#some of these are inspired by various old sprites i found

[toastedjeans]

Okay guys but what if. Noisette mod. Instead of Noise campaign...

Aka here's some ideas for a Noisette moveset (plus a few changes to the Gus mod). I still probably won't make it cause i don't even know how to start but yeah

BASICS

Noisette replaces Noise in his campaign (obviously). She controls largely the same as him, but with a few changes. She switches to Noise in Gnome Forest and Pig City. Has rollerskates when going Mach 3 and 4. Her regular jumps go a little higher than everyone else's (strong bunny legs and all that). During Boss fights she pulls out a hammer and attacks with that. Some of her hammer moves could be inspired by Amy Rose, and possibly the Mario & Luigi rpg series.

MOVESET

Most of her moves revolve around her roller skates

She can't climb walls, but she also doesn't bounce off of them. She holds onto the wall until jumping again. Functions kinda like the sticky cheese transformation but faster. When jumping off she instantly hits Mach 3

Can fall slowly with an umbrella when pressing up while falling. Will fall even faster if it has been opened during a fall already and then closed again (by pressing down)

Like Noise, she can super jump from a standing position. But not because of any jetpacks, her legs are just that powerful

Uppercut goes just a tiny bit higher than Noise's

She can do the same tornado move as Noise but with her hammer out. This just changes the animation slightly but functions the same

She could do an animation at the beginning of Oh Shit where she just puts on a hazmat suit. Not sure what power up she'd gain from it but it'd be fun

During boss fights she throws her hammer like a boomerang, similar to Noise bombs but it flies faster

Sticky Cheese: basically the same as Noise, but she turns into a bunny and can jump a little higher (same sprite like Noisette bunny on the last floor but cheesier)

TRANSFORMATIONS

Rocket: she sits on it like fancy ladies did on horses (legs to the side)

Weenie mount: probably same as above, OR holds onto it like when riding a horse (with a horse leash thingy idk what it's called in english)

Golf swing: she pulls out her hammer and swings it as if playing croquet (apparently it's spelled that way. My life is a lie)

Ghost: same as Noise but with little bunny ears, dash possibly lasts slightly longer

Barrel: probably same as Noise

Knight: i think it'd be funny if she still had her skates. Outfit wise I'm not sure yet. She can stop sliding when pressing the opposite direction, but only when she's on a flat surface (not on slopes)

Bomb: unbothered. She carries it like an everyday item, throws it like a bowling ball

Firemouth: possibly the same as Noise but not as floaty (OR extra floaty, depends on how irritating i want it to be). Her animations are basically the same as her normal ones, she does not care about being on fire

Mort: she holds Mort under her arm, Mort can possibly glide after a double jump for a second or two. No Mort projectile.

Rat Balloon: becomes the balloon like Noise. Functions the same

Pizzabox: same as Noise

Trash Lid: don't know yet

Pepper Pizza: her spin functions the same as Noise's with the fire projectiles, but she spins sideways (almost like the tornado move but she spins slower)

Ball: same as Noise again.

Peshino: nothing. Explanation a little further down

Shotgun: she just throws her hammer again

BACKGROUND NOISE

Either does his panic hops during pizza time, OR just stands there really bored and points towards the exit

In RRF he just stands there leaning on his skateboard, occasionally drinks his gasoline or jet fuel or whatever it is (it's definitely NOT cocoa)

RANK SCREENS

In GOLF he's still the one who erases the Primo Burg requirements to make sure Noisette always has the best scores. Because i think it's funny but also kinda sweet

He runs the Noisette cafe in the lobby. Argues with Vigi, but grins innocently when Noisette approaches

D Rank: she says nothing, just stares blankly at the screen with a neutral expression (inspired by Round 2 Pepperman, when you approach her in the cafe)

C Rank: a little confused, possibly says something like "What happened?", or "I don't get it."

B Rank: don't know yet (the B Ranks are giving me a hard time lol)

A Rank: some kind of Amy Rose pose where she has one leg up and a peace sign or something, OR that one meme with the dog posing and the peace hand emoji edited on (idk why)

S Rank: the pose she does when Noise gives her money for the boss gates, but with her eyes bigger and shinier like a Noisey, her hands are clasped together

P Rank: she jumps up and sits on a crescent moon, possibly with an umbrella out; it possibly descends or a curtain goes up. This isn't a reference to anything in particular, i just can't think of anything else

MISC

In any of the transition screens (pig city taxis, dd9 rocket), she seems happy and unbothered; talks to the taxi drivers, who look annoyed. Looks just a little confused when going to jail, and waves happily towards Pizzaface during pizza time (he waves back bc yes)

Taunts: 1. The old unused one where she hugs Noise. He has the same look on his face as when he bumps into a Stupid Rat. 2. She's posing with various dishes she prepared, like the chocolate corncob or the peanut butter spaghetti. 3. She's holding the tip jar and grinning like she does in the cafe when you approach her. 4. Something where she has four legs (the "i four-feet" thing). 5. Noisette bunny, or possibly Mr X or Mr Unknown or whatever he's called i don't remember

In some of her finishing blows she pulls out her hammer, and sometimes she pulls out a frying pan

Pizza Granny is either extremely rude, or overly nice in a sarcastic way. Like, this woman has no chill already, but even less with Noisette

Not sure if she also fights Doise, or maybe Doisette, or just regular Noise but he goes a little more easy on her possibly? Maybe without the bombs, and the Noiseys don't hurt Noisette

Fake Peppino, like with Gustavo, can be skipped after defeating him once and it results in an instant P Rank. Same situation as with Gus, Fakey just turns around and waves, and then you win

Fake Peppino in his third phase, if he catches up to Noisette, stops and lets Noisette pet him, then he runs back, and Noisette can get out

In the final boss rush, Fake Peppino waves towards Noisette again and then jumps down

GUS CHANGES AND STUFF I FORGOT

Her rage move during final boss (like when Noise is powered up and chucks the bombs) is basically just her doing the chopper bros from m&l superstar saga (the spinny one with the hammer)

At the very final attack, she pulls out a gigantic hammer and smashes Pizzahead's face so hard into the ground that it gets stuck. The cutscene before that is similar to Noise's, but Pizzahead is looking up

Jump scares in DMAS don't affect her. She slaps the animatronic and it turns and runs away (similar to Fastfood Saloon where Noise just slaps Horsey away)

Stupid Rats can't be kicked away with a Brick ball. Transformations must be used (option to toggle on in the lobby: super taunts can get rid of Stupid Rats, they taunt with you and then disappear. Nice for speedrunners?)

The super jump animation is something shorter, possibly just Brick launching Gus up. You have to either do a double jump, OR let Gustavo do a stomp and hold down to activate it (again inspired by Round 2 Pepperman)

Bomb transformation: Brick holds bomb in his mouth, the bomb won't explode while he carries it, if he carries it too long he will swallow it (it doesn't hurt him)

B-Rank animation is the Mario 64 star collect animation

Boxed Transformation: Gustavo gets squished into a pizza box, and Brick carries him like a delivery person. Gus attacks by just punching out of the box, or spinning, OR Brick throws him like a frisbee (or vice versa; Brick gets squished and Gus carries him). Possibly shrink the one who carries as well so it's kind of a mix between Pep and Noise; and also so the one tile gaps can be gone through

Pizza Granny would say something along the lines of "I wouldn't trust that rat. He's literally a rat."

Fake Peppino CAN be refought after beating him, just like with Doise, by taunting 3 times at the boss door

The beginning tutorial theme would just be the same as the Gustavo tutorial in Gnome Forest. However, John Gutter and final boss phase 3 would have similar sounding remixes like Peppino's versions, but a little bouncier sounding and with the Gustavo leitmotif. Not sure if Pizza Time, Death That I Deservioli and Bye Bye There would get the same treatment, or if they just straight up stay the same

Sticky cheese transformation: both roll in the cheese ball, but when hitting a wall, Gus shakes the cheese off while Brick is still covered. They can climb walls similar to cheese Noise

Ball transformation: instead of Brick being the ball, Gustavo is ball and Brick stays behind until Gus is standing again

As with Noisette, in the final boss rush, Fake Peppino waves and leaves

Instead of Mr Stick taking the money for the boss gates, it's Burton. He also helps guiding Gustavo out of the level during pizza time. Burton doesn't seem to be as concerned about the money, but he still charges the same prices (i don't think you can change them anyway)

So uh, i accidentally wrote down a bunch of stuff for that Gustavo mod thing I'm probably never gonna make cause i don't know how to mod.. enjoy. Or not, I'm not your parental figure.

Note that these are just silly ideas i came up with so far, some of them might be really stupid, contradictory, or simply impossible to implement. Idk anything about game design and I'm stupid, so please don't expect too much from me

BASICS

Gus and Pep switch places, meaning you switch to Pep in Gnome Forest and Pig City. Brick is with Gus from the beginning since sudden gameplay change wouldn't be intuitive. Gus can get rid of Stupid Rats by kicking Brick into them.

MOVEMENT ADDITIONS

Slide/roll that doesn't lose speed. Can be done from a standing position or while running. (Animation: Brick pushes Gus and he slides forward on his belly like a penguin)

Super jump, possibly also from a standing position. (Animation: Gus gets a balloon and blows it up, hands it to Brick, Brick turns into Balloon); Functions the same as regular rat balloons but can be done anywhere, is a little faster, and can break through blocks.

Rail grind for Gus (or he just runs over them cause he's too powerful now. Fear him.) Brick waits until Gus gets off the rail and joins him later again. (Animation: looks like he's about to fall with his arms flailing but continues to slide sideways)

Uppercut. (Animation: Brick throws Gus straight up, Gus has both arms outstretched and hands formed into fists. It goes higher than Peppino's but way lower than Noise's)

Separate uppercut without Brick for Bosses, same animation just without Brick, maybe goes slightly lower?

For Peppino: hanging on rails. Basically the same as Gus normally, but Pep will still grind on rails like usual until pressing down, then he holds onto them. (Animation: similar to Gustavo's but holds onto the rail with one hand). Jumping and landing on the rail again results in rail grind

For Peppino: a double jump. Doesn't jump as high as Gus but it's enough to reach the rails in the secrets. (Animation: either flaps his arms like that one unused sprite, or uses pizza paddles like in swap mode). Possibly no need for a double jump if the uppercut goes high enough

TRANSFORMATIONS

Rocket: Brick swallows rocket (like Noise does). Right before crashing into a non breakable wall, Brick spits rocket out automatically. Gus can turn Brick around mid air

Pepper pizza: they start spinning like they just did a double jump. Can't do bodyslam/double jump in that state, but Gus can still do the stomp downwards

Knight: both get armor. Gus gets a lance like in medieval duels, Brick slides on belly when on ramps

Weenie mount: not needed. Brick ignores it or chucks it away like Noise does to Horsey

Mort: Option 1 - Gus has Mort on his head while Brick waits until he comes back (functions the same as Peppino). Option 2 - Mort hooks work by Brick hanging or swinging from them on his tail (they still only activate if Mort is collected. Gus holds him in his arms, or he still sits on his head. Gus holds him by the feet when swinging so Mort doesn't fall off)

Ghost: Gustavo turns into a ghost while Brick waits on the side until he's brought back. Functions the same as Peppino

Firemouth: Brick starts running while breathing fire (possibly doesn't stop running until healed; Gus can turn Brick around like with the rocket)

Golf swing: Gus just kicks the greaseball while Brick is holding it (like the charlie brown football kick thing but Gus doesn't fall on his butt)

Boxed: silly idea don't take seriously, Brick turns small and goes under Gustavo's hat ratatouille style (doesn't make much sense movement wise but i thought it was funny)

Peshino: Gusbot. Easy.

Shotgun: Rocket launcher. Unlike in War regularly, he doesn't shoot Brick out of it

Barrel: Option 1 - Brick gets in the barrel while Gus runs on top (like regular running animation but with a barrel). Option 2 - just have Brick roll over on his side (possibly running over Gus and he like sticks to Brick's side)

Bomb: not sure if needed since Brick can get rid of stupid rats on his own, maybe for places Brick can't be kicked to like in Ancient Cheese (Brick waits until Gus has thrown the bomb then joins him again OR Brick carries it in his mouth and spits it out)

BACKGROUND PEPPINO

During Pizza Time he does his little panicked hops that he does normally when standing still (possibly while pointing towards the exit) OR he does the panicked looking up and down animation

In RRF he wears the clothes seen on the title card while still freezing his ass off OR while holding a cup of coffee or hot chocolate or something

In Fastfood Saloon he is straight up wasted. Falls flat on his face and just lies there, weakly points towards exit. Possibly wears a cowboy hat. Dude had way too much to drink smh my goddamn head

In Pizzascare he fused with a bad rat instead of a stupid rat. Looks a bit more disheveled and messy. Clothes are a little ripped

In War he's just kicking the shit out of enemies, no gun needed. Like, you run past him and he just punches a dude or throws them into other enemies

In the sound test room, he doesn't do the shimmy he normally does, but breakdances. Cause i like that more. That's it that's the whole reason. Sue me.

RANK SCREENS

D: Brick is about to jump towards the screen while Gus holds him back (or vice versa lol)

C: both are rather disappointed or exhausted looking, possibly with a few bandaids, Speech bubble with "that was rough..."

B: idk yet

A: both give a thumbs up with a big grin (like the taunt)

S: the taunt pose where they have their arms crossed but they're wearing sunglasses (possibly switch S and P around)

P: The pose in mario galaxy 2 when you collect a star with Yoshi

MISC

Fake Peppino's fight can be skipped, results in an instant P rank (only after defeating him once, Fake Peppino will just wave at Gus and then the fight ends. Unlike Doise, he can't be fought again by taunting three times at the boss door)

Boss defeated chime and unexpectancy part 3 have the Gustavo tutorial leitmotif (it's so jolly and bouncy oughhhh i love it)

Gus defeats bosses by jumping on top of them or using his lariat move, while Brick sits the bosses out (possibly with separate rank screens for Gus alone? If so, one of them has to be like that one Mario sprite in smw when you finish a level or in sm64 when you collect a star)

Breakdance move: he does his regular bouncy thing while Brick dances next to or behind him (there was that one Brick dancing animation somewhere but idk if it's fanmade or not..). They can't move side to side while breakdancing.

[starclast]

My experience with Asagao Academy

As you may have guessed (or not), I like videogames. Since I was I kid, I used to play those pre-programmed one that eeeevery computer known to man has (you know, like solitaire and such) and maybe try the occasional random one that there is on it because your brother installed it (because you share the pc, obviously) ooor because your parents installed it for you. Anyway, though I didn't have much *variety* when I was younger, I've always liked videogames. My favorite type of games are visual novels and though I have played a decent amount of them, I'm always looking for new ones. And so, there I was, looking around in itchio for any good titles and then, I stumbled upon this game.

I sometimes had seen it while scrolling and I remember thinking the title was weird, but since I was pretty bored that day I finally decided to look at the page. The art-slyle was...pretty good, though I was taken aback when I got to see the routes of the game. They looked, well...weird to me 😅 Aaand I understood why once I read the summary: the routes were (based on) a group of youtubers named Normal Boots, which....I didn't know even existed in the first place ((O__o)) Due to that and my opinion about the character sprites, I laughed a bit and then continued searching.

Some looooong months and then, one day, I found myself EXTREMELY bored. Nothin remotely interesting to play was insight, so I just said *Meh, why not?* and decided to finally play: Asagao Academy -Normal Boots Club-. And I have to say that...I liked it more than I was expecting 😀

It is not something sooo out of the ordinary, but the different routes and characters are pretty enjoyable and funny. The game has maaany anime and videogames references (which I wasn't expecting) that make even the more random scenes somethin that can make you laugh. As I mentioned before, I didn't know about the youtubers who *inspired* these characters, so I had the opportunity to see and enjoy them as what they are portrayed here: just characters.

My very first route and absolute favorite one was PBG. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the childhood friend trope!! 🥰 Funny enough, I just chose him because I liked his *design* out of all the guys (and even got to compare him to Shaggy once 😅), but overall, ended up reaally liking him.

The pics and various moments on the route were soo cute and funny too! It may not be the very best for other people, but for me? It was practically a perfect fit! :D Aaaand as you know...I'm prone to create AUs of everything I come to like enough so...I came up with a little Vampire!hana AU XD

I played the game till its completion during a short vacation last year...but sadly, my save files got erased due to a certain accident...so I have to start from zero TT o TT But I don't mind! I will just have to play it again 😌

The game is kind old so the fandom is really quiet right now (which made me a little sad while looking for fanarts and such) but if you feel interested enough I recommend you try it out! ^ w ^/

[lily-orchard-gossip-blog]

Who Is Lily Orchard?

Well the short version is that she's a youtuber who rose to fame during the MLP day's as an analyst, as well as a writer for her own comic called "Poke-Madhouse" and "The Sith Resurgence".

She is most famous for her "Steven Universe is Garbage and Here's Why" video.

But of course, if it was that simple, there woudn't be so many blogs talking about her.

Lily has repeadetly abused, lied and taken advantage of others. She has written pornographic content involving minor's, engaged in smear campaigns and so many other issues that it would take forever and a day to cover.

But don't just take my word for it. Below, you'll find a link to various google drives, documents and screen shots. In other words, evidence and proof of her actions. (The list is not complete in it's current form. If you can think of anything else that should be added to the list/receipts that I'm missing, let me know so that I can include them.)

The Receipts:

The Lily Orchard Fan Pack : This archive has a lot of documents that come from her Bhaalspawn days. From fan fictions, games, to her Yahtzee inspired sprites. The above link will bring you to a Tumblr post with the link to the drive. (It offers a more in depth explanation), but if you just want to skip to the doc itself, just click here.

The Lily Orchard Archive: This archive contains a lot of information that I didn't know about. It has links to some of Lily's old YouTube video's from her Bhaalspawn days that have been preserved on Daily motion. It has archives of Lily's old NSFW blog. And it links to a few other people that I have not talked about here.

However, there is dead naming, and links to the 8chan boards. But I think for the archives it does hold, this is an important link.

The Brittany Logs: Brittany was an old friend of Lily's, whom Lily cut contact with because Brittany wasn't playing World of Warcraft fast enough for her liking. (No really.), However, if that was the only problem, this wouldn't have been linked. Oh, no. Lily, using her alter ego Tara Callie, would try to pressure Brittany into being sexual with her.

Tara Callie's Blog: Who is Tara Callie? Well, outside of being Lily's sock puppet account, she was also supposedly Lily's ex-girlfriend. A runaway from Colorado, she was apparently in an incestuous relationship with her sister before her sister passed away. She would then die in a car crash before coming back a few days later after people expressed sadness over her passing, and finally, was apparently arrested for possession of CP and was never seen or heard from again.

(Tara Callie gave someone suicide advice. You can see the post here.)

Blake: This is another person who used to be friends with Lily back in the day, during the same time as Brittany. Just like Brittany, Blake was getting sexually harassed by Tara Callie, in an attempt to trick them into being sexual with Lily. Their friendship appears to have degraded with Blake's mental health to a nose dive, and instead of offering them a helping hand or support, Lily instead chose to further isolate Blake from the friend group, started to insult them for getting into video making, and finally ending the friendship when Blake made a post about Tumblr feminism that Lily didn't agree with.

I will be linking their video on the subject here, but be aware there is misgendering in the video.

Other notable links that I've found:

Blake expressing nervousness over Lily looking over their blog

A fight between Lily and Blake's then Fiancé, that ended with Lily threatening to bash Blake's Fiancé in the head:

https://archive.md/Ari1M [vague posting] https://archive.md/C5Tq3 [Wife steps in (1)] https://archive.md/YG3Bg [(2)] https://archive.md/jeytd [(3)] https://archive.md/kD7V1 [threats to their wife]

Lily Encourages Harassment Towards Ink Rose: Basically what it says on the tin. Lily basically tells her fans to harass Ink Rose by drawing her Ponysona with other women, and to ignore her if she asks them to stop. Receipt here.

She would later try to spin the incident into being more innocent than it was. Receipt here.

JoshScorcher: Josh was an old friend of Lily's, and to say their relationships went up in flames would be... an understatement. Josh and Lily first met during Lily's Bhaalspawn days, when Josh made this video here. Lily would then appear in a collab with Josh in his Over A Barrel Review. The relationship came to an end when Josh posted about cutting someone out of his life, and Lily stated it was her, in a rare moment of acknowledgement. Lily, with the help of Patch at the time, would then launch a campaign against Josh's DnD video's. Leading to him sending her a cease and desist letter. Lily made a video about it that you can watch here, but if you want to see the actual nitty-gritty of the documents, as well as Josh's reply, you can read that here.

Other relevant Video's:

Josh's response video to Lily

Call between Josh, Patch work and Lily

Lily's First Swatting Claim: On October 11, Josh makes a tumblr post (read it here), stating that he is no longer going to maintain his silence on Lily. The next day, Lily claims to have gotten swatted (read that post here).

Animechristy: Who is Animechristy? Well, she's an artist whose work Lily used without permission in one of her videos, and then proceeded to make an entire glass of waters video about after admitting to deliberately causing the situation out of spite. You can watch the video here. Lily, of course, conveniently leaves out sources for a lot of this, so here are some that I found.

Period Comment, Knob Comment, respect the artist #1, Lightning Bliss blocks Lily, Lily's video gets copyrighted, Lily getting mad that someone suggests Christy was in the right, Lily comparing this situation to digital homicide, Lily showing off the copyright claim.

The Opal Situation: Opal was a fan of Lily's who committed the sin of not drawing Lily's puppet with the correct proportions. Rather than discussing this in private, Lily blasted Opal in the open, leading to Opal getting harassed by Lily's other fans. (You can see the original post here.)

Lizzy's Story: If you've followed Lily's content for any period of time, you've probably heard about Lizzy, Lily's ex fiancée. Lizzy has come out with her side of the story, which you can read on her twitter in the following links: Part 1, Part 2, Further testimony.

Edit: Since I was reminded of this, here's a link to the receipts that documented the mob Lily has sent to harass her ex.

Here's another link as well: Lily saying that keeping her ex's name is "reverse Colonialism"

Cypher: Cypher is an ex friend of Lily's who'se relationship ended over World of Warcraft shipping discourse. The reason this is notable, is because Lily began to start a smear campaign against Cypher almost immediately after she ended their friendship. Here's the receipt, including Cypher's testimony.

What the deal with Keffals?

Lily was trying to get close to Keffals for a few months. Appearing in her discord server and streams. However, Keffals then spoke to Zena & Poppy, (you can see video here) and Lily seems to be very bitter about this, if these receipts are anything to go by:

Lily is done with Keffals.

Lily's big speech about Keffals.

Trying to push a transphobe towards Keffals.

Lily twitter about streamers

Lily unsubscribing from a twitch streamer, suspected to be Keffals

Lily being abusive to a friend on stream

Lolo is a friend of Lily's, who was going through a moral quandary over Genshin Impact. Lily and her friends proceeded to berate her and wear her down over this.

Lily then proceeded to joke about how Lolo is the only person she would verbally do this to.

Current Vague Posting:

Just to get ahead of the curve and to save my future self some headache, Lily has been vague posting about someone, and currently many people think it's carousel. This has not been confirmed yet.

Here's a receipt. I'll add more as time permits.

Sock Puppet Accounts:

Speculation over Lily's sock puppet accounts has been going on long before this blog, and it will go on long after. If you want to see a list to all suspected accounts at the time of this blogs opperations, you can find the link here. (04/28/22)

You must be 18+ to view the following content:

The Patch Drive: Patch has a video up on YouTube explaining their story that you can watch here, but the Google doc has more evidence in it for those who are interested in the receipts. The long and short of it; Patch was an artist who turned to Lily for help after being abused by ToonKritic. Lily would then take advantage of their vulnerability to draw nsfw art work they weren't comfortable with.

Stockholm: Ah yes, the infamous Stockholm. The fic contains sexual assault of minors as young as 13, nsfw scenes and bad writing. The Story follows Rainbow Dash and Fluttershies relationship, as they fall in love, get married, and have kids... among other things.

To be blunt, it's underage porn.

For more receipts, you can find evidence of Lily talking about the work here. And of course, this video here where Lily openely speaks about having writen the fic.

Courtney:

Lily's sister. They have come out and spoken about the abuse they've suffered growing up. There would be to much to cover in a simple post, but Courtney has a pinned post that goes over the basic. You can check it out here.

Courtney shares her story (tw: child abuse, rape)

Fics from the Dark Lady Server: I realized I still had the Google doc for these, so I'm going to share it here. These are the fics that Lily shared in the now cancelled, Dark Lady Server. I haven't read them, but considering broken champion starts with trigger warnings for Rape, Torture and Abuse, I'm going to guess these aren't family friendly.

You can check out the folder here.

E621 Account: Lily's account on the site was found, and held quite an interesting array of art work... dealing with underage individuals. She has indirectly revealed that the account in question was in fact hers, and she apparently made a second account that got found out and deleted. You can find the OG links here.

Sankaku Account: Lily's other p*rn account that was found under the name of EbaraTara. This one is far more upsetting, as it involved a lot more realistic paedophilia than the other one.

A few things to note about this account is that two of the artists who were favourite have been caught using real children as references for their works. These artists are called Kaneda and masked.

You can see a full list of artists here. (Masked isn't on the list, but from what I've gathered, that might be more due to the whole being convicted of CSEM in an actual court of law.)

This link will show you the favourite tags, properties and characters of the account, as well as how many images had been favourited.

You can visit the page at your own discretion here.

Finally, the google accounts. I'm not linking them directly, but rather putting up a link that will bring you to the original post hosting them. The reason for this is so that way nobody accidentally finds themselves seeing things they don't want to.

You can find that post here.

[rubykgrant]

For the Hercules-style movies, stories of Ulysses, Perseus and Medusa, Pandora, Jason, maybe ones that features stories introduced in the Hercules Animated Series but fully expanded (there are a LOT of possibilities)

For the Aladdin-style movies, it would be awesome to see a movie just about  Scheherazade herself (and again, the Aladdin Animated Series introduced so many stories and characters and lore, many of which have the potential to be their own entire movie)

Exploration/discovery movies in the style of Atlantis the Lost Empire; maybe even branch out with the existing characters who each get a solo movie where they have new teams/groups that go treasure hunting and researching. Just using the idea of lost cities and myths, possibly even one about the islands of tiny people and giants from Gulliver’s Travels

Any movie with the style used in Mulan would be great. More fables and history stories that come from China, one I would personally love to see is the legend of the White Snake (perhaps others inspired by the four great folktales). One that would get a lot of recognition is Journey to the West (the Monkey King). Also, lots of input and involvement from actual Chinese people

Movies about the various shorts from Fantasia and Fantasia 2000; a story about the Centaurs, the Season Fairies and the Spring Sprite, the monsters from Night on Bald Mountain, some dinosaurs, and an actual full-length animated movie of Mickey Mouse being the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (with Donald, Goofy, Minnie, Daisy, and their other companions as fantasy characters)

Some Native American movies inspired by actual Native American stories that aren’t all just about meeting white people. There are seriously so many interesting (and important) tales, and it would be best if they could be made with the involvement of actual Native American people (I remember a children’s book I found when I was maybe 7/8 about folklore, and I was fascinated with How Raven Stole the Sun) 

The actual story collection of the Jungle Book is a collection of several stories, and seeing the rest of them get attention would be cool (also, bring back the sort of sketchy-style from the old animated movie). The White Seal and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi were ones I enjoyed

More space-themed slightly steam-punk versions of classical books in the style of Treasure Planet. I really don’t think you could go wrong; it could be about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, the Wizard of Oz, Moby Dick, or even imagine a sci-fi version of Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood, it goes on and on

I still wish Disney would do new movies “in the style” of previous ones, like more Greek Mythology animated movies in the style of Hercules (the only reoccurring characters are the gods/goddesses and Muses), or more 1001 Nights stories in the style of Aladdin (and maybe they all start with a new person singing a variation of the intro song, and it is always a different vendor/merchant who is like “Hey, see this thing? Let me tell you a story about this thing”). Not sequels, just expanding the world the original movies came from

[scapegrace74-blog]

New Ways of Turning Into Stone, Chapter 7

A/N  For anyone waiting patiently for this chapter, I apologize.  Somewhere in the midst of writing this story, I fell out of love with it, making it very hard to find the inspiration to finish. I’m too stubborn to abandon it, though, so here is the final chapter.  The good news is the angst fest is over, for the most part.  Slight reference to child trafficking in the past.  Thanks to everyone who read and interacted with this story!  This final chapter is entitled A Dragonfly in Amber.

The whole story can be found on my A03 page.

Eighteen Months Later

The breeze off the firth was picking up, and Claire wished she’d grabbed a  jumper before leaving her flat.  She spent a lot of time these days looking back at the million decisions that made up a life, aware of their path as though they were footprints visible to the eye.  Where once missteps would have inspired judgement or shame, she could now chart their passage with a certain measure of peace.

A rare free Thursday brought her to a seasonal market in what was otherwise a car park overlooking Edinburgh Castle.  With no specific objective in mind, she wandered the stalls of fresh produce and locally made crafts, meandering but purposeful.  A jar of raw honey and a half-dozen blueberry scones made their way into her tote bag before she stopped at a store selling beautifully woven woolen goods, thinking that she could perhaps invest in a shawl.

Lifting the various offerings from where they were displayed, something caught her eye.  Beneath the many-patterned pile of wool stood a beautiful wooden chest, its heft and patina speaking of its craftsmanship.   It had been painted in a rusted umber, the shape of a dragonfly elegantly carved into its solid lid.

“Tis lovely, is it no’?” a soft lilt startled her from her trance.

“Yes, very.  Is it for sale?”  She had no idea why she’d asked.  Her flat was crowded enough as it was and frivolous purchases no longer within her budget.

“Alas, no.  Twas an anniversary gift from my man.”  Perhaps seeing the disappointment register on her face, the woman added, “I can give ye the card o’ the man who made it, at least.  Ye’re no’ the first tae have admired his work.”

Claire’s hands shook slightly as the shopkeeper sought out the card, an eerie sense of premonition settling over her.  Sure enough, the familiar names leapt into relief as she accepted the woman’s offering:

Lallybroch Furniture Design

James Fraser, Proprietor

***

The afternoon and evening passed in a blur of obligations and routine.  It was only as she settled into the peace of her own bedroom that Claire allowed her thoughts to return to the business card tucked safely into her wallet.  

She’d known Jamie was still in the city.  While she’d resisted the urge to seek him out a thousand times, she couldn’t stop herself from searching his name on the Internet.  A harmless indulgence, she rationalized, and one that assured her that he was well, his business going from strength to strength. Despite the capitol’s tight-knit community, however, their paths had never crossed.  Until now.

Was it a sign?  Long Ago Claire paid no heed to such foolishness, but that was before a chance encounter spun her life one hundred and eighty degrees, sending her down a brand new path.  Now she accepted these memos from the universe with humility.  Tomorrow, she would go looking for Jamie Fraser.

***

Jamie heard the jingle of the bells above the door, even over the mechanical whirr of his sander.  Unbending and blowing a sweaty curl off his forehead, he admired the intricate scrollwork of the custom hutch that was his latest commission.  It still amazed him to watch his visions take shape before his eyes.  If life hadn’t slapped him hard across the face, knocking him far off course, he might have spent the rest of his days unaware of the gift that resided between his hands.

“Took ye long enough, Geordie,” he called out to the footsteps approaching from the door.  “Where’d ye go fer the varnish, Glasgow?”

There was a pause, and an eerie sense of premonition settled over him.  Today was going to be the day.

“It’s not Geordie, it’s me.  Claire.”  He’d thought of her voice each day for the past eighteen months, and yet he hadn’t been able to summon its exact timbre: sonorous, precise, with a smoky finish like well-aged whisky.

“Claire,” he replied to the universe, summoning her by name before he even turned around.

Sawdust motes danced in a sunbeam descending from a clerestory window, illuminating the mahogany in her curls.  She was everything he remembered, and so much more.  The nacre of her skin, now dusted with cinnamon freckles.  The topaz of her eyes less fierce, more open, and overwhelmingly anxious.  The tight line of her jaw was less defined, her once whippet-thin figure filled out into plush curves.  Overall the impression was one of softness, of willing vulnerability.

“The door was open,” she explained needlessly, her eyes drinking him in hungrily.  He wondered what changes she read on his surface.

“It’s... uhhh...” his voice wobbled painfully, “it’s good tae see ye, Sassenach.  How have ye been?”

He hadn’t trusted himself to seek her out since Maggie’s death, understanding that they both needed time to heal.  It didn’t stop him from zeroing in on every glimpse of brown curls, nor from reading wedding announcements with an invisible fist gripping his throat.  If it was meant to be, he counselled himself, they would find one another when the time was right.  And now she was here, standing in his workshop and more lovely than his zealous imaginings.

“Good,” she replied, eyes meeting and then sheering away from his gaze.  “Really good.  Busy.”  She was gripping the strap of her handbag like a parachute cord, and he couldn’t help glancing at her left hand, selfishly relieved to note it was still bare.

“I, ummm, I saw one of your pieces.  At the market yesterday.  Not for sale, of course.  The woman offered me your card, so I thought, you know, that I might...  You’re really very talented, Jamie,” she prattled nervously.

He blushed, delighted by her praise.  “I thank ye, Claire.”  To taste her name in his mouth, so long forbidden, was intoxicating.  He would never tire of saying it.

“And yer work?  Tis Friday.  Are ye taking a well-deserved day off?”

“Oh, no.  I’m not practicing anymore, Jamie.”

He froze, horrified.  Of all the scenarios he’d played out in his mind, he’d never imagined her anything but a doctor. It was too much a part of who she was.  A familiar sense of oppressive responsibility crept over him.  If he’d somehow caused this to happen...

“Sassenach, no...” he whispered.

To his utter confusion, she laughed, merry and bright as the bells that had announced her return to his life.

“It’s alright, truly.  I, well, a lot has changed since last year,” she explained, a glimmer of something coy transforming her face.  His wame sunk into his feet.

“Ye’ve met someone.”   A statement of fact.  Punishment for wishing for something that wasn’t meant to be.

Her spritely laugh rang out again, increasing his pain.  He felt the old, habitual hardening around his heart, and fought to keep his breath steady.  No matter how much it hurt, he owed it to Claire to listen to her joy.

“In a manner of speaking.  His name is Fergus, and he’s eight years old.”

Startled, he stared into her upturned face, trying to read the truth in her features.  A hand, delicate but strong, took his own.  He held onto it like a lifeline as she told her unlikely tale.

Shortly after their last meeting, Claire had been walking through Grassmarket when she’d been jostled by a running figure.  It was only upon righting herself that she realized she was without her phone.   Giving chase, she eventually cornered the thief down a blind alley, only to realize that it was a young boy, unkempt and malnourished.

Rather than turn the pickpocket in, Claire had negotiated an exchange: her phone for a four-course meal and the story of how a boy of his age, with a heavy French accent no less, had come to live on the streets of Edinburgh.

“He was trafficked, Jamie.  A group in Paris were keeping him and other orphans in a brothel.  When they came to transport them, Fergus escaped.  He hid in a lorry, and this is where it brought him.  He had no coat, no money, hardly any English, but he’d been surviving on his wits for six weeks before I found him.  I can’t bear to think what might have happened to him had we not crossed paths that winter’s day.”

“Christ,” he swore, thinking of his own nephew, and what he wouldn’t give to protect the lad’s innocence.

Claire went on to describe the painstaking process of reporting Fergus, whose real name was Claudel, to the authorities without allowing him to be deported back to France and into the waiting hands of the very people he had escaped.

“There was no formal steps to follow, no real resources I could rely on.  I ended up filing for adoption, because it was the only way to keep him safe.  In the beginning, he needed all my attention.  He had no formal schooling and had to learn English in a hurry.  He suffered from terrible nightmares.  I transferred all my patients, shut down the office, but I assumed it was only temporary, until he felt more secure and could go to school with other kids his age.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Fergus isn’t the only trafficked child in Scotland.  I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do whatever I could to protect every one of them.  So I quit.  I’d made some contacts at ECPAT in London, trying to sort out the mess with Fergus’ immigration paperwork.   I called them up and offered my services on a part-time basis.  A former pediatrician with experience in grief counselling.  They couldn’t accept fast enough.  So now, when I’m not busy being Fergus’ mom, I’m the executive director of ECPAT here in Scotland.”

“Christ,” he repeated.  “Sassenach, I’m...  God, ye’re an amazing woman.”

It was her turn to blush, glancing down to notice that their hands were still clasped, fingers woven together like thirsty roots.  They were standing toe to toe, breathing in harmony.  Jamie smelled of pine, a sharp sweetness that seemed to cling to his body.  She dared a look upwards and found his gaze locked on her mouth.  Oceans stormed in the depths of his eyes.

“You’ve got a little...” she reached for his jaw, “...a little something, right here...”  Before she could dislodge the fleck of sawdust trapped in his auburn stubble, Jamie’s whole body surged forward, their noses practically bumping.

“Sassenach...” he beseeched.

“Yes?”  Wispy, fluttering wings of hope surrounded her.

“I’ve bided as long as I can.  May I please, for the love of all tha’s holy, finally kiss ye?”

A tiny nod, a murmured assent, then their lips took up the conversation that had begun so many months before.  There, in a dusty workshop at eleven o’clock on a Friday morning, the last obstacle that stood between them came crashing to the ground.  In its place came warmth and certainty, a candleflame of cherished possibility. 

[fmsdraws]

About

Howdy! I’m FmsDraw , an Argentinian artist/animator. I’m currently 19 years old. I specialize in making Undertale and Paper Mario / Mario and Luigi styled artwork. 

Comissions are open, and my prices can be found here.

Current/previous projects:

Omega Timeline: Poppy’s Story (also known as Ask Poppy) is a story set in the titular Omega Timeline, a location founded by CORE!Frisk amidst a white void, which is a safe heaven for genocide survivors, people from timelines in a dire state, or just a place for people that aren’t neccesarily in peril to hang out in.

The story follows Poppy Marusina, adoptive grandaugter of CORE!Frisk, throughout her everyday life in the Omega Timeline, her family, and what comes with living in a place with so many look-likes. With so many tragic stories around them, how can one’s story not end up blending with everyone else’s?

You can find the blog here.The story is currently ongoing.

Undertale AU Showdown is a series of videos inspired by Shovel Knight Showdown, created by Yacht Club Games, and Undertale, created by Toby Fox (obviously). The premise is that 35 AU Characters from all over the Multiverse have been dragged into a timeline by a Gaster, and must battle their way out, meeting new friends and old foes along the way. 

You can find the videos in the official Undertale: AU Showdown Youtube Channel. It is still on-going, though infrequent in updates.

Frisky Caretaker AU is a Sprite Comic that depicts Frisk in the role of Toriel, with Asriel tagging along them. The story focuses on the Ruins portion of the AU, and is thus very short. 

The comic has been completed, you can find all of the comic here.

Undertale: PaperStory is essentially an aesthetic AU. Though with some additional partner characters, it is mostly just a retelling of UNDERTALE’s Story. That being said, it is a project I hold near and dear to my heart.

The story was completed, and you can find the AU here.

Tantamount is a Sprite Comic following a similar role structure to that of SwapShift’s, but with various differences and an unique story. The story for instance follows a post-genocide story where Frisk was victorious, and the consequences of that event.

The story is currently on-hold, but you can find the AU here.

Storyswap Color is an AU made by Lolika-0777, Chip Potato, and yours truly that (mostly) follows the role placements of the aforementioned StorySwap, but with an unique story. I was a writer and main artist for this project.

The story was finished, and you can find the AU here.

Omori: Dreamwork is Teamwork is an OMORI AU written by yours truly, and Tyrone. The story takes place one year before the canon game, and the dream friends have bled into reality alongside Mari. Interactions ensue.

The story is still on-going, and can be found here.

Projects I’ve had a part in:

Undertoad - Artist.

UNDEREVENT (2022 / 2023) - Writer, Storyboard, Concept, Color Script

Inverted Fate  - Website Border / Sprite Artist.

Scramble Saga - Artist

Team Switched Underswap - Former Artist

[drimareuniverse]

Looking for a creative writer/storyteller

Hello! I'm Jay, I'm a non-binary artist and I'm looking for a creative writer that can help me write stories for my pet project Drimare Universe! Particularly my Webcomic and Visual Novel.

More details below, all help and sharing is appreciated!

The Drimare Universe is a world located within the dreams of humans, and the Drimare are its main inhabitants spread through various different regions.

It's composed of smaller stories focused on specific groups of characters (Like how Marvel has Spider-man stories, Iron-man stories, etc.) The general tone is a fun modern fantasy slice of life type.

I've been working on the project on my own for the past 10 years, and although I have a lot of lore and character info written down, when it comes to writing stories themselves, my skills are lacklustre. I finally accepted that I need someone that could help me with that, so here I am!

I keep most of the character info and lore archived on its wiki here if you're curious to learn more about it.

My current two projects that I'm looking for help on are a Webcomic and a Visual Novel, both of which are on hiatus because of my difficulty and general dissatisfaction with my own writing :(

I basically have loose plot points, certain scenarios, conversations and ideas, and I need someone that can tie those things together in a satisfying narrative way.

You don't have to work on the comic AND visual novel, but I am looking for help in at least one of those projects.

General requirements

Be over 18 years old. I'm 23 and not comfortable working with minors.

Be LGBTQ+ friendly! A LOT of the cast is LGBTQ in some way and certain characters focus a lot on topics of gender and sexuality so the more you know about the topic, the better :)

Have the patience to learn about my characters and world's quirks and lore lol! I'll try to explain things as best as I can! Bonus points if you have weird ideas yourself.

Basically, you write, I give my input, and then we use the finished script for the comic and/or visual novel.

You will be credited!

As for rates, my budget is small so let me know how much you charge! I'm somewhat of a writer myself and I don't feel comfortable having someone work for free, but I also have no idea what people usually charge for stuff like this. I can also offer my art in exchange if the person is interested/comfortable with that! Examples are on my DeviantArt as well as other links found on my profile.

I'm looking for someone I can work with for the long term so expect me to be a returning client if I enjoy your work! :) Ideally, I'd like to make a team eventually, but a writer is the priority atm.

I don't really have a set deadline so don't worry about having to finish things by specific dates.

It's my first time trying to commission someone for writing so I apologize if my etiquette is off, I'm only experienced in art commissions. I have no idea how I'm supposed to commission writing so I'll just describe what I'm looking to get below.

For the webcomic

Drimare Universe is the first official webcomic series based around the world of Drimare Universe, focusing on the origin story of the two siblings��Zelly and Blade, as well as other characters they meet throughout their journey. It's set roughly around 10 years before the current timeline.

Available to read on Tapas here

It's an origin story for two siblings, followed by episodic stories of them meeting other characters from the cast and learning about the world around them. It's sort of built like a cartoon show, with more serious episodes, others more light-hearted, some important one, etc.

There are only 13 pages in the first episode so far, but I'm unhappy with the current script for the rest of the story and need help with it.

I'd like for someone who is actually good at writing and having better ideas to give it a look and either suggest things that could work better or straight-up rewrite it from scratch but better

The other episodes only have the general main plot points written down, with further episodes still being in a draft phase (I got so caught up with my writer's block with trying to figure the first two episodes, that I haven't been able to focus on the following ones)

***

For the visual novel

Drimare Universe Friendsim, is an ongoing Visual Novel project that will feature various characters from the Drimare Universe series, it is currently being developed on Ren'Py and free to download on the DU Friendsim itch.io page.

It is heavily inspired by games like Hiveswap Friendship Simulator as it follows a similar concept of a Human protagonist meeting various cast characters in order to form friendships with them.

The series will be released in various volumes, each one focusing on a specific character, with the events changing depending on the player's choices.

Available to download for free on Itch.io

It's about a human dreamer character who wakes up in the dream world and meets respective Drimare characters.

If you've played Hiveswap Friendsim or Pesterquest, it's the exact same concept. YCH protag meets characters in a very Isekai inspired scenario. It's like a dating sim, but friendship focused instead.

Unlike the webcomic, which takes place in the past, this visual novel takes place in the current timeline. Also unlike the comic, the visual novel is not canon.

Each volume is focused on MC (Who is referred to as "Dreamer") meeting a specific character, with other secondary characters making appearances as well.

There are two volumes available so far, each composed of one short story.

The tone is playful and comedic, I guess "quirky" could be a word to describe it. But still capable of having its serious moments,

Each volume has three endings. A short bad ending, a neutral ending, and a good/true ending. (The length and amount of endings can be flexible)

You don't have to know how to program visual novels or anything like that, I just need help with the stories. I'll be in charge of adding the writing to the game, animating the sprites accordingly, etc etc.

Apologies for the long text, I just want to be sure people understand exactly what I'm looking for! Ideally, I'd love to find someone that could share my passion for creating content for this project, but for now, I'll just settle for just finding someone at all lol

You can contact me through PMs here, though I also accept messages through Twitter DMs or Discord!

Twitter - https://twitter.com/NE0Nbandit

Discord - Jay 🌸🌊#9625

Thank you for taking the time to read this! <3

[divinaes-bookofsecrets]

can i get a spirit guide reading too? ): ive been dying to find my own..♎

Hi 👋 hello there pleased to meet you ♎

×JaxDessa×IS YOUR SPIRIT GUIDE CURRENTLY🐠🌏🐚

She is female inter-terrestrial Female-Sea Creature who visits middle Earth and thats about as close as she gets to you personal space other than being able to e a essence that communicates or manipulates your current or future circumstances.

As an etheric being, Mermaid is “out of time” even as magic. She can teach you to walk through different worlds safely. There are spaces and places where all time swirls together, opening infinite possibilities.

If Mermaid Spirit had a mantra, it would be “go with the flow.” Give yourself to the ebb and flow of Mermaid’s ties. This provides you with adaptability akin to how water takes on the shape of its container.

Lightworkers, such as myself, 🌐🐚🐠 believe that Mermaids may have come originally from Atlantis as shapeshifters. Afterward, they moved into the Etheric realm; this is the place wherein we can connect with them and learn their wisdom. Mermaid Medicine supports environmental health and the kingdom of the sea. If you are doing workings for the Earth, they are excellent helpmates.

Like the creature of myths, Mermaid Totems are drawn to water. The ocean, in particular, has healing and energizing qualities to it. The Mermaid Mage often works exclusively with the Water Element; and Jaxdessa is no different she happens to be an elite member of the aquatic Water Mystics in her colony in the ethereal realm of existence....

This Mer-Woman has been with you since your birth and will likely be with you until the END of time; but first let's dive fins deep into her bio and see what she's in your life for?

🦋🌏🦋Being female, the symbolism and meaning of the Mermaid ties to the Sacred Feminine, specifically Goddesses like Venus who rules love, and the Sea Goddesses like Calypso. This is not a woman who can be tamed. The fierce individuality among Mermaids is well known – so much so that they may resist settling down in any one spot. Here Mermaid Spirit appears linked heavily to uniqueness and non-conformity.

Are you looking for a way to express yourself? Trying to find clarity in love matters? Mermaid as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal can help! Mermaid teaches to find balance between the heart and mind! Delve deeply in Mermaid symbolism and meaning to find out how this animal spirit guide can aid, inspire, and balance you!

Mermaid Symbolism & Meaning

The myths of Mermaids (and mermen) are enchanting. The rich voice of the Mermaid calls out to us with symbolism and meaning that clarifies the role this Fantasy Spirit Guide plays in our lives. Many stories of the Mermaid tell of enticing beauty, raw sensuality, and humans who succumb to their haunting songs; in this, we see where Mermaid becomes an emblem of balancing our heart and head. We need to think clearly even in matters of love and lust. Additionally, there are times in our lives where its ok to dance to a different, magical tune. Individuality and non-conformity are definitely traits of the Mermaid.

Mermaid Omens: Mermaids seem to be fairly lucky in that, if in a generous mind, they might grant a wish. Having said that, sailors consider them a foreboding sign that the proverbial ship may never reach land again.

Etymology: Mermaid comes from the 14th century term mermayde, meaning Maid of the Sea. The Old English word was similar – merwif, or Water Witch.

Being female, the symbolism and meaning of the Mermaid ties to the Sacred Feminine, specifically Goddesses like Venus who rules love, and the Sea Goddesses like Calypso. This is not a woman who can be tamed. The fierce individuality among Mermaids is well known – so much so that they may resist settling down in any one spot. Here Mermaid Spirit appears linked heavily to uniqueness and non-conformity.

Reach out to Mermaid as a Power Animal any time you work with the element of water in ritual, meditations or magic. There are other goals for which Mermaid can help. When you need inspiration, particularly in song, she can release your self-consciousness, so you really sing from your heart. Regarding sexuality, she removes inhibitions that hold you back from true pleasure.

Mermaid represents transition and transmutation. When you face unique changes in your life, she can help steady the waters around you.

Finally, call to Mermaid when you struggle with your emotions or when your intuition seems to have dried up. Mermaid medicine heals broken hearts and discouragement, then goes on supporting your intuitive self so you can avoid the chaos.

Mermaid as a Celtic Animal Symbol

Celtic Tradition has a long-standing relationship with magical water creatures. Sprites and nymphs often lived nearby sacred falls and wells. The Mermaid, however, lives in the sea. In this culture, the symbolism and meaning of Mermaid is that of the feminine element of the Universe. It is powerful and mysterious. The image of the double-tailed Mermaid adorns many churches represents the ultimate Celtic goddess, Sheela-Na-Gig.

Native American Mermaid Symbolic Meanings

One story from the Mi’kmaq tribe tells of a bird who discovers a pond with five lovely women therein. He noted that they didn’t really look totally human, having silvery scaled skin and hair of seaweed. They adorned themselves with gifts of the sea, and the bottom half of their body was that of a fish.

The Passamaquoddy tales recount the story of how two girls became Mermaids (HeNwas). They went swimming in an area prohibited by their parents. They came to a spot where they were surrounded in slime. Their legs became snakes, their hair black and wearing silver bands on their arms and neck.

Sekani legend talks of the marriage between a human and a Mermaid. By the first winter, the Mermaid yearned for her ocean home. She begged for freedom. It wasn’t until the second winter, however, that the man complied so she could hunt for him. Each day she returned dutifully with food. They became happy and had seven children. After the last child, winter returned, and the man sadly broke a hole in the ice so she could return. When she began swimming, she realized her children could not follow her. She tried to work a spell, placing water on their lips and telling them to follow her. Sadly they drown and were never seen again.

Mermaid Dreams

Mermaids in dreams almost always represent femininity with all its lovely attributes. These dreams often reveal clues to your feminine side. This can be a happy omen unless you fear the emotions and insights Mermaid brings.

A Mermaid swimming in water may represent a girth of emotions that threaten to overwhelm. You feel as if you are going under and giving in to the pressures around. Find your life vest and get some help and support.

Far Eastern Mermaid Symbolic Meanings

There are numerous stories of Mermaids in China. Literature depicts her as similar to western Mermaids with the ability to cry pearls, shapeshift, foretell the future and craft magical items.

One story tells of a Mermaid who asked to stay with a human family for many days so she could weave and sell her cloth. In thanks for the human’s hospitality, she cried a container full of pearls and gave it to the family.

Mermaid Symbolic Meanings Key

Adaptability

Awareness

Discretion

Divination

Emotions

Innocence

Non-conformity

Psychic Aptitude

Shapeshifting

Uniqueness

Artists frequently depict Mermaids with a fish bone comb; this illustration came about due to sailors’ beliefs. If you had fish bones on board a ship, one could know what type of weather was coming through divination and take control of a storm to calm the winds. Another tool of the Mermaid is a mirror. This object has long been used for magic as a “looking glass” much like a crystal ball. Mirrors represent the moon and the intuitive self. Wrap these tools into a medicine bag, and you have future-telling abilities, far sight, sensitivity, and psychic aptitude.

WHAT DO MERMAIDS LOOK LIKE ?🧜‍♀️ 🧜‍♀️

Traditional Mermaids have the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a fish. Images of Mermaids appear as early as ancient Babylon. Sailors considered images of Mermaids as a good luck charm, which is why figureheads were carved with Her image.

Being tied to the Water Element, Mermaid may take on the meaning of a source of life, cleansing, and renewal. Water can also be a fierce foe, with crashing waves that threaten to take us under into the unknown. The ancients found themselves inexplicably attracted to the Mermaid, while also being frightened of their powers.

These “Angels of the Sea” appear most frequently at dawn and dusk. These are “in between” times when the veil between worlds grows thin. Some say they only show themselves to people who have pure hearts, giving he Mermaid the symbolism of discretion and awareness.

WHAT DOES JAXDESSA LOOK LIKE?

Here....She is .. 🧜‍♀️ 7:47 PM(look up the numerology or 747 and 757 , 759)

Those are your times you'll be likely to sense her close to you...

When Jaxdessa swims with you, she brings you into the realm of Water, which also speaks of our emotions. You will be challenged to dig deep inside yourself to understand your fears and scars fully. Only by so doing can you truly heal. Throughout this journey, Jaxdessa offers love and support.The Mermaid animal spirit may also bear a message about reconnecting with your inner child and nature. The innocence and joy of the child dances with the beauty of the world. There is a richness in this relationship building process, and Mermaid is your guide...

When working with your Mermaid guide, it is essential that you remain true to yourself: She will not condone facades. Keep it real and be ready to swim.

Those born with Mermaid imprinted on their soul feel at one with nature. They see the wonders of the world with an appreciative eye, but also know that there is much more going on behind the proverbial curtain. The Mermaid constantly interacts and exchanges various feelings with others including joy, peace, and liveliness. The Mermaid’s language of love is an affirmation.

Greed doesn’t really measure in the mind of the Mermaid. They do not seek to possess others, but rather walk with them in mutual goals and dreams. The Mermaid’s inner child is strong and very active.

More...SpiritGuide bio

The Mermaid person has intense psychic abilities. You see spirits, fairies, Devas, Angels, and other Fantasy creatures easily. Some of the gifts you may have include clairvoyance and hypnotic allure

The Mermaid is an amazing empath, but this can also be her undoing. She feels everything. A crowded room can become totally overwhelming. Thankfully with time and practice, she can learn to detach from others feelings and consider them much as one might watch a movie. This protects the Mermaid from psychic overload and burnout. ((YOU MORE THAN LIKELY CSN RELATE TO THIS AND MOST OF THE MERMAID QUALITIES BECAUSE YOU ARE HER SHE IS YOU;; DO YOU SEE THESE SIMILARITIES YET?))

💘 💜 💛 💚 🧡 💘

Regarding relationships JaxDessa people may not settle down, but they certainly enjoy a good lover. There is raw, unbridled sexuality here that begs for attention. Because they are very private people, however, some of these desires go unfulfilled.

Spirit Guides 3 Messages for me today (current date Jan 11th 2021)

First message: #1

ANGEL NUMBER 833

Number 833 is a blend of the vibrations and energies of number 8 and number 3, with number 3 appearing twice, amplifying its influences of 3, and relating the the Master Number 33. Number 8 relates to self-confidence and personal authority, discernment, higher wisdom, achievement and successes, practicality, consideration, giving and receiving, and serving humanity. Number 8 is also the number of karma; the Universal Spiritual Law of Cause and Effect. Number 3 is the number of affability, enthusiasm, assistance and encouragement, communication and self-expression, growth, expansion and the principles of increase, manifesting, broad-minded thinking, talents and skills, and the energies of the Ascended Masters. Master Number 33 (the Master Teacher) relates to the attributes of the ‘healer’, compassion, blessings, the teacher of teachers, inspiration, honesty, discipline, bravery and courage.

Angel Number 833 is a powerful message and sign that you are being fully supported, surrounded and supported by your Spirit Guides ...It indicates that you are successfully manifesting prosperity and abundance in your life by the positive choices you have made and are currently making. Put your personal attributes and talents to good use and be open to receiving your well-earned rewards and blessings. Trust that all is going to Divine plan.  

Angel Number 833 brings a powerful message of love and support, encouragement and guidance, and your SpiritGuide(s) ask that you maintain a positive attitude and outlook to continue manifesting positive abundance into your life. Remember that what you put out to the Universe comes back to you, so ensure that you use your personal power and talents in a positive manner, always.

Angel Number 833 tells you to take ownership of your own life and discover your dreams. Use your personal creativity in constructive and productive ways, and put your skills and talents to work to achieve your heart’s desires. You get what you expect so make sure you radiate positive energies and expect the highest and best in return. Trust that you will find success in your chosen endeavours.

  

Number 833 relates to number 5 (8+3+3=14, 1+4=5) and Angel Number 5.

Now look up # 5 see what it is ? Thats your next mission .🧜‍♀️.

Second Message : WHAT I NEED TO HEAR RIGHT THIS MOMENT ...

If you were to bite into a piece of cake and think it's awful because of certain flavors or a lack of some ingredient, it would not be pleasant in the moment. Even so, the experience could be beneficial to you later on. Suppose you wanted to bake a special cake for someone. The experience you had with the unappetizing cake might inspire you to do things differently. Every bad experience has an upside, Dear Jaxdessas darling, even if it doesn't seem so in the moment. Remember that today if something doesn't seem ideal.

Third Message: 🌟 ⭐ 💫 🌠 🌃 ✨ 🌟 ♎ January 11 - January 17

A project that is in the final stage of development could get a really big boost this week, dear Jaxdessas darling. This may come out of left field, and the help you need may come from someone you least expected and perhaps you don't even like, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face. This is essential assistance, and you should be grateful for it. Success is possible with a work- or money-related venture that didn't seem to be going very well all that long ago. This is due to your persistence and your optimistic attitude, so let this be a lesson for future endeavors. Some venture that you have put a lot of time and energy into may wind up hitting a brick wall very soon. You may want to proceed anyway, and you may want to figure out how many ways there are to get over the wall that stands between you and success. But before you invest that time, think about whether this will be worth the effort in the end. There could be something else coming along that could take its place, and that could be easier and more rewarding in the end.

&&&

A creak you hear in the dark could be the settling of an old house, or it could be a burglar creeping on the stairs. Loud voices you hear coming in through the windows could be your neighbors arguing, or it could be those same neighbors sharing good news. The lamp going out on your nightstand could be a sign that electricity has shut down, or it could mean you need a new bulb. There is often more than one way to interpret something, and usually there's nothing to worry about. Remember that today, Taurus, if you are tempted to follow worrisome thoughts. It's more likely there's nothing to worry about.

FINAL THOUGHTS?.. THE WISE ADVICE FROM YOUR MYSTIC MERMAID 🧜‍♀️

Step 1) Define Your Core Values

Know what is most important to you by determining your values for your professional and personal life.

These are the principles that are the foundation for your priorities, choices, actions, and behaviors.

You can start by looking at this list of values.

Step 2: Practice the habits.

Pick one or two from this list of positive character traits above to practice for several weeks.

Write down the actions you want to take or the behaviors you define that reflect this trait, and implement them in your daily life and interactions.

Wear a rubber band on your wrist or create other reminders to help you practice these good qualities.

Step 3: Find people with good character.

Surround yourself with people who reflect the character traits you want to embrace.

They will inspire and motivate you to build these traits in yourself.

Try to avoid people who have a weak character and make bad decisions.

Step 5: Take some risks.

Start taking small actions toward a goal or value that involves some level of risk.

When you face the possibility of failure and challenge yourself toward success, you become mentally and emotionally stronger and more committed to your principles.

Step 6: Stretch yourself.

Create high standards and big goals for yourself.

Expect the best of yourself and constantly work toward that, even though you will have setbacks and occasional failures.

Every stretch builds your confidence and knowledge that your positive character traits are getting stronger.

Step 7: Commit to self-improvement.

Realize that building your character is a life-long endeavor.

It is something that is practiced both in the minutiae and the defining moments of your life.

There will be times you step up to the character traits you embrace and other times you falter.

Thank You for taking the time to meet your Spirit Guide today have a nice day 😊 ✨ 💛 ☺ 💗

[jaybug-jabbers]

Review: Pokemon Gold and Silver 97: Reforged

The Review

What a fantastic game. I went looking for a hack that fully realized the sort of pokemon game we glimpsed in the Spaceworld ‘97 demo, and I was not disappointed. 

This alternative version of Gold and Silver takes that Spaceworld demo and builds on it with loving care and attention to detail. All the beta pokemon sprites were freshly made from scratch or edited to update them for the final, polished Gameboy Color look. The pokemon movesets and stats were crafted so that they were balanced and didn’t contain placeholders, and the pokemon were populated throughout the world in a logical fashion. Dex entries were written and the pokes were integrated smoothly into the world. There are even different sprites and different encounter rates for Gold and Silver-- although you can ‘catch them all’ in either version, an excellent choice.

Meanwhile, the world map was colored, tweaked and polished, allowing us to explore that beta world that was stunningly different from the final Gold and Silver. It’s a place that in many ways seems even more vibrant and varied than final Gold and Silver, and is truly exciting to explore.

Along with this fully realized map, this hack’s creators also gave us a fresh new plot for Gold and Silver. This one was inspired by the differences glimpsed in the demo, including Oak’s increased involvement in the story, Silver’s different personality and role, and the inclusion of an Imposter Oak. The plot stays true to the style of pokemon games and doesn’t seem out of place. 

All of the exciting little beta details were included too-- including the original Type alignments, the original Gym Leader designs, beta pokemon moves, new hold items, access to the Skateboard, being able to name your Mom, and even the minigame on the game start screen. The attention to detail and the polish on this hack is truly impressive.

Essentially, I feel like this hack can be considered the definitive edition of the beta Gold/Silver that we never knew. It gives us a chance to experience this alternative world, and breathes life into these wonderful pokemon that never were. Giving us a chance to know and love these beta creations is truly a gift for pokemon fans.

Perhaps the only downside is the sadness that this is not the official version of Gold and Silver. I experienced Pokemon a little bit differently then my peers. As a child, I adored Red and Blue, but once I’d finished with those games, I moved on from pokemon. I have no nostalgic memories of Gold and Silver to hold onto. I only returned to pokemon years later as a teenager. At that point I played several generations, one after another, at the same time, as a sort of “pokemon binge.” While most would call it blasphemy, I was never too terribly fond of Gold and Silver. I think it was largely because I didn’t happen to like a lot of the pokemon designs in those games. In many ways, this ROM hack presents a Gold and Silver that I adore and can love even more than the originals. 

That’s not to say the official Gold/Silver games are all terrible, of course. There are still definitely some beta pokemon that I feel were axed or altered for good reason. Not all of them are better then the final cuts. And there are other elements that are an improvement, too; for example, I actually really like Silver’s storyline in the official games and the fact we dealt with a character who actually stole pokemon and treated them poorly. 

That said, there is an awful lot to love in this ROM hack, and I’m grateful that we have it. Pangshi, Bellrun, Warwolf, Madame, Volbear and others may not be officially recognized by the Pokemon franchise . . . but they will always be very real in my heart.

The Team

Cinnamon (Flame Wheel/Crunch/Scary Face/Earthquake - Charcoal)

Selecting the starter was difficult, because both Honooguma’s line and Kurusu’s line appealed to me. Ultimately I think I went with my old Fire bias. Cinnamon was everything you’d expect a Fire starter to be-- powerful, intimidating, and very reliable. My only real complaint would be that I happened to strongly dislike the sprite the team had created for Dynabear. This isn’t really anyone’s fault, because the team did an excellent job with spriting-- for example, their sprite for the mid-evolution, Volbear, was incredibly good and I adored it to bits. I think it was just a matter of personal taste; I just didn’t like the final evolution’s face. (I’ve actually replaced the sprite in this picture with the original sprite, because I don’t want it to dampen my love for this species) Other than that, seriously, they did this evolution family justice. It was a joy to have on my team.

Doomsday (Curse/Confuse Ray/Body Slam/Shadow Ball - Power Wings)

The second member of my team was found in Brass Tower, to my great excitement: Kurstraw. This was possibly my favorite evolution line to come out of the beta discoveries. This pokemon’s stats were not exactly breaking any records; he went down pretty easily if I wasn’t careful. However, that never really mattered. Doomsday still did his job anyway-- pulling his weight just fine, relying on Confuse Ray and Curse a fair bit to take care of foes. He often was an excellent team player, messing with especially troubling pokemon before passing them over to an ally to finish off. His Normal Immunity also was a strong advantage at times, which I made sure to make use of. Basically, he was a fantastic companion, who helped me all the way through to the Elites and Champion fights.

Rumtum (Slash/Thunder Wave/Thunderbolt/Crunch - Leftovers)

Along with a Rinrin, this round good boy was added to the team next. I was slightly wary of Kotora because it seemed to be one of the most popular beta pokemon among fans. But, the pokemon does seem to be worthy of praise, as it turns out. It is an excellent, cute, cheery little creature and seems to do Pikachu’s job just as nicely as Pikachu, both in fighting and in charisma. Where Pikachu is focused more on speed, though, Kotora and its evolution focus a little more on bulk. The tanky tiger was able to take hits long enough to outlast the competition, even when working with relatively low basepower moves. When he *finally* learned Thunderbolt, though, man, look out -- he was quite a force to reckon with.

It’s funny, actually. When I first saw this tubby tiger, I assumed it was a fire type. Electric was somewhat surprising, but I quickly grew to like it as that typing. Most electric type pokemon are rodent-focused, as Pikachu clones, or Magnemite’s kin. Having a big, bulky tiger is unexpected for the archtype of electric pokemon, but it’s a very refreshing change.

Poprocks (Fire Blast/Surf/Body Slam/Flame Wheel - Mystic Water)

Next on the team was this awesome fellow. Well . . . sort of. Technically, next on the team was TRICKY the Bomsheal, which I traded a Rinrin for with an NPC. Later on, I felt like being able to name the pokemon myself, so I bred Tricky with Cinnamon and trained Poprocks up from scratch. This seal was the cause of some angst for me. I loved Manboo’s evolutionary line a lot, but I also loved the fire seal. They both vyed for the position of the water type on my team. For a while, I used Manboo (and Anchorage) . . . intent on keeping it. But I missed the seal so much, eventually I went back for it to retrieve it from the PC. Yes, it only added to my team’s Rock/Ground weakness, but I didn’t care. I loved this guy too much.

I’m not sure what it is. The freaking amazing typing of Fire/Water? That was definitely a big part of it. But there’s also just something so appealing in its design, simple as it may be. He’s just a cool seal with a fireball. And boy . . . I sure learned how INTENSE its stats were. This seal was RIPPING through the competition. Using it was basically pushing the win button. Honestly it might need to be nerfed a little, it was nuts. But yeah, Bomsheal is a badass and doesn’t need any evolutions to be cool. Best surfer ever!

Darkwing (Slash/Fly/Swords Dance/Faint Attack - Stick)

Right around when I was handed the TM for Fly, I ran into an area that had two types of birds available, depending on the time of day: Hoothoot at night, Farfetch’d at day. As cool as beta Noctowl looks, I eventually decided I needed to have a Madame. I just had to. Like many others, I always, always felt Farfetch’d deserved an evolution and was kind of screwed over. Learning it used to have one was a revelation.

Madame on this team was kind of funny, though. Next to all of these exotic beta pokemon, Madame seemed so . . . normal. She had moves and performed pretty much the way you’d expect a Normal/Flying type to act. It was much like using a Pidgeotto or Fearow. She couldn’t take many hits but usually could take out one pokemon. Her typing had her as an ideal Generalist pokemon-- something that could be used in various situations, not to any amazing effect but usually to a passable one.

That may sound a little underwhelming to you, but honestly, it’s what you’d expect of this cool-looking swan; it’s a Normal/Flying type. It fills that archtype as a familiar, dependable generalist. And I am someone who can really appreciate a generalist pokemon. I think the pokemon world’s richer for having Madame in it, even if only in our dreams.

Alpha (Strength/Blizzard/Screech/Ice Punch - Nevermeltice)

The final member of our illustrious team. You have to wait until fairly late into the game, when you reach the snowy towns, to get a hold of one of these fellows.But the wait is well worth it. What a beautiful pokemon design these two are-- mysterious little creatures hiding inside their wolf pelts, a perfect mix of cute and creepy. Wolfman/Warwolf actually struggled for quite some time on my team, unfortunately, just because of its movepool. I was left with the very weak Icy Wind for a long time. To compensate, I taught Strength, which worked somewhat, but I could still tell Warwolf wasn’t reaching its full potential. I taught it Blizzard, but the poor pokemon had a rough time ever landing its hits. What I SHOULD have done from the start is buy and teach it Ice Punch for a reliable STAB move with decent base power. I FINALLY decided to do that around the time I reached the Elite 4. I kind of had to-- its learnset wasn’t providing it with reliable, decent Ice moves, for some reason. Once Warwolf was properly equipped, he did great work. Admittedly, a pure Ice type pokemon isn’t the best, defensively. They have four weaknesses to some very common move types-- Rock, Fighting, Fire. (Steel moves weren’t really implemented in this game). That said, when used wisely, a pure Ice type can still be a valuable team member.

There was one hitch, though. Warwolf was mainly a physical fighter. This makes sense if you look at him. Of course he’d be a physical fighter. Thing is, in gen 2, Ice moves were all special. So I suppose technically Warwolf still isn’t hitting at his full potential-- not until the special/physical split in gen 4 so he can take true advantage of physical-type Ice moves. Still, despite that fact, he did a great job anyway. He landed the final blow that defeated Lance and won the game, after all.

I think my only real regret is how relatively little time I spent with him when compared to the others. This is, of course, just the nature of the game; you find some pokemon later on when you’re nearing the end of the game. If there’s any sort of post-game, perhaps I can spend more time with him.

And the Ones Who Didn’t Make the Cut . . .(This Time)

There were so many beta pokemon that it was impossible to have them all on the team, of course. I was especially sad about leaving my Bellrun, Tibbs, behind. I adore Rinrin and Bellrun’s line, as yet another set of pokemon that should have been included in the final cut of the official games. Alas, ultimately I removed Tibbs from my team, though. The reason was simple enough. With the beta Type alignments, Dark type was heavily disadvantaged. It was weak to Normal-type and Dark-type moves (as well as Bug), which was extremely significant. Pokemon’s movepools were positively saturated with Normal and Dark type moves, and it was impossible to avoid. With her already weak stats, and her lack of any decent basepower moves for so long, there was just too much stacked against her. It’s my hope that Rinrin/Bellrun get a bit of a buff in future updates, because they really seem to struggle. 

In any case, there were also plenty of others not on my team: Aquarius, Noctowl, Belmitt, Jumpluff, Turban, Plux, Grotess, Girafarig, Leafeon . . . and so many more. Honestly, that’s fantastic. It gives such replayability to the game. I have no doubt I will return to do more runs and get the chance to try out other pokes.

And, who knows? Maybe in the future they’ll even update this hack to include even more beta pokemon that were uncovered last year. If they don’t, I’m sure someone else will.  

(This hack is largely the work of lvl_3, who created ‘Pokemon Super Gold 97.’ Then, the hack was further changed and refined by a team into ‘Pokemon Gold and Silver 97: Reforged.’ Both can be found at the PokeCommunity as patches.)

[blastoisemonster]

Daa! Daa! Daa! Totsuzen * Card De Battle De Uranai!? 

Let's finally talk about a whole different anime and its tie-in game!

Known in the western world as Ufo Baby, this story was originally narrated by Mika Kawamura in a serialized manga first published by the Nakayoshi magazine in 1998, then as a year 2000 anime series of 78 episodes. Italian companies reacted well to it, as both the comic and cartoon got adapted almost instantly for us viewers in their entirety. The show began airing on the Rai Due channel from 2001 to 2004, and I happened to originally catch the last ten episodes while on air. Even though I was tremendously late to the party, the whimsicality of plot, characters and situations, along with the cutely drawn settings of rural Japan, instantly clicked with me. I even ended up recording some of the eps on tape! Watching only the final arc didn't even ruin the story, as its premise is very easy and gets repeated as a super condensed intro at the start of every episode.

Miyu, the teenage protagonist, is the only daughter of two japanese astronauts who are suddenly sent to work in the States; in order not to leave her home alone, they tell Miyu to go live at the Saionji temple for a while. Here she meets Housho, patriarch of the temple and old family friend, and his son Kanata, who shares her same age; however, Housho also soon leaves the two kids alone to go meditate in India, so the teens are basically left to take care of the temple by themselves. That same night a flying saucer comes crashing down in the temple’s backyard, and to Miyu and Kanata’s surprise, they now have two new guests; Ruu, a baby alien with the exact same appeareance of a human kid, and Wanya, his caretaker, that looks like a pudgy plushy anthropomorphic cat. These creatures have travelled through a wormhole from planet Otto, very far from Earth, and it’s gonna take a while before they can go back to their homeplace; finding the aliens friendly and harmless, Kanata offers them shelter.

And that’s it really; most of the episodes are centered on the daily life of the protagonists, showing Miyu and Kanata’s growing affection for eachother, Ruu and Wanya’s gradual fitting into Earth’s habits, and other various shenanigans involving secondary characters such as Kanata’s school friends and a few fellow aliens visiting the planet. There’s also a recurring cameo of the mangaka, constantly shown being comically overworked as all japanese artists usually are. The show is playful, lighthearted and filled with innocent fun, just the perfect recipe for the shojo that doesn’t want to be taken seriously.

What about the game? First off, did you know that the pics in this post are basically the first ones on the net that show its cartridge? There’s no documentation whatsoever anywhere else, and the only online listing I had found on Ebay had no pics up for show and even refused to send them privately when asked. It felt like I was looking for secret plans. I couldn’t find anything else even on japanese auction sites. >.> Eventually I gave in and bought it complying to the seller’s secretive conditions, feeling very relieved when I recieved a working, original, correct cartridge and not a shoddy reproduction or a downright scam (also because this caprice of mine costed 25€...). So uhm, enjoy this retrogaming discovery of mine! xD

I’ve reviewed a lot of these GBC-exclusive, anime inspired games with big colorful sprites and cute music lately, and Daa! Daa! Daa! fits right among them, filling all the right requirements: the anime’s main theme plays during the title screen; players can create their own profile with name, gender, bloodtype and birth date; cutscenes are presented in “visual novel” style with character busts appearing over beautiful pixel settings; there’s even a whole section for friends’ profiles, their phone number, and various notes. Before choosing wether we want to try out its Story Mode or Quick Match, we can also take a look at a quick tutorial on how to play: Daa! Daa! Daa! is actually a simple card game, and the player’s tasked with emptying out their hand by discarding higher cards than their opponent. The deck has numbered cards from 2 to 8 and an Ace, the most powerful. If in trouble, depending on what character we’re playing as (the Story Mode allows to choose between Kanata or Miyu at first), we also have a special power that can be used once per match, different for every chara of the series. Despite Story Mode being rather heavy in text, the game itself is actually easy to understand, and, if anything, maybe a little too basic, leading to think this is actually a game geared towards little kids more than the anime’s audience. It’s cute to see at least, and easy to pick up and play even if you don’t understand the language, if anything.

There’s no questioning on why this game got never translated for the western audience: not only it's targeted to such a restricted audience, but the fact that it’s so forgotten and unobtainable even among japanese retrogaming sites clearly shows that this didn’t sell well even in its country of origin. And yet, it’s beyond doubt that Daa! Daa! Daa! is a well produced game, although unfortunately one that not many have experienced. Wonder if it had more luck on planet Otto?

[mckittyarts]

HEY GUYS sorry for the long silence! this thing took a while but im so glad to finally have these gals to show everyone!! but yeah, just like the Links i did a little while ago, these gals are my interpretations of all the Zeldas over the years! because my gals needs some love too baybe!!!

as usual, nicknames and headcanons under the cut!

Harp (Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask): - post-ocarina so basically she’s in the adult timeline but seven years older than she were when we last saw her at the end of oot - big mom friend,,,,,,,,,,,, tall and Motherly will adopt every child - she can and will slice a bitch if she needs to dont cross her - her scars were from the 7 years where she hid as Sheik while Time took himself a nice little nap - after sending Time back to his childhood she’s just been working to rebuild her kingdom and is now Queen - like i said on the Links one, headcanon that she’s Time’s twin sister - nothing much to say about her design it’s pretty much the same asdfghj

Plume (Skyward Sword): - still rowdy. still bapey - can and will push you off a cliff - really loves her animals and insists her remlit’s a sweetheart despite what Sky may tell her - really sweet and understanding about Sky and his napping but will still Suplex A Bitch if he’s being an ass - after what happened in skyward sword she’s in the lead of getting the settlement on the surface up and running - changed her outfit a bit to one more inspired by one of her concept designs but it’s kinda hard to see anything but a white shirt in this image asdfghj - a few scrapes and scratches from tumbling around on the surface, nothing too serious though

Dawn (Twilight Princess): - Stoic and Quiet - i’ve had Twi for five minutes, but if anything were to happen to him i would kill everyone in this room and then myself - cares a whole lot about her kingdom and will do just about anything for her people- has been working to rebuild her kingdom too but like there isn’t much to fix anyway so i guess she gets off easy - again, same design as usual aaaaand no real noteworthy scars she’s smart enough not to get killed unlike everyone else

Hope (Breath of the Wild): - NERD ALERT - spends most of her time documenting and rambling - what do you mean shes gotta rule her country she’s found a cool frog she’s gotta take pictures of!!!! - can actually remember her friends and misses them a whole lot :( - HOO GIRL YOU’VE GOT......... A WHOLE LOT TO REBUILD..... WHEW - kept her design mostly as is and gave her the green eyes because nINTENDO ARE SO INCONSISTENT WITH HER EYE COLOUR IS2G - got in a few scrapes after sAVING WILD’S DYING ASS so that’s where the scars are from

Rapier (Hyrule Warriors): - the cool but wildly irresponsible mom - *gives a whole sword to small child* hell yeah kid go fuck those bitches up - also filthy rich even compared to the other Zeldas like look at that ridiculous amount of gold and silver armour it’s not even gonna protect her dumb ass - can absolutely destroy you if she chooses to do so - has a lot of scars because sOMEONE doesn’t know how to gear up properly - knows sign language so that she can communicate with Her Boy 

Canvas (A Link Between Worlds): - the biggest sweetheart you’ll ever meet...... like oh my god bapey............ - Big Fan Of Art - has a whole museum of paintings in her castle - is 100% convinced that Albi is Deceased :( spent a lot of resources to find him but kinda gave up on it after a year or two  - the lighter patch on her face is the ‘splash’ mark from being turned into a painting which also caused the color in her eyes to change - she actually used to have green eyes

Pebble (The Minish Cap): - OOOO BABEY.......... TODDLER - still really close to Minish they always hang out - Dramatic Little Shit - absolutely a sheltered kid there’s no way Daltus didn’t get a million times more protective of her after she got pETRIFIED??? - despite being completely baby she still manages to be taller than her Link lmao eat shit Minish - the feathers are supposed to resemble Picori feathers, no idea if they are real or not

Ghost (Spirit Tracks): - FUCKING DIES ASDFGHGFGHJ - super energetic and sweet - got all of Tetras attitude but none of the smarts. absolute Buffoon - might be out of mortal danger but still gets in trouble all the damn time - barely has any scars because ghosts don’t get injuries but she does have a big burn/lightning like scar on her chest/stomach from having her sOUL RIPPED OUT OF HER BODY - redesigned the dress a bit so she’d look different from Pebble - also the ribbon in her hair is supposed to be a Tetra’s old bandana!! she got it as a gift from her when she was still Very Small

Tetra (The Wind Waker): - Fuck Yeah Pirate Time - completely Rowdy. Will Stab a Bitch - is more like a robin hood type of outlaw she only steals from Corrupt Rich Asshats like a good pirate should - swears WAY too much. Horrible Influence on Children - is missing like half on her left leg, probably lost it to like a gyorg or some shit - scars are from various battles with other pirates, bokoblins, birds, etc. - busy finding a New Continent

Crystal (A Link To The Past): - tired............... needs a break - Just Wants Link To Stop Dying And Come Back Here For Once!!!!!!! dumbass - real quiet but real calculated - Reads Minds and Talks Inside Peoples Heads - real fond of gardening her own herbs and vegetables  -listen i KNOW they’re like her pajamas or some shit but the blue dress just suits her better!!!! also Canvas doesn’t have any alternate costumes soooo

Ribbon (The Legend of Zelda): - ROUND!!!! CHUMBY!!!!!!!!!! - very sweet and very bubbly - will absolutely hug you to death and there’s nothing you can do about it - rebuilt an entire kingdom because uhh that thing kinda fell apart a couple hundred years after ALBW - doesn’t have any scars because she just kinda sat around while Ganon and Link were having a bit of an argument - i changed her dress to be green because of her in game sprite

Dreamer (The Adventure of Link): - HEY GUYS DID YOU KNOW THAT CLASSIC SAVES TWO ZELDAS??? BECAUSE I DIDN’T REALIZE UNTIL NOW - THIS BITCH CAME BEFORE PEBBLE.......... SHE SLEPT FOR /THOUSANDS/ OF YEARS STRAIGHT - is Very confused, doesn’t know what the hell is going on 99% of the time - absolute grandma, doesn’t understand any of this newfangled technology - just real sweet but also completely disoriented - i guess she just kinda helps Ribbon figure out how to get all the old rules and traditions back in place, just a complete big sister for her

[omniversalobservations]

How the MUGEN community built the ultimate fighting game crossover

The question, "Who would win in a fight?" is the root of many fierce debates throughout the history of pop culture. The notion of pitting characters from different properties and different media against one another is exciting to discuss. And when it comes to letting fans live out these arguments, there are few better outlets than fighting games.

Even within a genre known for character-merging crossovers, there's one two-decade-old game that reigns supreme when it comes to pitting a wide variety of characters against one another. That program is MUGEN, derived from the Japanese word for "infinite," which is an appropriate name for a program that provides near limitless potential for players to create new fighting games and characters.

MUGEN began life just before the turn of the century as a PC-based side-scrolling shoot-'em-up title, created by a small company called Elecbyte. The team was originally experimenting with creating an engine to handle the rigors of so-called shmup games but found that it just wasn't living up to what they had hoped to create. Taking inspiration from a PC Korean Street Fighter 2 hack known as SFIBM, Elecbyte decided to change course from a shooter to a 2D fighting game engine.

The first public MS-DOS beta release of MUGEN came on July 27, 1999. This early release differed from most fighting games, though, by offering only one "official" character, Kung Fu Man, and a single stage. Everything else, from additional characters to even title-screen art, would have to be supplied by the users themselves, most often through files shared via Internet communities. For the first time, fans of fighting games weren't just allowed but expected to create their own fighters and matchups.

Though you don't need programming knowledge to create a MUGEN character, the process can still be time-intensive, especially if you're creating your custom art. Over the years, fighter-creation software like 2005's Fighter Factory has popped up to help facilitate this process. These third-party programs allow creators to import either their own hand-drawn sprites or images ripped from existing sprite-based games (making good use of the various sprite sheets that littered the Internet even since the late '90s). With art in hand, Fighter Factory let users tweak values, line up the sprites for animations, and make everything feel just right before exporting the generated files to create fully animated MUGEN characters.

Players have also tasked themselves with MUGEN's core logic and gameplay. In the early years, the AI for MUGEN's computer-controlled opponents was rather simple, akin to a new player just button-mashing different commands at random without any coherent strategy. In the decades since the game's launch, the community has dived deeper into the program's potential, programming more robust and intricate behaviors for the AI and leading to far more exciting and difficult matches with the computer.

[...]

While the fan community has kept MUGEN thriving over the years, the game's original creators have had a much spottier history with their creation.

MUGEN saw regular updates from 1999 until April 2002, when Elecbyte released a new version of the game's Linux build to fans. At the time, though, no one suspected that this release would be the last that Elecbyte would put out for seven years. Elecbyte's website shut down for good in 2003, disappearing without a word and leaving the game's nascent community in the dark.

The abrupt halting of MUGEN updates was especially upsetting to fans who had been waiting for a Windows version of the game to go along with the 2001 Linux port. Elecbyte's existing work on just such a Windows port would eventually reach the community, though, when a suspected private beta of the WinMUGEN project was leaked in 2004.

This beta version, rumored to have been originally offered only to a select number of private donors, was quite restrictive compared to previous MUGEN editions. The character selection was locked to only two slots, and some of the usual game modes were unavailable. But it didn't take long for the community to develop hacks that fixed the bugs and missing features in the WinMUGEN beta. An enhanced hacked version, going by WinMUGEN Plus, arrived in July 2007. Crucially, this version updated the circa-1999 original with the ability to use higher-resolution stages and assets.

Then, as suddenly as it disappeared, Elecbyte made its surprise return in 2009 with a fresh new website and a new build of its MUGEN engine, known merely as MUGEN 1.0 RC1 (standing for Release Client 1).

On a new developer blog on the revamped site, the team members said that their lives had simply split off into different directions before the 2003 shutdown. The original developers added that they held no ill will toward those who had developed new hacks and versions of WinMUGEN in the intervening time. In fact, according to the team, they took it as a clear sign that the users wanted new features in the engine.

In the years that followed, Elecbyte would provide eight different RC revisions of the MUGEN engine, as well as new and consistent updates to its developer blog. On January 18, 2011, after eight different RC revisions, Elecbyte officially released Version 1.0 of MUGEN.

The MUGEN community now had an engine with backward compatibility, new resolution options (HD included), an auto-scaling camera, support for new file formats, and improved AI. A public beta for version 1.1 would be released two years later, which saw a complete overhaul for the engine, adding compatibility with more complex art assets to be used and a frequently requested sprite zooming feature.

The last official post made by Elecbyte, posted on February 26, 2014, alluded to another MUGEN beta release slated for the next few months.

But this release would never come to be. As in 2003, Elecbyte disappeared again, leaving the community confused and curious. Elecbyte's website was shut down completely sometime between August 2015 and April 2016, and it currently only shows an "Access forbidden" screen.

While some MUGEN fans unite to build their dream fighting games, others build on that work to stage computer-controlled matches for the benefit of streaming audiences.

Scrolling Twitch these days, you're bound to see an image of Tom Hanks with Goku in the background, MUGEN's signature thumbnail. The majority of MUGEN viewers will all be found in a single channel, SaltyBet, which has turned the spectacle of MUGEN into an online virtual gambling powerhouse. Taking advantage of MUGEN's CPU vs. CPU feature, SaltyBet viewers can wager fake currency on which fighter they think will win the round.

Fighters can include anyone or anything, from characters in popular fighting games like Guilty Gear or Street Fighter to anime heroes and hand-drawn stick figures. The stream is live around the clock with hundreds of viewers tuning in regardless of the time of day.

Like any sports-betting setup, each round has odds that will affect your overall payout should you win. But while initial odds for traditional sports are based on previous performance, both fighters in a SaltyBet match start with even odds. As participants put their fake money behind one character or the other, the odds will shift in response.

When two of these utterly unbalanced, incredibly overpowered characters are paired off against one another, who will come out on top is anybody's guess. Longtime viewers may have a slight advantage if they may have a better idea of the competitors' movesets, but who will win mostly comes down to luck.

For many members of the SaltyBet community, the main appeal doesn't come from the simulated gambling anyway. Instead, many come just for the ridiculous matchups and the sense of community. "I enjoy the crossover of characters from many different franchises, especially those I grew up with." Twitch user Lestaroth told Ars. "Even unexpected characters. And then, it's all in good spirit—you never hear people insulting each other and so on."

Longtime SaltyBet Twitch viewer ARobotFromTheFuture1 expanded on the same sentiment. "I have to say [one] appeal to it is the insane matches that can happen as well as the matches that get you to the edge of your seat," he said. "I really enjoy the dedication the MUGEN community has even to this day making great and goofy characters."

Despite years of neglect from its original creators, a wealth of talent and creativity has carried the dream that MUGEN represented in its first beta 21 years ago. Authors have taken up the reins to work out solutions to circumvent restrictions and released patches of their own to address bugs and issues left over.

Whether you are an artist, coder, player, or watcher, this near-unlimited potential that MUGEN began will keep evolving and growing for years to come. Even if Elecbyte never returns, what it created back in 1999 lives up to the "infinite" name the company gave it.

Source: Ars Technica

(image via YouTube)

[chaoticsleepdeprived]

I wrote the first half of this a while ago, but I finally finished it so here

“Are you God?”

The man smiled sadly and shrugged, the slight movement of his shoulders sending ripples through the white expanse around us.

“Now that’s a hard question. To you? I suppose I could be considered a god. To myself? I’m just an average guy.”

“I guess that makes sense, power is relative. But I still have so many questions...”

The man laughed, not at me, but not quite with me either. It was the way you might laugh at a dog, mystified by a human’s magic trick.

“I knew you would. Curiosity is most of what makes you human. Ask me your questions, I’ll do my best to answer.”

“Well, are there more like you?”

“Yes. I am one of many. The universe is a big place, lots of ground to cover,” the man chuckled a little, “If it was just me I’d be stretched pretty thin.”

“What are you?”

“Ah, that’s a question with a lot of answers. I’ve gone by a lot of names, and my kind have gone by a lot more. For a while we were called angels. To some we are spirits. To some, fae. We have been called muses, inspirations, ideas, equations. Recently we were called quarks. I particularly enjoyed that one, it was fun to say.”

I looked down thoughtfully.

“So what is it that you do?”

The man paused briefly, surprised by my question. He glanced at me appraisingly before continuing.

“You’re a more clever human than I’ve talked to in a while. Few people have questioned what I do, they’ve simply assumed what I can do conforms to their legends.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued.

“I suppose the answer is that I do a lot. I watch over humans. I keep an eye on things, prod events towards their best possible outcome. On a more personal level, I keep track of people’s actions. I’ve seen everyone at their best,” he grins and holds his hand out, causing a large orb to appear, showing a man playing with his dog in a park, “and I’ve seen everyone at their worst...” he looks very tired suddenly. He gestures, bringing up many orbs showing various scenes of various terrible things. A man trembling with a gun to his head, a woman holding up a store, too many images to count. The man shakes the grim look off of his face and smiles. “I’ve always found, though, that when push comes to shove, no matter how unpleasant the world may seem, there’s typically more good than bad!”

I must look reassured by this statement, because he smiles warmly at my expression. I look around at the blankness surrounding us.

“Where are we?”

“I suppose you could call it limbo. It’s more of a border checkpoint than the purgatorial abyss that most humans imagine.”

“Am I dead?”

“That’s the million dollar question here friend. You see, you aren’t quite dead yet, but you aren’t quite alive still. This sort of thing doesn’t happen too often. You get an extra choice that most people don’t.”

“Extra?”

“Well, when people die, lots can happen. Not everyone wants the same afterlife. Some want to be reincarnated, some want heaven, and some unhappy few just want nothing.”

“Nothing?”

He nods solemnly.

“Nothing. They want to fade away, lose their consciousness. Sometimes forever, sometimes until someone else arrives.”

“I can’t imagine just ceasing to exist.”

“Many people can. Usually those who commit suicide choose that option, for one reason or another. Some want the eternal rest they came for, some feel they don’t deserve paradise after taking the easy way out.”

“That’s awful!”

“I agree. Every so often we’ll bring a few people back, offer them counseling, help them work through it, let them choose again. They usually choose something else.”

“I should hope so. I would certainly never choose the void over eternal paradise.”

I sit in solemn silence for a moment.

“You said I get an extra choice?”

He gives a spritely nod.

“Every so often we’ll get someone who isn’t quite dead, but isn’t quite alive. A Schrödinger‘s Human, so to speak. Whenever one of these comes through it makes a bit of a hullabaloo. Each case is looked at carefully from every angle. We look at the causes of half-death, who you leave behind, what will happen if you live, what will happen if you die, all the good and bad you’ve already done. If living will do more good than bad we send you back. If dying will do more good than living then we’ll send you on. If your death was caused by a mistake by one of us, or you going back will bring the same amount of good as dying, you get a choice. Your death checks both of these boxes. People like you don’t come by often. In fact, the last one I handled personally was born a couple thousand years ago, some spiritual leader that the Romans crucified after an apprentice accidentally sent someone back who was supposed to stay dead.”

I was stunned. My heart and mind were both racing.

“Am- am I the second coming of Jesus?”

He smiled in a way that made me guess he had been asked this before.

“More like the eighty-five thousand, two hundred sixty third coming of Jesus. And he was roughly the four hundred seventy five millionth coming of Ook, an early human whose death was the result of our first mistake ever. The only thing special about Jesus’s death and resurrection is that he was returned a few Earth days after his death, instead of immediately, due to a secondary clerical error.”

I looked down, slightly stunned by this news.

“So- so Jesus really was just a man?”

The man smiled gently at me.

“Well that depends on your point of view. In my personal opinion no one is ‘just a man’ because everyone is someone. Everyone has feelings, everyone has hopes and dreams. No one is ‘just a man’ because everyone is their own person.”

I chuckled a little bit.

“You know, you’re pretty wise for an all knowing deity.”

He laughed heartily, before sighing and speaking again.

“Yes, we deities do have a habit of being wise, but you humans always amuse me with your habit of wisecracking. Your dry senses of humor never cease to amaze me.”

He suddenly looked more serious, and his tone became more businesslike.

“But we do still need to decide what to do with you. Take any afterlife you know of, any afterlife you can imagine, anyone you want to be with. You can have all that now. Or you can go back. You can forget all this for the time being. You can return to Earth to live the rest of your life, and you can return here when your time comes with finality.”

I looked hesitantly around.

“And I still get my choices when I come back?”

He nodded, seeming to already guess what my answer was, even though I technically wasn’t sure yet myself.

“When you return here you’ll be presented the same choices, minus the option to go back to your own life of course. When you die with finality your only way back is reincarnation. But until then you will have no memory of here. You will be returned to a world of uncertainty, where you have no idea whether or not there even is an ‘after’ let alone what it might be.”

“Can I think about it for a bit?”

“Of course, take all the time you need. As you might have guessed time means a little bit less here.”

So I sat. And I thought. I considered who I was leaving by returning to Earth, and I considered who I was leaving by staying in the afterlife. If I stayed alive I would see my family again. If I stayed dead I would see my parents again. I could see my old best friend, the one who overdosed in college, or my childhood pets. But I would see them eventually anyways. I could still affect the world of the living. I could make life better for some people.

I made my decision.

“I’ve decided.”

“And?”

“I’d like to go back. I still have work to do. But can I have one thought left in my head when you wake me back up?”

“That depends on the thought.”

“I want to remember why I’m there. I don’t care much how you put it in my head, maybe a new outlook from a near death experience. I want to remember I’m there to make things better. Can I remember that? That I’m alive for a reason?”

The god smiled warmly at me.

“Everyone is alive for a reason little one. That reason is to live. I can grant your wish, but you must not forget to live while you continue your life.”

“I promise.”

“Then I’ll see you in a few decades.”

He made a slight gesture over me, and snapped his fingers. The world slowly turned white, then black, then white again. As my eyes adjusted to the light I saw a paramedic standing over me.

“You’re lucky to be alive son, that car crash could have killed a man a lot bigger than you.”

I slowly fell back into unconsciousness, my encounter already almost gone from my mind. But as it slipped away until I wasn’t even sure what I was trying to remember, two thoughts bounced around in my head.

I’m alive for a reason.

And I can’t forget to live while I am.

[entropy-game-dev]

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you have a wonderful holiday doing whatever it is you guys like doing best!

For me, I’m using the Christmas break to really get stuck into the features needed to release a demo. One of the meaty bits that I haven’t touched yet until today is the level selection interface. So, I do have a solar system-esque view with various space objects orbiting a black hole, I thought what might be interesting is to show the data window that pops up when you’re selecting your next destination.

This will also be present during exploration, you may have noticed the empty data tab on the right side of some screenshots, and so I thought it’d be useful to work on this as it serves double duty. I spent a while trying to figure out, first of all, how the heck I can not just have a window full of text and display stuff visually. I had a dig through all the old-school terminal interface inspiration images I’ve saved, and found that negatively coloured text (black text on coloured background) provides some good visual interest and makes it feel like the text isn’t just placed randomly.

Then, I had the great idea of displaying various dungeon stats in a graph, which would fill up most of the pane! Here I have 6 bars - the first 3 are fixed, and represent the dungeon’s overall tier (from 1-9), it’s level of danger (how many traps etc), and dimensions. The next three are exploration attributes and show how much of the area has been EXPlored, how much MATerial is left to collect, and the DISTance away from the exit (obviously, at 0 while inside the ship). Those will increase/decrease as you navigate through the area.

The other info graphics to the right rounded it out nicely, with only a bit of text down at the bottom for the area name. The image is just the same sprite that appears on the map, the state is a global area effect on both parties in battle, and floor shows both the maximum and current floor you are on. Down at the bottom, the smaller text represents the attributes an area could have (affecting various dungeon generation and exploration parameters), while the bigger text is the name of the area itself.

[canmom]

i’m quite curious about the history of ‘webtoons’, as opposed to ‘webcomics’. like just on the surface, ‘webtoons’ seem to be hosted on Javascript-heavy sites like LINE and YLAB (both Korean publishers), with an infinite scroll instead of clicking through each page. And like, they seem to have been around a while in Korea, and extremely popular, but I only became aware of them a couple of years ago?

Reading webcomics, they have generally been hosted by their authors, often using adaptations of blog software like Wordpress. There have also been free (ad-funded) webcomics hosting sites like Smackjeeves (which I used once lol), and in later years there have been more curated (and paid, I think) publishers like Hiveworks and Slipshine which handle a lot of the hosting and merch side. In that case, it seems like those publishers came out of the existing webcomics scene... nowadays a lot more professional comics artists have moved into the webcomics space, as opposed to the old days of sprite comics, ‘two gamers on a couch’ etc.

I have no idea how that process developed in Japan and Korea though. In Japan at least it seems like the comics industry is a lot bigger and there was already more scope for like, one person saying ‘I have an idea for a manga’ and pitching it to a publisher, plus you have a lot of doujinishi and so on. So did ‘webtoons’ grow out of that?

Looking up the history of LINE, there’s a story on Wikipedia about how that ‘infinite scroll’ format, and the site itself, was founded by one guy...

LINE Webtoon was founded by JunKoo Kim in 2005, under the name "WEBTOON," after he watched the manhwa industry crash in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Kim, who grew up reading Japanese manga and Korean superhero comics, was looking for a way to get new comics created because he found that there were very few new comics coming out. Kim theorized that tall, scrollable comics would work well on the World Wide Web, as users were already used to scrolling through web pages. Because of this unusual layout, Kim initially had difficulty finding artist to create webtoons on his service, but he found that manhwaga were willing to do something different because of the poor state of the local manhwa industry.

This cites a Business Insider article. JunKoo Kim got the money to found LINE from a search portal, and seems to be making a bunch of profit off it, so I guess that goes some way to explaining why it feels ‘more commercial’ than a lot of other comics sites I’m used to?

LINE seems to combine a kind of free hosting platform with the possibility of becoming a paid artist - a kind of spec work I guess? Other web publishers, e.g. Shōsetsuka ni Narō, also seem to operate on that model - a ton of isekai stories for example seem to start out as a free web novel on that self-publishing site, and of those a tiny proportion (presumably) get picked up for republishing as light novels, manga adaptations, even anime... Shōsetsuka ni Narō launched in 2004, LINE in 2005, YLAB in 2006.

YLAB seems to be a bit different, promising various kinds of support in developing a webtoon, so I guess it’s probably a bit more like a more selective publisher like Hiveworks? But they’re a lot bigger, and seem to pretty regularly get the chance to adapt their comics into films, and their rhetoric talks a lot about their ‘process’ for producing successful webtoons. Heck, they even have a school for teaching people to make webcomics... this is where I’m almost tempted to say something about ‘real subsumption under capitalism’ but let’s not go there right now. The history on their site is pretty vague as to where the initial capital came from.

Anyway, I wonder what the webcomics scene was like in Japan and South Korea before these companies showed up? A ton of western webcomics were by the first generation of weebs inspired by anime and manga, but was there much tradition of putting manga and manhwa on the internet before these companies saw a chance to profit off ‘webtoons’? There must have been right? Where did the term ‘webtoon’ come from anyway? I bet I’m not even aware of half of the companies involved in this part of the industry...

[rpgmgames]

September’s Featured Game: Ghost Hospital

DEVELOPER(S): Lev, Kip, Rose, Tredlocity, C, Bittersweet ENGINE: RPGMaker MV GENRE: Adventure, RPG WARNINGS: Anxiety, Body horror, Implied child harm SUMMARY: Ghost Hospital is a game about anxiety, depression, despair, mental rock bottoms, and, of course, ghosts. You play as Robin, a twelve-year-old girl who has an anxiety disorder and is very much alive in this hospital meant for beings that are not alive. Frankly, her anxiety was already bad enough before she landed in a hospital full of dead people, the still-shambling shells of ancient ghosts who try to take her down for a sweet taste of life, and the hospital directors hellbent on keeping her contained, and more importantly, away from the reason she's REALLY there. Thankfully, you have your new friends Jay and Sarcastic Ghost- Jay is a ghost about your age, and still a very new arrival to the hospital, and Sarcastic Ghost…well, he's an amorphous blob of a ghost, who talks a lot despite not having a mouth.

Download the demo here!

Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! Lev: Hey, my name is Lev! I'm an artist and storyteller, and though I've wanted to make games for a long time, this is my first serious attempt! Most of my work is about my experiences in mental illness. Kip: I'm a freelance artist being allowed to write cheap jokes in ghost form. Rose: I'm a freelance writer and editor for the game! I also work on dialogue and story drafting. Tredlocity: My name is Tredlocity! I do some character designs and writing in the game! C: c / ghoul is a character designer, comic artist and Halloween enthusiast. They're currently apart of several indie game teams and are writing the webcomic, This Dark Forest of Ours. Bittersweet: I'm Kendall (AKA Bittersweet), and I'm the resident music person (one of two, technically, but the other left the project unfortunately.) This is my first (and thus far only) major soundtrack composition project, but thus far, it's been a satisfying one!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create your game initially? *Lev: Ghost Hospital is a game about anxiety, and the game was born out of an idea to put someone in the shoes of someone with clinical anxiety and depression without going for the prototypical 'horror game' or 'walking simulator', giving more game-friendly, practical narrative and gameplay examples of how it effects people.

How long have you been working on your project? *Lev: The game started development in late 2016 as a thesis project for college. At its inital completion, it was more of a beta or proof of concept than a demo- in its current state, it's far closer to what we have envisioned for the final project.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *Lev: Absolutely! The biggest influences are OFF, Yume Nikki, and Sweet Home, and a lot of Gameboy Color graphics and aesthetics- namely, Pokemon GSC and the GBC Zelda Games.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *Lev: RPG Maker is a versatile engine, but still fairly restrictive, so getting all the effects I wanted to work was challenging. Mental illness and real life have been taking a toll on development time, too. Getting things to work took teaching myself some javascript, and after being in serious development for this long, I've found ways to motivate myself to keep working. Having other people checking in on you helps, too.

Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *Lev: In its very first inital pitch, it was much closer to Yume Nikki, being more atmospheric and serious. At some point in character and world development, though, I couldn't bear to make it a stoic adventure, and with most of the stuff I already take inspiration from, it's hard for me to not put jokes into the media I make, anyway.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *Lev: At the beginning, it was just me working on everything. The first people I brought on board were my concept artist, Kip, my writer, Rose, and my musician, Bittersweet. I can't do music on my own, and I knew from word go that I wanted this to be the kind of game with a strong story and a lot of unique NPCs.

What is the best part of developing the game? *Lev: Call me biased, but the most fun part is making the art for it. It's hard for me to motivate myself to keep working if I'm just using default placeholder sprites, I have to make new NPCs to keep myself interested. It's not the most convenient, but it's fun to do, and it actually really does help with my workflow.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *Lev: Oh, absolutely. RPG Maker games have a bad reputation for being very cut-and-paste, and there's a lot of those out there. But it just takes a bit of effort to make yourself and your game stand out, and it can be done absolutely beautifully! The latest one I've played was Hylics, completely surreal and wonderful.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *Lev: Robin is a sort of proxy character for myself, so...I'm a bit biased on her. I love Jay a lot, too, he's kinda the friend I wish I had in elementary school when all this first showed up, haha. *Tredlocity: As someone who faces anxiety on a daily basis, I relate to Robin a lot. Though I would say my favorite character is Jay, since he can shoot plasma and has blue hair. *C: I'm partial to Coop [upcoming character], not just bc I designed them but bc I love big sister types. *Rose: I also relate to robin and jay! i try to control my anxiety while remaining positive and hopeful about situations. *Bittersweet: As an anxiety-riddled person, I relate immensely to Robin. However, my favorite character by far has to be Carna. (There's another character I'm particularly looking forward to when the full version of the game is released, though~)

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *Lev: Honestly, there's a few things I wanted the game to be able to do at the start that I wasn't able to make happen. I spent a LOT of time trying to get it to work without having to go in and code it myself, and I wish I'd been able to take a step back, remind myself that this is my first serious project, and just stop worrying so much about what, in the end, would've been a minor detail, anyway.

Once you finish your project, do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *Lev: Chances are I'm gonna leave it alone, but if I go back, I HAVE had a bit of a 'Ghost College' AU where they're exploring a haunted old library on their college campus instead of being trapped in a ghost hospital. It'd probably be cool as a point-and-click adventure, but it wouldn't exactly be a canon exploration of the postgame.

What do you look most forward to upon/after release? *Lev: I'm actually working on a few other projects, so being able to work on those more freely would be great, especially considering I'm really bad at keeping my own limits in mind, haha.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *Lev: Mostly, I'm afraid that making a game about a subject like this, as a minority and with other people in my team that would be considered minorities, that releasing this game to the mainstream public would get me a lot of negative attention from people who think that people like us don't belong in the gaming sphere. It's pretty nerve-wracking, but after the positive reception of games like Undertale and SLARPG, it's getting easier to convince myself that I should be more afraid of people just generally not liking the game, haha.

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *Lev: Have someone to work with! DEFINITELY have someone to work with. Even if it's just a friend to bounce ideas off of or someone to ask if you've been working on the game, having someone else involved helps a lot. And specifically for RPG Maker- if you can, replace your default font with a different one. It's a minor detail, but it goes a long way towards making your game feel more original. *C: Always have a backlog of different projects. I have about four or five ideas constantly on rotation so I don't burn myself out on just one. *Tredlocity: My advice for any creatives is to start small, and just get it out. Feedback is a great motivator, and the only way to get better at something is to keep doing it! *Rose: I think some good advice is to write a few drafts of whatever it is you're working on in order to see which version you'd like to continue! let your work have different scenarios and situations based on various elements you insert or take out of a story, game, or other piece. *Bittersweet: Don't pressure yourself to a dead-set deadline. I know, you want to get this project out eventually, and if you're on a roll with development then all the power to you, but if you're struggling, don't let it burn you out. That's just unhealthy.

Question from last month's featured dev @toxicshroomswamp: How do you feel about your main character(s)? What piece of life advice would you give them? *Lev: I love my main characters, I love them like my own children. I would probably tell Robin that she'll learn to handle everything, it won't be so scary forever. I'd tell Jay that stopping for a minute and thinking is way more important than it seems. I'd tell Sarcastic ghost to shut up.

We mods would like to thank Lev, Kip, Rose, Tredlocity, C, and Bittersweet for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Ghost Hospital if you haven’t already! See you next month! 

- Mods Gold & Platinum