Cool Manoeuvre 0:10:47 - Ace Combat 3 - Montage 0:13:05 - Monaco Grand Prix - Credits 0:14:08 - Monaco Grand Prix - Canada 0:15:00 - Zanac X Zanac - SCORE RANKING 0:16:40 - Gallop Racer 2 - Song01 0:18:15 - Need For Speed IV: High Stakes - Cygnus Rift 0:19:13 - Team Buddies - Droopy Wood 0:20:28 - Diver's Dream - Track 35 0:21:18 - Anna Kounikova's Smash Court Tennis - BGM02-03 0:22:15 - Tank Racer - Wait 0:23:10 - Jet de GO! - Design The Skyline 0:25:52 - R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 - Lucid Rhythms 0:26:55 - Destruction Derby - Electronic 0:28:31 - Darkstone - Track 10 0:30:25 - Zanac X Zanac - OPTION 0:32:01 - Bomberman World - Planetary Disruption (World Select) 0:32:53 - Bomberman World - Area 4: Planet Ocean (Aquabomber) 0:34:03 - Barbie Super Sports - Snowboard (Yellow - Blue CD) 0:35:19 - Jackie Chan: Stuntmaster - Chinatown Level 1 0:36:14 - C-12: The Final Resistance - Track 50 0:38:05 - Tekken 3 - Nina Williams 0:39:54 - Tekken 3 - Tiger Jackson 0:40:25 - Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas - Hoover Dam 2 0:41:42 - Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas - Viktor's Lair 0:42:45 - Einhander - Ruins (Old Town) 0:43:28 - Einhander - Badlands (Desert) 0:45:00 - Need For Speed IV: High Stakes - Liquid Plasma 0:47:20 - Moon Remix RPG Adventure - Moon Fish (Prologue) 0:50:42 - Wipeout 2097 - Photek 0:52:36 - Zanac Neo - THE AIR CURRENT 0:54:42 - Rescue Shot Bubibo - Mechatropolis 0:56:35 - R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 - On Your Way 0:59:08 - Planet DOB - how do you think 1:00:51 - Racing Lagoon - South YOKOHAMA 1:02:00 - TOCA 2 Touring Cars - Menu Theme 1:03:56 - Naniwa Wangan Battle - Track 7 1:05:40 - Looney Tunes: Sheep Raider - Level 12 1:06:49 - Bomberman World - Title (Main Menu) 1:07:26 - Circadia - 麻衣イデア 1:08:10 - Rollcage - Bamboo Lounge (Peshay Remix) 1:10:27 - Castlevania Chronicles - Thrashard In The Cave (Stage 2) 1:12:24 - Rollcage: Stage II - Secret Life 1:13:52 - Monaco Grand Prix - Brazil 1:14:47 - Threads Of Fate - Bonds With Claire 1:16:46 - Rollcage - King Of The Beats 1:17:33 - Lord Of Fist - Keep Challenging 1:19:45 - Klonoa - Beats From Above 1:21:00 - Rage Racer - Volcano Vehicle 1:21:56 - R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 - Move Me 1:23:20 - Ultimate Brain Games - Track 5 1:25:03 - R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 - Epilogue
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fartemis-crock · 2 months ago
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4)  our muses impulsively have sex after committing a high stakes crime together - bank robbery? or dealer’s choice hehe / obviously for jon, and starting in the scarecrow costume like we talked about??? 👀👀👀
cursed. @threadpull
that fucking mask.
the carpet is rough. it bites into her shoulder with every sharp thrust. she didn't seem to care
fingers grip him;; nails biting into the fabric that covered jon's arms. it's funny--- she'd never considered how he would be in the mask. by now, artemis had seen the after effects of the mask. how using it to tease him had made jon more dominant, more likely to push her around. ---but she hadn't considered how confident he'd be with it on.
---no, she hadn't considered how vocal he'd be with it on.
her usual desperation was multiplied by tenfold. the second jon had pushed her down, that teasing voice telling her to be a good girl for him--- artemis had been done for. she was desperate to please.
she's already cum once. the firmness of his grip, and the teasing words had worked her up so quickly. ---now the best she could do was let him do what he wanted, and beg him for more. his thrusts pick up speed, signaling that he was getting closer--- instinct takes over;; fingers leaving the sleeves of his costume to instead tug at the fabric of his mask. suddenly desperate to see him.
"---jon." his name is whined, fingers tugging again at the fabric in the hopes that he would understand what she needed. "please."
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dumb-but-happy-trist · 23 days ago
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Ranking Extra classes Not in FGO based on how much I'd think they'd be cool
1. Saver. Saver is a Class with two Known servants, Buddha Shakyamuni, and Kiara Sessyoin being the only two servants of Saber class, Kiara Only qualifying through unseen material. The saver class in its Basis Is Messiah gods, The highest gods of the high gods within religion, Myth, and History, those on the level of The true god, even if they aren't truly that strong. They usually intervene when everything has gone to shit, For one to get summoned like normally, Ritsuka Fujimaru would have to temporarily be without her servant in a scenario where reality is at stake, and thus the saver would summon themselves and Ritsuka would gain access to their class. Could be especially strong against All brands and All beasts
2. Boxer. A niche Class Originating from Nasuverse depths that isn't yet in any canon work, exclusively Belonging to Bazett, It's a Class Exclusive to Physical fighters that don't qualify for Beserker or Archer, Focusing on martial arts, it's a newer Class in lore said to be rare but spreading. The 4th knight class destroyed and now Reawakened. Also I need Capsule bazet in FGo please I beg
3. Tiger. A class without any known servants, for its eventual recipient, It would be a pure bestial servant and incarnate of Hunger, Whilst notably having an extremely potent intelligence. Jaguar warrior will break down and cry upon its sight most likely
4. Gatekeeper. Not much is known about the gatekeeper class, But it certainly is interesting interesting, The unarmed Watcher type servant And FSN Gilgamesh are the only known servants with attachments to this class. The gatekeeper is a class tied to those that keep the knowledge of the world, the possibility of the future, those that know beyond, that think beyond, and see beyond, those that either Gift or Gaurd the truth of reality to them, or even destroy it
5. Monster: a Class for Purely bestial servants, animals don't qualify, But monsters or phantasmals Unnconected to any creator are possible to accend from servants and become this class, Others that were erased from existence or never existed in the first place also have a chance to form as this class, no known servants, and was only falsely applied to an unnamed servant
6. Funny vamp: a character exclusive class created by, and belonging exclusively Arcueid Brunestud and Her varients, Which is apparently filled with supposedly hundreds of thousands of Brunestuds's most unknown. I want it for stupid bullshit reasons
7. Gunner: a class exclusive to especially powerful Archer class servants, that weild Handheld sharpshooting weaponry like a pistol, It must consciously be chosen by the servant, for a Large loss of Power, simply because they'd rather be seen as a gunman rather then an archer that uses a gun, It does come with unique buffs however, only known owners of this class is an unnamed pirate that died before they could be encountered. Akechi Mitsuhide & Billy the Kod have formerly used this class
8. Ancient Deity: Encapsuling 8.1 and 8.2, Ancient deity doesn't appear in any fate context, but ancient god and Ancient Giant being Seperate is stupid so I'm pretending as if they are. Ancient Deitys are servants who aren't actually servants, Living servants that's have made themselves count as servants but aren't actually servants (similar to traveler), they are notable Incredibly huge "servants" who are not in their true form, their true forms are however huge. Surtr, Zeus, & the full snake are the only qualifying servants known.
9. Gorgeous: Awarded as a secondary class that exists with a servants main class without removing their first one or switching it out, More or so a trophy then a full class, it notable increases the speed, beauty, Affection, and Style of the servant. Gorgeous can hypothetically be the only class of a servant, but nobody has actually been summoned as an exclusive gorgeous, it can happen but it has yet to canonically
10. Butler. Servants that are always at home, incapable of performing combat or buffing allys, if a servant is summoned as a butler, they get to heal, Clean, Remove poison from uneaten items, Cook, Build, do chores, and more, the butler servant is artificial and those who attain this class can't leave a certain area. Idk how it would be playable, But I think it would be neet if they weren't playable but were Unlockable in some way as like a Homeroom Cosmetic
11. Voyager: a Class exclusive to voyager, But others can gain this class, It's just that nobody has been summoned with this class yet, nobody except voyager. Unless they get a voyager class voyager I wouldn't want it tbh, but if they did they'd be multiple servants I'd want as the voyager class. So I like it
12. Watcher: in the same vein as the butler class, the watcher class is A non-combatant class, held by beings Far Far stronger then the counter force or even existence itself, they serve to teach and create servants from the currently living. Only known servant is an unnamed watcher class servant. Why not just make them a different class to be summonable, and then turn their watcher varient into a really OP craft essence
13. Faker, the class that Pretender would later become. Exclusive to Faker, Faker is a class that was human-Made, and essentially turns a servant into a secondary Master. Would be cool, But why not just make them a pretender instead
The rest cause this is lagging really bad
14. Idol, Should be a servant type like Santa
15. Enigma, unfitting as a class
16. Launcher, Make it enemy Karna exclusive and I'll bite
17. Abominable, gauge class where everyone that might qualify fits something else better
Manslayer; Gorgeous is this but better
Recorder: No servant qualifications
Astrologer, sky
Druid, none fitting that ain't already a caster
Shaman: MO KNOWN SHAMANS IRL OR IN MYTH
Entity: huh?
(traveler isn't included for it is Aoko Aozaki's class in fate, she uses it but dosguses it as foreigner to avoid confusion)
Fun Fact : Most possible Gunners are already Archers.
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leynaeithnea · 1 year ago
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Who am I to deny you the joy of listing all your favorite lines from the musical? Bestie go nuts bc now I really want to know your favorite lines ( if you want to add the reason why they make you insane I will not be complaining) ( but like , a keysmash for each line is good too )
OKAY so
Ill go through it song by song I guess because thats the easiest way
1. Horse and the Infant
GREAT opening song; amazing; so good, from the set up, references, singing, sound design, music everything
My favorite part in it is when Odysseus tries to bargain with Zeus for Astyanax (totally didnt have to look up the name again) because musically??? And story wise??? Im on phone rn so maybe if we do these types of interactions more often i can go moee into deepth at some other point but for rn ill keep it semi short BUT ITS SO PERFECT (mortius and caspers reactions tend to break down things really well so bascially what they say, most of the time)
2. Just A Man
Tears, i loveeeeeeee Jorges falcetto voice, the desperation when he sings "whos fighting for his life" and then the drop that goes into "but when [...]" etc, it kind of reminds me a bit of the shift of pace in "Wait for It" in Hamilton? Which is def one of my favorite songs in that musical
As well as whe musical design of the men picking up the chorus when Odysseus steps closer to the wall and all eyes are on him and the question of when does a man become a monster, when does the reason become the blame gets echoed...
3. Full Speed Ahead
UNDERRATED SONG
I absolutely loveeeeee the theme of "We're up,we're off and away we go" followed by "full speed aheeeead" ANd agaiIN JORGES VOICE WHEN IN THAT omg its so gooooooddddddddd, also, ody being stern when he talks with eudy and then lighting up the second Polites approaches him, one of my favorite songs
4. Open Arms
We need more Polites.
When i first listened to it the first times I thought Polites was already high on Lotus....well
Also odys "im fine polites" -> huge liar
Does it show that I have a thing for Ody? He is the perfect kind of angsty character that I loveeeeee so deeply, Jorges voice acting in "STAY BACK", and Polites being completly unbothered fjsidksks also lotus winions!!!
A cave!
East; that way
5. Warrior of the Mind
personally actually one of my less favorite songs for some reasons? Probably bc its not angsty enough in this case, but i really love athenas voice in the new remastered versions even more than before. "Hahahahaha" is amazing tho, also I FEEL ROBBED in the new versions you cant confuse "Enlighten me" with "you lied to me" anymore ~yes i totally was convinced its "you lied to me" for weeks~
....this is really long that was only the troy saga oh well
6. Polyphemus
"Theres been a misunderstanding" line; the vocals in that, so good, as well as the threadenung drum sounds and all
Also great sound scape and everything
The "WATCH OUT"
7. Survive
Oh my
I CAN PICK UP THE DANGER MOTIF THERE im so happy that im getting better at this, ive been tone deaf all through high and middle school and it makes me so haopy to actually get better at this now
When the crew joins in with "sixhundred lives at stake" etc its sooo good, I loheee the choir/ensemble parts so much, in this musical and generally THE DELIVERY OF "push foooooooOOORward" omg
...also...rip to pancake boy...i love how w can see/feel in the musical how in shock Odysseus is until Polyphemus passes out
8. Remeber Them
ALSO UNDERRATED probably the only song where i rllyyy prefer the first version and dont like the remastered one as much because i love how it goes from shock and grief to slowly arising anger and determination while still hearing the hurt in his voice, in the new version we go straight into anger, which is fineeee but I always loved the way I imagined it before that
I loveee the chorus lyrics too
And then WHEN ODYS ANGER AND PRIDE AND GRIEF TAKES OVER AND HE DOXXES HIMSELF TO POLYPHEMUS, the delivery of these lines ----- love it so much
9. My Goodbye
Grown to love it even more lately, just because again, i think this is a trend but I love it when Ody is just kind of...suffering x)
The "Hey" is such good voice acting in that moment, its so good, just Ody being hurt and griefing and Athena bring frustrated with human reactions and man such a greattt song
10. Storm
"We're going to shoot for the sky" "What?"
...thats all I have to say for this one
11. Luvk runs out
...all the themes this sets up for thunder saga oml....
also, ody pretending to be fine and confident and all and the second hes alone with eury his fascade drops...he must be so angry that Eury called him out in public haha...ha...
Okay so, my hands are dying from typing but I totally want to finish this for the rest of the series, if you also want the second part of this please send me another ask so I can reply to it! 🙈
Good night for now :3
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charles-leclerc-official · 1 year ago
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Hi Luci! What are your thoughts on opinions that Ferrari should be more aggressive with their development? (see: https://x.com/brakeboosted/status/1800189877675241860?t=dB1v-0fWyQZHGRgin0-4-w&s=19)
And I was also curious if Canada was just an outlier for us, if it's easy to recover from and there's nothing to really worry about fundamentally. I wasn't able to watch the race but I heard Charles' pace was good before the engine issue. I also heard Ferrari still can't warm their tyres in cooler conditions? The guy from the tweet speculated that they might not have been able to solve it yet because "the car is not allowing them to explore certain setup changes, or it doesn't really give the desired outcome."
I am going to disagree on a few fronts with Mr Brakeboosted.
First Ferrari need to be methodical about development this year. People don't like waiting, but this is the base going into 2025 and will heavily inform 2026 development. I am okay with the team taking their time.
Also Ferrari have accelerated the upgrade timeline.
I also disagree with his assessment of the warming issue. It's not as severe as it was and I think we have a good chance of seeing it vanish more with upgrades in Silverstone, the areas those are targeting are likely going to take it out on the tyres. And we have seen a step up in performance in that area.
I also will explain that there was a lot more that went into the tyre warming than the issue we saw earlier in the season this race.
I think that this had similarities to China in the sense that both tracks had just been resurfaced and that was really more of the issue rather than the more fundamental warming problem we saw earlier in the season. It may be the SF-24 is not as good on track surfaces like this, and that would explain why we saw Mclaren and Red Bull stronger and even Merc, because we saw that in China as well. I think it was a track condition thing more than anything else Because we have seen that the warming problem has been improved. For example in Monaco there was no problem at all, which means that there are ways to set up the car to get around it. And additionally removing downforce and certain other aero upgrades that will be harder on the tyres will likely change this as well.
It is my feeling that this was a one off. I don't think this race exposed anything deeply fundamental to worry about. The mixed conditions and a lot of other factors were at play with regards to the tyre issue. And Ferrari are about to become a lot more aggressive I think with the upgrade path. We have only done one set of upgrades and I do think the upgrade path has been pushed forward. And I think we will continue to see that throughout the season. It's way too early to claim they aren't being aggressive. They were certainly conservative in their approach to be the last to bring upgrades, but I think that was for the best considering we got the best understanding of the base we could.
We need to remember this is a car development season, we are doing well and ranking high in both championships but there is a lot of work to be done and a lot to be learned. Rushing will likely lead to bigger missteps than waiting. And this is a season where the stakes are crucially about the next two years as well as this year.
I expect that Ferrari will be bringing rear and front wing upgrades to help improve straight line speed to Silverstone(if I had to guess) as well as other components.
But yes, Canada was an outlier pretty much on all fronts as far as I can tell.
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dijacrypt · 5 months ago
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