#this is a bug on the DS too as i AM playing on physical ds not an emulator

[gothamcityneedsme]

HELP. I FOUND A BUG WITH THIS OUTFIT COMBO. THE PANTS DONT WORK WITH THE POISON HALLWAY OVERLAY??

[rainofaugustsith]

SWTOR asks

Going to answer these for myself because I am trying to get my head back to writing. 1. Least favorite class story?

Jedi Knight. Hands down. 

2. Least favorite companion on the Imperial side?

Skadge is the obvious choice.

3. Least favorite companion on the Republic side?

Doc. No fucking question.

4. Least favorite expansion?

Oricon or Iokath. Both because there's no way to complete the story without Ops, and that simply sucks. Also Iokath because it kicks off the traitor arc and the Commander doesn't have a way to say "I'm not allying with any of you. All of you need to get off my lawn now." 

5. Least favorite Kotfe/Kotet chapter?

KOTET chapter 1 because of the walker, and because it actually is hard to see Voss being destroyed. You go through the same areas you played through in the class story/planetary arc and seeing it all in pieces is sad. Also because of the ridiculousness of it being a dark side choice if you don't want that Zakuulan in your Alliance.

I don't begrudge the game giving players a chance to save that person if they want. Obviously, a lot of people want to save him, and cool, you do you. I do have a lot of very strong criticism for Bioware's decision to only allow for extremes, and to make refusing a DS choice. Like if you don't forgive and actively, closely associate with someone who has directly caused you great physical and emotional harm, and if you don't want that character to be there instead of Lana and Theron in the end, that's somehow bad? Okay, Bioware. Please fuck off now and keep fucking off until the end of time for that one.

Runner-up: chapter 8 because that choice was NOT necessary. If you had enough Alliance Specialist influence or had done enough Alliance alerts you should have been able to save both. It's awful. And there's a walker again. The only reason this is not first is because you can pull back the lost companion at the Odessen terminal and I certainly have on my bounty hunters. 

In KOTFE, chapter 10 because no, I actually really don't want to help Kaliyo. 

6. Least favorite romance?

I don't think it's a good idea to say. There are very few romances in the game I do - I'm sapphic and so are my characters, generally. There are some romances that I honestly personally think "I cannot even begin to understand WHY a single person anywhere in the universe would ever like this or want to romance this character." But people do like them and they have that right, and I don't need to understand it. I just filter out those characters' names and ignore it. 

7. Least favorite planet?

Hoth. In addition to the confusing maps that always get me lost, the screens of solid white snow tend to induce headaches for me. I usually get on and off Hoth without doing any side quests because it's physically painful. I really wish they would make a night mode for Hoth. I had a graphics bug once where the sky was dark and it was so lovely.

8. Least favorite flashpoint?

Either of the Ilum ones tied with Spirit of Vengeance because they are like seventeen hours long each and boring as hell. I really like the purple crystal you get at the end of Battle of Ilum but I have enough of them and I can't be induced to run that arc anymore unless it's a Viri clone OR a character who can stealth through the flashpoints.

9. Most embarrassing or bullshit way you have died in game?

Walking across a room. Walking in my ship. Opening a fuse box. Clicking things. It's not a bug, it's a feature. ;) I've also done plenty of falling off cliffs and buildings, forgetting I'd left a character in a combat zone when I went to get a snack, and so on. 

10. Worst multiplayer experience?

Most of the last year or so on Star Forge. I invested in transferring most of my characters off Star Forge because that server had become unplayable. Ninjas, people stealing objectives, people trying to drag me into their mobs so I'd fight their NPCs, duel spammers, people who dress their companions in slave costumes - I'd had way too much of that. If I had not transferred them all I think I would have quit the game because it was unbearable. 

11. Worst fandom experience?

Eh. There are always fandom sheriffs. There are always people wailing when certain characters get screen time. There are always those who are behaving badly in other ways. As someone wise once said, the worst thing about Star Wars fandom is the fans. I filter and block very liberally and do not fucking engage. It's not worth my time or energy, it's just worth blocking them. It's why I have asks turned off entirely and PMs turned off unless someone is a mutual. Fandom's supposed to be fun and nobody has to give even a second of attention to those who are trying to make it not fun. 

[polygarnstars]

facts about me that you could state to my face that would hurt more than that ask did

I own three copies of Okami HD, and have beaten exactly zero of them

I paid $40 for Balan Wonderworld, knowing full well that any enjoyment I drew from it as a game would be ironic, and I plan to spend another $10 on the novel so I can be mad about the fact that approximately two percent of the story actually made it into the game

I played Kingdom Hearts as a kid and was attracted to Zexion, and given I am currently attracted to another edgy squenix bastard with emo hair in the form of Therion Octopathtraveler, my taste has apparently not changed since I was ten

I played Sonic 06 and thought it wasn’t terrible

I learned and did a partial speedrun of PMD Red Rescue Team for the sake of getting on someone else’s Let’s Play of the remake

I tried streaming once, only to have to stop because my capture card ate my sound card

The last week and a half of my Spotify history is comprised almost entirely of the Persona 5 soundtrack and various covers of those songs

I’m a furry who can’t even decide on his own fursona’s species or design

I spend so much time reading Nuzlockes, challenge runs of Pokemon games, games for children, I was brought on as staff of the official forums

I do the aforementioned work as Nuzforums staff knowing full well that it is a volunteer position while I am unemployed in real life

I watched the Kirby anime as a kid instead of doing my schoolwork. Years later, I plan to rewatch it in its entirety instead of seeking employment

I voted for Bandana Waddle Dee in the Smash Ballot

On that topic, I’m a Kirby main! I played through the entirety of World of Light using only Kirby! Like, I love Kirby, but who the fuck mains him unironically like that? I don’t even do that strat of succing your opponents and spitting them out over the blast zone where they can’t recover or taking them down with you, like, cmon

I was in anime club in high school

Despite owning it, I’ve never played Among Us, but I still watch other people play it regularly

I didn’t realize the Guardians of Ga’hoole series was a WW2 allegory until I read the TV Tropes page in high school

I got into Kingdom Hearts for the Final Fantasy stuff, and yet to this day the only Final Fantasy game I’ve ever beaten was the DS rerelease of Final Fantasy III

I 100%ed Breath of the Wild less than three weeks after it released, and proceeded to help various streamers do the same, because I had literally nothing better to do with my time

As a teenager I uploaded two mashups, one of All Star and In The End, the other of All Star and Lonely Rolling Star, to YouTube because in the summer the only device I had to get online with was a Nintendo 3DS, I wanted to be able to listen to them year round, and my 3DS would not play Soundcloud uploads

I’m currently making a mashup of the Balan Wonderworld credits theme and Wonderwall

I think Pokemon peaked in Gen V and I trust Spike Chunsoft with the series more than I trust modern GameFreak

I have owned literally every Animal Crossing game except Amiibo Festival, but I do still own Amiibo from the sets released for it

I’m still waiting for Pikmin 4!

I’m still waiting for another real Chibi-Robo sequel!

I’ve still not beaten the prior games in the series despite owning them, but I’m still waiting for Bayonetta 3!

I dip dill pickle spears in chocolate pudding Snack Packs and I enjoy it

I know all the lyrics to the opening of Pichu Bros. in Party Panic, that anime special that was viewable exclusively on Pokemon Channel

I plan to romance Ann in my first playthrough of Persona 5 Royal purely for the sake of cucking the cat. I do not plan to do this because I dislike Morgana, but simply because I think it would be funny

I say KEKW, Pog, OMEGALUL, and Sadge in real life, with my actual human mouth

I have spent money on microtransactions for mobile games

I bought well over a dozen packs of the Unbroken Bonds Pokemon TCG expansion in an attempt to obtain a rainbow rare Reshiram & Charizard GX. I found zero of them

Until earlier today, when I cleaned out my drawers of old clothes I no longer wear, I owned two Big Bang Theory shirts. Instead of burning them like a reasonable person, I donated them to my local Goodwill for some other poor fool to find

At the age of 23, I still cannot swim

I’ve gotten used to every other bug in my house, including the bees in the walls and the stinkbugs who refuse to just stay outside, but whenever I see a silverfish I consider committing arson

I collect dice but do not play D&D or any other TTRPG, I just think they’re neat

I’m too physically weak to take apart a PS4 controller

I haven’t ridden a bike in a decade, and at this point if I tried I would probably fall over or ride uncontrollably into the street and be hit by a car

I still have art on my wall of a Pokemon character I made in sixth grade at the absolute latest

I buy sketchbooks despite not drawing traditionally literally ever

I cannot draw on a normal tablet, because I look at my hands instead of the screen, and so I had to buy a 2-in-1 laptop to do art

I bite my nails

I compulsively pluck the hairs from my legs

Despite compulsively plucking the hairs on my legs, I cannot be bothered to do the same for the ones that have grown into a unibrow

When I was a child a goose whacked me with its wing

I’ve been bitten by two dogs, one of which bit me twice

Despite domesticated animals hating me, I’m the world’s worst Disney Princess, having taught a grey catbird to recognize Zelda music and having watched the entirety of Avatar the Last Airbender with a baby mourning dove perched in the bush outside the window watching with me

I spell grey grey instead of gray despite being American

I’m American

I’m still on tumblr in 2021

do with this information as you will

[writingandmore]

Submission for petrichor-ds

hello!! could i request a matchup for the umbrella academy, please? i’ve requested once or twice here for other fandoms and i just love your content :’DDD thank you so much in advance!!!

basics

i’m 5’ 5”, korean, aspec, bi, & i have long black hair. i like to wear loose, dark clothes that are comfy! a typical outfit is made up of high-waisted cargo pants, chunky doc martens, a white t-shirt, and a navy bucket hat. i’m a high-achieving student! however, i really just want to take a nap and take a break :’D

personality

i’m reserved, quiet, & awkward, but with people i know, i’m really talkative & bright. according to my friends, i’m pretty funny! i’m determined, caring, and really organized (lowkey a bit of a clean freak … i even eat pizza with a fork and knife). i overthink a LOT, and i also have a tendency to over-apologize.

likes

i love physical affection w close friends (hugging, laying my head on their lap, etc), but otherwise i really hate it when people touch me. i love classical music, sweets, drawing, & reading! uhhh i’m also really into learning languages (can speak english, korean, french, & learning mandarin)! lastly i’m a taurus & istp-t!

dislikes

i don’t like swimming, the heat, & waking up early. i’m a terrible athlete due to low strength & stamina (my arms are like noodles). i am also super scared of bugs & heights—i almost have a breakdown when i see sp*ders or c*ntipedes.

habits

i have anxiety and bite my nails because of it :’D i also tend to fidget a lot. i sit criss-cross applesauce almost all the time, and i bounce my foot a lot, too! i also am depressed, so there are times when i don’t really do much / i just mope around.

Pairing: Vanya! 

 - Vanya is also a high achiever when it comes to things she loves-she might be shy or doubting herself, but deep down she wants to be the best, and with some encouragement from others, she could get there. She’d really admire your own high achieving attitude and being around you might make her want to try harder on her own! 

 - She’s very introverted and a bit awkward around people she doesn’t know, so she’s very much the same way with affection. It would take her a while to feel like she can show affection to her partner, and she’d get flustered when you show her any too. With time though, she’d become very loving!. She also loves classical music, as that’s part of her profession for the most part, and she likes to sit and read when she can! 

 - She has no problem waking up early, so if there’s anything she can do for you like making you breakfast or coffee, she would do it to help make your mornings a bit easier. She is also not the most athletic, so there would be no judgments from her about that! 

 - On meeting her, she’s very much as introverted as you are. Once you both open up, it would be an entirely different relationship. She can be funny and smart and passionate just like you, and seeing that in each other would make things much better. Being determined and caring would be important too-she needs someone on her side and in her corner who isn’t there for any ulterior motives. She’s in the same boat as you with overthinking and apologizing, so hopefully you two can point it out to each other when you’re caught doing it. 

 - Vanya wouldn’t mind your fighting, and, if needed, would find things for you to do with your hands that isn’t harmful to them! She has anxiety too and would understand, at least partially, how you feel, and would do her best to make sure you live in an open and comfortable environment together. 

Headcanons: 

 - I can see the both of you going out on dates to small cafes or parks together often! If you’re lucky, Vanya  might even bring her violin and play it for you after you’ve both eaten. She’d also enjoy going on dates to bookstores or other small shops. 

 - Teaching her languages would be really fun too! She’d be quick to pick up on them, and she’d love learning from you about the different languages you speak and the cultures around them. Every so often, if you’re both down for it, you could go on a small trip together! 

 - Sometimes she gets nightmares or panic attacks because of her past trauma as a child. A caring s/o like you would be the perfect person to comfort her and make sure she knows she’s safe with you. Over time, the attacks would become less frequent as she learns she’s loved and protected. 

How you interact with the other Hargreeves’:

 -Overall, your interactions with Diego and Luther might be a little forced, just because they are the most openly against Vanya being around. Over time, I could see your relationship with Diego get better much more quickly than with Luther, as he’d definitely see bringing a partner into the family as a danger to both you and the rest of them. 

 - Klaus and Five would like you well enough and would be open to being around you (Klaus much more so than Five but still). Five would have some reservations about you being around all of them, but he would let it be your choice, unlike Luther. Discussing books with Five or going out with Klaus to make sure he stays out of trouble would be common for you!

 - I think you’d be closest to Allison and Ben (if he’s around at that point). Allison has shown a lot more care for Vanya than some of the others, and she’s much more open and friendly to new people. Ben is quiet, but you have similar personalities, so he’d enjoy talking to you, especially to get a break from Klaus. Allison would love to take you and Vanya both out to do some shopping or just go somewhere fun, and discussions with Ben would also be pretty nice. 

[alex-the-nonsensologist]

Wreck-It Ralph Merch Masterlist

What with all the recent merchandise news, I felt the need to make a list compiling everything together for easy access, and I figured maybe you guys would appreciate it too! This list will be updated as the year goes on, and into 2019 should we get more merch than anticipated. Prices are listed in US dollars, without tax. Shopping links provided if available.

Please note, I am only one person, and only stuff that I know about will be added to this list. Some things I am not very familiar with, such as Disney pin collection, so I apologize if I get any info wrong. If you see something that is not here or not correct, please let me know!

ACCESSORIES

Ralph and Vanellope Soft Touch Keyrings. Monogram. $4 each. So far only confirmed to be available at Five Below.

FUNKO Pocket Pop! Keychains. Funko. Around $7/8.

Ralph Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

Vanellope Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

Pins. Disney Parks.

Lunchtime Tales - September pin (limited edition of 1500)

“Vanellope and Princesses” Mystery Collection blind box (open edition). Coming October 2018. Characters include: Snow White - “Eat Your Fruit” Cinderella - “11:59 pm We Be Like” Aurora - “Sleeping Beauties” Ariel - singing (no phrase) Belle - “Hi T 4 2″ Jasmine - “Infinite Wishes!” Mulan - “GDTB” Tiana - “Not Worth It” Rapunzel - “LongHairProblems” Merida - “Curly Hair Don’t Care”

“‘I’m Gonna Wreck It!’ - Ralph emoji” (open edition). Coming October 2018.

“‘Life’s a Glitch’ - Vanellope emoji” (open edition). Coming October 2018.

“‘Hiyaaa - Ralph karate” (open edition). Coming October 2018.

“Ralph and Vanellope wreath” - Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2018 (Disney World limited edition)

Reusable tote bag. Disney Store. $3. shopDisney

Girls backpack. Disney Store. Clear backpack w pink trimming. $20. shopDisney

Ralph and Vanellope customizable tote bag. Disney Store. Starts at $20. shopDisney

“Caturday Emojis” customizable courier bag. Disney Store. $105. shopDisney

eKids youth headphones $30 Kohl’s

“Caturday Emojis” customizable phone case. Disney Store. $50. shopDisney

TOYS & FIGURES

Disney D-Select statue DS-008. Beast Kingdom. Retails at around $30. Expected to arrive late Sept/early Oct 2018, though apparently BoxLunch got them early. Amazon | BigBadToyStore | Entertainment Earth | BoxLunch | ToyWiz

FUNKO Pop! figures. Funko. Generally around $10 each

06 - Ralph Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth | BoxLunch

07 - Vanellope Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

08 - Shank Amazon | Entertainment Earth

09 - Yesss (includes chase glitter variant) Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

10 - Knowsmore Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

11 - Felix Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth | BoxLunch

12 - Taffyta Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

13 - Fun Bun Amazon | Hot Topic | Entertainment Earth

14 - Ralph (w cherry pie) - Hot Topic Exclusive $12.50. Hot Topic

15 - Vanellope (w sword) - Walmart exclusive $14. Walmart

16 - Yesss (alternate outfit) - Amazon exclusive

FUNKO Rock Candy figures: Disney Comfy Princesses. Funko. Generally around $10 each. Expect exclusives to be $15 each.

Moana BoxLunch

Rapuzel BoxLunch

Mulan BoxLunch

Belle BoxLunch

Ariel BoxLunch

Jasmine BoxLunch

Pocahontas - NYCC 2018 Exclusive / shared w Amazon. It appears she is a regular non-exclusive in Australia.

Elsa - Target exclusive. It appears she is a regular non-exclusive in Australia.

Anna - Target exclusive. It appears she is a regular non-exclusive in Australia.

Snow White - Specialty Series Limited Edition (meaning you’d have to ask your local comic shop to order her for you)

Aurora - Funko Shop Limited Edition

FUNKO SuperCute plushies Generally $10 each. Characters include:

Ralph

Vanellope

Yesss

FUNKO Vynl Ralph and Vanellope pack. Funko. $15 Amazon | Entertainment Earth

FUNKO Mystery Minis blind boxes. Funko. Each figure is 1/12 chances, meaning if you get one full case, you get them all! Generally $70 for a full case. Individual boxes generally sold for $7 each.

Characters include: Ralph (normal) Ralph (w cookie medal) Vanellope (normal) Vanellope (w mouse) Felix Yesss Fun Bun Spamley Surge Protector Knowsmore Double Dan Shank

Individual boxes: generally $7 each. Amazon | Entertainment Earth (4 boxes: $25) Full cases: around $70. Entertainment Earth

Domez Mini Figures Mystery Bags. Zag Toys.

Characters include: Ralph Vanellope Felix Calhoun Yesss Shank 8-bit Ralph 8-bit Felix and 1 chase figure

$100 for a case of 24 bags. Individual bags are around $6. Expected after September 2018. ToyWiz <- looks like it was removed from the site.

BANDAI Power Pac figures. Bandai. All figures come w codes to unlock the character in the PAC-MAN app.

Series 1 blind box. 10 characters available. Includes: Ralph Vanellope Calhoun Felix Taffyta Cy-Bug Snow White Elsa Grumpy Eeyore Single figure boxes: $7 each. Full case (12 boxes) around $90. shopDisney | Amazon | Entertainment Earth (full case) Double figure boxes: $14 each. Full case (12 boxes) around  $180. Amazon | Entertainment Earth (full case)

Figure set - Target exclusive Includes Ralph, Vanellope, Felix, and exclusives Mulan, Merida, and Rapunzel.

Series 2 blind box. 10 characters available. Includes: Ralph (punch down) Vanellope (sunglasses) Kitten Bunny Shank Double Dan Knowsmore Moana Tiana Anna Full case of 12 boxes: Around $90. Entertainment Earth

Display case - Sugar Rush cabinet w exclusive Vanellope in race car figure. $25 at Disney Store. $20 elsewhere. Interesting to note, as of right now (9/30/18), this item is not listed on shopDisney.com, and in physical Disney Stores this item has the same bar-code as the Oh My Disney Castle display case. Amazon

Display case - Oh My Disney castle w exclusive Cinderella figure $25. shopDisney Entertainment Earth (Sugar Rush and Oh My Disney castle cases: $41)

Display case - Pac-Man

Display case - Slaughter Race w Shank figure Entertainemnt Earth (Pac-Man and Slaughter Race cases: $41)

BANDAI Fashion Yesss doll. Bandai. $20 at Disney Store. About $25 elsewhere. shopDisney | Amazon | Entertainment Earth

BANDAI action figures. Bandai. $10 each. Already popping up at Target.

Ralph Amazon

Vanellope w customizable avatar Amazon

Felix w customizable avatar Amazon

Calhoun w customizable avatar Amazon Entertainment Earth (case of 5; Ralph X 2, Vanny, Felix, and Calhoun. $53)

Yesss

Shank Entertainment Earth (case of 5, Ralph, Vanny X 2, Yesss, Shank. $53)

Slaughter Race Vehicle w exclusive Vanellope sunglasses figure There seems to be 2 version of this. The Disney Store one comes with the Ralph figure, and in different packaging. $30. Amazon | Entertainment Earth $40 (Disney Collection version. Interestingly, this does not have the Bandai logo on it anywhere). JCPenney $50. shopDisney

BANDAI Wrecking Ralph action figure. Bandai. Around $30 Amazon | Entertainment Earth

BANDAI Talking Vanellope doll. Bandai. Comes with hairclips. Around $30 Entertainment Earth

Disney Store talking Vanellope doll. Disney Store. From what I have seen, this is the same doll that Disney Store released back in 2012, but in new packaging and new phrases added. $30. shopDisney $40 (Disney Collection version). JCPenney

Disney Store Ralph talking action figure It looks similar to the one released back in 2012, but entirely redesigned. $30. shopDisney The Disney Collection version uses the same design as the old Disney Store one. $35. JCPenney

Disney Store Disney Toybox action figures

Ralph w pancakes $15. shopDisney

Vanellope w Bunny and Kitten $13. shopDisney

Disney Store plush The Ralph, Vanellope, and Felix plush are the same designs as the ones that were released back in 2012, with slight alterations and new tags.

Ralph $20. shopDisney

Vanellope $15. shopDisney $18 (Disney Collection version). JCPenney

Felix $15. shopDisney

Bunny (Fun Bun) $15. shopDisney

Kitten (Puddles) $15. shopDisney

Disney Store Ralph Smash Fists This looks like the same toy that Disney Store released back in 2012, but in new packaging. $25. shopDisney

Disney Store 2-in-1 Puzzle $10. shopDisney

Ralph and Vanellope backed Bicycle playing cards. Disney Store. Customizable $20. shopDisney

Disney Store Deluxe Figurine Set. Disney Store. Characters include: Ralph, Vanellope, Yesss, Shank, Spamley, Bunny and Kitty, Knowsmore, Felix, Calhoun, and Double Dan $25. shopDisney The Disney Collection version only has 6 characters: Ralph, Vanellope, Yesss, Shank, Felix and Calhoun. $15. JCPenney

Arcade Classics 12 - Fix-It Felix Jr mini game. Basic Fun. Apparently this series of toys is Walmart exclusive? $20. Walmart

Tsum Tsum plush. Disney Characters include:

Ralph

Vanellope

Yesss

Shank

Knowsmore

Fun Bun

Itty Bitty plush. Hallmark. Ralph and Vanellope. Coming soon.

Small Bean Plush. Just Play.

Vanellope. $8. Amazon

Ralph. Coming Soon. Amazon

Wreckin’ Ralph plush action toy. Just Play. $25 Amazon (comes in frustration-free packaging, without its retail packaging)

Ralph and Vanellope Plush. Posh Paws (UK) It’s hard to say, but it looks like each Ralph and Vanellope plush comes in 3 different sizes. Price:???

Inflatable punching/bop bags. Hedstrom.

Bop Bag (36in/90cm). $10. Amazon

Bop Bag (42in/107cm). $10. Amazon

Bop Combo (includes one 36in/90cm bag and 2 gloves). $20. Amazon

Vanellope hopper ball. Hedstrom $20. Amazon

BOOKS, STATIONARY & MEDIA

Bugs and Errors with Wreck-It Ralph (Disney Coding Adventures). Lerner. $9 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Lerner

Wreck-It Ralph: The Story of the Movie in Comics. Joe Books. $6. Expected Oct 9, 2018 Amazon

RBTI FunBook. Joe Books. $10. Expected Oct 9, 2018 Amazon | Barnes & Noble

⭐⭐⭐ The Art of Ralph Breaks the Internet ⭐⭐⭐. Chronicle Books. $40. Expected Oct 30, 2018 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Chronicle Books

Books by Phoenix International. Expected Oct 9, 2018

RBTI Look and Find $10. Amazon

RBTI Best Friends Play-a-Sound (board book w sounds) $14. Amazon

Books by Random House. Expected Oct 9, 2018

RBTI The Official Guide. DK. $10. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | DK US | Penguin Random House

RBTI Ultimate Sticker Book. DK. $7. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | DK US | Penguin Random House

Game Time! (Step into Reading) Includes over 30 stickers. $6. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

RBTI Little Golden Book. Golden Books. $5. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

Movie Storybook 2 books in 1 (WIR and RBTI) $10. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

RBTI The Junior Novelization $7. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

RBTI The Deluxe Junior Novelization (hardcover) $10. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

Vanellope’s Girl Squad Poster Book $8. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

Ralph Wrecks This Book! Includes over 30 stickers. $6. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

RBTI Click Start: Choose Your Own Internet Adventure / Select-Your-Story Adventure (graphic novel). Dark Horse. $11. Expected Dec 4, 2018 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House

Books by Disney Press. Expected Oct 9, 2018

RBTI Break into the Internet!: Pick Your Player, Start Your Quest $11. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

RBTI Read-Along Storybook and CD $7. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

RBTI Ralph Goes Viral! (magnetic hardcover). Includes 16 magnets. $13. Expected Oct 9, 2018 Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Activity Books by Parragon. Expected Oct 9, 2018

RBTI Collector's Tin Includes activity books, 1 double-sided poster, 4 colored markers, and over 50 totally turbo stickers! $11. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

RBTI Fame and Friends (coloring book) Includes 12 paints. $8. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

RBTI Gaming Champions (coloring book) $5. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

RBTI Hashtag Heroes! Includes stickers. $5. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

RBTI Become a Hero! Includes 4 jumbo crayons and stickers. $5. Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Board Books by Phidal Publishing. Expected Oct 1, 2018

My First Puzzle Book Includes 5 jigsaw puzzles. $8. Amazon

Stuck on Stories includes suction cup characters. $13. Amazon

My Busy Books Includes 12 figurines and 1 playmat. $13. Amazon

Activity Books by Bendon

Magic Ink Pictures Includes 1 Imagine Ink Mess Free marker and 1 activity book $6. Expected Nov 24, 2018 Barnes & Noble

RBTI Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book.

RBTI Wall Calendar 2019. Day Dream. $16. Expected Oct 10, 2018 Amazon

RBTI Official 2019 Square Wall Calendar. Danilo Promotions Ltd. (UK) Price:??? Expected Fall 2018 Amazon

Pancake and Milkshake Light-Up Journal. Disney Store $17. shopDisney

Vanellope customizable 3-ring binder. Disney Store Starts at $20. shopDisney

Journal with tabs. BoxLunch Exclusive $15. BoxLunch

RBTI Soundtrack CD. Walt Disney Records. $11. Expected Nov 16, 2018 Barnes & Noble

APPAREL

Kids Ralph T-shirt “Those Rims Tho”. Disney Store $17. shopDisney

Girls Vanellope T-shirt “Crazy Collage”. Disney Store $17. shopDisney

Kids “Crazy Text“ T-shirt. Disney Store. $17. shopDisney

Kids pajama set “Ralph: Karate”. Disney Store. $20. shopDisney

Girls pajama set “Vanellope: Queen of Comfy”. Disney Store. $20. shopDisney

Girls “Emoji” top and pants set. Disney Store. $30. shopDisney

Kids zip hoodie. Disney Store. $30. shopDisney

Girls Vanellope fleece hoodie. Disney Store. $30. shopDisney

Adult “That’s the Internet in There” T-Shirt. Disney Store $25. ShopDisney

Customizable tops. Disney Store. Prices vary.

“Internet Squares” shopDisney

“Ralph emoji: Pancake or Milkshake?” shopDisney

Vanellope shopDisney

Ralph “Princess Doodles” shopDisney

Ralph “5 Stars” shopDisney

Vanellope “Sweet Icons” shopDisney

Vanellope #CURRENTMOOD shopDisney

Boys Ralph costume $35. Party City

Girls Vanellope costume $35. Party City (online exclusive)

HOME GOODS & DECOR

Ralph Ear Hat Ornament. Disney Parks. $25. shopDisney

Ralph and Vanellope Sketchbook ornament. Disney Store. $17. shopDisney

Ralph and Vanellope Hallmark Keepsake Ornament. Hallmark. $16. Expected release on October 6, 2018. Hallmark

Vanellope drink tumbler w straw. Disney Store. $9. shopDisney

Ralph and Vanellope travel drink tumbler. Disney Store. $15. shopDisney

Customizable mugs. Disney Store Starts at $17 each.

Vanellope shopDisney

Ralph and Vanellope “doodles” shopDisney

Vanellope stanless steel water bottle. Disney Store. Customizable. Starts at $25. shopDisney

Ralph apron. Disney Store. Customizable $20. shopDisney

Girls Bedding Collection. Jay Franco & Sons Inc.

Twin Comforter. $33. Target

Twin Sheet Set (includes 1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet, and 1 pillowcase). $22. Target 

Plush Blanket (the “Caturday” meme blanket). $25. Target 

Plush Throw (”Good Thinkin’ Stinkin’”). $15. Target

Reversible Pillow Case. $6. Target

Vanellope Pillow Buddy. $20. Target

Girls Sleeping Bag Set/2 Piece Slumber Set. Idea Nuova. Includes 1 sleeping bag and 1 pillow. $20. Target

Ralph and Vanellope blanket. Nemcor Inc. $30 (CAN). So far only confirmed to have been found in an EB Games in Canada.

[e-one-seven]

My personal comment about Willow’s rework preview

I am following the discussions about the rework on Klei's forum and I am shocked that most of the people are not accepting the basis of Willow's rework and consider it to be trash without even trying it. People think that until Willow won't be totally immune to fire again she will be a pointless character. These people fail to realize that all the things Willow can do thanks to her single play fire immunity are plain out impossible to realize in DST. Burning items in her inventory to survive winter and damage your enemies is great, but most of the objects in your base, that you are sharing with other people will burn down too (even if they are trying to prevent the structures from being set on fire by burning enemies at least in Hamlet because the Pig Guards are dumb and they would burn down the cities otherwise). Chopping isolated trees on fire is great, and maybe even realizable with a six-second fire immunity if correctly timed, same as warming up burning base items like Cut Grass and Twigs. These people are not thinking in terms of teamwork, Klei does. And there could actually be pulled some interesting stuff just from the basis of the rework.

Willow no longer gets cold from low sanity.

It was a huge complaint back then and now there is no more. Yet people are still complaining.

Willow takes more damage and loses sanity from freezing. Willow takes less damage from overheating.

Willow is resistant to heat and vulnerable to cold. Summer will be a breeze with her, while winter... well, you are supposed to travel with Beefalo Hats/Tam O'Shanter and charged Thermal Stones anyway, and with a Hibernation Vest if you don't want to drop a fire pit to warm up and cook your food during a long journey. You just need to be more careful.

Willow gets fire immunity for the first several seconds (six seconds) and then reduced damage thereafter. Willow takes no burn damage while extinguishing fires and does it faster than others.

This is a good compromise between having her totally immune to fire or just resistant in my opinion. Unless you don't want to sit down in the middle of a burning forest (and if you want to do that why are you even playing this game?) six seconds are more than enough to do what you need to do with your fire related stuff. Most of the commonly burnable items (Cut Grass and Twigs) burn down in eight seconds, so with the correct timing you might be able to warm up in winter constantly burning stuff (but it is not supposed to be a mechanic, it can be useful to keep warm during your first winter, so it is fine). As for the smoldering, she was not damaged by that even before the update but the quicker animation is a nice bonus.

Adding fuel to fires is more effective for Willow.

Maybe I am wrong, but I am personally wondering something: is this perk related only to the Fire Pits or it is also a mundane way to say that Willow will deal more damage using fire-related weapons? The second one would not be that difficult to achieve: the Night Light (an item no one uses but for curiosity the first time it is crafted) gives a sanity malus for all the characters but Willow, who actually gains sanity from it. If they are planning to do something similar with other fire-related items, for example, if she uses the Fire Staff the enemy will stay ablaze for some seconds longer/the damage is buffed by 25% because Willow is the one who is lighting the fire, it would make Willow an effective Firestarter as her title suggests. But right now killing your enemies with fire is not advised unless you don't want to have for loot ashes and cooked meat.

But that would be feasible if Willow's fire damage allowed the normal drops. Then having a Willow dealing fire damage with a Fire Staff or something else in the team would make her the first long-range fighter in the game. And if Willow is supposed to be a long-range fighter, is Total Fire Immunity really that necessary? No. That would just make her immortal. That would be a strategy available for the late game because you need the Alchemy Engine to create the Fire Staff, but the Science Machine tier Fire Darts could be a replacement before that moment. That would not even be unfair as Willow has a normal damage output that allows her to use physical weapons with no drawbacks, differently from characters like Wendy and Wes.

I know this sounds insane, but I noticed from a couple of accidents happened during my games in the Beta Branch of Don’t Starve that Klei is apparently trying to modify the Fire spread system so the structures won't catch fire anymore when an enemy on fire is approaching. Grass and Twigs still burn, but it partially confirms that the staff could be working on effective ways to weaponize fire. (Or they are trying to prevent Pig Guards’ stupidity from burning down the cities in Hamlet). And when I tried Wagstaff during the Adventure Mode I set a forest on fire and I happened to find some Nightmare Fuel among the forest wreckage. I was insane, but I had no memory of Shadow Creatures attacking me, so I tried to recreate the situation to set a forest on fire while insane (using Willow to make sure I would survive the experiment). I got attacked and chased by a Terrorbeak. I never attacked the Shadow Creature, I just ran through the flaming trees wearing a Football Helmet. It took some time but the Terrorbeak died, confirming that in the Beta Branch of DS the Shadow Creatures are vulnerable to fire damage despite the Fire Staff is ineffective on them directly. I tried to use the same trick in DST and it did not work, so there is no way to know if this is a bug or a Shadow Creatures' nerf to make them vulnerable to fire. And that would be a logic nerf, as you can't set a shadow on fire, but the fire's light destroys the shadow anyway.

Maybe we will get the features that will allow Willow to weaponize fire if not with this upgrade in the near future. I guess this is one of the reasons why they are late with the updates because a ranged fighter that weaponizes fire right now is a liability as she is still going to damage her own allies (unless they are equipped with a Scalemail). Weaponized fire in multiplayer could be good, but risky. Probably it is something they are planning to do, but it requires some more work before being fully implemented. Or maybe it is just a Willow’s main fantasy.

Bernie can now be equipped by Willow for sanity and warmth at the cost of durability.

If the values are similar to a Tam O'Shanter it would be more than okay. Especially if other characters can benefit from it.

Bernie grows big and will taunt and fight most hostile creatures when Willow is nearby and insane.

I can't wait to see the Deerclops ominously approaching to the camp just to dismember a teddy bear.

But jokes aside, this could be the confirm of my “Willow ranged fighter” theory: Bernie acts as bait for physical enemies and Nightmare Creatures (hoping the accidents happened on Beta Don’t Starve are not a sort of bug) while Willow can set everything on fire with a Fire Staff or Darts from a safe distance. The Fire Staff also causes a slight sanity loss, meaning that Willow can weaponize insanity and fire to her own advantage.

Bernie will still taunt Shadow Creatures when any other player is nearby and insane. In addition, Willow still gains sanity near fire and can still cook with her Lighter.

Already in the game. The first one is useless unless you want to get rid of the Shadow Creatures by gaining sanity back (if you attack them they will start to attack you after a couple of attacks). The sanity gain near fire is a must, cooking with the Lighter is a neat feature early game, but you won't miss it after you set all the cookware and gained a Lantern. Players love that item because it is Willow’s Item, but it is not that great as a late game item even with infinite durability. (Unless you are playing Adventure Mode. An infinite torch is pretty useful in Adventure Mode.)

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #180

“why don’t presidents fight the war, why do they always send the poor?”

Do you study anything? If so what? Not currently.. Listening to music? What’s the opening and last lyric of the song? "From her throne of skulls rules our queen of endless might / and lead us the the kingdom of chaos where the dark hearts forever dwell" ("Dark Mother Divine" by Dissection). Are you a fan of sci-fi? Neutral. What’s your favorite musical? Musicals make me cringe. Have you ever taken an underwater picture? No. What was your favorite color when you was little? Has it changed? Red, and then pink when I learned it was its own color. It's still pink. Are you a fan of cheesecake? Omfg no Ever been on a ride and hated every second? I don't believe so. When was the last time you jumped? And why? biiiiih I have no idea. What color is the floor in your bedroom? Tan. Who’s the last person that slept over at your house? Sara. What color is the hair on your arms? Very light brown. Favorite color eyeshadow? Black is the only way to go. Do you have any friends that you’ve known for 10 years or more? Yeah. Who was the last person that cried in front of you? Did you do/say anything to comfort them? My niece or nephew, because we were leaving, and yes. Who was the last person you cried in front of? Did you feel embarrassed about it? Mom, probs. No. What was the last compliment you received from someone of the opposite sex? My psychiatrist said I was doing well with improvement or something. Does the person you love/like have any pets? Yes. Are you satisfied with the way your life is right now? No, things need to begin changing. Do you wear socks to bed? Who the fuck does that. Do you actually love your parents? Yeah. Do you like being in a relationship? Yeah. Do you prefer the tanning bed or the sun? I don't tan. Are you taller than your mum? I think she's like, a half inch taller than me? What’s something you want to purchase next time you’re at the mall? If it has a Hot Topic, some band or graphic t-shirt. Do you prefer regular or diet soft drinks? Regular, as the artificial sweetener in diet inevitably gives me a headache. Tastes awful, anyway. How long do you need to get to know someone, before you’d think about having a relationship with them? I think this depends on how quickly and deeply you click. Would you ever consider going to meet up with someone you started talking to online? Already have, would meet more. Have you ever wanted to be on American Idol? When was this? No. Do you have any friends you’d trust completely with your life? Sara. Are you failing any classes you’re taking in school? N/A Name one song lyric from your favorite song of all time? "In school, I would just bite my tongue, and now your words, they strike me down. The flags are false and they contradict, they point and click which wounds to lick." Do you know anyone who owns a pet chinchilla? Are they fun? No. Do your parents trust you alone with members of the opposite sex? Yeah. What is the most visited website you have listed right now? I'm sure it's YouTube. Do you enjoy singing? Why or why don't you like it? Sometimes, but I suck at it. Have you ever been in a talent show? What was your talent? No. Do you have a best friend who is of the opposite sex? No. What’s one song you’re definitely getting sick of at the moment? I don't listen to such songs once they get old. Do you know the full anatomy of the human body? Why or why not? No, because I've never specialized in studying it in its entirety. Have you ever cheated on a significant other before? No. Does your boyfriend or girlfriend have a pretty smile? ACTUAL SUNSHINE What is your favorite past-time or hobby? Why is this your favorite? Gaming, 'cuz it's the best escape from reality imo. Are you committing a sin at the moment? Which one? Sloth. Always. What do you consider being the worst curse word? I don't believe in "curse" words. Do you like kissing lightly better than just making out? I mean I'm pretty sure anyone would reply with "it depends on the mood." On average, how many songs do you listen to in a day? No clue. Sometimes many, sometimes none. Do you ever buy your pet(s) birthday or Christmas presents? Yes. Do you still own any VHS tapes? Do you ever watch them? Mom probably has old home videos. Otherwise, no. One thing you promised yourself you’d never do and then did? Not trying at all to be dramatic, but I seriously did promise myself I'd never risk loving someone again after Jason. Have you ever had to call 911? No. Have you ever rolled off your bed in your sleep? No. Do you get along with your significant other’s friends? I only know Tiffany, and she's great. Do you enjoy board games? No. What is the most expensive gift you have ever given someone? A promise ring. Describe your socks. I'm not wearing socks. I hate them. Do you believe in yourself? Sometimes. Do you feel bad when you kill bugs? Usually no... sadly. I should. If it was like a butterfly and insects of that sort, I'd feel awful. What is your favorite planet? Saturrrrrn. Do you have any pets that you had since you were born? No. Do you own anything that you had when you were a baby? Yes. Are you one of those people who are always cold? No, I'm like, permanently hot... Do you enjoy Mario games? Not especially. Things like Mario Kart though are fun to play with friends. Describe your signature: Legible but written waaay too slowly. What are some of your favorite card/board games? Battleship, Scattergories, Clue, Magic: The Gathering, uhhh... Do you own a gaming console? Which one? PS2, Wii, broken PS3 that I wanna get repaired, GameBoy, Nintendo DS Lite. What is the name of the last bar you went to? Never been to one. Do you follow any sports teams? No. How old were you when you attended your first concert and what was it? Ummm 17-ish? Alice Cooper. Which one of these words describe you the best: stubborn, impatient, hot-tempered, lazy, arrogant? Lazy. How about these: compassionate, forgiving, altruistic, honest, open-minded? Compassionate. If you had to choose one activity to do for 10 minutes, would you rather jump rope, hula hoop or hopscotch? My knees are baaaad, so all I really could survive is hula-hoop. What's the last TV show you watched, and do you relate to any of the characters? Ash had Naked and Afraid on at her house, but I related to neither contestant very much. If you had to compare yourself to one character from Friends, who would you say you're most like? Never really watched it. What is one movie you saw only once because you hated it so much? None solely for the reason of not liking it. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged? THAT WOULD BE MY MOTHER UM LEMME THINK NO. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust? None. Nightmares ruined my dad to a degree I don't think I can completely recover from, even with how close we are. Out of absolutely nowhere, I had another one that resulted in me jerking awake and literally giving out a short scream. I feel in my heart I should fully trust my dad and that his image is wrongly affected by my own fears, but I'm not very sure how to change that. Ever used a bow and arrow? Not a real one. Favorite Taylor Swift song? Fuckin FIGHT me "Picture To Burn" SLAPS. Give me a song that is underestimated/not well known: "Possession" by Otep. Otep songs in general. Does everyone in your family have a job? I'm the only one who doesn't. Name a reason you would most likely go to jail for: Probably killing someone when defending a loved one from being physically attacked, and there won't be enough evidence to show that I did it as defense or that going that far was justifiable. I have actually worried about this lmao. What kind of car did your parents have while you were growing up? A blue and then tan van, and Dad had a series of old, tan cars named Frida the Cheetah I-III. :') Do you tie your socks together or roll them up? Roll them up. What was your last bad date? I don't think I've had a bad one... Do you ever wish your birthday was on a different day? Yup, 'cuz it's occasionally Superbowl Sunday. What holiday would you want to have your birthday on? BITCH HALLOWEEN. Have you ever gone snorkeling or scuba diving? No. If yes, what’s the coolest thing you’ve seen? N/A What’s your favorite filling in chocolates? Fudge. When’s the last time you had a s'more? Some time after Sara's visit in June when we had some stuff left over. Does your best friend have any phobias? ... How am I blanking. I know some of her fears, but they're rational. Do you prefer the taste of lemon or limes? Lemons. What would you name your firstborn son? Probably Damien, or Severin. Do you cook anything you don’t like eating? I don't cook. What’s the last picture you colored? One I drew. What is the cheesiest way a guy could propose marriage? M'kay, it's always a man who proposes, I'll take note. But regardless, idk. What’s the first instrument you ever played? A recorder. Do you have an attic? A small one. Have you ever lived in the country before? My whole life. Do you drink coffee every day? No, I hate coffee. Have you ever stayed in a suite? No. Do you take good pictures? Sometimes, though I suck at manual mode because it's hard for me to tell when things are *perfectly* in focus. Have you ever been in a tornado or hurricane? Hurricanes. Do you have any bookmarks in your internet browser? If so, how many? Four. Do you know anyone in the military right now? I believe so. What’s your favorite show on Comedy Central? Don't watch it. How old is the oldest person you know? Uhhhh... late 80s? Early 90s? Do you usually go to sleep before or after the people you’re living with? Varies. Which band has the best name, in your opinion? Cradle of Filth is badass. Which one of your exes do you feel like you have the most chemistry with? Have, none, had, Jason. Do you like where your house is located? No. What’s the best hotel you’ve been to? One right by the beach. Are you into designer clothes? Nope, forget those prices. The only I plan on buying something from sometime is Cloak out of relentless support for The Man and The Apprentice. Have you ever done any internship? No. What’s your favorite store? (other than Hot Topic) Do not attack me like this. But anyway, Rebel's Market. What do you think about tattoos on women? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA fuck you. Have the cops ever gotten onto you for anything before? No. Do you have a Myspace? And if so what is your screen name? It probably still exists, and idk. Do you have a YouTube? Yeah. Facebook? Yeah. Gaia? Idk what that is. Bzoink? No. What email thingy do you use? (yahoo, gamil, rock) Hotmail and Gmail. Do you own a cellphone? If so what kind is it? A Shitty Samsung™ Do you have a digital camera? What kind is it? A Nikon D3200, but I'm hopefully getting a new Nikon or Canon soon. This camera's just about toast. What is your most common typo? Ummm. Idk. I don't make many now as I have to type slowly on this annihilated keyboard. What happens now is just not pushing down hard enough, so I wouldn't really call them "typos.' What kind of computer do you have? My actual one is a Sager, but the one I currently have to use is an Acer. Do you have an iPod/MP3 player? Yes. Literally had it since the beginning of middle school. What is your favorite video game of all time? Silent Hill 2 for story, Shadow of the Colossus for gameplay. For overall, they're pretty much tied. Have you ever played Call of Duty? No. Do you play games on the computer? When I get the Sager fixed... How many doors are in your house? Windows? Doors leading outside, I'm guessing? Two. Windows... at least eight. Nine? Most are small, though. Do you have any posters on your walls? Of what? Metallica, a unicorn at therapy being told "you need to believe in yourself," Homecoming-styled Pyramid Head, Marilyn Manson, Illidan from WoW, Silent Hill 3, Jack Skellington, a music one, and meerkats. What kind of bed do you have? (fouton, twin, bunk) Queen. Is your bed comfortable? Eh. Where is your computer located? I only have a laptop. Other than a closet, do you use a dresser/wardrobe to keep your clothes in? I have a dresser. How many mirrors do you have in your house? (other than hand-held) Uhhh two? Do you have a garage? No. Should you be doing anything right now? What? No. Do doctors or dentists make you more nervous? Doctors. Did you ever think you were about to die before? Ha, in the fourth grade when I was writing my DARE paper and I accidentally stabbed my freshly-sharpened pencil into my left palm... I thought it was lead so I ran SOBBING to my mom about how I was going to die lmao. Then after I ODed, I acknowledged there was a possibility, but I didn't care to think about whether I lived or died to like... think either one. Have you ever really had a near-death experience? Was it cool? "Was it cool." Fuck off. There's no such thing as a "cool" way of almost dying. Anyway, I got in a car accident when I was young, but Mom's driving saved our ass. I don't know if you'd classify the OD as near-death... I apparently didn't take enough to where a certain ingredient became heavily toxic or something, plus I was fucking drowned in fluids to counteract the amount I did have in super quickly (or something like that), so I didn't really experience an "I'm dying right now" fear like I did when I saw the wreck coming. How often do you brush your teeth? Once a day. How often do you shower? (Come on, tell the truth) Every other day, or if I'm being lazy, I go an extra day and regret my decision. What body type do you have? Um not skinny help. What kind of nose do you have? It's kinda little. Are your eyebrows thick? Normal. What color eyes do you wish you had? A more sapphire blue. Do you have fat lips? I'd say they're normal. Do you have a long neck? No. What are your views on abortion? Ultimately, when all things are considered, pro-choice, but I believe in avoiding abortion as well as you can. Like, just getting one solely because you were being sexually careless is a no from me, but like, if pregnancy and/or bearing a child would be an incredibly difficult feat for you emotionally and/or physically, you have the right to put yourself first. Gay marriage? All for it. What different types of churches have you visited? Catholic and Christian. Who would you want to be the flower girl at your wedding? Aubree, buuut I doubt her dad would allow it considering there's a high chance I'm marrying a woman, and he's homophobic as all hell. Do you want to be married within the next ten years? Ideally. What group are you most active in on Facebook? I'm only in one, a WoW group. I rarely comment on anything tho. Are you ashamed of anything? Yes. What were your favorite Disney rides as a kid? I don't really remember them. What were your favorite rides at Cedar Point? Never been. Have you ever owned a succulent? No. Favorite type of tea to drink in the fall? I hate tea. If a brand were to sponsor you, which brand(s) would you prefer? *shrugs* Have you read the entire Bible? No. Do you make bucket lists for each season? No. What is the next hobby you want to start? I'unno... I guess I'd like to get back to reading. Do you dye your hair regularly? No, it's not something I can afford, especially because I want complex color combos. What makes you depressed? Thinking too much about my current life issues, above anything else. My brain confuses depression and boredom a lot, and I'm bored plenty. Loved ones being hurt or upset, and sometimes thinking about the future. Do you think you could ever be famous? Nooooo, I absolutely do not want that. Do you think you have what it takes to make it big in the entertainment biz? Definitely not. What industry is it that you want to go into? Art. Do you have a job now? If so, what is it? No. What are some jobs you’ve had in the past? Sales clerk/associate. What are some jobs you want to or would like to have? List five. Photographer, zoologist, archaeologist, meerkat biologist, artist. What are some jobs you have considered? Archaeologist, vet, movie director, game designer, movie editor, and now zoologist and photography. What are some health problems you have had in the past? That I don't still have? Lots of ear infections, high cholesterol, insomnia, and talk about embarrassing, but last year I had this random span of premature nighttime incontinence... that fucking sucked. What are some of the best medications you’ve ever had? The Latuda + Lamictal combo is one of the biggest reasons I'm still alive. What is your favorite vitamin? I don't have one. Have you ever made money off of YouTube? No. What was a video you watched over and over as a kid? OH MY GOD so Nicole and I watched "Before He Cheats" covers (why idk????) and she found this one of a girl lip-syncing along to a super sped-up version and we found it stupid funny. Have you ever experienced depression as a side effect? Yes; I have both bipolarity and depression, but taking anti-depressants while also bipolar ramps your bipolar symptoms the fuck up, so of course my times of depression were soooo much worse than they were supposed to be. Have you ever been suicidal as a withdrawal symptom? No. How old were you when you started wearing glasses (if applicable)? Some time in middle school, I think? Have you ever been told you have an accent? As a kid I really did; when seeing my NY relatives, they would always point it out lmao. Now I think I only super faintly do and it's only slightly noticeable with some words. Actually at the reptile con in Illinois, after a bit of talking, a girl I met asked if I was from the U.K. because apparently she detected a faint trace of B r i t i s h? Describe the last situation in which you had to give up on an individual? I've gone back and forth with Colleen so many times that I feel anyone who reads these knows the story. What are some things that cause you to abandon association with someone? Shoving opinions in my face, arrogance, disinterest in our relationship, closed-minded, just to name a few. When was the last time you made a new friend? Ha. What is the most unusual thing within your general vicinity? Ummmm I'm not sure. Maybe my python, as she's a morph? What are some things you enjoy that not many others do? Writing, reptiles and amphibians, conspiracies, looots of snow, foreign music, watching others play games, uhhhh. Are you one who considers preserving your past important? In some ways, sure, but not a lot. Focus on the present and aim to create a future better than your past. When was the last time you had some sort of a meltdown? I'm not sure. Some time last month, I think. When was the last time you were super busy? Psh. I'm never busy. Not always a good thing. What is a quality someone might not assume you have? Serious impatience. I don't think I hint towards that weakness until like, you see me in a doctor's office. What was the last thing you did that was healthy? Got a good night's sleep. What was the last thing you did that could harm your health? Drank soda oops. Do you know anyone who self-injures? Not in the present, I believe. Have you ever had to reside with an individual who had a mental disorder? Mom has depression.

[ohhgingersnaps]

Oooh~ 10, 13 (if you want to), 15, 16, 28, 30, 35. Feel free to cut any for brevity if you want! I'm very curious about 30 and 35 though~

From the writing ask meme here!

10: Has a piece of writing ever “haunted” you? Has your own writing haunted you? What does that mean to you?

Oh yeah for sure! I'd categorize "haunting" as like, a good piece of writing that sticks in your mind for years because it engenders neutral or negative emotions, such as melancholy, horror, or shock. It could be in an unsettling or negative way, or in an awed "oh that really punched me in the gut" kind of way.

To be clear, haunting often does make me happy, because the horror/gut punch is generally the point and that's what I'm here for, but... You get what I mean. Like, I think about Jurassic Park all the time but I wouldn't say I'm haunted by it in the same way I am by, say, Ray Bradbury's There Will Come Soft Rains. Hauntings can be negative, too, though; there was one cannibalism scene in Michael Crichton's Airframe that made me feel physically ill, and it wouldn't leave my head for several weeks.

My own writing hasn't ever haunted me, in this sense. It has haunted me in the sense that I look back at some of the stuff I wrote in high school and go, "Wow, I sure am glad I've grown as a person since I wrote this!"

13: What is a subject matter that is incredibly difficult for you write about? What is easy?

It's difficult for me to write two characters being physically intimate, I guess? I don't even mean proper citrus-level shenanigans, even things like making out or UST are tricky to navigate. It's less of a technical thing, and more because I grew up in Southern Baptist I Kissed Dating Goodbye culture, and then deconstructed on that, so now that my personal boundary isn't "hide the kissing, we can't let people know we find other people attractive," I have absolutely no idea where my line should be in writing. Like, okay, Sebastian is very fixated on how Ava is licking her ice cream cone. He is memorizing some things, maybe. Normal! Valid! But is intentionally including it too overtly sexual? How much can I crank up the UST here before it becomes Sin (TM)? Before it becomes uncomfortable to the reader? ... Anyway, someday maybe I'll be able to write Robin making a "wrap it before you tap it" joke without immediately stressing over whether Jesus or my friends will judge me for it, or whether I'm still allowed to take communion later that day.

It's super easy for me to write about things that I've personally experienced! So in my current WIP, Ava gets a burnout recovery arc. Leah gets to recover from an unhealthy relationship that involved significant boundary violations. Sebastian gets to make out with his superhero crush overthink everything, vent about how terrible duck typing in Python is, and play 5D relationship chess in his head with someone who's playing the Mii Channel theme in hers.

15: Do you write in the margins of your books? Dog-ear your pages? Read in the bath? Why or why not? Do you judge people who do these things? Can we still be friends?

I don't do any of these things, but no judgement on those who do! I don't feel a need to keep books pristine, unless they're borrowed-- I tend to throw my own books in backpacks/purses with total disregard for what else is in there. I buy most of my books second-hand, anyway, so they're usually not in great condition to start with. Wrinkly pages do bug me, so I try to avoid getting them wet, but I'm not like... Careful lol

I've tried writing in the margins of my books before but generally speaking, I can't do it. I love marking up academic papers, but books feel too permanent, so I tend to take notes in a separate notebook, rather than on the page itself.

16: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark?

This is a tough one because I'll literally use anything nearby that will fit between the pages as a bookmark. My old Nintendo DS? A hair tie? The packet of crushed red pepper that I got from the Papa Johns delivery last night and left on my nightstand? All of these are fair game. (I guess I'd categorize the DS as the weirdest one, though.)

28: Who is the most delightful character you’ve ever written? Why?

This is so hard because I love them all, but uh... Genuinely I do really like writing the protagonist of my current fic (Ava) the best, I think? This might just be because I've gotten to know her more than any of my other OCs, but I'm really attached to her. She's angry! She's stressed and burned out and has some survivor's guilt! She bottles her emotions and is bad at social cues! She's incredibly impulsive and fun to write, as is her superhero alter-ego, The Phoenix (she's beauty, she's grace, but actually she's feral and full of rage and will burn you if you look at her or her two friends wrong).

Honorable mentions are Ingrid from my post-apocalypse fic (she has such excellent chaotic energy!) and Leon from RF4 (he's entirely earnest, but he pretends to be joking, which is really interesting to work with, and him messing with Forte is always a treat to write).

30: Talk to me about the role dreams play in your writing life. Have you ever used material from your dreams in your writing? Have you ever written in a dream? Did you remember it when you woke up?

My dreams actually play almost no role in my writing! My dreams tend to be totally disconnected from reality, and they don't have a complete or meaningful plot. Like, the most interesting dream I've had recently was about a stealing neon-colored statuettes from a weird shop in Paris (the shop was a cave and the statuettes were in little holes in the wall, how fun!), except my brain skipped the actual heist part. Instead, I spent most of the dream wandering cobblestone streets, looking at churches, and arguing with my co-travelers about when we should leave to catch our plane.

A surprisingly large number of my dreams over the past few years have been about packing or traveling logistics. That probably says something about me as a person, but idk what it is.

35: What’s your favorite writing rule to smash into smithereens?

Show, Don't Tell. I think there's a time and a place to use both showing and telling! They can both be incredibly effective. You've just gotta be strategic about when you use which technique.

[vgoccasion]

Reader Mail November 2017

Welcome to the first edition of Reader Mail! Thank you to everyone who wrote in with a question for me. Let’s get started!

VGO: Thank you for writing in James! Please take my answer with a large grain of sea salt, as I am not well-versed in World of Warcraft or MMOs in general.

While I think it is easy to categorize anything that Activision does as a cash grab (they are a profit-motivated publisher after all!), I think that the introduction World of Warcraft: Classic begs for deeper analysis. Blizzard telegraphed this move back in April 2016 when they shut down the largest private server, Nostalrius, which itself was a fan operated instance of vanilla WoW. Blizzard acted completely in its rights to stop that fan project (which violates their copyright) and start their own in-house Classic or “vanilla” WoW servers makes sense. Clearly there is a market of players who are nostalgic for the game in its much simpler form. (Sourced this information from an April 11, 2016 article on Polygon.com: “World of Warcraft fans bid farewell to largest legacy server before shutdown” by Allegra Frank)

As someone partially addicted to Hearthstone, I would love a third “classic” or “vanilla” ladder to check out that would limit players to cards as they existed at launch. I imagine that less sophisticated WoW fans may feel the same way. I trust Blizzard to make experiencing WoW: Classic extremely simple. Having not played more than 6 hours of the game in my life, I am not sure that I could find or access Nostalrius. So this sounds like a win for accessibility at the very least.

My train of thought next moves onto the track of game archival and history. I am only cursorily aware of efforts to keep other deactivated online games up-and-running on private servers. As more games become online services, it will be important to empower someone to preserve games on backup servers so they can be studied for historical context and inform the budding game developers of the future.

This phenomenon popped up just recently with the news that Sony and Altus would shut down the online servers for Demon’s Souls next February after 9 years of supporting the game’s online aspects. That game has spawned its own subgenre of action game (“Souls-like”). Exploring early experiments in game design that have had measurable impact on industry trends is crucial. Demon’s Souls online innovations included showing locations where other players perished and allowing people to leave cryptic messages and warnings for each other. These mechanics have continued on in FromSoftware’s Dark Souls and Bloodborne games, but soon curious players will lose the ability to explore their origin. This news acts as a reminder that games reliant on an internet connection are far less permanent than their offline, physical counterparts.

With a game as old as World of Warcraft — it turned 13 this November— the differences between the basic experience of 2004 and the version available in 2017 must be gargantuan. It is one thing to read about the quality of life changes or watch videos of the game in its original state, and wholly another to actually get hands-on with it and experience the flaws and differences yourself. If just for the sake of game archival and education, I am glad Blizzard is creating Classic servers in-house.

Overall, I think the move is primarily public relations management to try to appease fans who may feel alienated by the closure of private WoW servers. This story nicely echoes Nintendo stepping in to shut down Another Metroid II Remake, better known as AM2R, shortly before announcing the game at the center of this month’s issue, Metroid: Samus Returns, Nintendo’s own remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus. So, cynical cash grab? Only to the extent that protecting one’s copyright and providing a service people have demonstrated demand for can be labeled cynical.

VGO: I have indeed played a small amount of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. The game does a great job of replicating the surface-level appeal of the series. The music, character design, and dialogue all drip with charm. I got serious flashbacks to my time with the GameCube and DS iterations of the game from the title screen alone. I cracked a huge smile when K.K. Slider greeted me at the start of the game.

Nostalgia and aesthetics aside, I have a fundamental problem with the game’s premise, which has held me back from truly enjoying it. The furniture sets all include couches, dressers, chairs, etc. and while I think the design of each set is visually interesting, it feels extremely strange and stupid to set all of this real furniture outside at a campsite. The items you can craft in this game belong inside a cute house. Period.

Dumb gripes aside, I think the nightmarish memes the game has created in its first week of full release point towards the creativity (and unsettling mindset) of its audience. I hope the game grows over time. The game feels incredibly casual, and I could see myself checking in on it from time to time.

The worst sign for my future with the game is that I already find my interest in logging in on a daily basis waning. The core “gameplay” loop centers around a series of checklists, timers, and meters. None of the mechanics show depth enough to interest me in fishing or bug catching for the challenge, as there is absolutely none.

Overall I would give the game a hesitant recommendation, just to experience the quick spark of joy that comes from exploring a new Animal Crossing game. Sadly, that spark failed to grow into an inviting campfire worth gathering around.

David O.: “Query: Have you an opinion on the new Battlefront game, and what do you think of all the negative publicity around it?”

VGO: I will start answering this question by alienating a large amount of my potential readership: I am not that big of a Star Wars fan. I think 5 of the 8 movies are good. I find the lore and universe interesting, but I don’t think it is the coolest shit of all time. So as a nerd with a less than passing interest in the franchise, I would have been happy to ignore Battlefront II and let it sell like gangbusters.

Sadly for the three development teams behind the game (Dice, Criterion, and EA Motive) the press cycle prior to the game’s release consisted almost entirely of stories focusing on outrage over the predatory loot box design in the game. The entire controversy is too lengthy to present in whole here, but online complaints won the day and EA announced they were putting the microtransactions on hold until further notice. This news story acted as a major distraction from any positive buzz the game may have generated.

In terms of the actual reviews, it seems like game has received mixed reception with some reviewers disparaging the quality of the much touted (and John Boyega requested) single-player campaign. Alternatively, some Star Wars fans have been effusive about the quality of the multiplayer and the outstanding detail of the game’s visual and audio design.

The negative fan, consumer, and press reactions have directly impacted EA’s wallet. The game’s UK sales were reportedly 61% lower than its 2015 predecessor in their respective first weeks. The game still hasn’t broken into Amazon.com’s “Best Sellers of 2017 in Video Games” list. The poor sales and backlash against the loot boxes has caused an 8.5% month to date drop in EA’s stock price, costing their investors $3 Billion in value (according to CNBC).

Call to Action Time!

December is Game of The Year month, and I would love to hear everyone’s personal anecdotes about how they played games in 2017! Which game grabbed your attention the most? Which game surprised you? What are your games of the year? Write in by tweeting your answers @vgoccasion or emailing them to vgoccasion@gmail.com. I need your help and input to make each issue of Video Games! (Occasionally) great.