#she has low polygons?!?!?!

[chiimiraa]

Did you know Hachiimi has more of an abstract form? Not many see it, though it's possible for her to temporarily transform into something like this. This occurs whenever Hachiimi travels warpspeed on her totally-not-stolen skateboard– And for a time it could leave her quite dizzy, she's not completely used to it yet.

Speaking of which, a little more about that! She originally stole this prototype skateboard from a past tech savvy "friend" of hers that tried to betray her and get her arrested for money. At that time, Hachiimi was actively wanted by the Watchful Eye (and still is) for mass property damage & rebellious acts. The Watchful Eye is an "anti-virus" organization that seized control over the Suburbs so they could "protect it" from malware. (In reality they wanted nothing more but to strip lively areas of their colors-)

And so, whenever she's about to be cornered by the authorities, Hachiimi uses this skateboard to accelerate & teleport to safety. It has some setbacks considering she's yet to upgrade it, but it always does it's job in the heat of the moment.

[faefaye]

Chinese LOTM Fic Recs

(@ihavenobigbrain)

I was asked about this, so here we go! (rubs hands together =D)

A few things to know:

I'll only separate by site (either AO3 or Lofter) and whether it's gen or has a ship. None of these recs have smut as far as I remember, as I rarely if ever read it.

I am not Chinese and know nothing about the Chinese language. I've read these fics through the browser translator. Likely there are errors in the translated English titles provided, please feel free to correct them.

For Lofter fics, I'm using the blog url (x in "x.lofter.com") as the writer's name, though idk if that's how it should be done.

Also for Lofter fics, I've linked the first chapter for multi-chapter stories. The rest can be found by going to the user's archive, or (with a bit more difficulty) by clicking on one of the tags at the bottom and going through that.

Recs under the cut because this became a longer post than I expected. Hope you find something to enjoy from this!

Gen Fics:

->AO3

DEITY MAY CRY, by buerzi: The story of an atheist who becomes a believer of the Fool. (post-Book 1, one of my favourite fics)

【克中心】愚者教会调查实录 / [Ke Center] Investigative Records of the Church of the Fool, by liusheng_A: The state of the Church of the Fool, two hundred years after the apocalypse.

Sing come twilight, by Mirrir_Error: Melissa has a conversation with a mysterious lady and learns the truth about her brother. (post-Book 1)

Fifteen Minutes, by ianto0706: Fors accidentally summons Gehrman's historical projection. (post-Book 1)

在葬礼上 / At the funeral, by Mirrir_Error: During Benson's funeral, Melissa meets a familiar stranger.

【破繭組】為美好的真神獻上祝福 / [Broken Cocoon Group] Offer blessings to the beautiful true god, by Zye_404: The four transmigrators meet up in the Astral Realm and decide to descend to the real world. Klein helps Roselle meet his children, Amanises goes shopping and ASG hunts down Amon.

【诡秘】欢迎加入地球OL保障队 / [Secret] Welcome to the Earth OL Support Team, by abigail_000017: Klein Moretti introduces you to the Earth OL Support Team, the first and last line of defence for Earth, and its various members. Do keep track of what you should and shouldn't do. (alternate universe)

但它不断冒出 / but it keeps popping up, by undertoneaugust: (author's summary) "After being woken up by his little niece for the thousand and eighty-sixth time, Klein Moretti finally agreed to play with her."

隐瞒之事 / concealment, by undertoneaugust: Bernadette in the present, seeking her father, and the past she remembers.

【诡秘】我有一个朋友 / [Secret] I have a friend, by Kuffskein: I suggested going on a walk to Deacon Leonard Mitchell, and so we visited Tingen. (first-person perspective, post-Book 1)

修罗会 / Shura Society*, by ominoushunter: When Klein resurrects from his grave, Azik is there. This leads to several things, but mainly the Tarot Club's utter confusion on the shape of the love polygon between Mr. Death, his many students, Mr. World and Mr. Star. (all ships present are mainly in the minds of the Tarot Club :p)

(*according to this post, "Shura Field" is a phrase used to refer to an intense struggle on a battlefield but also for shows where multiple characters are in love with the same person)

->Lofter

【廷根师生组】新生-随机爆炸鱼干 / [Tingen Students and Teachers Group] Freshmen, by linyuansuyuan: (author's summary) "Klein has three homes in Tingen, for which he needs to pay a low rent every month, a few carefully completed homework and several times of unburdened laughter." (pre-canon, warning for Canonical Character Death, slight hint of Azik/Klein but only as a student's crush) (this is the fic that shaped OG Klein for me, and made me fall in love with the pre-canon possibilities)

［海上组］冰山浮出一角 / [Sea Group] The tip of the iceberg emerges, by wangyouwushang86832: After the journey in Groselle's Travels, Gehrman loses his memory, only retaining the beginning of his time in Tingen. Danitz, Anderson and the rest of the Golden Dream get to see another side of the crazy adventurer. (incomplete, ongoing)

【诡秘之主观影体】我于神明 / [The Lord of Mysteries] I am in the gods, by xiayanzhangxiangyi: Tianzun tries to use the transmigrators to take away Klein's anchors. In order not to lose, Klein is forced to reveal the truth of his life to several people close to him, as well as the transmigrators. (post-Book 1, viewing fic)

【观影体】如果神弃之地的 "游戏" 被围观 / [Movie Watching Body] If the "game" of the Forsaken Land of the Gods is watched, by muleyi62440: While Klein is in the Forsaken Land with Amon, the Tarot Club pray to him. But rather than not getting a response, they are pulled into the gray fog and get to watch the struggles he's going through. (viewing fic)

【唤醒沉睡愚者24h/8:30】天幕之下 / [Wake up the Sleeping Fool 24h/8:30] Under the Canopy, by rizerxx: In the year 1366, the Fool wakes up.

1-【论坛体】论坛新更新的游戏，有人玩了吗？/ 1- [Forum body] Has anyone played the newly updated game in the forum?, by mlikebc: Forum story (ie, it takes place in some kind of online forum). The Church of the Fools has released a gacha dress-up game called Miracle Meimei, about a person waking up without memories and rediscovering the past. As people play it, they too discover the truth about the angels of the Fool and the people connected to them... (post-Book 1, incomplete, ongoing, mentions of stuff from COI, currently a 21-part story)

Leonard/Klein:

->AO3

【克中心】我可能是假的天使 / [Ke Center] I might be a fake angel, by BB_Roin: Canon divergence- if the Evernight Goddess couldn't separate the curtain from Zhou during the transmigration. The focus isn't on the ship and it's pretty slowburn Leoklein. (incomplete, ongoing)

World/Fool:

->AO3

世愚｜倒计时十五分 / World Yu | 15 minute countdown, by suqiansheng: After the betrayal in Utopia, Klein goes to the Historical Void before the First Epoch and summons Gehrman's historical projection. A much-needed moment is had. (note: not romantic in any way imo but it's tagged World/Fool so I'm reccing it here)

世愚｜小团圆 / World Yu | A little reunion, by suqiansheng: Klein and Gehrman are separated brothers, having a reunion dinner... (Major Character Death of sorts? Also, same note as above, ie has no romantic elements)

【愚世】最优解 / [Foolishness] The best solution, by Indigo10: Post-Book 1, Klein crafts a marionette Gehrman and instills him with the humanity Adam once gave him. (Major Character Death, same note as above :p)

世愚｜数到三 / Shi Yu | Count to three, by suqiansheng: Post-Book 1, the avatar of Gehrman Sparrow makes a suggestion to Klein. He is not the first Gehrman Sparrow to do so. (sorta Major Character Death)

世愚 | 雨夜乌托邦 / Shi Yu | Rainy Night Utopia, by suqiansheng: The Fool Klein shares a meal with his Blessed in Utopia. (AU where Klein's identities are separate people)

访谈录【愚世】 / Interview Record [Foolish World], by Fei Yu: Gehrman Sparrow, a heretic, has been captured and awaits execution. Before that, a reporter seeks him out for an interview about his life.

【世愚】妄念 / [Shi Yu] Delusion, by youlancangqiong: The Fool likes equivalent exchange, and asks Gehrman for his wish. (AU where these two are separate people, sorta Major Character Death?)

世愚｜值得 / [Shi Yu] Worthy, by suqiansheng: Before the apocalypse, Klein and Gehrman share a peaceful moment.

Azik/Klein:

->AO3

关于我那个总是陷入危险而不自知的同行 / About my colleague who's always in danger without knowing it, by ominoushunter: Canon divergence where Klein doesn't join the Nighthawks and instead becomes a history lecturer, but is still a Beyonder. Cue a comedy of misunderstandings between Klein and Azik, and their secret identities of "the World" and "the Death Consul".

【诡秘】死神即将回归……吗? [Secret] Reaper is about to return...?, by Kuffskein: Suarez, a descendant of the Eggers family, reports to Salinger about the changes in the present era. It's enough to make even enemies feel pity.

【诡秘】愚者教会内部论坛 / [Secret] Church of the Fool Internal Forum, by Kuffskein: Forum story. While discussing the past of the Angel of Death, people uncover a strange relationship between the Angel, Gehrman Sparrow, the Fool and an ordinary person named Klein.

苍白 / Pale, by ominoushunter: Rather than continuing his life as it is, Azik chooses to complete his soul in the mausoleum, and what follows from that.

【诡秘】谁才是执政官大人的真爱？/ [Secret] Who is the true love of the Consul?, by Kuffskein: For a festival of Bayam, tradition is that the Death Consul must travel the capital in a coffin alongside his partner. This would be all fine and good, if the high priest of Balam didn't have to decide who to invite between the Death Consul's six lovers.

->Lofter

【兹克24H：他的猫与锚-19:00】降灵之舞 / 【Zik 24H: His Cat and the Anchor-19:00】Spiritual Dance, by xiayanzhangxiangyi: After Azik wakes up, he goes to Bayam to introduce himself as the Angel of Death and learn more about the Church his student established.

【兹克520活动||17：20】艾格斯教授是gay还是邪教徒 / [Zik 520 Event||17:20] Is Professor Eggers gay or a cultist, by mosquitoyeah: During an expedition, a pair of brothers wonder about their guide Azik Eggers, and place a bet on whether he's a cultist or gay. (post-Book 1, two-part story)

Dunn/Daly:

->AO3

【索斯特➡戴莉】直至最后一朵玫瑰���谢之时 / [Soest->Daly] Until the last rose fades, by GetSomeFries (NachtElf): Soest falls in love with Daly, but she keeps rebuffing him and he wonders why. (the arrow denotes one-sided feelings iirc)

邓恩史密斯查了五次水表 / Dunn Smith checked the water meter five times, by 6749: set within In Modern Day. This is the fifth time Dunn has visited Daly's house, citing reports that she's performing suspicious religious activities.

Amanises/Klein:

->AO3

今天世界不对劲 / Something is wrong with the World today, by Mirrir_Error: (author's summary) "Today is a special day, "—" wants to play an interesting game with the Fool."

Sharron/Maric:

->AO3

【沙琪玛】莎伦小姐心直口快 / [Sharron/Maric] Miss Sharron is outspoken, by huangnanjun: The story of how Sharron and Maric met, and how they escaped from the Rose School of Thought.

That's all from me for now!

For those who've read this far, I leave you with a wonderful Reddit post about how to browse for LOTM fics on Lofter.

[madhogthymaster]

Master Recs: The "N64" Trilogy (2023)

Pseudoregalia

Let us muse over a very small, three-dimensional Metroidvania game stylistically fashioned after the Nintendo 64 era of graphical fidelity. It stars a deliciously polygonal rabbit-y, goat-y, cat-like girl.

Now, I am playing this on the fabled Steam Deck. It runs and controls smoothly on the platform but you might require to fiddle with the video settings as the default configuration is slightly blurry due to a very specific and fascinating reason. It turns out Pseudoregalia vaunts a certain level of depth in its technical customization, one that's surprisingly fun to manipulate. There's an option to toggle on or off a retro graphical scale and character movement rate, which graciously emulate the old school console experience. You can also manually reduce or augment the maximum framerate for the whole game. You could theoretically play something that looks like a 30 fps 3D Platformer from 1997 or the most HD upscaled version thereof at 144 fps, or everything in between! The default, blurry configuration comes as a result of the aforementioned retro scaling clashing with the 4K resolution in full screen mode. This is the first and last time in recorded human history that I will ever be this enamoured with "specs talk."

The point is, we have a darling gem with a cultivated aesthetic, a good level of polish: it will look "right" regardless of your favoured settings. I'm impressed by the extra layer of work placed in the subtle use of limited framerates for the character's movement.

Pseudoregalia captures the idea, the abstract concept and low-poly charm of a N64 title with a gameplay that recalls your memory of it, rather than the unwieldy reality. I say this as someone who doesn't have nostalgia for early 3D graphics: the game makes them look spiffy.

I shall be honest, this is normally not the sort of title I would enjoy playing, as precise platforming and traversal puzzles are my nemesis. I mentioned afore the level of polish, which is generally consistent, but some of the movement upgrades you get (such as the jump/wall kick) can be rather finicky to master. In that sense, be wary that the game does not openly provide you with tutorials for the moves that require more finesse, choosing instead to hide an additional set of instructions in the inventory descriptions. It's "old school", you see. Older versions were bereft of maps thus making exploration a burden for those like me who are directionally challenged - both in games and in real life. Regardless, I kept getting drawn by its world, its somber atmosphere, its tight gameplay and especially its protagonist, Sybil.

An appealing design for your avatars goes a long way in ensuring an emotional connection to them and Sybil just so happens to have one of the most striking and instantly recognizable appearances I can fathom. It's a pleasure to look at her go! Furthermore, I would posit that she has a lot in common with my precious videogame fluffy boy, Klonoa - and I do I mean, a lot. I will not elaborate. If you get it, you get it. In conclusion, Pseudoregalia is an impressively put together jam. It's easy to pick up yet punishing to handle, it's fun and fascinating in spite of its more irritating aspects. The best overall critique I can give it is that it made me want to keep trying, and trying, and trying, until I eventually became good enough to complete it several times and even beat the insanely hard Time Attacks. In short: game is good. Play it.

---

Corn Kidz 64

If I had a nickel for every time a throwback 3D Platform game starring a cute goat-like creature managed to grab my attention, I would have a whopping three nickels! Anyway, here is Corn Kidz 64, an artistically verosimile homage to the Rareware games you probably remember.

Deliciously stylized polygons welcome both you and I into a quirky mindscape. You play as a rude little prick named Seve who's having a vivid nachos related dream but has to contend with various bollocks - as it's often the case.

If you are even marginally familiar with all the Kanjo-Bazooies and Konkey Dongs out there then you will recognize its sphere of influences right away. It's a proper tribute to that era of gaming up to the inclusion of the "correct" low video resolution settings and insane completion requirements. There is much puzzling and platforming to be had, tactical traversal and secrets-within-secrets to bamboozle and titillate your gamer's lizard brain. Genre freaks will feel very welcome here.

I will say that I find the character design especially pleasing. Aesthetically, I would place it somewhere in between Rayman. Belgian comic book artist André Franquin and web strips from twenty years ago or more. It's expressive, to say the least.

As a sign of good will from the game's part, this is the track that greets you as you plunge into the realm of your dreams of childhood:

Corn Kidz 64 is a short, fun experience, bedazzled by tight controls, surreal atmosphere and "Early Internet" humour. It does not overstate its welcome and only occasionally gets immensely frustrating. Its dedication to the N64 ethos is both a boon and a detriment, in that sense. Let me put it this way: I shall not be doing a 110% completion run any time soon.

---

Cavern of Dreams

As a direct result of me wanting more, here is Cavern of Dreams. Yet another N64 aesthetically driven title that came out last year but was promptly overshadowed by Funny Goat Game and Sexy Goat Game - as far as my own pop cultural myopia is concerned, that is.

It is a small yet multilayered Collect-A-Thon with an emphasis on exploration rather than combat or complex platforming. There is no health bar and there are no traditional enemies. There is a handful of puzzles here and there, some of which might be legitimate head scratchers. The dragon baby is cute. I do have a couple of gripes with this one.

Playing this game is, in a word, annoying. It is bothersome how weighted and limited the movement is, it is fastidious how the character collision is in relation to the environment, it is aggravating how it all affects the gameplay in small yet noticeable ways. Here's an example: you can use the traditional ground pound to gain extra height. However, in order to do so, you have to keep pressing the attack button while in midair. The problem with that is the game still registers it as an attack when you do so. As such, if you happen to be hugging a wall, atop a small ledge, this action will inevitably cause your character to hit said wall and propel you backwards, resulting in you falling to your doom. This happened constantly. Generally speaking, the control scheme doesn't feel ideally tailored to an experience that requires precise platforming. A repeated offender would be grabbing onto climbable ropes. Which is to say, sometimes it just doesn't happen. You'll float towards a rope and, if the collision isn't pixel-perfect, you will miss it entirely. Also, Baby is unable to jump above once he climbs all the way to the top, half the time. The later levels are worse in that regard as they need some amount of skill.

Speaking of which, something that will always make me consider quitting a game in a fit of rage is being sucked down a drain that expels me into a different area, forcing me to walk all the way back to where I was before. Once again, annoying is the word.

All that said, the saving grace of Cavern of Dreams lies in the exquisitely crafted, imaginative stages that compose the dreamlike tapestry of the game's aesthetics: living airborne vessels, desolate ice kingdoms, nightmarish art galleries that twist and distort your senses.

The use of colour hues, sounds and deliberately non-contiguous spaces create this palpable atmosphere of both wonder and anxiety. A welcoming world may turn weird and alienating. A dream may turn into a nightmare. There is a depth beneath the surface presentation that is absolutely worth experiencing. I really wanted to like this game but, alas, I'm left with mostly mixed feelings. Regardless, it's an adorable title with some tinges of darkness and it might just be for you!

---

As a conclusive note, I find myself enthralled by the subtle similarities these games share as well as their abundant differences. All of them are stylistically reminiscent of a specific bygone era whilst being perfectly distinct in presentation, and they all are about Dreams...

They are about exploring dreamscapes, lands where subconscious thoughts and memories materialize in daunting vistas of a forlorn past, comically bizarre hyper-realities from an active imagination or an infant's idea of the world around itself. Pondering about the familiarity of it all fills me both with comfort and melancholy: the parallelism of Dream, Childhood and Gaming. The distant memories of youth in correlation to the experience of videogame escapism are akin to a dream from which we are expected to wake... Well, now I just want to gush about Klonoa again!

In fact, I would go as far as to say that Corn Kidz 64's "plot resolution" feels like a direct parody of Door to Phantomile's ending, and it gets funnier the more I think about it.

---

A/N:

Thank you for reading.

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[kipperlillyforpresident]

So every summer I do a personal project of some kind. Because I need to have a work addiction to survive. And I think solidly with how much of a mess this last episode was, my personal project for this year is going to be just one giant fix it fic. I'm not even kidding. I'm not a very spiteful person. But with this episode and how much of a complete mess time quangle it was, I simply just, need something to survive off of about the rat grinders that isn't this mess.

Don't get me wrong! This episode had so many good parts. But 1. the last minute "Oh the rat grinders aren't actually completely evil. And removing their rage star fixes it all because sure yeah that's good writing right" 2. The fact that Lucy doesn't even mention KLCK 3. The weird, weird weird continuous virginity jokes. Kind of just. Huh. It felt like I was going through, at least five episodes worth of development within one episode and I think it's somehow both soured and made the season better for me. I'm like so deeply confused and also so deeply frustrated. I feel like I've been shot by a pirate.

Anyways uh, honestly I'm just going to start believing that, KLCK gets brought back later after they have the time and they have a really long and emotional discussion with Lucy about what SHE wants and whether or not she wants KLCK to be revived. Rotating a low polygon 3d model of Kipperlilly in my mind. I love you rageful girl

SOOO TRUE. if you do end up doing a TRG summer project i would LOVE to see it!!! UNQUANGLE THIS NONSENSE!!

But yeah, it's... well, I know I'm biased. I didn't expect an ending I'd like. But I was at least expecting an ending that was... competent...?

Like. As you said, the shatterstars being a complete mind control thing is such a hivemind. ALTHOUGH, all that being said, it also makes their brutal killing of Kipperlilly even fucking worse. Because we do know that she still HAD a shatterstar in her. Brennan specifically said that her shatterstar doesn't join the battle because of the way it was brought into her - meaning she does still HAVE one.

So she still WAS being fucking mind controlled. So according to this logic (which I do think is unsatisfying), her biggest crime was being 15 and asking to be made a part of a conspiracy to revive a god. Which isn't great. IT'S STILL NOT WORTH ETERNAL DAMNATION!!

The way Lucy was just a dead wife montage, even when she was alive... oh it's okay you killed my friends, they killed me to. It also contradicts with all of the rage star bullshit....? because it wasn't them who killed her. it was just a hivemind that took their bodies. i guess.

and the VIRGINITY JOKES. like...? i don't think of myself as a prude...? i do think that fantasy high has always been a bit weird about sex jokes, but it's usually been.. idk.. not so fucking rampant? if i wanted to be more erudite about this, i could absolutely make something about the fact that losing virginity is a status symbol for men and something that 'taints' you as a woman. but i don't know where i;d be going with that tbh.

anyway so true. i have one au where kipperlilly is sent to the seaside for her own mental health and one au where she's otome isekai'd. the house always wins for me.

[hjellacott]

"Because political takes go viral more easily than aesthetics assessments do, we end up with rafts of commentary on whether an artwork is problematic, with the question of whether it’s interesting or well made trailing a long way behind. Some of the Hogwarts Legacy reviews barely touched on its gameplay [...] because they were so busy delivering a verdict on its political credentials. I’m currently 40 hours in and having so much fun kidnapping hippogriffs that I haven’t finished the game’s main quest, but unless something catastrophic goes wrong in hour 41, no remotely fair-minded reviewer would rate this game as low as 1/10."

"For me, the most interesting question is: Why single out Hogwarts Legacy for so much opprobrium? I’ve been playing games for decades, and the panicked tone of the disclaimers distancing websites from J. K. Rowling’s views is striking—particularly when so many other titles are potentially objectionable for their actual content. Where were the earnest postscripts stressing that Polygon, GameSpot, and the rest did not endorse ripping out someone’s spinal column (Mortal Kombat); running down blameless pedestrians (Grand Theft Auto); or committing genocide against an entire species of rhinolike warriors with a biological weapon (Mass Effect)? [...] Hogwarts Legacy is set in a boarding school. Its violence is stylized and bloodless, and much of my playing time has been spent growing shrivelfigs, rescuing nifflers, and using a magic loom to upgrade my extensive collection of scarves. The landlady of the pub in Hogsmeade is a trans woman. Dark wizards are the enemies. This is not Triumph of the Will: The Video Game."

"The difference in the treatment of Hogwarts Legacy, and Rowling, from any other blockbuster game is instructive because it demonstrates that trans issues have become the No. 1 progressive touchstone among Gen Z—and particularly its nerdier fandoms. The fact that Rowling’s views on gender spring from her feminism, and her own experience of male violence, does not register strongly with an age cohort in which half of respondents say that women’s rights have gone too far. The specialist sites’ disclaimers also reflect the very male culture of video games, which persists despite the fact that players are now about evenly split on gender lines—48 percent identify as female, according to the latest figures from the Entertainment Software Association. The right-wing version of gamer hostility to feminism became apparent nearly a decade ago in Gamergate, the sexist backlash to the perceived feminization of games; the left-wing version today is the refusal to listen to Rowling’s actual, stated views as a left-wing British feminist and instead to hold her responsible for anti-trans bills in red states. The implication is that she should not raise her widely shared concerns about women’s spaces or child gender medicine because Tennessee, Texas, and Florida have elected Republican governors."

[...] "That’s one possibility. Or it might be that activists, trapped in their critical bubbles, have failed to make the case for Harry Potter’s untouchable status to the general public. Hogwarts Legacy is a huge success. The attempt to force a consensus that J. K. Rowling is a bigot, however—that has been a miserable failure."

[rockman-x]

ah yes, new ocs....

elf lady with a gun

basically that "i want to dead" low polygon kirby

stinky child (because she's actually dead)

stinky child (because she's artificial)

Fel (elf, gunslinger, fighter) wanted to be a judge, got pissed over corruption, picked up a gun, learned how to fistfight, and now she delivers justice herself.

She's passionate about it and VERY demanding and bossy, but she makes sure her demands are possible to meet and cares about her party members' wellbeing.

She... likes money a bit too much, but she values honesty even more, so she makes it her lifestyle.

She's 35. Pretty young for an elf.

I JUST NOTICED FEL IS AN ANAGRAM OF ELF. HOLY FUCK. that wasn't what I intended at all but it's funny

Kaila (human, barbarian) just wanted to live happily and see what the world had to offer, so she left her home early and started travelling.

After many, many, many disappointments of all kinds, she doesn't see excitement in many things anymore, so she's just taking random jobs and staying with whatever and whoever stays with her.

Hopping from vice to vice until either she drops dead or she finds her will to live and be happy again.

She's somewhere between 32 and 35. Her weapon is an axe.

Salém, or Sal (zombie, healer) is a child who has been revived through dark magic, and is now able to use it. She still smells of rot, so flies, vultures and such follow her everywhere. She tries to disguise the smell.

She really just wants to help people and be loved inconditionally, using her magic mostly for healing, but no one accepts her because of her current rotting status or usage of dark magic.

Or maybe because she feeds off blood and flesh, due to the life energy within.

Her age is somewhere between 10 and 13.

Channon (artificial human, mage) is the beloved daughter of an alchemist. After he's died, people attempted to revive him with dark magic, which led to a less successful version of Sal's situation - with him being in visible suffering and not understanding what is going on, screaming as the border between life and death is something terrifying to be stuck inside. This made Channon develop a deep hatred of dark magic.

Keeping her father in a comatose state, she studies white magic in order to purify his body and either revive him properly or grant him peaceful rest.

She's an artificial human, and is unaware of that fact. She does think her blood is colored lighter than the average human's, though.

She's aged between 13 and 15.

On Salém and Channon, Fel is against adding them to the party due to them being children, but eventually allows them to follow her and Kaila since they have no caretakers and nowhere to go.

She doesn't consider them members, and doesn't want them doing anything that's not basic chores, avoiding letting them into fights at any cost.

Kaila doesn't give a fuck and wants them to work and not be dead weight.

Channon suspects Sal's magic is dark magic from the beggining, and the more evidence she gathers, the more suspicious she is of her. Eventually she plans to expose her and tell Fel to get her out of the team (not happening, even if she does tell), but likely she'll realize she's in a similar state as her father and will help her as well.

Kaila will likely get attached to one or both the girls and want something to protect and more meaningful relationships + a job that doesn't make her sick by overworking with a boss like Fel.

As for Fel, likely she'll realize she can't judge people all by herself, as there is lots to be considered in a case, but will still keep on her current line of work.

[novankenn]

By the Light... (2)

o=}===> Chapters <==={=o

As the pain faded, her mind became clouded with confusion. She rose to her feet on shaking legs, and started to look about the ruins in which she found herself. She still didn’t understand what had happened. Pyrrha knew, even through her confusion clouded mind, that she had died. Turning about to get a sense of where she was, her eyes fell upon the frozen for of the grimm wyvern.

With a shout of alarm, she stumbled back, unaware at the moment that the massive creature was petrified. As she attempted to put space between herself and the wide open maw, her heel caught a piece of debris. Tripping backwards, she reached out attempting to use her semblance to g]pull her back to her feet, but it was not there. It did not answer her call.

“Guardian!” Something shouted over the comm system of her helm, as she went over the edge…

o=}===>

Hidden away from the sight of prowling grimm, May finally had a chance to consider the situation she found herself in. She was confused and afraid. Two emotions that she was well aware would draw more of the evil creatures prowling the grounds of Beacon towards her hiding spot.

“What is the fuck is going on?” she muttered to herself, not expecting any response, though she did get one.

“You had died, but I brought you back with the Traveler’s light.” the hand sized polygonal orb replied. “You are a guardian. An individual capable of wielding the light as a weapon against the forces of entropy and darkness.”

“What are you talking about? I was dead! How is this possible?” May wanted to shout, but she kept her voice low, “Who… what are you?”

“I’m a ghost. The Traveler created us to search for those like yourself. Beings capable of wielding the light.” the orb replied, “I’m your ghost, a conduit between you and the Traveler. I am your link to the light.”

The door to the mostly unscathed dorm May had hidden in shook under the impact of something large.

<==={=o

The stricken ship almost made a soft landing upon the surface of the shattered moon. It’s failing thrusters and landing gear sending puffs of ultra fine dust that instantly dropped back to the surface. A moment after the engines finally cut out, a figure materialized upon the moon’s surface next to the damaged ship. He slowly moved about his vessel, his hands gliding along the smooth surface, looking for imperfections, and deformations in the hall.

Above, a polygonal orb emitted a wide beam of light, as if too was searching the ship for damage. After about twenty minutes the pair met up near the nose of the craft.

“I found a few deformations in the hull, nothing that can’t be fixed with the tools I have on board.”

“My scans indicate there is some damage to the internal wiring, which is also easily repairable… however…”

“However?”

“The NSL drive has failed, and without a proper hanger and technicians it is doubtful we’ll ever be able to achieve any semblance of warp.”

“Fuck. What about thrusters and our main engine?”

“Some damage, but mostly with the electronics, that’s why you found it unresponsive and intermittent.”

“So, what are our options?” 

“Fix what we can, and make for that planet. It maybe technologically advanced enough to enable us to repair the NSL.”

“Then we better get to work.”

[irregularbillcipher]

the one thing i do genuinely miss about that "irregular client illegally eloping with a regular line" storyline that i had to cut is kryptos' part in it. the general idea is that andy just completely throws himself into this client's wedding, and bill and clem just do. not. get. why

they're pretty blunt and in bill's case, almost cruel about the fact that what this client and his girlfriend are doing is practically a suicide pact. they won't make it, they won't elope successfully, they'll get caught -- hey, we'll make them the dress, we'll make a tux that fits him, sure, money is money, but andy, you know that they're not actually gonna get a happy ending, right? like, we know you're not stupid, you know this isn't gonna work, you're more familiar with all the laws to stop this guy from getting married than we are. these two are gonna end up in a jail cell, at the very least

but andy just keeps pushing it and pushing it. it'll work. it'll be fine. they can get a happy ending, you guys just need to shut up and let me them have this! the circles won't find out about them and they'll have a ceremony and they'll sneak away to a less strict district or they'll hide out somewhere-- in the forest, maybe!-- and they'll be safe and happy and good and i'll help them pick the flowers for the reception :)

and idk if bill or clem ever really figure out why he's so desperate for this to work, why he's so bullheadedly insistent that this is gonna have a happy ending. admittedly, i hadn't quite decided whether they pick up on his feelings, or how much they really get what's going on, but throughout the chapter it becomes very clear to the audience with what he's saying and how he's acting and how angry he's getting at bill in particular for being such a jackass about all this that oh. oh andy is starting to realize he's gay. he's projecting

and like yeah, this isn't a gay couple, but this is a couple that the circles and even the average citizen of flatland would absolutely not want to be together, who have hidden their relationship for years. and andy is close to irregular anyway, and bill is irregular and he's the first crush andy has ever had, and he's figuring himself out and coming to the realization of what being gay means in a society like flatland and he's just... scared. he's scared! even if this couple isn't exactly like him, they're close enough, they understand enough, and he just... he needs this to work for them. he needs that reassurance that even if the circles fucking hate you and don't want you to be happy you can still manage it. you can make it work

for anyone curious... it was going to be open ended, how the elopement goes. the irregular young man, (eddie,) is lucky enough to have a mother who cares very deeply for him, (and a dad who cares enough about his mother to care about his well-being for her sake.) his class status, (he was a low polygon,) and his mother (and, a little more begrudgingly, his father,) have protected him for most of his life from being killed, and he trusts his mother well enough to let her know about his girlfriend, and she was trying to help with the planning and the actual elopement. they do end up disappearing with all their wedding garb, and with at least one family member on board, supportive, and trying to help them, they have better chances than most would. nobody ever hears from them again after they disappear, but maybe that's a good thing. they like to think it's a good thing

[cellspex]

Finally caught up on Miraculous LadyBug and...

I always knew I wasn't going to watch this show until there was evidence the Love Polygon was actually going to go somewhere, so when season 5 ended I finally caught up with the show. Except by "caught up", I mean I only watched a handful of 'plot relevant episodes' of seasons 2 and 3 and watch from 4 forwards. Some will say its cheating, and they're right. My view of the show is very different from people who have been following it for years episode by episode. And while I obviously can't tell what the entire fanbase is thinking, the gist I've gotten is that they are very irritated from feeling like theyve been jerked around by the writers in terms of certain character directions, how long its taken for Love Polygon to go anywhere definitive, and by the season 5 finale. So as someone who didnt have to wait through years of expectation and disappointment, i know my view of the series is going to be quite different, especially since I'm comparing the most recent seasons to what I barely remember about watching season 1 years ago and finding it very boring and repetitive, so I admit going in my standards were low. Compared to that, I actually had a lot of fun with seasons 4 and 5, impressed at continuous story threads and continuity, though it was by no means flawless, the bad guys feeling like actual intimidating threats sometimes and the fights having actual strategy, the big difference between this and its predecessor Sailor Moon, where there was no strategy whatsoever, attacks just hit or they didnt until the episode ended. Even knowing that the two leads would eventually get together and that I wouldnt have to wait endlessly for it made the silly romantic drama more fun. But there's a lot emotional burdens both leads have to bare and I think they're handled pretty well. Actually getting together mutually feels too slow and too fast if that makes sense, but I'm glad it happened finally and that they still don't know their identities, so there still a shoe to drop.

The drama around Chloe which seems to be a particular sore spot isn't all that interesting to me, I never liked her, and would have given anything for her to leave, and though there was a point she could have had a redemption, I don't know if her character would have had a point if she did, she just would have been one in the crowd, though I don't like her as the worlds flattest bully either. But the only thing as satisfying than a proper redemption arc is an absolute horror show getting their compuence, though for Chloe she'd need to spend an entire season cleaning toilets with her hair to feel like she got what she deserved, I know she has an awful mom, but at some point that stops being an excuse. But I understand more people feel like the writers are and making her too awful. But then the season 5 finale...

I was enjoying it for the bulk with a genuinely tense and exciting battle and conflict, and then the last 2 minutes happened. I can only guess they did what they did because they're leaving some shoes to drop for season 6, but its VERY unnearned and sells a lot of characters short including Adrien and Gabe. There's just a lot of... why? It honestly felt like an idealistic dream sequence and I honestly dont think its real, or it shouldnt be. But in general I was having fun, but it seems a lot of fanbase isnt anymore. But maybe I just havn't heard from enough of them. How do you feel about Miraculous Ladybug? #Miraculous Ladybug

[unpleasant-ghoul]

Found myself reading Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde today. Realized that that's it, I'm in deep, I'm reading a motherfucking WARCRAFT BOOK, so might as well...

So after a bit of searching found a private server that seemed agreeable (BFA, 1x rates available) and yep. That's it, I'm in modern WoW instead of pretending nothing beyond WotLK exists.

So far I'm loving it. Trolls look goooood here (Well, they always do. But now they look the high-polygon kind of good).

Still made the same char as my main in WotLK, though - class, color, face, hair... Even name (it wasn't taken, lucky me. Pity same was not the case for my warlock's name - gonna have to make a separate one once I can think of something)! Here he is, in all his low-level, still-basic-armor glory.

...

Okay, so, you see the beginning. And now onto the other shit. That being bugs of that specific server (lots and lots AND LOTS), opinions on stuff, and an occasional rant.

The first thing I've found was with the "the ancient enemy" quest. Vol'jin, buddy, pal, my beloved leader... Not that you don't look lovely jus' standing there, but I've read how it's supposed to go and "standing there, then giving the speech, then standing in the statue, then fucking leaving" as I slowly, sloooowly chip away at that Sea B... Err, Witch's health for 15 minutes straight is NOT it. No, the fact that the quest is considered already done while she's still very much alive does not improve things. I may be a filthy pirate, but I'm a proper player, too. I want to DO quests.

And not that I don't love your voice, but that post-quest voice line? Got it from the first time just fine. No need to repeat it until I relog.

...

Another thing is the Spirit healer of the Darkspear Isle's graveyard. Look, girl. I'm glad you're friends (or more. Not judgin') with your colleague at Sen'jin Village's graveyard, but maybe visit her when off duty? Not fun to run all the way there for a rez.

...

That next one I should have discovered earlier, but oh, well. So that moment when you talk to that troll with the raptors and get a ride to where you're supposed to fight nagas. Heh. Not that I don't appreciate an early taste of riding a flying mount, but I prefer my raptors to be running, not flying through the air sideways. Ending up dropped off where I'm supposed to rather than amidst a bunch of very much HUMAN (no tails or scales or anything) enemies would have also been nice.

...

And speaking of rides. Raider Jhash, whether you like it or not, Master Gadrin says you're supposed to give me a ride to Razor Hill. So, maybe less "you're annoying my dog", more wolf-riding? Eh? What, not even a non-working option for that? FINE, I'll walk. Asshole.

...

The shaman says that he'll tell me a story. Tells nothing. Guess I'll have to think on my own. Lucky him that I need no tale to disagree with Garrosh: never liked that guy in the first place.

...

Sorry, guys-that-maybe-drowned, can't save ya. Can't FIND ya. Because I'm supposed to use the spyglass at the top of the watchtower, but apparently the top is not the top, since it just doesn't work. Look, I tried. Not my fault.

...

Sorry, Zen'Taji, those plainstriders ain't getting saved. No self-preservation, they'd rather die than run.

...

Aww, one escort quest that has a chance to be fun, and it's not working. No caravan defence for me! I guess at this point it can be safely assumed that any "take quest, talk to the NPC for the next part" types are broken here. Pity.

...

Echeyakee, what the fuck are you doing? Are you pretending to be a druid? Are you evolving? No, seriously, what's up with that staff in your paw?

...

No Captain Longshore fo' me (because, again "talk to the NPC to continue), and no checking the caravan wreckage either (because... just because. Nothing happens.). If it wasn't my only option for BFA, I'd leave already.

...

I have found it. The shining, flawless gemstone of my bug collestion.

Behold:

You get it, yes? No? This fella here, I'm supposed to kill him. For a quest. Kill a bunch of centaurs, he appears, you kill him. And he even appeared fine!

But allied to the Horde. To Orgrimmar.

He had slain the remaining centaurs himself and I can't do shit to him because, well. I'm a troll, very much a Horde member even if the way it is now is not exactly the way I like to see it, and he's apparently on my side now. Had to abandon the quest.

...

Made a goblin since with those graphics I CAN, for once, take the gobs seriously.

Of course I've found another glitch there!

Now, the quests, so far, work fine (then again. None were of the variation that tends not to work on this server). But there's two things.

I am pretty. Fucking. Sure. That the spotlight is not supposed to be permanently attached to the car and remain where you have dismounted form it until you use the key again. Seriously, for all the love of shiny things that the goblins possess, and for all their genius with technology, I really don't think that "light shining onto a car from the skies, all the time, following it perfectly" is something they could have done. So, pretty sure it's a bug.

The PC's companions. There's that lady among them, forgot her name. Point is, there's that ONE lady among them. And then there's the quest with pirates and suddenly there are five more following me. Same name, same looks, they're all the same gob girl. Just six of her for some reason. Lasted until I summoned the car again, since there's only enough room for one of her in it.

Oh! And I've found a third thing. near the mine, when you're on the few final quests before finally heading to Durotar, the enemies are all dead. Maybe they should be dead, maybe they shouldn't be... But they sure as fuck shouldn't be sliding on the ground as if still patrolling the territory!

...

And again to my very much non-goblin main character's encounters with the many, many bugs: that quest with the boat ride? Yeeeah, that ain't happening. No option to even talk to the guy. Sorry, whoever I had to deliver the semi-precious gems to, you're not getting them because arriving to you through any other means apparently doesn't count.

...

The Valentine's Day quest (the one with the goblin detective): broken. The orc lady wants you to see the fuck her beloved is doing, but once you're done with that and come to tell of your findings? That question mark ain't yellow.

The normal, regular, quest chain where you, on the request of another orc lady, gather fel fire and talk to the warlock, and bomb the elves, and all that: broken. No imp transformation, the towers, again, aren't towers enough to use what you have to use on them, and there's no "persuading the warlock" (or, indeed, talking to him at all outside of taking the non-working quest). Yaaay.

Also, found another misplaced Spirit Healer. Don't know which graveyard she's missing from, but the one closest to that place with the satyr and the demon portals has two.

But I'm still staying. I wanna see Zandalar for myself (with a non-Zandalari char because Talanji's fine, but I'm not here for her), and that'll take actual progression because the portal doesn't work (fine. That's meant to be. Never went there. Makes sense) and the ship doesn't either (considering my previous experience of successfully traveling via ships/zeppelins to the areas I have no busyness being in yet, that one's probably not supposed to be like that)

...

Sorry, Gurtar or whatever's your name, Draaka's not getting that flower braid. It's not that i want her to forget you, you seem like a somewhat okay orc, I'd be glad to help, it's just that the bloody flowers are NOT cooperating! They're there. They're sparkling. Interactable alright. Loot window is there. Notification in the chat about receiving said loot is there. All fine and dandy... Except for that part where they should appear in my inventory.

...

Non-bug talk again. Ranting about stuff instead. Warcraft makes me feel saaaad. On the BfA server, aside from all the bugs, I'm sad because the Horde is not MY Horde, and I only see Vol'jin alive because I'm early in the story, and I'll have to go through THAT to get to Zandalar, so sadness is unavoidable. And on my usual, fine and non-buggy (aside from pets sometimes running in place when the owner stops. Annoying when fishing. Just tap-tap-tap in the background) WotLK one I'm sad because... Well. I'm a VERY TROLL player. Sure, I got some undead. But other than that? Very Troll. Love 'em. Love my trolls, love NPC trolls. So Sen'jin Village being just that tiny thing, and the state of Echo Isles at that point of the story? Sad. Master Gadrin not having unique voice lines there yet? Sad (after hearing him in BfA I maybe got a bit obsessed? Maaaybe? I have maybe visited the Village SPECIFICALLY to click him repeatedly, like, five times already? He. Just. Sounds. So. Nice. I wanna hug him. Or draw him, which with my shit skills is not, in fact, any more possible than hugging him). Hell. Vol'jin, looking non-unique, like just another troll, young and alive and not dying any time soon? Well, now I know it won't last. So I see him like that and I'm sad because I know what's coming.

So to put it in fewer words, Playing Warcraft makes me sad, not playing Warcraft would also make me sad. It's just sadness all around.

...

But to lighten things up a tad: summoning a rat (battle pet) creates a rat (WILD, capturable battle pet). Rats function fine other than that. have it in your party, it does its thing fine. It's just trying to summon it to follow you that's bugged. Just endless wild rats. If I were less of as-lawful-as-you-can-be-while-still-pirating-shit kinda dude, I'd probably try to see how many I can make happen.

...

Still at it, because even despite all the bugs (and having a char on a perfectly working, bug-free so far, pain-free due to the timeline, MoP server) I keep having that MIGHTY NEED! Of getting to Zandalar, and dying there, and being laughed at by Bwonsamdi. And all that.

So! O miracle of miracles! A quest that requires gathering something, making something else out of it and using it on an interactable object WORKED! And another one, that required using a thing in a specific place worked, too. Pretty sure there were supposed to be visual effects of some kind, but I'll take what I can.

Too bad Blastranaar doesn't work. Because, again. It's a "talk to the NPC to proceed". Those are fucking broken here. Killing the targets manually might be possible, but likely won't count, seeing how a similar quest went when I tried it (it didn't).

...

Guys. I don't think that's how you're supposed to ride. I'm no expert, but generally the rider tends to go on top of the mount.

...

Sorry, dude, those mines are staying disarmed. They just refuse to cooperate.

...

Also, a few more things to say: 1. That bear dude (furbolg? I think they're called furbolgs) you should kill for his totem. Hoo, buy! For starters, the flag-placing counts as done as soon, as you take the quest. And all those guys you have to survive? They're already on the hill. All of them.

The bear leader himself is, too. Well, not on the hill, but near it. And once you kill him, there, of course, is the totem! That you can't pick up. Quest unfinishable!

Earlier, when you take a quest from the orc lady, a shaman I suppose, to meet some person from the Earthen Ring. Person in question is not there. The question mark is alright, but not the dude/dudette it belongs to. Quest unfinishable!

Also, pet battles. A lot of things you'll find are DEAD. As in, it's a species-wide thing, not individual critters slain by something. You want a coral snake? Lol, nope, they're all dead from the very start. Can't fight 'em, can't capture 'em. Cheetah cub? Dead. Creepy crawly? Just get a dung beetle and pretend that that's what you wanted. Gazelle fawn? Yep, sliding on the ground while dead as a fucking doornail.

Oooh, and when you have to kill That guy, Keeper whatever-his-name, started with O. The deer dude.

First of all, before you get to him. There are some orcs nearby, and some are friendly alright, as they should be. Others, though... Guys! Guuuuys! I'm a troll! Like, part of the Horde? Like you? I get it that our species are not on the best terms right now (through no fault of ours), but do you really have to attack me? Well, if anyone asks, it was self-defence.

And secondly. The Keeper himself. I understand he is supposed to be inside one of the tree-tower's rooms. Well, he ain't there!

He and his deertaur buddies decided "eh, deer, goat, both have cloven hooves, they're basically the same thing" and climbed onto. The. Fucking. Roof.

Killing him required abusing my pet's ability to phase through the walls in pursuit of prey (and he probably shouldn't be able to do that. Dude is a normal, living raptor, not a vengeful ghost of one! Though that'd be SICK) and some switching between passive/defensive mode of said pet as well as a bit of maneuvering on my part.

Definitely not how it's supposed to go.

...

A fresh bunch of bugs! And a bit more:

The cannon that I'm supposed to shoot gnome planes with doesn't work, the balloon doesn't work either (but hey! At least the ride counts as taken, so I can just arrive to the goal through other means and finish the quest!), the bomb in the spy quest is usable, but useless due to spies not being stealthed in the first place, I'm pretty sure that falling rocks are supposed to be visible, not just mysterious death outta nowhere, those warmachines don't work either, that's another quest un-doable.

Also, not bug, but daaamn! Three (three!) last places I've been to while on quests had no vendors. Guess I'll have to go elsewhere to free up some bag space. Maybe Orgrimmar - so that I can check if profession trainers got anything new and exciting for me. And maybe gonna go visit Sen'jin Village too, while I'm at it. Not for any real purpose, just to click Master Gadrin a few times. Sure, I can just listen to his voice on Wowhead, but where's the fun in that?

...

For once, glad a quest didn't work. "To be Horde" sounds like something I very much don't want to actually go through, accept-reject-go for the next that probably shouldn't be available without it, but is is juuust fine by me.

And yea, went to Orgrimmar to sell some stuff and learn some recipes, got some fresh armor (sure, I get plenty for the quests... Problem is, I like challenge, and quest ones often turn purple, while before finishing I was promised green/blue. Purple is a bit too strong for my tastes, so I mostly use what I make myself instead).

And visited Sen'jin Village. Even without actually doing that damn quest, I was still in need of lightening the mood a bit, so pestering Master Gadrin was a must.

...

Another thing:

This.

See how the pridemanes sparkle? That's because they're skinnable. But no, they didn't "die weird", ending up standing as if still alive. They ARE alive. And skinnable (or show as such. I'm not a rogue, if that raptor by my side wasn't a clue enough. I can't sneak close enough to try). They aren't the only ones, there's also wolves like that, and that one giant fish.

...

Stiiill at it. Changing of... Forgot his name. Doesn't matter. That orc Warlord in Desolation Hold. Point is, ya go to the top of the tower, because he asks you to go with him, thinking you'll help him. But you kill him.

And oh, you can kill him alright. That part works. And counts for the quest!

But the tower, as usual, is not tower enough. So killing counts, going doesn't, quest half-done and unfinishable.

But on the positive side, that quest where you blow up siege engines that look like firepowder stuffed in greasy socks? It works THE BEST! The siege engines actually fall to pieces, and there's "BOOM!" and you can't just blow up the same one over and over like you could with the tent-incinerating quest!

The sparks stay after the siege engine is gone, the ones that indicate that something can be interacted with, but it's a minor thing.

...

Silithid mounds are either not Silithid enough, or not mounds enough. What I'm saying is, I can't pour pitch on them, so I can't do the quest. Fortunately, ones running freely near Fort Triumph count just fine.

Griffins are where they're supposed to be (though they spend a lot of time standing in the sky, rather than flying), and the hook works! But there is just tiiiny little problem:

That quest requires me to kill the RIDERS.

Griffins are on their own. Unmounted. Owners nowhere to be seen. Can't do that quest, either.

So that's ALL quests in that zone undoable (at all or in the intended way). At least the silithid quest gave me my next target, so I guess in a way that was the one most important. And it means I don't have to go to Desolace yet! I have a quest for that but not really looking forvard to it. Visited it briefly on the WotLK server. I know pre- and post- Cataclysm things may be quite different, but I really don't think it became any more enjoyable.

...

!

Found a working quest! A line!

And it's a good one so far. Doesn't hurt. Just helping a guy make his dream come true. Sure, the guy is undead. And the "dream" in question is to build an abomination. But still. He's eager! He has a sense of humor! He, so far, haven't asked me to kill allies!

I mean, look at this! How can I walk past him and not help? I can't!

...

Mankrik stands, surrounded by Quillboars. The quillboars are mere animated models, just walking around, nameless, levelless, untargetable. He asks me to kill 13 Quillboars. Were I to count ones around him, the number would likely match. There are proper ones nearby, quest-marked, so I can do it. Still, a strange sight.

...

Sooo, Desolace! And that dead elf, Furien. The fact that I had to ride my very much terrestrial little raptor instead of taking Furien's Dragonhawk and flying to his sister because, as always, that kinda thing is broken? No big deal. Used to it. Expected it.

Furien's Footsteps (where you ALSO have to go on your own, because any sort of "tell the flight master, and they'll get you there" doesn't work either. You can use their services, but you can't talk to them) is where the fun REALLY starts! And ends.

Because you can't do it. Going to the places where you're supposed to go doesn't count. Doing the quests? Well, it counts for the quests themselves, but as far as Furien's Footsteps are concerned, those shrines, and statues and whatnot are still very much unvisited.

Quest undoable! I just hope it wasn't supposed to be a long line spanning the whole location and kicking me to the next with its last quest. That'd be awkward.

...

!

"The Emerging Threat" worked!

And yes, it's a big deal. It's a "speak to the NPC for the quest-important thing to happen", and until now I thought ALL of those were broken on Firestorm's BfA servers.

Sure, it didn't work from the first try.

And it didn't work well:

Two of Korrah's mounts, one for me to ride, green-named, other - yellow, just following partially clipped through "mine", both running in the air instead of flying...

Took a long time to scout those nagas like that!

But still. I was placed onto a mount, even if only on a second try, I did a circle above the naga-infested areas, I was returned to the starting point. And it counted for the quest.

That's unusual and also wonderful.

...

Guess there's no "lifting of the tired soul" for me: mounds of fertile soil aren't themselves enough to plant the Cenarion seeds.

Also, breaking the Magram spirit or whatever? Ain't happening either: the spear is already there (and wandering around), the centaurs are already there, and no matter how many I kill, it doesn't count for the quest (also, the Magram chieftain is also already there)

...

Ended up going to Feralas on my own, because there are no more quests in Desolace.

As in, ones I can do: Smeed is not interactable, so I can't give him the harnesses.

Furien's Footsteps, as I've mentioned before, can't be done because the quests at the shrines can't.

Planting seeds and dealing with the centaurs - nope, not workin'

And that one where you're supposed to take control of a demon... You get the "channeling" you get the effect, but you do NOT get the demon. he is still very much loyal to his master and won't tolerate an attack on him.

And there's nothing else. Probably supposed to be, but nope. Nada. Nothing.

So I'm walking into Feralas blind, gonna have to piece together what's up with everything there without having a starting point.

...

Decided that nothing will cheer me up better (and after losing all but three chapters of a fic I liked re-reading I did need cheering up) than being mocked by Bwonsamdi for dying.

So I went into the game with my untouched, made-him-and-left-him Zandalari priest.

Died.

No Bwonsamdi.

Ran all the way to Nazmir.

And, okay. He's there. Found him in two spots plus (obviously) in Necropolis.

Got mocked, feeling better now.

As for bugs - pretty sure he's not supposed to be carrying fishing rod EVERYWHERE. I mean, I appreciate the thing being made of bones. Great style!

But, Bwonsamdi, dear, sure you need it even when away from water? Whatcha fishin' for in necropolis?

...

Back to my main character and back to Feralas. An amazing-sounding quest about shrinking giants and, naturally, it doesn't fucking work. Pity.

Also, still not sure what's the deal with the Dragon-lady. According to her I have apparently dealt with some problem. but I didn't. Either it was a continuation of Furien's questline and therefore inaccessible, or it's just straight up missing.

...

Hmm. A variation on the trouble with wingrider masters: the option to talk to her is there, but clicking of it (or on the normal flight option) does nothing.

[justforbooks]

Not all social housing in the 1960s was about tower blocks. High-rise buildings were unpopular with tenants, lifts were costly and broke down, and the surrounding lawns were hard to maintain. Moreover, on the slopes around Hampstead Heath in London, towers would have blocked views towards St Paul’s Cathedral. This area became part of the newly created borough of Camden in 1965 and a visionary new chief architect, Sydney Cook, assembled a bright team of assistants to find an alternative form of housing. One of these young architects was Peter Tábori, who has died aged 83. The Whittington estate which he designed, originally known as Highgate New Town, exemplified a solution that was both innovative and successful.

Camden had identified an area of semi-derelict Victorian housing for redevelopment next to Highgate’s east cemetery, where Karl Marx is buried. Tábori realised that, on such a steep hillside, lines of flats and maisonettes could be stacked one above the other and entered from a common entrance at mid-level on the uphill side. Car parking could be set into the hill between these terraces and decked over with pedestrian walkways and children’s playgrounds.

He was inspired by medieval Italian hill towns and an internationally regarded scheme near Berne by the Swiss architects Atelier 5, but the greatest impression is of generous, humane spaces. The scheme was designed in 1968-70 but not completed until 1979 after the original contractors went bust.

The concept fitted perfectly with Cook’s own ideas and Tábori was a natural addition to the team. Other assistants working on similar solutions went on to greater recognition: Neave Brown’s complex terraces at Fleet Road (now Dunboyne Road) and Alexandra Road are listed, as are Gordon Benson and Alan Forsyth’s mainly two-storey houses on a steep slope at Branch Hill, Hampstead.

Together the group established a distinctive style for Camden’s best social housing using crisp white concrete, densely packed but relatively low-rise. Tábori’s Highgate New Town had the benefit of simplicity, in the design of the terraces and in his determination that public and private spaces should be clearly separated. This last avoided the problems faced by estates where indeterminate space led to vandalism. Mark Swenarton’s book Cook’s Camden (2017), to which Tábori generously contributed, records the inspiring story.

Highgate New Town was finely finished, the external concrete contrasting with handsome internal joinery. Cook claimed that “the quality of [Tábori’s] work isn’t just double site capacity at low rise, or all the higher standards, but that he did it all below yardstick”, the restrictive budget code imposed by governments at the time. In fact, Camden’s fine housing was made possible by its high domestic rates income and other London boroughs could not match its quality. Many of Tábori’s maisonettes remain tenanted, but those sold under “right-to-buy” legislation now fetch eye-watering prices.

Tábori went on to design a second scheme in 1971, Oakshott Court, Polygon Road, with three L-shaped terraces, but he was disappointed by a decision made in 1974 to use brick, apparently in deference to its location near St Pancras Station. A smaller scheme of 15 flats on the corner of Mill Lane and Solent Road followed in 1973 after Cook’s retirement, including four wheelchair-accessible units and five for elderly people. He also worked on a visionary programme with the architects/engineers Arup Associates for building over the main railway tracks that run through Camden, an attempt to gain space in the overcrowded borough.

He was born Peter Stroh in Budapest, the son of Istvan Stroh, a professor of mathematics, and his wife Erzsebét (nee Szanto), a former opera singer. She subsequently married Michael Tábori, an economist whose father had died at Auschwitz. Both men had been imprisoned by the communist government and following the 1956 uprising in Budapest, Peter too was arrested. On his release in December 1956 he, Erzsebét and Michael emigrated to London via Vienna, along with other members of Michael’s family. Thenceforth Tábori used his stepfather’s surname and adopted it formally on becoming a British citizen in 1966.

Tábori learned English and technical drawing with an architect, Cecil Epril, and in 1958 entered Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster). His tutors included Richard Rogers, who inspired his interest in mass housing, and who himself designed an (unbuilt) hillside scheme in Croydon inspired by Atelier 5. Tábori assisted on Rogers’s first built house, Creekvean, with Su Rogers and Norman Foster.

Tábori also spent two years working for Ernö Goldfinger, the Hungarian-born architect immortalised by Ian Fleming, before completing his qualifications. The final external examiner was Denys Lasdun, who gave him a job assisting on the University of East Anglia, another hillside building with a stepped section where he learned about concrete techniques. However, when in 1967 the chance came to work for Cook and develop his own housing interests, Tábori seized the opportunity.

He left the borough in 1984 and formed a private practice with John Green and Bob Winning, working mainly in Hamburg, Toulouse and Soweto.

Tábori married Angelika Schiel, a model, in 1962. They had three sons, Kris, Michael and Gabor, but divorced in about 1980, and Angelika, who became an upholsterer, died in 2016. Peter had a fourth son, Tom, in 1984, with Anne Saville, a welfare adviser at the charity Gingerbread, but the couple later separated. He is survived by his sons.

🔔 Peter Tábori (Peter Stroh), architect, born 15 January 1940; died 23 February 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[ystk-archive]

Do you have any favorite looks for Koshiko and Nakata? Like photos where you particularly liked their fashion or styling?

So many examples that writing a response to this simple question nearly drove me insane for several days lmao. One of capsule's biggest "selling" points for me was that they mostly wore their own clothes for photoshoots, MVs, performances etc and Nakata largely handled styling and whatnot. (Also probably one of the reasons that Metro Pulse landed disastrously with me, I don't want to see polygonal character models fighting to the death, I want you two to serve looks 😭)

Where Toshiko's concerned, I usually loved her outfits at the annual festivals they'd do like Rock in Japan and Countdown:

2010 RIJ FES fit is legendary

I honestly feel like this houndstooth configuration that appeared at CDJ 2012 altered my brain chemistry in some way. I can see it being a bit too "circus" or costume-y for some, the bi-color tights are definitely going a little overboard, but I still think about it all these years later (take a closer look at the heels she wore too).

2014 Summer Sonic, I like to call this the angel look; there's a pattern here with me liking these dresses/skirts with strange construction lol

Big fan of the OTONOKO 2018 sparkly tulle dress (may be a top + skirt combo, either way). It was extremely whimsical, looked beautiful on a stage environment, and I love the idea of Toshiko as a pinch of the night sky placed down on earth. (I like it so much you can have another photo of it here)

At their last Countdown appearance in 2019 she wore this draped dress; the blunt lob haircut really elevated the maturity of the whole look (I think some low denier tights would've made this even crazier).

Thigh-high boots go brrr (starting to wonder if I just really liked this wig a lot)

Special mention to this sequin dress, she is nothing short of a genius for wearing those nylons with it and Nakata was wrong for saying she looked like a fish lmao

I do actually like her simpler stage outfits like this gold babydoll dress. Her headwear is unparalleled, I can't imagine how many hats/hair accessories she owns...

Lastly her WAVE RUNNER tour encore look was just cute and nicely coordinated for being so simple; I also adore the way their shoes matched here but I lose my mind whenever they match their outfits at all…

In general I love how consistent she is in her style, it's very elegant and feminine overall but she likes to do these unusual silhouettes and whimsical accessories that have a lot of drama to them. This is my favorite example of her fashion outside of performances; my list highlighted major appearances where you'd expect her to go full theatrical but even her regular day-to-day outfits are nice, often simple but never boring.

Moving along...

Generally speaking Nakata has a great eye for individual pieces rather than excelling at putting together well-coordinated outfits (on himself at least, I loved the times he styled Toshiko). He's also the living embodiment of the shorts-wearing NPC trainer in Pokemon lmao. Like he's definitely shown the potential to Dress over the years and I'd actually love to see him do styling work on other people again (also would love to see art direction from him again, design, etc etc anyway :^)), he has a very particular aesthetic sense that I always enjoyed, but overall he seems to prize comfort and especially after 2016 you can see his style get increasingly...utilitarian? Unembellished? Honestly there was a video I saw by some YouTuber who attempted to discuss Nakata's style and all they had to go off was his Instagram and their conclusion was "he likes to wear his own logo a lot;" it's an understatement to say that made me die a little inside, lol (not the tuber's fault of course).

I tried to pinpoint specific ~whole outfits but it's kind of difficult, as a result the majority of these are from magazine shoots:

2007 Sugarless GiRL for MARQUEE - I've been obsessed with this since forever but I'm not even sure how to explain it... It's a wintry, boyish sort of look, the overalls were very flattering, the shoes are cute, and that scarf was actually really interesting because it had these weird hand pockets (you can see them in this photo). I'd kill to see more takes from any of their magazine shoots but especially this one.

2005 LDK event covered in CUTiE magazine - I think everyone loves this one lmao, whoever did Nakata's hair is a god. It's a great inbetween style from LDK to FRUITS CLiPPER; it's very interesting the way he sort of found his fashion "voice" the same time he found his musical one for capsule.

Speaking of which, 2006 FRUITS CLiPPER artist profile shoot (well, this is from MARQUEE, but he wore the same thing for their artist pics) - the black-white-gray layered look might be my favorite example of his ~eye for coordinating clothes or whatever you wanna call it lol. Love that C necklace too, he only really wore it during '06 though and was never much for necklaces in general (I think it's funny one of the few remaining pics on his Insta is this one). Blazers are notoriously tricky to wear without seeming like you're stuffy and/or going to the office, he somehow always pulled them off really well...

2007 capsule rmx for MARQUEE - another that seems unanimously loved. I liked that headscarf he's wearing so much that I bought the same one (not a single clue how to style/pull it off though)

2007 FLASH BACK for MARQUEE - love the long zip-up jacket with the fur-trim hood, love those iconic yellow Belly Button boots (yes, that's really the brand name)

Getting away from MARQUEE, I just posted these but his outfit for S&R was actually kinda good? I do wanna beat him over the head for wearing shorts to meet Sakamoto Ryuichi but it's a cute look and I think he was smart to wear the brown frames instead of his black ones as they would've been too harsh. The detailing on the shirt and shorts goes perfectly, while I don't like high-top shoes on him in a broad sense these had cute contrasting laces and I like their suede look. More accessorizing with jewelry would've been great here but at that point (2012) he put away pretty much everything apart from the watches...

self vol. 1 (spring 2009) - this one doesn't go like super crazy or anything but I think it's cute and nicely put-together, here's another picture of it in better/natural lighting. Really like that T-shirt from FRAPBOIS

2013 CAPS LOCK - you could say this is pretty boring compared to the other examples here but I reeeally liked the weird keycap rings(?) and the not-insignificant heels on his oxfords lol. The fact that these are capris and not full-length pants also keeps it from being too stuffy and basic. (And once again wearing the same color for the top + bottom makes this sort of "seamless" look that in turn helps create an illusion of proportionality.)

2015 Downtown appearance - and now I'm going to throw all fashion rules about proportions/looking ~taller out the window because I loved this lmaooo, peak comfy outfit and makes me want to buy an oversized white hoodie so bad (I haven't said it yet but I think white might be his best color). Also I'm pretty sure his hair was professionally done here, it looked great.

Also 2015, the Keith Haring print sweatshirt over a button-up

Since I'm nuts I'm gonna keep blathering but now about specific pieces he's worn that I really liked (not a complete list by any means, just what comes to mind right now):

This baseball cap with the half of a stag rising out of it, he's f*cking crazy I swear to god (naturally he wore this because they shot these pics at Hanjiro which was a clothing store with a particular sense of décor)

Bomber jacket at ageHa last year, I love stuff like this with that sort of mirror-like sheen (it's kind of iridescent but not quite) and the cut/style of it was good

I think way too often about this reversible jacket he wore on a karaoke date with Kyary. Up to that point I'd just seen him wearing logos and boring all-black semi-athleisure stuff for years so this was a pretty crazy statement piece

Speaking of random pieces that live rent-free in my head, I really want to know the brand of this sweatshirt from the 2019 album announcement, it's sooo weird and just, like, interesting

The blazer for WAVE RUNNER was shockingly cute, no comment on the rest of the fit or the wonky Photoshopping though (god their artist photos are so hit-or-miss)

The Jeremy Scott F/W 2007 hoodie of course

Studded bowtie

Uniqlo crossword puzzle shirt

Not the best possible pic of this but I like this shirt with the studded suspenders detail, he wore this to RIJ FES one year

Do headphones count? Headphones count, this is my favorite pair he ever had

This jacket is one of my favorites of his, I wanted the same one so badly for so many years lmao

Honestly there's so much that I'm exhausted writing this list, I'm gonna stop with these pants and leave it at that

His style at its best is just kind of quirky, very very playful, obviously keeps to a grayscale palette but he has some surprisingly colorful pieces. His taste in jewelry was pretty awesome too, he had some interesting rings I was a big fan of but I'm too lazy to go find pics (there was a Hello Kitty one, a giant star, a cow's head...).

In conclusion I think they share a lot of similarities in their style and I would kill for either of them to have ever released a ~style book (sadly the timing for that has long passed and the demand was probably nonexistent in the first place). Some people also may be wondering why I completely ignored their looks from pre-2006/the future pop neo whatever era and the simple answer is...IDK, it's not that I hated their styling back then (well, it was pretty rough sometimes), it was just more costume-y and as a result sort of inauthentic in a sense. They were also frequently styled by other people during that time; their own personal style and/or Nakata's styling had a much greater impact on my teenaged brain as far as influencing my tastes. But Toshiko wore the '60s silhouette and boyish sort of hairstyles extremely well and the contemode hair/makeup girlie Miyagawa Tomoko always did a fantastic job.

Whoever actually read this far is clearly very interested in this topic so if you want to feel free to message me your own favorite capsule outfits and whatnot. I know Toshiko particularly had some crazy colorful/weird dresses she's worn in the past that I didn't mention here lol

[miloscat]

[Review] Blue: Legend of Water (PSX)

A primitive 3D diving adventure.

I’m now following up my Subnautica: Below Zero run by playing other aquatic-themed games. This one is more in line with games like Endless Ocean and Beyond Blue, a third person adventure about diving to discover mysteries under the sea. Compared to these more recent games, it has less wildlife interaction and more of a faux-archaeological focus, attached to dated Japanese adventure game conventions... but it has a cool dolphin companion!

Blue (or “b.l.u.e.” as it’s pretentiously rendered) was developed by CAProduction, who had done a few action games previously and who afterwards seem to have sadly been consigned to toil in the Mario Party co-developer mines. It’s quite unlike anything else they made and stands out for its ambition in the time of early 3D games. I played it using the English translation patch finalised late last year by Hilltop, as it was previously Japan-exclusive. They did a great job localising it so it feels very natural.

The story is set in the near future and has Maia, a young woman, visiting her dad at his research base studying some sunken ruins. She goes for dives with Luka the dolphin who is apparently “on the payroll”, finding that the ancient technology reacts to her uniquely. This leads to danger in a sunken ship, puzzles and traps in various sections of the ruin, strange creatures, some light political intrigue, and ultimately an “ancient aliens” conspiracy and destiny-of-humanity type stuff.

The diving gameplay is serviceable and simple. An air meter is your only concern, as damage from enemies and traps just drains air. A slow turning circle and dodgy camera in the often tight confines of the dives can lead to a feeling of clumsiness, but it’s difficult to get lost with the game’s generous provision of maps and frequent air refill spots. The puzzles are not too taxing, and the AI dolphin buddy is a nice addition that works well enough with its simple toolset of commands, while lending a gratifying air of companionship to the adventure.

The pain points for me were the segments in between dives, where you wander the base and interact with the other scientists and workers stationed there. The pace is incredibly plodding, with Maia slowly waddling between points of interest (many of them empty most of the time) and the dialogue crawling by. On top of this are poorly-conceived logic gates, where progress happens seemingly randomly, and hidden flags locking away the better endings are determined by you catching missable scenes and doing particular actions in the right order. A first-time player has no hope of playing these tedious sections “correctly” so I highly recommend using a guide as I did to save my sanity. After all, I’m here for the diving adventure, not for a player-hostile point-and-click experience.

My big takeaway for Blue is how ahead of its time it was. This kind of cinematic diving adventure feels very limited by the hardware with its warping textures, and the low polygon count forcing small and simplified environments, as well as by its sometimes clunky controls. But as an early example of this type of game it’s quite accomplished and has a pretty well-developed world. Also, did I mention the dolphin friend? (You also get a dinosaur friend later on!)

[gamerdog1]

Bocchi the Rock Season 1 Review

I’m just gonna come out here and say it right away: I’m not a fan of the ‘Cute girls doing cute things’ subgenre. I know it’s got it’s fans, and not everything someone else likes is going to be something I like. Still, when it comes to picking out a new series to try, I’m quick to dodge all series where the main characters sit around and basically do nothing. Good media, to me, is about things that don’t happen in real life, so something like K!On is too mild for me. 

So, color me surprised that this month, I found a ‘Girls do nothing’ series that actually got me engaged and entertained. This month, I was assigned the series Bocchi the Rock by my friends at my university’s anime club, and what I initially expected to be another snooze-fest hyped up by legions of diehard ‘moe’ fans, turned out to be a heartwarming story of overcoming Social Anxiety Disorder through the power of friendship.

Bocchi the Rock stars Hitori Gotoh, a 15 year old with crippling social anxiety who has a passion for the guitar. Hitori, (who later gains the nickname ‘Bocchi’, a pun on the Japanese word for loneliness), spends her days in her closet, posting covers of popular songs on Youtube and dreaming of stardom. A chance encounter with other musicians her age thrusts her into the world of underground rock bands, where she becomes a guitarist for an indie band, and faces her anxiety head-on. 

What struck me immediately about this series was how often Bocchi’s anxiety was brought up, and not always just for a gag. Her social anxiety makes even the smallest interactions a struggle, from trying to join a conversation with classmates, to making plans outside of school. Yes, the series uses some of these moments to lighten the mood with a little bit of comedy, but overall, its clearly not trying to minimize her struggles or make fun of her. 

Bocchi’s anxieties often lead to catastrophizing, linking even the smallest perceived slip-ups with total annihilation. In one episode, we see what she thinks will happen if she tries getting a job: she gets flustered dealing with a customer and stumbles over her words, someone films it and it goes viral, she is called into court to testify for the crime of being weird, and then given the death sentence. Scenes like these are cute and light-hearted gags, but also can't help but make you feel bad for her. They give a greater insight into how her social anxiety affects her, and do a better job at representing social anxiety than your typical ‘shy kid’ archetype.

Bocchi’s fantasy sequences are also the highlight of this series, because of how experimental they can be. These scenes are probably the most discussed aspect of this series, and for good reason. There aren’t many anime out there that switch art style this often, just for a quick bit. Bocchi the Rock uses zoetropes, stop motion, clay figurines, live-action footage, and much more to break free from the monotony of cutesy style in order to convey the main character’s feelings. Its not every day when you see an anime girl revert back to her 3-D model and smash into a pile of untextured polygons. 

The animation in this series is also quite good. I was pretty shocked to see the girls playing their instruments in a somewhat accurate and realistic way, which you’d think would be a low bar for a series about a band. The studio behind this series clearly put in the extra time and effort to animate the guitar and drum playing accurately, and are clearly proud of it, with the amount of close-ups they show of the instruments being played. It almost makes you wonder why other music-centric series aren’t like this...

Bocchi the Rock’s weakest aspect, however, is it’s characters. In most ‘Girls doing nothing’ series, cuteness is prioritized over deep character writing, so main characters often lack any negative traits. These series are content with re-packaging simple character traits, knowing that giving the characters a chance to show any negative traits will take away from their perceived cuteness or ‘wholesomeness’. The same, unfortunately, can be found in this series, as the four main girls stick to the common character archetypes of the subgenre, and don’t make much of an effort to deviate from them.

Nijika, the blonde, is little beyond the peppy heart of gold, the face of the group. Kita, the redhead, is never shown to be anything more than the perfect, pretty popular girl that everyone adores. Ryo, the blue-haired one, has some level of character flaws, as she reveals herself to be terrible with money, and ends up owing her bandmates lots of money by the end of the season. However, beyond Bocchi herself, we rarely get to see the bandmates presented outside of their archetypes. Perhaps in season 2, we could get to see the characters reveal more about themselves, and struggle with things from their own lives?

The series’ story has a decent flow to it, following Bocchi and her band’s journey from obscurity to their first big break. At times, I felt a bit lost, wondering when the characters were going to move to the next big event instead of doing little thing, but that’s about par for the course when it comes to these types of plots. The plot revolves mostly around performances, interspersed with downtime in between, where we see the characters socialize, go shopping, or peek into Bocchi’s home life. While the show in general does little in terms of building suspense in these in-between moments, Bocchi’s internal monologue paints a clear picture of how important each performance is, making each one feel like a battle she must face. 

With a season 2 on the way, I can only hope that this series continues down the path its headed, and tries to improve where it lacks. Its a ‘Girls doing nothing’ series that isn’t afraid to give one of it’s characters crippling social anxiety, and lets her have flaws beyond just being clumsy in a cute way. I can only hope that the rest of the cast gets the same treatment in the future, which I believe will lead to a deeper story, and therefore, a stronger emotional core. Overall though, Bocchi the Rock is a funny and light romp that occasionally takes a detour into downright zany visuals, and we are here for it. I’m not usually a fan of cute girl-centric series, but perhaps I’ll make an exception, just this once.

[engshoujosei]

I'm in Love and It's the End of the World

5 volumes (digital only as of 4/24/2023.)

Licensed by Kodansha, also on Azuki and INKR Comics

Mahiru Yanase’s twin sister, Mayo, has it all—she’s cute, sweet, and popular. Mahiru, on the other hand ... has always been the other Yanase. All her life, Mahiru’s reminded herself that every time something good happens to her, something bad comes along to balance it out. She never gets her hopes up … but no sooner does she arrive for her first day of high school than Aoi Satomi, her handsome, mysterious classmate, takes an interest in her—and by the end of the day, he’s already asked her out! If things don’t balance out for Mahiru soon, the world’s going to come to an end! From Taamo, the author of the multi-million-selling smash hit House of the Sun, comes this story of a young girl who’s always seen herself as the negative to her twin sister’s beautiful photograph, and the handsome boy who just won’t give up on her.

Status in Country of Origin

5 Volumes (Complete)

Tags:

Affectionate Lover

Awkward Female Lead

Bad Friend/s

Bad Luck

Betrayal

Changed by Love

Character Growth

Chasing After Love Interest

Childhood Friend/s

Classmate/s

Couple Growth

Dead Parent/s

First Kiss

First Time Dating

Friends in Love with the Same Person

Friendship

High School Student/s

In Love with Friend's Lover

Indecisive Protagonist

Inferiority Complex

Love Polygon

Low Self-Esteem

Male Lead Falls in Love First

Negative Female Lead

Orphan/s

Overshadowed by Siblings

Part-Time Job

Past Encounter

Past Plays a Big Role

Persistent Male Lead

Pessimist/s

Quiet Female Lead

Responsible Character/s

Siblings in Love with Same Person

Student-Student Relationship

Tsundere Character/s

Twin/s

Unrequited Love

Weak-Willed Female Lead

[yokomation-blog]

DONE

May not had gone as planned BUT... All her clothing is fully Textured and THIS was the first human OC, meaning only 4 more Human OC´s Left once i Get the Eyes done to do the same to

but

ATLAST... here she is... just missing the eyelashes, eyebrrows and her Well, eyes and she is done,

Yoko Ruby, the Very VERY first Human OC i have fully Baked useing a Cage... for everything, Eyes tho, well won´t need that, same for eyelashes and eyebrrows,

SHIIIIIIT What a Battle it was getting it done but, We did it, Last two bits were rushed a bit BUT Gotta Say it was all worth it in the end as i thinkher Thigh highs and Shoes Turned out better than on ANY OC Before, this year has really been a rollercoaster Ride for me in trems of learning Blender, and now Everything is Comming together thanks to brining back the list agian, all Started with a Timekill Model for Guollgoji, now tho now the Models look even better then ever and i have figured out the best way to do them pre rigging,

- Start with a Good Blockout, mostly starting with Head sculpting to Body but what works best is best can do it a million ways

- Retopologize the models, Not too high or Too Low but just hit a RIGHT amount of polygons, useing a Subdivision Conut of One for both Viewport and Render

- Multires Sculpting, Bringing back the Sculpt details i lost after Retopo the model on layer 3, layer four more details and the final 5th layer, Scales, wrinkles all of those details can be added, depending on WHAT i do,

- Textureing, Start out with the Orgnaic parts, Skin, Nails, Teeth and all of that, if they have clothing that´ll be Next and finally eyes, also First i Do the Colors and make sure it Looks the Best it can be before moveing onto the Normal map, Specular And Roughness Map, Subsurface Scattering and Metalness maps, most of the Details might be done via Textureing so do it RIGHT

- Grooming is where i Add in the Fur or Feathers to any given OC

- once ALL is Done and Said, i can safely Add in a Rig, first off a Basic Rig and once all bones are in place, Doing a Good Weight piant for that character or Creature, once there, TGT Bones and more Complex rigging is up like IK,FK and All of that, also doing Custom bone shapes

- FINALLY Adding shape keys and a few Custom animations for things like blinking and We´d have ourselfs a good model

Right now as of writting all of this, Yoko Ruby´s 3/8 Mark but will hopefully Get to the 4/8 Mark at the end of the Day.