#this is the best action i’ve seen in ages . games

[fllnrdr]

So… I have a lot to say about this post I saw on my feed today. I took screenshots and blocked out the username for the sake of the OP. I didn’t want this to be a callout post for one specific user, and do not wish them any hate or harm. I DO have a whole heap to say about this and the treatment Charles gets from the rdr fandom as a whole, not only the OP in the screenshot.

I have a lot of problems with this post, and I have been wanting to talk about this issue and pattern I’ve noticed in the rdr community. Again, I do not mean to send any hate in OP’s direction or suggest that OP is racist in any sense. With that being said…

It’s an inherently racial stereotype to assume that Charles, a black and native man, is illiterate with such a lack of evidence or real reasoning behind it. He was isolated for most of his life after the age of thirteen, and he’s been with a gang for only six months. He is very private, and he is shy. He doesn’t talk much at all, much less about reading. I have never seen this sort of assumption made about any other character, claiming they’re illiterate, because they’re never seen reading at camp.

This is the most ridiculous take I have ever seen. Charles is the one who buried Arthur with his own two hands and created his gravestone. He was the only person who knew where Arthur was buried, hence being the sole creator of Arthur’s final resting place. Charles’ handwriting is the one we see on the gravestone. Charles is the one who wrote the inscription on the cross. He is not illiterate.

I think a problem I have with a lot of Charles fans is that they see him as a blank slate. They see Charles, a physically attractive man, who is quiet and take him for that alone. He is often seen as a blank canvas to project their own ideas onto and sort of mold to their own use and convince. And often times, whether knowingly or not, Charles is consistently watered down to racial stereotypes. Race is obviously a part of who he is, and it affects a lot of his actions, as it does with everyone, but that is not all who he is.

Charles is clinging to the fringes of what little of his culture that he does have. His mother was taken from him as a boy, and he holds onto what little he does have and that absence of his mother, and both of his cultures (because people also tend to ignore the fact that he is also black) is a huge part of who he is. But a lot of folks would rather see his shyness as blankness. He is not levelheaded, but he is moral. He is not always morally correct though. It’s frustrating to constantly see who he is being ignored for the sake of the false persona that’s been created for him.

I think a lot of folks need to listen to the one dialogue of Charles opening up at the campfire. Yes it is a relatable speech for a lot of reasons, but it is also about his race, how he experiences the world, and how he feels as though he has no place because of the loss of his mother, the lack of knowing who he is, his culture, and a whole host of other things. He is one of the best written characters in the game, and to brush that aside to make him into this ‘softhearted super caring ideal s/o’ is so frustrating. This is the same man who was ready to kill Uncle if the need arose. He is moral, but they are morals of his own, and he is not always correct. He is also flawed, just like everyone else. He is not a saint. He is a flawed and conflicted man.

To disregard Charles for who he is, is such a great disservice to the character and to all the work put into him, his story, and other people who have and continue to share the same experiences as he does.

[sahonithereadwolf]

Can I tell you about the very queer game I made this Pride?

In A World That Hates and Fears You, Living Becomes an Act of Rebellion.

Exceptionals is a game inspired by X-Men about and for the spaces and communities marginalized peoples make for themselves. Play as a Geno, one of little less than 0.5% percent of the population that has gone through a mysterious process called Claremont-Simonson mutation, as you try to navigate a world that won’t make room for you. Exceptionals is a game about what the mutant metaphor means to you and the different lenses through which we view it. Punch back and build something of worth together in this narrative tag-driven tabletop role playing game. 🧬Features Open-Ended Character Creation🧬 Mix and Match between (23) open-ended but guided protocols. Answer questions to create high concept and unique super powered characters where the only real limit is your imagination. Get invested in who you make as a whole person, and not just a set of powers. Build a Community 🧬Create a living and dynamic community space full of colorful characters. 🧬 Grow your base as an anchor for other geno and help fill it with the resources they and you need. Understand how your actions effect others and gain trust through the bonds mechanic. It’s a game where you get stronger by growing your community and heal by being part of it.

🧬Comic Book Storytelling 🧬 Play as a creative team of writers and editors working to tell the best version of the story you can over time and storyline-based experience to model changes of the status quo and creative direction. Enjoy panel based action pacing and the ability of characters of all power levels to coexist and carry the same amount of story weight.

🧬Not Pain Tourism 🧬 While Exceptionals offers a number of places to push back, we understand and recognize that the most important part of a punching bag is that you choose to hit it, even if it’s not at all. We recognize not everyone gets to set the issues that the mutant metaphor is used to talk about down when they leave the table and offer many ways to tell stories outside of a lens defined by pain. We also put an emphasis and mechanical weight on the importance of joy and celebration. 📚You can buy the Core Book here:📚 https://bramblewolfgames.itch.io/exceptionals 📚You can buy the Expansions here:📚 https://bramblewolfgames.itch.io/exceptionals-expansion-bundle 📚You can buy the bundle with everything here:📚 https://bramblewolfgames.itch.io/exceptionals-expansion-bundle I didn’t go out with the intent of making this a very queer game. Not explicitly. I started making games because  I got frustrated waiting to feel seen or acknowledged. Another game got me mad about using my peoples stories to be transphobic, to be racist, to be ableist. Nevermind my people have more than two genders traditionally and faced a genocide. That was too much for me. I said this was enough and the quite indignities I suffered to feel included wasn’t worth it. I could do better myself.  So I set out to make a superhero game. I hated just about every comic book game on the market. It never seemed to capture what I did like about big hero comics with high concept storytelling and powers and couldn’t care less on a mechanical or narrative level about who this person was outside the mask. More focused on bashing action figures together and golden age pastiche that doesn’t really reflect the decades of character and genre developments that have happened since then. I later found games that do it better, but I was dissatisfied... I chose x-men for the homies. I’ve always been an x-men fan. A lot of people my age were. My first action figure was one of rogue I got at a garage sale, where she then went on to fight many a play-dough monster. But for many of us it was the first place we were allowed to be heroes. There are no natives on the 90′s x-men team. But I had uncles and older kids all too eager to tell me about Forge and Warpath (I hate that name) and my favorite Dani Moonstar (I ain’t the biggest fan of that name either, but she’s the closest thing mainstream hero comics have to a good NDN).

After that, things just kinda flowed from there. The X-men have such a focus on community. It’s “comics greatest soap opera”. It can be messy, complicated, beautiful and life-affirming all at the same time. They take the time to play basketball, go to the mall, and have birthday parties as they grow. Two of my favorite x-men comics aren’t about fighting at all. One is framed around a sleepover some students have, and another is about a wedding and framed around everyone filming their part of the wedding tape.

So I started thinking about the communities I’ve been a part of. A big core of the game is informed by my time and the people I met in these sort of spaces. As a native, as a queer person, as a disabled person I’ve been both someone who needed them and someone who gave back.

Which suited x-men just fine. X-men has cared about that sort of thing from about X-men #3 with the first appearance of The Blob, establishing it’s tone of sympathy and mutants as a minority analog.

I just kept going and I didn’t stop. And apparently I did a good job. Someone out there has been using my game as game-therapy and community outreach in a gender health center out in California. I got a lot of kind words for the game too (which is good, because I spent 3 years on it).

KUDOS

-As featured on; io9/Gizmodo, Kotaku, Listen to Theses Nerds, Team-Up Moves, Yes Indie'd Pod, Team-Up Moves, and The Voice of Dog -#1 Best Seller and Popular on Itch.io in both Analog & RPG Games, Sept 2021

Listen to the Team-Up Moves AP Here!: https://teamupmoves.com/runs/exceptionals "Exceptionals is a beautiful, brilliantly designed superhero RPG. It's truly a masterpiece, and if you haven't checked it out, do yourself a favor." -@PartyOfOnePod

"This thing COOKS, Sahoni doesn't just tap into the queer/minority readings of mutants, but also ties in the weirdness that really gets my mind racing when it comes to X books." -@froondingloom 

"A refreshingly different game, that strikes a good balance between unlimited player freedom and solid guiding handrails. Really gets at the full potential of what the ;mutant outcast heroes' genre should be about: found family, building communities, and lives lived to the fullest despite being lived in defiance." -@guywhowrotethis 

"The whole game oozes love for its inspiration while also going further than they dared...." -@Phoenix24Femme

"Astonishing! Uncanny! All-New! And all other X-Adjectives available. This book gets why one would want to play the Mutant Metaphor in an RPG. It cleverly weaves the power fantasy of powerful individuals with the drive to do good for one's community. It's well-researched, well-written and, well, so much fun to play! This is the superpowered game I've been wanting for a long, long time. I can't wait to tell an Exceptional story of my own!" -@Kokiteno Team-up moves even made a recommended comic reading list. It has some of the best x-men has to offer and then some. It even includes that  New Mutants comic with the sleepover. They read me for filth and I love it.

I hope you play my game too. I hope you like it. I hope you tell queer stories and build community around you. I hope it’s messy, complicated, beautiful and life-affirming all at the same time. Thank you for reading this. Please reblog if you can as well as share it with x-men and rpg fans in your life.

[pellaaearien]

Hey so here’s a really mean Sandman thought I had...

I just finished reading The Kindly Ones for the first time. (Yeah.) And I must say, it was a very interesting experience from the perspective of someone who both watched the show first and has also been hanging around deeply into fandom enough that I’ve absorbed spoilers/meta/whatever else surrounding the end of the comics before reading them to draw my own conclusions.

Now I have. And I think I’ve come to some interesting ones.

First off, naturally, Neil Gaiman has written the ultimate tragedy. Everything comes full circle, every decision made with the best possible intentions has the worst possible outcome, and it was always going to be this way. It’s a masterstroke, and as I read I was less sad than admiring at the completeness of it, the way everything slots into place so neatly.

Ever since I spoiled myself for the ending (which I’m glad I did,) I’ve read quite a bit of Kindly Ones meta. Many words have been spilled around the subject of “if someone had just SEEN what was wrong...” but MANY people did! Fiddler’s Green. Matthew. Nuala. And, of course, Hob, who Dream walks out on - again - because he’s being too perceptive. Again.

I was also reading the book with the foreknowledge that this is all an elaborate suicide plot on the part of Dream. After all, as Death says at the end, “the only reason you got yourself into this mess is because this is where you wanted to be.” And, later, when Dream says he has made all the preparations necessary, “You’ve been making them for ages. You just didn’t let yourself know that was what you were doing.” To which Dream replies, “if you say so.”

So we have lots of people saying lots of things about Dream, but what do Dream’s actions say for themselves? Because I must admit, reading the book knowing how it was going to end threw a lot of those assumptions into a new light.

Let’s go back to the conversation with Death. Dream says: “I did not plan this, my sister. I had imagined that I would be able to keep events here in check. I intended to play a waiting game, in which, ultimately, no harm was done.”

This I believe. One of the things that never sat right with me was Dream sitting back and letting his creations suffer, if his intention all along was to destroy himself. I don’t believe that’s in character for Dream in any incarnation.

What was Dream’s motivation? Dream is tired. He says so himself. He’s been tired for a long time, probably even before his imprisonment and having to basically remake the Dreaming and since then he hasn’t had a moment’s peace, what with Season of Mists and Orpheus and everything else. I think meeting Daniel planted the seed in his mind, that there was an out. As Death says, “...the stuff you do. Where you do it, and you won’t even admit to yourself it’s what you’re doing.” 

Meeting Daniel was that moment for Dream. Someone who could take over his responsibilities in the Dreaming. He can’t just walk away, like Destruction and Lucifer. That’s not who he is. I think Dream’s plan was to wait for Daniel to grow up some, and then... something. ??? profit. Maybe he would’ve gone to the Fates himself and taken their punishment for Orpheus. (Because he does, as Nuala astutely points out, want to be punished for Orpheus).

BUT, Daniel gets stolen while he’s still a baby. So Dream sends Matthew and the newly-remade Corinthian after him. Lyta, meanwhile, instigates the Furies, so now they’re on a ticking clock.

(I don’t, personally, think that Dream freed Loki with the intention of setting all this in motion, but that’s up to reader interpretation.)

Dream makes preparations. It certainly seems like he’s making peace with the fact of his death. He visits Nada (a small boy in Hong Kong), does a census of the Dreaming, acknowledges his servants, feeds pigeons, examines his properties in the waking world, and reviews various treaties and agreements to which the Dreaming is subject. He is responsible. He’s getting his affairs in order in case things don’t fall the way he expects them to.

When his Griffin is killed, Dream tells Furies: “I can create another, who would not even know that it had ever died.” Cold, perhaps, but very in keeping with the type of backwards kindness we’ve seen from Dream throughout the series. He also says: “This is my world, ladies. I control it, I am responsible for it. You with neither destroy it nor will you destroy me.”

The last part, as we know, is simply true. The Dreaming can be restored endlessly, and even if the facet known as Morpheus is destroyed, Dream will continue. But it’s the first part that’s significant. I control it, I am responsible for it. That part says to me that he would not allow his creations to suffer. He is responsible for them. And yes, he could restore them with a thought, but why bother? If he’s trying to get himself killed, why doesn’t the story just end here and now? With the Furies and Dream alone in his throne room?

Clearly, he’s waiting for Daniel. He can’t allow himself to be removed without a successor in place. Once the Furies leave, he immediately calls Matthew for an update. Matthew comments on how cold Dream sounds - he’s feeling the pressure.

Fiddler’s Green is killed. Does Dream say “I can create another?” No. He immediately goes in search of Lyta, to hopefully negate the wrath of the Furies. A stopgap, as the Furies would find another avatar in time, but Dream is taking action. He is not passively letting his doom collapse around his ears.

He’s foiled by Thessaly (all my homies hate Thessaly). While they are estranged exes, Thessaly admits that protecting Lyta from Dream was “not entirely” to hurt him: she struck a deal with the Three for a bit more life. Hurting Dream was an added bonus. She knows Dream well enough that he won’t break the rules in order to kill Lyta.

Dream is visibly upset by this. He won’t break the rules, but Thessaly’s actions (and his own, by extension) mean that more destruction will be wrought in the Dreaming. Lucien takes him to task for it:

Lucien asks why he isn’t restoring the things the Furies destroyed, but it makes sense to halt the source of the destruction first, rather than needing to fix things over and over again. Dream is at a loss. His plan was foiled and now he has no way to hold off the Furies. And Daniel is still missing. He could summon his sister right now (as he says, “by his own hand or another’s”) but that would leave the Dreaming in disarray, and he won’t do that.

Now to add Nuala’s summons into the mix. While Death will later point out that yes, Dream could have rejected the summons, I think it’s important to remember that he does actually try, at first:

“I must most earnestly beseech you...” That is begging. That is literal begging from Dream of the Endless, and it doesn’t stop there.  “You do me a disservice, Nuala,” Dream says, after Nuala quotes his promise back to him. He tries to get out of it! But Nuala won’t let him, throws his words in his face, and thereby seals his fate. Because Dream of the Endless, if nothing else, keeps his word, follows the rules. As he says later: “If we did otherwise, we would not be ourselves.” 

He can’t just leave his realm like Destruction. He can’t ignore the rules and kill Lyta anyway. He can’t go back on his word and reject Nuala’s summons. If he did that, he would no longer be Dream.

So, he sets Daniel up in his new role as best as he can with the time he has left, and then he takes his sister’s hand to prevent any further damage to the Dreaming. Death accuses him of planning the whole thing, and perhaps that’s true. Perhaps he saw where the pieces were laid on the board and manipulated them to his advantage. I certainly don’t deny that ever since Orpheus he had intended to take himself out of the picture, one way or another. But I truly don’t think he meant for it to happen like this. I don’t see him as a cold-hearted chessmaster, forcing himself into a corner until he has no way out, with his creations’ existences hanging in the balance. I think he had a plan, and tried to stick to the plan as best he could, as the true tragedy spun into place around him: it was always going to happen like this.

Are y’all ready for the mean thought?

Because thinking about it this way, if truly all he wanted was a way out, he could have expedited the process at any point. As I hope I have shown here, to the contrary, his behaviour reads to me as someone who held out until the absolute bitter end, until he literally had no other choice. What are we to make of this? On the one hand, we have Death’s accusation about  “...the stuff you do. Where you do it, and you won’t even admit to yourself it’s what you’re doing.” Maybe that’s true. Death knows Dream, and knows what she’s talking about.

On the other hand, we have a scene, way back at the beginning, with Hob. (Hob who, incidentally, doesn’t seem all that surprised to see Dream outside the confines of their century meetings, given that he thought their toast during Season of Mists was a dream, but I digress.) (Dream also goes to see Hob the instant there’s any inkling of trouble, again, as he does in Season of Mists, but I digress a second time.) And Hob is, as in 1889, too perceptive by half. As Dream is walking away, Hob says:

“You take care of yourself.”

What if Dream went to Hob, knowing his friend, being perceptive, would guess that something was up?

What if he just wanted to be reminded that someone cared whether or not something happened to him?

He gave Hob a promise that he would take care of himself. And so he did, in the face of overwhelming odds. (Odds that he may or may not have set in motion himself, true, but that just makes it more extraordinary.) Until he couldn’t any more. Until taking care of the Dreaming took precedence over taking care of the aspect, Morpheus.

Because Dream of the Endless always keeps his word.

[rune-rambles-art]

Okay I have to yell about Koleda Belobog Zenless Zone Zero because I feel like I love her in a very specific way that I haven’t seen a lot of people talk about. More under the cut because I have,,, so many thoughts.

Koleda is such a good portrayal of someone who struggles with their perception as an adult. A pretty easy conclusion to make with the first thing she usually says on the character select screen being “Hey, don’t look down on me!”, but it definitely goes a lot deeper the more you spend time with her. Specifically, she seems to struggle in her perception of herself as someone much more mature than her younger peers, but still not on the same level as the adults in similar positions of power as her. I kinda. Hate zenless for not explicitly stating how old she is, but given she rose to her position at Belobog “when she came of age” (which honestly, I still can’t give a concrete answer to what hoyo means by this? Some searches I found claimed the working age to be 16 in China, I’ve seen others online claim 18 but that’s not reliable. Hoyo I'm begging you put official ages on your characters it's a cool and based practice), she waited for a significant amount of time before taking up her role as president. She is an adult from what the game implies, and a core part of her character is fighting against the constant infantilization she faces due to how she looks.

Let’s start with her love of desserts (and a honestly this is the reason I started writing this). It’s her most highlighted character trait (it is also the first known attribute in her trust rank profile when you unlock her), and most of her trust events on 6th street revolves around them. Initially, she hesitates in proclaiming her love for them, likely to avoid being perceived as childish.

Her rank 4 trust special event is, admittedly, my favorite, but it’s one of the best breakdowns of this.

In order to maintain her image as a mature adult, she uses her position as company president to get around having to request a special dessert drink by name (in her defense, "Sweet Girl Fluffy Marshmallow Lambkin Milk" is an insane mouthful of a product name). At the end of the event she admits that saying its name “wasn’t as bad as she thought”, but her initial kneejerk reaction was a complete rejection of even entertaining the idea of doing something that could put the image she worked so hard to create and maintain at risk. Despite this, she still refuses desserts that aren't tooth-rottingly sweet, even if they are seen as the more mature or "refined" option. It's only around people that she really trusts does she allow this part of herself to be known, because she knows they wouldn't misconstrue this behavior as childish.

I also think her perception on the differences between kids and adults is interesting ("thank you agent story quest" we all say in unison). She doesn't ever feel like she fits in with other kids, probably due to all the responsibility she had to take on as the eventual heir to her father's company. But she also holds a vocal distain for many of her adult peers. Her declaration of "When I was younger, I thought the whole world was rotten, trying to make people just as rotten when they grow up." is a reflection of how she struggled to find her place in the world as she was forced to suddenly transition into adulthood, while still trying to understand the actions of the adults around her.

Her relationship with her father becoming strained contributed significantly to her world outlook as well, and may have caused such a specific distinction of what she deems "the world of adults". I don't want to dive too specifically into that because spoilers and the game is only a few weeks old so. Pin that for another time maybe? It definitely matters in the sense that the loss of her father is the catalyst for the loss of her childhood, but a lot of the specifics in how that affected her are speculative (and I don't wanna get too headcanon-y in this particular post) and she explicitly chooses not to discuss it too in-depth with the proxy (which, girl. Valid). But she's slowly learning to cope with that loss, at least it seems that way by the end of chapter 3. Honestly I could probably find more to add about the agent story in particular, but I would have to replay it to get a better idea.

To me, Koleda Belobog is very solid representation for women who had to grow up too fast, struggle with the perception of being seen as an adult, and hold guilt about indulging in acts that can be perceived as childish by their peers because they never fully got the chance to just be a kid. It truly did resonate with me, and it feels like such a specific "if you know, you know" kind of experience that I don't feel is talked about as much in media, especially with people who identify as female during their youth.

Also, also! I hope they dive in a bit more on how she got/has so much hollow corruption at a young age. Because they imply that she is so short as a result of this hollow corruption. Like that's so damn interesting conceptually and I know they delved on it more in Rina's agent story but. It was more of a mental affliction than a physical one.

Anyway I've been working on this for like 2 days now but that's all I have in terms of like. A canon-compliant character analysis.

TLDR; Koleda is such a perfect example of "God forbid short women exist" and I love her for that. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[carriagelamp]

Early Spring (March - April) Books

My main takeaway from the books I read over the past couple months that by god if you're going to do something, at least commit to the bit. I would say the books I liked the most this month were the "cheesy" ones or the oddballs, and my least favourite were just... profoundly average. So basic and uninterested in its own premise as to be offensive. At least if you're over-the-top you're making me feel something! Which is more than I can say for some of the books on my list...

Dumplin’

I’ve seen this book frequently in bookstores, and I know it was fairly popular at the time so after my mom watched the film and recommended it to me I decided it was about time to read it properly. 

The plot follows Willowdean, a fat girl who is generally fairly comfortable in her skin — or who has always seen herself as such. But with her former pageant queen mom getting into the latest pageant season, her best friend getting more and more involved in romance, and Will finding herself enamoured with a coworker she is struggling more and more with complicated feelings about how she views herself and how others view her. In an effort to fight back against it, she decides to sign up for the most recent pageant.

It was decent! I can’t really complain. I got the audiobook and it was fairly chill, low-stakes listening. High school drama is never my first choice, but there were enough good things about this book. My biggest complaint is that the ending was very anticlimactic. This is the sort of book where I want the big, cliche, over-the-top satisfying finale! It's about misfits taking over a small town beauty pageant!! I want it in the style of Hairspray or Legally Blonde or something!!! But the book was so painfully self-aware that it really tripped itself up in “therapy talk” and "realistic" endings that just took the wind out of its sails, rather than asking what the satisfying ending is. Still, worth the read if you enjoy a YA coming of age story.

Fence v1

Christ all mighty folks. I feel like I’m being gaslit here. This comic had some rave reviews on goodreads so I grabbed the first couple books from the library and it’s? actually just awful? I figured, hey, this will probably be done in the style of a sports manga, right? I enjoy a sports manga from time to time, especially a queer one. And you can tell that that’s what it’s inspired by. But holy SHIT is it boring. Like the art is AGONIZING. It’s stiff and uninspired and emotionless. I’ve read manga that’s managed to make the fucking board game go look like a high-stakes action adventure, and this book managed to make TEENAGERS WITH SWORDS boring as hell. I don't know enough about the author to tell if this is indicative of her usual work, or if the fault lays in just the blandest art imaginable but seriously, what the fuck. Don’t read this. I’m gonna go reread Haikyuu instead and remind myself that some people know how to draw sports scenes that are capable of making me feel things. Jesus.

Fullmetal Alchemist

A reread ♥ I stumbled across an FMA fanfiction by pure chance at the beginning of March and it made me dig out my books and reread the first few volumes. Always a cozy story to return to. If you've never taken the time to read Fullmetal Alchemist... honestly I'm not sure what rock you've been living under but you should do it. An unshakeable classic for a REASON

Home of the Brave

I picked this one up because I really enjoyed Applegate’s free verse novel Odder and I heard this one was written in a similar style. I knocked it out in a single day, it was a very quick read but a very heartfelt story. I can't say that I think everything about it was done perfectly, but for the style and intended audience, it was pretty solid. Made you look at things from a different perspective, had some really heart-wrenching realities to consider, and a lot of feel-good heart.

It followed Kek, a young immigrant from Sudan who has come to live with his aunt since his father and brother were killed and his mother is missing. It explores Kek’s adjustment to living in the United States, how the trauma continues to affect him, and how he begins to make friends — with a neighbour living with a foster family, an old woman, and her cow.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid v1

I’ve seen gifs of this around, and found a copy of it in the used bookstore so I figured… why not. Is it a good book? No. Not sure I'd bother reading the second, but it was weird enough to have made it worth reading. If nothing else, the premise was strange, art took me by surprised at time, and managed to make me chuckle along from time to time.

Kobayashi helps out a dragon who is now determined to live with her and help her out in an effort to seduce her repay her kindness. The story starts with the dragon being completely heartbroken that Kobayashi would honest rather just take the train on her commute rather than ride a dragon to work because scales are frankly uncomfortable.

Murder Most Puzzling

A fun little book of brainteasers! Each mystery includes a short story description (based around a private detective and her harried assistant) along with hand-drawn art. Between these two things, you’re supposed to deduce who the culprit of each crime is, with all the answers in the back of the book. It was pretty to look at and fun to work through, especially with a friend.

My Happy Marriage v1

Quite enjoyed this one! Is it a really well-written book? No. It’s very simple. But the plot is exactly the sort of sweet, cheesy story that I enjoy.

A very Cinderella-esque story, Miyo is from a noble-born family but suffers under her abusive family: an indifferent father, a cruel step-mother, and a selfish, haughty step-sister. She is treated even worse than a servant, and has resigned herself to existing like a meek, cringing shadow in her own home — her lack of magic that people in her class are expected to have makes her feel like this is entirely earned and inescapable. The story kicks off when she is callously married off to a young nobleman who is notorious for scaring away brides within days; he is said to be cold and cruel. Miyo is perfectly prepared for this new home to be no different than her last home...

Old-Fashioned Cupcake with Cappuccino 

A sequel to Old-Fashioned Cupcake, in which Nozue and Togawa begin to navigate the more complicated aspects of a relationship that has progressed beyond outings as friends and casual dates, to spending nights and a growing interest in living together. A homophobic society and their own hang-ups make this a complicated topic to navigate and there’s a lot of ups and downs, but it’s ultimately just as sweet as the first part.

Railsea

My favourite read from spring so far — absolutely deranged, I’m going to have to read more by this author. I saw a tumblr post that described this as a dystopian Moby Dick novel crossed with Treasure Island… with giant mutant moles rather than whales and trains instead of ships. Frankly, if that doesn’t also grab you by the throat and make you want to read it, I don’t know what to tell you. The author’s writing style is very distinct, and mimics what you expect from something like Moby Dick or Treasure Island, and he doesn’t bother holding your hand as he introduces this strange world to you. The world-building is really top tier, it’s completely bizarre and yet it feels very natural once you see how it works. The underlying themes are also just breath-taking. It was a masterfully written book and just a pure delight, especially once the second half kicks off.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night

Speaking of books that got rave reviews and that I feel are gaslighting me…

This came to me highly recommended and the goodread reviews seemed to agree… and guys, just wholly shit. Pure opposite of Railsea. Boring trite language, world-building that made absolutely no fucking sense, and characterization that felt like negative space. A pure void of characterization that sucked my entire will to live into it like a black hole. Like, this book so clearly did not actually give a shit about its own premise and didn't make a single effort to create a cohesive world or narrative... it leaned on tired tropes so heavily that it creaked. I had a couple mutuals that got to listen to me liveblog this and I couldn’t get through more than a couple paragraphs without losing my shit. Complete garbage, clearly riding on the coattails of A Court of Thorns and Roses without understanding what actually made that series compelling. I absolutely did not finish this book. The little bit I did read nearly killed me.

Heaven Official's Blessing (TGCF) v6

I continue to be completely enamoured with Heaven Official’s Blessing. The only reason I’m not tearing through these books faster is because a) I don’t want it to end and b) it keeps making me want to stop and write fanfiction about it instead. Getting to learn more about Xie Lian's past, the fall of Xianle, and the complete collapse of his life was just... ouch. My heart. Had to stop and cry about Xie Lian and Hua Cheng a LOT during this one folks.

The Wild Robot Protects

The third installment of Roz’s life on her island with her son, Brightwing, and her various animal friends. This time a deadly tide is sweeping through the ocean, killing any living thing that comes in contact with it, putting enormous strain on the resources of the island as animals try to move inland to escape it. Roz takes it upon herself to venture north and find the cause of this tide.

It was… meh. A middling book. Not bad, good for kids who are enjoying this series, a good lesson about how pollution, the inter-connectivity of nature, and marine conservation. But given how good the first two books in the series were, I was a bit disappointed with this one. It felt long winded and boring, with nothing of note actually happening until literally the last couple chapters.

[jellisdraws]

My campaign has entered ACT THREEEEEEEEEEE

My players literally kick so much ass and I love them. We are now 75 sessions in. Act 1 took about 50 sessions, Act 2 took about 25- shorter but they were much more involved in the main plot of the campaign and the developments were HUGE. I fully anticipate Act 3 to take at least 70 sessions to get through. The party is splitting with plans to reconvene later so everyone is making a new character to have for the split arc and we’re jumping into the unknown together.

Things are coming together in such an exciting way, the future ofcthe game feels fresh and the bones I have laid out in the past two arcs are strong and allow for tons of flexibility on the part of my players and how they drive the narrative. And I feel like this is possible because I have “broken” some of the tacit rules of DMing. I’m not sure these things work without a group you’ve played with regularly for a long time but I’ll share what I can in hopes that it encourages other DM’s to cut loose a little bit.

1. I did not give them freedom when designing characters. When I proposed this campaign, the idea would be the main cast would all be kids who grew up together. The players and I sat around for multiple session 0’s designing the town these kids grew up in, as well as their families, their connections to each other and so on before they ever even had the chance to choose classes. They only were allowed to write their own backstories for the duration of a 15 year timeskip between the prologue and campaign start. On top of this I gave the players the mandate to make a second, high level character sheet that they couldn’t even name, characters whose purpose would become clear as a story within the story of the campaign. It was a whole lot of effort but it has paid dividends. The character backstories made for the 15 year gap we’re more tied to the world than any I have seen, and the players were more keen to know about the world in turn. The second characters allowed for them to experiment with other builds and feel powerful, while I could use the sessions involving them as a mechanic to reveal lore in a way that made sense, and have the actions of the players shape the narrative consequences their main characters are dealing with.

2. I have not told this story chronologically. As alluded to above, the higher level characters are powerful figures from a forgotten past that the main group is inexorably tied to. While the events of the main campaign have been in order the group has jumped around through time experiencing visions of the past in no discernible order (at first) though a pattern and timeline has emerged. As the group seeks the truth of a forgotten age I needed a way to give them lore they otherwise couldn’t access, this method has allowed for me to tell a story and expand and continue the mystery without lore/info dumping on my players too hard. Every truth or revelation feels earned: as they decipher the clues left behind with the information gained from their visions.

3. I’ve railroaded them when necessary. I’ve been DMing for about a decade now, and I can confidently say there are no hard and fast rules around railroading your players and letting them determine their own path. Imo, the best campaigns allow both the players and the DM to hold the narrative reins in their hands. While the players should always be leading the action, they should not always be leading the direction. It is necessary to give you the DM the time to bury leads, invest them in your villains and NPC’s and ensure they have a stake in the primary conflict outside of their character backstories. Once you have established what the heck is going on and given them some mile posts to achieve then you can let them lead themselves.

4. I’ve allowed and encouraged metagaming. In a campaign where I’m already doing a bunch of weird stuff to affect how the narrative is told and explored, I have happily allowed metagaming at the table and happily answered lore questions and given them information to clarify things I want them to know. My players excitedly discussing theories about my game? Crack, I want to encourage it! I’ve worked hard to craft a cool mystery into the campaign and if they have questions about their clues I want to answer them! I’ve Also ‘Metagamed’ consequences to certain actions, letting the characters fully know the stakes of certain rolls, or given context to a situation so the player can make an informed decision in character. Often they still choose to accept the dramatic irony, seeing how certain decisions will affect things. The degree of openness I’ve brought to the way the story is told has seen rewards again and again with interesting decisions and amazing plays being made that are all the more impactful because the players know the weight of those actions and decisions.

5. I’ve been downright mean. I have been mean as hell when it comes to fighting during the climactic sequences, counterspelling healing, taking out downed characters, ruthlessly using mechanics to my benefit and everytime it makes seeing them succeed by the skin of their teeth worth it. And it reinforces themes I care about and explained during session 0, the world is big and scary and they are a small and new part of it. Dnd campaigns work best when there are stakes. You don’t need to have those stakes be massive and life threatening all the time and not every combat should be a knockdown drag out slug fest, but your villains and antagonists should be smart, effective and fucking powerful. They should challenge or overwhelm your heroes at times. The stakes make those dice rolls and choices valuable.

6. I’ve played with a DM PC since session 1. I love having a DMPC. I know not everyone does, but to me it opens up so many more chances at RP. I can check in on my quiet players in game, I can reward my roleplayer characters with fun RP, and I can share little facets of the world the group might not otherwise get. The DM PC does their best to not take center stage, instead doing their best to let other characters shine and in both combat and RP I’ve found this to be an excellent tool and way to increase my enjoyment and feel connected to the story the way my players experience it.

All this being said, the most important thing I do is talk to my players. Communication is the most important thing in cooperative storytelling and knowing what they want and enjoy out of stories is most important to running a campaign that will see your players coming back for more every week and having a blast doing it.

So yeah, cut loose DM’s! Do that funky weird idea you have, talk about it to your players. Go ham. And play in the way that suits you and your players best! You’ll see dividends

[samantitheos]

Tag Game Wednesday

Thank you @juliakayyy @jrooc and @skylerwinchester for tagging me. <3

Name: sam.

Age: older than cam, younger than noel—that perfect sweet spot.

star sign: capricorn.

your first language: english.

second language: the education system (and my parents) failed me. i can kinda read latin,  i guess.

favourite lip product: blistex or maybelline baby lips.

the best food dish you can make without a recipe: sicilian meatloaf or this bacon-wrapped chicken breast dish with cream cheese filling.

If you drink tea, what kind?  black tea with a bit of honey.

If you drink coffee, what roast do you usually get? medium.

favourite thing to watch on youtube right now:  nothing? tho i do use it to play the lord of the rings trilogy soundtrack or best of hans zimmer when i’m working. 🤓

favourite thing to watch on youtube in 2012: guns n’ roses music videos probably lol.  

favourite item of clothing right now: since starting to work from home, definitely my mint green sweatpants and fuzzy slippers.

favourite item of clothing in 2012: based on my pictures from that year i wore this electric yellow tank top A LOT.

[please enjoy the super grainy quality and raging phallic energy]

fandom

three movies you recommend: life as a house, gladiator, the girl with the dragon tattoo (original swedish version with subtitles).

your favourite concert: i’m gonna cheat and say warped tour 2004.

have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? lmaooooo the great mickey crop top controversy of 2019 (yes).

have you ever left a fandom because of the fans? i’ve only really been involved in the shameless fandom, but hearing about the fans in other fandoms (e.g., ofmd) has discouraged me from trying to get involved in them.

the best tv show you watched last year: daisy jones and the six, interview with the vampire, ted lasso.

do you have a fancasting you just can’t let go of? would loved to have seen tom hardy as james bond and would still love to see cam in a live-action hercules.

a ship you’ve abandoned: well this is before i knew what “shipping” was, but kate and sawyer on lost (he deserved better—and got it).

on a scale of 1-10 how willing are you to share your ao3 history? “ok, but just let me explain…”

do you have a fandom tattoo? (do you want one?) no, and if i got anything i would want it to be very subtle. i’ve thought about getting a serif dash on my left middle finger…

what fandom do you wish was bigger? i don’t really wish the shameless fandom was bigger, but i do wish the fic writing community was as big as it was a few years ago.

has a finale ever ruined a show for you? how i met your mother. absolute trash ending.

have you…

swam in an ocean? yes! and scuba certified. i did underwater archaeology for a few years. ever been vegan/vegetarian? no. gone skinny dipping? once. gone skiing? yes, but not since high school. been to a convention? only the boring academic kind.

Tagging @astaraels @crossmydna @deathclassic @darlingian @ian-galagher @krysmiss @lonelygallavich @palepinkgoat @sickness-health-all-that-shit @transmickey @heymrspatel @stocious @callivich @gallawitchxx <333

[no-white-dress]

Hunter Deamonne, Heart Of Novocaine

Warning: major spoilers for The Owl House seasons 2 and 3!

You made me tough, you made me numb

You are the maker of what I’ve become

There is no doubt that Hunter, prior to Hunting Palismen (and even after it, arguably), was this tough, young (too young) soldier, numb to everything that casted some shadows over his Emperor's actions. He justifies Belos in any way possible (the Titan's plans must be followed even when they're intricate, it's for the greater good), because it means to absolve himself too.

Belos is the maker of what he's become in so many ways. He literally made him from the bones of his brother, he molded his mind for who knows how many years (it is unclear how long it has been since Hunter's birth), keeping him isolated from anyone even inside the castle. Belos never wanted a brother, he wanted a puppet.

And now I am strong where I was weak

And I am unafraid of being me

But Hunter eventually slipped out of Belos' grip. He challenged Belos' rules. Sure, at first he did so to help him, to prove himself to him. By doing so, though, he did exactly what Belos feared: he became his own person, with passions and connections and his own thoughts, which ultimately didn't align with those of the Emperor. Maybe they aligned with his teachings (don't lie, Hunter, it pains the Titan. Always respect your superiors. Obey), but not with his will. Belos sure never wanted Hunter to get close to Darius, he didn't want the kid close to anyone other than him. He sure didn't want Hunter to end up in the human realm and discover what actual familial love looks like, how it feels like, that it doesn't have to be earned.

So say hello to the monster that you made

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the hate

Thank you for the way

That you left me scarred

Thank you for the stain

That you left on my brain

Now because of you

I’ve got a heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

Things change so fast. They're really confusing. Suddenly multiple figures are uncomfortable with the way Hunter expresses his respect, which is the way Belos taught him. And yet these figures are just as worthy of respect as he used to be in Hunter's eyes, so why do they not want it? Why does Camila look embarrassed when Hunter kneels before her, why does she ask him to never do it again? Why is Darius so frustrated with him for following orders, when that is what is required of the weakest of soldiers?

There are so many ways his uncle got into Hunter's mind and skin. The way he flinches when someone touches him without proper warning or when he expects a punishment, the way he never asks for help because he should be able to do it on his own, even some of his speech patterns come from Belos.

Once upon a time you had control

And lorded over my poor soul

And I trusted you but now I see

You never knew the real me

Belos used to control everything in Hunter's life. He was suffocating, to the point where Hunter regards the trial on a mountain of his scout training as a fond memory, while Steve regards it as some nightmarish experience. His modus operandi is so ingrained in Hunter that we see in Hunting Palismen and Eclipse Lake that he sees everything as either worthy of being sought and thus earned through trials, or expendable. He uses the palismen as leverage with Luz, he uses Luz as leverage with Amity, and it doesn't feel wrong to him, because it's strategy, just a tool to get him what he wants. Clearly, he's seen this same game play out countless times in the throne room, standing by his uncle's side.

All that comes to an end, though. A visit to his uncle's mindscape reveals that not only his motives aren't the ones he flaunts, not only has he lied for ages about his identity and goal: he also lied about Hunter, about their family, about his goals for him. Hunter is a tool to Belos, or a replacement of someone else as best. But just like he failed to understand Caleb, Belos fails to understand Hunter.

To Belos, Caleb was probably the caregiver, the one who was there for him when he got a scraped knee or woke up from a nightmare. But they grew up and Caleb became his own person, because little Philip wasn’t so little anymore and could handle himself. Caleb challenged what they were taught, and found his own morals and beliefs. Philip was never able to do the same, for four hundred years. In fact, he expects Hunter to be just like his older brother, without realizing that Caleb was never the idea he had of him, so Hunter (and all the other grimwalkers) can't help but fail him. Because they will always end up growing into their own person.

Now I’m angry and you wonder why

You see the fire burning In my eyes

Once you had me but you lost me now

And there’s no going back

When he first faces the truth about Belos, Hunter is swarmed by fear. But I believe that, with time, especially in the human realm, he also develops resentment towards Belos. Resentment for being lied to, for being used, for being born even, for being barred from choosing his own path.

Belos may momentarily force himself on Hunter, possess him and even use his very hand to take the life of his first friend, Flapjack, but it's too late. Hunter learned who he is, he likes to be his own person with his own dreams and goals, and that freedom can only end on his own terms.

So say hello to the monster that you made

He knows he's a monster to Belos now. He embodies so many things he hates: witches, wild magic, autonomy, self-affirmation. And those are the things Hunter rubs in his face as he resists Belos' grip on his body and mind, before ending it on his own terms. That speech was his last act in his mind, and he chose to have it be a speech of hopes and dreams for the future and of love and tenderness for the unruly magic Belos despised, because Hunter isn't Belos, and Hunter loves those things and wants those things.

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the hate

Thank you the way

That you left me scarred

Thank you for the stain

That you left on my brain

Now because of you

I’ve got a heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

My fear has died, my tears have dried, I don’t feel afraid and I won’t run away

I believe in me and now I see right through your lies hiding behind your eyes

Because of you I’ll make it through

Nothing can hurt me like you did anymore

Ever since Hollow Mind, Hunter was terrified of the very idea of being in Belos' presence again, and understandably so given his uncle had tried to kill him while he was still in his mindscape. In King's Tide he manages to fight him, but still stays on the sidelines. He talks back to him for probably the first time in his life, but he's still terrified.

At the end of Thanks To Them Hunter isn't afraid, not in the same way. Belos is in his blood, Flapjack is agonizing. It can't really get any worse, can it? Hunter knows what Belos' goals are, so he knows how to disrupt them. He knows how to keep his friends safe. And he does.

Thank you for the pain

Thank you for the hate

Thank you for the way that you

Left me scarred

Now there’s nothing you can say

To wash it all away

Yeah because of you

I’ve got a heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

A heart of novocaine

[britishmuffin]

Hello, Britishmuffin

I hope you are having a wonderful day/night.

Just wanted to know what inspires you to make such amazing art pieces? As well how do you deal with art block?

Im a artist myself but times get tuff and I lose motivation and start developing art block.

Sincerely, fisheggsoup :)

Morning! Love your name :D

Truthfully, my biggest motivator is born of necessity these days. I create art because I have bills to pay and family to support. My patrons are a huge driving force in all this, cheering me on from the sidelines while I work; my band of blessed saviours.

I also make sure that my social feeds are full of artists I love, who make art that makes me happy. I'm always watching films and playing games, always constantly absorbing media in this wacky age of technology-infused information. Then if I'm lucky, I get the chance to step outside for a walk in the woods with my sibling to help ground ourselves in the world and reconnect with nature, pure medicine for the troubled soul.

All of these activities serve to stir the Brain Soup and sometimes reflect in my artwork. I rarely get struck with the "fabled bolt of inspiration" these days, but I blame the current climate. I did used to.

As some of you will already know because I'm being quite open about it this time, I'm currently battling the worst bout of burnout I've had in literal years. So really, I'm not sure I'm the best person to be asking on the topic of how to deal with it, but here you go:

In my experience it’s not the best idea to wait for inspiration to strike. Inspiration is unreliable, constantly waiting can leave you anxious, and also most of us just don’t have the luxury of being able to. I kinda think we just need to create despite it (or TO spite it, or in order to spite someone who told you you couldn't, if that's your sauce).

If you feel like your art sucks, instead of expecting perfection try just giving yourself permission to be bad at art for a while, you might be surprised about how much of a relief it feels. Make a hundred terrible little sketches, doodles, scribbles, or just make marks on paper. You don’t even have to show them to anyone, they can be just for your eyes! More often than not I’ve found that the physical act of creating artwork can genuinely inspire you to make more, and better work. It flexes those art muscles and gets the creative cogs whirring. Just make stuff!!!

As a person who’s had little choice but to create for years, it can be really helpful to push through it. Not always, though.

Sometimes the art block you’re staring down actually goes layers deep into the realms of debilitating mental health and poor living status, right into dangerous burnout and breakdown territory. Some would argue that creating art in times of real pain is the best medicine, and indeed, creates the best results. I wholly disagree.

My advice is to always make art in those moments when you can, even if it sucks. And when you just can’t, then rest. Watch your favourite guilty pleasure anime, cook some delicious food, hug your pets, go exist in nature for a bit. Have you ever seen Kiki’s Delivery Service? That!

Helpful links to combat art block:

Line of Action has great learning resources, while also being a brilliant tool for a variety of speedy sketch warm-ups

Don’t know what to draw? Use a character description generator!

You could flex your figure drawing muscles with models on Figurosity, AdorkaStock, or ArtModels360 (nudity warning)

Improve your fundamental art skills with Drawabox or videos on The Fix List

Generate some colour palettes to use as a challenge. Adobe’s colour wheel tool isn’t too bad either

Other more practical tips include:

If you struggle staying motivated, try to refocus by sitting down and asking yourself "What kind of art do I really want to create?” Try to rediscover what excites you! Is your aim to work in the art industry? To be able to draw your OCs smooching? Draw beefy bara men? Do you really just wanna paint cool rocks? All valid af

Pull up images of your favourite artworks and study them. Ask yourself “Why do I like this artwork?” Are the outfits really cool designs? Is the lineart super stylish? Do you love the way they used colours? After that, think about what you need to learn to get to that point yourself, and start small. Mimic your favourite artworks in order to learn how to do it.

Example: If you realise that you want to improve at drawing hands, just spend a week learning about them. Draw pages and pages of them, find a way to make them fun and sexy to draw! I did just that, and now hands are actually one of my favourite things to draw, it works.

Warm-ups are SO important. If you just started on a piece and already feel defeated, ask yourself “Did I warm up enough first?” You can try looping fifty quick spirals in different sizes with your pen, scratch out some box shapes, doodle some funky wiggly shapes, crosshatch them, whatever you want! Just get that hand moving before you leap into your artwork of choice, it helps to loosen up to keep your lines from becoming too stiff.

If it’s just not working today, that’s okay. Take a break by filtering your creativity into another entirely different creative pursuit. You could try baking something tasty, making music, writing for your next D&D campaign, building cute houses in minecraft or the sims, painting miniatures, crafting with paper or sewing fabric, etc etc. Anything that keeps the creative brain ticking that isn’t drawing is also worthwhile.

And, mentally:

Try not to worry about what other people think of your artwork. Doesn’t matter what age you are or your background, the fact you’ve created anything at all is incredible. You brought something into the world that didn’t exist before. You’re powerful as hell.

Related: please please please don’t focus on being “successful” on social media. Even though I know it can feel awesome to post your art and get instant reactions, these things are a death spiral of addictive behaviour and shouldn’t dictate your creativity. Use sparingly.

Remember that your kid self would absolutely be losing their mind over the cool stuff you’ve made now. Same goes for your ancient ancestors who used to make those little clay animals. You’re doing great, be proud.

Don’t be so damn hard on yourself. I mean it <3

If you keep drawing you will improve. You will get your motivation back. You will make art again even if it takes you a while. And know that a muffin is cheering for you c:

[arachnoheaux]

ani has appeared! What to do?

Kneel down

Kiss cheek

Ask on a date

Kiss on the cheek

" This ain't redundant. I got two sets a cheeks ~ "

[rivetgoth]

A Plea for CGI

I feel like the last bastion of defense for CGI as an art form sometimes dude. CGI fascinates me so much. As a kid it felt so wondrous and unlike anything I’d ever seen. The dancing bear in Teletubbies was the first instance of CGI I ever remember seeing and it enamored me unlike anything else. It felt like genuine magic. I felt similarly about Tiny Planets, which genuinely felt like it transported me to an alien world. Later on as a kid I stumbled onto the Madagascar tech reel Easter egg on the DVD and it was the scariest thing I’d ever seen. It scared me so bad I couldn’t be in the same room and I was scared to turn off the television. I stayed in my bedroom until my dad got home because I knew he’d turn the TV off if he walked in and saw nobody watching it and I didn't want to be out there until I knew for sure the television was off and the reel wouldn't still be playing. I couldn’t sleep for days after seeing it and I was literally scared of DVD menus for fear of accidentally stumbling onto something like that again. Blooper reels for CG films absolutely terrified me, it was like genuinely nauseatingly scary. The “You’re not perfect” Courage the Cowardly Dog bit was similar.

I don’t think I’m an anomaly for finding these examples scary, a LOT of people did (the former one is full of commenters saying it scared them as a kid, the latter is literally meant to be scary). But the thing is with CGI, despite that it never stopped having this sort of wonder to me as well. When I was a kid CGI still felt uncommon enough that any time it was employed it felt really magical. It felt like I was seeing into a world that didn’t actually exist. I think its ability even in its earliest forms to be implemented into live action media, or its ability to have strange three dimensional properties when used in fully animated films, gave it this sense that it could be used to bring things to life in a way that couldn’t be done before. Like, I recognized even as a kid that the dancing bear didn’t look REAL. But it also looked three dimensional. It looked almost dreamlike to me.

I think the history of CGI as an art form is just so fascinating. I remember how fascinated I was reading about the CGI of the 80s and 90s, as it began to move beyond being an oddity that computer scientists could use to demonstrate tech and found some mainstream and wider spread usage. Tony De Peltrie (1985) was the first CGI human to express emotion and objectively he hasn’t aged well, he looks super creepy as does almost everything about his short film, but it fascinates me that he was so well received and touched people’s emotions in spite of that. The human ability to connect with something so alien in every way—stylistically, but even in terms of the art form being used, which was still absolutely brand new—is so interesting. The fact that the Canned Food International Council commissioned a commercial to be done fully in CGI in 1984 and it was referred to as so realistic you “couldn’t tell if it was animated or not” when nowadays it’s surpassed by PS1 video game graphics is so fascinating. The entire implication of that moment in the history of art, advertising, aesthetic. Maybe most fascinating to me is the short series Quarxs from the 90s utilizing CGI in one of the most bizarre ways I’ve ever seen to this day to bring to life cryptobiological organisms. Really insane looking stuff using really limited technology. The creator of Quarxs, Maurice Benayoun, writes theory on virtual reality, including some really interesting stuff about the human relationship to the material and virtual world that is most definitely reflected in Quarxs.

Nowadays I turn to Severed Heads as an example of one of the most fascinating recent uses of CGI to intentionally evoke the uncanniness of older CG and bring to life the music through a visual accompaniment. “Tiny Wounded Bird” (2016) is hard to watch even as an adult, it feels like in the best way it strikes so much uncanny fear that would've ruined my life as a child. It was the first time I saw someone fully, intentionally evoke those fears in art—I think it’s so fascinating the way CGI evokes the uncanny valley so easily for so many, and Tom Ellard was clearly aware of this. Tom Ellard, the artist behind Severed Heads, has worked on the cutting edge of technology to make unabashedly uncanny art in both visual and auditory forms since the 70s.

I see people suggest the uncanniness of CGI has to do with early or pre-textured CGI looking almost corpse-like, but I always felt like it was something else, it's not just CGI People Look Creepy. I think it’s just so, so, so foreign to the eyes. It exists in a three dimensional plane that should be similar to ours but isn’t quite ours. It can emulate the human body but also contort it in any way imaginable. The blooper reels I mentioned being scared of as a kid show these fully three dimensional beings with limbs elongated far past the physical possibility of a real body, eyes popping out of the head. Shadows having to be implemented manually, AI trying to figure out how physics work for thousands of particles of simulated hair. It's sterile and it's incomparable to really anything else. CGI is an entirely new artform, unique from any other that exists. It's literally creating a whole new plane of reality. I think it should lean into that more.

I think CGI as a tool is extremely oversaturated due to all sorts of issues within the entertainment industry around the desire to rush products, the lack of unionization and worker protection, corruption from the top down causing companies to rely on it heavily in the least imaginative and most predatory ways. But that’s not the fault of CGI as an art form, which is still only a couple of decades old—Again, Tony de Peltrie, first emotive CGI human, is only about 40 years old. The first television series less than that. The first movie only about 30. This is BRAND NEW technology. We are in the earliest of earliest stages of CGI experimentation. History will look back on CGI and not view 2024 as notably distant from Toy Story’s release in ‘95. I think it’s only in the past few years that we’ve seen mainstream film really try to use CGI for something genuinely brand new—Trolls in 2016 creating an entire world comprised of textures that wouldn’t exist in such a way in real life (like felt ground, cotton ball clouds, etc), Moana (also in 2016) using computer generated blacklight and neon for the Tamatoa sequence, Into the Spider-Verse in 2018 absolutely changing the game with its use of comic book stylization that looks nothing like anything that came before it, followed by Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in 2022 implementing something similar to evoke a storybook feeling and experimenting with intentional drops in frames per second (there’s a cool video about it here that covers some of this). But these new and inventive attempts at CG, all less than a decade old, would not exist without the decades leading up to it. Terminator 2 was an extremely significant breakthrough in animating liquid. Finding Nemo over a decade later was a huge technical breakthrough for animated underwater environments. 1991 to 2003, 12 years spent learning how to make a computer animate water, and Finding Nemo looks plenty dated now. The first realistic digital fire was shown off in my all time favorite animated short, Peedee Meets the Dragon, in 1989! Only 35 years ago animating fire was in and of itself a feat! Toy Story in 1995 famously used toys as protagonists because humans were still difficult to animate—Only 29 years ago HUMANS still couldn’t be consistently animated in CGI. The Incredibles would be THE FIRST ALL HUMAN CAST that Pixar would attempt, and that was in 2004, almost a DECADE later. All the weird uncanny experimental stuff are building blocks to something so much greater than we can even imagine. I really believe that.

So like, yeah, the homogeneity of CGI in the industry right now is frustrating. The industry-standard willingness to exploit digital artists for rushed, cheap, and unregulated third party work is disgusting and genuinely abhorrent. But man, I hate seeing CGI itself shit on in the same breaths that these criticisms are made. So much fundamental misunderstanding of what it is and what it can do as an art form and such a lack of genuine desire to see it continue to evolve and progress. To be blunt a decent amount of it is just straight up nostalgia, and often very rose tinted nostalgia. “Things from my childhood looked better.” Sometimes it’s genuinely being misinformed—Tons of movies that get heralded as being traditional animation or practical effects… still utilize some form of CGI. I also think there’s something to be said about the fact that I believe the current trend of using CGI for hyper realistic effects in big budget live action films is genuinely a misusage of the medium and a complete failure to actually utilize CGI in any meaningful way (looking at you, live action Disney remakes). I love practical effects and I love traditional animation, but I don’t see why they need to be at odds with CGI. The best and most visually striking movies with the greatest visuals tend to recognize that and utilize a blend of the strengths of more than one of these mediums—Though interestingly, Courage the Cowardly Dog remains one of the only examples I can think of that uses CGI as a form of mixed media INTENTIONALLY. As in, not to look hyper-realistic or to replace/accompany practical effect or traditional animation, but to squarely be intentionally meant to be read as CGI in order to evoke a specific tone, functionally using CGI as a punchline the same way one would use live action shots in a show like Spongebob. I'm sure others have done it, but it doesn't appear particularly common.

That’s my last note: I really want to see CGI utilized more with both its strengths and weaknesses taken into account. Back to “Tiny Wounded Bird,” which makes use of the way models of the human body can be reskinned and manipulated to the point of being unrecognizable, a succinct but evocative visual theme for a song about pride and suffering. But I want to talk about another older CGI short film that does something similar, Polly Gone from 1988.

Y’all, I’m literally switching from my phone to my computer to type this out because this matters a lot to me.

EVERYONE writes Polly Gone off as absurdism. That goofy "Early CGI Was Horrifying" video writes it off as "a shitpost," which half the damn commenters on the artist's upload are quoting, annoyingly. The VintageCG Youtube account cruelly calls it "The second worst computer animation ever produced." It finds its way onto r/OddlyTerrifying and similar subreddits not unoften. You guys. Polly Gone is directed by the artist Shelley Lake, who has made this statement about her work:

"The artwork that comes from the world inside is the culmination of my mind’s eye–a fantasy world where, through my imagination, anything is possible. I enthusiastically partner with intelligent machines and together we create an artificial reality. A simulated world of superheroes, erotic men and women, wireframe meshworks, anatomical investigations, cybernetic creatures, phantasmagoric depictions of impossible people, places and things. Although these artworks often resemble our photo-real existence, these creations are utterly unreal and sometimes uncanny." (X)

She KNOWS it's uncanny. She knows it's weird. And her work is, explicitly, intentionally, and, honestly, blatantly, engaging with the weirdness of this medium to deliver messages in ways surreal, fresh, bizarre, and off-putting. I don't know what exactly her intentions are behind Polly Gone, but I would very strongly make a case for it being about women's roles in society, or at least that being a perfectly viable interpretation, especially if you do a 5 second deep dive into her body of work exploring themes about female bodies, sexuality, kink, and queerness. Her synopsis on her own Youtube page for this short is: "A day in the life of a robot." Consider watching it through a feminist lens. Consider how uncanny and dehumanized this animation is of an expressionless, mechanical humanoid--in a dress, in lipstick, with breasts--that zooms around its futuristic house doing mundane chores. Consider the name being a feminized version of the word "polygone." Consider this oddly cool OddlyTerrifying comment:

They're joking, but they're not: This is a short film from the EIGHTIES, seven years before Toy Story would be the first full-length CGI film. Shelley Lake received both a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Sciences degree in the 70s. This is artistic experimenting from someone with years of experience, this is making use of the strengths and unique facets of computer generated animation that cannot be replicated through any other means, and it is not purposeless nor does it deserve to be written off as "a shitpost." And it's not asking you to look past the CGI limitations, it is wholly embracing them.

I want to see more CGI play with this. I think it was a mistake to veer CGI in the direction of trying to disguise it as something that it is not. I think it can work as an accompaniment to other effects, sure, but I don't think its sole purpose should be photorealistic lions emoting less than their real world counterparts singing covers of Elton John songs. I wish CGI wasn't devalued and I wish people would engage with it as a unique art form of its own.

[iphig3nia]

Say Yes to Heaven || Sebastian Sallow

“say yes to heaven, say yes to me.”

After the ordeal in the scriptorium, Sebastian takes a moment to reflect on his actions while you sleep in his arms.

(established relationship, 18+ only, video game MC mentioned, aged-up in age and school year)

cw - sebastian does not treat you the best in a certain quest (scriptorium), implied nsfw in the beginning, angst, other cw’s that I forgot about and didn’t mention

a/n || just trying to write something and seeing how it turns out. Haven’t written fanfic in a while so just doing some experimental cooking rn. I’ve also never played this game. I’ve also also never posted on tumblr so format might be weird. Also also also unedited writing :(

—

Sebastian wakes with a start, another nightmare, another restless night. He goes to move out of bed but is reminded of the weight in his arms, your sleeping form is undisturbed it seems by the movement. He sighs and rests against his pillow, Your warm, he thinks to himself as he pulls your naked form closer to him. Ever the gentleman he pulls the blanket up for you and smiles softly as you cuddle yourself deeper into his side.

Always by his side, always defending him, that was how you were. Ever since you met him all those years ago you two have been the two halves of a whole. “Wherever you go I’ll go.” he remembers your promise to him when he asked you to be his the first week of your seventh year. When you said this he was struck with such deep love and wonder for you. You wanted to be by his side for eternity, he remembers he made the promise to you in return.

How he wishes you had never even seen him back in your first-year at Hogwarts, two nervous children meeting each other in a class. Don’t follow me here he glances down at you as you sleep. You had always known about his opinions on the dark arts, on curses both forgivable and unforgivable. And yet you still followed him, never showing your disgust or dislike for his obsession, never showing fear of him. You knew it was for his sister Anne, and not out of evil. You were an angel, always showing him heaven. But the dark arts had a hold on him, willing and unwilling, and he knew he was slowly dragging you down to hell with him.

He closes his eyes and reflects on a more recent memory. You had to become a mediator between him and Ominis as you three and the new student had finally discovered the entrance to the scriptorium. Sebastian made you sit out of the conversation immediately, not entertaining the idea of you even considering casting a forbidden spell. The three students were at an impasse, arguments being made on all sides while you remained out of the conversation on the side.

And when you placed his wand into his hand and looked at him with only pure love present in your eyes, he still wasn’t sure how he didn’t break down then and there. Cast it on me, you know it and I’ll be fine. He remembers the small smile you shot at him and your determination visible. His grip on your sleeping form tightens as he continues to reflect on the memory. He cast the cruciatus curse on you in the end, after much convincing from you and much protesting from him. He couldn’t even see you collapse to the floor with the amount of tears falling from his eyes. Sebastian wanted to cover his ears just as Ominis did, to stop hearing your screams and wails, but he didn’t. This was his punishment, his very own circle of hell.

I’m alright was the first thing you said to him as he rushed to your side. You could see his eyes flicking back and forth between you and whatever lied in the scriptorium. And he could see the inkling of fear in your eyes when you looked at him. The Slytherin Spellbook was his, and you were still by his side even after what he did. Ominis was horrified, and so was the new student. Sebastian carried you out of those dungeons all the way to the undercroft, he never stopped apologizing. He still hasn’t.

You just laughed and comforted him, and he lets you, despite knowing it should be the opposite. He should be comforting you. The memory ends with him holding you as you asked Did you get what you wanted? Sebastian chuckles dryly as he feels a tear slide down his cheek. At the time he said yes but now he knows he didn’t.

Hurting you wasn’t what he wanted. Not for this, not for any of this. Sebastian’s surprised that you haven’t woken up from how hard he’s holding onto you, squeezing like a snake does to prey. He shudders. if you stay with him, if you go wherever he goes…he doesn’t finish that thought. He wipes away the tears, and gazes down at you again, seeing how the blanket sticks to the curve of your body, and the way your skin feels velvet soft to him. How delicate your face appears in the moonlight, how your hair almost glows from the moonbeams. He will always have you on his mind.

Sebastian knows you feel fear whenever he looks at you now, whenever he touches you. He knows it’s his fault and he deserves it. I’ll cure Anne and then no more, I’ll say yes to you he murmurs into your hair sighing after he breathes in the scent of your shampoo. You don’t stir and he’s happy about that.

Tomorrow you’re both going to the cave mentioned in the Slytherin Spellbook. Tomorrow he may find a cure for Anne. And maybe tomorrow is when he’ll let go of the dark arts. But for now he’ll stay here with you resting in his arms, saying yes to heaven, saying yes to you.

[knightinink]

Pip and Damien for the ask game of course!!

Pip

1: sexuality headcanon

I’ve never really given it much thought before, so I can’t really say. He liked Estella, saying she was “a beautiful girl, with a kind heart!”, but I think he’s just happy when someone genuinely enjoys his company & companionship.

2: otp

Dip! (as though that wasn’t obvious if you’ve been around this blog for any length of time). I found them through fanart & quickly fell in love with the opposite yet similar dynamic between them, one being of darkness while the other shines with positivity. They are able to fill in what the other is missing, and can empathize in being an outcast with an unstable familial life. They are also very aesthetic *chefs kiss*

3: brotp

Honestly? I’m gonna say Pip & Pocket. They have a very interesting relationship (that was more fleshed-out in the novel mind you), and their dynamic seems fun. They complement each other well, albeit not being “opposites” as he is with Damien; they are more similar to one another. Herbert would supplement the confidence & intelligence Pip lacks, while Pip would be able to provide more work-intelligence, as he was apprenticed as a blacksmith for a time.

4: notp

Pip x Christophe. He’s French, that’s reason enough for Pip to despise him. And Pip would be too bubbly & cheery, & would get on Chris’ nerves very quickly. They would be in agreement that they wouldn’t work together, both being a negative experience for the other.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

He and his whole family have a terrible immune system, & each year when illness is being spread around the school, he’s forced to be bedridden for nearly a week. (it was weakened further by his once contracting scarlet fever back in England).

6: favorite line from this character

“Being a gentleman doesn’t mean learning to dance, or proper table manners. It means being a gentle man. Gentle to everyone!”

7: one way in which I relate to this character

I was always that kid who was just kind of there, unless you got to know me. I’m not too sure that I like his character because I relate to him, however; I think I like him because my common trope is liking characters that have suffered in some way and desperately need a hug.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

The fact that his episode (s4ep14) is the most hated/worst episode of the entire series. I quite like it, and it’s what got me interested in reading the novel it’s based off, which has quickly become my favorite book. And I do find his “Wickershams and Deklers” song quite annoying.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

Pip’s a sweetie who wears his heart on his sleeve. He only has the best intentions & tries to see the best in everyone despite it all. I don’t think he was given enough of a chance while during his run on the show to be developed enough to be seen as problematic. He was more of a static character who rarely got the spotlight, but one that I love, nonetheless.

~

Damien

1: sexuality headcanon

Again, I’ve never really given it much though, but maybe he’ll take after his father. He likes Pip & Pip likes him, that’s all he cares about.

2: otp

Dip! I like to think Pip’s the first one in his life to show him any shred of friendliness who wasn’t ordered to by his father. He has a difficult time making friends due to his father constantly being on the move, but with Pip it felt different. Despite this, he still blew him up to gain acceptance from the other boys after learning about Pip’s social standing, but of course, he had to leave his new friends soon after. Once Pip died, they reunited, and Damien was very apologetic about his actions towards Pip, the other soon forgiving him & accepting his friendship.

3: brotp

Damien & Kenny. When Kenny shows up in Hell for a bit, it always brightens Damien’s day (though he will never admit that, he has an image to uphold!). He’s glad that for at least a little while, there’s someone kinda like him his own age who will stay and play for a while. Damien will act like Kenny gets on his nerves, but he’s just happy to have someone to talk to who’s not one of his father’s lackey’s or consorts. He can relax & be himself around Kenny too, dropping his “son of the Devil” façade, if only for a while.

4: notp

I’m not sure, this may be more of a crackship, but Cartman..? I guess??? I could see them being paired because they’re both “evil” in a sense, but they are two very different kinds of evil. Damien only does evil because he has to, being the antichrist. This doesn’t mean he necessarily wants to do evil, but he needs to, to keep his father happy (although this is more headcanon-y but whatever). Cartman on the other hand does evil for a myriad of reasons, far too many to count here. Cartman doesn’t need to do evil in the way Damien does, but rather, he often does so of his own volition.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

Despite being the son of the Devil, he’s actually quite sensitive & introverted, often putting up a tough front to protect himself. This is why it’s so difficult for him to make friends, & he rarely shows his vulnerable side. Pip is one of the very few who has seen this vulnerable side.

6: favorite line from this character

“Because I’m the son of the Devil? Because I- burn them & kill them?”

7: one way in which I relate to this character

Liking fire, I guess? I’m not as prone to it as he is, but I do enjoy a good bonfire.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

Nothing really? I’d say his voice, but I find it oddly endearing, like someone would say “That’s a voice that only a father could love!” & Satan would be like “And I do! I love him very much!”

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

Similar to Pip, he wasn’t given enough time on screen for development, so he’s also kinda static. I don’t think he’s problematically written character, but I don’t think cinnamon roll is necessarily the right word for him either. I think I’d affectionately call him a firecracker.

~

Thank you for the ask!

[exquisiteagony]

For the ask game: 👀🤲🤯⛔️?

👀: Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

skydweller four has more pov’s (hannes, samy, as well as a prologue from remony (the girl who archie took with taz) and swallowtail). it also widens the character pool to include some faces who’ve only been mentioned so far!

🤲: Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

it’s from the road trip fic i’ve never actually said much about before

He scrawled a signature in the log book - Eemi knew it would be fake - and then they were off out into the fresh air again.

Somehow, it was even colder. Eemi shivered again and took off after Archie, around to the steps up to the rooms. The concrete was chipped and pitted from age and weather below his Converses, and uneven from the years. Eemi looked up again when he reached the top and peered out at the desert skyline.

This high up, he could see for miles. The highway was behind him, and before him was the dusty expanse of the desert, dotted about with scrubby plants that made sinister dark shapes in the twilight. The sky was a velvety blue pin-pricked with stars, and Eemi didn’t think he’d ever seen them so bright and clear as this now he was away from the pollution of the city. Back in L.A. they’d been tiny faint dots even when the sky was clear, and back home in Helsinki they hadn’t been all that much brighter, but the miles between the motel and Sacramento had snatched the usual haze of light pollution away, and the stars were haloed in a little green in some places. Eemi thought one might even be Venus rather than a star, though he wasn’t sure and he had no way of checking. He and Archie had ditched their phones before they’d left, and they hadn’t bothered with burners.

Archie cleared his throat, snatching his attention. Eemi looked away from the sky hurriedly, turning towards him. “It’s beautiful,” he said sheepishly. “We don’t get views like this in the city.”

Archie hummed, jangling the keys, but he looked out across the desert all the same. “It’s lonely,” he said after a few moments, wrinkling his nose. He turned away to lead the way to their room for the night without another word.

Rejection splashed in Eemi’s gut. His cheeks prickled with heat, but he followed after Archie all the same.

Besides, Archie was right. The view might be beautiful, but the desert was a vast, lonely place. There was no sense in getting sucked into its beauty.

Archie came to a halt outside room 19. He slipped the key into the lock and opened the door without fanfare, stepping through to turn the light on. Eemi followed him mutely, stepping into the relative warmth. He set his bag down on the grimy carpet - of course a motel in a small town like this would be run-down and grubby at best, he hadn’t expected anything better - and shut the door behind him, shutting out that vast and lonely view.

🤯: What's a genre you struggle with as a writer (ex. romance, action, etc.)?

romance. and currently smut

⛔️: Do you have a fic you started, but scrapped?

so many 😅😅 there’s the reader insert bc ones, half of my wip list because i hated what i had down, and the final chapter of ‘the truth was born deformed and dead’

[mecha-omega]

Had to think about this one for a while, 2 1/2 weeks max.

Many games go under the radar from many fans and companies. Many just become forgotten. But thanks to a friend, I’ve experienced a game that I’ve never thought I would enjoy fully. That game is Panzer Dragoon Saga, a game released on the Sega Saturn in 1998. It had a rough development cycle, being made while the Sega Saturn and Sega themselves were spiraling down due to the commercial failure of the Saturn. But thanks to people on the internet, the Sega Saturns Emulation is fully stable as the games rom can be found online.

Panzer Dragoon Saga starts at a dig site in the mountains, while mercenaries are guarding the area. In it they find a Girl surrounded by stone, but not long after they get attacked by their employers while they all get picked off one by one. All but one are alive, a young adult named Edge, after being shot off a cliff, Edge is awoken in ruins surrounded by gray ancient plates. He gets attacked by creatures of a by-gone age but a strange dragon saved you as you escape the ruins, venturing out to get your revenge and save the girl they took.

Right of the bat, you go straight into the gameplay, clean and simple. The only things you have to focus on is your dragon’s HP, SP, and any Status effects it has. There is no equipment like armor and the like, just whatever attachments Edge’s gun you’d like to put on it. To attack you have to use an action gauge (3 bars) to attack with your gun or the dragons’ many attacks. At one point in the game you will have access to many moves that does different kinds of effect to buffing, debuffing, Healing, AOE attacks, Shields, ect. At a certain point in the game the Dragon will be able to transform into 4 other forms, Attack, Agility, Spiritual, and Defense, each form can be chosen by via a slider so you can go either a balance Dragon or go one sided with your dragon.

There are items & intractable objects in the world of PDS so it’s best to explore as much as you can. Honestly it’s recommended due to this games length, it’s only 12 hours long minimum, I’ve personally hit 13 hours due to me just wondering around areas & looking for certain items that can help me with later fights. I recommend looking for items called “D Units”, there are 12 of them in total. I won’t say what they do but it’s a neat bonus for finding them all.

The story and look of Panzer Dragoon Saga are amazing especially its world. The Sega Saturns from what I heard wasn’t the best with 3D compared to N64 & PSX1, but ultimately these environments were amazing to look at. Nothing honestly compared to other games around the time, the detail in certain landscapes were impressive, Granted there are some pop in but it might just has to due to the emulation since it isn’t running on OG hardware. Final Fantasy never did 3D fully mainline till FFX, and Xenogears only did 3D for the environments rather than the character models. PDS does both and it’s insane how a console that can’t do 3D very well processes all of what’s going on screen. Yah, other games like MGS1 & Mario 64 are full 3D but idk for this game it feels different.

The Story isn’t the most ground breaking I’ve witnessed but it’s has some twists that I’ve would’ve not predicted. I won’t say what they were but there were moments where my jaw dropped and I just sat there like “DAWG WHAT!?” Till I went back to processing what I’ve seen. With the story being so short, it’s plot is way more focused than other games after it’s released, which is super refreshing in certain cases. For Edge and Azel being the main characters, they are pretty endearing, they aren’t to crazy as characters but their interactions all the way up to the end of the game fits the game’s end with a nice bow.

Overall, Panzer Dragoon Saga became one of my favorite games of all time. I’ve never had an experience quite like it, but sadly I don’t believe we’ll have something quite like it again. After it’s release, Sega was already setting its sights on the Dreamcast as their financial situation gets worse. While PDS isn’t the sole reason for it, it was non the less not very favorable sales wise. While it’s JP version only produced 100K copies, its US versions only produced 25k and worse its EU version? Only 1,000 copies making it extremely rare in said region. It can sit around for 1,000$ to 2,000$ minimum compleat as parts of it go for 200$ to 300$ and that’s only for the US. Due to the restructuring Sega was doing they disbanded Team Andromeda and folded them into Smilebit. Thankfully the game did get a sequel in the form of Panzer Dragoon Orta, taking place after PDS.

If you want to play the game in full I highly recommend getting an emulator for it (Mainly Retro Arc) since Saturn emulation has been smoother the past few years, there is a guild on the Wiki iirc. And if you are one of the few that are waiting for it to come to current Gen home consoles, tough shit. We don’t know the full story but due to the restructuring for the Dreamcast release and after the company restructured again after the Dreamcast died and moved onto game making. The source code is most likely lost or destroyed since there has been no attempts to rerelease it in some shape or form.

With all said and done, with it being one of my favorite games I’ve played this year, I give it unironically a 9.5/10 to a 10/10. I don’t think I’ll have the same experience that I had with this game with any other game moving forwards, but I’m glad to say that this game found a home in my head and heart. And I’ll fight for it whenever Sega tries to remake it or remaster it if they ever find the source code or have another studio help them create it from the ground up.

Ty Team Amdromeda and Sega for creating such an amazing experience…

[theresattrpgforthat]

My absolute favorite D&D setting is Eberron. I love it to pieces, although I’ve never gotten the chance to play in it. My favorite things about the setting are 1) the potential for both pulpy adventure and juicy noirish intrigue and 2) the frequent moral ambiguity of characters and factions. The magitech is fun too, but that’s just a bonus. So I’ve been thinking: is there another game that can tide me over while I wait for the Sharn campaign of my dreams?

THEME: Pulp and Intrigue

There’s a lot of themes you’re trying to hit here all at once, so I’m going to do my best here. I’m breaking it down as follows:

1. I’m looking for games that can accommodate pulp adventure (dramatic, fast-paced, simple stories)

2. I’m looking for games that can also accommodate noir themes and intrigue.

3. I’m looking for games with morally ambiguous factions and people.

Atomic Robo RPG, by Evil Hat.

Action! Science! Robots! Punching! More Science!

Are you ready for some two-fisted science adventure? Then it's time for the Atomic Robo RPG! Have you ever wanted to face down global conspiracy as an immortal atomic robot or Carl Sagan? The Atomic Robo RPG makes it possible.

The Atomic Robo RPG brings you the most explosive Fate Core System experience yet. This is action science like you've never seen it before, coming straight at you from the pages of the popular Atomic Robo comics by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener. Play as an Action Scientist or immortal robot, super-spy or pulp adventurer—or something stranger still from the hidden corners of super-science!

This game combines wacky hiking with big conspiracies and various morally grey corporations and societies. Sure some of the folks you meet are probably pretty cartoonishly evil, but you work for Tesladyne - how morally good are you? Either way, get ready to shoot things with lasers, create impossible machines, and fight an undead Thomas Edison after he tries to get revenge on your boss.

Fae Noir, by Green Fairy Games.

The Great War is over, but its scars have yet to heal.

Will you play a pistol-packing elf or magic-slinging private eye? Fast-driving bootlegger or tango-dancing troll?

It is the Roaring 20's and everyone wants to forget the horrors of a war that spanned continents and dimensions. But the changes it wrought are not so easily dismissed. Humanity struggles to understand a world of re-awakened magic and folklore come to life. The fae, failed invaders from the lands of faery, find themselves adrift in the unfamiliar modern world, living relics of the past. It is an era of jazz and exploration, of art deco and danger; a time when the fists and courage of individuals can determine the course of history.

Fae Noir is a role-playing game set in the chaotic, pivotal decade of an alternate world where creatures of mythology returned from self-imposed exile at the height of World War I.

This is an intriguing mix of magic and noir set in a time period full of tension and high stakes. You can play as a human or one of ten different Fae races. Characters use a point-build system, and the game is run primarily off d8s. The stats given to characters are more focused on adventure than on social situations, so if you’re more into kicking down the front door of a local gangster or holding your breath in the canal so that you can sneak into the local prison rather than sweet-talking the mayor at the next soiree.

Escape from Dino Island, by Sam Tung & Sam Roberts.

Escape from Dino Island is a thrilling adventure game about intrepid heroes trapped on an island overrun with creatures from a lost age—dinosaurs!

Players take on the role of everyday people who are brave and competent, but also in over their head. The game is designed to help you create the kind of stories that are full of action and suspense, but in which fighting is rarely a good option.

Will you escape with your life? And what kind of person will you become in your quest to survive? There’s only one way to find out…

If you want pulp adventure this is a great little game to get you there. Escape from Dino Island doesn’t have much in noir themes on the tin but if you want to ask questions about how the dinosaurs got there, how your characters got there, and who might be trying to profit from this while situation, you might have the makings of a bigger mystery. (Plus there’s dinosaurs, and if there’s one thing I know about Eberron, is that it’s got dinosaurs.) 

Urban Jungle, by Sanguine Productions.

The early 20th century of the United States was rife with fantastic change: from the rise of industry giants, to the great experiment of Prohibition, to the tragedy of the Great Depression, onto the dawn of the Atomic Age. The sky was tamed, the world was mapped, and the possibilities of science seemed limitless, all blue skies and buttered toast…

… for some folks, anyway.

A complete game in one volume, URBAN JUNGLE makes you a player in an anthropomorphic world of pulp-adventure, hard-boiled crime, and film noir. You’ll tangle with hardened gangsters, with jaded debutantes, with world-wear wary veterans, and with all kinds of shady characters.

Urban Jungle has a number of different cities to base your stories in, from the New-Orleans-style Bellegarde, to the Californian-inspired San Dorado, to the tribute to Miami that is Sunshine City. The GM section has some solid advice, such as the kinds of threats you can send against players, and how to use NPC death. The idea is that Urban Jungle will eat you alive (metaphorically) if your characters aren’t careful - there’s money to be made and schmucks to swindle, so you’ll have to be smart, savvy, and suave to get what you’re looking for, whether that be answers, safety, or your next meal. 

Swords of the Serpentine, by Pelgrane Press.

You round the bend past the lower fort and there she is: the great city of Eversink, sprawled out on scores of islands across the sheltered water. She may be ancient and corrupt, slowly and inexorably swallowed by an endless bog; but she’s alive in a way most cities aren’t. She’s a melding of faith and stone and wood and water – and mud – that’s unique in all the world. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve come to kill a rival, earn a fortune, learn a secret, or hire an army. You’re home now, and the Sinking City will embrace you. All you need to do is survive.

Swords of the Serpentine is a sword & sorcery game of daring heroism, sly politics, and bloody savagery, set in a fantasy city rife with skullduggery and death. The rules adapt the GUMSHOE investigative roleplaying system to create a fantasy RPG with a focus on high-action roleplaying and investigation inspired by the stories of Fritz Leiber, Terry Pratchett, Robert E. Howard, and others.

Your characters will discover leads that, if followed, propel them headlong into danger and forbidden knowledge. A lead might point the way to sunken treasure, jungle ruins, the missing key to a sorcerous trap, or the true identity of a notorious murderer. The GUMSHOE game mechanics ensure that you’ll always notice leads if you look for them. It’s up to you to choose which one you'll follow into whatever perils lie ahead, in hopes of fortune, glory, justice, or just staying alive another day.

If you want magic and mystery, Swords and Serpentine has it. If you want alliances and intrigue, this game also has it. Eversink is a city with many different organizations fighting for a piece of the cake that your characters can get involved in, make deals with, and try not to get stabbed in the process. There’s also a robust social system to help your characters navigate political situations where their opponents might have sorcery, curses, alchemy and more up their sleeve - and all the corruption that comes with it. 

If you want to track down foul sorcerers in a corrupt and decadent city, clamber through underground ruins to sneak into an enemy’s home and rob them, or wage a secret war against a rival political faction, you’re in the right place.