#since these are technically their stardew versions

[thegiantpuppy]

💌Little Valentines💌

I know Valentines Day already passed but it’s still February so I can still doodle little Valentine chibis for fun💕

[badvgopinions]

Apparently some Stardew Valley fans have been discrediting Fields of Mistria fans by claiming that they're just playing a "clone" of "Stardew Valley."

First of all, farming simulators aren't "Stardew Valley clones." Stardew Valley wasn't even close to being the first farming simulator game. If you're going to claim that they're "clones" then they're Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons clones since it set up the standard of the genre since 1996. (Play DS or Friends of Mineral Town and tell me that Stardew Valley didn't take heavy inspiration from those games. Not that it's a bad thing at all, but don't just brush Harvest Moon off as "the game that walked so Stardew Valley can run.")

Of course the entire argument itself is really stupid. They're not "clones" of each other. (Besides technically Harvest Moon* itself. I'll explain later.) They're just in the same genre. But if you're going to make the stupid argument at least get it right so you don't sound as stupid.

It's like saying that Wild Arms is a Final Fantasy clone for having similar turn-based RPG mechanics.

*What's known as "Harvest Moon" today actually is pretty much just a clone. Marvelous used Natsume to translate their games up until after A New Beginning for the 3DS before switching to XSeed. (Probably because Natsume is really, really bad at it. I'm surprised they didn't switch after DS which how bad they fucked the first versions of that game up.)

When translated to English the game's series would literally be something like "Ranch Story." Natsume owns the "Harvest Moon" name. So XSeed had to change the name to "Story of Seasons" for international releases, which meant that Natsume could make their own games using the "Harvest Moon" title for profit.

They were actually just trying to make Harvest Moon clones. They were really bad at it too up until Winds of Anthos. They basically destroyed the series' Western reputation until Marvelous decided to remake two of their most popular games, which made people actually look into the reason for the name change.

Of course some Stardew Valley fans called Story of Seasons a "Stardew clone" too, even though the title change came about two years BEFORE Stardew's initial release, so whatever.

Maybe people should just be happy that there's a shit ton of great farming/dating sim games to choose from instead of fighting over which one did it first or better?

[zoeythebee]

farming game?? that's exciting! what is there to know about it so far? :0

It's a cozy game made by someone who hates cozy games

To be more specific, it's inspired by the only harvest moon game I've ever actually liked. Harvest moon for the gameboy color, and due to technical limitations you could only hold one item at a time. And the time your crops need to be dropped off to be sold was earlier in the day, rather than midnight. Which meant once it was harvesting time you had to BOLT.

You couldn't step on crops either so you had to lay your farm out in a way that would make dropping your crops off as efficient as possible.

And it was tremendous fun.

And due to technical limitations the only mechanic in the game was farming and marriage, and some house expanding stuff. Which was useless since you couldn't decorate it. And I didn't know about the marriage stuff since the 3ds virtual console version I was playing didn't have the manual.

So my idea is to take that same idea of being strategic about your farm layout and go harder on it. I have an idea to keep the same 'one item at a time' idea while expanding on it without giving the player an inventory. I have an idea for crates that hold x items. And then you can stack these crates, and push these stacks around sokoban style. Forcing the player to be clever about their layout.

And that is the core mechanic, trying to give the player reasons to be clever about their farm layout in exchange for more efficient progression. I have more ideas outside of it, but that is the thing everything else hinges on.

Oh and no other mechanics, I find random collecting and social stuff annoying. When I played stardew valley I didn't talk to a single townsperson in my entire 40 hour play time.

[mechazushi]

If The Core Division Three Members Had Gaming Channels...

Kafka Hibino {A.K.A ComfyManGaming}: Mainly Shop Management Sims or just Sims in general. His most popular series and the one that let him go full time as a content creator was his Power Wash sim Story Time where he got to talk about the craziest things that happened to him in his, like, six different cleaning jobs. ( In order; Landscaper, personal maid service, High rise window washer [tied for origin for most of his craziest stories], Nuclear Power Plant Office janitor, Failed attempt at running his own power wash service, and School Janitor with a car detail side job. {Most recent/longest held job/and also tied for craziest story origin generator with Car Detail Horror stories being second). Can be convinced to play atmospheric games like Journey/Abzu/Fire Watch/Anything thought provoking or emotional.

Reno Ihchikawa{A.K.A IchyChill Breakdowns}: Whatever Windette does, but with less insults. Basically Build Breakdowns and Speedrun Tutorials. Carried with the energy of a tired Indian Math teacher trying to teach calculus to 8th graders. Is also [technically] a PNG tuber, but because he's low energy, the PNG doesn't move much.

Iharu Haruichi {A.K.A SharkBAIT}: Two Channels. One is a horror game channel, Both Indi and Triple A. The other is anything casual, but mainly sticks to Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, Coral Island, that sort of thing. Fans like to call the Horror one Anxiety and the non-horror one Anti-Anxiety(Each have their own mascots and like to fight each other like Jacksepticeye and Antisepticeye). He has absolutely accidentally cross posted horror vids onto the non horror channel and vice-versa. The community like to pretend that they don't interact with the other channels and when that sort of thing happens, they pretend they've been exposed to horrors beyond comprehension. (yes, even when the horror channel gets a cutesy vid)

Mina Ashiro{ A.K.A Can(n)onGodess/Pr3ttyW1ttl3K1tty}: Also Two channels, but actively makes sure that no one knows she runs both. One is a live stream of FPS set up as no-commentary/with camera (Mainly colorful ones like Valorant). The other is also no commentary with NO camera and its Sim 3 or 4 tips-and-tricks and Minecraft Aesthetic House Build (Mod and No Mod.)

Kikrou Shinomya:{A.K.A Can_It_Doom?} A STEM major that couldn't find a use for her degree as fast as she liked, so she started a Can it Run Doom? channel as a joke, and now it's evolved into a channel where people recommend different setups like Drumset Controler on a Texas TI-84 Graphing Calculator. (Is also currently in the middle of working on a live action Tank Setup for World of Tanks as a subscriber goal.)

Hoshina Soshiro{A.K.A SwordSingerSUPREME} Any game that involves sword fighting and critiques it either Accurately or HARSHLY. Also streams his HEMA training/tournaments. It's very popular (because everyone find him hot) and has since become a bit of an eclectic channel that is split between his Gaming vids, his HEMA vids, and P.O Box unboxing vids where people send him A LOT of gifts. There's also an over an hour video of him playing Let's Hit Each Other With Fake Swords the Card Game with his older brother (who is also in HEMA.) that he made when the channel hit 5 million subscribers.

✨Bonus✨

Gen Narumi{A.K.A xXGenNarumi420Xx}: Plays anything that's currently trending, but his bread and butter is FPS or Run and Guns. (Has confessed to saying "Would" to the Ultrakill Robot.)

Okonogi Konomi{A.K.A BlossomBear}: Indi VTuber that plays exclusively Indi Puzzle games or Puzzle Platformers. Isn't a singing VTuber so much as one that can and will go in-depth on programming and what goes into a VTube model (She made hers and it has two forms : a chibi, curly white haired, anthro bear girl and a white plushi version with orange blossom motifs.) Can and has demonstrated to be an absolute GOD at Minesweeper

Minase{A.K.A MinAction}: A anime/movie/Western Animation reaction channel. Has an uncanny habit of predicting things before they should be obvious.

Hakua{A.K.A HakuaKooksXP} A cooking channel whose shtick is 1000 Ways To Prepare [Insert Food Here.]. She's still currently working her way through rice.

Haruichi Izumo {Goes by his name} Various product review channel.

Aoi Kaguragi {Also goes by his name} A very well made workout channel.

[mariequitecontrary]

When will we get the extended version of MultiversePals.com?

Oh wow thanks so much for reaching out to ask! 🥰

I’ll use this chance to give a short answer and a long answer.

Short Answer: Probably next year.

Long Answer: MultiversePenPals.com/ExtendedEdition (whoof what a long title lol) is currently in my personal writing schedule to keep my fic priorities in check~ how fast I get through the schedule completely depends on life obviously. The biggest variable being if the words are wording and the creativity is creating. I’m currently also teaching myself to draw! Which is eating into my writing time smh.

So like yeah! Here is what you can expect to see from me in the foreseeable future:

Marie’s Fic Schedule*

Two Monthly Prompt One Shots

I’ve got two short (about 1k words) one shots I’m determined to do! August’s (I’m late I know) is a fantasy AU Slipstream/Windblade while October’s is a ghostly Starscream/Soundwave (maybe…)

Femmes are Fatal Ch 3

The last chapter in my rewrite of the first few scenes of the 2007 TF Movie, focusing on Mikaela. This is halfway written and is already so long T.T I’m struggling on where to stop it since this rewrite is not meant to be the whole movie…

Revenge of the Warrior Goddess Ch 3

The last chapter in my rewrite of the first few scenes of Revenge of the Fallen, also focusing on Mikaela.

(Both of the above fics may be picked back up to have the full movies rewritten AFTER the current set of fic goals is completed)

A Spark’s Rhythm

The first few chapters need to be rewritten to be more compelling/flow better now that I’ve improved my writing skills a bit.

Ch 18 is halfway written and I’ve got a personal deadline for this chapter that may be bumping it up the list if I don’t get the words wording…

After ch 18, I’d like to get myself back on the roll of writing regularly for this fic in addition to any other fic projects.

MultiversePenPals.com/ExtendedEdition

Once the above goals are completed, then we’re back on the MultiversePenPals! My plan is to reread it, take notes with some fresh eyes, compare it to my old notes…then getting started on it :)

The Extended Edition will be in chapters, but I won’t be posting any of it until it is COMPLETELY written. I don’t want to have it out there as a wip when the original is already completed and everyone knows half of the story already 😅

2025 Big Bang

At the same time as the MultiversePenPals Extended Edition, I will be getting a head start on the 2025 Big Bang! It’s gonna be another big one so I want to work ahead. Currently deciding between an epic One Thousand and One Nights origin story with Thundercracker/Predaking or a cozy Sunny/Sides Stardew Valley AU…

Secret Solenoid Fic

Technically this fic is not last in the schedule. It will be gotten done on time to be given to my…uh…target lol. But I don’t know what the prompt is yet and how much I intend to write for it so I don’t know where it needs to be on the schedule right now :3

*Schedule is subject to be put aside whenever random plot bunnies possess me and whatever else distracts this ADHD filled brain of mine.

[lilypadding]

Hii! I haven’t really been active here for some time sooo how are you? How have you been? :)

HIIII!!! honestly I haven't been very active here either, I just hop in every so often. I should go back to the time when this was my #1 social media cause that was a lot easier to digest than twitter LOL

(this ended up being longer than i thought so I added a read-more)

I've been okay generally, I feel like I'm in a bit of a transitory period in my life where I'm trying new things and attempting to get myself to chase dreams that feel very far away. I just recently got on my Summer break from school, so I'm grateful for that! I was planning on taking another summer course, but I dropped it last second because it's technically not a requirement

I posted a random scene that I've been wanting to post on AO3 because I wrote it a while ago, it's basically an AU where Nagito is a fem musician and the whole premise is that she's popular (and so is the rest of the DR cast and some others, like just generally a fame AU cause I dig the idea so much) but it hasn't gotten many interactions since it primarily involves a rare-pair. (I've been so into Taylor Swift's music and her rise to stardom, it's been a recent fixation for me so I completely blame that on that AU/snippet of a fic.)

I have SOOOO many fanfics sitting in my documents of this rare pair, like 99% of them have fem nagito, and it mainly stemmed as an "inside joke" between my partner and I but now it's like second language to us and it's this weird thing where this version of fem nagito feels more like an OC if anything, cause the more deviations you take from canon the more creative liberty you impose on them and all that. I always feel a little bit like I'm lying when I post that content, because I love writing canon Nagito and writing him as accurately as I can muster because I'd like to think I do a good job, but then I remind myself that fanfic is entirely optional and I may as well post things that feel completely unique to me and even "out of character" because what's the harm in it? most sensible people will just click off if they don't like it.

Like, I posted this fic titled "3 years different*" on AO3 which was ANOTHER rarepair AU fem-nagito thing (Like, a different AU to the musician AU one) which, again, stemmed between my partner and I and I didn't expect anyone to read it and enjoy it but I got a pretty nice comment on the second chapter that warmed my heart and made me feel like posting was slightly worth it.

and I just love the rare-pair and I love my version of fem nagito that has shifted and grown - and while it's SO much fun to kinda have a little fandom AU between my partner and i, it gets sooo lonely being the only 2 people who are a fan of this hyper specific fandom-amalgamation we created??? like I'm only touching on it lightly here but THE LORE we made runs ridiculously deep, I've considered what a video-essay on it would look like trying to cover EVERYTHING and it would be A MESSS but it's so fun

in my personal life I've just been filling my time with animal crossing, I don't know if you're anything like this but I swing between all of my previous fixations when I don't find a new one and I just ping-pong between getting really sucked into one thing to another. like, a few months ago I was OBSESSEDDD with the sims 2. before that I think it was stardew valley. Now I'm back on animal crossing. I finally have a Switch so I've been decorating my island from SCRATCH for the first time ever, it's fun but I also find myself running out of ideas so quickly so I end up running around my island aimlessly wondering what I should do. I love building on animal crossing with long-form youtube content in the back.

I also want to start doing fan edits again!! I used to be really into it in 2020 (I Wonder why with the state of the world then), but I'm trying really hard to dabble more because playing around in After Effects and making transitions is genuinely a lot of fun. I hope i get into it more consistently

I'm also looking forward to a concert that I'm going to with my partner soon! I've never been to a concert so it'll be my first! I'm excited to dress up and hopefully know the words to the band !!

IDK why I'm just rambling LOL I got so excited to see this question in my ask! You're so sweet for reaching out and asking!! How have you been?!?! I want to know!!

[itsybitsyjoltik]

for further context since this was left out of the explanation

like most farming sims you can technically play stardew valley however you want and avoid progressing the game in any way, but stardew valley offers two possible progression paths for unlocking new areas and opening up the game, the community center vs joja mart

the community center has various bundles that you have to complete by gathering specific items. it’s time consuming and many of the items are a pain to get especially without luck/prior planning, to the point where it can take upwards of an ingame year to complete (though one of the options in current versions of the game allows you to ensure that all of the items required are obtainable year 1, but the vanilla options require you to wait for year 2 for some items or get really lucky with one of the shops). but by competing the community center you’re rewarded with the love of the townspeople + kicking the local megacorp out of town

alternately you can side with the megacorp. jojamart is the biggest store in town, think like walmart or costco, and you can buy a membership and simply pay for all of the amenities the community center offers, though you can’t buy the love of the townspeople. but a lot of people refuse to do this kind of run out of principle on the basis that jojamart fucking sucks

basically, op is a-okay with child murder but draws the lilne at being a capitalist

[sepublic]

            We got ANOTHER promo y’all!!! It’s technically a trailer but it’s thankfully very brief, given the runtime it’s hyping up is only two episodes, compared to usual TOH trailers that are advertising at least nine episodes! This is an official release and NOT a leak!

         First off, Luz’s laptop!!! She’s doing this 11:09 pm at just 20%, she’s got references to Stardew Valley and Hollow Knight on her desktop, and I think that one Hades game? The one with Zagreus? Anyhow the Hollow Knight references are REAL, coupled with the S1 intro, makes you wonder if it influenced stuff like Hollow Mind…!

         Luz also has a Good Witch Azura fanfic file! And she’s recently made art since her return to the human world; You can’t see all of it, but it appears to the Owl House’s roof, in a parallel to how the intro usually ends with Luz, Eda, and King on the roof when she ignites a light spell and pushes it into the sky! Augghhhh she’s coping…! And her username is @FriendofOwlsandTitans… Oh my GAWD! She accepts King as a TITAN she’s a friend to TITANS!!! Original art do not steal, just like her GF!

         “All I ever wanted was to be good at something”… Good lord, if that doesn’t summize SO much about Luz. Her feelings of inadequacy. Her initial dreams of being a chosen one. Her desire to help others and be of service to them. Her need to JUSTIFY her own existence, to quote her girlfriend… That hit hard. Like I know but OW.

         She’s making video diaries again as we guessed, but this time to HERSELF; Girl needs a place to vent, good for her! She probably stayed up and snuck to the kitchen to let herself indulge in her dark feelings and thoughts alone. Did Luz make a video for Eda and King and eventually give up, being forced to confront herself inward without any distractions? She says she knows what she has to do now, is… Is Luz about to do something rash? Something involving Belos? Babey don’t hurt yourself, or maybe she just means the general principle of making thing right!

         Then skipping past stuff we DO know, we see Luz and Hunter dressed up for Halloween! Hunter has a HOOTY mask, likely meant to invoke his Golden Guard persona, and Luz is honoring King OH MY GAWD WAAAIIIIII!!!!! She’s MOURNING her Titan brother, just like she mourned Eda! They’re in a dilapidated house, the shack where the Portal opens? They’re armed… Probably investigating paranormal activity, AKA Belos. This fits with another shot of them entering a basement with the same coloring as the house, atop the stairs!

         We get a proper look at Amity and Gus’ new designs in the show’s own art style! They look AMAZING… They painted Hooty’s face on the door, pffft, but also ouch. The longing. Treating this place as an earthly version of the Owl House because it kind of is with its role and even coloration! If they miss Hooty you KNOW it’s been a while. Willow must’ve grown flowery vines outside to spruce up the place, it seems to have been converted into a fulltime hideout! If this was the old Wittebane home, I’m sure Caleb would appreciate it… Philip on the other hand.

         The door seems to have just… Opened on its own as Amity looks back. Or did somebody, probably Luz and/or Hunter (seeing a glimpse of Gooplos?) quietly leave, and Amity only notices when she hears the door swinging behind them?

         We have a hand, either Amity, Willow, or Hunter’s, reaching out to some glow-in-the-dark night decorations; Including a symbol of the moon and sun. This is likely one of the characters mourning and being reminded of the Collector, rather than in-universe connection.

         We see our cast, sans Luz, looking at some sort of box with styling reminiscent of the Portal! Not only does it suggest it was actually Caleb and his wife who made it (and Philip plagiarized), but also! Caleb must’ve left it behind in the human world. When Flapjack was pecking at the floorboards, was it to find this? It must be a clue, perhaps on how to make a portal, a Titan’s blood rift, etc.! Is this distraction what got Luz to sneak out earlier?

         There’s some sort of book page we see next, presumably the contents of the box the kids found given their hands! I’m not sure the significance of the symbols, but the bottom one reminds me of the curse… Or is it just a reference to Clawthornes loving birds, AKA his wife? Is that some sort of teardrop? Maybe it’s Titan’s Blood and that’s meant to be a FURRY arm of a Titan! And what even IS that thing to the right?!

         Hunter says “Did you know that HE was here?!” In a distressed voice. Is this him potentially confronting one of our protagonists for keeping information about Gooplos’ potential survival, regardless if they actually knew and were hiding? Or him talking about Philip and Caleb to perhaps Luz, with the realization that either was a town founder, and inquring as to how Luz didn’t notice!

         Then we get Gus and Hunter THE BROS dressed up for Halloween, Hunter doesn’t want to hear spoilers because Gus is likely talking about a recent human hyperfixation of theirs! Brothers.

         And then, finally… Luz and Hunter aren’t here, it’s just the other kids, maybe those two are at some other part of the zoo more personal like the aviary…

         WE GET THE LONG-AWAITED ANSWER TO THE GIRAFFES!!! AFTER TWO YEARS, ARGUABLY THREE IF YOU CONSIDER WHEN THE FIRST TEASER THAT MENTIONED GIRAFFES WAS RELEASED!!! Since the very beginning, we have been haunted by this question and whether they’d answer it, but now… NOW…! It all comes to light.

        The kids are obviously scared and locking arms in preparation, that’s so cute, venturing into ancient territory that hasn’t been traversed for generations. WILLOW HAS HER HAIRCLIP FROM WING IT LIKE WITCHES!!! Was it a gift from Amity, I MISSED IT SO MUCH! She takes a picture and a Giraffe, recognizing natives from its home realm, FREAKS… 

       We get one idea of why Giraffes were banned and it makes sense. God the kids’ reactions are so funny. Of course Willow the Bravest is bold enough to step ahead and take pictures for the rest! This is such adorable levity and I appreciate the closure, this is their one chance so of course they’d take it after two months of debating if they should risk it! Mayhaps they regret that risk now.

[aion-rsa]

15 Best SNES RPGs Ever Made

https://ift.tt/3gFkLz0

SNES games might not be much to look at now, but in many ways, they were a massive improvement over any console games that came before. SNES developers could create massive worlds with detailed sprites that actually looked like what they were intended to represent. New advances in technology also meant that games could take their first real steps toward becoming the kinds of cinematic experiences we arguably take for granted today. And while 4 MB wasn’t even a ton of storage even space back then, it was still more than enough to fit an impressive script for a 40-hour story.

In short, the SNES was almost perfectly set up to be the home for RPGs. While the console RPG scene was still finding its footing at the time of the Super Nintendo’s release, many developers were more than willing to dip their toes into the genre to see what kind of experiences they could craft. That combination of experimentation and all-time great creative voices eventually resulted in some of the most beloved role-playing games ever made.

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the SNES in North America, now feels like a great time to look back at 15 of the best RPGs on the SNES. 

15. Shadowrun

In the early 1990s, console RPGs were synonymous with turn-based combat and medieval settings full of knights, sorcerers, and dragons. So, no one really knew what to make of a cyberpunk game with real-time combat set in a dystopian Seattle. However, those who stuck with Shadowrun found one of the best and grittiest stories of the 16-bit era, as well as some surprisingly innovative conversation and hacking systems.

Shadowrun was truly ahead of its time in almost every way. While it didn’t get that much attention when it was released, games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Ascent proudly carry on its legacy to this day. Even the Shadowrun franchise itself finally got its due with a trilogy of successful PC RPGs released over the last decade.

14. Soul Blazer

Even today, Soul Blazer is a title that not many gamers have heard of. Admittedly, it’s a little rough around the edges. Arriving early in the lifecycle of the SNES, the graphics and music aren’t quite up to par with the best games of its era, but the gameplay makes it a worthy addition to this list. Taking some inspiration from Actraiser, another beloved Quintet game, your goal in this action RPG is to clear out various lairs, rescue various souls (that could take the form of plants, animals, or other humans), and free the land from the evil Deathtoll.

Quintet would go on to hone Soul Blazer‘s best ideas in several other games (including Terranigma, another fantastic action RPG that sadly never made its way to North America). Unfortunately, Quintet shut down in the mid-2000s, and it’s unclear who exactly owns the rights to these games at this point. That sadly makes any official re-releases of these often-overlooked gems unlikely.

13. The 7th Saga

The 7th Saga is an excellent example of a game that had a lot of great ideas that never quite came together. Probably the best thing about the game is the playable characters. You have seven to choose from at the start (including a robot and an alien), and you eventually meet six other characters that you can either fight or recruit. It was also one of the first RPGs that didn’t include completely random combat. Enemies could actually be avoided through an innovative “radar” system.

Unfortunately, The 7th Saga is also unforgivingly difficult, with some enemies always surpassing your stats no matter how much you level up. So, while it may not have aged as gracefully as other games on this list, it’s an utterly fascinating project with incredible ideas that have since been incorporated into numerous genre classics.

12. Breath of Fire II

To be honest, Breath of Fire II doesn’t have a particularly memorable stand-out feature. Sure, there’s a town-building feature that lets you fill a town with various NPCs you meet throughout the game, but it’s easily ignored. Having a giant talking armadillo in your party is also pretty cool, but it’s obviously hard to recommend the game based on that alone. 

So why should you play Breath of Fire II? Well, it’s just a very solidly told fantasy story with a lengthy quest and strong turn-based combat. It’s nothing flashy, but it’s a strong overall entry into the Super Nintendo’s RPG library.

11. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals

The release of Lufia II was overshadowed by the release of the next-gen systems and a SNES library already bursting with classic RPGs. It took a while for a lot of gamers to dig up this hidden gem, and some gamers simply never found it at all. To be fair, the story (which features a typical fantasy hero who has to save the world from the four evil Sinistrals) is a little mechanical, but Lufia II features some of the best graphics and music of any game on the console. Plus, there are tons of puzzles to solve and a 99-level randomized dungeon to eventually tackle. Honestly, Lufia II might feature more “gameplay” than any other Super Nintendo RPG.

While it’s billed as a sequel, Rise of the Sinistrals is actually a prequel to the first game, so you can feel free to dive right into it without playing through the first (though Lufia and the Fortress of Doom is well worth checking out as well). 

10. Harvest Moon

Arriving at the tail end of the SNES’ lifespan, Harvest Moon made a lot of gamers re-examine what an RPG could actually be. There’s no combat and no great quest to save the world. You’re just a simple farmer growing crops and raising livestock on the land you inherited from your grandfather. It sounds boring, but the gameplay loop is remarkably addictive. There’s a reason why the Harvest Moon series continues to this day and has inspired dozens of imitators, spin-offs, and sequels (most notably Stardew Valley).

Admittedly, some of the recent Harvest Moon games haven’t lived up to the series’ standards, but thanks to charming characters, witty writing, and its simple yet deep gameplay, there’s a very good argument that this first Harvest Moon game remains the best in the franchise.

9. Illusion of Gaia

The spiritual sequel to Soul Blazer exchanged the town-building mechanics of its predecessor for more involved combat, which honestly made it a better game overall. Illusion of Gaia also forgoes the traditional leveling of most RPGs for a roguelike system where protagonist Will can choose to increase his attack, defense, or health stats after clearing each room of enemies. As such, how you choose to proceed can make the final bosses of each dungeon significantly easier or much more difficult.

While it’s not technically set in the real world, Illusion of Gaia does incorporate several real-life locations, such as Egyptian pyramids, Incan ruins, and the Great Wall of China, leading to some of the most unique locales in any SNES RPG. It’s also a much better-looking game than Soul Blazer, fixing one of its predecessor’s biggest flaws.

8. Secret of Evermore

Square Enix (then Squaresoft) is primarily a Japanese developer, but after the massive success of multiple titles in the ‘90s, they decided to give an American studio a crack at the Square formula. While the basic gameplay of Secret of Evermore is obviously inspired by the superior Secret of Mana, Evermore mixes things up by restricting combat to just you and your trusty dog. There’s also a new alchemy mechanic that allows you to create potions when battling the game’s many tough bosses. 

For better or worse, Evermore is also graphically a much darker game than other Square titles of the era. It all mostly works here, but Square was ultimately not interested in pursuing Americanized versions of its games and Evermore is now more of a curiosity than anything else.

Read more

Games

25 Best SNES Games of All Time

By Chris Freiberg

Games

25 Best RPGs Ever Made

By Matthew Byrd

7. Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen

More of a military strategy sim than a typical RPG, The March of the Black Queen might be the most demanding game on the SNES. You will spend a lot of time managing units, some of which include ninjas, griffins, and witches. But when you pick just the right strategy, it’s oh so rewarding to watch them take back the continent of Zetegenia from the evil Empress Endora. It also features one of the denser stories of any 16-bit game. Many of the best plot beats may even remind you more of Game of Thrones than Lord of the Rings.

This is actually considered the fifth episode of the Ogre Battle saga, and while several sequels were produced over the years, the first four games that would have presumably featured the rise of Endora were never made. Sadly, though, Square Enix now owns the property, it doesn’t look like the Ogre Battle saga will ever be completed either. 

6. Final Fantasy IV

Plenty of RPGs were released before Final Fantasy IV (also known as Final Fantasy II in North America at the time of its release), but this was the true turning point for the JRPG genre. Of course, the graphics and sound were better with the move to more powerful hardware, but what really set it apart was the distinction of being one of the first RPGs to actually feature a fully fleshed-out plot complete with a complicated love triangle and a sympathetic villain in Golbez. It was also the first Square game to include the Active Time Battle system, which showed that JRPGs didn’t have to just be plodding turn-based affairs.

Honestly, the only downside of playing Final Fantasy IV on the SNES is that the original English translation is a little iffy. That’s been fixed in later ports and remakes, so while it might not be worth checking out on the SNES anymore over other options, it’s still worth playing in some form.

5. Super Mario RPG

Both Nintendo and Square were arguably at the height of their abilities in the mid-90s, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when they finally teamed up, the result was an absolute masterpiece. Super Mario RPG expertly combined the beloved Mushroom Kingdom setting and Mario platforming with Square’s top-tier storytelling abilities and advanced RPG combat systems for a truly epic game. 

Those who have played through Super Mario RPG still yearn for a true sequel developed by Square or, at the very least, the addition of Geno to Super Smash Bros. Given how beloved the game is, it’s surprising that Square and Nintendo still haven’t teamed up for another RPG. The Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi games are good, but none have surpassed this classic.

4. Secret of Mana

Closer to The Legend of Zelda than Final Fantasy in gameplay, Secret of Mana was perhaps the most innovative RPG of the ‘90s. It introduced many gamers to faster, varied combat, three-player multiplayer, and an absolutely massive game world. Even better, it’s all wrapped up with some of the best music and graphics of the generation. While still confined to the 2D limitations of the SNES, Secret of Mana’s systems are closer to what we see today in modern RPGs and action games than anything that came before.

While this game has been ported and remade perhaps more than any other game on this list, none of those versions quite match the first release. The original version of Secret of Mana still looks and feels timeless. 

3. Earthbound

RPGs were generally considered more niche games in the ‘90s. They rarely sold well, but at least did well critically. Earthbound is even more unusual because the initial reviews were rather tepid, yet it’s now considered one of the greatest games of all time. Most gamers just weren’t ready for an RPG set in the modern world that alternated between the cheery enthusiasm of childhood and the ominous alienation of growing up. In that way, Earthbound could be considered a PG-rated South Park that debuted two years before South Park even premiered.

Surreal, satirical, and sometimes just plain weird, Earthbound remains one of the more unique and innovative RPGs ever made. It’s a triumph of the genre that dozens of other games have attempted to emulate, but none have yet surpassed. Now, if Nintendo would just get around to finally putting out an official English localization of the sequel…

2. Final Fantasy VI

Two decades and nine sequels later, there are still some RPG fans who consider Final Fantasy VI to be the pinnacle of the series. That’s debatable, but it’s easily the best of the 2D entries as well as a kind of swan song to the gameplay that introduced many gamers to RPGs for the first time, with its pitch-perfect ATB battles, a huge, varied world to explore, and an epic, apocalyptic story. 

But it’s the cinematic aspects that make Final Fantasy VI stand out. The rousing soundtrack pushes the SNES to its absolute limits, making moments like the famous opera scene and the final battle against Kefka feel especially epic. Square arguably came to rely on CG movies a little too much in later games, but Final Fantasy VI is proof that the developers were master storytellers long before that.

1. Chrono Trigger

Is there really anything to dislike about Chrono Trigger? The time-traveling story that sees our heroes journey across millennia to save the world is simply outstanding. The characters, from Frog to Magus, are among the most memorable in any RPG. While the combat system might be a little simpler than some of the games on this list, letting party members team up to use their “Tech” abilities in different ways is endlessly customizable and entertaining. Of course, all of that occurs before you even dig into the new game plus and dozen different endings.

It’s difficult to label any video game as truly perfect, but Chrono Trigger may be the closest thing to perfection that gaming has ever seen. More than two decades on, it remains a high point in the RPG genre that all gamers need to experience at least once, and it’s easily the very best RPG on the SNES.

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[adorabeezlc]

Adora Winterpop || Twenty-Two || Streamer || Non-Magical

Adora likes to think of herself like a popsicle— sweet but cold. Some might call her personality “Fake”, especially when they see how quickly she can go from giggling in her sweetest little voice to seeming ready to dox someone for saying something negative about her.

She technically has two youtube channels, her main one where she uploads VODs and compilations from her Twitch streams, and her VTuber account, which she uses to practice doing consistent voice overs. There are some fan rumors going on that she runs that account, but Adora has never confirmed nor denied any of them. 

Her online persona is very different from her real life personality. She’s always putting on a different face depending on what content she’s making. She’s probably most herself on her TikTok when she’s making cosplay or impression videos. When she’s collabing with people, she tends to act more how she thinks they *want* her to act— especially if it’s ever with Tinsley— while also being very careful to not say anything too mean or too against the persona she’s built up on her own channel. And if she does decide to play online shooter games, she puts on the sweet innocent voice to get her teammates to not be upset if she’s doing poorly. 

Adora isn’t afraid to play to what the masses want. And sometimes that’s to sit in her comfy chair with her legs crossed, an oversized sweater and short shorts on, while she plays farming games and talking in a gentle voice. Does she sometimes pander to the people who are willing to give her subs and donations? Yes. And she’s sure that some day she’ll feel bad about it, or be upset that certain things she’s done are out on the internet, but right now, having a lot of her *own* Money feels pretty good. And while she knows this isn’t the right way to find “true love” it does feel nice to think she has people lining up to show that they love her--even if what they love isn’t her as a person, but how she looks.

Her handle on almost everything is Adorabeezle, based on the nicknames her parents called her when she was a little kid. 

She doesn’t like the colder, meaner person she’s become ever since meeting Tinsley. She doesn’t like how easily she switches her attitude based on what other people expect from her. She’s trying to be better, but only through the protection of a screen. She’ll send private DMs to people she’s hurt but she never acknowledges it in person, like what she’s done with Van. She feels bad about it, but doesn’t know how to make things better without becoming an outcast herself.

Whenever she’s stressed or bored, she’ll make cosplays or buy new wigs. She loves to sew and she has a series on her tiktok where she shows off ways to get creative with cosplay for those that maybe don't have as much access to materials and props as she does. 

She’ll occasionally stream in her cosplay outfits, sometimes she’ll even do the character’s voice as she plays. Some comments (that her mods usually block) will call her cringe for it, but she’s having fun, and she thinks that’s whats important. And besides, if anyone ever gets too annoyed, she can say it was a donation request. 

She can get pretty mean online, and she really doesn’t like that side of herself. She’s trying to get better, but whenever she gets one hateful comment, she’s doing what she can to find their other accounts and send some of her most loyal and crazy fans after them.

Adora isn’t that good at art, and she knows she could never make a career out of drawing, but she does love to doodle and tries to take some classes to improve her skills. 

When she’s not making content, Adora can be found at the ice rink, practicing. She loves to skate and it’s something that always clears her head.

She loves to learn more about the history of animation and voice acting in her free time and whenever she can she sends out voice acting reels to people just in the hopes of getting picked up for really any project. 

Adora is almost desperate for love. She wants what her parents have and she feels so bad that she hasn’t found that yet. So, she’ll sometimes find herself flirting with strangers she meets in hopes of it turning into something real. Usually it just turns into a one night stand and another blocked person on her personal instagram account.

Adora is always down to try new things on her streams, but she always tries to make sure she comes across as the sweetest version of herself. Even though she can have a meaner side, she tries to keep that underwraps. She doesn’t want any of that to get out; she doesn’t want to be remembered for the mistakes she knows she’s made. 

She loves science; that passion came around when she was young and wanted to learn a lot about the cold and how it worked and why it did the things it did. 

She can be kind of a dork when it comes to the things she’s passionate about. She’s also trying to get better about standing up for people she cares about. She hasn’t done that for Vanya yet, though. And she hates herself for not feeling like she’ll ever be able to actually make things up to her. 

Has several Sims series, and plays a lot of Final Fantasy, Stardew Valley, Genshin Impact, and really any RPG she gets recommended. She loves when there’s character customization in games; that’s one of her favorite parts. Then her favorite part is when you can build complex relationships with the NPCs. 

She’s thought about branching off and making a tabletop RPG series with some people, but she’s worried that the Sugar Rush crew would make fun of her. Adora just thinks with her love of story based games and her talent for doing voices, playing things like Dungeons and Dragons or really any TTRPG would be something she’d love and maybe even be good at.

Calls her fans Winter Beez. 

An Aquarius.

[pancakexspacexdragon]

Long ass post ahead. TL;DR I found an old set of questions and decided to answer them again 7 years later because why not.

1: What are you wearing?

2014: Some Shorts and a shirt I accidentally stole from my brother.

2021: Panic! at the Disco shirt and some running shorts

2: Ever been in love?

2014: Oh yes, sadly...

2021: pfft.

3: Ever had a terrible breakup?

2014: Not technically, but I once had my homecoming date hook up with another girl.

2021: hahahahahaha. Yes.

4: How tall are you?
2014: like 5 foot 1, maybe 2? I dunno.

2021: 5’4”, apparently

5: How much do you weigh?
2014: How about no...

2021: Who’s to say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

6: Any tattoos?
2014: Yes! I got one on my left shoulder blade not too long ago. I often forget I have it, actually lol.

2021: I’m up to five, and six is planned.

7: Any piercings?

2014: I do. I have double lobe piercings, and my left ear at the top. No non-ear piercings. Those seem uncomfortable to get, tbh.

2021: Uh...double lobe, helix, forward helix, tragus, nose, and septum.

8: OTPs?
2014: Marshall and Lilly on HIMYM. I mean, I think that's what this is asking. Right?

2021: I’m still not 100% sure what this means but I’m doubling down on Marshall and Lilly.

9: Favorite show?
2014: I'm still recovering from the ending of How I Met Your Mother, but I also love Criminal Minds, and the Big Bang Theory.

2021: HIMYM, Criminal Minds, Stranger Things, and Masked Singer.

10: Favorite bands?

2014: I pretty much love anything, so I'll try to shorten it to Love and Theft, Newsboys, t.A.T.u, Beast, and Fun.

2021: My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco, twenty one pilots, Maroon 5, Relient K.

11: Something you miss?

2014: Going to the park and just lying in the grass with my friends or crushes. I know, I'm Cheesy.

2021: Not having responsibilities or bills to pay.

12: Favorite Song?
2014: ...why do they even bother asking this? Tbh, “I'll Be” by Edwin McCain, and “Hello, My Name is” by Matthew West

2021: “you should see me in a crown” by Billie Eilish and “no body, no crime” by Taylor Swift

13: How old are you?
2014: Nineteen. I feel old.

2021: ...twenty-six.

14: Zodiac sign?
2014: Aries, barely.

2021: (not) shockingly, I’m still an Aries.

15: Quality you look for in a partner?
2014: Just someone who's willing to go on cheesy dates at the park, and love me for who I am. And a Christian. Yea, I'm one of those people. Sorry...

2021: dude just someone who’s gonna stick with me.

16: Favorite quote?
2014: It's actually a verse. I love Jeremiah 29:11. It's actually part of what's tattooed on my shoulder; right below a cross.

2021: “it do be like that sometimes”

17: Favorite actor?
2014: Uhhhhh. Matthew Gray Gubler, or David Tennant. I love them both :)

2021: Matthew Gray Gubler.

18: Favorite color?
2014: Green, or pink. Depends on the shade and whatnot.

2021: pastels. mostly green.

19: Loud music or soft?
2014: If I'm alone in the car? loud. Anywhere else I enjoy my soft music.

2021: If I’m by myself loud but if there’s others I like to keep it low enough so we can still talk.

20: Where do you go when you’re sad?
2014: My Room, or the park not to far from me. I like parks, if you haven't noticed.

2021: My room

21: How long does it take you to shower?
2014: Uh, probably about 10 minutes.

2021: Either 10 minutes or 45 minutes. There is no in-between

22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
2014: About 30 minutes. I like to sleep tbh.

2021: Maybe 20 minutes at the most. Cutting off all my hair really took some time off my getting ready list.

23: Ever been in a physical fight?
2014: heck no.

2021: hell no.

24: Turn on?
2014: Cute shy smiles, and geekiness. I love someone who I can be comfortable with.

2021: dorks with a lame sense of humor. I am all about the dad jokes.

25: Turn off?
2014: Those guys who try to make you uncomfortable, or act like they're super cool. I guess that would be douches, huh?

2021: the “oh you should smile more” men.

26: The reasons I joined Tumblr?
2014: I was trying to find a place where I could post stuff without my parents seeing it tbh. I like having a place where like 2 people actually know me.

2021: Because where else can I release the true psychotic chaos within me?

27: Fears?
2014: Being abandoned. And darkness, for sure.

2021: Finding out people only stayed in your life out of obligation and not out of their own choice. And spiders.

28: Last thing that made you cry?
2014: The guy I liked totally looked past me and started telling me about this other girl, after I told him how I felt (not RIGHT after, it had been about two months...but still).

2021: My mom manipulated me into showing up to something I didn’t want to because “I should really go visit family”

29: Last time you said you loved someone?
2014: My best friend and I say I love you after we hang up the phone Lol.

2021: Other than normal parent “Love You”’s, it’s probably been about 3 years.

30: Meaning behind your Tumblr name?
2014: I'm short, totally socially awkward in new situations (and with old friends, now that I think about it) and Idk about the fox. I just like foxes, I guess...

2021: There is no meaning. I like pancakes, space, and dragons.

31: Last book you read?
2014: If you don't count my English Lit book, then it was probably "Only the Good Spy

Young" by Ally Carter, but I don't remember.

2021: oh geez. It was probably “George” or “Rick” by Alex Gino

32: The book you’re currently reading? 
2014: Nothing yet. I do have that last Gallagher Girl book to read though. I'll probably start it this weekend.

2021: Nothing. But I never got to that last Gallagher Girl book...

33: Last show you watched?
2014: The Big Bang Theory.

2021: The Masked Singer

34: Last person you talked to? 
2014: My dad lol. We were watching the NFL draft.

2021: Guy friend of mine. I went to his place for dinner and some video games.

35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted? 
2014: Good Friend

2021: hahahahahahahaha. We’re just friends.

36: Favorite food?
2014: Cajun. Blame my grandparents, that's what they cook a lot lol.

2021: Pasta

37: Place you want to visit?
2014: I wanna go to Alaska. Even though I know it's super cold.

2021: Europe. Specially Spain or France.

38: Last place you were? 
2014: I honestly left home like twice today, to bring something to my brother at the High school, then to bring him to a friends house. He has a better social life than me.

2021: Friends place to hang out. We played Stardew then ordered wings and watched a movie.

39: Do you have a crush?
2014: Yes. See question 28 lol. Also, there's this other guy who I got close to last year, but I haven't spoken to him in weeks, and it's killing me.

2021: See guy referred to in 34, 35, and 38.

40: Last time you kissed someone?
2014: Never. I have never kissed anyone. Well, besides like a kiss in the cheek from family. Yeah...

2021: wow it’s probably been about three years.

41: Last time you were insulted?

2014: Recently lol. I guess... I don't really pay attention, or care...

2021: I don’t know. Probably recently.

42: Favorite flavor of sweet?
2014: I'm just gonna act like this doesn't exist, cause idk what it's asking.

2021: Chocolate.

43: What instruments do you play?
2014: I can play the French Horn and Mellophone! I also want to learn the flute, but I can't unless I have something to practice lol.

2021: French Horn, Mellophone, and Ukulele. Still want to learn the flute.

44: Favorite piece of jewelry?

2014: My purity ring. If I forget to put it on, I can seriously feel the emptiness, and it bothers me...

2021: My septum ring! I feel like it’s the first piercing I got for myself, and not just something I thought others would like on me.

45: Last sport you played?

2014: Maybe Soccer? Idk.

2021: pfft. Sports.

46: Last song you sang?

2014: “I'll Be” by Edwin McCain. But I really don't sing well, so it doesn't happen much, unless I'm alone.

2021: “You Belong with Me (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift and I 100% sang it to my dog.

47: Favorite chat up line?

2014: I don't have one

2021: It’s been 7 years and I still don’t have one.

48: Have you ever used it?

2014: Since i don't have one, no.

2021: Nah.

49: Last time you hung out with someone?

2014: I hung out with my future roommate before I left college yesterday.

2021: When I went to the previously mentioned Guy’s house earlier today.

50: Who should answers these questions next?

2014: Well, I guess any of my followers can choose to, if they want.

2021: Bold of you to assume anyone’s actually going to see this.

[paperairplanesopenwindows]

End of Year Fic Meme

tagged by @quidnunc-life (though technically @cassiesinsanity also tagged me)

Total number of completed stories: 4

Total word count: Just going off of what’s up on AO3, 15,297

Fandoms written in:  Marvel, Elfquest sort of? Lol

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected? I feel like I wrote so little this year, but apparently I wrote over 15k???? This is insane to me as I am the World’s Slowest and Least Prolific Writer (TM).

What’s your own favourite story of the year? I think Family Togetherness Time, my follow up to my favorite fic of all time Good People. Though I think my fic Time Makes You Bolder (Children Get Older) has a really cool concept.

Did you take any writing risks this year? I put up two WIPs that I had no idea how they were going to go/end? And I had to make them up as I went along? 

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the new year? I swear to fucking GOD I will get SOMETHING of the Criminal AU up before the Black Widow Movie comes out. I have until May so that should give me enough time to put out something. (I am currently unemployed so I have time right now lol)

Most popular story of the year? Time Makes You Bolder has 67 kudos total, so I guess that one. That’s definitely because of @spectralarchers signal boosting it at some point (which I very much appreciate)

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Bring Me Java Bring Me Joy has only 30 kudos, which kinda surprises me, since it’s Clint/Natasha and a coffee shop au? But that doesn’t make it unappreciated, as most of my fics are in that range. 

Most fun story to write: Time Makes You Bolder, because it’s fun to think of which emotional pain will I inflict next! (Yes, I’m the worst)

Most unintentionally telling story: I’m...also confused by this question lol I think I’ll go with Something I Need because it revealed that I’m an Elfquest fan?

Biggest disappointment:  ....oh God this might be too revealing but I really struggled with my fic But I Carry This Feeling, because I wasn’t sure how to balance the tone and the feelings and consent and when I finally put it up I wasn’t 100% happy with it, but went with it.

AND THEN, in the most incredible twist of all time, @cloud--atlas ended up with me in the be_compromised Remix exchange and wrote an amazing version of the same scene that nails absolutely everything I was struggling with and I adore it. If you’re a ClintNatLaura fan and you don’t mind Explicit fics, please to give it some love!

Biggest surprise: I hosted a promptathon! And it was fun! And people participated and wrote lots of fic! Fingers crossed I can hold one again this year! (Maybe March ish again? I think that’s around be_compromised’s usual stuff?) I WROTE THINGS! Even with Covid and Career Changes and Moving and the Black Widow Movie being Delayed and someone trying to copywrite the bisexual flag on twitter and Depression and playing SIms 2 and Stardew Valley again and being the World’s Slowest and Least Prolific Writer (TM) I wrote things!!! I got things done!!! I wrote words!!!!

tagging @ufohnoparty (because you told me to binch), @smallblueandloud, @spectralarchers (since I tagged you in above already), and anyone else who wants to do this!

[cutevon]

tagged by @birbs-in-space, thank u!! i won’t be tagging 17 people since i dont think i know 17 accounts off the top of my head but if you see this post and you wanna do it you can just say i tagged you ^^

17 questions 17 people lolsorry

Nicknames: my mom calls me “D” cause calling me devon is still kinda weird. dont call me that tho please. i think if you just misspell my name i think its really funny so just. do that. Debon or Debom, whatever is fine.

Zodiac: Taurus

Height: 5′5 or 5′6 i have no idea

Last thing I googled: i don’t google things much cause its usually just wikipedias and game advice but like. “stardew valley phone” technically. the phone started ringing in game and i freaked out cause i didn’t know it could do that

Song stuck in my head: Mayonaka no Door // Stay With me, specifically the very first “watashi wa-watashi” just MM<HMMHMM love that

Number of followers: 63

Amount of sleep: like. 7. averagely. but i take naps a lot.

Lucky number: 19, or 300. my og club penguin account was called Flutterby300 and i just like the number 19 cause nobody ever thinks of it

Favorite song: honestly? i love viva happy in the japanese version. i dont understand it but hnng bari bari tune dootododootodotoo woowoo!! always gets me

Favorite instrument: piano? or drums man i love a good drums. lilypichu playing piano is like the only time i listen to just piano music 

Dream job: Animating for a Ghibli Movie. but i think i’m only set out to do personal animations and cooking work and like. fursuit/costume making in the future. which is still fun

Aesthetic: oh god oh no i have no idea but soft colors are great

Favorite author: OH GOD OH NO I HAVE NO IDEA AGAIN I DONT READ

Favorite animal noise: the sweet sweet meow from a kitty. or that one dog in the video and its like “dont woof” and then the dog “wauurrff” or whatever >w<

Random: i woke up from a nap like 30 mins ago and im still super thirsty but im almost out of water and arrrgggg its cold downstairs i dont wanna go in the garage for another waterbottle but IM THIRSTY FOR WATER

How it started: ah yes. how it started. i dunno prolly in 6th grade we were doing like a weight thing and the average weight for females in the class was 105 and i was 106 or something and i was all embarrassed to be... the average weight?? anyways im at 95 or something rn. my metabolism went sicko mode ig.

How it’s going: god im so happy every day i love everything but man school sucks but i have a great grade and theres so much i wanna do

[baronvontribble]

okay. alright. i’m doing it. here’s a list of AUs that i have toyed with for the robot and marshmallow, none of which have solid titles (and i will answer questions about any of them):

the big story: the one for publishing, so far. both the most finished and the oldest original story. Adam is a runaway police robot who comes to a group of sympathetic humans to find a new body and a new life as a free man. Ted is part of that group and ends up helping him. goes HARD into the AI minutiae and modern concepts about robotics in a five-minutes-into-the-future setting. tackles mental illness, disability, and is generally super soft and low-key.

team winions: workshopped but not written. still nailing certain things down. basically Ted’s the main support on an esports team and Adam is his newly traded-in DPS/lane partner/AD carry. over the course of a season they do the cute bonding thing, and they and the rest of their misfit team eventually secure a finals win for an NA region that’s pretty much never won anything before that. oh, and this one has art! i mean it’s an old art from when i was first thinking of having Adam be on another team instead of a new trade to the one Ted’s on, but STILL AN ART.

(the one who gets traded away is Owen; Rani swaps to top lane, and Angie and Malak stay in the same positions.)

post-apocalyptica: this was an idea for a platformer. basically, the world has ended. Ted wakes up from complete stasis in a hospital after a few hundred years - healed of whatever it was that got him into stasis in the first place - to find that no one’s left but robots (not androids, though) and a voice on a headset. the voice guides him through the ruins of the city to find meds and possibly other survivors (a thing the voice doesn’t recommend). but when he finds those survivors, he finds out that they were woken up too. by the same voice. every single one of them rejected it once they found out what it’d done, and now they’re fighting the robots to ‘take back the city’.

the voice expects Ted to join them at that point, but he doesn’t. instead he asks where the voice is broadcasting from. then he goes all the way to the top of a ruined skyscraper, and on the very top floor he finds Adam hooked up to a bank of servers. this is the last android, trapped by the limitations of his own memory-bloat, kept functional by a mess of wires that connect him to his own massive server room of a brain. upon seeing this, Ted sits down, unpacks his lunch and his meds, and settles in to try and make the guy a little less lonely.

space, idea 1: one of two different ideas that i’ve considered the two goobers for in the same universe; at this point i’ve decided that if Ted gets one, then someone else will have to get the other, because I want to reuse my goddamn space universe. barring that, i could use another idea for a framing device, but i’ll talk about that later. for now, we will say Ted is in training to become a human partner for a ship pilot AI. or was. he’s being threatened with getting kicked out.

why? who knows. it’s Ted. that is not the point. the point is that he is given an opportunity to redeem himself by joining an experimental program that will give him telekinetic powers via alien spores, but to harness them he has to have nanotech and an AI implanted into his nervous system to monitor and regulate the bits of his brain that will spontaneously burst into irreparable cancer the moment he starts the treatment. the cancer is the flipside of a radical regenerative ability that the spores also cause.

Adam is the AI, one of many. he doesn’t want to be there. none of them do. it’s a last resort assignment given to AIs that are about to be sent to run remote He3 scoops out in the sticks. Ted is also one of many humans and most of them are pseudo-dropouts for one reason or another just like he is. very few of them are well-adjusted, and the usual anime training school shenanigans ensue.

but then a dark thing happens. a test subject who was thought dead seemingly comes back and starts killing the AIs, which can potentially kill the people who really need them in their brains. panic ensues; the leader of the program tries for as long as he can to cover it up because it’s a skeleton in his closet, specifically, but eventually it comes back to bite him and everyone else on the station. so it’s up to Ted and Adam and their friend-group to save the day and get everyone who’s still alive off the station in one piece.

space, idea 2: Adam is a freshly minted AI who has a problem: he goes through partners like other people go through shoes. technically he has the right to refuse anyone for any reason, but his handlers think it’s getting a little ridiculous that he’s refused so many. it’s also expensive to keep trying to match him up with people again and again, and no algorithm can really predict the personality profiles that’ll end up being compatible with him since so many have proven not to be.

then Ted stumbles into his airlock, and he gets An Idea: the human can’t act in ways that are incompatible if his good word is the only thing keeping them from getting arrested. so, he takes advantage of the opportunity and says he wants this one as his partner. this one that’s an actual criminal.

his handlers give up, and this is how the story begins. i don’t know where it will go from there. maybe i’ll use my conspiracy plot where Zach’s trying to start a galactic civil war and they uncover his machinations together. or maybe i’ll use the Fermi paradox plot where they’re scouting and they find a Pioneer-level probe out in space only to find its planet of origin completely dead except for a lone caretaker AI overseeing the stored memories and personalities of a million long-forgotten souls. it’s the kind of setup that can go anywhere.

the framing device: but then there’s this. this thing i thought of to tie them all together. if i start with the last and write the rest, then this would be the thing that let me keep writing AUs with abandon: the VR idea. set in my space universe, it would be a procedurally generated full-immersion VR experience compatible with both humans and AIs that allowed them to live fully fleshed-out alternate stories for themselves, either alone or with others. the stories would follow narratives, have plots, have stakes; the promise is that you can spend your time in the sim being the storybook version of yourself.

now, there are settings. when you go in you can tweak the realism, set up what tags and genres you feel like going for, how much drama you want, how much violence you’re feeling up to seeing or experiencing. and all of it is safe, controlled, and probably really expensive. but it’s supposedly the best vacation your credits can buy you without having to go offworld, so it’s an immediate sensation in-universe.

this would be how i’d tie it all together. and i could use it for multiple character pairings. i could even reuse characters if i said it stored imprints of previous users or had stock characters. but for Ted and Adam? they’d use it as a way to meet and fall in love and be with each other in a thousand timelines across a thousand different worlds, and they’d never get tired of it.

anyway, yeah. those are just the ORIGINAL ones. i’d write them in WoW or Shadowrun or Divinity: Original Sin or Dragon Age or Mass Effect or Stardew Valley or Slime Rancher or Cyberpunk or DnD or Fallout or Starcraft or Overwatch or ANY universe if i thought i could get away with it. these boys will always jump into any AU i dip my toes into, and be the first to volunteer themselves for any plot i come up with. if i bring one, the other is coming too in one form or another. that’s just how they are.

now you all know why i never get anything done that doesn’t have them in it.

[wanderleave]

Rules: tag 9 people you want to get to know better.

Tagged by @stoprobbers and @share-the-damn-bed. Sorry it took me so long, but quarantine mood means it’s taking forever to do anything.

Top 3 ships -

I’m going with currently because I’d be here forever if we did always.

Jancy, obvs (yes, I am still working on high five.)

Zelink, BOTW. A princess fighting for a hundred years to keep the world safe until her knight wakes up and even if he doesn’t remember her he knows instinctively that he has to fight for her, GOODBYE. Also Zelda is such a nerd, I love her. 

Bellarke, 100 emoji. It’s always there, a low thrum. I love them. (Absolutely convinced Bellamy is going to die and I’m going to have lost seven fucking years of my fucking life. Also cast Bob Morley on Prodigal Son as Lou Diamond Phillips’ son plz and thank you, hapa representation 4 eva.)

Last song - The new Purity Ring album came out yesterday and I’ve just been listening to it beginning to end nonstop since then, so technically it’s Stardew, but it’s all of it.

Last Movie - Emma., which I rewatched on a Zoom call with a friend in DC. This is our lives now, guys!!

Currently reading - The Passage, which remains my favorite virus end of the world book and one of my favorite books of all time, and I thought... why not reread this RIGHT NOW? It’s going better than I thought it would.

What food are you craving right now - Something served in a restaurant. But, mostly things I can technically make myself but want a specific restaurant version of, so: ramen (Ichiran), penne vodka (Vinny’s), anything from Frankie’s, sushi even from the crappy place on Seamless, my Chinese place that is closed hopefully only temporarily. I did order from the restaurant down the block last night and they sold me their usually $40-50 bottles of wine for $18 and $22 so, it’s not as bad as it could be.

Tagging: @easilydistractedbyfanfic, @leslie057, @alexiscrose, anyone who wants to do it!

[thunderheadfred]

a LOT of people have been (politely) asking me if I’m going to release a Crowley version of the Stardew Omens mod and... well...

1. I’m very interested in doing a “full” version of this mod where they are BOTH original characters, as in, they don’t replace anybody, and they have their own home bases, heart events and schedules, and have different variations depending on who and how you wanted to romance them, or just have them as townfolk in a relationship with each-other. 

In fact, that was what I initially wanted to do, but I opted for the Harvey replacement because it was do-able in a (relatively) short amount of time with zero modding experience.

2. Said “full” version of the mod would require INFINITELY more work. Weeks or even months of unpaid labor. Some of the stuff it would involve:

Making another set of seasonal images, this time for Crowley, totaling something like 50 portraits and 150 sprites. Turns out pixel art is WAY harder than I gave it credit for; massive kudos to ConcernedApe for making this game by HIMSELF. I have a whole new respect, wow.

Learning C++ and SMAPI mod creation in order to correctly load new assets.

Adding and editing custom maps and tilesheets.

Animating and scripting cut scene events.

Play-testing and troubleshooting and patching up many holes in the wall from head-banging and items thrown in programmer tantrums.

Personally handling bug reports and technical problems after release.

3. I’m not sure how comfortable I would be sinking hundreds of hours of work into something like that for free or “out of love” either. I feel like that would just make me bitter, haha. (says the person who has written hundreds of thousands of words of free fanfic... hmmm)

People have suggested crowdfunding, but I’m not sure how comfortable I would be doing something like that, since the project involves two IPs I don’t own. I have no idea if there’s a precedent in fandom for crowdfunded projects, but it kinda makes me uncomfortable, which is usually the first clue I shouldn’t Do A Thing. At least not with the expectation of monetary gain.

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mind learning new stuff. In fact, this could be really worthwhile, a good skill to learn, and it sounds kind of exciting. But the workload would be massive, with no real promise of reimbursement for time spent.

So idk. It’s in the back of my brain, but I’m not sure what to do about it yet.