#scrap collecting simulator

[kaiserouo]

peaceful mode lethal company

[sunderingstars]

simulated universe addendum: ace trash digger

— i can’t believe i came across this occurrence literally the day after i posted my simulated universe analysis (talk about timing), so here’s me yapping about it!

— written during 2.6

— word count: short, list format

not only is this occurrence in every single simulated universe update (wow!) but it seems to be a more belobog-connected piece of potential sampo material!

— “he” pronouns. matches with sampo koski as we know him.

— he’s carrying a trashcan and the name of the occurence is “ace trash digger.” this is a pretty easy link to belobog since that’s the planet that has the most trashcan-related shenanigans. also, since he’s carrying it i can almost see the trashcan as symbolic of belobog itself — i.e. sampo and his little garbage planet he cares about and likes to carry around.

— “treasured trashcan.” once again, i can pretty easily see the trashcan as belobog, so the occurrence might actually be referencing sampo and his “treasured jarilo-vi.”

— he has a collection of “pitiful love poems.” this could connect to sampo’s theme of love, particularly broken hearts, as seen in things like his e4 and heart-bomb burst. these love poems may be written to aha as part of some lingering attachment, or may also be written towards belobog itself since he seems to care about the place so much.

— “put your waste in it, and the items will evolve into an advanced awareness, then come running out energetically on their own!” if the trashcan is symbolic of belobog and the person is supposed to be sampo, i would take a doll theory reading on this. with how much doll theory relies on the “betrayal” of a creator towards its creation, i almost see this as meta commentary on how aha may have betrayed or “discarded” sampo.

— it makes sense, after all, that aha would get bored with their creations quite easily (at least given the whole worm debacle), and what else to do than to discard it? it may be that sampo was not always like this, but evolved to become more “aware” after being abandoned on jarilo-vi, which aha may have seen as just some backwater junkyard snow planet.

— (honestly, the idea of jarilo-vi being seen as a cosmic junkyard is so funny to me. like, aha basically did the equivalent of driving their pickup truck to the scrap heap at the edge of town and tossing everything in. very mundane to them, totally traumatizing to sampo.)

— from there, i would interpret this occurrence as saying sampo slowly rejoined the wider universe — i.e. “running out energetically” on his own. this likely included becoming part of the masked fools or trying to re-contact aha. (alternatively, this could be what is going on currently in canon, with belobog and, by extension, sampo, becoming more present on the galactic stage.) this may have actually surprised the aeon themself (if they even cared anymore), as it would essentially be the equivalent of throwing out a stuffed animal halfway across town, only for it to get up, walk, and find its way back to your house weeks later talking like “why have you forsaken me, father?”. this may even be how sampo became an emanator — aha may have found the whole situation so hilarious they decided to promote sampo on the spot.

— overall, if the trashcan is meant to be belobog and sampo is meant to be the waste (like “hazardous waste” in the friendship is magic event), then this occurrence may be hinting at sampo’s backstory of being discarded by aha on jarilo-vi.

— hunt option (swarm disaster). mean, why are we being so mean?! i would never steal from sampo, i’m simply built different.

— remembrance option (swarm disaster). “you recall the past lives of these discarded objects” implies a sort of sentience and agency. even though the objects may not be at “advanced awareness” yet, they clearly still have past experiences and lives. comparatively, i would say this may mean that sampo, although only recently evolving into a unique kind of sentience, has always been “alive.” for me, i see this as gaining personhood, or perhaps new perspectives on life. he may have started as a toy with no real agency of his own, but he’s been able to find some sort of autonomy for himself on belobog, even being able to reach beyond the love and find the “hate” for a creator who treated him cruelly.

— erudition option (gold and gears). erudition once again! man, erudition and elation love going hand-in-hand. “even trash has its unique ‘value’” seems to send a deeper, general message. not only is it the erudition doing what the erudition tends to do when confronted with something new — find its value, either through experimentation or dismantling — but it communicates the idea that even though something may be seen as worthless or forgotten, it still holds purpose. even though sampo may be seen in the eyes of his creator as a “discarded doll,” he still has value. he’s still a person. he still has his own hopes, thoughts, and dreams. although the erudition likely means this phrase in a more troublesome “let’s take him apart to see what he’s made of” way, a nice message can still be gleaned.

— normal option. as with all other options, there’s a big theme of “transaction,” or exchanging items for more. i don’t have a lot to say about it, other than it fits right in with sampo’s con-man trade and propensity for bargaining.

— i found it a bit surprising at first that there was no elation option, given how that would’ve been a more solid link to sampo, but perhaps there isn’t supposed to be. perhaps, aha stuffed toy having an elation option is meant to be symbolic of a time aha cared enough to turn their gaze of sampo, but here the occurrence is dealing with the period of and after his abandonment. in this case, there may be no elation option because aha quite simply does not care enough for there to be one. he’s all alone. sad :((

overall, i can’t believe this one almost slipped under my nose while doing my simulated universe analysis! the irony is not lost on me that i almost passed over it in a similar way to others in-universe; i guess the “cosmic junkyard” planet really did its job !! i think this has some nice little tidbits for the potential timeline of doll theory, and gives some insight into what sampo’s “betrayal” might have been! (also, of course aha would do something like this. of course lol)

thanks for reading!

© analysis by sunderingstars. do not copy, repost, translate, modify, or claim my work as your own.

[regretevator-headcanons]

based on the fact i found regretevator roleplays in da amazing bunker simulator,

here is what everyone would do in da bunker

Bive would be on the third floor working in the offices, maybe she'd go around delivering mail to all the NPCs, or maybe she'd be in the laboratory studying samples.

DrRETRO would also be in the laboratory, studying samples, since she is a doctor.

FleshCousins would replace the NPCs wandering around da bunker, especially the ones in the staff canteen. Since FleshCousins are already not sentient, it would sorta make sense it would be repeating the patterns of buying items, wheeling in bodies for the laboratory, etc...

Gnarpy would spend all xyr time in da 7/11 and down sodas (on the first floor). Endlessly. I don't know what makes me think xyr would, but I'm sure if given the option, xe would. Either that, or Gnarpy would spend a lot of xyr time in the staff canteen selling items to other NPCs.

Infected does not have a lot of options for fun in da bunker. At the very least, I think he would have fun with the events that take place and maybe buying suits, but otherwise I have no idea how else he would pass the time.

Spud! just based on the fact that there is a way to puke (from drinking a lot of soda) and you're able to mop it up, Spud! would hang out on floors one and two, play bingo and clean up puke. The only thing is, I think this might be a little overstimulating for him since there's a lot of loud noises, which could trigger his trauma response.

Lampert works as the lighting manager. He is the only person in da bunker capable of handling the lights. He also sometimes hangs out on floors four and five, and sometimes the vault of past seasonal items in floor 1, to look at his options. He probably collects suits/furniture.

Mannequin Mark feels like he'd be working as a builder in da bunker, similar to Wallter, though I think he'd be making items.

Pest likes money, that much is obvious. He'd spend a lot of time on floors five because there's da ticket land; there's a slot machine (obviously) as well as a blackjack room. I'd imagine he'd spend a lot of time there along with Bive. Also, since Pest is notable for using scrap, being able to make robots, I think he'd be the main repairman of da bunker.

Poob is here to have fun—to party, even—so he is often organizing the events and also proposing items to add to da bunker. His job may not sound fun, but it keeps the spirits high in da bunker.

Pilby's role is to, I'd imagine, sell suits. They're the suit shopkeeper. Poob often tries to drag them into helping plan events because they're just nice like that, though Pilby's ideas don't tend to pan out very well.

Prototype has a very important job of surveying the others to know their needs, and report to the people necessary to get those needs met, which mainly goes to Poob and Pest. Prototype also does everything at least once everyday, going to each floor and trying out each activity for the sake of it. Out of all the NPCs, he knows da bunker da best.

Reddy is the main form of entertainment at da bunker, mainly being the man behind the DJ booth. Yes, I made him da dj man.

Scag works as the ticketer in da ticket land, handing out daily credits, exchanging tickets, and giving people prizes. Obviously, she cannot walk because her wheels are glued to the floor, but that's neither here nor there.

Split works behind the desk at the bingo area, handing out bingo cards to others. Alternatively, as of writing, the April Fool's event (suit contest) is currently available, and I like to think Split is hosting that. She's already the host of her own show, so it's fitting that she also hosts events alongside Poob.

Spud! runs da 7/11. It's a nice hangout spot for some of the other NPCs and they find the familiarity of stocking shelves in a safe environment rather relaxing.

Unpleasant is absolutely useless.

Wallter strikes me as the type of guy that's building alongside Mannequin Mark, but since their preferences in materials are different, Wallter is the one patching up da bunker or making changes and expansions to it.

MRManueverer and MR work together on floor five, at da ticket land.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Managing space debris through space law

It's becoming increasingly crowded in the orbits around Earth that are popular for space travel. And that's not just due to satellites—there's also more waste material, which is compromising safety. Ph.D. candidate Zhuang Tian is conducting research into the legal aspects of discarded space equipment. Whoever leaves debris behind should take responsibility and clean it up.

In the near future, probes with robotic arms will be hovering in orbit. The arms will have four metal tentacles spread out like a spider's legs, ready to catch a discarded satellite where the probes maneuver minutely. It's one of the techniques the company ClearSpace is currently simulating—only on Earth for the time being.

Active debris removal

With his specialization in space law, legal expert Zhuang Tian is following these developments closely. He will shortly be defending his Ph.D. thesis on the legal aspects of space debris disposal. The specific focus of his research is how companies like ClearSpace and the Japanese company Astroscale are planning on actively removing debris, because there is another option: space equipment that removes itself after use by burning into the atmosphere. But as Tian explains, current satellites can't yet do that, hence the need for a collection service provided by private companies.

"Space agencies such as ESA could encourage the development of active debris removal (ADR) missions and their exploitation," he says.

Antisocial campers

As Tian explains following his Ph.D. research, space law is lagging behind, and so it's essential that clear rules and international agreements are put in place. He compares the behavior of countries that are the registered owners of discarded satellites with that of antisocial campers.

"You can compare it to a campsite littered with cans and plastic bottles. Of course, you could solve the problem technically by constantly removing the waste. But what works better is putting rules in place that inform campers about responsible behavior. I started investigating how space law encourages the countries and space agencies in question to clean up their space debris. Because even now, it's not clear to the states concerned that they're obliged to do this."

An international mechanism

Tian has encountered legal hurdles along the way. From a legal perspective, it appears to be risky for a state to clean up another state's scrap. Space equipment is the property of the state of registration, even if it has since been discarded. Those who start the cleanup process run the risk of a country, company or government organization holding the cleaner liable for damage to property.

"So currently, cleanup missions only focus on waste that is owned—or is at least allowed to be owned—by the cleaner," explains Tian. "There needs to be an international mechanism that makes it easier for countries and space agencies to request and grant permission."

A double-edged sword

Tian explains that another factor at play is that removal technology—such as the ClearSpace tentacles—have a dual-use nature. Every part of a spacecraft could potentially be used as a weapon in space, even if that was never the intention when it was designed. A peaceful clean-up process could cause misunderstandings.

Tian adds, "If you're able to grab space debris, you're also able to grab another vehicle or deliberately collide with it. If a country removes a discarded object that belongs to another state, that state might perceive it as a hostile act—even if the intentions were good."

Transparency surrounding missions

Tian examined the rules, guidelines and laws for responsible behavior that would prevent space debris removal from being perceived as a threat. He says, "Addressing concerns is more effective than setting technical requirements dictating that objects may not be used for war purposes. After all, in space you could use any piece of equipment for military purposes. That's why I also recommend transparency surrounding space missions."

An international hotline

He is pinning his hopes on soft law—instruments that are not legally binding and yet serve as guidelines for behavior and practices in space. While they are voluntary, they can make up for the gaps in the prescriptive articles found in space treaties. He advocates international guidelines for active space debris removal. He also says that countries could increase their commitment to multilateral and unilateral agreements. This would put pressure on commitments made by states to do something about the debris. The United Nations could make a more active effort to agree on rules for clarity and safety in the event of dual use.

It's also important that countries coordinate with each other on this—perhaps by setting up an international hotline that countries can use to register spacecraft in the event of imminent collisions.

Future generations

Tian wants to expand the law governing space debris removal, and in the future hopes to get a ticket for a trip into space if it's affordable. By then, the chance of collisions with space debris should have decreased.

"I'm positive about that—there's a strong common awareness about sustainable use of space in the future. That will also benefit future generations, as space travel is becoming increasingly important in our daily lives."

[trailshome]

Progress Update: 10/04/2023

Hello guy! Been a long time since I've done one of these or posted anything of substance (sorry) -- but I've decided I need to start doing these again. I'm hoping if I can set aside more time for TLH, Metanoia, Hollow, and a mysterious third thing, I'll be able to get updates out more frequently. So, I might have an update for you (which is good news!) but it's not chapter two (which is bad news...).

Chapter Two needs to be re-planned (but don't worry, it wasn't all scrapped!). I decided mid-way that I wasn't happy with the direction of it, and things in the game were happening too fast for my tastes. Don't worry though, I'll try to keep you guys posted as I progress through Chapter Two. I've also been juggling the idea of having a Patreon where I can post extra content and stream art and coding for my games. While I do have one made, it isn't published, and I don't want to post the link without having anything worthwhile to share. I've figured out all the details for it and will let you know what I've decided once there's a bit more to Chapter Two and Hollow.

Now then, the update!

I've essentially gone through and further fleshed out or removed some scenes that I felt hindered the story and/or prevented me from springboarding off of it properly into the chunk that needs to be written.

I know right now TLH is kinda of a 'Collection Simulator' where you can pick up a lot of things, but I promise it'll make sense later. Everything you collect, you collect for a reason and there are consequences to what you haven't taken and what you have. Chapter Two will show this and I hope you enjoy the 'little' interaction that comes from it!

I want to be super transparent and let you guys know that I haven't had a lot of time the last year for writing, and stress + depression made it hard to work on TLH. I wasn't enjoying it for a long time, but now I'm determined to really push forward because I do love TLH and I want to share it with people. I'm sorry again for how much I dropped the ball with updates and keeping you guys posted but I promise to try better from here on out.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck around so far and/or has expressed interest in my silly little game! It means the world to me and more! I hope to see you guys again soon, maybe by the end of this month (Halloween Update?!) with a small update as an apology!

Thank you and please stay safe out there! The world is wild and getting wilder!

[neojayink]

Splatoon Neo’s hero story updates:

Light spoilers for DLC SIDE ORDER below. (Speaking of the general story)

Brief story time of bts hero shenanigans.

I’ve recently finalized a few facets of how I’d want the story to play out for sneo. The story has been under a few revisions over the years but in the last six months I think I’ve landed on something quite cool. Took my time thinking of ideas for my story so that Splatoon 3 could run its course and so that I wouldn’t have any overlap with cannon to the point I’m telling their story twice. And after finishing the dlc I’m now going back to the drawing board on some details.

Not sure if I’ve ever specified how the world of sneo compares to the cannon world but the universe of sneo (the neoverse I like to call it nowadays) is like an alternate timeline in a new dimension. So both sneo and cannon exist at the same times. Even tho sneo is slightly more futuristic, time works differently in the neoverse and the entire first story takes place and ends just moments before Octo expansion and beyond as of right now. This may all be kind of complicated to drop so suddenly but I do plan to explain all the cool bits when I get to covering the story. This worlds version of alterna logs are called “think pieces,” small cards that hold the knowledge of everything that happens around the neoverse.

I’d like to take this opportunity to go over a few of Splatoon neo’s scrapped storylines. Starting off with the one most closest to the current Splatoon cannon story.

1: “Homecoming”

“In this version of sneo story 1 the hero will come across databanks that detail the specifics of the universe they reside in. A world created by a long gone scientist that hoped to store souls inside a super computer called the “LOTUS” so that one day when the earth heals itself after the incoming devastation humans can return with a fresh slate to try life again without destroying the planet. The Lotus will be tasked with monitoring the planet for the next spiritually awakened intelligent life form to rise and humanity will live on again.

Someone in the real world (cannon) finds out about this device and hacks their way into it to use the power contained for their own nefarious acts. They promise a group of Octolings a better life and a do-over if they fight for his cause. The Octolings were easily on board as their leader was power hungry and would do anything to claim more turf. Little did they know that they would be an army fighting against their own best interests. At the end the Octoling army would be helping destroy their original world to make space for the return of humanity. This entity would use this group of Octolings to start trouble that leads to another global extinction of intelligent life. This biomass would then be modified by the Lotus and edited to reassemble human dna from scratch. “

This iteration of the story looks similar to alterna when it comes to humanities last ditch effort to survive. This story had too much back and forth between realities so the newer story will be much more simple and contained. Think of the lotus as a super computer that can simulate realities. It’s also based on fusing nature and technology. The lotus is so powerful that it can spawn constructs from within itself to the outside world if it has all the necessary matter. The greater villain would’ve used this technology to create an octoling anomaly that would go on to destroy the earth and collect back human dna from inklings / Octolings. Another similarly to tartar using agent 3 as a host body to go about their plans. There was also a huge focus on dna and GMO. Genetically modified Octolings would be a threat of Octolings that turn themselves into “super soldiers” for their cost. (Kinda like how color pallets work in side order)

A digital world and humans returning. It hit both marks but this inspired me for the better to create something more focused and not trying to explain “what should come next for a Splatoon 3.” Honestly shocked how I could’ve guessed the cannon story but back then I tried to make my story more of a “Splatoon 3” before Splatoon 3 existed. But overall I’m just glad to see the devs explore ideas I’ve once wished for. Really like a dream come true and s3 has my second favorite story mode of them all after Octo ex. (Close ties between all 5 don’t judge)

2: “Out of order”

“The neoverse inkopolis was overrun by chaos so bad that there had to be crack downs on turf wars. An octoling army gladly took the job of enforcing rules and curfews to please city officials. They were hypocritical and broke the same rules they enforced but higher ups didn’t seem to care. The hero fellow neighborhood watch gear up to figure out what’s going on in this city. They end up finding back to back scars of corporate greed. The city is so nice and clean because all of its trash goes underground into less fortunate habitats.

The hero finds out that the leader of the octoling army was bribing higher ups so that they could slowly take over the city without force. This octoling leader was universally feared and didn’t need to use brain washing to get their way. But they needed saving too. As fearsome as she is, she wasn’t immune from fearsome control themself.”

This version of the story played into fear vs respect heavily. We’d see the villain scare the city into submission while she figures out how she will save it from the entity that is above her. She’s like a trojan horse to the world and she hides in the deep sea, away from civilization in case she fails her mission and is turned into a weapon of destruction. As harsh as she may seem, she’s only following orders to keep whatever peace there is left to be had.

A lot of aspects of this version will return. Took me months to create a backstory of the new villain but she will probably get a post just like this one explaining all her scrapped stories and evolution. I really can’t wait to introduce her.

To not bore yall too much we will end things here for now. Now that splat 3 is pretty much complete with story for now I’m feeling a lot more confident telling the story I’m crafting now. Can’t lie, telling the same story as the cannon was a big fear of mine so I just stalled until things came out.

Splatoon neo is still alive. Unfortunately nowadays I find myself just sketching away and making complete works a lot less as you can tell. Hope this was a cool update for dlc time. As the storyline gets confirmed for sure I will try to make more text posts about it even if there’s no drawing to come with. I do plan on covering hero mode with a lot of drawings and possible 3d work if the artblock gods will let me. Could even be a comic covering it all.

Also decided to share this last thing. Splatoon neo will have more than one story once the first once is finished. It will probably take over the name “cross contamination” from that one sketch and be a direct sequel. It’s only been thought of for about a month so far so it’s still to early to spill details but heres some concepts of the new species I will introduce called “exolings” for now and a mystery inkling who shows up. They’re very “alien”-like in nature.

[tabletoptrinketsbyjj]

Trinkets, Worthless, 11: These trinket are garbage plain and simple. They would be termed vendor trash or junk loot in video games. They aren’t touched by stray magic or mystery as with regular trinkets, aren’t made from valuable materials and aren’t particularly useful even if they aren’t damaged.

A cookie tin. Upon opening it, you discover that it’s full of sewing supplies.

A mildew ridden purse containing 15 copper pieces that have been battered, bent, chewed or otherwise mutilated.

A single, partially soiled piece of parchment with indiscreet scrawlings upon it.

A scrap of leather on which was penned a sonnet composed by a lacklustre poet.

A single note that says “I.O.U.” The handwriting is very sloppy.

A small wooden box that when first opened, is surprisingly full of spiders.

A wiry and crusty collection of what appears to be dried plant matter braided into many strands to simulate hair. It is perhaps the worst wig you’ve ever seen.

A tin ear with a hole through the middle. The back has three serrated pins, slightly wobbly, presumably meant to have connected it to a host's skull.

A perfectly rectangular orange.

A shortbow that was meant to ignite the arrows it fires. Unfortunately, the enchantment is so strong that it instantly disintegrates any arrow that is knocked and is completely unusable as a weapon.

—Click Here to be directed to the Hotlinks To All Tables post, which provides (As you might have guessed) convenient links to all of the loot and resource tables this blog has.

—Note: The previous 10 items are repeated for easier rolling on a d100.

A cookie tin. Upon opening it, you discover that it’s full of sewing supplies.

A mildew ridden purse containing 15 copper pieces that have been battered, bent, chewed or otherwise mutilated.

A single, partially soiled piece of parchment with indiscreet scrawlings upon it.

A scrap of leather on which was penned a sonnet composed by a lacklustre poet.

A single note that says “I.O.U.” The handwriting is very sloppy.

A small wooden box that when first opened, is surprisingly full of spiders.

A wiry and crusty collection of what appears to be dried plant matter braided into many strands to simulate hair. It is perhaps the worst wig you’ve ever seen.

A tin ear with a hole through the middle. The back has three serrated pins, slightly wobbly, presumably meant to have connected it to a host's skull.

A perfectly rectangular orange.

A shortbow that was meant to ignite the arrows it fires. Unfortunately, the enchantment is so strong that it instantly disintegrates any arrow that is knocked and is completely unusable as a weapon.

A standard hinge and spring mousetrap with a desiccated mouse still caught inside.

A copper piece that has been bitten in half.

A fist size clump of hairy scalp wrapped in barbed wire dangling on a length of scarlet linen.

A waterskin half-filled with stale, brackish water.

A large side of spoiled meat wrapped in torn animal hide.

An opened stone bottle of strong, harsh alcohol.

A crudely fashioned hunting trap. It is made of gnarled wood and jagged iron hooks. It is too damaged to function properly but could be repaired and used to trap beasts, such as boar or deer.

A broken hazel wood staff scorched by flame.

A tiny boat crafted from a mouse's skull.

An aged cloth map detailed in a long dead language.

A cracked square mirror that reflects everything under a strange fuzzy layer. Creatures shown in the mirror seem to twitch or gain unnatural aspects.

A deer hide half way through the process of being tanned.

A set of damaged leather armor halfway through being mended.

A blanket made out of rat skins sewn together.

A wooden contraption that has drying plants pressed between two planks.

A half-eaten rat wrapped in a scrap of dirty, gore stained cloth.

A tightly strung lyre with residue on the strings that makes it look as if it has been used to cut cheese. The instrument is wildly out of tune. Along with the instrument the PC finds a brick of strong smelling cheese and a half eaten jar of olives.

A sprung mousetrap with no cheese and no mouse.

A bag of hard butterscotch candies, melted together by humidity and time.

A crusty used handkerchief. No monogram.

A few scraps of fine fabric, too small to make anything with.

A pair of eyeglasses, badly scratched.

A ticket stub to a play that was popular years and years ago but fell quickly out of fashion after the playwright was accused of plagiarism.

A ball of several feet of bundled up yarn, so badly knotted it might take hours to untangle the mess.

An earthenware jar containing a few common seashells.

A rock with eyes and a mouth painted on with the unskilled hand of a small child.

A small wooden box of stale tobacco leaf.

A rusty steel and smoked glass syringe.

A portrait of a plain, unremarkable woman. It looks old enough that the lady is likely long dead.

A small container labelled ‘Dr. Brown’s World Renown Elbow Grease’. It is nearly empty and smells foul.

A to-do list written in Infernal.

A dull letter opener, the handle has a griffon at the end with an illegible inscription, worn smooth with time.

A tankard with the handle broken off; the bottom also looks to be dented, as if dashed against something heavy.

A specimen jar of hardened gelatinous cube gel, so dry that it’s become powdery and useless.

A ratty leather wallet containing a thick wad of paper currency belonging to a now defunct nation, rendering them worthless.

A broken and rusted dagger with a brass hilt in the shape of an octopus.

A defaced stone bust of a fallen ruler.

A rude cartoon of the adventuring party, all of them mercilessly caricatured.

A small, crude, clay pot that looks like it was made by an apprentice potter on their very first day.

An old pair of wool socks that have multiple patches sewn into their frayed and fragile hems.

A common copper piece, both sides depicting a fat-jowled merchant. One face smiles cajolingly and the other sneers scornfully.

A heavy, black leather sack with a brown leather thong threaded through a series of small slits near its opening to serve as a drawstring. It contains a carefully wound ball of waxed twine, a three‐barb steel fishing hook with its points embedded in tiny cylinders of cork, and the remains of a broken lantern.

A matched pair of eyeball sized, square‐cut, dark green stones with bright red flecks. They appear opaque at first, but admit a faint glow through the edges when held to the light. Knowledgeable PC’s can identify the minerals as bloodstone.

A worn, weathered woollen belt pouch, originally dyed grey‐blue, holds bent copper coins in its roomy main compartment and a soiled handkerchief in each of two small exterior pockets. A belt, torn raggedly with the buckle‐end missing, is still threaded through the pouch's loops.

A clay jar filled with “Stinking Orc’s Foot” cheese.

An old and rusty axe head.

A child-sized short bow with a broken string.

The broken tip off a dwarf-crafted spear.

A terribly preserved sheep’s bladder which can be used as a container in an emergency.

A battered leather case containing a well-worn deck of cards, most of which are stained with wine.

A petrified cocoon of an unknown insect.

A single, partially soiled piece of parchment with indiscrete scrawlings upon it.

A glass jar large enough to hold a live chicken that instead contains only a greenish pickling solution and two dozen hard boiled eggs of indeterminate species.

A collection of leather scraps fashioned together into a vaguely humanoid doll.

A cloudy, dirty mirror that one can barely see their own reflection in it

A crudely stitched scarf made from ferret pelts.

A half-finished spell scroll stained with long-dried blood.

A mummified toad which, when squeezed, emits a large puff of foul-smelling black smoke from its mouth.

A cracked glass eye with some questionable stains on it.

A scrap of paper or parchment with an unintelligible note scribbled on it.

A dog sized carcass of an unknown beast that has been recently mutilated by something.

A roughly sewn doll of a cat with button eyes.

A fragment of slate with a fossilized fern.

A crude arrowhead fashioned from quartzite.

A set of colorful ceramic beads on a length of twine.

A petrified corpse of a minnow, hooked on a length of wire.

A small box, encrusted with dead barnacles and severely water damaged.

The scorched remains of a once-beautiful bouquet of flowers.

An old shortsword, long since dulled. A chalky black substance coats it, in place of rust.

A rusty cutlass with half the blade snapped off.

A piece of wood that sinks like a stone.

A twisted handle from a broken dagger. It has black stains.

A stringless lute with puncture marks.

A jar of mismatched cooking utensils. One has bloodstains.

A rusted iron torch bracelet.

A piece of sun-bleached driftwood.

An old and rusty axe head.

A small pouch full of burnt up expended spell components.

A set of four bone dice, so worn that one can barely make out the symbols.

A desiccated squirrel

A small cart of humble design, composed of old wood and rusted nails that struggle to hold the vessel together. The two wheels in the back are misshapen, and the mounting bars at the front are scuffed and worn from repeated use. A second look reveals numerous patches and fixes implemented by an experienced workman in the past.

An old half eaten book with a title on the spine that read “Biology of the common book worm and its dietar...” (The rest is missing).

A large mason jar of pickled monstrosity viscera.

A rusted pot filled with mummified deer hooves and pieces of antler.

A flour-sack dolly with yellow yarn hair. It’s missing one of its button eyes.

A thin wooden case, containing several broken pieces of charcoal, chalk, and a ruler.

A stained piece of parchment with a handwritten recipe for macarons.

A wide-toothed comb made of carved bone. One of the teeth is chipped.

A handmade plush elephant, made of mismatched scraps of blue fabrics. Its eyes are two black buttons, with stitched-on eyebrows set in a perpetually sad expression.

An old leather bridle harness and reins, cracked and worn but for the mirror-polished brass hardware, which always feels sun-hot to touch. The reins are creased and dyed brown with old blood in places, stained green with grass in others.

[arterartthings]

My Bab fun sheet

Some notes about Barbara’s abilities

Small backstory of Barbara:

Barbara Strawberry is a teenager from Ashland in Pennsylvania. She became what is now known as Specimen 5 after being kidnapped by a mysterious cult and sacrificed to entity known as The Mother. The Mother, realizing that her Followers gave her a child ‚tainted’ by the Leader, pitied her. Barbara’s body encased in clay was reanimated by Mother and slaughtered the insencere cult members. Barbara’s soul remained dorment in in her own body for decades, until one day a mysterious person appeared in House on The Hill. Just after few hours from chasing the mysterious explorer, Barbara was resurrected as herself from before the ritual. Barbara remembers nothing from the day of the ritual sacrifice (which is for the better).

With almost everyone she knew from school being adults and indeterminate state of her real family, Barbara decided to stay in the house among other monstrous residents who still recognize her as one of them and Zachary Gāng, the host of Specimen 12 who is in similar situation as the girl, taking on the responsibility of being her guardian figure.

⭐️Barbara Fun Facts⭐️

Originally, Barbara was a rip off of Oka Ruto from Yandere Simulator (I created her around 2016-17, long before the shit plumeted)

Originally, Barbara had skills of summoning demons from Goetia and that was ther reason the cult kidnapped her. Obviously, that got scrapped later on in my life

She loves collecting 80’s tech, victorian era china and overall etheric/astrology decor

She’s 1/4 American, 1/4 German and 1/2 Korean

She has a younger brother

Her favorite dish is Ramen with wontons and kimchi (her mother’s invention)

[noxexistant]

Can I have wholesome thoughts?

Ikeshot thoughts maybe?

[smooches u on the forehead]

hotshot is the definition of a night owl. it’s just when he operates best, so most of the ‘dates’ he and ike spend together are at night, going wherever hotshot wants to that particular night - ike loves to follow him, loves to just be taken by the wrist and led somewhere, some special spot in brooklyn that ike’d never be able to see by himself. hotshot likes the harbour and piers best, likes to take ike to just sit on a ledge and stare out at the water together, admire the soft glow of streetlights shoulder-to-shoulder with their legs swaying and dangling, occasionally kicking each other gently. ike won’t go in the water, but hotshot’ll sometimes strip down to his drawers and dive in, and ike’ll watch him. let hotshot settle against his shoulder when he comes out even though he smells like a wet dog and is soaked to the bone. if it’s cold, once he’s made hotshot get dressed again, he’ll strip his own shirt off and wrap it around hotshot over his stupid sleeveless undershirt, and hold him close even though hotshot insists he’s absolutely not shivering. (he is.)

hotshot picks flowers and pretty plants for ike, collects leaves that are nice colours and shapes to give to him. ike presses them to keep, in the little journal he keeps by his bunk. he makes things for hotshot in turn, folds him little origami pieces out of paper scraps based on what he can remember his papai teaching him from what people taught him before he came to the us. he doesn’t know what it’s actually called, hotshot calls it ike’s paper magic - hotshot and mike are both equally enthusiastic about it, and each have their own collections of little folded gifts.

they stay out together until ike can’t stay awake anymore, late late into the night. he starts slurring into portuguese when he’s exceptionally tired, fully aware that he won’t be understood but unable to keep up with properly translating his thoughts, frustrated with words that just aren’t right in english. it amuses hotshot to no end, he loves hearing ike speak his mother tongue, loves listening when he and mike are talking between themselves, a chaotic mixture of portuguese and english and their made-up twin language. he never asks to know what it means, is content with not understanding, doesn’t want to steal anything from mike. but ike’ll translate things sometimes, when they head back to the brooklyn boys’ lodging house together when ike can hardly keep his eyes open. he’ll be lay scratching his fingers though hotshot’s hair as they’re both approaching sleep and mumble clarification that what he just called hotshot means “beloved”, or “handsome”, or “i d’know, but my mamãe use’ t’call papai that one”. he gets loose-lipped when he’s sleepy, talkative. hotshot loves it.

hotshot sleeps on top of ike, face tucked against ike’s neck, arms wrapped around ike’s waist. he snores a little, but ike doesn’t mind, just the same as hotshot doesn’t mind how twitchy ike is in his sleep. (hotshot is basically simulating a weighed blanket/deep pressure therapy on top of ike. it’s part of why ike sleeps so damn well when he’s got hotshot there with him, settles in a way he never can otherwise.)

hotshot loves ike’s stimming, and loves it most of all when ike doesn’t even realise he’s doing it. when he’s talking animatedly - the way he onto really does with hotshot - and starts rocking slightly in his happiness or excitement, or he’s rubbing his thumb back and forth over the scar on hotshot’s first knuckle, or smoothing hotshot’s hair between his fingers in it’s uneven little curls. hotshot stims a lot too - he’s got adhd - but they tend to be louder and more obvious, bouncing and being energetic and banging his palms against surfaces. rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. he likes to drag ike up to join in with him, grinning and laughing as he dances ike around and shakes their joined hands and talks rapid-fire about anything that’s on his mind.

hotshot sleeps a lot more than ike does. he tends to fall asleep whenever they settle somewhere together. ike likes to just hold him like that, and he enjoys the peace and safety of those moments. he likes having hotshot in his arms to protect. hotshot insists that it’s his job to protect ike, but it’s equal. they’ve got each others backs. they’ve got each other.

[fazbear-entertainment-logs]

The Problem With MoltenMCI

There is a problem with MoltenMCI, and if you've seen my post about the whereabouts of Golden Freddy in Five Nights At Freddy's 3 then you already know part of the problem. The other part is that whether or not William was collecting remnant in Follow Me and intended to use the Fnaf animatronics for the Funtimes, it doesn't happen.

First of he seems to be killed by the Springlocks before he can, and the Fnaf 1 animatronics were put back together and were never used to make the Funtimes. Why do I say this, well it's because Follow Me takes place before Five Nights AT Freddy's 1. In the Five Nights At Freddy's 3 tapes we know the backrooms were boarded up which resulted in Springtrap being trapped in the back rooms. But the person we learn this from is Phone Guy, and as we know Phone Guy dies before Five Nights At Freddy's 1. And as we all know the animatronics are functional and possessed in Five Nights At Freddy's 1.

On a side note Follow Me could explain why Foxy is out of order, William just messed up Foxy.

Back on topic the MCI did not become the Funtimes by extension Ennard and later Molten Freddy. Meaning that MoltenMCI doesn't work, and Candy Cadet's story of 5 things becoming one can't be about Molten Freddy. Also, if you have seen my post about Golden Freddy's whereabouts you see I pointed out how he was never scrapped. But also if there is 2 spirits possessing Golden Freddy, and we assume MoltenMCI is true. Then shouldn't Candy Cadet's story be about 6 things becoming one? In addition shouldn't William be sending Michael to not only deal with his sister but his brother as well?

Also, going along with the where is Golden Freddy question, where is the rest of the MCI animatronics? If they were still functional in Five Nights At Freddy's 1 where did they go? Why weren't they found and used in Fazbear's Frights alongside the rotting Springtrap?

To a possible objection of them being used as decoration in Fazbear's Frights. We know there is a bunch of spare heads, suits, and parts in general in parts and service they could have used, or countless crappy cosplay as stated by the phone dude. So once again where are they?

Continuing on we know Golden Freddy is in the Five Nights At Freddy's: Pizzeria Simulator fire as stated in my previous post, the others were probably there but we aren't sure.

There is a possible explanation on where they are, but it requires Fnaf AR: Special Delivery to be canon. In an older post I mentioned that Rockstar Bonnie according to an email in FNAFARSP was made from parts of the original Bonnie. So if canon then the original animatronics MIGHT have been converted into the Rockstar animatronics.

Now some people might argue that it's soul splitting occurred to say MoltenMCI happened. The problem with this is as far as I am aware soul splitting has never been shown to be a thing in the games or even be eluded to, at least remnant is. Also, you still run into the missing Yellow Bear problem.

[brainrotlesbian]

FNAF: Enigma (general info)

Enigma is a whump AU I created at the end of either 2020 or 2021, for the life of me I don’t remember. Keep in mind I started it well before Security Breach, and before Vanessa was properly introduced, when Vanny was also very ambiguous so I took what I knew (the mask and rainbow hair, referenced in the AR game) and pulled out my version of Vanny: a lesbian disaster with a rough past.

The premise of this AU is: William has been researching remnant—how it’s made, it’s effects, etc—and has amassed a cult following of various outcasts of society (whether they want to be there or not), and he’s turned his sights on Vanny. She is trying to live her life, but is haunted by a dark past and has a body count, making her a good candidate for William to manipulate into becoming a prolific killer. Vanny doesn’t want to join him, so he, knowing that she and Michael are very close (a sort of father/daughter relationship), takes Michael hostage in order to get her to cooperate. Michael is punished when Vanny doesn’t cooperate, and is sometimes a bit of a punching bag for some of the more sadistic cultists.

The timeline for this is. Convoluted but this is FNAF so. FNAF 4, 2, and the original occur as in the games, in that order, including both the Bite of 83 (victim being Cassidy Afton—yes I’m calling him Cassidy it’s a cute name) and the Bite of 87 (victim being Jeremy Fitzgerald; at the time, Michael’s bf). Michael goes undercover as Mike Schmidt to figure out wtf is going on, figured out his father is responsible for the deaths of the 5 missing children (vengeful spirit Cassidy is different from Crying Child Cassidy), and sets out to bring his father to justice. Shortly after Michael leaves the FNAF 1 location, the restaurant closes and William suffers the springlock failure, but, instead of being left in the supply closet for 30 years, he’s found by the members of his cult and extracted from the spring Bonnie suit. Michael ventures to sister location, where he is scooped, and after ejecting Ennard into the sewers (gross), he circles back to Henry Emily to figure out what to do, where they decided to end the madness once and for all, leading to the events of Pizzeria Simulator. Vanny joins the team a few years in (collecting all of the scrapped animatronics is difficult and takes a while), and is clued in to Michael’s past, as they both are haunted from their own mistakes and the mistakes of their fathers. No, FNAF 3 does not happen

William’s cult started as research into remnant and how it works, discovered shortly after Charlie Emily’s murder in 1987 (a week before the murders of the 5 missing children). Most of the members of the cult are those who were preyed upon at their lowest and have no way to leave, and were tempted by William giving them promises of ways to fix their problems. The others are genuinely sadistic and enjoy causing pain and misery.

Miscellaneous info:

Mrs. Clara Afton was a lesbian when she was alive, marrying William (a gay man) in the late 60’s in order to present as a heterosexual couple. They also had kids in order to keep up that facade. She was murdered by William after Elizabeth’s death, as she planned on leaving him and taking Michael with her

Charlie Emily and Michael Afton were close as children. Even more unfortunate that Charlie saw William as a sort of uncle, leading her to trust him, which is why he was able to kill her (she was 15 at the time)

Michael Afton is trans. Just for funsies. William may be a murderer but he’s not a monster (transphobic)

Sammy Emily is still alive. He and Michael weren’t as close as Michael and Charlie were, but after Charlie’s death they became closer, almost brothers

Vanessa Howard had a younger sister, Lea, who couldn’t pronounce “Vanessa,” and instead called her “Vanny.”

William’s design (half rotted corpse gnarled with twisted, rusted metal) is very much so inspired by his design in The Fourth Closet (keep in mind I haven’t read the books)

[mari-bon]

hi hello :D i looove your art, so delicious verrry good :3!!! i saw your post of the pizzeria simulator characters but fnafhs and i thought you would like some ideas for the scissors thingies for scrap baby (if you didn't want suggestions i am sorry for the intrusion)

idea #1: like, one of those dinosaur head claw thingies this ones:

i dont know, thought it could be funny

idea #2: just like, a claw glove hand thing made out of cardboard since she likes horror movies and has a creepy mask it could be like she got inspired by like that guy that has like a chainsaw for a hand in the movie (sorry, i dont know the actual name of the movie)

anyway :D

love your posts, i hope you have a good time zone and sorry for the long ask

Oooo i do like the idea of her making the scissor hand thingy

Maybe she made the mask too cause she likes making diy horror movie props

She just has a collection of fucked up looking masks and weapons she made from cardboard maybe even a few cardboard statues and figuriens

Also dw about the long ask feel free to ask me any time <3

[crimsonlyinglilly]

No. 26: “Sometimes I get so tired; I don’t even know myself.”

Seeing Double | Working To Exhaustion | “You look awful.”

Strong body horror here, and some non-con adjacent stuff.

here for something a little different .

Set night four of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator.

Mike won’t die.

 —--

Michael was tired even before he started his shift, he’s still not sure why he can get exhausted or need sleep when his body is mostly dead but he was dealing with it for the most part, living out his nightmares every night certainly wasn’t helping.

Tonight was just a collection of his worst ones all at once. He was blaming the exhaustion for failing to spot and distract them. The first half of the night had gone well until Liz- Scrapbaby had appeared from the vent before he could distract her away.

The hand shoved though his chest was unneeded since the sight of her tended to give him a similar feeling, at least when he came back to himself she was gone and the new hole wasn’t as bad as he had worried.

Still he had been a little too concerned checking it and relieving the guilt of failing her, that he had missed the warning for his other family member.

At least the sight of springtrap at least washed the guilt away in favour of anger but the emotion didn’t give him any more of a chance to fight back.

And coming back again so soon left him unbalanced and cold. The sensation of being wrong within his own body was something he had gotten familiar with since he first woke up stiff and purple, but it got worse when he was repeatedly reminded how wrong life was for him now.

Still he was gone by the time Mike was able to snap his neck into place and pull himself back upright using the chair, placing his white bear mask on the table he was just about to tell himself that it couldn’t get worse with only 10 minutes left to go when he heard the vent to his right creek.

The made to scrabbled to the computer but a voice stopped him.

“TOO La-a-ate” a voice called from the vent, the large once bear crawled from the vent and greeted him “OH! Eg-eggs.” 

Not them. He almost begged to a god that clearly didn't like him, just when he thought his night couldn’t get worse.

“Not so happy familyyyy,” The one they had labelled Moten Freddy chuckled, far too many eyes locked onto him. “Does it h-h-hurt that they d-d-don’t recog-nise you?“

How long had it been waiting-watching? Mike swallowed at the thought of this thing waiting just out of his sight during the night.

Mike’s body took a step back without him thinking as the thing that had once worn his skin, that had stretched out bones and broken flesh, destroyed his eyes and tore his muscles, that had dragged his body around as he rotted,stood before him.

“You l–l-look aw-w-wful.” the bear almost sounded pitying, as it stared at him. For a moment they both stood still watching each other. “Working h-h-hard?”

Then the bear lunged and Mike found himself pinned to a wall, the anitronic’s weight crushing him easily.

‘Please don’t do too much damage’ he thought, the snapped neck was dealt with but he already had to find a clean shirt and stitch up the new hole scrap baby had left in his chest.

“We- mis-ssed you.” it told him, jaws snapping shut very close to his face.

Don’t think about Evan, Don’t think about Evan.

“Don’t you m-m-miss us?”

At first he doesn’t understand when he feels his shirt shift before hearing the buttons pop off, then pure panic overwhelms as he feels wires explore the skin under it, toying with the stitches it finds holding the wound that killed him together.

He can’t stop the whimpers that escape him and he tries to force exhausted body to fight as he feels something push though his stitches, and feels them snap and tear.

Feels something crawl inside him.

Not again, not again, not again.

His shriek turned into a sob as he found himself helpless to stop it.

Wires twisting around his ribs from inside finding the pieces of metal they had left behind last time, crawling up his spine, pushing through the remains of the lung he had left. His world narrowed down to the feeling inside as the world fell away.

“More fu-full than when we l-l-left you. No mat-ter, we’ll hollow you out a-a-gain-n.”

No, no, please no, no, no.

He couldn’t see anything but the form towering over him, a smaller pale blur starring from the desk and the sound of an ad loudly filling the room were lost to him all he felt was terror as more started to slip through the torn stitches filling the hollow within him as the wires started crawling up his throat.

He barely notices the hot feeling trailing down his cheeks as his eyes leaked, his mouth open choking on a silent scream.

Then they were gone, the wires and more pulled back quickly, causing more stitches to break and making his grasp at the sudden absence. He went limp in the bear’s grip suddenly aware it was the only thing keeping him up.

“Welp, mornings near-ly h-h-here, see you to-night b-b-birthday boy.”

He slid down the wall when the animatronic released him. He doesn’t watch it crawl back into the vent, it’s too much effort to move even his head.

After a time he makes no attempt to stand instead he drags his legs to his chest and wraps his arms around them, ignoring the wet he can feel spreading from the torn open wound in his torso, not knowing if it was from him or something the bear left, not wanting to think about it.

“Boss?” Helpy called.

“In a minute.” he croaked, he had to get up, prepare for the day, needed to change his clothes, clean himself, restitch himself.

He just needed a little time.

Mike took a breath he didn’t need, both him and the small bear ignored the way it hitched.

He wanted to rest.

[gothamcityneedsme]

the boomers are a faction the player is motivated to help, to see the good side of. you get to help jack get a girlfriend! you can collect scrap metal and try to repair their solar panels. You meet their children, listen to one tell their history, find a teddy bear for a little girl. They are people, and you are supposed to empathize with them.

they dont mask who they are, their history and focus on their piloting simulations make their point of view clear. They all carry massive explosives and missile launchers. you had to run through barrages of mortor fire to even talk to them in the first place. Their finale "the lady of the lake" is a war plane that they want to use to drop bombs. the whole reason youre there is to get them to drop bombs FOR YOU.

Their WHOLE DOGMA is on war from afar, craving violence through weapons and explosives, to wage war that is onesided because its just them killing faceless people, who must look like ants from the air or through a viewfinder.

and yet almost no player is going to go in there to kill them. their philosophy is left a hanging threat to everyone around them. Its so fascinating

[delight1erp]

5 Benefits of Having Production Management Software in your organization

Introduction

Production management software is a specialized to streamline and optimize the manufacturing process within an organization. It integrates various aspects of production, such as planning, scheduling, quality control, inventory management, and resource allocation, into a single, cohesive system.

By providing real-time data and analytics, this software helps managers make informed decisions, enhance operational efficiency, reduce waste, and maintain consistent quality standards.

Ultimately, production management software aims to improve productivity and ensure the timely delivery of products, making it a critical component for modern manufacturing operations.

Benefits of having a Production Management Software

1) Enhanced Production Planning and Scheduling

Optimized Resource Allocation: Production management software helps in the efficient allocation of resources, ensuring that machinery, labor, and materials are used optimally. This leads to reduced downtime and increased productivity.

Accurate Scheduling: It enables precise scheduling of production activities, which helps in meeting deadlines and improving on-time delivery rates. The software can dynamically adjust schedules based on real-time data and changing priorities.

2) Improved Quality Control

Consistent Quality Standards: The software ensures that production processes adhere to predefined quality standards. Automated quality checks and real-time monitoring help identify and address defects early in the production cycle.

Data-Driven Insights: The software can provide insights into quality trends and issues by analysing data from various production stages, enabling continuous improvement and maintaining high-quality output.

3) Increased Operational Efficiency

Streamlined Workflows: Production management software streamlines workflows by integrating various production processes, reducing manual interventions and the potential for errors. This leads to smoother operations and higher efficiency.

Inventory Management: It provides real-time visibility into inventory levels, helping to prevent overstocking or stockouts. Efficient inventory management ensures that materials are available when needed, reducing delays and waste.

4) Cost Reduction

Reduced Waste: By optimizing production processes and resource usage, the software helps minimise waste, leading to cost savings. Improved quality control also reduces the costs associated with rework and scrap.

Lower Operational Costs: Automation and efficient resource management contribute to lower labour and operational costs. The software also helps in identifying cost-saving opportunities by analyzing production data and trends.

5) Better Decision-Making

Real-Time Data and Analytics: Production management software provides real-time data and comprehensive analytics, enabling informed decision-making. Managers can quickly identify bottlenecks, track performance metrics, and respond to issues proactively.

Scenario Planning: Advanced production management systems offer simulation and scenario planning capabilities. This allows organizations to evaluate different production strategies and make decisions that optimize outcomes based on data-driven insights.

Conclusion

By integrating production management software into your organization, you can achieve greater control over your production processes, enhance efficiency, maintain high-quality standards, reduce costs, and make better-informed decisions. These benefits collectively contribute to a more competitive and agile manufacturing operation.

[jcmarchi]

Unlocking the quantum future

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/unlocking-the-quantum-future/

Unlocking the quantum future

Quantum computing is the next frontier for faster and more powerful computing technologies. It has the potential to better optimize routes for shipping and delivery, speed up battery development for electric vehicles, and more accurately predict trends in financial markets. But to unlock the quantum future, scientists and engineers need to solve outstanding technical challenges while continuing to explore new applications.

One place where they’re working towards this future is the MIT Interdisciplinary Quantum Hackathon, or iQuHACK for short (pronounced “i-quack,” like a duck). Each year, a community of quhackers (quantum hackers) gathers at iQuHACK to work on quantum computing projects using real quantum computers and simulators. This year, the hackathon was held both in-person at MIT and online over three days in February.

Quhackers worked in teams to advance the capability of quantum computers and to investigate promising applications. Collectively, they tackled a wide range of projects, such as running a quantum-powered dating service, building an organ donor matching app, and breaking into quantum vaults. While working, quhackers could consult with scientists and engineers in attendance from sponsoring companies. Many sponsors also received feedback and ideas from quhackers to help improve their quantum platforms.

But organizing iQuHACK 2024 was no easy feat. Co-chairs Alessandro Buzzi and Daniela Zaidenberg led a committee of nine members to hold the largest iQuHACK yet. “It wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Buzzi said. The hackathon hosted 260 in-person quhackers and 1,000 remote quhackers, representing 77 countries in total. More than 20 scientists and engineers from sponsoring companies also attended in person as mentors for quhackers.

Each team of quhackers tackled one of 10 challenges posed by the hackathon’s eight major sponsoring companies. Some challenges asked quhackers to improve computing performance, such as by making quantum algorithms faster and more accurate. Other challenges asked quhackers to explore applying quantum computing to other fields, such as finance and machine learning. The sponsors worked with the iQuHACK committee to craft creative challenges with industry relevance and societal impact. “We wanted people to be able to address an interesting challenge [that has] applications in the real world,” says Zaidenberg.

One team of quhackers looked for potential quantum applications and found one close to home: dating. A team member, Liam Kronman, had previously built dating apps but disliked that matching algorithms for normal classical computers “require [an overly] strict setup.” With these classical algorithms, people must be split into two groups — for example, men and women — and matches can only be made between these groups. But with quantum computers, matching algorithms are more flexible and can consider all possible combinations, enabling the inclusion of multiple genders and gender preferences. 

Kronman and his team members leveraged these quantum algorithms to build a quantum-powered dating platform called MITqute (pronounced “meet cute”). To date, the platform has matched at least 240 people from the iQuHACK and MIT undergrad communities. In a follow-up survey, 13 out of 41 respondents reported having talked with their match, with at least two pairs setting up dates. “I really lucked out with this one,” one respondent wrote. 

Another team of quhackers also based their project on quantum matching algorithms but instead leveraged the algorithms’ power for medical care. The team built a mobile app that matches organ donors to patients, earning them the hackathon’s top social impact award. 

But they almost didn’t go through with their project. “At one point, we were considering scrapping the whole thing because we thought we couldn’t implement the algorithm,” says Alma Alex, one of the developers. After talking with their hackathon mentor for advice, though, the team learned that another group was working on a similar type of project — incidentally, the MITqute team. Knowing that others were tackling the same problem inspired them to persevere.

A sense of community also helped to motivate other quhackers. For one of the challenges, quhackers were tasked with hacking into 13 virtual quantum vaults. Teams could see each other’s progress on each vault in real time on a leaderboard, and this knowledge informed their strategies. When the first vault was successfully hacked by a team, progress from many other teams spiked on that vault and slowed down on others, says Daiwei Zhu, a quantum applications scientist at IonQ and one of the challenge’s two architects.

The vault challenge may appear to be just a fun series of puzzles, but the solutions can be used in quantum computers to improve their efficiency and accuracy. To hack into a vault, quhackers had to first figure out its secret key — an unknown quantum state — using a maximum of 20 probing tests. Then, they had to change the key’s state to a target state. These types of characterizations and modifications of quantum states are “fundamental” for quantum computers to work, says Jason Iaconis, a quantum applications engineer at IonQ and the challenge’s other architect. 

But the best way to characterize and modify states is not yet clear. “Some of the [vaults] we [didn’t] even know how to solve ourselves,” Zhu says. At the end of the hackathon, six vaults had at least one team mostly hack into them. (In the quantum world where gray areas exist, it’s possible to partly hack into a vault.)

The community of scientists and engineers formed at iQuHACK persists beyond the weekend, and many members continue to grow the community outside the hackathon. Inspired quhackers have gone on to start their own quantum computing clubs at their universities. A few years ago, a group of undergraduate quhackers from different universities formed a Quantum Coalition that now hosts their own quantum hackathons. “It’s crazy to see how the hackathon itself spreads and how many people start their own initiatives,” co-chair Zaidenberg says. 

The three-day hackathon opened with a keynote from MIT Professor Will Oliver, which included an overview of basic quantum computing concepts, current challenges, and computing technologies. Following that were industry talks and a panel of six industry and academic quantum experts, including MIT Professor Peter Shor, who is known for developing one of the most famous quantum algorithms. The panelists discussed current challenges, future applications, the importance of collaboration, and the need for ample testing.

Later, sponsors held technical workshops where quhackers could learn the nitty-gritty details of programming on specific quantum platforms. Day one closed out with a talk by research scientist Xinghui Yin on the role of quantum technology at LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory that first detected gravitational waves. The next day, the hackathon’s challenges were announced at 10 a.m., and hacking kicked off at the MIT InnovationHQ. In the afternoon, attendees could also tour MIT quantum computing labs.

Hacking continued overnight at the MIT Museum and ended back at MIT iHQ at 10 a.m. on the final day. Quhackers then presented their projects to panels of judges. Afterward, industry speakers gave lightning talks about each of their company’s latest quantum technologies and future directions. The hackathon ended with a closing ceremony, where sponsors announced the awards for each of the 10 challenges. 

The hackathon was captured in a three-part video by Albert Figurt, a resident artist at MIT. Figurt shot and edited the footage in parallel with the hackathon. Each part represented one day of the hackathon and was released on the subsequent day.

Throughout the weekend, quhackers and sponsors consistently praised the hackathon’s execution and atmosphere. “That was amazing … never felt so much better, one of the best hackathons I did from over 30 hackathons I attended,” Abdullah Kazi, a quhacker, wrote on the iQuHACK Slack.

Ultimately, “[we wanted to] help people to meet each other,” co-chair Buzzi says. “The impact [of iQuHACK] is scientific in some way, but it’s very human at the most important level.”