#pmc event dialogue

[firecodex]

Transcript

Penny:

You're wondering if I'm OK in the dark?

I keep the lights in my bedroom pretty low, so this is just business as usual for me, I guess…

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

Masterlist (Ongoing)

Captain John Price x Fem!OC (Rory Sinclair)

[AO3]

Summary: During a mission in Algeria, Lieutenant Rory Sinclair of the 141 discovers she's been dragged into a web of terrorism, stolen missiles, betrayal, and shadow PMCs.

Warnings/tags: Minors DNI - canon typical violence, referenced terrorism, swearing, military inaccuracies, suggestive dialogue, smoking, character with trauma, established relationship, british slang, Afrikaans slang, author has played call of duty

A/N: The next fic in Rory's COD: MW reboot canon, following and expanding on the events of COD:MW2

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter4 Chapter 5

[puckish-rogue-archive-deux]

Lore Dump: Current State of Affairs

Note: The following is a discussion on this blog's main verse and what one could expect when doing crossover threads. As the original SR series is effectively dead in the ground, and as someone who wasn't the biggest fan of how it ended, I am basing this entirely off of my own ideas regarding canon, and my revised version of the third game. Please note that at this point in time, I do not have a post that details just what exactly I've done to rework the events of the third game. So until such a post is made, feel free to send me questions regarding just about anything; from plot points, characters, the setting, and so on. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy what's spoken about here.

Something that I've always been fascinated by were the long-lasting consequences of what the Saints had done during the gang war in Steelport. Because let's be real here; the fact that a street gang was able to completely wipe out a large scale criminal organization, whose power and connections were on a global scale, and win against a paramilitary task force that was under the control and supervision of the US government, which was more than likely really fucking embarrassing for them, is monumental.

And when I say monumental, I mean do you know how fucking insane that is? Like, do you know how that's going to affect the world? I would not put it past any kind of governing body to get a wee bit paranoid over this shit. "Well, if the Saints were able to hold their own against the fucking US military, what does that tell every other criminal organization across the globe?". That's horrifying for people in high positions of power! It sets an example. Plants an idea.

So, I can see them trying to deal with this in a number of ways; either they start dumping all their money into law enforcement in order to counteract organized crime, stay vigilant and play by ear, hire outside forces (I like to consider the Masako and STAG as the catalyst for PMC's becoming much more prevalent in this world). Or, special bonus crime answer, you work with OTHER criminal organizations in order to take out what you consider a huge threat. No matter what choice is made, the end result is all of them coming off as if they're panicking like crazy.

Something to consider as well is the public's perception towards what transpired in Steelport, and the way everything was handled. While the Saints' general popularity may have waned somewhat, there's definitely people out there coming to their defense. Or, at the very least, arguing in their favor. They could be seen as arguably better than a lot of the gangs they've gone up against (something that is hinted at in NPC dialogue during the second game), and they did prevent an entire city from being demolished because the US left a dude in charge who would do absolutely anything in his power to get the job done. So, like, hmm, maybe funny purple gang is a necessary evil?

But on the contrary we have the obvious. "How can you defend a bunch of criminals? Maybe things wouldn't have escalated this badly if they weren't around. These people are scumbags! Worst of the worst! And their leader is a godforsaken psychopath (sociopath, maniac, nutcase, whatever you feel like blurting out that day)". None of it is particularly surprising. Most folk don't really like the idea of letting a gang exist, no matter what sort of perceived "good" they might have done for the community. These are also the same kind of people who may even support whatever kind of law or program may be used in order to strike back against organized crime, regardless of how it may impede upon their life or the lives of other people.

"And what about the criminal underworld? Wouldn't this affect them too? Oh, please tell me more, Andre! You're very smart and creative." Ha ha! Why thank you, Hypothetical Person. But, yes, the criminal underworld will absolutely be affected. I mean, put yourself in the position of a gang leader; how would you personally feel seeing the Saints accomplish such an incredible feat? Either you're gonna try gunning for their leader's head, find yourself inspired enough to try and be just a little bit bolder, recognize the potential threat they are to your empire, or be a real stupid motherfucker and continue to underestimate them. It's highly dependent on the gang itself and the kind of person leading them.

The Saints are in a very interesting position currently. They have cemented themselves as a criminal organization to keep an eye on. A gang that has the potential to put themselves in the history books depending on what choices they make. And knowing how ruthlessly ambitious The Boss happens to be, it is almost guaranteed that the Saints will be doing whatever possible in order to expand this empire of theirs, no matter who might stand in their way.

It is the dawn of a new era within this world, and the 3rd Street Saints are carving their path to greatness.

[delicatebluebirdruins]

why I think Not A Hero is called Not A Hero

this is a ramble and I am sorry

definition (because i second guessed myself and then reading the defnition was amused): In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods/ .A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

so in timeline the events of RE6 happened in 2012/2013 and the events where Chris watching most of his team die (including a 22 year old called Finn), getting post traumatic amnesia, heavy drinking over a extended period of time file “ Upon waking up, Chris had no recollection of who he was or what had occurred, but his mind was wracked by an overwhelming and inexplicable guilt. Chris determined to run away, and he left the hospital before anyone could check in on him... Chris lived as a moody and violent drunk, hoping that he could numb himself to the pain of what happened that fateful day”. Going back into it all with a new team and them dying. Finally watching Piers Nivens get so seriously injured that he saw no other way but to infect himself with the C- Virus (to which there is no cure after they mutate its a death sentence) and made Chris leave as he stayed behind (Piers sacrifice leading Chris to remain with the BSAA) and in Vendetta so 2014 Chris was in another incident involving a mansion where everyone but him died and because of this incident his friend Rebecca Chambers was endangered because she figured out how to make a vaccine and other things happened *coughs* the bad guy dressed her up as his dead wife and it was creepy

and in Not A Hero itself Chris was told to look out for soliders that Lucas had captured and save them. He did not succeed. At the end of the dlc he and Veronica have a conversation the scene is Chris looking at the family photo of the Bakers and the dialogue is this “Chris:... "Think we did any good here?" Veronica: "Not for them, unfortunately, but the mold is contained. Hopefully, they're Evie's last victims." Chris: "Hopefully."

Chris has been doing this for 20 years and has lost a lot of friends and lots of strangers and even returning to a small scale outbreak he wasn’t able to save them. He thought it was over so getting the achievement at the end “you’re the hero now“ you felt that as well (random song rec Victory by two steps from hell)... and then village happened and you lose your mind a bit and it all goes back to hell

and why Chris is working with Blue Umbrella

its literally in a file that is in your inventory from the start of the game and he wasn’t happy about it. He didn’t fully trust them of course. And PMC means Private Military Contractor

For many of you this is your first mission with us, so we wanted to make it clear what Umbrella is all about.Though many of our staff hail from the infamous pharmaceutical giant

Umbrella

, our purpose is to make amends for the atrocities perpetrated under the Umbrella name. That is why we re-incorporated as a PMC in

2007

.We will put a stop to not only anyone who is engineering or selling bioweapons, but those who support those efforts as well. We made a mess and now we have to clean it up. By keeping the Umbrella name, we show that we take responsibility for that mess and we want you to remember that you carry this responsibility with you in every mission.

BSAA Alpha Team members. I’m including this list because of a few of the files from RE6 which stated that Chris “treated them like a family and not like expendable soldiers.“

Jeff BSAA operator 2013 Deceased

Keaton BSAA operator 2013 Deceased

Rose, Marco Explosives expert 2013 Deceased

Reid BSAA operator 2013 Deceased

Nivans, Piers Lieutenant 2012 and 2013 Deceased

Redfield, Chris Team captain 2012 and 2013 Alive

MacCauley, Finn Explosives expert 2012 Deceased

Airhart, Ben BSAA operator 2012 Deceased

Alfonso, Carl BSAA operator 2012 Deceased

Walker, Andy BSAA operator 2012 Deceased

STARS Members (because i can)

Aiken, Richard Backup man Communications expert Bravo Deceased Dewey, Edward Rear-security Pilot Bravo Deceased Frost, Joseph Omni man Vehicle and equipment maintenance technician;qualified to handle dangerous goods. Alpha Deceased Marini, Enrico Leader Bravo leader Bravo Deceased Speyer, Forest Omni man Maintenance, Sharpshooter Bravo Deceased Sullivan, Kenneth J. Pointman Chemist Bravo Deceased

[crimsoncondor]

Kakegurui: Psychological Analysis of Yumeko Jabami (Anime)

This is a description of the ENTP personality type:

https://www.16personalities.com/entp-personality

Pathological gambling presents itself in ways akin to Yumeko's derangement:

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/a-study-on-pathological-gambling-as-an-addiction-psychology-essay.php

(Note the latter source is theoretical. It is possible psychosexual and nurture-related factors contribute to gambling addiction.)

The neuroscience behind pathological gambling directly aligns with Yumeko's mindsets and functions:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3858640/

Color Symbolism Theory:

https://bloodorangesangria.tumblr.com/post/162532139590/kakegurui-color-theory-yumeko-jabamired

Footnotes:

Yumeko is Kakegurui in the form of a character. The series itself is tailored specifically towards her. She is the essence of gambling, addiction, and the combination of both. She symbolizes a myriad of different concepts such as capitalism and Christianity. While Kirari embodies God, she represents Satan. This is implicated in the first opening theme, which is fittingly titled "Deal With the Devil"; this "deal" is the agreement to gamble with Yumeko. She and Kirari appear in the track encompassed by fruit and fish. The former alludes to the serpent's enticements in the Adam and Eve anecdote while the latter refers to Ichthys, a fish-shaped acrostic deemed sacred by the early Church. Because Kirari often compares the order she has established to an aquarium, let us assume the fish is her insignia. The fish may also insinuate the duo are manifestations of Yin and Yang, which is reasonable considering their black and white designs, but this is less likely. In addition, a shot where Midari shoots a girl whose head is a strawberry is featured --- after shooting, a banner stating "Heaven or Hell" appears. In terms of roles and actions in the series, Yumeko carries the debts of others, disrupting the system, and Kirari maintains the debt system itself. This symbolism also exposes some undertones of Christianity, as Yumeko and Kirari are not the polar opposites people perceive God and Satan to be. The color schemes of their designs differ entirely. Black is a prominent color in Yumeko's design, signifying darkness, and Kirari's design is primarily white, representing light. However, these can also represent other notions. Black is associated with mystery, rebellion, sophistication, elegance, formality, aggression, evil, power, strength, seriousness, and authority. Kirari is the authority of the school despite this representation, but Yumeko is gradually climbing up the hierarchical ladder, nevertheless. Given Yumeko's well-kempt, 'yamato nadeshiko' appearance and courteous dialogue, the messages of formality, elegance, and sophistication are valid. However, this design is also reminiscent of many symbols in Japanese horror such as Tomie, Enma, and Sadako. It implies she is a mixture of both and further reinforces her duality. Her breaching of Kirari's system is rebellious, and her largely unenumerated background is mysterious. Regardless of these alignments, darkness suits her as well. Elementally speaking, red and black are respectively affiliated with fire and water, further reinforcing the notion Yumeko has duality. Meanwhile, Kirari's white color is incredibly contradictory, but this is not an analysis of her, so I shall not digress. I will probably analyze her in the future.

Regarding capitalism, the gambling den which serves as the setting of Kakegurui and each of its ties comprise a purely capitalist society. Money is the key to both power and caliber. Yumeko passively defies the system, which exemplifies her alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Kirari and her accomplices such as Runa, Sayaka, Midari, and Yuriko are the government; they perpetuate the class system. The -bami clan has politics of its own and can torture and rampage as much as it wishes due to the money and authority it possesses. Yumeko is a member of this clan but seems to be quite disinterested in its affairs. Many of her relatives are or were dedicated gamblers, so it seems to have become second nature to her. For example, her older sister lost her sanity after risking everything in a clan conflict, resulting in hospitalization. Yumeko's parents died of allegedly unknown causes, insinuating their demises were concealed by the clan and involved them.

When asked by Mary if she was familiar with any of the -bami students, she hesitated and then answered dismissively, which was clearly fabricated. She seems not at all bothered by this baggage, meaning she either suffers from self-induced denial or genuinely does not care. Rei, who had a pleasant relationship with Yumeko's sister before her hospitalization, took her apathy personally, inquiring about whether she felt any guilt towards those she has obliterated via gambling. Yumeko's response was the epitome of addiction: she claimed to feel guilt for not feeling guilt. When Rei unintentionally walked into Yumeko's sister's hospital room while Yumeko was visiting, she saw little sympathy in her eyes. She adds the following inquiry: "Do you know what it feels like too? When a person sinks into despair?" The manner in which she phrased this refers to both her sister and herself. Given Yumeko's circumstances, she most likely "sank into despair" and coped through gambling. However, referring back to "feeling guilt for not feeling guilt", this guilt could have consumed her. The powerful possibility exists she and her sister were in similar situations, but it could also be quite the opposite, resulting in disconnection and therefore apathy. This apathy may be innate as well.

This leads to the core of my theory. Yumeko was born into a gambling family and conditioned into valuing it. She was likely born detached from others and genetically more susceptible to addiction due to the family's customs, but her current state was probably ignited by conditioning as well. The Jabami family was a lower-tier party in the -bami clan, and the capitalist theme of Kakegurui comes into play here, as they possibly gambled for a higher position in the clan --- or simply for the thrill like Yumeko. It would also be psychologically plausible for Yumeko to have experienced trauma due to the clan's harsh and violent ways. Torture was commonplace in several branches of said clan, and Yumeko may have witnessed some of it due to the loss of her family or the natural process of living in this environment. Being poisoned in Season 2 did not seem to affect her greatly; she may be emotionally numb to these acts due to past experiences, or she could have merely been born this manner. She never reacted to Rei's enrollment in the academy either, meaning she was either apathetic or unsurprised. Her relationship with Rei before the events of the story is unknown but most probably meager and distant, founded solely on external observations such as those acquired during the two's mutual visit to the hospital or the auction gamble towards the end of Season 2. The girl has a photographic memory and excellent analysis skills but nonetheless resorts to hunches to shake gambles up; were these characteristics attained over time because of her experienced past in gambling, were they present at birth, or are both the case? Notice my repetitive usage of the terms "either" and "or"; much of this is hypothetical. It is ultimately an enigma whether nature or nurture was the dominant factor contributing to her instability, but both seem to have played a role. Some people are born like Yumeko, others obtain her identity over time, and some are the result of a mixture. Another aspect of her identity implying sheltering and isolation is her lack of familiarity with basic popular culture, but anhedonia and hedonism may have lead to a general absence of interest in the most simplistic of hobbies, which is similar to Midari's situation and another reason the latter empathizes with her.

Yumeko is aware of her gambling addiction, and she is obviously correct, but has she been formally diagnosed? She may have been evaluated when her sister was hospitalized to ensure she would not meet an identical fate; this is not evident, however. It was practically a given for her to be a gambling addict due to her lineage. When push comes to shove, nobody will risk anything they cannot afford to sacrifice. Yumeko has absolutely nothing worth living for and resorts to gambling because it is the final shred of her identity remaining despite her loss. Since it is her lifeline, she assigns different purposes and emotions to it such as lust. Nothing else will satisfy her, so she must force this fetish on herself. Many other members of her clan deal with the same issue because of filial traditions. Gambling preserves and defines her being rather than the loved ones she does not have, so she never quits. She associates the thrills of gambling with those of intercourse to cope with a lack of affection, which is additionally a habit of Midari's and the main reason Midari resonates with her. Despite her fixation on gambling and disregard for those she harms, she does not gamble for the purpose of hurting others, and she seems to possess a morsel of kindness. She wishes for everyone to experience the same thrill she does but cannot comprehend the fact they lack her passions and mindsets. She is also shown to have some level of integrity, as she never cheats and seldom bluffs. This enhances the experience of the game to her, but it may also be a sign of "guilt for not feeling guilt". In Yumeko's unfinished game with Midari during Season 1, she plainly stated she is incapable of feeling fear. Is this natural for her, was it acquired through intense suffering, or are both the case? I honestly believe Yumeko gambles partially due to her "guilt for not feeling guilt". She wishes for someone to strip her of everything she has as punishment for her apathy or any past errors she committed in regards to her late and incapacitated relatives. While she claims she cannot feel fear, one reason other than addiction which motivates her to try whilst gambling is fear of being defeated and having to face herself. She lacks the courage to accept it on her own. Paradoxically, she is utilizing her addiction to scold her for her addiction, and she is risking what she does not need because there is nothing else to sacrifice. She has lost everything.

Why does Yumeko abhor Midari? Their desires are very similar, but Yumeko prefers an intellectual challenge rather than a game of chance. I hypothesize Yumeko relates to Midari in a way which causes insecurities and "guilt for not feeling guilt". Essentially, Midari hits too close to home and is a more impulsive, minimalistic, dramatic, blunt version of her minus the clan controversies.

This character is the subject of the show and is considered a foil; instead of independently developing, she contrasts with others like Yumemi and Sayaka to facilitate their development . . . thus far. This is one of she and Suzui's only similarities.

On multiple occasions, Yumeko is compared to a Joker. As aforementioned, Yumeko has duality, and Jokers are very versatile in a deck of cards depending on the game one employs them for. In Wicca, the Joker is represented by the number zero, a character which includes the meanings of all or nothing, stoicism and comedy, wisdom and idiocy, and delight and despair. The message a joker brings is cryptic, disguised, and mysterious. There are typically two in each deck --- dual jokers. Playing cards have been in existence for more than a millennium, but jokers were added fairly later; the system Kirari established thrived for quite some time, but Yumeko appeared and challenged its rules, much like the Joker.

"Yumeko" translates to "dream child"; at first glance, she seems too good to be true as if she came out of a dream, but in truth, she is diabolical and sly as if she came out of a nightmare. Her surname contains several meanings. The translation "heavy drinker" alludes to her addiction. "Snake", "serpent", "bite", "eat", "drink", and "receive a blow" are other potential solutions. The idiom "snake in the grass" applies to Yumeko and may be one reference appended to the translation; she "thirsts" or "hungers" for gambling. In "Deal With the Devil", she is shown removing Suzui's tie with utensils, preparing to "consume" him with her nature. Her eventful and detrimental background may have “taken a blow” to her sanity. Most importantly, "serpent" may relate to the Adam and Eve tale, making the fruit in "Deal With the Devil" a symbol of her. She succumbs to her desires and encourages others to do the same. Kirari, Rei, and many other characters in Kakegurui are also members of the -bami clan, so "bite" is a section of their names' translations as well, but "snake" is not, making this biblical reference uniquely her own whilst "bite" originates from the nature of her clan.

Yumeko's personality type is easily ENTP. Her extension is A, and her alignment is chaotic neutral. Laws matter little to her, but she is not particularly invested in specific platforms either. The woman's insecurities are subtle to the extent of nonexistent, she is very straightforward and simple-minded, she is able to maintain conversations and presence in given situations, and she is largely separated from reality, which is mostly by choice. Her manipulative rhetoric in tense situations would be quite resourceful in a debate, and since ENTPs are frequently referred to as Debaters, this is sensible. Kirari is an ENTJ-A, which further defends my argument about the two being similar despite representing God and Satan. Hence, her acronym stands for “Extroverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Prospecting, Assertive”. The enneagram is highly controversial, so it shall not be applied to Yumeko.

"Insanity is repeating the same action again and again whilst expecting different results." -Unknown

[zloyodessit]

STAGES OF BELARUS DESTABILIZATION AND ANSCHLUSS BY RUSSIA

This morning, in my piece Belarus to get own anti-Maidan according to Kremlin's plan I noted that the development of events in the republic is clearly following the Kremlin's scenario, which is leading to an Anschluss of this neighboring country. But each plan requires a certain sequence of steps. And this is what I'm going to dwell upon: the stages of the special operation by the GRU military intelligence to destabilize Belarus before absorbing the country.

Stages of Belarus destabilization toward Anschluss by Russia:

1. A number of opposition candidates are introduced into the presidential campaign. Handlers designate Valeriy Tsepkalo, Viktor Babariko, and Sergey Tikhanovsky as leading figures;

2. Their persecution is initiated to create for them an image of victims of the totalitarian regime and further put into a spotlight Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, wife of Sergey Tikhanovsky with no political background whatsoever. She is the weakest, albeit most effective, candidate in terms of PR technology. The "opposition" is told to get united around her, highlighting "persecution" of other candidates by the regime;

3. A unified network of information resources, primarily Telegram channels spinning anti-Putin content, which earlier covered and promoted protest moods in Russia's Khabarovsk Territory, switches to Belarus events, exploiting the original content posted by NEXTA Telegram channel.

4. Russian propaganda pundits (Semyon Pegov, Alexandr Kots, etc.), as well as those who work under the cover of Western outlets, are deployed in Belarus;

5. Russia goes for a show-off deployment (with military uniform and insignia at hand, group accommodation, etc.) in Belarus of PMC Wagner mercenaries, with their further setup to be detained by Belarusian KGB. The sophisticated move had three goals: to divert public attention from main figures involved in the plot, to eventually neutralize the "Russian trace" in the unrest, and to create tension between Belarus and Ukraine;

6. In parallel lines, the narrative of the so-called "Western role" in the upcoming protests and provocations is promoted (with an emphasis on Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States, and the Czech Republic). An important element at this stage is "useful idiots", for example, Ukrainian MP Ihor Mosiychuk's statements about the arrival in Belarus of "Ukrainian radicals". Also, a massive information campaign is run by NEXTA, the Telegram channel physically operated from Poland (one of the "Western countries") , but supervised by Russian infiltrator-journalists from Prague, using narratives designed by the Kremlin media, etc...

7. First, a number of Belarusian restaurateurs call for setting up in Kyiv of an assembly point for the Belarusian "opposition". Then Valeriy Tsepkalo is taken out of Belarus along the route Moscow - Kyiv - Warsaw - Kyiv, thereby creating tension and mutual distrust between Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus over sheltering Lukashenko's antagonist and providing him with a platform for relaying anti-Lukashenko messages. Then Moscow institutes a criminal case against Tsepkalo and puts him on wanted list, as they do with all infiltrators they deploy on a foreign mission as Trojan horses. Tsepkalo's travel log thus becomes another "evidence" of the alleged "western trace" in handling Belarusian "opposition";

8. The flywheel of reports is spun harder about election rigging and rallies are radicalized by the scenario of Yellow Vests in France, separatist protests in Catalonia, and BLM riots through Antifa, all toward a fierce confrontation with law enforcement, to draw for global media a picture of a bloody massacre in Minsk. This aims at shaping and presenting a one-sided picture for the Western audiences about the atrocities of the bloody dictator. The purpose of this stage is to get a quite expected reaction of Western governments with calls new sanctions, which not only isolates Lukashenko from any dialogue, but also pushes him towards "settlement" with Putin;

9. Puppet Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is deployed to Lithuania, while Putin greets Lukashenko with reelection – both moves play significantly contribute to the cause of creating a presence of the "western trace" in Belarusian protests, thereby claiming that Russia has nothing to do with them, and that it's all done by the West, as it was in Ukraine in 2013-2014. Another "color revolution", another Maidan – while the GRU continues to purposefully destabilize Belarus;

10. "Western trace" finally begins to prevail over "Russian influence" when setting up of the "anti-Maidan" is green-lighted. Its participants are supposed to clash with the "Maidan" activists. Confrontation is inevitable, since trained provocateurs have penetrated the ranks of both sides. Their main task is to create preconditions for chaos and, of course, shed blood.

As the Belarusian anti-Maidan project being created, Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin hold a phone conversation, during which the Russian president promises assistance to the allied republic upon request. Alexander Lukashenko gives military instructions to redeploy the Vitebsk-based division (located in the east of the country closer to the Russian border) to the western borders, from where allegedly "the main threat is coming," at the same time weakening defenses in the area where for some time calls have been coming for the creation of the so-called "Vitebsk People's Republic" (VNR);

11. The GRU, whom the Kremlin in 2019 gave full control over the Belarusian issue, is speeding up the implementation of Plan "A", namely: shaping a public opinion that the West has plotted a "color revolution" in Belarus as they did in Ukraine in 2013-2014; intimidating Lukashenko and provoking him toward tough confrontation with the collective "West"; provoking an antagonistic reaction to this on the part of the West; radicalizing protests and the overall situation in the country (this time it's not only the format of peaceful activists vs riot police, but also "Maidan" vs "anti-Maidan"; forcing Lukashenko to bow down before the Kremlin with the subsequent surrender of Belarus to Russia on Moscow's terms.

But this 11th stage, fatal for Belarus, isn't the last one, actually ... After all, hybrid strategists also have some spare cards up their sleeve to complete the solitaire layout by a different scheme, of which we're also aware.

So, here comes stage 12: Plan B, which is Alexander Lukashenko fleeing to Russia, with the further bringing to power of one of the "opposition" figures (read "Kremlin puppets").

There's also Plan C, namely, the creation along Belarus regions accessible to absorption of the so-called "people's republics" with access to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.

Actually, nothing new here... We've already observed much of this. But if history is repeating itself, the question arises why are the Belarusian KGB and intelligence so idle? Are they so ignorant, really, not to see what's cooking? Or perhaps they deliberately choose to turn a blind eye…

https://medium.com/@zloyodessit2.0/stages-of-belarus-destabilization-and-anschluss-by-russia-440a414f9381

[wrimsairsoft]

https://www.foxla.com/news/armed-man-in-military-apparel-arrested-on-assault-weapon-charges-in-downtown-la?fbclid=IwAR3UAWwVZUkpikaIHXvLpHCX52b7Sij8AXmBIgVmf5c1umZgW5nhYhuViA0

Gregory Wong aka Spartan117GW was arrested impersonating a national guard.  Edit: Some explanation required, Spartan was one of the main “airsoft celebrities” about 5 years ago when airsoft was really growing. I kind of lost track on who’s who nowadays. The whole thing seems exhibitionistic.

New info: maybe because such behavior has been accepted in other places: https://twitter.com/David_Leavitt/status/1268059487421763584… The tipping point being impersonating the real national guard. Maybe if he was dressed as a pmc he wouldn't have been arrested

--------- As an airsoft community grows you teach each other what’s right and what’s wrong. As soon as there’s a negative article about something airsoft related in the region we discuss it. We use our fields once a week and when we’re not there vandalism may occur. Our community’s elected board members had a dialogue with local citizens in a facebook thread with positive response! They were later interviewed by local radio and we got some positive coverage from it: (Interview in Swedish only): https://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/1504074?start=8086&fbclid=IwAR0nmPM4OypDI09B6DeWP2CzYjQvz7964veyGnj7-yN1Zo9QkX8Uf6M1n5I Police once visited our field because a player carried an empty holster from a parking lot to the field. With that in mind we take every precaution to make our activities safe for players and non-players. We make sure to notify the police before every game about: Where our event is what airsoft is that we’re wearing uniforms and fake guns how many we are contact information to whoever’s hosting for the day when we’re ending the event When it’s over we call them back so they can cancel the log in their systems.

[phobiasandanxietydisorders-blog]

Glossophobia

sources:

https://www.psycom.net/glossophobia-fear-of-public-speaking

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181681/

https://www.healthline.com/health/glossophobia#causes 

Overview

Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking and is considered a social anxiety disorder.

It’s an extremely common phobia and believed to affect up to 74% of the population. This can range from having slight nervousness at the thought of public speaking while other express debilitating symptoms that affect their quality of life.

Glossophobia is often present in people with social anxiety disorders. According to Dr. Jeffrey R. Strawn, MD and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and Director of the Anxiety and Disorders Research Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, glossophobia may affect 5%-9% of Americans. That’s about 16 million to 30 million Americans. 

Dr. Strawn states, “Not all individuals with a fear of public speaking have a social anxiety disorder or another psychiatric disorder... clear functional impairment is generally required.”

“Clear functional impairment” is not just nervousness at the thought of giving a speech; the fear of public speaking will interfere with one’s quality of life and will reduce their ability to function when presented with public speaking.

Symptoms

- Increased blood pressure

- Shaking

- Increased sweating

- Dry mouth

- Stiffening of back muscles

- Nausea and panic

- Vomiting

- Hyperventilation

- Dizziness

- Intense anxiety at thought of public speaking

Causes

A common cause for glossophobia is from a past trauma where they felt embarrassed or rejected by the public. It could be a past presentation that did not go well and caused their peers to laugh at them or in an event where they were forced to present without any preparation. After a bad experience where they felt embarrassment, they do not want to repeat that experience, so they avoid public speaking.

Phobias and anxieties can also be hereditary. In a study by Thierry Steimer, PhD from Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, Steimer reported that if you breed mice with less fear and anxiety, their offspring will have less anxiety, and vice versa, based on genetic evidence.

Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 

- Work with a therapist to identify the main cause of one’s anxiety

- Learn coping skills

- Eventually learn how to have a healthy relationship with public speaking

Medications (only to soothe symptoms, should not be the end-all solution)

- Beta-blockers: Usually used to treat high blood pressure and heart disorders, but it can relieve the symptom of increased heartbeat.

- Anti-depressants: Usually used to treat depression, but also effective in treating social anxiety as it regulates mood drops.

- Anti-anxiety medication (Benzodiazepines): Ativan or Xanax can relieve anxiety

Other Options

Expose yourself to public speaking. Unfortunately, you will have to engage in public speaking eventually, especially in your academic career, and you can take steps to ease your symptoms over time.

Practice your presentation often. Practicing will help you feel more in control of the situation and more confident in your knowledge of the material. You can also practice coping mechanisms such as taking deep breaths in between sentences to prevent hyperventilation.

Record or videotape your presentation. Seeing how you look/sound while you present will help you fix anything that you are worried about. If you’re worried about talking too fast or too slow, you can observe and adjust your pace. If you’re worried about your posture or eye contact with the audience, you can fix those as well.

How to help people with glossophobia

In general, be nice and respectful to anyone who has to give a presentation. About 74% of the population has some degree of anxiety towards public speaking, and you never know what other people are going through. Don’t laugh if they mess up, because everyone makes mistakes, and that’s okay!

True Story

https://www-clinicalkey-com.ezproxy.library.unlv.edu/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S0735109719329213?returnurl=null&referrer=null

From the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: “Beyond Stage Fright: A Case of Glossophobia-Induced Sudden Cardiac Arrest” by Annor, Ama et al.

A 19 year old male experienced sudden cardiac arrest after a speech with no family history of cardiac arrest. After an echocardiogram, EKG, and treadmill testing, the patient did not have any heart abnormalities. Then seven months later, he experienced another episode of sudden cardiac arrest after giving a speech. The patient was given beta blockers to take before giving a speech and hasn’t had an episode since.

[ramajmedia]

Writer-Director Matthew Michael Carnahan Interview: Mosul

Writer Matthew Michael Carnahan is no stranger to politically charged thrillers, having made his feature writing debut with 2007's The Kingdom and following up with provocative dramas like the underrated Lions for Lambs and the claustrophobic State of Play. More recently, he wrote the surprise hit, World War Z, as well as the upcoming 21 Bridges, starring Chadwick Boseman.

For his directorial debut, Carnahan is forging new ground in familiar territory: Mosul follows an elite team of cops who find themselves drawn into a life-or-death battle with ISIS over their home, the eponymous city. In contrast to most action/war films set in the Middle East, the heroes of Mosul aren't PMC interlopers or American advisors, white faces who find themselves up against an army of brown faces. This is a story about the righteous residents of Mosul who fought to protect their homes and their families from terrorists who trade in fear and death.

Related: Film Festival 2019 Preview: 12 Biggest Movies With Oscar Chances

Produced by Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and produced by MCU writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, Mosul boasts an impressive pedigree of blockbuster talent behind the scenes. Perhaps it's this creative supergroup of proven talent that allowed Mosul to exist as it is, a foreign-language action film with a sizeable budget and large-scale action sequences with an entirely non-white cast. While promoting the film's performance at TIFF, Carnahan spoke with Screen Rant about his work on the film, from capturing the indomitable spirit of fighters protecting something as sacred as their own land, to shooting the visceral action scenes that punctuate key moments of the movie. He also discusses his attachment to the source material, a New Yorker essay by Luke Mogelson, and his continuing efforts to get a movie off the ground with his brother, acclaimed filmmaker Joe Carnahan.

Mosul debuted at the Venice and Toronto International film festivals is currently in the process of acquiring distribution.

Screen Rant: For the Screen Rant reader who might not know about it yet, can you tell us what Mosul is about, and what makes it stand out from other action/war movies set in the Middle East?

Carnahan: It's about the Nineveh SWAT team. They were a group of cops, primarily in Mosul. They were a group of local cops who were pretty goddamned elite, and they're fighting ISIS to take back their city, to take back their homes. ISIS knew who these guys were. They knew who their families were. A lot of these guys [who] flocked to ISIS when they attacked in 2014 were the same criminals these cops had been arresting before ISIS existed. They knew who these guys were. In a lot of cases, they either killed or took their families. And this unit, they would literally rise to the sound of gunfire. They were constantly moving closer to the fight, because that's where their homes were, their lives, that's where their families still are, in some cases. That's what this story is about. It was the thing that grabbed me from Luke Mogelson's New Yorker article.

Screen Rant: And was there something in particular that drew you, personally, to the story?

Carnahan: It's embarrassing to admit in one sense, because I didn't know, having grown up in an America that's been at war with Iraq in some way, shape, or form since I was a senior in high school, I didn't fathom that these guys existed. They want the very same things I want for my hometown, my family, my children, and they're sacrificing themselves for each other to get that back. I was so blown away, and so taken with the hell these guys willingly and gladly put themselves into to get the things we have and in some cases take for granted. That's what grabbed me about it, and that's what I think your readers should know, first and foremost. Local Iraqi cops banning together to fight ISIS. The other thing you should know, too, in order to get on the SWAT team, you obviously needed to know your way around a battlefield, but you also either had to have been wounded by ISIS or lost a loved one to them in order to be admitted to the SWAT team. And most of these guys, both happened to them. They were a unit of badasses doing God's work. They did the things we hope we would do if we found ourselves in that position.

Screen Rant: In a typical Hollywood movie, there would be some fictionalized CIA guys - who would probably be super white - who would be the leads, and these guys, these actual heroes, would be supporting players in their own story. It shouldn't feel like a risk, but did it feel like a risk casting relatively unknown, brown faces to star in what looks to me like a big budget action thriller?

Carnahan: If it was a risk, Joe and Anthony never let me in on it. They were totally supportive and on board, as enamored with the challenge as I was from jump street. They allowed me to just focus on making the best possible movie I could. Never once did they bring up the budget or concerns about the cast. They just wanted the best people possible for those roles. We went to all corners of the Earth to drum [up] as much talent as we could. I think, in that respect, we did an astounding job. Once you see these guys, see them on film, any worry about acting talent goes right out the window. Once you hear them speaking some version of their mother tongue, to me, that just proves the point that these guys want the same things we all want. The things that unite us in humanity are so much more numerous and meaningful than the things that divide us. To me, to watch these guys go through this hell that they go through in the movie, to hear them tell jokes and make smart-ass comments to each other in this Baghdad dialect Arabic, it just proves the point even more. It proves it in such a salient way, for me, at least, than if they were English actors who happened to look the part who were speaking with an English accent because that's used as a stand-in for all foreign languages. That, to me, would be the bigger risk. We wanted to embrace who these guys are, the language they speak. That's the central message of the movie, that we're so much more alike than we think. Let the fact that they're from this part of the world, that they're speaking a version of their language, let that accentuate the message.

Screen Rant: It reminds me a bit... Markus and McFeely produced this movie, and they wrote all the Captain America movies, and The First Avenger has that great line of dialogue, that "the first country the Nazis invaded was their own."

Carnahan: Yes.

Screen Rant: It's like, ISIS is there, and so we can look at it from a distance and go, "everyone who is over there is brown, so they must be ISIS." But there are people fighting back within that space, but we don't hear about it.

Carnahan: Absolutely. Absolutely. And to your earlier point, the traditional version of this would be about, say, some badass Navy SEALS. I expressly didn't want that. The group we used, TigerSwan, who did our security, all of our military advising, they had trained a local Iraqi police force. So I told Sean, the man from TigerSwan who ran this three-week boot camp that I put all my actors through - and it turned out to be invaluable. It's their movement. If that action is unbelievable, then nothing else in the movie is going to work - and I told Sean, I don't want these guys at the end of this to be "tip-of-the-spear badasses." I wanted them to be what they would be in real life; really good, but not totally polished. They know how to clear a room, but they're not supposed to have that Swiss watch type of movement. They're guys who had to learn how to do this on the job. The reason they look behind the door isn't because they trained endlessly, but because they remember one time when the guy in front of them didn't look behind the door and was killed by someone who was waiting there. That was the level of action I was looking for. Brutal. Fast. These scenes explode and end before you can even really grasp what has just happened. I really wanted to dial in on that and let the action be as close to what these guys actually saw in Mosul as we could possibly make it.

Screen Rant: You're well equipped to be directing this movie! And this is the first time you've been in the hands-on position of director. You've written a lot of military-themed thrillers over the years, The Kingdom being the first, I believe, but this is your directorial debut. What was it about this project that made you feel, "I need to call the shots on this one?"

Carnahan: It's going to sound like a lame answer, but that New Yorker article grabbed me in a way that few things ever have. There's an enormous blind spot that this article exposed in me, that these guys exist, and of course these guys exist! We tend to think of Iraq in a monolithic way, "That's the enemy," because that's the way it's been portrayed for so long. But these guys exist and I was amazed by them. So I couldn't risk writing this and then that being lost. That was the first thing. I just had a part of me that wanted to be the director's chair for a while, but I hadn't been able to find that one thing that felt like, "That's the one I need to do. That's the one I can't look at myself in the mirror if I don't at least try to direct this one." That was this article. That was the thing that grabbed on to me like nothing else. I felt, if I don't write and direct this thing, I'm going to regret it until the day I die. It's too big, it's too important, it's too meaningful, personally to me, to risk handing it over and then having that central thing that grabbed me get lost or downplayed in any way.

Screen Rant: This story is all about heroism and terror and fighting for something as sacred as home. When you're doing a movie based on true events, is there any kind of disconnect during the shoot? Like, when you have downtime between takes, and there are, like, dead civilian bodies littered throughout the set, is there a feeling of, "Maybe we shouldn't be having fun right now?"

Carnahan: (Laughs)

Screen Rant: Like, is there that disconnect of, "Well, we're making a movie, this is just part of it, of course we can play around between shots," or is it super solemn? What type of tone do you strike on the set, behind the scenes?

Carnahan: It was heavy stuff, for sure. At no point was anyone unaware of what we were doing. This is where I thank Philip Ivey, our production designer. He was so goddamned fantastic and critical to the tone of the movie, because you walk onto one of his sets, and it feels like the middle of a warzone. That tells everyone, this is what we're doing. This is the world we're in. It's best not to f-ck around in this world. And the times we did lighten it up matched up to the movie. There is a scene people love, who have seen the movie, where they go into a hotel room and they're watching... Luke talks about it in the article, how these guys are obsessed with this Kuwaiti soap opera. So, any time they're in a room with a television with power, they look for this Kuwaiti soap opera. And we found the soap opera, so there's a moment where they're in this hotel room and they're riffing off these characters. And they're lighting the hookah, they're smoking, listening to Run the Jewels, because they love rap music. That's another way to show people that they like the same music. Young Iraqis love the exact same music as young Americans and young Westerners. Those moments, we were able to have fun because those were the moments they were having fun. It all depended on what we were doing on the day. When the SWAT team is trying to save these two little boys who were pushing their dead mother who was under a blanket on a cart, which was a true event, it puts tears in my eyes just thinking about it, that was really tough stuff. Beautiful and horrific... There was no joking around on the set that day, if that's not too convenient of a way to answer. To me, that's everything I've heard about warfare. These moments of sheer boredom, followed by bowel-shaking terror. That's what we tried to do in the movie. It lent itself well to it. We never got too grim, because we were always on to the next scene.

Screen Rant: While I was doing my research, my due diligence and all that...

Carnahan: (Laughs)

Screen Rant: Ya know, I'm a big fan of yours, and of your brother, Joe. I noticed that you two have never officially worked together, co-created a movie. I'm still holding out hope for Nemesis.

Carnahan: Yes. Yes.

Screen Rant: Could you talk a bit about how your processes are similar or different and why you've never been a two-brother team like, for instance, the Russos?

Carnahan: We were working on White Jazz, which was a follow-up to L.A. Confidential. It was the James Ellroy book he wrote after L.A. Confidential. We were so close. George Clooney was signed on, but it fell apart. And then Nemesis, we were so close with Fox, but that fell apart, too. We'll take a long break from one another, and if the planets align in the next cycle, then maybe next time, we'll actually bring something to screen.

Screen Rant: I hope so!

Carnahan: Joe is why I'm even in this position. He has been more confident in me that I've been in myself at various points in my life. He's the only reason I started writing, and he's the only reason I find myself on the phone with you, talking about a movie of mine that's playing in Venice and Toronto. It's only because of the doors he's kicked open for me. At some point, I'll pay him back.

Screen Rant: I think both of your work is 10 out of 10, but you're both also so different. It would be a different kind of collaboration than you'd get from a team like the Russos, where maybe you feel like they're on the same wavelength.

Carnahan: Yes. Yeah, we might murder each other. We'll have a documentary crew filming it, because that might be more interesting than the movie itself, but I think there's something great we can do together, we just have to figure out what the hell it is!

More: Endgame Directors Answer The Fans' 15 Biggest Questions

source https://screenrant.com/mosul-matthew-michael-carnahan-interview/

[developmentmythsexposed]

Late adulthood controversies- assisted dying

In recent years, there has been intense controversies regarding the topic of assisted dying among elderlies, a form of euthanasia. While some consider assisted death as a compassionate way to end death for those who wish to take control of their own death, minimizing suffering from pain while protecting their dignity, others view it as suicides that do not ultimately result in the improved care of elderly people. Currently, five states in the U.S., namely Montana, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and New Mexico have passed assisted dying in state laws, causing an upheaval of conflict between people with differing views. In a letter written towards New York State in passing the law that would have allowed assisted suicide to pass, it states the dangers of having “no accountability and oversight to prevent abuses” (Mechmann, 2018). The letter focuses on how the legislation may pose dangers to vulnerable patients, urging “the Assembly Health Committee and the Legislature as a whole to reject it” (Mechmann, 2018). The question of whether assisted suicide indeed improves quality of life for the elderly as they become nearer to their end-of-life is also sparked through an article published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2016. According to the study, since Oregon, once a “leader in promoting hospice care before it legalized assisted suicide,” had “its percentage improvement in utilization of hospice fell below the national average,” after legalization of assisted suicide. Additionally, the author points out that Oregon decreased the number of hospice care centers since the legislation, as it “opened only five new hospices from 2000 to 2014, at a time when 1,832 opened in other states.” This information prompts readers to feel that assisted dying may be used by many as an excuse to decrease quality treatments for elderlies and end their lives prematurely (Ballentine et al, 2016). Moreover, it argues that another of the five states that has made assisted suicide legal, Washington, “also has a hospice utilization rate below the national average” (Ballentine et al, 2016).

Yet, 36 published research has been reviewed together to show what people considered a good death. Results showed that people who were near death preferred treatments “related to not prolonging life, a belief that all available treatments were used, a sense of control over treatment choices, and euthanasia/physician-assisted suicide.” This result was also complementary to the theme of dignity found in the preferences among elderly, as “the theme of dignity consisted of being respected as an individual and maintaining independence” （Meier et al., 2016）. There seems to be also an emphasis on the importance of being pain-free, which is what can be brought on with euthanasia. The research states that “ ‘Pain-free status’ was the second most frequent core theme of good death in the sample (81%) ” （Meier et al., 2016）. This shows that despite the existing legislation on death, the preference of most people was tending towards maintaining dignity, being free from suffering and having a sense of control over their deaths.

I believe that legislation and end-of-life care for elderlies may be imperfect and controversial especially when it comes to the topic of assisted suicide. Existing inadequacies in the system may hold severe consequences, especially in the oversight of care, possibility of neglect, and how well death time is predicted. However, that is not to say that assisted suicide as an approach is negative, because it does cater to the wishes of those involved, and the lack of such options can lead to the loss of dignity and quality of life for individuals nearing death. Opposing opinions regarding assisted suicide may even find common ground in which both focus on improving the quality of life of those nearing death. To uphold this common ground well, it is imperative to see death as not only biological but also psychological, with many unintended consequences on not only the physical and emotional state of the elderlies but also the family of those who are nearing the end of their lives. It is also essential that death is not seen as a black-or-white matter or event, and that there exists a difference in the conception of death between elderly people and others around them, as how we see death changes at various points across the life span. Assessments of possibilities of impairment of emotional state, such as depression, may also be a factor that changes one’s opinion of assisted suicide. Such factors must be considered thoroughly in the decision of whether assisted suicide should be implemented. In conclusion, quality of care needs to be improved as a whole for elderly people nearing their end-of-life, considering biological and psychological aspects, and family should be aware that their experiences and opinions of death may vary greatly from those who are nearing their end of life.

 References

1.    J. Ballentine et al.(2016) Physician-Assisted Death Does Not Improve End-of-Life Care. Journal of Palliative Medicine 19 1-2. Retrieved July 30 2020.

2.    Edward T. Mechmann. (May 3 2018) Testimony on Physician-Assisted Suicide Legislation. Medical Aid in Dying Act” (A.2383-A / S.3151-A) Retrieved July 30 2020 from https://www.nyscatholic.org/testimony-on-physician-assisted-suicide-legislation/

3.    Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. (Jan 22 2016) Defining a Good Death (Successful Dying): Literature Review and a Call for Research and Public Dialogue. NCBI. Retrieved July 30 2020 fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828197/

[firecodex]

Transcript

Allister: …Oh. Hi.

Allister: It's nice and relaxing in the dark…

[upcomnpuneprojects-blog]

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[kickstarter-promotion]

Another Amazing Kickstarter (Organism8 by Derek Duong —Kickstarter) has been published on http://crowdmonsters.com/new-kickstarters/organism8-by-derek-duong-kickstarter/

A NEW KICKSTARTER IS LAUNCHED:

Yulana Carter, Protagonist of Organism8

Take control of galactic PMC corporal Yulanna Carter on a mission to investigate a solar system that has halted in space time

  Genre – Metroidvania – Action – High Difficulty  

Number of Players – Single Player  

Platforms – Windows  

Game Engine – Unity 

    Each biome has 2 layers, a surface level and its depths.

  Each biome comes with its own unique wildlife. Wildlife do not just wonder aimlessly, they are driven by a set of numerical values such as a hunger, thirst, and current temperature value that will then determine what it should do such as eat its food source, drink from a pond, or warm up if its cold. 

 Weather and outside temperatures also vary between areas. Be prepared to use the fire augment to raise suit temperature in cold areas or to prevent Carter from being caught in spider silk and vice versa. 

Take advantage of the laws of thermodynamics as you brave the environments. Utilize the fire upgrade in cold environments to melt ice, utilize it as a flamethrower in the steady beam fire-mode, or use it in the form of a thermal shield to prevent temperature loss in extreme cold.

Temperature plays a key role in both combat flow and AI behavior. Creatures who don’t like fire will flail around if ignited, creatures who are too cold will try to warm up. 

    Each option can be used with Carter’s different elements allowing the player to combo different projectile types. Use an explosives deployable that can transform into a grenade and mine, or a rocket launcher that can transform into a remote drone that can bomb targets from above with each of the 4 beam types. Options are used in the left hand, allowing Carter to fire her arm cannon while utilizing any option simultaneously. 

Combine fire element with the rocket launcher, firing a devastating magma missile that will instantly ignite targets, utilize singularity with the grenade option to pull enemies into a tight ball and finish them off with a mining laser, or set a freezing mine to prevent an invincible swarm of robot insects from devouring carter with numbers.

Upgradeable jetpack can be used to traverse long gaps. Orb shield used to block various projectiles.

Enemy behavior awareness is key to survival as many of the more complex organisms are equipped with sight and sound sensory. Many of the more complex enemies can do many of the things that Carter can do and then some, attempting to strong arm everything will not be a good idea. 

High-Mobile Reaver Drones equipped with reflecting energy shields that can be launched at Carter for a devastating explosion. Hack the robot boss of the area instead of killing it to have them fight for you later.

Carter does not get stronger with each upgrade, only more diverse. This keeps even earlier parts of the game relevant and prevents the player from strong arming content. This means that when a player defeats a boss, it is because he/she mastered the content rather than overpowered it. 

Nemesis style bosses that will chase Carter through key parts of the campaign. Bosses can sometimes change or grow depending on different choices made throughout the campaign. Outcomes from various boss battles can influence previous or the next environments and forthcoming battles. 

Concept art of Damsel, a music based boss that will change hazards and tracks based on current temperature.

Bosses will not be pushovers, be prepared to face enrage mechanics for failing to disrupt animations or for taking too long to punish the enemy for using high risk abilities. Enrage timers are also prevalent in the game.

  Extremely difficult areas that will reward new quality of life upgrades when completed. Traversing these areas requires exceptional skill as even small creatures can terminate Carter quickly. 

Multiple play-throughs will be encouraged to obtain all unlockables. Skipping the Hornet Queen the second time (Since the Fireshot would have been obtained during the first run) will buy her time to complete metamorphosis which will allow her to dominate a different part of the game with new abilities. Killing her at this point rewards a new firing mode for Carter’s Drone. 

As I learn new techniques and become more efficient, I am always willing to go back and adjust previous work to bring it up to par and am always open to suggestions. 

As time passes I’ll be improving more on the art assets and changing how some of the systems work. 

  Left – Old Hornet Queen Sprite, Right – New Hornet Queen Sprite with Below Post Metamorphosis exclusive to NG+

The method for sight and hearing intake has been completed now with alliance values as some of the NPCs such as the rust drones can now be allied with Carter if the boss is defeated in a specific manner. 

The generic skeleton for Wildlife AI, complete with water source, food source, and temperature preference is complete. This can now be applied in a modular fashion to new wildlife creations. More testing is still needed and pack AI is something currently being written. 

The generic skeleton for enemy AI both air and ground has been completed. Some adjustments are needed for unique behavior such as wall latching. 

Temperature and Damage now follows a standardized format for ease of understanding. Attacks for each of the damage types are now color coded. Fire colors raise temperature, Ice colors lower temperature, Green colors bypass defenses and terrain, all nonconforming colors do straight damage with critical multipliers when in vulnerable condition. 

Art assets for environments:sea caves, marshlands, oceania, and volcano are still being drawn (so the second half of the biome image). Water dynamics, flammable oil, silk, have been instantiated. 

Efficiency for dynamic grass model is being improved for performance(feels like running your thumb through a tooth brush currently, satisfying but not realistic). 

Currently you see generic particle effects using Unity’s particle system for explosions. This is being retired for a new emission model and smoke effects for fire and cold explosions. Smoke as currently written for the new model has visual impairment for NPCs so making sure the explosions and after effects are consistent is important as they have gameplay use.

dynamic grass demo

Full controller support is still being worked on, new radial menu was implemented to help manage all of the equipment Carter has with the controller but can be used with mouse and keyboard. The game is intended for M+KB but controller dynamics is still being worked on to ensure that people who want to play with the controller can do so properly. Room puzzles are still in the design phase. 

I am using a simple key system for event handling. Levels which are intended to have dynamic or reactive events have a level key that pulls values from the player key which will then dictate the status of the room. (Simple, efficient, everyone who has a game with backtracking uses it or something similar). 

A story is planned for the game complete with dialogue. 

No real soundtracks currently except for the trailer music. Still learning the new music software. The trailer music took me a half an hour to write after learning some basics with SONAR. Some melodies have been saved as I play around with the instruments I want to hear in the game but will present more later. I have a background in both music, painting, and writing and I am using this game to help me remember things that I have not used in a very long time.

Risks and challenges

Sound Effects. Sound is important and making custom effects is vital in making the game stand out.

That’s literally the only thing stopping me. Art, Programming, Company responsibilities have all already been taken care of.

All assets seen in the .gifs and trailer are subject to change and improvements.

The money raised from this kickstarter will be used to purchase some new sound equipment that will be used to develop unique sounds for the game. I would also like to work on this game full time to ensure it can be released in a timely manner. Currently I can invest 4 hours a day as I need my full time job currently but would like to invest much more of the day to ensuring that I can release a complete game.

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[zloyodessit]

Kremlin uses Belarusian "opposition" leader to draw Kyiv into a game against Minsk

In 2014, streams of Russian journalists, opposition figures, and activists literally rushed to Ukraine, all at once and without any logical justification, allegedly seeking some kind of refuge from Vladimir Putin's criminal, totalitarian rule. Over the past years, however, those who have found refuge in Ukraine have been retransmitting narratives compromising Ukraine and playing along with Russian propaganda.

In fact, Ukraine has become a haven for serpents it has sheltered on its chest, who successfully implemented Kremlin propaganda projects from within. And it looks like the scenario with the "refugees" is being played again, this time – with the Belarusians.

So, the ex-contender for the presidential post in Belarus, former head of the High Technologies Park Valery Tsepkalo, who recently fled from the totalitarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko to a "democratic" and "freedom-of-speech-honoring" Russia, moved to Kyiv!

Just weeks after an odious restaurateur Vadim Prokopyev, who has called to turn Kyiv into an assembly point for the “Belarusian opposition”, which in fact doesn't exist, another latent puppet in a hybrid political game emerged in the Ukrainian capital. Not only did he emerge – he has already been interviewed by Hromadske, a local outlet that has long compromised itself and whose representative, Russian national Katerina Sergatskova, was more than once caught on spinning second-rate fake stories, not so long ago left Ukraine citing alleged "threats".

So let's stop there a moment and draw a preliminary line. Valeriy Tsepkalo, who last month fled from a "totalitarian" Belarus to a "democratic" Russia, suddenly resurfaces Ukraine and immediately gives an interview to the local media outlet, whose journalist Katerina Sergatskova, the one affiliated with Russian special services, has been spreading fake news about Ukraine. But these are only preliminary facts...

Valery Tsepkalo arrives in Ukraine amid Kyiv's calls on Minsk to extradite Russian militants with the Wagner PMC, who were previously detained in Minsk on suspicion of plotting sabotage in order to radicalize local protests and add to them a violent element of confrontation.

Moreover, not only had some of these militants taken part in Donbas hostilities alongside Russia's occupation forces, some also appear in the Maidan deadly shooting case – like Andrei Bakunovich, a former Berkut riot police operative.

Do you think the emergence in Kyiv of a so-called "opposition figure", who is like a bone in the Belarus government's  throat, will contribute to a normal, mutually beneficial dialogue on the issue of extradition of extradition of the busted terrorists? I doubt it.

In fact, Tsepkalo plays the role of a parking brake in the negotiation process between Ukraine and Belarus in the Kremlin's ongoing game. The dialogue regarding the extradition of the Wagner mercenaries to Ukraine will simply be driven into a dead end, since the Belarusian authorities may demand extradition of the fugitive opposition figure, which is exactly what Moscow needs. After all, if Belarus turns to Ukraine with a request to extradite Tsepkalo, then pro-Russian talking heads, both high- and low-profile (politicians, journalists, and human rights activists) will immediately raise alarm, insisting that Kyiv not hand over an odious figure to the evil guy Lukashenko. He should be offered a political asylum instead, they will claim. This will not only stall the dialogue on the transfer of the Wagner militants who committed crimes against Ukraine, but also undermine trust between Ukraine and Belarus.

The most ridiculous part of this play is that Russian propaganda is already spreading the narrative that Tsepkalo has no contacts and support in Moscow whatsoever, and that's why he allegedly moved to Kyiv, from where he intends to coordinate protest rallies following the election day on August 9. But what has the guy been doing in the Russian capital for the last two weeks or so? It looks like he has been rehearsing for his new role in line with the new legend and receiving relevant instructions.

This story reminded me of the events of 2010, when the Russian special services came up with a ridiculous legend for their agent Akhmed Chatayev, the man who was yet to become an ISIS commander and organizer of the terror attack at the Istanbul Airport. When Chatayev was initially arrested in Ukraine and intended for extradition back to Russia, where, according to his legend, he was on wanted list, pretty much like any other Russian agents that had been deployed in the West under the guise of Chechen refugees, lots of human rights activists and pseudo-patriots proclaimed that Ukraine must not hand over to Russia Mr Chatayev, "Putin's enemy", as they said.

As a result, this "Putin's enemy", with his new, reinforced legend, later got back to Europe, then caused a stir in Georgia in the interests of Russian security forces, became an ISIS operative responsible for terrorist attacks in Europe, and reached a pinnacle of his "career" by organizing a terrorist attack at the Istanbul Airpiort before being killed in Tbilisi.

So now, in 2020, Ukraine is once again becoming a platform for Russia's geopolitical game against the neighboring state – Belarus. Russia is once again trying to draw Ukraine into a hybrid game through manipulation of democratic and humanistic issues. This time, the game is against Belarus.

As I always say, if someone's warned, they're protected. But as always, I should add, is it really the case?

https://medium.com/@zloyodessit2.0/kremlin-uses-belarusian-opposition-leader-to-draw-kyiv-into-a-game-against-minsk-2d23fd2d5010

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