#rewards app development

[angelmandik]

Install and use the Playback Rewards App! 

[mockerycrow]

I’ve been toying with the lovely idea that the 141 boys have their own Penelope Garcia (from Criminal Minds) who is just their little ray of light, just so cute 🥰

!!gn!reader!! — can be read as platonic or romantic

Whilst sitting at your desk of your many monitors, your radio began to pick up chatter which meant the team was trying to make contact. You immediately pick up your headphones and angle your microphone, hearing the last of Price’s sentence. “—ending you a file now.”

You hum into the microphone and scoot your chair towards one of your many keyboards. “Only caught the last part, Cap’. A file you said?” You ask, typing up a password before a chat log opens up. “Yes, we need you to look into the source code, lookin’ for anythin’ that makes sense, love.”

You quickly receive a file and run it through a scanner app you developed yourself as well as a decryption app in case it was protected with extra measures. “Mm, I love hide and go seek. Running it through now, sir.” You respond with an obvious grin in your voice. You hear Soap laugh through the radio. “Let us hear it when it’s done, aye?”

Your lips twitch from his voice, your eyes glued to a screen as you twiddle with a pen. “Anything for you, Suds.” Which earns you a belly laugh from the man and a groan from Price. Your screen pops up a couple of images as it popped through the encryption. “Mm, alright searching now….” A few more seconds before another window pops up. “Santa Fe,” You call out. “Only one that scans like an actual word.”

“Thanks, sweetheart.” You hear Ghost rumble, and you can’t resist the shit eating grin. “Do I get a reward?” You can’t resist making the joke, popping a candy into your mouth from a bowl on your desk. “When we get back, I’ll buy ya dinner.” Gaz offers, making you clutch your chest and playfully groan. “My dream man! Safe travels, yeah?”

[advantageintegratedmarketing]

AD Vantage Loyalty Program Services

AD Vantage is a loyalty program company that helps businesses to retain their customers and drive revenue growth. We provide businesses with the tools and strategies they need to develop and manage effective loyalty programs, which reward customers for their repeat business and incentivize them to be loyal.

Designing and implementing loyalty programs: AD Vantage work with businesses to design and implement loyalty programs that are tailored to their specific needs and goals. We help businesses to determine what rewards and incentives will be most effective in encouraging customer loyalty, and they create the systems and processes needed to manage and track the program.

Data analytics: AD Vantage uses data analytics to track customer behavior and measure the effectiveness of loyalty programs. By analyzing customer data, we identify trends and patterns that help businesses to better understand their customers and develop targeted marketing campaigns.

Customer engagement: Our loyalty programs also play a role in engaging customers and encouraging them to participate in the loyalty program. They create marketing materials and campaigns that promote the benefits of the program, and they provide customer support to help customers understand how to participate.

Technology solutions: The loyalty programs of AD Vantage provide technology solutions that allow businesses to manage their loyalty programs, track customer behavior, and measure program effectiveness. These solutions may include software platforms, mobile apps, and other digital tools that make it easy for businesses to manage and track their loyalty programs.

Customer segmentation: We help businesses segment their customers based on demographics, purchase history, and other factors. This allows businesses to target specific customer groups with personalized rewards and incentives that are more likely to appeal to their interests and needs.

Customer feedback: AD Vantage provide businesses with tools to collect customer feedback, which can be used to improve the loyalty program and other aspects of the customer experience. This feedback can be collected through surveys, reviews, and other methods, and can provide valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors.

Partnership and alliances: Our loyalty program can help businesses form partnerships and alliances with other companies to offer joint loyalty programs. This can expand the reach of the loyalty program and offer customers more options for rewards and incentives.

customerloyaltyprograms

loyaltyschemes

customerloyaltyprogram

[a2zillustration]

Farewell

Not "farewell," but "see you later."

| First | | Previous |

[[ All Croissant Adventures (chronological, desktop) ]]

[[ All Croissant Adventures (app) ]]

...Time to blather on under the cut. I've got thank yous, some notes about potential future comics, and if you scroll to the end of the post, I've decided to compile Croissant Adventures into a physical book. It's mostly for me, so I can hold all TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE of these strips in my hands, as a brick, but if you'd like to own a copy as well, I'll have a link to the preorders down below. If this is where you're going to stop reading, I'll extend a quick heartfelt thanks to you for joining me on this adventure!

Thank you, reader.

This is undeniably the largest project I've ever tackled in my art career; it was never supposed to be this big, and I expected maybe a handful of people to read it, at most. Instead, it became this massive project that I've been working on for ten months straight, and in the end these characters meant so much to me. I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who's bothered to read my little comic strips, whether it was just one or two, or if you've been here since the beginning, following Croissant's adventure from the minute they plummeted off the nautiloid. Thank you so much for being here and supporting this project. Thank you to everyone who left kind words and comments, sent me asks about Croissant, liked or reblogged these posts, or just read these and enjoyed them! While I was determined to finish this project no matter what happened, you certainly made it all the more fun and kept me excited to tell you the next part of Croissant's story.

Thank you, Larian.

If by some chance someone at Larian ever happens to see these, I also want to give an immense thank you to everyone who was a part of making this game. I don't play that many games these days, but BG3 rocketed to the top of my all-time favorite games almost immediately. (It was also the game that made me feel the most out of anything I've ever played; I got legitimately depressed for a few days during my run don't worry I'm fine now we're all good haha). You can tell there was so much work, and so much love involved in this game's development, and I'm so happy the studio has been rewarded with multiple awards in recognition of that dedication to making a fantastic game. Thank you again for sharing this story with us, and I can't wait to see what the studio does in the future.

Is this goodbye?

I'm hoping this is less of a "goodbye," and more of a "see you later." I'll probably take a bit of a break, since I've put off other projects for months, and art fight is happening, but I have many more things I'd like to add to Croissant's story! I have yet to play the epilogue, and I intend to illustrate parts of that depending on what happens. I also have a handful of comics for post-game Breadweave, in addition to some scenes I thought would've happened in-game but weren't canon so I left them out of the original story. (If I haven't gotten to these in a few months and you find yourself wondering about Croissant again, my ask box is always open, feel free to give me a good kick to get me back into their story, lol).

...A book?

I said I never intended this project to be so large, and I meant it. But now that I'm sitting here with two hundred and five Baldur's Gate 3 Tav comics, I really wanted to compile them into a physical book for me to hold. This is mostly for me, but if you'd also like one, I'll have a preorder available in my shop until the end of July.

✨✨✨ Croissant Adventures Preorder ✨✨✨

If you made it to the end of this post, I can only thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. I hope Croissant's story brought you joy, and if you're able to play BG3, I hope that you're having just as much fun in your own tavs' stories.

[csuitebitches]

How to Wake Up Early

I always wanted to be one of those girls who would wake up early, go for a run and be super productive with their mornings. The issue is - i really love sleep. Every time i would start a routine, i would eventually fail. I would wake up to turn the alarm off, think to myself “5 mins more” and boom- it’s suddenly 8:30 am and i need to leave for work in less than 1 hour.

Two videos on YouTube really changed my mind. One was Andrew Huberman’s, and the other was Jihyo, a k-pop star.

I came across Andrew Huberman’s video about dopamine, and somehow, it helped me to understand why the difficulty waking up early is so important. Now I’m no expert of neuroscience, but let me explain to the best of my abilities.

Dopamine is essentially the build up to the reward; it is not the reward. It is the satisfaction and happiness you feel (when your body releases), after you have achieved something that was painful/ required you to struggle a bit. In order to receive this reward, you have to feel pain, because pain and satisfaction are directly related to each other. Satisfaction without pain is useless and does nothing for you essentially.

That got me wondering: for me, waking up early is difficult. It’s painful. I dont want to do it. But if I do it, its my first win of the day. It’s the first challenge I have overcome of that day, and I always do feel amazing after. The dopamine release after the struggle of waking up and winning the battle of not going back to sleep is definitely there. I feel more confident because a) I have done the “right” thing b) selfishly, i can do something so simple that a lot of people struggle with c) it weirdly makes me feel more confident and like I’m doing the first step of being an adult right.

Jihyo’s video was quite random - she did some show where it shows her daily life when she’s not working. Parts of it made me feel like she’s unable to just relax with herself (probably because her body and mind are so used to chaos, performing, her girl group living together for so many years) so she busies herself a lot. I took the positives from the video; she’s extremely disciplined which I admired, she gets her chores done, she’s good at ensuring that her space is truly her space.

So I decided to build a relatively foolproof routine; but mind you, it does require quite a bit of willpower.

I’ve developed a habit of waking of waking up at 5 am. I head straight for a 30-45 minute meditation and then at least an hour long workout. I stack my habits that way; right after meditation, I put on my running shoes. I used to really struggle with waking up, even if I had to wake up late. This is the strategy that worked me, see if it works for you.

1. Reset your space the night before

This makes you feel less stressed in the morning and also genuinely makes you feel like you have your shit together. Put your clothes away, keep your bag in its place, clean up your desk, reorganise your make up and skin care products. You’re going to go to sleep and wake up to a clean space.

Make sure you define both your bedtime and wake up time. My bedtime is 9:30 pm - so i manage my chores, reading, dinner, everything around that.

2. Early dinner

I’ve noticed that early dinners help me sleep better. I’ve built the habit of casually walking for 25-30 minutes post dinner (not right after eating, after about 15 mins). I’m not walking fast to a point where I’m sweating and puffing, I’m casually strolling outside. During this time, I don’t listen to music, interact with anyone or my phone. I use this time to connect with myself and think about whatever I feel like.

3. No devices before sleeping

I don’t want to stimulate myself before sleeping, so I prefer reading before bed. If you don’t like reading, you can instead do your skincare, maybe revise some physical study notes, etc.

4. Using Alarmy app

This app is torture and I swear by it. This little thing makes you a solve a challenge of your choice in order to make the alarm stop, like math problems, puzzles, etc. I chose 5 math problems.

5. Keep your phone across the room

Don’t charge it near your reach. Keep it as away from you as possible.

6. Stand for two minutes after shutting off the alarm

Don’t allow yourself to snooze, or go back to bed. This is the part that really requires you to tell yourself: “i am not going back to sleep. I’m going to wake up and do the things I have to do for my own benefit.” Remember - the states of heaven and hell are not outside of you, they’re inside you. They are mental states. You have to fight with your lazy demon and tell him/her/whoever that NO; we are NOT going back to bed.

I charge my phone across the room so that forces me to walk first thing in the morning. To stop myself from going back to sleep, after i have shut the alarm off, i just stand for 2 minutes. I dont sit, or go back to bed. I stand and tell myself, we’re doing this. We’re going to wake up and have an amazing day.

Your mind is like a child with tantrums and mood swings. Your rational self has to discipline your mind the way a parent would to a child.

7. Turn a small light on

Not something that is jarring or overwhelming, but enough to help you start waking up. I turn my phone’s flashlight on and keep it on my desk.

8. Be consistent, even on weekends

The biggest mistake you can make is not being consistent. Your body doesnt recognise weekends, your mind does. Your body doesn’t know that tomorrow is Monday, so its time to wake up early. By staying consistent (yes, I wake up at 5 am on weekends too), it allows my body to develop its own body clock and not wrecking the system I’ve kept in place.

What do I do if I have a late night?

It really depends. Let’s say I come home relatively early (+2 hours around my bedtime) around 11 pm, and im in bed by 11:30. I’ll wake up somewhere close to 5 am, like 6 am instead. The next day I ensure I’m in bed by the bedtime I’ve kept for myself and wake up at 5 am again.

If I come home really late, like 3 am - i keep my alarm exactly 8 hours from that time. I need to get sleep, but oversleeping is an issue and that wont allow me to wake up early the next day. I want to get enough sleep where im rested for the day, but not excessively. Unfortunately, sleeping so late would definitely mean that i wont be able to fall asleep at my dot 9:30 pm bedtime, but i turn the lights off and get ready to sleep by then anyway, and mentally prepare for my 5 am wake up call.

[neil-gaiman]

Hi Neil!!

I’m a HS student and software developer, and I’m designing an app to help promote reading in kids. It’s similar to Duolingo, with rewards, a streak, and other incentives to encourage kids to read. The app is basically a fun reading tracker!

Anyways, my team and I were wondering if you could give us permission to use your quotes encouraging reading to add into our app?

This won’t go in any app store, we will make no profit; it’s essentially a big school project and is technically only experimental (for the moment). I’m just asking permission for your quotes because absolutely anything copyrightable needs to be done with permission of the author or company so we can cite that.

Thank you for your time, and I hope you consider it!

Sure.

[genshin-impact-updates]

"Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn" Version 5.0 Update Details

Dear Traveler,

Below are the details of the Version 5.0 update "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn" and the update compensation.

〓Compensation Details〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems for every hour the servers are down.)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (Please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Scope of Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/08/28 06:00 (UTC+8).

Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 5.0.

Issue Fix Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/08/28 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please log in and claim your compensation before 2024/08/31 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2024/08/28 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. New Region

New Region - Natlan

The warriors of the mountains lead the path unto flowers splendorous, and the swimming Saurians of the springs bring news all night. On the far shore from sand and sea, the blazing epic hymn echoes through the land where the Sacred Flame blazes eternal.

Beyond the fiery altars and the mysterious realm of night, an unprecedented adventure is about to unfold in the land where humans and Saurians dwell together.

◇ New Areas: In Version 5.0, the following areas in Natlan will become available: Tequemecan Valley, Coatepec Mountain, Toyac Springs, and Basin of Unnumbered Flames.

※ Completing Archon Quest Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom" will automatically unlock a Teleport Waypoint to the right of Tequemecan Valley in Natlan (If you have already completed this Archon Quest, the Teleport Waypoint will be unlocked after the update). You can use this Teleport Waypoint to head over to Natlan. You'll also receive the Primogem reward for this Teleport Waypoint when it unlocks automatically.

▌New Mechanic in Natlan

"Saurian Indwelling"

Natlan's Saurians are unique life forms that can enter a "Spiritsconce" state under specific circumstances.

Indwell your spirit onto Spiritsconces to activate their power, transforming into and controlling the Saurian's original form.

▌New System in Natlan

"Tona's Flame"

You can obtain Pyro Sigils during your adventures in Natlan. Offer them up to the Tablet of Tona at the Temple of Pax to increase its level and obtain valuable rewards.

Satisfy any one of the criteria below to unlock "Tona's Flame":

• Enter within a certain radius of the Tablet of Tona

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

Reputation System in Natlan

◇ Natlan Reputation Unlock Criteria:

• Complete "Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame" in Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

Each tribe in Natlan has its own Reputation System. Visit each tribe's "Obsidian Totem Pole" to undertake the quests and earn Reputation EXP. Upon increasing Reputation Levels, you can claim corresponding rewards. Once a tribe's Reputation Level is maxed out, you can also receive additional rewards from the "Speaker's Chamber."

Expeditions, Daily Commissions, and other new content will also be added in Natlan. In Natlan's new commissions, if related achievements of a Commission Quest are not unlocked yet, the probability of that Commission Quest appearing will increase.

◇ Natlan Daily Commissions Unlock Criteria:

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

• Complete the World Quest "Toward Red-Hot Adventure!"

In addition, there will be new "Radiant Spincrystals" in Natlan.

II. New Characters

5-Star Character "Splish-Splash Wavechaser" Mualani (Hydro)

◇ Vision: Hydro

◇ Weapon: Catalyst

◇ A well-known guide in Natlan who owns a watersports shop, and expert in all forms of wave-chasing.

◆ Elemental Skill: Surfshark Wavebreaker

◆ Mualani enters a surfing stance, and can move on land, water and liquid Phlogiston swiftly. While in this state, Mualani applies "Marked as Prey" to opponents upon coming into contact with them and gains Wave Momentum. In this state, Mualani's Normal Attacks will be converted to Sharky's Bites, and consumes Wave Momentum to increase the DMG dealt by Sharky's Bites. When she has 3 stacks of Wave Momentum, when Sharky's Bite hits an opponent, she will fire Shark Missiles at nearby opponents Marked as Prey.

◆ Elemental Burst: Boomsharka-laka

◆ Fires a Super Shark Missile that can deal AoE Hydro DMG.

5-Star Character "Turnfire Hunt" Kinich (Dendro)

◇ Vision: Dendro

◇ Weapon: Claymore

◇ A Huitztlan Saurian Hunter skilled at counting costs.

◆ Elemental Skill: Canopy Hunter: Riding High

◆ Kinich can swing in mid-air using a grappling hook. When the grappling hook hits an enemy, it attaches to enemies and Kinich will fire Loop Shots. When Nightsoul points are at max, he can use the Elemental Skill to fire a powerful "Scalespiker Cannon" and deal Dendro DMG to enemies.

◆ Elemental Burst: Hail to the Almighty Dragonlord

◆ Unleashes the power of the Almighty Dragonlord, K'uhul Ajaw. Ajaw will unleash his Dragon Breath at intervals, dealing AoE Dendro DMG.

4-Star Character "Mottled Gold Yet Unsmelted" Kachina (Geo)

◇ Vision: Geo

◇ Weapon: Polearm

◇ A young warrior of the Nanatzcayan, given the Ancient Name of "Uthabiti." Kind-hearted and insatiably persistent, she grows stronger and more capable with each setback she faces.

◆ Elemental Skill: Go, Go Turbo Twirly!

◆ Fight alongside Turbo Twirly. Kachina can ride Turbo Twirly to move swiftly, climb, and slam enemies, and also summon it independently to deal continuous DMG.

◆ Elemental Burst: Time to Get Serious!

◆ Creates a Turbo Drill Field that increases Turbo Twirly's attack AoE and its Movement SPD when Kachina is riding it.

III. New Domain

Domain of Forgery: Ancient Watchtower

◇ Legend has it that in ancient times, the colossal beasts that roamed the land had a civilization of their own. After exploring the entirety of the land and surrounding sea, they built these structures in an attempt to cast their gaze upon the even wider world beyond. But these wise beasts have long since vanished, and in the present, no one now knows the true purpose of this place.

◇ Unlock Criteria (satisfy any one of the criteria below to unlock):

• Adventure Rank 10 or above

• Complete "Knights of Favonius" in Archon Quest Prologue: Act I "The Outlander Who Caught the Wind"

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain Weapon Ascension Materials.

Domain of Mastery: Blazing Ruins

◇ In that era, when people had yet to attain true mastery of the flames, there were sages in all corners of the world who pondered the fire and sought to fathom its mysteries. It is said that these ruins are all that is left of what was once a ring-shaped ceremonial site. Here, these sages attempted to perfect the rituals required to transform phlogiston. Among the heroes who later followed the mighty one into the belly of the volcano, there were several who once trained in this place.

◇ Unlock Criteria (satisfy any one of the criteria below to unlock):

• Adventure Rank 10 or above

• Complete "Knights of Favonius" in Archon Quest Prologue: Act I "The Outlander Who Caught the Wind"

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain Character Talent Materials.

Domain of Blessing: Sanctum of Rainbow Spirits

◇ It is said that the first sage to learn how to use phlogiston created a place of great purity, and that within this place, warriors were taught to wield the power of prismatic flames and flowing light. Later, even before they were used to resist common enemies, these powers were employed as weapons in conflicts between the tribes. Disheartened by this state of affairs, the Sage of the Stolen Flame withdrew from the world, vanishing from the pages of many tales. Devoid of their original purpose, these empty trial grounds were left behind, along with all those stories that came to be forgotten...

◇ Unlock Criteria (satisfy any one of the criteria below to unlock):

• Adventure Rank 10 or above

• Complete "Knights of Favonius" in Archon Quest Prologue: Act I "The Outlander Who Caught the Wind"

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain Artifacts in the "Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City" and "Obsidian Codex" sets.

IV. New Equipment

1. New Weapons (Examples based on Refinement Rank 1)

Surf's Up (5-Star Catalyst)

Max HP increased by 20%. Once every 15s, for the 14s after using an Elemental Skill: Gain 4 Scorching Summer stacks. Each stack increases Normal Attack DMG by 12%. For the duration of the effect, once every 1.5s, lose 1 stack after a Normal Attack hits an opponent; once every 1.5s, gain 1 stack after triggering a Vaporize reaction on an opponent. Max 4 Scorching Summer stacks.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Surf's Up (Catalyst) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Fang of the Mountain King (5-Star Claymore)

Gain 1 stack of Canopy's Favor after hitting an opponent with an Elemental Skill. This can be triggered once every 0.5s. After a nearby party member triggers a Burning or Burgeon reaction, the equipping character will gain 3 stacks. This effect can be triggered once every 2s and can be triggered even when the triggering party member is off-field. Canopy's Favor: Elemental Skill and Burst DMG is increased by 10% for 6s. Max 6 stacks. Each stack is counted independently.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Fang of the Mountain King (Claymore) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Ash-Graven Drinking Horn (4-Star Catalyst)

When an attack hits an opponent, deal AoE DMG equal to 40% of Max HP at the target location. This effect can be triggered once every 15s.

◆ Ash-Graven Drinking Horn (Catalyst) and its refinement materials can be redeemed in the "Traces of Artistry" event.

▌Forgeable Weapons

Flute of Ezpitzal (4-Star Sword)

Using an Elemental Skill increases DEF by 16% for 15s.

Earth Shaker (4-Star Claymore)

After a party member triggers a Pyro-related reaction, the equipping character's Elemental Skill DMG is increased by 16% for 8s. This effect can be triggered even when the triggering party member is not on the field.

Footprint of the Rainbow (4-Star Polearm)

Using an Elemental Skill increases DEF by 16% for 15s.

Ring of Yaxche (4-Star Catalyst)

Using an Elemental Skill grants the Jade-Forged Crown effect: Every 1,000 Max HP will increase the Normal Attack DMG dealt by the equipping character by 0.6% for 10s. Normal Attack DMG can be increased this way by a maximum of 16%.

Chain Breaker (4-Star Bow)

For every party member from Natlan or who has a different Elemental Type from the equipping character, the equipping character gains 4.8% increased ATK. When there are no less than 3 of the aforementioned characters, the equipping character gains 24 Elemental Mastery.

◆ You can exchange for Weapon Forging Blueprints from Alom in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame: Temple of Pax by consuming certain amounts and types of materials.

2. New Artifacts

Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City (4–5 Stars)

◇ 2-Piece Set: When a nearby party member triggers a "Nightsoul Burst," the equipping character regenerates 6 Energy.

◇ 4-Piece Set: After the equipping character triggers a reaction related to their Elemental Type, all nearby party members gain a 12% Elemental DMG Bonus for the Elemental Types involved in the elemental reaction for 15s. If the equipping character is in the Nightsoul's Blessing state when triggering this effect, all nearby party members gain an additional 28% Elemental DMG Bonus for the Elemental Types involved in the elemental reaction for 20s. The equipping character can trigger this effect while off-field, and the DMG bonus from Artifact Sets with the same name do not stack.

Obsidian Codex (4–5 Stars)

◇ 2-Piece Set: While the equipping character is in Nightsoul's Blessing and is on the field, their DMG dealt is increased by 15%.

◇ 4-Piece Set: After the equipping character consumes 1 Nightsoul point while on the field, CRIT Rate increases by 40% for 6s. This effect can trigger once every second.

V. New Main Story

1. New Archon Quests

Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

Permanently available after the Version 5.0 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter IV: Act VI "Bedtime Story"

• The "Focused Experience Mode" function is available for this quest.

Adds the "Quick Start" function:

(1) Once unlocked, you can maintain your current Archon Quest progress, while accepting and progressing through Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn." This function will be available until the Version 6.0 update.

(2) Unlock Criteria: Reach Adventure Rank 28 or above, and complete Archon Quest Chapter I: Act III "A New Star Approaches."

Archon Quest Chapter V: Act II "Black Stone Under a White Stone"

Permanently available after the Version 5.0 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

• The "Focused Experience Mode" function is available for this quest.

2. New Tribal Chronicles

"Where the Springs Return"

Act I – Act III of "Where the Springs Return" will be permanently available after the Version 5.0 update

◆ Act I and Act II Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete "Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame" in Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

◆ Act III Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete "Into Eternal Night" in Archon Quest Chapter V: Act II "Black Stone Under a White Stone"

The three acts must be experienced in sequence. You can only unlock the next act after completing the previous one and meeting the corresponding unlock criteria.

"Yupanqui's Turnfire"

Act I and Act II of "Yupanqui's Turnfire" will be permanently available after the Version 5.0 update

Act III of "Yupanqui's Turnfire" will be permanently available after 2024/09/17 18:00

◆ Act I – Act III Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete "Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame" in Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

The three acts must be experienced in sequence. You can only unlock the next act after completing the previous one and meeting the corresponding unlock criteria.

"A Prayer for Blessings, Told to Crested Peaks"

Act I and Act II of "A Prayer for Blessings, Told to Crested Peaks" will be permanently available after the Version 5.0 update

◆ Act I and Act II Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete "Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame" in Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn"

The two acts must be experienced in sequence. You can only unlock the next act after completing the previous one and meeting the corresponding unlock criteria.

If you use the "Quick Start" function to experience Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn," you can accept the Tribal Chronicles once you meet the criteria for completing the corresponding Archon Quest (you are not restricted by the Adventure Rank 40 or above requirement).

3. New World Quests

New World Quests

"In the Footsteps of the Chosen of Dragons" Quest Chain, "Shadows of the Mountains" Quest Chain, "Tale of Dreams Plucked From Fire" Quest Chain, "Between Pledge and Forgettance" Quest Chain, "To the Night, What is the Night's," "Ripe For Trouble," "To Wish Upon a Star," "Stride on Rainbows, Split the Waves," "The Case of the Crafting Bench," "The Call of Mystical Martial Arts," etc.

VI. New Enemies

Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant

◇ A Qucusaurus whose extraordinary form is a result of being unable to withstand the great power it has been granted.

It will fly into the air during combat and enter the "Golden Flame" energy-gathering form, creating a shield around itself and launching a Flamewind Feather towards the ground that summons a flamewind. If you cannot destroy the Flamewind Feather before the Qucusaurus dives down into it, the creature will use a Phlogiston Current to return to the skies. This will persist until it is exhausted and returns to its original form.

Located at Basin of Unnumbered Flames

Gluttonous Yumkasaur Mountain King

◇ A powerful Yumkasaurus that has experienced numerous impressive battles.

It will collect Flamegranates during combat and spit them out as bombs. However, if you can use Pyro to ignite the Flamegranates before the Gluttonous Yumkasaur Mountain King can swallow them, who knows what might happen...

Located at Tequemecan Valley

Wayob Manifestation

"Rock-Cavernous Wayob Manifestation," "Flow-Inverted Wayob Manifestation," and "Foliar-Swift Wayob Manifestation"

◇ The Wayob worshipped by the various tribes of Natlan manifest themselves in the form of these obsidian totems.

In battle, the Wayob Manifestation will deploy its Arena: Moment of Trial, creating a shield for itself and absorbing the Elemental Energy of all characters in the Arena. Characters in the Arena deal greatly increased DMG. If the shield is broken before the Arena expires, they will also regain a large amount of Energy. However, if they fail to break the shield, the Manifestation will generate a barrier based on the value of the remaining Elemental Shield.

Secret Source Automaton: Hunter-Seeker

"Secret Source Automaton: Hunter-Seeker"

◇ An ancient mechanical creation that wanders Natlan to this day, though its function is not known.

When characters enter and maintain the Nightsoul's Blessing state, the Secret Source Automaton: Hunter-Seeker will start progressing through its Adaptive Countermeasures. Once those are complete, the Hunter-Seeker will unleash its special cluster laser. Still, risk and opportunity go hand-in-hand, so perhaps you might take this opportunity to deal immense damage to it...

Avatars of Lava

"Fluid Avatar of Lava" and "Eroding Avatar of Lava"

◇ A strange monster that must continually absorb heat to stay in an active state.

However, it seems to damage itself should it absorb too much. After you use Pyro attacks to cause it to fully enter an Overburn state, it will rapidly disintegrate.

Natlan Saurians

"Koholasaurus," "Tepetlisaurus," "Yumkasaurus," "Koholasaur Whelp," "Tepetlisaur Whelp," and "Yumkasaur Whelp."

◇ The Saurians that inhabit the land of Natlan.

Special dragons that were better able to adapt to their environments, taking on different shapes and forms based on their surroundings.

Sauroform Tribal Warriors

"Flowing Blade Skirmisher," "Flowing Blade Grease-Saw," "Flowing Blade Harpoon-Thrower," "Koholasaurus Warrior: Waveshuttler," "Koholasaurus Warrior: Reefsplitter," "Forged Sand Interrogator," "Forged Sand Shieldbreaker," "Forged Sand Javelineer," "Tepetlisaurus Warrior: Shard Striker," "Tepetlisaurus Warrior: Rockbreaker Blade," "Swiftstep Seeker," "Swiftstep Storm Scout," "Swiftstep Armed Courier," "Yumkasaurus Warrior: Whirling Leaves," and "Yumkasaurus Warrior: Flowing Skyfire"

◇ The warriors of Natlan's great tribes who fight for the honor and glory of their people.

Over long years of living and fighting alongside their Saurian companions, these tribal warriors have gradually acquired their traits and learned how to apply them on the field of battle.

VII. Other Update Details

New Recipes:

○ Monstadt "Good Hunter": Meatnado and Apple Roly Poly

○ Cipac (NPC): Grainfruit Chips and Grilled Fish in Mint Sauce

○ Chanca (NPC): Grainfruit Meat Soup and Cup O' Grainfruit

○ Obtained from talking to Chanca (NPC): Tatacos

○ Exploration Rewards: Saurus Crackers, Stuffed N' Mashed Potatoes, Chocolate, Blazed Meat Stew, and Fried Shrimp Beanballs

○ World Quest Rewards: Sour Sauce Kipper and Forest of Color

○ Natlan Reputation System Rewards: Glittering Gemstones, Hot Spring O'Clock, and Puff Pops

○ Event Reward: Delights of Wondrous Wonderings

New Character Specialty Dishes:

○ Mualani's specialty: Pass the Luck

○ Kinich's specialty: Saurian Hunter's Reward

○ Kachina's specialty: Impeccably Organized

Adds new "Meetings in Outrealm: Series V," "Imaginarium Theater: The Second Folio," "Natlan: The Land of Fire and Competition (I)," and "Duelist: Series I" Achievement categories, and adds new Achievements to the "Wonders of the World" category.

Adds Set 34 of "Paimon's Paintings" chat emojis.

Adds some prompts for loading screens.

New Namecards:

"Mualani: Sharky": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Mualani

"Kinich: Ajaw": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Kinich

"Kachina: Twirly": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Kachina

"Natlan: Divine Army": Reward for reaching the highest Reputation Level with 1 tribe

"Natlan: Fiery Dragon": Reward for reaching the highest Reputation Level with 4 tribes

"Achievement: Endpoint": Reward for completing all achievements under "Meetings in Outrealm: Series V"

"Achievement: Feline Fortune": Reward for completing all achievements under "Imaginarium Theater: The Second Folio"

"Natlan: Return of the Flame": Reward for completing all achievements under "Natlan: The Land of Fire and Competition (I)"

"Achievement: Lord of the Night": Reward for completing all achievements under "Duelist: Series I"

"Travel Notes: Primal Fire": Reward obtained via the BP system

Adds new Character Event Wish mechanic "Capturing Radiance." For more information, please visit the "Wish" interface in the game.

Reduces the maximum amount of Fate Points required from 2 to 1 in the Weapon Event Wish "Epitomized Path."

Adds new Artifact Salvage function. Artifacts that have not been enhanced and leveled up can be salvaged into Sanctifying Unction and Sanctifying Essence in Inventory > Artifacts.

Adds some new adjustments to the Artifacts system:

(1) Adds the gadget "Artifact Transmuter," which can be obtained by completing the quests in "Adventurer Handbook > Experience" and can be used to extract and redeem Artifacts.

(2) Adds new Consumable "Sanctifying Elixir": Use the "Artifact Transmuter" to extract a certain number of 5-star Artifacts that have been enhanced to "+4" or above, and convert them into "Sanctifying Elixir" (You can convert Artifacts into 1 "Sanctifying Elixir" per version). You can also obtain "Sanctifying Elixir" by exploring the open world.

(3) You can exchange for certain components of certain Artifact sets by using the "Sanctifying Elixir" in the "Artifact Transmuter." Apart from that, you can also determine the Main Affix and two Minor Affixes (Different Artifact components require different amounts of "Sanctifying Elixir." The same set of Artifacts can only be exchanged once in each version).

Adds new event "Turbo Twirly!": Progress through Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn" and invite the character "Mottled Gold Yet Unsmelted" Kachina (Geo).

Adds World Level 9. Upon reaching Adventure Rank 58, Travelers can complete corresponding World Level Ascension Quests to increase their World Level. After the World Level increases, the levels of monsters and bosses will increase, the challenge difficulty and the rewards dropped will also be increased (Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 58 before the version update can complete Ascension Quests to increase their World Level after the version update).

Adds the Borderland Billet series.

Adds Borderland Billet Conversion for various Weapon types in "Crafting Bench > Conversion": Use Dream Solvent to convert Billets of other types to Borderland Billets for the same Weapon type, or change Borderland Billets to Billets of other types for the same Weapon type.

Adds another 8 sets of Artifacts available to exchange in the Mystic Offering system: Artifact Strongbox: Deepwood Memories, Artifact Strongbox: Gilded Dreams, Artifact Strongbox: Desert Pavilion Chronicle, Artifact Strongbox: Flower of Paradise Lost, Artifact Strongbox: Nymph's Dream, Artifact Strongbox: Vourukasha's Glow, Artifact Strongbox: Marechaussee Hunter, and Artifact Strongbox: Golden Troupe.

Adds new Gadgets: Firstborn Firesprite and Kaboom Box.

Adds new Natlan Reward Gadgets: Pyroculus Resonance Stone and Pyro Treasure Compass.

Adds some of the Harvestable seeds from Natlan to the Seed Dispensary.

Adds new Wildlife: Red Flamingo, Halberd-Crest Bird, Thick-Feathered Ruffed Pheasant, Flowcurrent Bird, Alpaca, Brown Deer, Flying Squirrel, Capybara, Pyro Crystalfly, Blue Mountain Spoonbill, Flowfire Bird, Phlogiston Aphid, Crystal Beetle, and Long-Necked Rhino. You can use the Omni-Ubiquity Net to capture certain Natlan creatures.

"Genius Invokation TCG" Gameplay Update:

New Character Cards: Xianyun, Freminet, and their corresponding Talent cards. Corresponding invitation duels and guest challenges have been added to the Player List.

New Character Card: Hydro Hilichurl Rogue and the corresponding Talent card. The Tavern Challenge has also been added.

New Action Cards: "Xenochromatic Hunter's Ray," "Yumkasaurus," "Koholasaurus," "Stadium of the Sacred Flame," "Atea," "Edict of Absolution," and "Saurian Dining Buddies" can be purchased from Prince at The Cat's Tail.

The Forge Realm's Temper is once again available. The theme of this edition is "The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits":

(1) During The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits, some stages will have special victory and defeat conditions. Adeptly adapt your tactics to complete the challenge and avoid the conditions for defeat!

(2) Within The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits event stages, there will also be special rules that can easily exert influence on the tempo of the match. Fully utilizing these special rules will contribute greatly to your success.

Imaginarium Theater

After the Version 5.0 update, the two Imaginarium Theater seasons will be as follows:

The first season of "Imaginarium Theater" will be available on 2024/09/01 04:00.

Required Elemental Types: Pyro, Hydro, and Dendro

Opening Characters: Dehya, Xiangling, Mualani, Candace, Emilie, and Yaoyao

When Imaginarium Theater is open, the corresponding Opening Characters will obtain Fantastical Blessings.

Special Guest Stars: Kaedehara Kazuha, Kachina, Clorinde, and Raiden Shogun

After the first season of Imaginarium Theater begins, the characters Collei, Cyno, Neuvillette, and Amber will each gain a new "Thespian Trick" that can be exchanged from the NPC Wolfy.

The second season of "Imaginarium Theater" will be available on 2024/10/01 04:00.

Required Elemental Types: Pyro, Electro, and Geo

Opening Characters: Dehya, Chevreuse, Keqing, Fischl, Chiori, and Ningguang

When Imaginarium Theater is open, the corresponding Opening Characters will obtain Fantastical Blessings.

Special Guest Stars: Kinich, Yelan, Venti, and Sucrose

After the second season of Imaginarium Theater begins, the characters Venti, Thoma, Mika, and Navia will each gain a new "Thespian Trick" that can be exchanged from the NPC Wolfy.

After the first season of Imaginarium Theater begins, the following adjustments will be made:

(1) In the new gameplay phase, Wondrous Boons will be updated to "Brilliant Blessings" focused on the current season's three-element reactions. You can continuously upgrade the Blessing level to enhance the effects of the corresponding Elemental Reactions. Based on the new Brilliant Blessings, the refresh mechanic of Performance Events has also been adjusted.

(2) Reduces the number of characters required for each difficulty level, and additional characters included can receive buffs:

a. The number of characters required for Easy mode has been reduced to 8, and you can include an additional 2 characters.

b. The number of characters required for Normal mode has been reduced to 12, and you can include an additional 2 characters.

c. The number of characters required for Hard mode has been reduced to 16, and you can include an additional 4 characters.

Each extra Alternate Cast included will receive additional Fantasia Flowers and increase the Blessing Level (the Blessing Level provides attribute buffs to characters) when the performance begins. Making full use of the special rules can help you better complete the challenge.

(3) Visionary Mode is now available, which can be unlocked after clearing Hard Mode previously. The required number of characters for participation is 22 and 4 additional characters can be added. Both the Debut Performance Gift and Performance Tour Rewards will be increased to 10 acts. Additionally, by completing 10 acts of combat performances in each season of "Imaginarium Theater," you can receive 1 Key of Echoes in the "Envisaged Echoes" gameplay.

(4) The number of "Fantasia Flowers" obtained from completing "Battle: Normal" and "Battle: Defense Sequence" in performances has been increased to 90, and the additional challenges in "Combat Events" have been removed.

(5) The usage limit for the Rewind function has been increased to 2 (on any difficulty mode except Easy mode).

In future updates, the development team will continue to optimize "Imaginarium Theater" based on your feedback and actual data from the gameplay.

Spiral Abyss

The "Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy" and "Unfinished Reverie" Artifact set rewards in "Domain Reliquary: Tier I" and "Domain Reliquary: Tier II" for Spiral Abyss Floors 9–12 will be replaced with the "Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City" and the "Obsidian Codex" sets.

Floor 9 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All party members gain a 50% Pyro DMG Bonus.

Floor 10 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• DMG dealt by characters is increased by 50% when in Nightsoul's Blessing.

Floor 11 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All party members gain a 60% Dendro DMG Bonus.

• All party members receive a 60% Hydro DMG Bonus.

Updated the monster lineup on Floors 9 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 5.0, the Lunar Phases will be as follows:

Contending Moon

After the active character uses an Elemental Skill, Normal Attack and Elemental Skill DMG is increased by 40% for 12s. For characters in Nightsoul's Blessing, this effect is enhanced: Normal Attack and Elemental Skill DMG is increased by 80%.

※ The above updates to Spiral Abyss will take effect after the Spiral Abyss update on September 16.

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● Quests

Adds pop-up notifications for some newly-added quests before long quest sequences or before battles.

Adjusts the placement of some enemies in the Archon Quest "We Will Be Reunited" to reduce the difficulty of combat.

● Enemies

Reduces the damage dealt by the enemy "Fatui Skirmisher - Cryogunner Legionnaire" when multiple hits of Frost Blast continuously hit a character.

● Serenitea Pot

Increases the load limits for both indoor and outdoor areas in the Serenitea Pot due to stricter performance optimization strategies.

● Exploration

Clicking "Go to collect" under the "Source" of regional specialties now directs to the open world map and displays the areas where you can collect the corresponding specialty.

Now, before reaching the maximum Stamina limit, Travelers can increase Stamina by leveling up any region's Statue of The Seven (meaning Travelers no longer need to fully level up the Statues of The Seven in Mondstadt and Liyue to reach the maximum Stamina limit). After the version update, if a Traveler has already leveled up the Statues of The Seven in regions other than Mondstadt and Liyue, they will receive the corresponding Stamina increase.

Adjusts the difficulty of battling "Ruin Hunters" in the World Quest "Nine Pillars of Peace," and significantly reduces the difficulty at World Levels 1 and 2.

Increases the material drop rates of enemies "Nobushi," "Kairagi," "Specters," "Abyss Mages," "Ruin Guards," "Ruin Hunters," and "Ruin Graders."

Increases the total pin limit on the map from 200 to 250.

● Food

Adds new icons to some foods with special effects.

When using certain specialty foods (such as character specialties), secondary confirmation pop-ups or prompts will appear.

Adds filtering and sorting functions on the Inventory > Food interface.

Optimizes the sorting rules on the "Cook" interface.

Optimizes the filter function on the "Cook" interface, adding filter options related to Proficiency.

Adjusts the order of using food to revive characters: Low-rarity basic food will appear first.

● Shop

Adds the "Crown of Insight" as an exchangeable item in the "Shop" > "Paimon's Bargains" > "Starglitter Exchange," priced at Starglitter ×50, with a monthly refresh.

"Mystic Enhancement Ore" is now available for unlimited exchange in the "Shop" > "Paimon's Bargains" > "Stardust Exchange," and can be unlocked after exchanging existing "Mystic Enhancement Ore."

● Crafting and Forging

In the "Forging" interface, the number of items that can be forged in a single queue for Weapon Enhancement Materials has been doubled. For example, a single queue can now forge Mystic Enhancement Ore ×10 instead of ×5 (the daily crafting limit remains unchanged).

In the "Forging" interface, when selecting Weapon Enhancement Materials to forge, the maximum quantity will be selected by default.

When crafting "Condensed Resin" at the Crafting Bench, the maximum number of crafting attempts will now be automatically selected based on the remaining amount of "Original Resin" and "Condensed Resin," and the confirmation pop-up has been removed.

When selecting to craft "Condensed Resin" at the Crafting Bench, the number of "Condensed Resin" in the Inventory will now be displayed in the top-right corner of the interface.

● Enhancement

Reduces the frequency of the EXP overflow prompt during character leveling: when the EXP overflow is less than 1,000 (non-refundable), the prompt will no longer appear.

The EXP overflow prompt during weapon enhancement has been changed to a text notification and will no longer appear as a pop-up.

● Stellar Reunion

Updates the "Stellar Reunion" interface.

During the "Stellar Reunion" event, Domain of Mastery and Domain of Forgery rewards from different days will be available at the same time, allowing Travelers to freely choose the material drops they need.

Adds new exploration-related quests.

Adds new character and weapon enhancement-related quests.

Adjusts the daily double drop opportunities in "Reunion Blessing" to 3 times.

Adds new version highlight videos, with rewards available after viewing: Primogems ×40.

Reduces the number of quest objectives related to Archon Quests, and the related rewards have been transferred to that of other quests.

Adds "Reunion Gifts": Starting from Version 5.0, if returning Travelers activate the "Stellar Reunion" and meet the following criteria, "Reunion Gifts" will be unlocked, allowing them to obtain Intertwined Fate ×10 by completing the related quests:

a. Adventure Rank 30 or above

b. Haven't logged into the game for at least 45 consecutive days

c. At least 60 days since the last time they activated "Reunion Gifts."

If a Traveler logs into the game during the Version 4.8 "Stellar Reunion" maintenance period and meets the following conditions, both "Stellar Reunion" and "Reunion Gifts" will be unlocked with the Version 5.0 update:

a. Adventure Rank 30 or above

b. Over 45 days since last activating the "Stellar Reunion" event

c. Haven't logged into the game for at least 45 consecutive days

● Other Systems

After the version update, the characters that appear in the "Theater Lobby" will no longer have quest progress requirements.

Updates the layout of the Account "Profile" interface, adding the number of characters in the Character Showcase and namecards displayed.

In the "Party Setup" > "Configure Team" interface, Travelers can now hold and drag to adjust the party order.

Increases the Inventory limit of Furnishings from 2,000 to 2,200.

When the Reputation Level of a certain region reaches the maximum, the weekly Reputation Quests for that region will no longer be available.

● Battle Pass

Starting from Version 5.0, some Battle Pass missions will be adjusted.

a. In Daily Missions, the Battle Pass EXP for completing "Claim Daily Commission Rewards 4 times" will be increased from 150 to 200.

b. The Missions "Complete 3 Requests" and "Complete 3 Bounties" will be removed from Weekly Missions.

c. New missions will be added in Battle Pass > This BP Period: "Enhance 5-star artifacts a total of 30 levels," "Enhance 5-star artifacts a total of 60 levels," and "Enhance 5-star artifacts a total of 100 levels." Completing these missions will grant Battle Pass EXP x3,600, Primogems x60, and Sanctifying Unction x60 each period.

d. A new mission will be added in Battle Pass > This BP Period: "Complete the Act 8 Performance Challenge in Imaginarium Theater and finalize," which will grant Battle Pass EXP x2,250.

Starting from Version 5.0, Travelers can select 3 out of 4 types of Battle Pass rewards (Mora, Character EXP Materials, Mystic Enhancement Ore, and Artifact Enhancement Materials). Details can be viewed in the Battle Pass interface.

Starting from Version 5.0, the Talent Level-Up Material bundles "Guide to the Original Current" and "Guidance of the Land of Verdure" will be replaced by "Guides of a Journey," and "Philosophies of the Original Current" and "Philosophies of the Land of Verdure" will be replaced by "Philosophies of a Journey," allowing Travelers to choose any Talent Level-Up Material from all regions and types.

Starting from Version 5.0, Travelers will receive "Sanctifying Elixir" upon reaching BP Level 26 in the Gnostic Hymn (information about "Sanctifying Elixir" can be found in the "Other Update Details" section of this notice).

Optimizes the Battle Pass system interface.

Updates the skip function for the Battle Pass animation. Viewing history will be recorded starting from Version 5.0, meaning that from Version 5.1 onwards, if Travelers have already watched the Battle Pass cutscene, it will not be replayed the first time the Battle Pass interface is opened after the version update.

● Other

Regarding the adjustments to the Reputation System and Battle Pass Reputation quests, after the Version 5.0 update is completed, the development team will send the following rewards via in-game mail: Mora ×1,000,000. Travelers who reach Adventure Rank 5 or above before 2024/08/28 06:00 (UTC+8) will be eligible to claim this reward. Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 5.0, so please remember to log into the game to claim it. The mail will be valid for 30 days.

Adjusts some of the terrain in the adjacent "Desert of Hadramaveth" area due to the release of a new area.

In "Envisaged Echoes," adjusts the collision size of some parts of the scenery in Jean's challenge stage to prevent enemies from being abnormally stuck in the walls when knocked back.

〓Bug Fixes〓

● Enemies

Fixes an issue whereby when challenging the enemy "Hydro Tulpa," the character's attacks would incorrectly lock onto the "Half-Tulpa" that appear instead of the "Hydro Tulpa" itself under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the enemy "Fatui Skirmisher" would not re-enter combat for a long time after disengaging in certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the combat difficulty of some enemies did not adjust dynamically at different World Levels. Once this issue is fixed, the DMG dealt by some enemies may change.

● Character

Fixes an issue on certain Android devices whereby Clorinde's Elemental Burst animation would be delayed when she casts her Elemental Burst.

Fixes an issue on certain Android devices whereby the model of the character Gaming could not be displayed properly.

Fixes an issue whereby the effect of Emilie's Lv. 6 Constellation would abnormally fail to take effect when revived at a "Statue of The Seven" after being defeated by certain enemies.

Fixes an issue whereby the direction of the attack effects would be abnormal when Emilie performs a Plunging Attack under certain circumstances.

● Genius Invokation TCG

Fixes an issue whereby there were errors in the description or text display of some cards.

Fixes an issue whereby some "companion" cards generated by "Puca's Support" had effects inconsistent with those played from the Hand and adjusts the list of possible "companion" cards that can be generated.

● Audio

Fixes an issue whereby the game music would be abnormal in the domain of Nahida's Story Quest "Lingering Warmth."

Fixes an issue whereby there is a chance that the sound effects of character movement would be missing when Sigewinne moves in the water.

Fixes an issue whereby in the "Character" > "Profile" > "Voice-Over" interface, there was an error in Arlecchino's Chinese voice line for "When the Wind Is Blowing."

Fixes an issue in the "Genius Invokation TCG" gameplay mode whereby some of the voice lines for Navia did not match the actual in-game actions. After the fix, the corresponding relationship between certain voice lines and in-game actions will be adjusted.

● Other

In the Simplified Chinese "Tutorial" and other interfaces, some descriptions incorrectly refer to the effect as "Shield," and has been adjusted to "Ward" (this issue also exists in other language interfaces and will be fixed in a future update).

Fixes an issue whereby the book model of the Furnishing "Hardcover Storybook: 'Simulanka'" would disappear abnormally under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby after completing a performance in "Imaginarium Theater," the "Performance Cast" would display abnormally during the finalization screen if all characters in the team were defeated.

Fixes an issue whereby the game would not pause on the finalization screen after failing a performance in "Imaginarium Theater."

Fixes an issue whereby there was an image error in the artwork background of Kirara's outfit "Phantom in Boots."

Fixes an issue whereby in certain situations, the character would incorrectly retain some expressions after exiting "Photo Mode."

Fixes an issue whereby there was a chance that the achievement "Melting... Away..." could not be completed.

Fixes some text errors in certain languages and optimizes text. (Note: Related in-game functions have not changed. Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

◆ Optimizes inconsistencies between certain voice-overs and the corresponding lines.

◆ Optimizes certain English translations.

〓Genius Invokation TCG Balance Adjustment〓

Adjusts the effect of the Talent Card "Featherfall Judgment" of the Character Card "Cyno": Adjusts "... uses Secret Rite: Chasmic Soulfarer while having at least 2 levels of Pactsworn Pathclearer's Indwelling effect, deal +2 DMG. (Once per Round)" to "... uses Secret Rite: Chasmic Soulfarer while having at least 2 levels of Pactsworn Pathclearer's Indwelling effect, DMG dealt by Secret Rite: Chasmic Soulfarer +1. (Max twice per Round)."

Adjusts the effect of the Elemental Skill of the Character Card "All-Devouring Narwhal": The effect "Deals 1 Hydro DMG. This character deals +1 DMG for every 3 extra max HP provided by Insatiable Appetite (Max +4)" will be adjusted to "(Max +3)."

Adjusts the "Deep Devourer's Domain" effect of the Character Card "All-Devouring Narwhal": Adjusts the "increases in Max HP" effect from taking effect immediately to taking effect at the end of the Round.

Adjusts the number of times the damage negation effect triggered by "When the character to which this is attached takes DMG" occurs per Round for the Equipment Card "Prospector's Drill": Adjusted from "Twice per Round" to "Once per Round."

Adjusts the effect of "Bond of Life" state: The Bond of Life can now negate healing effects associated to the "increases in Max HP" effect.

After the version update is completed, the rewards for the web event "Off We Go to the Nation of Pyro!" will be issued officially: "Ring of Yaxche," "Footprint of the Rainbow," and "Earth Shaker," along with their corresponding Ascension Materials: Delirious Decadence of the Sacred Lord ×6, Blazing Sacrificial Heart's Terror ×3, Axis of the Secret Source ×3, Shard of a Shattered Will ×3, Ignited Stone ×3, Sentry's Wooden Whistle ×4, and Damaged Mask ×2. These rewards will be sent to Travelers via in-game mail.

a. Travelers who logged into the web event "Off We Go to the Nation of Pyro!" and cheered for the Sacred Flame Pilgrimage before the version update will receive an in-game mail approximately 2–12 hours after the update is complete. The mail will be valid for 30 days, so Travelers should log in to the game and claim the attachment within 30 days from receiving the mail.

b. Travelers who log into the web event "Off We Go to the Nation of Pyro!" and cheer for the Sacred Flame Pilgrimage after the version update will receive the reward mail within 5–10 minutes after completing the relevant reward objectives. The mail will be valid for 30 days, so Travelers should log in to the game and claim the attachment within 30 days from receiving the mail.

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

[maziijapanese]

JLPT Tips and Tricks: Conquer the Exam with Confidence

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a standardized assessment of Japanese language proficiency for non-native speakers. Whether you're aiming for N5, the introductory level, or N1, the most challenging one, thorough preparation is crucial for success. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you ace your JLPT exam:

1. Understand the Test Format

Familiarize yourself with the JLPT's structure and scoring system. The test consists of three main sections: Vocabulary, Grammar & Reading, and Listening. Each section has a specific number of questions and allotted time. Knowing the format will help you manage your time effectively during the exam.

2. Set Realistic Goals and Create a Study Plan

Establish achievable goals based on your current Japanese language proficiency and the JLPT level you're targeting. Develop a realistic study plan that incorporates daily or weekly study sessions. Allocate sufficient time to cover all the necessary grammar points, vocabulary, and Kanji.

3. Gather High-Quality Learning Resources

Utilize a variety of effective learning resources to enhance your preparation, such as textbooks, online courses, language learning apps, and practice tests, choosing those that align with your learning style and preferences.

4. Practice Regularly and Consistently

Regular practice is essential for success in the JLPT. Take practice tests frequently to familiarize yourself with the question formats, timing, and scoring system. Consistent practice will help you identify areas for improvement and build your confidence. Focus on Active Learning Techniques

Active learning techniques, such as flashcards, mnemonics, and summarizing key concepts, can significantly enhance your memorization and retention of Kanji, vocabulary, and grammar rules.

Besides, immerse yourself in Japanese, surround yourself with as much Japanese as possible. Listen to Japanese music, watch Japanese movies and TV shows, and read Japanese books and articles. This exposure will improve your listening comprehension, reading skills, and overall language proficiency.

5. Stay Positive and Believe in Yourself

Maintain a positive mindset and believe in your ability to succeed in the JLPT. Your confidence and determination will play a significant role in achieving your goals.

Remember, the JLPT is a challenging but rewarding exam. With dedication, perseverance, and the right strategies, you can conquer the test and achieve your Japanese language proficiency goals.

Goodluck for guys!

[nanowrimo]

5 Tips for Building a Sustainable Writing Practice

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. First Draft Pro, a 2023 Camp NaNoWriMo sponsor, is a great writing app—whether you’re writing solo or with a co-author. Here are a few tips for building a sustainable writing practice, brought to you by author Ariana Brown and First Draft Pro.

We’ve all heard the advice to “write every day,” as if it were that easy! Translation: suck it up, no one cares if you’re tired. But what if there was another way to get writing done, without being unkind to yourself? 

Hi, I’m Ariana Brown, and I teach writers how to create a writing practice that is sustainable, flexible, and fulfilling. Most of my students are chronically ill, disabled, neurodivergent, or simply exhausted from the daily stresses of life. I know writing isn’t your only responsibility—capitalism makes sure of that! But I strongly believe that writing should be an enjoyable activity you look forward to.

Below I’ve compiled my top tips for exhausted writers who want to be kinder to themselves—and still get the work done.

1. Add pleasure to your writing routine.

Sensory pleasures are neither frivolous nor are they only for children. They’re a crucial part of being alive! They give us something to look forward to when times are tough and we need motivation. Candles, soft blankets, cold beverages, mood lighting, dance breaks, yummy treats—whatever you choose, make sure it’s something you love. Paint your nails a fun color so you have something beautiful to look at while you’re typing away. Make a playlist of your favorite songs and after you finish a chapter, blast one song so loudly you have to get up and dance. Then, get back to writing. Remember, even for the most focused among us, pleasure is a better motivator than shame.

2. Be clear about your intentions.

What brought you to writing in the first place? For some, it was the ability to escape into our imaginations. For others, it was the chance to finally express what we’d been holding inside. Identify your reason for writing, then ask yourself: Am I still enjoying this? Do I still feel connected to my reason for writing? If not, explore how you can strengthen your connection to your inner child’s reason for writing. 

3. Work with your brain, not against it.

If we know that everyone’s brain works differently, why do we force strict discipline and linear processes on ourselves? My advice: find or create a writing process that works for you. Maybe you love outlines; maybe you prefer to see where the words take you. Either way, make space for wandering, play, and discovery as you write. Take brain breaks. Doodle, map, dance, and draw when you get distracted. Body double with other writers, try new exercises and prompts to make the writing sing, and take plenty of breaks to stretch your body and talk to friends. We come to writing with our whole selves. Listen to your body, don’t shut it off.

4. Find a writing community.

You don’t have to wait for a community to come to you! I offer co-writing sessions on Zoom four times a month for my Patreon supporters, but do what works for you. Attend local open mics as an audience member and cheer on your peers. Invite your best friends to your living room once a month for a two hour writing/crafting session. Or check your local library and bookstores for free workshops and author events. You don’t have to do this work alone.

5. Develop a gratitude practice.

Finishing your draft is a huge accomplishment, but it’s not the only milestone to be celebrated. Consider creating opportunities to thank yourself throughout your writing practice. You’re doing an amazing and difficult thing. The fact that you keep showing up is worthy of celebration. Whether you decide to journal, rest, pray, meditate, or reward yourself, a little gratitude goes a long way.

Ariana Brown is a queer writer from San Antonio, TX, based in Houston. She is the author of We Are Owed (Grieveland, 2021) and Sana Sana (Game Over Books, 2020), and a national collegiate poetry slam champion. Ariana holds an MFA in Poetry, MS in Library and Information Science, and a BA in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies. She has been writing, teaching, and performing for over a decade. Follow her online @ArianaThePoet and www.arianabrown.com. 

[mana-sputachu]

Artshield

I was going to flop in bed and try to draw from there, but the sudden swarm of AI shit on another of my accounts fueled me with spite, so I'm writing this post NOW rather than tomorrow when I'll be more awake.

If you can't run Glaze/Nightshade because of the insane specs required for it, give a try to Artshield.

It's a web-based app that will let you load all the pics you want and protect them with a big, invisible watermark all over it. It also has a checker option to use after you've shielded your art, to be sure it worked.

Now, I'm terrible with math so I can't explain how it exactly work, but here's the explanation on their blog. If someone who's more math-savvy than me wants to add a simpler explanation to this post, please do!

While it can't poison AIs like Nightshade does, it's still a good solution if you can't run Glaze/Nightshade on your pc... like many of us, really. As I wrote on another post about Glaze, I have a pretty decent gaming pc that, while not being like high-end or anything (my GPU is a RTX 3060), suits my needs perfectly and runs all the games I'm interested in (Tekken 8's demo being the most recent thing).

Yet, in order to try Nightshade, I had to close all the apps I had running in the background, which were, in that moment, Opera and Discord. Only when I shut them down, it finally started. 10 minutes for the mid setting and the result was awful.

I tried WebGlaze (not Cara yet), and the results were also awful, given you can't control the strenght of the glazing much.

I understand it might be hard to develop this kind of technology, but I wish they would meet us halfway since the majority of people use old machines, laptops (a friend of mine tried running Glaze on hers and the fans started spinning like it was ready to fly) or even just tablets and phones, so those specs are hard to meet.

That's why I want to share Artshield, as a solution for those of you who can't run Glaze and Nightshade.

Artshield's only big limitation is that it won't work with white backgrounds, so try to add a color layer to your white background before shielding it. Same for B/W images.

Other tips I can suggest for trying to protect your works:

Post at the lowest resolution you can: I go for 72 DPI, keeping bigger sizes and high quality files only for Ko-Fi rewards and clients' files

Add a noise filter: I always do this because I like the paper-like, grainy feel it gives to my art, but I read once it might messes with AI's scrapers. While I don't know if this is still true, it's worth trying it

Don't forget a big visible watermark (aside from the Artshield one)!

Hope this will help other strugglin artists, I never see Artshield suggested around, especially in posts about Glaze and Nightshade, so I decided to write this one.

Go and shield your art!

[thatskynews]

Sky Patched Calendar Ver. 0.25.5: A Guide for Sky Events

- Season of Nesting Post-Season Content

- Days of Nature

- Days of Color/Rainbow

Season of Nesting Continues! 🪺 (April 15th - June 30th)

Nesting Challenge Board - a permanent addition to the game, so its quests (and rewards) will remain in the game even after the Season ends.

After completing all the challenges in a tree, several props will be available to unlock: an instrument stand, a music player, and a stone figurine.

Instrument stand: Use it to set out any one instrument from your closet to play. If it’s placed in an area where other players can interact with it, they can play the instrument you set out!

Music player: Plays various pieces of music that are in the game. There are several “channels” that have their own musical themes.

Stone figurine: A decorative figure that can wear any hairstyle, hats, neck items, or capes you have in your closet. (This is a decorative item only; it will not allow players to copy and wear the same items that the stone figurine is wearing.)

Friends' Nest Preview Feature - a new feature that we’re hoping will spark inspiration for everyone: an option in your Nest menu to view other Nests. You’ll be able to “scroll” through a preview of these Nests that favors ones your friends have made while also showing Nests that other players have made too. It’s just a preview, though, so you won’t see anyone in this view, and other players won’t see anyone who might be viewing their Nest through this feature either.

Season of Nesting continues until 23:59 June 30th (all times PDT, UTC -7).

Days of Nature 🌊 (May 27 - June 16; 3 Weeks)

Last year, Days of Nature had supported The Ocean Cleanup, through the American Friends of The Ocean Cleanup, as they work towards a 90% reduction of floating plastic in the world’s oceans by 2040.

During the event you can find 4 event currency each day, placed in different spots around Prairie Peaks. Use these to unlock this year’s new IGC items:

Ocean Mask: 16 event currency

Ocean Blue Scarf: 40 event currency

(16 + 40 = 56 / 4 = 14 Days in order to get both items - 21 Days of the Event = 7 Days of "skip" days)

This year the event will again offer special IAPs to support charity efforts focused on real-world cleanup work in oceans and waterways.

Half of the total list price of items listed here will be donated to these efforts. The remaining amount will cover platform fees (expenses from Apple App Store, Google Play, etc) and a portion of development (operations, taxes, and post-event refunds.)

Nature Wave Pack: 19.99 USD (10.00 USD donation) - Includes 75 regular candles

Ocean Necklace: 1.99 USD (1.00 USD donation)

Nature Sonorous Seashell: 4.99 USD (2.50 USD donation) - This placeable item has a toggle to play relaxing ocean sound effects

Earth Cape: 4.99 USD (2.50 USD donation)

Ocean Cape: $14.99 USD (7.50 USD donation)

Nature Glasses Pack: 19.99 USD (10.00 USD donation) - A toggle for these sunglasses adds a bluer tint to the world around you; includes 75 regular Candles

Nature Turtle Pack: 19.99 USD (10.00 USD) - includes 75 regular Candles

Non-Charity Items / Returning Items:

New Item - Nature Wave-Touched Hair: 6.99 USD

Nature School Cape: 180 Candles

An asymmetrical cape featuring a partially transparent motif

Nature Coral Crown Accessory: 20 Hearts

Nature Turtle Cape: 14.99 USD

Days of Colors/Rainbow 🌈 (June 24 - July 7; 2 Weeks)

This year we’re proud to once again share that we’ll be supporting the The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people.

Half of the total list price of items listed here will be donated to these efforts. The remaining amount will cover platform fees (expenses from Apple App Store, Google Play, etc) and a portion of development (operations, taxes, and post-event refunds.)

Dark Rainbow Loafers: 19.99 USD (10.00 USD donation) - includes 75 regular Candles

Dark Rainbow Pack 9.99 USD (5.00 USD donation) - includes 40 regular candles

Rainbow Pack flower hair accessory: 19.99 USD (10.00 USD donation) - includes 75 regular Candles

Double Rainbow Pack flower hair accessory: 9.99 USD (5.00 USD donation) - includes 40 regular candles

As you soar around the event space, watch out for 5 rainbow-shaped event currency each day: 4 around the area, and 1 from completing the day’s color puzzle.

Non-Charity Items:

IGC:

Color Glam Cut: 18 event currency

Dark Rainbow Mask: 32 event currency

(18 + 32 = 50 / 5 = 10 Days in order to get both items - 14 days of the event = 4 "skip" days)

IAP:

Color Bubble Machine: 14.99 USD - The bubbles from this prop temporarily change the cape color of the closest player!

Rainbow Earring: 2.99 USD

Rainbow Headphones: 9.99 USD

Rainbow Hat: 9.99 USD

Dark Rainbow Tunic: 14.99 USD

This year’s event is also the one-year anniversary of event currency! These are used for the newest in-game currency items in an event in the current year, so items introduced for event currency last year can now be unlocked for varying amounts of regular in-game currency this year.

Returning IGC items:

Dark Rainbow Cape: 177 Candles

Rainbow Cape: 175 Candles

Rainbow Trousers: 95 Candles

Rainbow Braid Accessory: 20 Hearts

[shiningliive]

Live Emotion Game Introduction 2 - Home

First Look at the home screen for Live Emotion!

As described on the official twitter account: This is the backstage area where you can access various functions of the app. You can interact with the idols, watch them relax, and have fun in a variety of ways. This way, you can spend time with your favourite idols.

Analysis/translation of the user interface below:

Move between left and right sides of the backstage area/homescreen. Can change to a forwards/backwards arrow depending on where you are in the room (?).

Likely a fullscreen/view mode, that removes the UI temporarily.

Unsure. Something to do with altering the UI for the room like the other 3 buttons in this area. Possibly to do with moving the characters or yourself around the screen. Potentially some other kind of customisation, although that seems to be the function of #20.

Likely a toggle for the text box (#14). It is greyed out temporarily, possibly when moving between left and right sides.

User rank and level up bar.

LP (likely still 'live points'). Used up to play songs in the rhythm game, and replenished by waiting in real time.

Likely a shortcut to refill LP with in game resources.

Likely the Live Emotion equivalent to 'Prisms' in Shining Live. Used for the gacha and other in game functions.

Home? Unsure exactly what screen this may return to, since the official tweet refers to this backstage area as the home page.

Settings/options menu.

News/updates log. Unread information indicated by a red diamond top right.

Missions, goals or achievements. Likely that completed missions with unclaimed rewards are indicated by a red diamond top right.

Giftbox. Unclaimed gifts indicated by a red diamond top right.

Chat box transcribing what the speaking idol is saying, as well as their name.

Text reads: "Beginner Mission". (Text in white below this box just says that the game is still under development).

Speaking idol. There can be multiple idols in the backstage area at once (Camus seen in the background). They are represented by 3d models, and it looks like they will interact with the background and eachother. In this case, Otoya is speaking to the player, and Camus is inspecting a book in the background. Almost certain that the outfits and room can be customised.

Button to navigate to viewing 'Emotional Pieces'. Not exactly sure the best way to translate that, despite it being in Katakana, but 'Pieces' (?) seem to be the equivalent to photos/cards in Shining Live. So I'm assuming this will be the way to view, organise, level up etc all your collected pieces, whatever they may be. The icon makes me think of the cards from Aikatsu, with different cards representing different parts of a while outfit. It makes me wonder if there'll be a bit more of a dress-up element, where you can collect and mix and match different headwear, tops, and bottoms of clothing sets. Please let me know if piece/peace means something in this context that I dont know about!

Button to navigate to the 'Piece Gacha'. The system for obtaining 'pieces' via in game currency.

Button to navigate to the story. Like other things on the UI, it seems like unlocked but unread stories are indicated by a red diamond.

Button to navigate to 'MiniPri'. Likely either or both) a view with cute chibi versions of the characters and backstage area, or the way to customise the members and background of the backstage area. I wonder if you can unlock different furniture, wallpapers, floors etc, and move them around yourself, of if the backgrounds are set.

Button to navigate to the 'Live' screen, the main song selection for the rhythm game.

[maaarine]

Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism (Yanis Varoufakis, 2023)

"What we need, then, is a new story that explains not what we wish would happen but what is actually happening, and that is the story of how rent – the defining economic trait of feudalism – staged its remarkable comeback.

Under feudalism, rent was easy enough to grasp.

Courtesy of some accident of birth, or royal decree, the feudal lord obtained the deeds to a plot of land which empowered him to extract part of the harvest produced by the peasants who had been born and raised on that land.

Under capitalism, grasping the meaning of rent, and distinguishing it from profit, is much harder – a difficulty I witnessed first-hand when as a university teacher I would struggle to help my students spot the difference between the two.

Arithmetically, there is no difference: both rent and profit amount to money left over once costs are paid for.

The difference is subtler, qualitative, almost abstract: profit is vulnerable to market competition, rent is not.

The reason is their different origins.

Rent flows from privileged access to things in fixed supply, like fertile soil or land containing fossil fuels; you cannot produce more of these resources, however much money you might invest in them.

Profit, in contrast, flows into the pockets of entrepreneurial people who have invested in things that would not have otherwise existed – things like Edison’s light bulb or Jobs’s iPhone.

It is this fact – that these commodities were invented and created and so can be invented and created again but better by someone else – that renders profit vulnerable to competition. (…)

Capitalism prevailed when profit overwhelmed rent, a historic triumph coinciding with the transformation of productive work and property rights into commodities to be sold via labour and share markets respectively.

It was not just an economic victory.

Whereas rent reeked of vulgar exploitation, profit claimed moral superiority as a just reward to brave entrepreneurs risking everything to navigate the treacherous currents of stormy markets. (…)

Why didn’t Nokia, Sony or Blackberry build their own store?

Because it was too late: with so many people signed up to Apple, the thousands of third-party developers were not going to spend their time and effort developing apps for other platforms.

To be competitive, Apple’s unwaged third-party developers, mainly partnerships or small capitalist firms, had no choice but to operate via the Apple Store.

The price? A 30 per cent ground rent, paid to Apple on all their revenues.

Thus a vassal capitalist class grew from the fertile soil of the first cloud fief: the Apple Store."

[selfhelpforstudents]

Set specific, achievable goals for your study session: Set a clear goal for what you want to achieve in each study session. For example, "I want to complete the first three chapters of my textbook today."

Create a study schedule and stick to it: Develop a study schedule that works for you and stick to it. For example, "I will study for one hour every day after dinner."

Minimize distractions by finding a quiet place to study: Eliminate distractions that can interfere with your focus. For example, turning off your phone or finding a quiet place to study.

Take regular breaks to avoid burnout and increase focus: Take short breaks every hour or so to recharge and refocus. For example, taking a five-minute break to stretch or grab a snack.

Use active study techniques, such as summarizing, reciting, or creating flashcards: Use active techniques to engage with the material you're studying. For example, summarizing a chapter in your own words or creating flashcards to test your knowledge.

Get organized by using a planner or calendar to keep track of assignments and due dates: Keep track of your assignments and due dates to avoid procrastination. For example, using a planner or calendar to keep track of your deadlines.

Find a study group or accountability partner to keep you motivated: Join a study group or find a partner to keep you accountable and motivated. For example, joining a study group on campus or finding a study partner online.

Use mnemonic devices to help you remember information: Use memory aids, such as acronyms or visual images, to help you remember information. For example, using the acronym "ROY G BIV" to remember the colors of the rainbow.

Stay hydrated and take care of your physical health by eating well and exercising regularly: Take care of your physical health to improve your mental focus. For example, drinking plenty of water and going for a run before a study session.

Make use of study aids, such as textbooks, notes, or online resources: Use study aids to supplement your learning. For example, using a textbook or online resource to help you understand a difficult concept.

Use technology to your advantage, such as apps or online tools for studying: Use technology to enhance your studying. For example, using a study app to practice vocabulary words or online tools for organizing your notes.

Vary your study routine by changing your location or study technique: Change up your study routine to keep it fresh and engaging. For example, studying in a different location or using a different study technique, such as listening to an audiobook instead of reading.

Review your notes regularly to reinforce your learning: Review your notes frequently to help you retain information. For example, reviewing your notes after each class or at the end of each week.

Focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing facts: Focus on understanding the material rather than memorizing facts. For example, understanding the concepts behind a mathematical formula rather than just memorizing the formula itself.

Test yourself regularly to identify areas that need improvement: Test yourself frequently to identify areas where you need improvement. For example, taking practice quizzes or tests to gauge your understanding.

Use positive self-talk to boost your confidence and motivation: Use positive self-talk to stay motivated and confident. For example, telling yourself "I can do this" when faced with a challenging task.

Avoid procrastination by breaking down large assignments into smaller tasks: Break down large assignments into smaller, manageable tasks to avoid procrastination. For example, breaking down a research paper into smaller tasks such as researching, outlining, and drafting.

Reward yourself after reaching a goal or completing a challenging assignment: When you complete a task or achieve a goal, reward yourself with something that you enjoy. This can help you stay motivated and make the studying process more enjoyable. For example, you could treat yourself to a favorite snack, take a break to watch an episode of your favorite TV show, or go for a walk outside.

Take care of your mental health by practicing self-care and seeking help if needed: Studying can be stressful, so it's important to take care of your mental health. This can include practicing self-care activities such as meditation, exercise, or spending time with friends and family. If you feel overwhelmed or need additional support, don't hesitate to seek help from a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional.

Stay positive and motivated by focusing on your progress and accomplishments: Studying can be challenging, but it's important to focus on the progress you're making rather than getting discouraged by setbacks or mistakes. Celebrate small wins, such as completing a challenging assignment or understanding a difficult concept. For example, you could keep a study journal where you write down your accomplishments or take time at the end of each day to reflect on what you learned.

Source // Follow my Studygram for more motivation // Join our Discord Server // Follow my Tumblr

Write me a message if you need someone to talk to!

Love, Sophia <3

[millenialfanfictionaddiction]

Being Team Japan’s Manager:

Miss Manager gets her Period

Team Japan x female reader (she/her pronouns)

Warnings: period talk, swearing, blood mentioned, period symptoms (cramps, vomiting, bloating, etc)

A/N: I need comfort right now, feel free to ignore

Honestly you should have seen the warning signs YN

But somehow you missed the notification from your period tracking app

You missed the sighs of being extremely tired, moody and just down right agitated

You cried for no reason the other day and it still didn’t register

I mean, it’s not like you are busy or anything

You are the team manager for Team Japan after all

Probably the one of the worlds most dangerous jobs

But also super rewarding 😌

You’ve been the teams manager for a few months now

And you’ve definitely had your period before during practice

But this, this was completely different

You see, never has your period fully started right in the middle of practice

And certainly not with this much vigor 😬

Let’s just say, you aren’t on birth control at all

But you also never really needed it

Because as shitty as birth control can be sometimes, it can be very helpful

Anyways, it was a normal Friday morning and you woke up feeling… off

Like just blah

Honestly you didn’t think much of it because the Olympics were a month away

Which meant that the boys were on edge

Practices were lasting hours and downtime was limited

Not to mention you were dealing with more Bokuto Emo modes than normal and more tantrums from Atsumu and Kageyama

Basically the fatigue and blah feeling wasn’t unwarranted

You checked the mirror, noticing you had a small acne flare up on your jaw

You sighed, putting some coverup on it before heading out

On your way to the gym, you stopped to grab you and the coaches coffee

A typically Friday routine you had developed

Walking into the gym, the sound of volleyballs hit your ears

As well as the agitating, grating voices of those hitting said volleyballs 😒

You barely hit the door when it starts

“YNS HERE!!” Hinata screams

“YN please tell me you finished the laundry yesterday, we ran out of fresh towels and I only have 5 stashed away!”Sakusa chimes in

“YN please help tape my fingers,” Hakuba adds

“YN you promised you’d measure our jump heights today too! I have to show Hinata that I can get higher!” Hoshiumi shouts

“YN do you have that extra nail files? I left my kit at home,” Kageyama says

“YN I need you to toss for me because these other idiots can’t do it like you do!” Atsumu whines

Literally it’s like walking into a daycare but with giant volleyball players 😅

“Guys give me like 5 minutes please!” You shout, walking over to the coaches and handing them their coffee before stomping to your office

“Is Yn ok?” Coach asks as the assistant coach shrugs

You just need a minute to breathe, that’s all you need

Too bad you work with people who don’t understand the idea of “needing a minute to breathe”

*knock knock*

You groan as your door open and Iwaizumi appears

Please, you don’t even want to see Iwa today

Damn YN you ok 👀

“Iwa what?” You say a little annoyed

“Damn, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something? I just came to give you the training schedules,” Iwa said as you sighed and took them

“Sorry Iwa, I’m just feeling off I didn’t meant it,” you said as Iwa nodded

“It’s cool Yn but maybe drink that coffee or something to help?” He says as you sigh and sit down

You manage to drink approximately 1 sip before Aran is at your door

“YN hey! I was hoping we could go over some plays?” He said as you resigned yourself to the fact that today just isn’t your day

A few hours in, you get ready for the team meeting

Your walking through the gym when the first cramps hit

“Ohh ouch!” You whince as you grab your side

“YN, you good?” Komori asks, noticing immediately

“Yeah I think I’m fine,” you say

“You know Yn, when my tummy’s upset, I go to the brathroom and it helps a lot!” Hinata says as Kageyama rolls his eyes

“Hinata nobody knows more about the bathroom than you do!” He says as Hinata glares at him

“I’m sure I’m fine, it’s almost lunch anyways. I think I just need to eat,” you say

You grab your lunch, sitting with the few mature memebers of the team

The VERY FEW

Aran, Hyakuzawa, Iwaizumi, Komori, Yaku and occasionally Sakusa, if he’s not on one 🙄

Anyways, as your finishing lunch, you stand up and it happens

You rn 👉🏻🧍‍♀️😐😳

The fear in your eyes 😅 trust me YN, we’ve all been there

“Yn you good?” Aran asks as Iwa and Hyakuzawa look at you

“Umm I think my period just started,” you say

Now the fear in your eyes has transferred to their eyes 👁️👄👁️

Please Yn, nothing is off limits with these guys

They talk about bodily functions daily and some of them have sisters, so like they aren’t clueless to what a period is

Before they can even say anything you RUN to the bathroom, and sure enough

“Dammit!” You scream as everyone in a 20 mile radius hears you

“Uhhh Yn, you good?” Yaku asks, knocking on the door to the bathroom

“Yeah but uhh I don’t have a tampon, can you grab me one form my desk?” You asks as Bokuto runs to your office

At this point, they’ve all come to the bathroom hallway and it’s like a team effort to help you 😂

Team bonding if you will

“Crap there isn’t any in here!” Bokuto shouts as Atsumu runs to tell you

“Yn Bo said there isn’t any in your desk!”

“Shit, check my bag!” You scream

“Check her bag bo!” Hakuba shouts

“Nothing!” Bokuto shouts back

“Fuck!” You say, resigning yourself to the fact that you’ll definitely need to make a makeshift toilet paper pad

“YN do you want me to run to the corner store?” Hinata asks

“Would you please? I’m not really looking to make a toilet paper pad,” you said as Hinata nodded

“Wait what’s a ‘toilet paper pad’?” Atsumu asks

“YN send Hoshiumi a picture of the tampons you use and we will go!” Hinata shouts as Hoshiumi and him race out

“Is anyone gonna answer my question?” Atsumu says, annoyed

“Idiot she would have to shove toilet paper in her underwear to stop the bleeding until she got a tampon or pad!” Yaku says

“Omg this toilet paper is so course and had like zero absorbency!” Atsumu shouts

“I know Sumu!! That’s why that’s not ideal!” You say

“YN do you need pain relievers?” Iwa asks

“If you have some, the cramps are getting bad,” you say as Iwa runs to his office

He grabs a heating pack and some pain relievers

He comes back just as Hinata and Hoshiumi return

“Damn that was like 7 minutes impressive!” Komori says

Hinata and Hoshiumi 👉🏻💅💅

“Here Yn, we got them!” Hinata says passing the pads into the bathroom

You manage to get yourself sorted, leaving some pads in the bathroom as you exit

You come out of the bathroom and are greeted with a forest 🌳

“Uhh hey guys?” You say as Iwa hands you the heating pack and some pain relievers

“Are you ok YN?” Bokuto asks 🥺

You just laugh

“I’ll be fine guys, I deal with this every month but I’ll admit, I was a little surprised this time!” You said

“Ok well I think it’s time we get back to work,” Aran says

“I’m super hyped up right now!” Hinata says as him and Hoshiumi race back to the gym

“Is anyone surprised?” Iwa says

“I’m actually surprised they managed to handle the task of getting tampons for Yn,” Yaku interjects

“This isn’t Hinata’s first time dealing with this, he does have a little sister,” Kageyama added

“And Hoshi?” Hakuba says

“He probably just wanted to race Hinata,” you laugh

“Ok guys, let’s go! Yn go sit down and out that heating pad on!” Iwa orders

“Iwa I’m fine-” you argue

“YN I wouldn’t argue with Iwa if I were you,” Sakusa interjects

“Yeah he’s super scary when he gets mad!” Kageyama shivers

“WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!?” Iwa yells as you all stiffin

Aye aye captain 🫡

[probablyasocialecologist]

The monetization creep has been evident for a while. Reddit has added a subscription ”Reddit premium”; offered “community rewards” as a paid super-vote ; embraced an NFT marketplace; changed the site's design for one with more recommended content; and started nudging users toward the official mobile app. The site has also been adding more restrictions to uploading and viewing “not safe for work” (NSFW) content. All this, while community requests for improvements to moderation tools and accessibility features have gone unaddressed on mobile, driving many users to third-party applications. Perhaps the worst development was announced on April 18th, when Reddit announced changes to its Data API would be starting on July 1st, including new “premium access” pricing for users of the API. While this wouldn’t affect projects on the free tier, such as moderator bots or tools used by researchers, the new pricing seems to be an existential threat to third-party applications for the site. It also bears a striking resemblance to a similar bad decision Twitter made this year under Elon Musk.

[...]

Details about Reddit’s API-specific costs were not shared, but it is worth noting that an API request is commonly no more burdensome to a server than an HTML request, i.e. visiting or scraping a web page. Having an API just makes it easier for developers to maintain their automated requests. It is true that most third-party apps tend to not show Reddit’s advertisements, and AI developers may make heavy use of the API for training data, but these applications could still (with more effort) access the same information over HTML. The heart of this fight is for what Reddit’s CEO calls their “valuable corpus of data,” i.e. the user-made content on the company’s servers, and for who gets live off this digital commons. While Reddit provides essential infrastructural support, these community developers and moderators make the site worth visiting, and any worthwhile content is the fruit of their volunteer labor. It’s this labor and worker solidarity which gives users unique leverage over the platform, in contrast to past backlash to other platforms.