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hamliet · 4 years ago

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Hi! Do you think any of the live adaptions next yr will be as big as the untamed? (Thinking of Hyx/2ha, Spl or Tyk)

I’m not the best person to ask about this, as I pay less attention to markets, but I’ll offer my limited thoughts with a grain of salt.

I think 2ha is already fairly popular as a novel, so if the drama is of decent quality, I can see it being very popular. I don’t think the story quality is up to MDZS’s, but it’s about on par with the quality of The Untamed’s verson, and without the triggering elements--which will be censored--it might draw in even more fans. Plus, the two main actors were literally cast from a fan video, so they are already clearly interested in what fans think. And one of the main actors--Luo Yunxi--is already a pretty big deal in China from what I know, which will help it, and Arthur Chen/Chen Feiyu is American, so there might be crossover appeal there.

The posters themselves have.... not subtle symbolism, so I hope it’s a sign they will follow The Untamed’s style of adapting the “bromance” wherein I would call it so blatant it isn’t even subtext, yet still passes censorship. I hope the same for all three. But HYX is definitely the one I’m looking forward to most!

I personally have not read Priest’s work, and that’s unlikely to change, so I’m not sure I’ll watch the latter two; shows are in general not my favorite medium so I gotta be very motivated to watch them, and every plot summary I’ve read of her works seems to hit at least several major squicks--which isn’t to say they’re bad (from what I hear they’re great) but to say my taste might not set me up for enjoying them. Plus, the... elitism I’ve seen from the fandom is a major turn-off for me, which is not to say I don’t think her works are very valuable as they clearly resonate with many people and are likely literary but not my thing, and not to say that every fan of hers is like that--many friends are huge fans of her works!. It’s just not for me. I do however wish luck to the dramas and hope they are great for fans.

As for SPL, I would echo what I said about HYX. I think it’s fairly popular and the most well-known of Priest’s works besides maybe Guardian (at least, insofar as I’ve heard in my small circles). I’ve heard of it as much as I have 2ha, so I’m guessing it’s close to that in terms of how well-known it is? So I think it will do well as long as it does a decent adaptation! Again, as with 2ha, the quality will absolutely matter. TYK I hadn’t heard of until this ask, but if the author is also Priest, I’d say the same as SPL, and if either comes out first and does well, that would also help the second to do well too!

#ask hamliet #hao yi xing #2ha

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onelichtwolich · 5 years ago

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GET TO KNOW THE BLOGGER.

can be used for RP && non-RP blogs to get to know a bit about the person behind the screen

1. FIRST NAME: Alex

2. STRANGE FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: sometimes i can walk in dreams, sometimes i can’t, sometimes it changes halfway in the dream. i guess that’s not that strange but idk.

3. TOP THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE ON A PERSON: cute/pretty smiles are good yes, lipstick, long pretty hair. i have v femme taste. that said, i’m not overly physical, so this is a question that gives me a bit of pause.

4. A FOOD YOU COULD EAT FOREVER AND NOT GET BORED OF: pizza!! im known for this in my family. it’s my birthday meal every year.

5. A FOOD YOU HATE: mashed potatoes and gravy. yes, there is a backstory to this and no, i can’t stomach gravy in literally any context. ugh.

6. GUILTY PLEASURE: trying to discard the “guilt,” as cringe isn’t real, but i’m apparently a sucker for dating sims.

7. WHAT DO YOU SLEEP IN: usually just a t-shirt and underroos. rn, it’s my creepy deer “Welcome to Night Vale” t-shirt.

8. SERIOUS RELATIONSHIPS OR FLINGS: no. not rn.

9. IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN THE PAST AND CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE , WOULD YOU AND WHAT WOULD IT BE: mmm, i dunno. most of the traumatic stuff about my life i couldn’t control or change, so there’s kinda no point. plus it might change the present too much.

10. ARE YOU AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON: natch. <3 v much so. come from a v affectionate house.

11. A MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN: moana. <3 always brings me comfort and peace.

12. FAVORITE BOOK: “good omens: the nice and accurate prophecies of agnes nuttter, witch” by terry pratchett & neil gaiman. i collect different copies and editions of it and it’s held me together since i was 15.

13. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP ANY ANIMAL AS A PET, WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE: i’m good w my baby Deemsy. she’s the best kitty in the entire world. i have no need for any exotic pets. <3

14. TOP FIVE FICTIONAL SHIPS ( IF YOU ARE AN RP BLOG , YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN SHIPS AS WELL): blupjeans, taakitz, davenchurch altho literally just Let Merle Have Every Boyfriend, ducknerva, i rly like rainer/fitzroy but idk if there’s a ship name.

15. PIE OR CAKE: pie is superior in every way baybee. never 2 riched out by a pie.

16. FAVORITE SCENT: bubblegum w a hint of cinnamon. one of our candles growing up smelled like this and i think abt it constantly.

17. CELEBRITY CRUSH: regina spektor got me 2 realize i was into girls and still represents a lot of my Taste even 14 yrs later.

18. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU GO: it’s always Disney World. i just love it so much even tho i get overwhelmed LMAO,,, either that or a TAZ show... i’ve also always wanted to go to the San Diego Comic Con.

19. INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT: introvert but a lot of ppl say i have an extroverted side or i just need to be around the right people.

20. DO YOU SCARE EASILY: that would be a yes; i have an anxiety disorder, chief.

21. IPHONE OR ANDROID: iphone, baybee.

22. DO YOU PLAY ANY VIDEO GAMES: ya. mostly Pokemon and the Sims. excited 2 play Animal Crossing a lot too tho and i have played over 100 hrs of Undertale, of course.

23. DREAM JOB: mmm, dunno. author? disability rights activist? probably.

24. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A MILLION DOLLARS: make sure my family and friends are well taken care of, help ppl who are struggling, prob make way too many geeky purchases.. buy a highly accessible house to live in..

25. FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU HATE: nnnnot a fan of Jasper from “Steven Universe,” though her role is important.

26. FANDOM THAT YOU WERE ONCE A PART OF BUT AREN’T ANY LONGER: “Superjail!” the adult swim cartoon. yyyup LMAO.

tagging YOU... stolen from the lovely @spiderstaff

#ooc #meme

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virtualmc · 1 year ago

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YOOO thanks for the tag, dude!

Okay let's see...

• Starting off strong with MLP. My mom used to love the ponies back in the 90s so ofc i got introduced to FIM in the 2010's (Friendship is Magic/Generation 4)

• Monster High, because again, my mom introduced me to it. Was obsessed with the movies and characters, even had a heck ton of dolls! Draculaura was (and still is) my favorite MH character.

• Gotta get the indie game fandoms outta the way so, FNAF. Ah yes, a classic. The game i found through a literal Just Dance back in 2017 and what paved the way for discovering-

• BATIM. (Smooth transition, i know) Lil' Bendy darlin' and all his absolutely terrifying inky friends was what made me so interested in 1920-30's rubberhose animation. Alice will forever be my favorite...alongside Sammy Lawrenc-

• Cuphead! The OTHER indie game that came out the exact day BATIM chapter 2 did, that got me really invested in animation and 30s culture. Loved Casino Cups and absolutely FREAKED OUT when i heard the game was getting a show on Netflix. (One time i even spent like a week animating eyelashes and a skirt onto mugman in several clips of the show, lost it tho.)

• Which not-so-smoothly transitions over to BBIEAL! Or uh, Baldi's Basics. This silly little shitpost of a game is my comfort and therapy, i'd die for these characters tbh. Love everything about it and found Kindly Keyin & VOAdam through it! (The comic dubs was a phase in itself honestly.)

• UNDERTALE. God DAMN i love this game, and it's no wonder why- i mean, come on, it's Undertale. Lovable characters, a heartwrenching story, the biggest fandom Sans-astrophe ever, etc. I took this quiz once (or twice) where i found out that my soul trait would be Patience, the cyan soul, and yeah. Makes sense.

• UNDERTALE: YELLOW. okay, okay, i'll keep this short. This is a fangame, i repeat, FANGAME for Undertale that came out a few days ago and i am in love. Check it out PLEASE if you love Undertale, you'll love UTY aswell.

• Aaand moving swiftly away from that, let's talk SONIC THE MOTHERF- HEDGEHOG. I finally caved and got into this 30 yr old franchise back when the 2nd movie had just come out in uhhh 2022? 21? Either way, best decision i've ever made. Was actually really into Sonic.EXE before this, which leads me to-

• My Creepypasta phase! Yes, i still draw the operator symbol on my wrist sometimes DON'T JUDGE ME. But this is actually one of the first fandoms i joined! having found Smile HD and Rainbow Factory at a wayyyy too young age, i got into so many more iconic pastas over time.

So those were the big ones, now's time for a speed-round!

• Tattletail, loved it. Best game ever, there's literally a full analysis video about it on YouTube as to why.

• Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss, found HH back when the pilot got uploaded and just sorta kept up with HB.

• DSMP. Yup. It was popular and i found some really cool youtubers through it. (*cough* TommyInnit *cough*) still have my L'manburg flag hanging on my wall.

• Yandere Simulator. it was genuinely fun and interesting, sucks the creator's such a creep. But on the bright side, i found Kubz Scouts from it! so i'm glad i had this phase.

• Danganronpa. Found it through Kubz Scouts, got a little too into it lol (it was fun though)

• Found the magical world of TikTok aesthetics and got into Weirdcore, oh how i love surreal chaos.

• Just recently got introduced to the mechanics and world of felt puppets, think Sesame Street or The Muppets.

• Also animatronics! Think 70s Chuck-E-Cheese, The Rock-a-Fire Explosion, and so on.

• This ain't a phase but SPACE. God how i love the endless, deadly and terrifying void filled with unexplainable wonders that we're floating around in. Astronomy in general tbh.

• Game Theory, science and researching. Need i say more?

• Roblox. It was a huge part of my childhood (AKA 2017 uptil' now) and i will forever love the website and many memes it has spawned.

Alrighty, that was all i could think of for now! Let's see... who shall i tag... (yeah, i really don't have a lot of friends, do i?- welp, let's see who responds lol)

@louniey @unassumingtherizinosaur @grimnlucky

New tagging game I wanna start

My love phases in my life because of my favorite childhood tv shows/other reasons:

• Dino loving phase because of Dino Dan (I still love dinosaurs. T-Rex’s and raptors are my favorites)

• Apple loving phase because of Applejack from MLP

• Animal loving phase because of Wild Kratts (I still love both of them)

• A spy loving phase because of Kim Possible

• Science loving phase (I don’t know the reason. Maybe because of Twilight Sparkle)

• Magic loving phase (And I still do)

• Ninja loving phase because of TMNT 2012/LEGO Ninjago

• Barbie loving phase (just anything Barbie)

• Vampire loving phase because of Mavis

@dead-dog-dont-eat @drama-glob @corffee @enbydemirainbowbigfoot @thebluebafoon @cjandxenaxenomorph2 @fictionalfish @askgemtale @it-gal888 @sparklijam @gloomycherub-mysterious @tranquil-slaughterhouse

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amisbro · 5 years ago

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Point of View: Shining Live 1 yr later

(I considered making the “Point of View” part just “PoV” but ehh...here we are) Been a while since I have done something like this but it is that time of year when Shining Live is going to have an Anniversary and its my first full year officially with the game...this is why its being called “1 year” and not 2 so that we can get that out of the way. Yes this IS the first full year officially that I have had Shining Live installed coming up and that actually happens around the middle of the month which is always an interesting time. Its interesting because its timing is LITERALLY going to be around the following Aniversaries “Stand my Heroes” “Idolish7″ and then of course “Shining Live” To say the VERY LEAST this is going to be a brutal month for me just when it comes to mobages because the funny irony here is that I haven’t been playing really ANY of them that much right now. I think I play “Heroes” more on and off and I played i7 like 3 times But the big one (and the focus of this piece) is Shining Live...where are we nearly a year on from the time we came back to the game? There in lies the problem See when I first started playing Shining Live originally back when the game came out in English in January of 2018 (ironic when you think about when I started watching the Anime like 4 years earlier) I actually had a lot of fun with it and was enjoying it for the most part. I think I only really had one time I uninstalled it and that was brief because of the fact that DST had come up last year and I didn’t feel like playing the events at 1 AM in the morning ET. Okay that’s only a half truth...one of the other reasons I stopped playing the game at that time (and completely wiped my old account) was because at the time I had actually spent $$$ on the game which I was not proud of. Yeah at the time I had gotten one of my favorite Photos in the game (”Aqua Crystal” Camus) but after what happened I refused to keep up the account because of the fact that I didn’t like what I had done. At that time (after fighting the damn game and Google) I completely wiped out the account and eventually started over Here is the kicker about what I just said I had started the game in January but come early March I had deleted it completely. I could tell we were going to have a weird relationship When I eventually came back to the EN Server this was sometime in August and when this happened we were getting ready for what would come to find out to be the final two chapters of the main story with the last one eerily enough being on September the 11th! I had thought that in October we were going to get a new chapter but it was around then that they were making a few changes with one being the “3 pull Birthday Boxes” and the other being they were adding “Collection Events” which now meant the month was going to be hell for anyone that wanted to play every event The thing was that now you had 1 Set List event 1 Collection event And they were still going to do “Score Battles” too...matter of fact this month is #19 which makes things interesting especially with what they brought into the game earlier this year I think I was wiling to flat out give a pass to the idea of NOT having a story part for October because they were introducing the “Collection Event” and doing the update to the Birthdays...surely November would go back to normal right and they would double up? NOT QUITE! For reasons that I can’t fathom STILL the game’s final story update still remains 9/11 and the thing is that ,while I know its only a minor group of people, (including myself) that have started looking at their story passes as they go up and up and up with nothing to use them on it gets to the point of “Why Bother?” Why bother playing a game (even for the “reruns” that came up) when the company is just trying to distract you with the fact that they haven’t done a story update in almost 1 year and not explained (when they should have and no apologist can tell me otherwise) why in the God’s Name the game has not been updated as far as the story content. Oh but they DID manage one thing recently Because of an issue (which from my understanding only a small # of players got) the video ads have been disabled and they don’t know when they are going to come back...CUTE! Alright to be fair... If the ads aren’t working for one group of people and they do for another then that gives an advantage when it comes to LP hoarding later on so it DOES level the playing field in THAT respect...not in the respect of “Pay to Win vs. F2P” despite the fact that in Belgium they have discontinued ways to buy certain things because in that country they made Lootboxes illegal (NOTE: I am fully aware that there is almost nothing in SL that is considered a “Lootbox”. You MIGHT consider Gachas “gambling” but even then that is a stretch especially with the changes that were made to the Gachas recently...putting that out there) Now think about this November December January February March April May June July And now August It’s been damn near 1 year since we have had story content in the game and yet the fandom has been so trained to accept the fact that the story mode has all but been abandoned. In this time we have had Renewals for B-Project Idolish7 got a Part 4 AND had like 2 Lives (and I own one of them already) TsukiPara has had its 2nd Anniversary Oh and Stand my Heroes ,A3! and i-Chu have had Anime Projects announced along with Season 2 of Idolish7 for next year Do ya get it or nah? Like forget the fact that Shining Live has given some of the most paltry of rewards for the # of days you played the game but its just so funny to me that when you try to explain to people “This ain’t right!” They have become so conditioned to the fact that the game has issues with keeping people’s interest to the point ,and this is hysterical, where I got people on my twitter timeline that legit start showing how many story passes they have saved up because its been that damn long OR they now start making a hashtag about whenever they see a HEAVENS member pop up in the game at some point (I’m talking about when they show up on the Duet covers) You know this is funny that I am writing this because of the fact that there was a fan project or whatever you want to call it where I had been shown a link to “apply” for a position on the staff and I outright refused because honestly the fact of the matter was that I had gotten so frustrated with Shining Live that they couldn’t handle my honesty...PERIOD! No joke on tweets that the “Shining Live” twitter put out I QT’d them and let my feelings be known about the fact that they haven;t done anything for the people that don’t care about the flood of events we have and we just want to play the story (and have HEAVENS added too but I’ll take “story” at this point) and honestly it cost me a friend...oh well...pack up and move on Here is the reality and it smacks you in the face as we nearly are up to September I am going to hang around this game for as long as needed because all I want is to see when they are going to add to the story...might be announced for something in the Anniversary or it might be legitimately the 1 year anniversary (that would be creepy) but I think people deserve to hear how frustrated a person can be when you have a progression wall and you just can’t move on and its not because of your level or being out of story tickets but its because of the fact that a company is so infatuated with MONEY that they have basically said to the people that might not care about that to go dunk! Now I will say this Does this year of frustration hamper my enjoyment of UtaPri? No not really...there is a scene I saw from one of the PVs from MLKingdom that kind of Skeeved me that ,no matter how it gets explained away to me, its still creepy af and I have seen things on the a series about the “Deep Web” that made me cringe but you know how it is. I think its time that people understand that people are allowed to be frustrated ,pissed off or however they want to feel about the game. I wish more people would “get it” and understand but sometimes it feels like you are talking to a wall and that’s not fun! It just makes you miserable because trying to explain WHY you haven’t touched a game in a good long time and not being able to have a genuine conversation so you don’t walk away more pissed off than you already are is just not cool...at least playing “Mirror’s Edge” is FUN frustration and this just makes you want to pull your hair out! I’m morbidly curious about what is in store for Shining Live for 2019-2020 and here is hoping that come the time that we get to this point NEXT YEAR its a bit more of a pleasant experience My name is Amisbro...and this is my “Point of View”

#Amisbro #Point of View #Shining Live #1 year of frustration #hopefully next year is better

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pastelbatfandoms · 6 years ago

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Fanfic Asks

1. What was your first fic and could you stand to reread it today? It was a Sailor Moon one titled Save Our World I wrote it on a bunch of loose leaf paper and I mean I wish I could still reread it but the Binder it was in disappeared after I moved out of My Dad’s years ago. along with all My other Sailor Moon Fics and Drawings....Still abit Bitter over that anyway...It was about Sailor Saturn saving The World because Moon couldn’t,it was ok but I don’t think I needed to describe each and every Sailor Scout that showed up lol The ending Battle was cool though.

2. What’s your most recent fic and how far do you think you’ve come? That I’ve published on here My AHS Apocalypse Story ‘Half God/Half Devil’,That I haven’t Published on here yet,My Freddy Krueger Story ‘The Dream Lovers.’ I think I’ve come far in certain aspects but I still think I was a pretty good writer at 13 yrs. My Stories are more Mature now but they do at times lack the imagination My older one’s had.

3. In your opinion, what’s your best fic? My ‘Wells of Hearts’ one from The Flash

4. In your opinion and without looking at any numbers, what’s your most popular fic? My WWE ‘Cat and Mouse’ Fic.

5. Is there any fic that makes you super happy to reread and remember you wrote that? Besides Wells of Hearts, My TWD One ‘Kings and Queen of Disaster.’

6. Is there any fic that makes you super embarrassed to reread and remember you wrote that? Nope

7. What’s the fic you most want to continue (unfinished or no)? ALL OF THEM lol They’re are Two I will probably not finish though because of Lack of interest and lack of Music Videos. My Teen Wolf one and My Gotham one.

8. What’s the oldest (longest since last update) fic you most want to continue (unfinished or no)? Wells of Hearts

9. Have you ever written for a fandom without watching/reading/playing the source material? No,I have to have inspiration. and watching or reading the source material is the best way to get inspiration and reading Fanfics!

10. Have you ever written for a fandom without reading other fanfic for it? No

11. Have you ever written a fic for a concept you know someone else has done before? How did it impact your writing process or feelings after posting? No that’s almost plagiarism...maybe when I was younger and didn’t know better.

12. Have you ever written a fic and decided never to publish it? Why? My Sailor Moon Fics and Older WWE/WWF Stories just because I never typed them up or posted them to anything until now.

13. What’s the biggest change between your style when you started in fandom and today? I’m WAY more of a Smutty Fan Girl lol

14. What’s the biggest change in your taste between when you started in fandom and today? ^^ That

15. Have you ever purposefully written one fandom/fic idea over another because you knew it’d be more popular? Maybe idr

16. Have you ever stopped writing a fic/for a fandom because it wasn’t receiving enough attention? Yes

17. In your opinion, what’s your most overrated fic? My Shane Mcmahon one’s...lol

18. What’s your most underrated fic? Everything else! lol jk My Wells of Hearts Story and My Dean Ambrose one.

19. If you had to pick one fic/scene/chapter of your work to describe your entire portfolio to a stranger, which would you pick?

20. Have/Would you ever rewrite a fic? If yes, would you take the original down? Nah

21. If someone starts kudosing and commenting your fics in a spree and has a few works of their own, would you go look through theirs? Yeah if by some Miracle that actually happened!

22. Has there ever been anyone who’s made you freak out because they read your work and followed/favorited/reviewed? Nope

23. What’s the nicest review you’ve ever gotten? On My unfortunately now Dead Gotham Story ‘One Hell of a Butler.’

24. What’s the meanest review you’ve ever gotten? Do you think the reviewer intended it? None

25. What constructive criticism, however well-meaning, always makes you feel bad when you see it in a review?

26. What aspect of your writing do you most enjoy to see praised?

27. If you could only ever write crossovers or single-fandom fics ever again, which would you pick? Single Fandom.

28. if you could only ever write for a single crossover or a single fandom again, which would you pick? Um yeah not happening. Maybe WWE...

29. Does the division of your writing across fandoms line up with your reading? What’s the biggest discrepancy?

30. Do you continue to write for a fandom after you’ve moved on or do you focus solely on the new one?

31. Who’s the one character you’ve just never managed to get perfectly right? Robert Englund’s not the easiest but he IS a real person lol

32. Who’s the one character who shines without you even trying? Eobard Thawne

33. Is there any particular character whose scenes always wind up being longer/more frequent than you expected? Does the quality hold up? Yes with Eobard and yes I like to think so.

34. Was there any fic that you wrote that really surprised you in the fandom reaction? Was it just by the numbers or did they take it an entirely different way?

35. Have you ever written a ship into a fic without meaning to? No

36. Have you ever sincerely written a ship you do not support into a fic? No

37. Have you ever purposefully bashed a character/ship in a fic? No

38. Have you ever purposefully written something you know your readers would find uncomfortable/would not enjoy? If yes, why? um No idk

39. Do you consider yourself to have a readership?

40. Do you feel like you put out enough content? lol No

41. If you cross-post your fics on multiple sites, do you have a favorite? Are there certain fics you would only post on certain site?

42. How many views has your most popular fic gotten? Cat and Mouse. Pt 1 has 60 notes,pt 2 has 88 Notes and pt 3 has 56 notes!

43. Your least popular? Surprisingly My Harry Potter one ‘A Perfect Distraction,’ It only has 1 Note! C’mon guys I KNOW they’re are Lucius Malfoy Fangirls!!

44. Do you follow/favorite/kudos/comment/review more stories than you have received? No

45. If you had to call yourself an author of a single genre (besides fanfic) what label would you give yourself? Smut lol

46. Do you consider yourself a diverse author? um sure

47. If someone you know in real life who isn’t involved in fandoms asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? Yes. depends on what they like. but probably My Riverdale one ‘Mughead.” It’s the most pg.

48. Does anyone you know from outside of fandom know you write fanfic? Are they involved in the same fandom too? Yep and some

49. Has anyone in your life ever read your fanfic just because you wrote it? Yes My Mom

50. Has writing fanfic had a significant impact on your life? Would you say it’s entirely positive? I think so.

Also here’s My Masterlist

#fanfiction #survey #noes #riverdale #the flash #wwe fic #twd fanfiction #ahs fanfiction #ahs apocalypse

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crystalnet · 7 years ago

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Top 5 Zelda Games

Well fuck here we go. This is going to be extra hard as far as my Top 5 lists this month go because of the sheer consistency across this franchise. Outside of a few titles that leave some fans less than totally thrilled like Link's Adventure, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, most titles in this series could conceivably recieve a perfect score depending on what kind of fan you are. And then even those 3 games could probably be argued somewhat convincingly for as well. And yet, we all have our preferences deep down, and in my heart of hearts I know my favorites. As a disclaimer, I'll just admit upfront I'm committing a cardinal sin by not including Ocarina, Majora's Mask OR a Link to the Past in my top 5. For many fans, that is heresy, but I quite simply didn't grow up with those titles and despite playing them later have never done the formal revisiting that I still owe them. So while things could change, this is how it stands now. So alas, let's get it started off right..

1. Breath of the Wild

I'm going to be unoriginal in a way many fans will probably be going forward and some already are in that I'll just go ahead and throw all my support/fandom at this most recent title. Yet even for as hyped this thing is among fans, it's still a somewhat bold choice. How could the latest entry in a three-decade old series be the best? But it's pretty easy for me to pin-point why. It shakes up a lot of things in the series, especially the console ones while also adding in a lot of new mechanics inspired from recent triple-A mainstream games, all while basing the structure and openness around the very first tile of the game, and still retaining almost all of the tropes that make a Zelda game a Zelda game, while even re-energizing them as well. Instead of 4-8 big isolated dungeons, we essentially have 120 mini-dungeons scattered across the world. And the proper dungeons are excellent in that they are puzzle-box style, in the way some of the best Water Temples have been in the past, and that's the best kind of dungeon as far as I'm concerned. Then there are additional mini-gauntlets and trials scattered throughout the world like the special shrines such as Eventide Island, mazes or the deceptively deep Hyrule Castle. Also at play are the deep physics of a game like Portal with the emergent game-play and stealth of MGSV, the tower-system of Far Cry, the intensity and combat and a similar weapon system of/to Dark Souls and the openness of any number of AAA open-worlds. And yet it's largely more open than any of those due to the non-linear structure of the game, which is a call back to the OG. All of these elements are curated and designed cohesively and coupled with new mechanics like the engaging weapon-breaking and collecting system, a deep survival-horror/farming inspired cooking and crafting system, and a completely new sense of challenge compared to the other console games.

Things just really came together on this one. I could wax poetic about it until the cows come home, but it's quite simply a game that contains a multitude of ideas and systems that are the best I've seen in my 20+ years as a gamer. On top of everything is an excellent visual-style that helps make a rather complex game and world endlessly accessible and playable, and a lovely soundtrack to boot. It's quite simply a game-changer in every sense of the word and make me very happy to be a Zelda fan. There’s something really special about how weak and relatively unprepared you feel when you start off compared to the end when your rocking multiple Guardian spells, dope weapons, wands and bows and killing Lynels left and right. Plus it's not even over yet-- DLC for the win.

2. Skyward Sword-

So my second one is a less unanimously hype entry, but for me it's one of the most playable Zelda games, and that's largely because I enjoy the motion-control so much, though I could see why some might consider it a bit gimmick-y though. For me it largely works and helps make this game the most kinetic-feeling Zelda game, along with the added stamina gauge and the Loft-wing flying (yep, I even like that). Combat in Windwaker and Twilight, while still being decently fun, can feel very cut-and-dry not to mention easy (though TP does end up getting deeper by way of sword techniques), but the fact that they were able to innovate the combat in this way so that the player themselves are truly holding the Master Sword in a way that Twilight only hinted at is a true success.The deeper item-collecting and bug-hunting along with the weapon upgrading make this one feel a lot deeper in terms of customization compared to the console games prior to this. And I also love the side-questing in this one which makes nice usage of the day/night-cycle. Even though the world-map could have been a bit more expansive, there ends up being quite a bit to to in and around Skyloft so that there's always stuff to entice you off the beaten and admittedly linear path.

The level and dungeon design is also ace, and even though it lacks a proper Hyrule Field area or expansive open-world- feeling between the actual terrestrial locales, for my money, the environments are infinitely more fun to explore and well-designed than much of the somewhat barren-feeling Hyrule of Twilight. All of this combined with fantastic music and my favorite visual style of any of the Zelda's and we have a winner. There’s just something about the gestalt of it all, the over-all package, that really come together for me. Lot’s of personality, beautiful locales and designs, fun questing and NPCs, great dungeons and unique new elements like the Loftwing-riding, motion-control and level-design make it an easy win. Also: Groose and Fletch ftw!

3. Link's Awakening-

My first Zelda, and so one for which I have a lot of nostalgia. While other kids were having their mind blown by OoT, I was getting deep into this one, and that's just fine with me. This entry is like what Majora's Mask was for Ocarina except for Lttp in the way it tweaks a classic entry, presenting a weirder more fantastical take on a perfected formula. I also like this tropical island-y feeling for Zelda as opposed to the more strait-forward medieval-feeling world of LttP and it hints at the take on Zelda found in Windwaker. It is also rather light-hearted and from what I gather is the first time a Zelda game featured its now standard sense of humour. On top of all the solid dungeons and exploring to do (and a bonus dungeon included in the deluxe GBC version where you could attain a red or blue tunic), you have a cameo by Yoshi and Bow-Wow, a photo-shack, magic powder that helps transform a man trapped as a raccoon back to normal, 8 magical instruments, mermaids, a big trading sequence and a Wind Fish, all culminating in the revelation that Koholint itself is an island dreamt up by the Wind Fish himself (or is it..?). Yeah this game is bad ass. It also feels like the most Nintendo-y Zelda game in a way that Windwaker and now BotW also do in a way I can’t quite explain but has to do with the bright cartoonishing fantastic setting and aesthetic. And I'd catch a lot of flack for this, but for my money, this one's even better than LttP, but you didn't hear that from me.

4. Windwaker-

LA isn't the last time Link would be so naval. Besides just sailing to Koholint, the hero takes to the seas once again in this title, and this time its actually a central part of the game. The big innovation that this one adds to the mix-- the sailing, charting and island-based exploration-- is the thing that makes this game so special. This is a huge departure from the strait-forward maps of older games, making the world that much more open and mysterious while also calling back to the grid-based exploration of the 2D titles in the way that each sector of yr map contains at least one island, so that it effectively combines the sense of openness and perspective you feel exploring a 3D Zelda Maps with a grid-based map like the old games. And while there could honestly be a bit more going on in this world, there's still a wealth of side-content, and while exploration isn't as seamless or incentived as it would be in BotW, there's still something really great about setting off to wander around the big blue.

Beyond the fun of slowly filling up your map and controlling the wind to reach yr destinations, or just wander, the game is an aesthetic delight, sporting the vibrant cell-shaded graphics that ignited fan-boy wars the world over, while also making tons of die-hard fans of the style at the same time. It's presentation is quite simply gorgeous and would be an inspiration for BotW's look later. Beyond the unique and bold style, it's a joy to play, with some really solid dungeons and some of my favorite side-characters in a Zelda title (Medli and the bard guy). The last 2 dungeons are especially stellar, and the Celtic/Irish inspired music are as delightful as the visuals. While I rank this game pretty damn close to Twilight, it ultimately comes out on top because I like the over-all gestalt of it more. It has great flow and feels less linear, and the world is decidedly more engaging and packed with personality. Plus this is the only Zelda game that feels like its a blast of Vitamin-C in video game form. It's an all-around win.

5. Twilight Princess-

A few years ago I might have told you this one was my favorite, but that was before BotW kind of changed what we can come to expect from a console title. I now value innovation in this series more to than I used to, and since innovation might be this game's weak-point, it has suffered in rank slightly, but I'd be damned if I didn't still love it. While the only thing that is truly "new" to the series in this one is a wolf form (and Majora already had transformation mechanics in spades), it is otherwise an excellent take on the mythology of Zelda. In some ways, it is the most strait-forward high-fantasy take on the series, in many ways repeating a lot of the aesthetics found in LttP and OoT while playing up the "western high fantasy" aspect of them even more. In this way, this game has begun to ring just a bit hollow. It's just a bit too bland to be a top 3 Zelda. For all the nice touches like Midna's charisma, the nicely dark atmosphere and story and the expansive map, there is also something slightly under-whelming about it and that's why even though it's still one of my faves, its the last one here. The main reason it still makes it though is that it is still simply one of the most solid and consistent Zeldas. The visual style, though a bit tame, is excellently realized in many ways, especially in the remaster, with brilliant lighting and unique realism that we haven't gotten again in a title before or since, and which seems to aim at being the Ocarina of our minds, instead of the polygonal one we actually played in the way it presents a kind of deeper, more up-to-date take on that world, while being a bit less unique.

The true x-factor though are the dungeons. I think this may be the most dungeon-y console Zelda of all time in the way that there are 8 of them, tying only with Ocarina for amount-- and they are largely very excellent. Some of my favorite dungeons like the Ice Mansion, the Sky Temple, the Lakebed Temple and the Temple of Time are sprinkled throughout this epic adventure, and these dungeons don't mess around. Again, they don't especially add much to the mix, but instead present an undeniable take on the infectious Zelda dungeons we have come to know and love (Though the mansion is a very unique environment). And that's why I think it feels like this game isn't messing around. Sure there's no game-changer like a sailing or bird-flying mechanic, and truly controlling your sword wouldn’t actually come until Skyward, nor does it boast being a full overhaul like BotW, but what is there is some classy-as-hell, tasteful Zelda-style gaming, not to mention it’s Dungeon-crawler’s heaven. The side-quests in later console games would be much improved and more fleshed out, and that's another weak-point when compared to Majora/WW especially, but the main game ends up being so substantial and rewarding that it doesn't matter. Truly a Zelda for all my dungeon fetishists out there. And, yeah, Midna rocks. 'Nuff said.

runner-ups:

6. Oracle of Seasons- Still need to play Time but this was an excellent follow up to LA put out with the help of Capcom. An imaginative world that is a departure from Hyrule just like Link’s Awakening/Majora’s mask. Fun season-changing mechanic, the magical ring-mechanic and cool characters like the flying bear Moosh and the wizard Ralph make for a great Zelda outing (damn that disruptive Witch thief).

7. Zelda 1- it’s dope. maybe over-hard by today’s standards but this thing is sick so what it is and how it plays as an early example of a non-linearly structured open and immersive fantasy world. Back in ‘87 you had to crack out the manual to find the 1-800 number Nintendo provided to people looking for hints because of the difficulty of finding your way to and into all the dungeons, but for those who followed the included map, this thing proved to reveal itself to one in time. Super fun, and the classic Zelda dungeon blue-print arrives fully and brilliantly formed. And this thing still holds up because of these dungeons, along with the freedom and engaging non-linearity.

Ones I need to get around to playing ASAP: The Ocarina and Majora remasters on 3DS as well as Link Between Worlds apparently. Need a 3DS. Zelda II-- should give it a crack. Should re-play LttP also...~

#zelda #top 5 #legend of zelda #gaming #nintendo

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