#something about it is SO appealing to me and really adds to the overall piece

[uhohbestie]

Still absolutely smitten and blown away by this. I can't believe what you googlies did!!! We're still reeling!!! <3 <3

I love that everyone's specific moment they chose fits their work so perfectly. Their expressions here are perfect :') they look so genuinely, truly happy that it makes me feel happy just to see them like this. After all they've been through they deserve this moment, and there's so much life and love and movement and joy here- like a still from a moving image! I can't get over Scar's smile and the way his entire being is focused on Grian- they're so perfect aaaa <3 <3

Your note is so sweet, too. I know I got all choked up reading this, and I'm getting choked up again now. This was such a special moment to experience and I'm so incredibly grateful <3 <3 Thank you :") - 🔒

So happy to finally be able to post this! Me and a wonderful team of artists on TAMNcord decided that for the 1 year of @uhohbestie 's "There Are Monsters Nearby", we would all create a piece to reflect different arcs in the story and illustrate our love for it.

Today, I had the delight and utmost pleasure to hear Lock and Key's reactions live. Love you, TAMNcord and co!

[cripplecharacters]

Hi! I have a myriad of minor chronic conditions and symptoms, but nothing that's actually been identifiable enough to be diagnosed by a doctor. That's a relevant piece of information, because there's a character who I'm writing with more severe/debilitating versions of some of my own symptoms, and I'm struggling with giving him any actual defined diagnoses because of it. The actual question here is: If I'm basing these symptoms off of things that are happening with my own body, and the character is not in a situation where he'd get a diagnoses in-universe, is there a reason I can't just leave it as a mystery?

I suppose the main reason I'm struggling with the question in the first place is that upping the severity of the symptoms in question means that, unlike myself, the character will be using mobility aids, which makes me feel like I should do more research on why he'd be using them. I have no idea why, once in a blue moon, my right leg just decides to refuse to hold my weight for 10-45 seconds, but I do know that if I know that if it happened more regularly/for longer periods of time I'd probably invest in a cane due to instability walking. I'll be posting this work in a space where people will be able to ask me questions about it directly and I can already feel the comments being typed lol. So, I feel like I should have an answer beyond just "His symptoms are based off my own and unfortunately I don't have a diagnoses", but like... do I actually or am I just getting in my head about this?

Hi,

It’s completely okay to have a character who doesn’t have a specific condition or diagnosis you can point to if you’re basing it off your own life experience.

The truth is that this happens all the time. I also don’t really know why my knee is awful and sometimes can’t hold my weight or is incredibly painful to bend, and I’ve been to doctors (who had suggestions but no specifics) and was prescribed physical therapy. I did the PT. It didn’t do much, but I tried it.

You clearly have an experience with your conditions and symptoms and just because you haven’t gotten a diagnosis doesn’t mean your disabling symptoms aren’t real. It also doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll never get a diagnosis, either.

I completely understand your hesitancy, though, because the truth is that some disabled characters are created with a vague idea and end up having some sort of Ambiguous Disorder that is just for plot reasons. That can be harmful and ignore the realities of real-life conditions and disabilities just for something to be more Appealing or Plot Relevant.

But it doesn’t look like that’s what you’re doing at all—you are in fact pretty well-researched, because you’re basing your character primarily in your lives experience and, in good faith, making them not exactly the same as your own.

“His symptoms are based on my own, and I don’t currently have a specific diagnosis” is a reasonable answer. It’s true, and it’s not dismissive or misleading in any way. You can also add “I did research on how A and B would make someone need/do X or Y,” as needed. Like specific mobility aid research, or potential conditions, or related symptoms.

Overall, you can feel confident in your creation of your character and that your depiction is reasonable, and it also might make you more comfortable to answer questions if you feel equipped to elaborate about the symptoms or the aids rather than about the diagnosis.

Hope this helps! :)

— Mod Sparrow

[melrosing]

As your not a big fan of fantasy books in general. What drew you into loving asoiaf? What got you hooked?

now that I'm invested in asoiaf I do genuinely like the fantasy elements of the story, but the stuff that really pulled me in was the human drama and political intrigue etc. I love the character work, almost all of the POVs feel fully realised and subvert typical tropes in really interesting ways (imo). I like the inter-generational drama (the reasons I like succession are v similar to the reasons I like the Lannisters), like if I want to understand Jaime and Cersei and Tyrion I can look to Tywin, and if I want to understand Tywin I can look to Tytos, and if I was to understand Tytos I can look to Gerold, like it's a russian doll of intergenerational trauma what more could a girl want.

and on that note I really like the scope! GRRM obviously feels this need to account for all details minor and major, so that even with everything that's already on the page there's room to extrapolate so much more. i mean here I am writing who knows how many words about a fake 20-episode long robert's rebellion tv series lol like this all happened before the series even starts and yet I hardly need to make anything up bc there is so much to draw on just based on all the random little details we've got here and there from characters reflecting on the same events from different angles, and trying to piece together portraits of the people who died based on the recollections of those on the page who remember them..... it is so fun)

and yeah usually I prefer to read about that kind of thing on a smaller scale but the drama that plays out in AGOT is so engaging that upon initiation I didn't find it so much of a chore to keep track of all the various houses and lands etc in order to understand the full implications of each thing that happened - it felt like it was worth the effort. generally it's the 'keeping track' of it all that I find grating about fantasy bc I really want to just get on with the story rather than keep on top of a hundred magic systems and sub-species of pixie.

and obvs asoiaf is low fantasy rather than high fantasy, i.e. there aren't intricate systems to the magic and or complicated genus for each of the creatures, so that made it feel a lot more accessible for me as someone who just isn't very interested in those kinds of details. Dany's magic is made up as she goes along, it's never explained, and that's the same for pretty much all the fantastical elements - it's very show don't tell. and even though when you count it all up there are quite a lot of fantastical features and subplots, taken together with the rest of the story it's more like.... seasonings I wouldn't usually choose but ended up liking just fine in this overall dish lol

and finally asoiaf just really appealed to me from a fannish perspective! I really hate when you're trying to dig deeper with a work and you quickly start to realise that the writer(s) just weren't thinking that hard. it feels like striking concrete with a spade, like it's a one-sided conversation rather than something both the writer and the reader are participating in. I think some fans are perfectly fine with that and good for them - who cares if the author built the work to sustain your analysis if you're just having fun doing it - but for me it's a complete killjoy, I end up v frustrated and like the work isn't worth my time

so here's GRRM who is so fixated on the finer details that he's churned out a history book like 700 pages long and a bunch of short stories and also another history book just to add a bit more texture to the main story. and I don't have to worry about network input or co-writers or actors' intentions or whatever other external conflict or influence cos for better or worse it's all his story. and that just suits me better lol, it's one guy and his shitty computer, and me reading the shit he wrote with it. pure and simple living in the moment no phones in sight

also jaime and brienne are everything to me xo

[prettyshon10]

Good for everyone finding enjoyment in the new alive action show.

Personally, as it stands right now, I have no drive the finish the season. It’s not bad; I can say that much. There’s quite a bit that I like about it.

However, I really wish this show (and many other media pieces nowadays) would trust its audience and pace itself with an actual story and character development. Apparently the writing feels like it has to constantly tells us things instead of showing us. Not to mention the story is pushing ahead to aspects and events without any proper build up. Why did we have to see a vision of the fire nation invading the water tribe in the second episode? Can we get there first?

It feels like when your English teacher assigns a project and emphasizes that instead of just regurgitating information to prove that you know the unit just taught, you need to integrate that information into the work. Telling me things about the lore doesn’t impress me; show me you understand the core of the show by the expression of the story.

It’s the same with the characters. I wouldn’t necessarily say that they’re flat, but they don’t evoke too much emotion from me, and it’s because the writing is allergic to depth.

Which brings me to my next issue: the changes.

Look, I’m not the kind of fan who whines and complains about an adaptation changing things from the original source. I completely understand why that is, and there are quite a few instances where I love it (Shadowhunters and Percy Jackson tv series, for example). But in those instances, the changes were able to bring something to the table. They did well by the characters and the overall story. The changes I’ve seen so far with this show do nothing but make me ask “Why?” Why remove Aang running away from home, which serves as his guilt and shame? Why rework his skills and talents in airbending to be something he’s afraid of? Why make the driving force to get to the North Pole to prevent more bloodshed from an incoming attack when there was already a driving force to get there (learning water bending)? Why Kiyoshi in place of Roku? How does any of these changes add something to the characters? How does any of these changes elevate the story being told? Because I don’t feel like I gained anything new as a viewer.

Take away the fact that this is an adaptation. As its own show, I just don’t feel like it’s done a good enough job validating its existence and inciting me to want to watch more of it. Even for wanting to “appeal to Game of Thrones fans”, it misses the mark. Game of Thrones (up until the last couple of seasons) had incredible build up and depth of the story and characters at play. There was trust in the audience and in the journey. That’s why fans were so pissed with how it ended.

Also, I understand that this adaptation is “geared towards adults, not kids”. While I would argue that the original animation lands great with adults even 19 years after its debut, I’ll just say that the new show left this particular adult viewer underwhelmed.

Again, I’m glad there are people finding enjoyment in it. This is just my personal opinion. I don’t hate it—it’s MILES better than the film—but I don’t find it engaging.

I’m good off this. Y’all have fun, though.

[fadetouchedsilk]

okay so i finished the game last night, time for some thoughts--

might as well throw this under the cut but i will Try to keep it as spoiler free as i can edit: i did not in fact manage to do this so open at your own risk

overall i think this was a neutral to positive experience for me, with some (imo well justified) criticisms and frustrations here. i'm trying my best to be objective & fair here and i think i did a decent job lmao (but also this is completely just my opinion so sometimes we veer. it is what it is.)

i feel like the entire time i was playing this game i was basically assessing it on two levels. the first was more critical, trying to take into account the production & the game as a Product in the franchise as a whole (regardless of how some people may feel, it's still under the ip & is still officially a da game). more of a technical side basically. the second was looking at it without the 'what could have been' lens & just trying to see if it was able to be successful in what it set out to do.

don't ask me why, but having these two channels helps me with personally more relaxed about how i'm feeling & process better. idk if this is a me thing or if anyone else knows what i'm talking about, but anyway.

in general i always expect bioware games to be uh. kind of crap in a very specific way lmao. i honestly think part of why i enjoy these games is genuinely Because i can patch up some of the gaps with my own ideas and still have the core of the narrative followed. personally i don't like deviating Too much from canon, i like to make connections to bolster it if that makes sense? if media is too good it doesn't usually end up compelling me in the same way since i don't feel the need to pick away at it (with very, very few expections). the scaffolding bioware gives me is pretty much ideal for this, so i was expecting another solid C+ feeling game to poke around in.

that's a very long-winded way of saying my expectations were absolutely not high going into this. not so low that i would have just been satisfied with literally anything, but low enough that i was going to play it anyway if for no other reason than just to see what happened next. (honestly, had this never been released, i would have been content with someone leaking a script & just reading through that. that's where i was at lol. it's been a decade, i invested a Lot of energy into loving dai in particular and even though it's not my first choice hyperfixation anymore by a long shot, there's still some interest there.)

most of my thoughts on the first are speculative & formed from trying to piece together what i've seen the devs speak on and what we know about the whole mass-firing thing. i think there are definitely areas where it seems like corners were cut with the writing, a lot of the time it gave me the impression that Someone on staff wanted to do more with what they were writing, but for whatever reason it wasn't allowed to go there.

i'm not really sure why it was implied pre-release that there wasn't going to be a lot of cameos or callbacks, because those were definitely there. i did definitely find myself frustrated with this on some level. i don't think it was malicious, but if nothing else it showed that it was completely possible to connect things to past games more than they did. i do somewhat understand the glossing over origins, since it was released without the expectation of sequels in the first place & you Can kill off your protagonist there (which automatically presents chances for continuity discrepancies later on). i also wasn't expecting to hear from hawke since we had their appearance in dai. but there should have been more callbacks to inquisition than there were, period.

even if the game was supposed to function as something to appeal to new players, i don't think it would have been hard to add a few extra line of context to the codexes to fill those gaps. we hear enough about the happenings in the south that it would have been justified, imo. this wasn't enough to pull me out of the game completely or anything, it was just a small ever-present disappointment as i went through. it really felt like a 'bare minimum for the sake of continuity' situation, and at that point i start to wonder if we would have been better off not getting them at all? i can't really decide either way. it's been a good half-decade since i picked up dai, but i was invested like you wouldn't believe for a good handful of years. my lore knowledge is slowly unearthing itself from my brain and it's entirely possibly my stance on this will shift as i remember more.

i will also say that this one-foot-in method doesn't really do new players any favours either. no, me forgetting lore doesn't really put me in their shoes, but it did definitely allow me to temporarily see how having less context for some events made it more confusing than just. having a codex blurb.

the pacing was. odd throughout. it's apparently a three act structure, but it felt unbalanced. i don't know if this had to do with the way i was playing (did all main/companion/a bunch of side quest stuff) and spacing things out or what, but the game felt weirdly lengthy up until i hit the davrin/taash/emmrich recruitment period, then fell into a lull, and only really found footing near the end bits. that's... not super great. when inquisition felt long, it was because you were still wandering around a map instead of progressing. here, it's like the non-main story content is being bread-crumbed out to the point it becomes disjointed. i think we probably saw the companion quests chopped up like that to encourage us to return to the lighthouse periodically & make sure we were catching up with everyone? a lot of the ambient conversations there reminded me more of field banter than the actual field banter, and i wonder if this had something to do with moving from a 4 man team to a 3 man team.

field banter triggered fairly regularly, and i Loved the fact that if it got interrupted by a fight it would pick up again right after. considering how slow dai's was to trigger, i would call this a quality of life win lmao. sometimes the banters would repeat, but i believe this is some sort of bug related to the way some people noticed that reloading a save would push you back a few minutes in time from when you Actually made the save. bug wise, that was the only thing i experienced consistently and i wasn't particularly bothered by it + i know some people had it worse. i do hope there are some hotfixes out soon, particularly for the player appearances being overwritten & saves not loading properly. i have a theory that the player appearances might be tied to using a preset rather than just starting from scratch, but i haven't seen enough people saying this to be sure.

i like the companions a lot, more than i thought i would, but much like with the callbacks, i just really wish there was More for them. they're fun! the lore expansions are interesting (what is going On in the crypts), we just don't get to spend enough time with anyone? the cutscenes in this game feel so short, specifically for anything not related to the main story. this game feels like it takes place over at least a couple months, we should be able to spend some time getting to know these people. i don't like how you can't just click on them at the lighthouse and get a dialogue loop once you're done talking to them about something new, surprisingly. even if in the past it was just a 'hello/goodbye' situation after exhausting dialogue trees, losing it was disappointing. i think it somehow led to the home base area feeling more static than it needed to be. again, the ambient conversations between them don't really do enough to help, because you can pretty easily miss it and/or just walk away. i know a lot of people struggled to click with the dai companions, but there was absolutely more screentime you could have with them than these ones & it's a real shame.

the inquisitor was There. i know a lot of people are saying they were bland and that's pretty accurate but also from what i remember, also not unfaithful to how they came off in dai. i think i forced this out of my mind after writing so much for my inquisitor back in the day, but it all immediately came flooding back to me as soon as i heard the dialogue. annoying, sure, but also consistent so i don't really have any strong feelings here. (why was i as an elf almost the same height as dorian though. she is not that tall lmao.)

i do think that fundamentally the game set out what it wanted to do when it came to solas' story. i actually really enjoyed the last sections of the game, & he became a delightful bastard antagonist type which was unironically the most fun i've had with him as a character since... ever? with inquisition, i hated that you couldn't really hit back at him in a way that had teeth, unless you wanted to punch him. which is fine for some, but i was sorely craving the option to ask him if he fucking hears himself in Multiple conversations. rook satiated that one in me, i won't lie lmao. pulling the knife-swap on him and then watching him stick to the veil like a fridge magnet was Great. i will probably try something else next time just to see what happens, but that felt like a pretty organic way to handle someone who couldn't help but lie & condescend to you the Entire time. from what i've seen, a good number of people are also enjoying their endings & finding that it makes sense, so i'm comfortable saying that in this respect, the game did its job.

and god help me i actually liked solas this time around.

look, i'm a human person. i'm also nearly 30 and have been around for almost a decade with this franchise, i have shifted opinions before & am capable of doing so again. do i like to be a hater sometimes because i think hyperbole is funny? yes! am i also 100% open to a new perspective from the writing and moving on from there? also yes! i wasn't optimistic here, but believe it or not, i actually wanted to be given something so that i could shift my thoughts on this man. romanced or not, he's the wheel that these events turned from. being completely sick of him 100% of time was somewhat draining. like i would see the writers talk about him and i would become frustrated because i genuinely could Not see what i was supposed to be latching onto here in any capacity. dai solas didn't make me love him, like him, or even hate him--i was mildly annoyed by him and honestly? kind of bored. considering how i don't exactly hold these games to high standards for entertainment, that was a pretty damning strike against him.

understand that i have never vibed with solas before this time, like, period. i wanted to, because i love a morally grey motherfucker & an antagonist who sees himself as literally anything but that, but something about him has consistently just rubbed me the wrong way. i think this is definitely partially due to dev favouritism (something that gives me the ick no matter the fandom. you & i are not friends, leave that boundary between fan and creator up, thanks.) & also, quite frankly, a lot of abhorrent behaviour from some of his louder fans. i didn't like the vibe of him being THE most important thing here, everyone else who didn't romance him or wasn't otherwise up his ass didn't matter. it just felt really mean spirited & like we played the game the 'wrong' way coming from dev comments. i can't tell you how happy i was to see that end up not being the case. true, majority of us weren't thrilled with how dai got treated in general, but at least it's across the board lmao.

however, we got to push back against him this time & peel back some more layers. the dialogue choices felt more like actual reactions i can see someone having when having a conversation like that. i was impressed that there were actually multiple options for his fate near the end. it did feel like a more fair version of the me3 ending choices, at least insofar as they were presented & played out. there was a choice that made sense for the different ways we could have handled interacting with him, which i did appreciate. him being physically incapable of not trying to fuck us over isn't something i consider bad writing, it was in character, his actions were logical based on context & as a player i had options that existed beyond 'roll over and take it' or 'punch him.' he's very fun to argue with, i must say. no, i probably won't ever be able to do the solavellan route myself. i can push my suspension of disbelief pretty far and roleplay a character well enough but if i man i was interested in irl ever spoke to me that way i think i would snap and i just can't get over that here lmao, but i can 100% see how this would feel like a pretty decent ending for the ship.

(as an aside, i've seen the 'happy' ending there, but can you do something like the fakeout/uno reverse betrayal with the inquisitor here too? i think the old kiss'n'stab would be a very fun option because of betrayal parallels, but i'm not sure if that's something we're be allowed lmao)

anyway it probably doesn't sound like i vibed with him here very much, but i promise you i did. i'm harsh by default & like to argue irl for fun with my friends, & i would have 0 issues saying if i thought he kept sucking here lmfao. he did, just like, in a way that i personally enjoyed, so it turns into a net positive.

varric being dead was just. ech. personally da2 was my least favourite & actually still is lol. i'm not attached to his character. he's a fruitfly to me. i don't hate him but when i saw him returning again i was like Really? but his presence makes sense to me on the grounds of me being unable to picture literally Anyone Else trying to do what he did during the prologue. even harding was like 'should i shoot him in the head.' in hindsight the clues are very much there but i 100% did not catch them because i straight up wasn't paying enough attention to varric.

on the subject of that, yes, it's very annoying that you need to keep being told to Do Your Sidequests For The Love Of Fuck. i got why immediately as i picked up on what we were supposed to do during the last fight, though. and if we're assuming that this will be a number of people's introduction to this sort of game, then yeah, alright, on a mechanical level the reminders make sense. somehow i have still caught a handful of people surprised things went poorly because they didn't do the companion quests, and with peace and love i think some of you need to brush up on basic media literacy. it was not subtle in delivery, we were supposed to know those were important. i can't decide if i'm annoyed with this writing or if i'm impressed bioware was anticipating the rpg horseblinders this way. it's probably both.

the blight evolution felt natural & made enough sense that i don't feel the need to chip away at it. like alright, based on the information we were provided with in the text, this tracks. it did start feeling a bit like me3 with the husks, but that might also be a glameplay thing. also, same studio. a bit of similarity here and there isn't a surprise imo.

dwarf lore was pretty neat to get, dwarf players how are you feeling? i honestly didn't think we would get to revisit the titans in any significant way, so i was pretty pleased to see them return & be a major part of the story. i haven't delved too much into it structurally yet, but to me it came off as another loose end being tied off in a way i can live with.

elsewhere, though... i don't know. i had a good time, but i also wasn't really allowed to 'settle' in this game the same way as i have before. it felt very go go go onto the next mission, spend 5 minutes there and keep going. 'shallow and short' is the combination here for a lot of the first 3/4 of the game, and that's unfortunate. obviously we weren't going to get the same puttering around like in dai, but i think we could have had some more depth from these people. again, frustrating. i like what we were given, but i don't think there was nearly enough of it (seems to be a repeating sentiment here doesn't it?)

i will out myself as someone who enjoyed the score. i will also out myself as someone who have no music background and can't remember the dai main theme despite having 400+ hours in that game. do what that information what you will. as my girlfriend pointed out, the music because very mass effect, especially with the synth coming in (which explains why i was vibing). she does know music, and did also say the score was objectively fine, it just didn't quite fit the game.

interestingly, something we both picked up on was the structure itself starting to feel more like mass effect the longer we played, specifcally me2/me3. if you've played me2, you will absolutely get flashbacks to its suicide mission during the last two pushes in veilguard. i'm actually not mad about a shift towards this format. i think it will be Significantly easier to produce these games going forward if they're looking at the trilogy as a model. like, yes, there was choice in those games, but it was far more linear & limited than what we came to expect from dragon age. given that the veilguard epilogue seems to hint at another game (and, as someone pointed out, there were at least 3 eluvians that were still blacked out by the end of the game. not shattered, just inactive--dlc maybe?) & this game seems to be doing well with reviewers/financially, i suspect they will be wanting to continue with the series in some form. changing the structure up this way will hopefully help avoid another decade-long hiatus. also i just objectively liked the trilogy a lot. veilguard seems like a transition piece into that sort of structure, and i think it shows. there are some growing pains, but i think if they settle into it it won't be nearly as apparent going forward.

speaking of me3.

the final couple missions were absolutely taking notes from me2's suicide mission, but the overall ending felt more along the lines of the me3 finale. there were some callbacks and appearances of past characters, and i think we were definitely meant to feel that same 'everyone collectively coming together to fight' thing from me3. it did kind of miss, though, since we don't have everyone. this game is the direct sequel to dai in a way that the other games weren't billed as. this is the place i would have had more connections to really hammer home that feeling of unity. if we got the cameos and links no where else, it should have been here. me3 was painful, i cried when i was done. there were heavy emotional beats near the end for sure, but they didn't hit as hard as i know they could have. i think if we had more of dai to latch onto for the epilogue, then the South being scorched earth (literally and metaphorically) would have felt like less of a sore spot. me3 also destroyed... just about everything. we watched a lot of people die, we couldn't save everyone. but there was still some catharsis in the narrative. choices we made previously might not have mattered in a big way, but we got a couple frames during the climax and it was like oh! okay! & you sat there and Felt Something.

i don't actually mind that this is a soft reset, or that the south got fucked up. i knew going in this was intended to reboot things so i already acclimated to the idea beforehand & i'm sure that helped. inquisition stressed that we were not a small organization, there would be influence over thousands of people's lives. in some way, i personally feel like this is a clumsy extension of that. there was always going to be collateral with the scale of what we were fighting here, it just would have been nice to see (even quickly) some signs that the characters we moved on from were actually involved in it. the inquisitor letters didn't really fulfill this need at all. i'm not sure what the best way to implement it would have been either. my gut instinct says cutscene but who knows? we were obviously meant to feel a lot of emotions here, but the punches were pulled in the end to the game's detriment. i'm still not overall mad at it, but i can't help see where there are massive holes.

rapid fire other stuff:

i love some of the visuals here. some of those maps? absolutely wretched! disgusting! i was living in the blighted areas. no idea why i saw so many people saying that this was 'too light' for this franchise. maybe early game? and then you get to a turning point (you'll know it when you see it) and it's like ah, i remember how i felt seeing the brood mother for the first time.

the maps in general are very decently sized. you don't realize it initially because you can't explore all at once, but they're fairly large & there's plenty to see. i don't miss the open-world format at all tbh.

popping the blight boils had no business being as satisfying as it was but every time i did it compelled me.

i'm okay with none of the companions loathing each other this time around & wasn't actually bored by it. there are some conflicts, but they feel like a decently realistic level of beef to have with acquaintances.

i didn't notice a lot of approval/disapproval happening but found myself not missing it a whole lot either. i don't know, i think because we all had the same end goal here it was kind of whatever to me.

(again, very mass effect of them here to do this. it's been a while since i played that too, but you really could just do Whatever as shepard and people would stay 99% of the time)

i still wish the well of sorrows came up. seeing how mythal was fractured, i don't think there's a reason it should have been glossed over. if nothing else, solas was mad as fuck about that incident & i'm kind of surprised it didn't carry over for that reason alone.

there are some... decently salvageable looks. i think the shadowdragons & crows do the best, with the lords of fortune being absolute bottom of the barrel for me. it's not only impractical, it's also orientalist and ugly. literally 0 redeeming features to it, throw it all away. (or like just give isabela pants. that actually would have made that look a low pass for me. peacock feathers don't fucking sit like that.)

mournwatch outfits broke my goth heart though. i know it's like... morgue scrubs inspired or whatever but i don't like it & why is there so much green and gold. game devs in general do you know silver metals exist. not everything has to be yellow gold.

i don't think we needed a crafting table, but i was for sure missing dye abilities (ffxiv has spoiled me in this regard i fear, i forgot the trenches dai had me in before mods)

the dreadwolf is bald?? like as a wolf? grain of salt, i'm running this game on med-low settings (on a ssd, it has no business being sold as hdd compatible but that's a rant for another time) so i might just not see the strands but uh. that looked like my cat's bald patches and turkey neck. i know it was a cool fight scene but Bald Dog made me laugh way too hard.

i chose to talk isseya down, i didn't catch it but i think we just left her on the floor crying? or something? did we kill her? like what happened there.

the art style, i have mixed feelings here. in general i think the stylization is actually fine, my biggest issue is with the character proportions. the heads are too goddamn big. full stop. it makes everything look off, & every time i see someone trying to figure out what's bothering them about the models, it can almost always be blamed on the head size relative to the body. the qunari have the worst of it, but the short neck/big head situation is rough for everyone*

*unless you look at dwarves, who have stockier builds and the ability to have actual curves (the body models are weirdly triangular?) & end up looking the best because of it.

fuck you if you wanted to have ass/thighs/tits above a downwards tilted a cup. i am so fascinated by the game's ability to let you be fat but not actually retain fat in areas that people typically do.

the high quality hair physics look really strange to me, it seems too slippery & i actually prefer how it moved when i turned this down.

combat is fun! very reminiscent of andromeda actually, a lot of mobility & flashy abilities. i played on the lowest settings because i wanted to do the story first, but even that was a good time and didn't drag on (i am looking at you dai). my girlfriend has tried a few other difficulties, it looks like mob size fluctuates as well as how armoured the enemies are.

camera tools is a plus for console players in particular. it's limited to non-cutscenes & i don't think you can toggle the ui off though, but it's still nice that it's there. (i still prefer to use other camera tools because i would rather pause cinematics.)

i can't argue about the way some topics being handled came off as corny or in your face, because it did. but on the flip side i've also seen a lot of people say they felt really seen by taash's storyline & were affected by it, so even if it was pretty unsubtle, i think it was overall a net good that it was there. this will absolutely be some people's introduction to Gender Things & i genuinely wish them the best with that. also taash's note in the codex about gender terms after talking with mae was actually pretty funny & mae's quote at the end was nice. despite being nb myself, i'm filing this portion of their storyline in the 'it's not for me but it's going to hit for someone & probably wouldn't have achieved that if it wasn't blatant in delivery.'

fade fish tank, 10/10 no notes.

overall, yeah, i would actually recommend that people give this a shot but to absolutely manage your expectations beforehand and understand that the goals here were to primarily wrap up with solas & give the devs a clean(er) slate for future installments. contrary to the impression given online in the weeks leading to release ('just headcanon it yourself' is imo the worst response that could have been given to people asking valid questions & will piss me off every time i remember it & this is why i say we need boundaries with creators online but anyway) it didn't come off as the fuck you i was quietly bracing myself for. there were parts left to be desired in execution (when aren't there) but it wasn't bad by any means. i think if you actually give it a fair chance, majority of people who play it can at least find a good couple things to be invested in. i'll always wonder what got scrapped & what suffered under production constraints, but i wouldn't call this a failure by any stretch. some of my predictions came true, some did not, some things i was genuinely surprised by & while i'm not remotely as attached to this game as i was to inquisition, i am still left quietly interested in what comes next.

[noveldragon]

Artists and Cover Art

It is said first impressions are important. With the potential first impression for a book being the front cover it is important to have an eye catching cover.

To get a good cover, you need a good artist. I will never us AI art (I may have a post talking about AI later), and thus will need to find and communicate with a person. You would think that communicating would be easy for a writer, but as I have had to tell people when they want something on the spot, writers need to time and revisions to make something good. I'm not a comedian who works a crowd.

Communication is key to having a good cover. But it will depend on what type of cover you are going for too. There are minimal covers that have the title, author's name, and maybe some symbol or design to represent the book. I feel these work as a second edition or later. Someone would probably need to have some idea about the book to really want to look more into it. This may not be true for all books, and may only be my opinion. But once I know a story/book, the minimalist covers are more appealing to me (unless really good art).

I have seen some great minimalist covers, but what really draws me to new books is great cover art. You then need a good blurb and story to really sell the whole package, but we're talking about Cover Art right now. So, with that in mind, I personally set out to have great cover art that draws in the reader. From my second book on, I have actually had wrap around art for the book. Something that I think adds to the overall quality of the book. My first book would have had it but it was my first book and I didn't even think about the back cover until it was time to put everything together.

Let's go through some steps here for getting cover art. First thing you need to do is find an artist. There are numerous websites where you can find artists. From Fiverr to Deviantart to Reddit to Artstation and many, many more. Now, how exactly you find an artist is up to you and what effort you want to put into it, also, how much money you have to hire an artist.

Once you have found several artists, you then send out inquiries to see if they are accepting commissions. Many of the websites will have some ability to see if someone is actually accepting inquiries or work, I don't recommend just emailing blindly. Though, you won't know if someone will agree or not unless you actually ask.

After some time and initial interaction with an artist you will then move on to the 'what do I want on the cover' phase. This can be really hard, or really simple. But, how are you going to let your artist know what you want? Generally, they will not read your story, so you will have to write out exactly what you want. This includes some description of your characters and area they will be in. But also, you may need to draw something out.

Have no fear for those that have no drawing skills, it is not important for you to draw any details about your cover just the overall idea of what you want. I have drawn out a few stick person sketches of where I wanted people to be. As long as the artist can understand what you want, it is fine. As for the details, sending references pictures is great. Multiple references are better.

Once you have an artist, unfortunately, it doesn't always mean they will be able to do a second piece for you later. Of my current 4 published books, only books 1 and 2 are the same artist. The unfortunate truth for artists is they may not be able to make a living off of their art, same for writer's actually. This meant for my third book I needed to find a new artist as the previous had moved on from commissioned artist to a being employeed with a full time job that left no time for him to take on work anymore.

For other various reasons, I have had to find an artist for books 1 and 2, a new one for 3, a new one for 4, and for my upcoming book I need a new one as well. Such is life, and the process continues.

My next few posts will be about the covers of my books. How I came up with them. What I really wanted. What I learned from the cover.

[uwudonoodle]

This month for my book / movie club, we read The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton, and I have some thoughts. It was my first Crichton book, so I was looking forward to it (they did Jurassic Park before I joined). I didn't hate it, but I was underwhelmed. It was all plot and no character. The plot itself, the mystery of the virus was fairly interesting, but I think it was bogged down with too much scientific jargon. It's clear that the author did a lot of research, and the science itself is pretty accurate, which is admirable, but not all research serves a narrative. Not all sci-fi needs to be accurate to tell a good story.

It's not that I hated what the book was, but I think it could've been more. The characters were basically props to give exposition. They were all generic white male scientists with only a couple of unique traits to distinguish them. The most prominent female character in the book was the voice recording in the lab, whom the male characters liked because she sounded sultry.

There was essentially no character development. They could have had the scientists butt heads about procedure or hypothesis, and come to a better understanding and even become good friends by the end, but they didn't. They worked amicably most of the time and didn't develop anything more than the professional working relationship they started with. They're was a baby who was a survivor that was basically treated as any other piece of evidence. I kept waiting for someone's humanity to come out around the baby, but he was just treated as an object (they kept refusing to feed him because maybe having an empty stomach was why he survived, talk about neglect). It would have been interesting to have one of the scientists develop an attachment to the baby, and possibly seek to adopt him by the end, but no such luck. He was just another piece of the puzzle to serve the mystery. For a story about saving humanity, there was very little humanity to be had.

One other nitpick: It drove me nuts how often the scientists were trying to look at things critically and unbiased, and then they'd refer to humanity as "man" or "mankind". I get it, this was written in the 60's, and that's how people talked back then. But you're literally referring to your entire species by your own gender, my dude. I could let it roll off my shoulder a few times, but I lost count after about 40 times. It ended up rolling my eyes a lot at that specifically.

I thought I would enjoy the movie better, as I thought the actors would have to add more personality to the characters. We watched the film from 1971. Unfortunately for me, they followed the book very closely. I'll give them a point for a faithful adaption since so many movies fail at that, but I think a looser adaption would have made for a better film.

The improvements they did make was to add more female characters. They made one of the scientists a woman, and not a 25 year old super model either. She was a very average looking 40 something woman, which was very refreshing. They also added a female nurse to help take care of the baby (it was a relief to me to have someone to comfort the baby and advocate for his care). I also really liked the set design of the lab. Vintage 70's futurism is always a good vibe.

Unfortunately the script followed the book a little too religiously. The dialogue droned on with scientific jargon that was difficult to follow, and sometimes had me zoning out. They also had some disturbing scenes of putting lab rats and monkeys to sleep that probably wouldn't be allowed today. Besides the nice set design, it was visually very sterile. It felt claustrophobic and bland under all the florescent lights. Film is a visual art form. The very least you can do is make it appealing to look at.

The worst part was the music and sound effects. It had the most grating minor 70's "the aliens are coming" electronic score, which I guess served the plot, but was overall very unpleasant. The music coupled with all of the obnoxious sounds and alarms in the lab made for a true assault on the senses in some scenes. Even my partner in the other room came and asked what all that terrible noise was all about. I was relieved when the credits finally rolled if only to experience silence again.

I guess I get why it's a classic, since they did build some tension with the mystery, and the climax was exciting. For people who crave scientific accuracy, this is an excellent recommendation (my sister mentioned that this was required reading for the AP Biology class at my high school). As someone who wants emotional satisfaction and human connection in my stories, I'm probably not the target audience. It was an interesting experience, but I'm happy to move onto the next book.

[milekael]

Some OC yapping and opinions about AUs about to go down

The other day I found my 3DS and one of the games I had is this RPG called Fantasy Life which I played the hell out of when I was a kid and I been thinking about replaying it.

So anyway I am doing that and for RPGs I like to make/adapt OCs into them than just make myself. SO late in Street Cats another main character is introduced called Trigal who I am obsessed with yet can share so little about sobs. But anyway because I like him and I don't like to separate Laurel and Olive from each other, I decided to make him in the game!!

And man looking at my usually furry characters as humans makes me go teehee is fun :3 So between that and the game really making me visualiza his storyline as a Paladin who then finds a new path I decided to draw my boy in some fantasy/medieval AU

(For reference I also added his usual design lol)

And made me think about like... I do like to have some sort of human AU with these characters is just that everything I can think of is kind of boring LOL

LIKE OKEY SO THIS IS THE THING ABOUT STREET CATS RIGHT?? They are basically humans, their anatomy is overall very human and their cat behaviors are mostly for gags. They are for all intents and purposes humans that just look like that because is both more visually interesting to the reader (Furry cats Vs the 10000th Detective series with normal humans) and is more fun for me to draw and design for lol Cats are cool!!!

Also, important to note, their setting is basically LATAM in the 80's so is not even a fantasy world lmao

Which made me realize huuh most human AUs are interesting because it puts the characters in real situations and most commonly in the modern day!!

But then in a case like this is kinda... idunno, senseless. I didn't set up Street Cats in the modern day because I thought that would be kinda boring! I like the conflict that comes out of them not having access to mobile phones let alone the internet. So if I try to think of a modern AU is not like their roles change significantly enough to be fun and instead it just adds the "This is the reason why the story isn't here lol". Same with medieval AU, if they are practically humans anyway then there is no reason why to make them furries be here or in medieval Europe lol

And is fun to think about because when I think "Well, DnD AU" then I realize that what makes it interesting is making characters anything else BUT humans!! Or if you have a human, is in contrast to the rest being non-humans.

And to further proof, I realize the one Human!AU of my characters I really really like is the one that makes The Most Changes Possible which is passing Venture to be a human agsgsg

I am very attached to human Venture agsgshd in part because thinking of her in the modern day is fun no matter what!! Do they have super powers here too or not?? What form does the Guild take??

And anyway all of this is to say that my take on AUs is that I only really find them appealing if there is some big change but it manages to keep the essence of the characters... SO TALKING ABOUT ROYAI-

Basically thats why while I thought about Royai in One Piece, it actually doesn't appeal to me agsgsv. Like if its them doing the same as in FMA canon but with the World Government thats...... thats just SWORD lol which is a canon group in One Piece, and to write something like that I might as well just do it about Koby and Tashigi lol.

Then there is the option of making Royai pirates.... but then I lose the actual bits that make me like Royai anyways so eeeehhh whatever, is not that interesting to me anymore agsgsgshdh

Thats also why putting my OCs in FMA is also not very fun for me because at that point I might as well just write about Royai lol

I like the Beastars!AU because even if I keep Amestris and Alchemy as it is in FMA, adding the social complexities of that world of animal people to the wiwis makes them extremely interesting to me because it creates a new way to communicate stuff and Situations (tm) to put them through...

And I believe at the end of the day the point is those Situations (tm). Is there new situations where you can put them that will make them react in new, interesting ways while not changing their fundamental character??? Then if the answer is yes sign me up agdhshhs

Anyway please no one take this too seriously this is one guy's opinion over why I feel sad I can't motivate myself to draw my furries as humans from time to time lol

[please-attend-carefully]

My girlfriend and I have been listening to the podcast (as part of my mission to fully induct her into Who, ~muahaha~), and we were having thoughts about the whole concept of the Inventor!Master after the most recent ep. And I feel like where I've come down is that-- I get the idea. It makes sense if you're trying to, like, do some back-formation and figure out where a character with the Master's psychology starts. Like, yes, I absolutely buy powerful scientific curiosity, the desire to know things (especially forbidden things), to *create* things, a thoughtlessly superior attitude towards the 'lesser species', even a level of self-serious pride that means he doesn't have much of a sense of humour. All of that works.

But the fundamental problem, I think-- and you sort of touched on this in talking about how sort of no-nonsense and humourless he is-- is that in order for the Master to work as a character, I sort of feel like... *they* don't necessarily have to be having fun (god knows there are plenty of appearances wherein the Master is Having A Bad Time), but *we* the audience have to be having fun watching them.

Villains like the Master are appealing because there's something magnetic, fascinating, *fun* about their presence in the narrative. There's an edge of perversity (in the original sense, not the horny sense :P) to even the most self-serious Masters that makes them just so enjoyable, and I sort of feel like if you haven't got that... then it's not really a successful take on the character. It sounds like they maybe kind of figured that out by Blood of the Time Lords? But welp, too late, apparently!

Hello, to you and your girlfriend, thanks so much for listening!

Yes, definitely all of this. There is a reason we love the Master, and it's because despite his evil nature, he's still fun! Right back in Delgado's first appearance his evil plan involves: a terrible clay puppet, an inflatable man-eating couch, sentient telephone cord, and plastic daffodils. They are all absurdly comedic methods for an evil plan, and when you add in Roger Delgado's charisma on top of that, you are left with a lovable villain. For the Inventor!Master, they take away the comedy and absurdity, and instead just have a villain doing a very methodical and scientific approach towards his evil, with an actor playing it very dryly. They don't really give you anything to love, he's just evil.

This moves on to another point we've touched on, and that's when the Master commits "real world" evil. For example, Saxon Master. In The Sound of Drums, he's cheeky, charismatic and fun. You laugh at him killing the cabinet ministers because it comes with a joke and a smile, it's absurd and not overly "real". Compared to The Last of the Timelords where it's suddenly revealed that Lucy has bruises on her face, a bit of "real world" evil creeps in. Overall we still like him as a villain but RTD has put in an unspoken piece of visual storytelling to show that he is a monster and we should remember that.

I'm rambling, but stay with me. The Inventor!Master in the Destination Wars is cultivating a war between two races, and fostering fascist ideologies within them. Again, this time there are no dance sequences and the actor has no where near the charisma of Simm. He's not even moustache twirling, cardboard cut out evil, he's real evil, the not nice kind of evil that we recognise in our real lives and want to reject. Not a daffodil or couch in sight. RTD gave the simm!master a subtle mix of that, but largely we still accept the character because on balance he is fictional evil.

Even in audio stories with Jacobi!Master where he is unimpeded by the Doctor and commit atrocities, we still love him because Jacobi has a wonderful presence and sense of the character. Our fun comes from hearing how he gets away with it, and how much joy that gives him. He's evil, but still has the inner core of loveability like The Master's that came before him.

I'm glad we never have to hear the Inventor!Master again because he's all the worst parts of the character. An experiment that just missed the mark and didn't pay off in any kind of entertaining way.

Phew okay, sorry for long response. Thanks again for listening, we love you!

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: Love and Deepspace

I came across this video a couple months ago of a really high poly guy and thought it was CGI made by someone talented. Turns out it was an upcoming otome game for mobile?! I replaced my phone recently so this was a good time to look forward to trying something with high-end graphics for this platform.

My experience with Otome games isn't much. I've played those dating sims that a few friends were very into back in school on DeviantArt, notably by Zeiva and Pacthesis. This was my entry to the Visual Novel (VN) genre, but I didn't understand the appeal of of liking 2D guys. Fast forward and I've also played a couple otome VNs on mobile and dabbled slightly on PC and even though I find a few interesting love interests based on appearance and personality, I STILL didn't get the appeal, until I finally played Mystic Messenger two years ago and got my heart shattered and was rejected by my love interest lol. This idea of having a social messaging format with calls for a mobile game is one of the most creative things I've seen for both the VN genre as a whole as well as the mobile platform. I don't know if any other VNs have done something like this before.

What Love and Deepspace does, is basically take that same format and iterate upon it with its worldbuilding. But it doesn't stop there. The real selling points of this game is that it uses very high quality 3D models akin to Final Fantasy CGs and also have real-time action combat. This seemed like a combo I never thought would exist, but I'm sure as hell glad to see it. Apart from chatting and calls using your own created avatar, it includes other features such as micro blogs which are Twitter-esque, so you can like and comment on the other characters' posts, and sometimes make your own. There are interaction features with the love interest, by being able to touch him, ask him things, and even things like listening to heartbeats or blowing on him using your mic?? It's another level of immersiveness! Minigames also exist which add to the story, such as claw machines (which are actually not to rigged compared to real life), playing cards, taking photos, and mini stories or audio that you can obtain from gacha.

The gacha aspect is not related to obtaining your love interest like in other gachas, but rather it's unlocking additional content about them, such as the mini stories. These stories tend to look like casual hangouts or even romantic dates. I'm not sure if there are any intimate scenes or not so far.

The story is not bad, I'm intruiged by the lore and the overall world as I like futuristic settings. There's a lot of info dump in documents and such that you typically see in gachas or RPGs, but this is one of the few times where I actually read through them. And surprisingly, the protagonist (you) is actually a lot more competent than expected!

The only issue I have is that the way the story is presented makes the characters look like they don't know each other yet and are distant, which is fine. But the romance parts you unlock through gacha or other features of the game seem more affectionate so it feels quite disjointed. It makes me feel confused on how I can piece these moments together.

Another nitpick although minor is that the daily stamina that you can obtain through login times don't seem to sync up in local time, so I'm assuming it's based on China's time zone instead. I've mostly been on this game during the evenings which make me miss both of them. It's a bit of a weird decision for international players.

I've also seen comments online about the lack of a male character or other gender options. I also agree that this would be nice to have. But I also acknowledge that this game is primarily aimed towards women (therefore an otome game), and since it's a Chinese game, I'm not sure if they would allow any type of BL in it. This could cause a bit of disinterest for international players. The only option I can see is to provide a larger variety of options for the current female avatar (which is also a complaint even amongst women playing the game), which could also have the avatar look a little more masculine presenting, etc. This could be a slight workaround towards any censorship laws while also allowing for more diversity. Plus technically speaking, the advantage of shorter hair or buzz cuts etc. would also mean less complex hair rigging (like with long hair) so it may be easier to animate and handle.

Overall, this game has huge potential that could transform romance/otome games for mobile like Mystic Messenger if all goes well. This will be another mobile game I'll keep playing!

[animehouse-moe]

Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague Episode 6: Bait & Switch

So, that was an episode. I loved it, but at the same time I just want to rant about how it ended. So we'll start there.

Cmon man, why are we still faking people out with confessions in this day and age, and with a mature romance at that? It's not needed, it's not good, it's not even funny because they don't capitalize on it in any way.

It's just straight painful. They didn't use it to set up an actual confession afterwards, and even worse is the fact that they then followed this scene up with a fireworks show and a sleepy train ride home. Two perfect opportunities to go for broke and have Himuro confess, but neither happened. It's got me super annoyed because it's such a cheap trope to inject drama into a moment. They easily could have left out Himuro trying to confess to Fuyutsuki, and it would have been perfectly fine.

Alright, rant over. Now then, the good stuff from the episode. These recent episodes have been really nice in terms of expanding upon all the characters. They start to grow and relax around each other to show a more personal side overall. You see it with stuff like Saejima and his sort cluelessness in personal situations versus how oddly aware he can be in regards to others. Or with Komori and how she hides her more subtle and sensitive emotions behind enthusiastic outbursts. And then there's of course Himuro and Fuyutsuki. Himuro continues to come out of his shell and be brave and take charge, rather than following around. My favorite bit from that change is how forthcoming he is in being jealous, great to see both ends of his spectrum and what they end up as.

And then there's Fuyutsuki, who's working on being more open with her emotions, and willing to interact outside of her comfort zone. Seeing her become shy and awkward at time sis incredibly cute, and adds a totally different angle to her appeal as a character. (I just wish we could see some different visual effects for Fuyutsuki, the same stuff all the time is getting a little boring)

Really, the episode was quite a bit of fun, but that confession bait really bothers me. It's such a simple thing to not do, there's nothing special to it but it still ends up a part of it. Alongside that, I definitely am starting to find the direction getting rather lazy. Plenty of repeated set pieces and visuals and so on and so forth, it ends up taking away from the overall feel of it. I'd say it ends up making it a little flat, sure, but the show itself is still more than enough to be enjoyable. The romance is fun and fresh, the characters warm and able to act mature without making it dry, and the progression of it all has a very nice flow (characters aren't constantly nervous around each other now). So all I'd really say is to temper expectations in terms of visuals, it's pretty, but it's not something that will blow you away or impress you with each episode.

[ayannaregalado]

5. Museum Visit

Miss Lucy’s Dollhouse, 1993 Private Collection

Materials: Wood

This is the 3D piece that I liked. I am a big fan of appealing architecture, and I have fond memories of playing with dollhouses when I was younger. I have always wanted an antique dollhouse too, so this one immediately caught my eye. You can see that every room is decorated with intention, and reading the information on it, apparently Miss Lucy got help from someone when building the house for her daughters, and he made several suggestions pertaining to the room decorations. It looks like the dollhouse is segmented into 3 separate buildings. It looks like these buildings could be from a big city such as New York and look sort of dated. The center house looks the most modern of them all, and it looks sort of like an artists studio or something. Overall, I think it is a kind of strange dollhouse to make for your children, but I really like how it looks.

Rosemarie Chiarlone, 1951, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Materials: Just Fly Glass, etched text, industrial metal hinges, wire.

This is the piece I didn't like. I find it boring since it is made of plain glass with white text on it. The form of it isn't even something that draws my attention as it appears as just a simple box. It doesn't really make me think of what the meaning could be since it is so simple. Even after reading info on it I don't really get it. This piece is supposed to represent an artist's book and the glass flaps are supposed to be like pages from a book. I think the part that I found interesting about the piece was how Chiarlone collaborated with a poet to make it. It adds more to the meaning, despite me not truly understanding it. On the glass, it reads: He knew my name, but never used it. From sweet thing, chicky, love to old biddy, worn out hag, I almost lost my soul. My sisters saved me, calling from the dark place, singing to the bright high spirit of mine Fly Just fly.

I like the poem despite me not finding much interest in the visuals of the artwork.

[animat8yash1]

IGNA - Animated short by Kelly Wang

Igna is an animated short created by an extremely talented visual development artist and character animator, Kelly Wang who studied in the California Institute of Arts (CALARTS). The Short-film is a story of two sisters drifting apart by their fate and then meeting each other in a faceoff. Its a graduation film project in the discipline of character animation with the focus of showcasing the art style, look & feel, the ability to animate a dynamic action sequence as well as character appeal.

This video uses an art style which has the traditional 2D touch. It is created in a software such as TVpaint or ToonBoom with lots of strong poses and key frames. I believe this style makes use of drawing new poses more than using rigs (especially in the character's movements) as a result the output seems much more attractive when the characters move even without a lot of in-between drawings.

What I really love about the film is its art style <3. Its truly mesmerizing. From the Characters to the background, everything is made with perfection, no drawing or frame ever feels out of place!

The style used to design the characters are ideal to look at as well as draw and maintain. Its simple yet extremely malleable ie, they look adorable when the story wants it to and fierce when the fight sequence demands.

The outline on characters further add to the appeal and fluidity of the motion making the Key frames pop out the important actions with more clarity. The use of colors is also something i admire here with the highlights/bounce lights not taking too much effort into making the frames but still adding just the right value to the frames to enhance them and make them more believable. The piece is also successful in telling a few years of the character's story in a fast pace.

Although, the story overall is not as clear as it can be. There's a lot of missing pieces which we cant connect to by watching just the 3 mins. For instance, what is exactly Igna's powers? is it just magical projectiles or does it take the life energy of a creature, similar to her older sister's powers? or What is the real reason why things got so bad that they have to faceoff in a battle that might harm each other? The story seems ordinary without the elegantly drawn animation, beautiful characters and the serene backgrounds.

As a growing animation student, It is very inspiring and fascinating to come across work of such talented artists and i consider this as a benchmark for the quality of visuals that i have to achieve. Watching visually alluring drawings come to life is what inspired me, motivated me to start my own journey as an animator.

[safethaw]

Cost Analysis: Sealing a Driveway vs. Leaving It Unsealed

Alright, let's settle in for a good old chat about something that's probably been on your mind if you're a homeowner: sealing your driveway. You might be wondering about sealing a driveway cost and whether it's really worth it compared to leaving it unsealed. It’s just like taking extra insurance on your expensive vehicle for your kid, to prepare for any mishap that might occur in the future it’s expensive, but totally worth it. So let’s delve into it.  The Whole Shebang About Sealing Your Driveway So, sealing a driveway – what's the big deal? It's all about protection, my friend. Sealing your driveway is like putting sunscreen on before a day at the beach. It shields your driveway from the harsh UV rays, rain, and those irritating oil spills that always seem to find their way onto your concrete or asphalt. Plus, it gives your driveway that fresh, cared-for look, much like a well-maintained lawn. Crunching The Numbers: Sealing A Driveway Cost When you're looking at sealing driveway cost, it's not just a matter of slapping some numbers together. It's more like planning a mini home renovation. - Size Does Matter: If your driveway is bigger like a party hosting area it will cost you more to seal it. More area means more sealant needed, and that means more cash. - The Current State of Affairs: If your driveway is looking a bit rough around the edges, with cracks and wear, it'll need some prep work before you can even think about sealing. It's like prepping a room for painting – you gotta clean and fix things up first. - Choosing Your Weapons: There’s a variety of sealants out there, and like most things, you get what you pay for. High-quality sealants might cost more, but they also last longer – it's a trade-off. - Paying the Pros: If you're not into DIY, the labor cost for professional sealing can vary depending on where you live. It's a bit like the difference in cost between a local handyman and a high-end contractor. - The Extras: Sometimes, your driveway might need more TLC, like crack filling or oil spot treatment. These extras are essential for a top-notch job but will add to the overall cost. Average Cost: What’s The Wallet Hit? So, what’s the damage gonna be? On average, sealing a driveway cost ranges from about $0.14 to $0.25 per square foot. For an average-sized driveway, you might be looking at something between $100 to $190. It’s like budgeting for a new piece of furniture – not exactly cheap, but a worthwhile investment for your home's curb appeal and longevity. Why Seal? The Long-Term Game Sealing your driveway is an investment, plain and simple. Just like getting regular oil changes for your car, it helps avoid bigger, costlier problems down the road. A well-sealed driveway resists wear and tear better, saving you from frequent repairs or even a full replacement – which, let me tell you, is a whole other level of expense. The Flip Side: Leaving Your Driveway Unsealed Now, what if you decide not to seal your driveway? It's like skipping sunscreen – you might not notice anything at first, but over time, the sun, rain, and wear start to take their toll. Cracks, potholes, and fading are just the start. And here's another kicker – if you live in an area with icy winters and use salt and chloride-based ice melts, your unsealed driveway is at risk of even more damage. These materials can be harsh, leading to faster deterioration. Winter Care: The Safe Thaw Advantage Speaking of winter, let's talk about Safe Thaw, especially if you’re leaning towards not sealing your driveway. Traditional ice melts with sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride are tough on driveways, but Safe Thaw is a different story. It’s a chloride-free, toxin-free ice melt that's gentle on your driveway and the environment. Using Safe Thaw is like choosing a gentle, eco-friendly cleaner over a chemical-laden one – it does the job effectively without the harsh side effects. Read the full article

[retphienix]

Meh I cheated because I had a save state in the same room to retry infinitely and the thought of doing so became more and more appealing as I initially started redoing my team.

My team, by all accounts, could not do it. But. A single breeding session should have easily brought my team up about 150~ HP and then I'd have so much leeway it'd be a joke to win, so I thought "Do I really care enough about a game I think is "fine" to add like 5 hours of grinding in fast forward just to level to that point? Or should I spend like 10 minutes save stating until I win?" and here we are.

Smite me down and all that jazz, I simply don't mind lol

I came to this game with a specific interest and I fulfilled that interest, being a save state abuser during the Big Bad instead of grinding against metal slimes for a few hours just makes sense to me. I got what I came here for already :P

Anywho~

As it turns out his moveset is not half bad, and definitely screams "stat check" over most anything else.

He normal attacks Most of the time, for hefty damage that gets doubled the second he decides to cast twin hits.

Getting my increases off made it so he could no longer one shot me with a twin hits melee, so it became a speed check "Can I cast heal all before he double attacks someone" which wasn't "too" bad but speed is only a implication for this boss- he kinda just picks whatever time he wants to attack, sometimes he's first, sometimes he's last, so I couldn't really rely on this speed heal strat without save stating, which I already admitted I did.

Anyways- Normal attacks a lot, uses twin hits "randomly" (he can take multiple turns before using it and AFTER using it he will sometimes waste a turn re-casting when that does nothing).

He also casts venom gas randomly which is, for my team, vital I cure or he'll drop me to 1 shot range and take advantage of it, thankfully my team very rarely caught venom and never had more than 1 monster catch it at a time (no save state abuse involved there, just luck).

He ALSO casts Beat which is such a joke lol

He's just as inaccurate with it as you'd expect and never once landed it, so Beat rounds were freebies for me.

Overall his magic lineup didn't matter (he also cast Thordain once I think), it was JUST twin hits melees that were scary, so I pretty much just saved each round and if he decided to ignore speed and attack at the start of the round on the same mon he attacked last round, retry.

In truth it wasn't OBSCENE abuse, but buddy, when I say I save state abused, I mean it still lol because his moves were 100% random but he probably decided to double tap my team something like 30 times before I finally drained his immense 30k (I think it was) health pool.

Anywho! I wanna see dragonlord after these credits, then I'm good on this game~ I already said my piece at length during the first credits scene so I really only have passing thoughts on the orb quest to add once we get there.

[fancyfenceca]

"Revitalize Your Property with Professional Fence Repair Services in Mississauga"

1. Introduction: The importance of maintaining and repairing fences in Mississauga

Keeping your property's fence in good condition is essential for both practical and aesthetic reasons. In Mississauga, where weather conditions can be harsh and unpredictable, it is even more crucial to ensure that your fences are well-maintained and promptly repaired when necessary. This article explores the significance of maintaining and repairing fences in Mississauga, highlighting common fence problems, the benefits of hiring professional fence repair services, tips for choosing the right service provider, the repair process, and the long-term advantages of revitalizing your property's fences. By understanding the importance of fence maintenance and repair, you can enhance the overall appeal, security, and privacy of your property.

1. Introduction: The importance of maintaining and repairing fences in Mississauga

Why fence maintenance and repair is crucial

Hey there, Mississauga homeowners! Let's talk about something that may not be the most glamorous topic, but is oh-so-important: fence maintenance and repair. You might be thinking, "Why should I bother with my fence? It's just there to keep the dog in and the neighbors out." Well, my friend, I'm here to tell you that a well-maintained fence can do so much more than that!

A fence is not just a boundary marker; it's an extension of your property's aesthetics and security. It adds value to your home and enhances its curb appeal. But, like everything else in life, fences can suffer wear and tear over time. From pesky pests nibbling away at the wood, to Mother Nature throwing her tantrums, your fence can take a beating.

That's where fence maintenance and repair come in. By properly maintaining your fence and promptly addressing any issues, you can prolong its lifespan, maintain its structural integrity, and keep your property looking fresh and inviting. So, let's dive into this fence repair adventure and revitalize your piece of Mississauga paradise!

2. Understanding common fence problems in Mississauga

Identifying fence damage and deterioration

The impact of weather and environmental factors

Picture this: You're strolling in your backyard, enjoying a cup of coffee and admiring your beautiful fence, when suddenly, you spot a cracked post or a leaning panel. Cue the collective sigh of frustration! Fence problems are not uncommon in Mississauga, and knowing how to identify them is the first step towards fixing them.

Damage and deterioration can manifest in various ways, such as loose boards, rusted hinges, or broken pickets. These issues not only compromise the structural integrity of your fence but also make your property vulnerable to intruders. We can't have that, can we?

But wait, it gets worse. Mississauga's unpredictable weather and environmental factors can wreak havoc on your fence. From scorching summer heat to bone-chilling winters, our fences endure it all. Throw in some moisture, wind, and even a dash of snow, and you've got a recipe for fence disaster.

Understanding the common problems your fence may face and how weather and environmental factors play a role can help you stay a step ahead and tackle these issues head-on. Okay, time to put on our detective hats!

3. Benefits of hiring professional fence repair services in Mississauga

Quality workmanship and expertise

Time and cost savings

Access to specialized tools and materials

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Do I really need to hire a professional for my fence repairs? Can't I just grab my trusty toolbox and DIY this?" Well, my friend, while I admire your can-do spirit, let me tell you why it's often best to leave it to the pros.

Professional fence repair services in Mississauga offer a multitude of benefits that can make your life a whole lot easier. First and foremost, they bring experience and expertise to the table. These professionals have seen it all and know how to tackle even the trickiest fence problems. Plus, they'll ensure that the repairs are done properly, saving you from future headaches and expenses.

Speaking of headaches, let's talk about time and cost savings. DIY fence repairs can be time-consuming and, let's face it, frustrating. By hiring professionals, you can free up your precious time to do things you actually enjoy. Plus, they often have access to wholesale prices on materials, which can save you a pretty penny.

Last but not least, professional fence repair services come armed with specialized tools and materials. They have the right equipment to do the job efficiently and effectively. So, leave the heavy lifting (and the power tools) to the experts, sit back, and watch as your fence transforms from an eyesore to a thing of beauty.

4. Choosing the right professional fence repair service provider

Researching and vetting potential companies

Checking for licenses and insurance

Reading customer reviews and testimonials

So, you've decided to tap into the magic of professional fence repair services. But how do you choose the right provider in Mississauga? Fear not, for I have some tips to make your selection process a breeze.

First and foremost, do your homework. Research and vet potential companies to ensure they have a solid track record of excellence. Don't be fooled by flashy websites or too-good-to-be-true promises. Dig deeper and make sure they have the experience and expertise to back it up.

Next, check for licenses and insurance. A reputable fence repair service provider in Mississauga should be properly licensed and insured. This ensures that they adhere to industry standards and gives you peace of mind in case anything goes awry during the repair process.

Last but certainly not least, read customer reviews and testimonials. Who better to vouch for a company's quality of work than their previous customers? Take a few minutes to peruse online reviews and see what others have to say. Their experiences can provide valuable insights and help you make an informed decision.

Now that you're armed with these tips, go forth and find the perfect professional fence repair service provider in Mississauga. Your fence will thank you, and so will your neighbors (except maybe that one grumpy guy next door).

5. The process of professional fence repair in Mississauga

Initial assessment and consultation

Before diving into repairing your fence, a professional repair service in Mississauga will begin with an initial assessment. This involves a thorough examination of your fence to identify the extent of the damage and any underlying issues. They will also consult with you to understand your needs and preferences.

Fence repair techniques and methods

Professional fence repair services in Mississauga utilize various techniques and methods to fix your fence. They have the expertise to repair different types of damage, whether it's fixing broken boards, replacing damaged panels, or repairing sagging or leaning fences. They will choose the most appropriate techniques to ensure a sturdy and reliable repair.

Reinforcement and structural improvements

In addition to fixing the immediate damage, professional fence repair services in Mississauga take the opportunity to reinforce the overall structure of your fence. They may reinforce weak or wobbly posts, add braces for extra support, or even suggest replacing certain components to improve the fence's durability.

6. Enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your property through fence repairs

Choosing the right fence materials and design

When repairing your fence, professionals in Mississauga can help you choose the right materials and design elements that complement your property and enhance its visual appeal. They will consider factors such as the overall style of your property, your personal taste, and the functionality of the fence to recommend the best options.

Painting, staining, and other finishing options

Professional fence repair services in Mississauga also offer finishing options to give your fence a fresh and polished look. From painting or staining to sealants and weatherproofing treatments, they can provide a range of options to revitalize your fence and make it look as good as new.

7. Increasing the security and privacy of your property with fence repairs

Repairing broken or weak sections

A damaged fence can compromise the security and privacy of your property. Professional repair services in Mississauga will address any broken or weak sections to ensure that your fence provides the necessary security and privacy for you and your family.

Installing additional security features

In addition to repairing the fence, professionals in Mississauga can also suggest and install additional security features to further enhance the safety of your property. This may include adding locks, gates, or even security cameras, depending on your specific needs.

8. Maintaining your repaired fence for long-lasting results

Regular cleaning and maintenance practices

To ensure the longevity of your repaired fence, it's important to follow regular cleaning and maintenance practices. This may include removing debris, washing the fence, and checking for any signs of damage or wear. Professional repair services can offer guidance on the best practices and products to use for maintenance.

Tips for preventing future damage

To prevent future damage and the need for frequent repairs, professional fence repair services can provide valuable tips. This may include recommendations on how to protect your fence from weather elements, advice on avoiding common mistakes that lead to damage, or even suggestions for regular inspections to catch any issues early on.

So, whether you're looking to revamp the appearance of your property, increase security and privacy, or simply maintain the longevity of your fence, professional repair services in Mississauga have the expertise to meet your needs. Don't let a damaged fence bring down the overall appeal of your property - reach out to a professional today and get your fence back in top-notch shape!

In conclusion, investing in professional fence repair services in Mississauga can significantly revitalize your property. By addressing common fence problems, hiring experts, and following proper maintenance practices, you can ensure the longevity and functionality of your fences. Moreover, by enhancing the aesthetic appeal, increasing security, and maintaining privacy, you can enjoy a more visually appealing and secure property. Don't neglect the importance of maintaining and repairing your fences – take action today to protect and enhance the value of your property in Mississauga.

FAQ

1. How often should I repair my fence?

The frequency of fence repairs depends on various factors such as the type of material, weather conditions, and the overall condition of your fence. Generally, it is recommended to inspect your fence annually and address any visible damage or deterioration as soon as possible to prevent further issues.

2. Can I repair my fence myself, or should I hire a professional?

While minor fence repairs can be tackled as DIY projects, it is advisable to hire a professional for more extensive or complex repairs. Professional fence repair services have the expertise, tools, and materials needed to ensure a high-quality and long-lasting repair. They can also assess the overall condition of your fence and provide expert advice on maintenance and improvements.

3. How do I choose the right professional fence repair service in Mississauga?

When selecting a professional fence repair service, consider factors such as their experience, reputation, licensing, insurance, and customer reviews. It is also beneficial to obtain multiple quotes and ask for references before making a decision. By conducting thorough research and selecting a reputable and reliable service provider, you can ensure a successful fence repair project.

4. What are some signs that indicate my fence needs repair?

Common signs that your fence requires repair include leaning or sagging sections, loose or missing boards, rust or decay, broken or damaged posts, and gaps or holes. Additionally, if you notice any significant changes in the appearance, stability, or functionality of your fence, it is advisable to have it inspected by a professional to determine the extent of the repairs needed.