#playing hsr

[kyogre-blue]

Yanqing was my first and I love him to pieces but the lack of Welt Yang is starting to grate at me. One away from having full express crew... good luck and godspeed with your Hot Men pursuit, some of them are insufferable.

As someone who hateeees Liyue I expected to hate Xianzhou, but to my surprise I actually love the setup. It helps that their history is very relevant and actually comes up in the main quest, like - ages ago, they did a Masterful Fuckup, and their whole society now revolves around dealing with the fallout. It was nice, after Liyue's vageposting history and beliefs in market economy, where their gods are hilariously irrelevant to their daily life, to be able to say "ah, *this* is what these people believe and fight for". Helps that the aeons are npcs and as such Allowed to be fucked up, so both sides in the abundance vs the hunt fight have their points. And I find the subversion on wuxia tropes neat.

I share the "I wish I could skip this" sentiment though, the main quest was absolutely horrible.

I also find who Dan Feng was as a person and Dan Heng's feelings abt him as his reincarnation super interesting but like. So far the vidyadhara have by far the weakest story out of the xianzhou races (jiaoqiu HARD CARRIED the foxians there) and I know better than to expect anything. Finest Duel Under The Pristine Blue was a pleasant surprise, but Luminary Wardance was tedious as all hell and rife with missed opportunities (as much as I loved Yanqing throwing hands lol)

Out of all the minor quests you've triggered, have you done any of them? I think you'll like Arlan and Asta's companion quest :)

I haven't done any companion quests because I expect them to be longer, and tbh I am not planning to pay any attention. I do not care about the... vast majority of the characters, and I particularly feel like it's going to be a whole lot of minutia about their daily lives and/or irrelevant backstory. Which I don't really care to engage with.

On a basic level, I think that once you relegate things to "companion quest," that means this content is not important or interesting enough to be main story. It's a little bonus for people who care about these characters because they like them from the main story or like their designs. Since I don't care about the space station at all, I don't plan to read anything from these quests. Just like Genshin, I will set it to auto and do something else.

This sounds very mean, but Mihoyo destroyed any basic goodwill from me long, long ago.

In regard to Liyue and Luofu, I personally have a lot of... let's say reservation about anything that focuses on immortal or long lived characters. Once you make a character stick around for hundreds of years AND you love your lore, it's not a good combination. It gets convoluted fast, and you have to spend a lot of time very carefully maneuvering around why this character didn't deal with all the problems of modern day back in the past already. The easy answer is they couldn't, but if you want these characters to also be so totally cool for sure, it doesn't work out well. (Like wardance. Jing Yuan totally knew about Belobog's issues in the past but like, he was just too busy to do anything, but have a picture of him totally getting along with Igor.)

Additionally, I do not believe Mihoyo writers are capable of writing any kind of actual complexity in morals or viewpoints between characters.

And for every character that has a grain of interesting concept, they are surrounded by at least a dozen terribly executed ideas, so like... that's just not worth it.

[slushy-sash]

what in the 4d chess are they playing 😭

[fineapple20]

Portraits

Retouched this set from last year, because it was haunting me laying there 80% finished

[kokoasci]

90% of gamblers quit right before they win big

[waytoointoships]

…seele and bronya 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨

[resvarie]

boothilly

[thirstywaffles]

Good morning 🌅

[nobllite]

Save a horse, ride a what?? 💥

[niclepto]

The lie of chosing between freedom and safety

[abysswenn]

that was in fact not kaveh at all.

[kyogre-blue]

OK so

I started HSR because for some reason I really like Sunday's design and he's coming soon.

I've just now finished Belobog, and I was going to give me overall thoughts on it, because there were a lot of positives and the ways it fell short of being really good are also interesting.

But first, I went up to the train to claim by level up rewards. I went up several levels while finish Belobog story. And do you know what happened?

Immediately forced into a long ass quest just for talking to Pompom. Not ONCE did I have the option to claim rewards. And holy shit! I don't know who is the bigger bitch here, Pompom who refuses to do its job or Argenti who is insanely over-animated, so you cannot fastforward any of this asshole's text boxes. You WILL sit there through his entire nodding, eye closing, head moving pointless little movements. Holy shit, these models aren't even that good? Why??

Anyway, any nice things I was going to say about the start of HSR are cancelled. Absolutely unacceptable game design.

[seven-tastic]

that one silly pijama thingy but its aventiopaz

[baeshijima]

hmmm.... thoughts about composer!reader, whose pieces are always created for and featured in mr reca's films/projects.

people aren't sure when it first started, but in the release of one of his prior films was an ost. of course, it's not unusual to have music in such projects, but that one had felt... different, somehow — in the way its composition struck the chords of many, with billions across the cosmos instantly scouring for who made that piece.

it, of course, didn't take all that long when your name was featured in the credits. however there was barely any information aside from your name and credentials. (seriously, how could there not even be a single photo?!) no one knew what you looked like for quite a long time, only ever recognising your name and your music; even despite the numerous interviews, mr reca had never disclosed anything about you other than your talents. it came to a point where everyone believed they would never see your appearance.

well, until all hell broke loose during the annual intergalactic film awards, that is.

everyone already knew the drill — if mr reca had directed a film that year, it would undoubtedly win the adapted/original screenplay, cinematography, directing, production design, sound, music (original score and song), and film of the year awards, which also led to you winning both the music awards. usually, the composers would be the ones to collect said awards. however, the masses have become used to mr reca being the one to collect them on your behalf with thank you's also on your behalf.

that's how it's been ever since you made your mark in the universe, and so it really is understandable the uproar created by those in and out of attendance when the one who went collect the two awards wasn't the esteemed director, but a completely unfamiliar person; you.

you are definitely younger than they originally thought, having believed it must have been someone of a senior status of sorts to have consistently created such masterpieces. all eyes are trained on you as you step on stage and into the limelight for the first time, the light enhancing your features and formal attire when approaching the mic with a small flashcard in hand. your mouth opens, and the audience leans in with baited breaths as they await your first words.

...only for nothing to come out.

everyone watches a little dumbfounded as you try to talk once more but, aside from gaping like a fish, your efforts remain futile. it doesn't take long for you to clamp your mouth and eyes shut, even raising the awards in front of you in an attempt to shield your face from the crowd.

you... you were just really shy. or maybe a little...socially awkward, perhaps...? if this was the reason you never showed yourself, then they're beginning to understand why...

it passes in a blur — quite literally in that of brown. one moment you are alone on the stage, the next you have the presence of the renown director standing slightly in front of you, as though acting as a shield from the many prying eyes.

"apologies," he begins, his usual smile on display, "but my dearest composer has been suffering with a sore throat these past few days. on their behalf, we thank you all kindly for your support in our work."

and then he swiftly leaves with you tucked under and shielded by his coat, murmuring unreadable words to you as you both disappear backstage and leave everyone in a state of frenzy; to both those inside the ceremonial hall, and to those watching live elsewhere.

(it was only discovered after the awards ceremony concluded what the director had said to you, with the uploader being dubbed as a holy saint for their contributions to society. while the visual aspects of the video itself were not the clearest, barely anyone had it within themselves to complain when the audio was clear as crystal:

"and here i thought you were going to be brave and face your stage fright after all that pep-talk you gave yourself on the way here."

"i'm sorry... i really thought i could do it this time..."

"now, now, i'm merely teasing. you made a big step just making an appearance here today. i know how much courage this took for you, and i'm proud of you for facing it."

"really...?"

"but of course. i'm always proud of you, [name]. there is not a moment where i haven't been.")

(it also was not long until the cosmos was taken by storm when various pictures snapped during the awards ceremony spread. the millions of candids featuring you were one of the most liked and shared, with the top spot joined by the sequence of pictures taken of mr reca's soft expression when watching you onstage, into his realisation of your predicament, into him running onstage and shielding you from the cameras when making your way backstage.)

(...the drastic influx of fan accounts dedicated to both you alone and to you and reca should really be a studied phenomenon.)

[ihavesomejays]

on first loves yunqing lol they are silly that's it that's the prompt anyways i think this is like the first thing i've posted here that has an actual background which is kind of insane. i think you can tell i don't draw backgrounds very often. anyways yunqing is so ponytail puller annoying each other even though they've realized they like each other core and it's satisfying my peepaw heart

bg only/closeups under keep reading

[the-original-skipps]

on this installment of skipps imagines I got mydei and phainon 👀

Taking slow deliberate steps, Phainon backs you up against the wall.

Once cornered, he places a hand on your waist pulling your body to his. Feeling flustered at the sudden action, your eyes immediately flicker downwards. Unable to meet his alluring gaze but not a moment too soon - his other large hand cups your jaw. Phainon forces you look meet his eyes, yearning swirling within his blue orbs. His thumb caressing the smooth skin of your cheek.

“May I? I don’t think I can hold back much longer…” His whispers to you in a silent plea, his patience moments away from snapping. His face inches closer and closer to yours till you could feel his radiating warmth. Your eyes instinctively fluttering closed as his breath ghosts against your lips. When he’s just about to seal his lips with yours, a sharp voice cuts through the air.

“Hey, deliverer..! Just what do you think you’re doing with what’s mine?”

[b1adie]

. . . There seems to be a slight misunderstanding, my friend. At this table, you are the challenger. Because, unlike the house, the gambler knows exactly what they want.

AVENTURINE ◇ THE GOLDEN TOUCH