#vaporwave resources turned creepy

[numenskog]

"I didn't think the end would be like this, when I signed the contract. Exploration, reaching beyond the stars, a childhood dream.

And then reality slammed. Me. All of us.

Even when we can't walk any more, the suit does it for us. It makes us the perfect scouts, the perfect soldiers. How can you kill what's already dead." _____________________ I never thought I'd end up having a series of drawings of space/scifi suits and skulls, but here I am.

[sanchoyo]

danny phantom season 2, eps 1-5 thoughts! opening the new season with episodes like these kinda blew me away. we had multiple serious episodes INCLUDING a two parter!! also, valerie :)

see prev episode thoughts in this tag <3

-I don't know what I expected s2 to open with. but danny portal incident in more detail was not it. (also, I hate to break it to you, sam, but danny's parent's bigass ghost hunting rv def chugs more gas than those vehicles, lmao. unless it runs on ectoplasm or something...)

-WHY WAS DESIREE IN THE SEWER? HAVING TEA WITH IT DOWN THERE?? Her making the giant cow come alive is a boss move, we've almost had all of my fav animals as ghosts now <3 I also don't like how sam was expecting danny to just, haunt the place so the cars wouldn't get sold? I KNOWWW I know she's 14 (and I had a very annoying phase like this, I think I mentioned in a previous post, I GET IT) but they're HIS powers, and messing with (1) dealership will not really put a dent in sales overall because they can just move the cars to another sales lot, and it certainly wont change the industry anyway, it's more of a minor annoyance for (1) location. Also, usually people who work at car sales places work on commission, so if they dont make a sale, they don't have money to pay bills, or eat. sam baby if u wanna be an activist you need to like, actually look into these things. with as much money as her parents have, she could be doing a lot..more useful things for causes she cares about? it's frustrating to see someone with resources who doesn't know how to use them. but shes 14 so again. cannot be really upset :/

-IS THIS A PREDATOR VS TERMINATOR VS FREDDY KRUEGER MOVIE BUT THEYRE ALL WOMEN?? you know, sam is so right to be excited about this. /I/ want to see this movie. that rules

-paulina inviting danny and friends to her quinceañera, aw! even if it is just to get phantom to show up :') and there'll be a meteor shower, and we KNOW danny wants to be an astronaut!! there's not a meteor shower every night!! the tickets are non-refundable, but..she's rich? like. gotta agree with danny, they never get invited!! I KNOW it's the principle of keeping promises, but if she was that upset, she should've said something. directly. I hated how she was like, passive aggressive about it through the episode, like you SAID IT WAS FINE, THAT YOU'D GO TO THE PARTY TOO. MOVIES SHOW FOR A FEW WEEKS IN THEATERS. IF YOU HAD A REAL PROBLEM YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT. WE'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, SAM. YOUR FRIENDS. ARE NOT. MIND READERS.

-MR. LANCER GOING AFTER THE GHOST WITH THE FIRE EXTINGISHER LMAO

-this outfit is everything . anytime the show does an over the top cutesty pink outfit i WANT IT. it looks like shit I wear JKASDHF I HAVE a bow like that and a pink sweater. I need leg warmers </3

-SAMS GOTTA RE-HALF-KILL HIM??? thats fucked up. but also, he finally got his logo!! it took until s2!!! this episode was lowkey very fucked and I felt like it glossed over a lot. does sam have guilt about like. kinda KILLING HIM?? I know, he also agreed and walked into the portal. but. she made the choice to redo it SO quickly (even if it was because someone had to beat desiree) and danny, during their fight, brought up a lot of stuff sam's done in the past, meaning he was holding onto those memories and resentment was building. (I KEEP SAYING HE LOWKEY NEEDS THERAPY, BUT I THINK MOST EVERYONE IN THIS SHOW KINDA DOES) which...is a red flag? and then they didnt even GO to the party URGH I know she tried to make up for it, but it really felt like Sam fucked up and barely faced any consequences and got everything she wanted in the end. I KNOW it's a kids show obv they aren't going to go too in depth, and she undid the damage, kinda, but...I DUNNO how to articulate it but it rubbed me the wrong way.

-but on a note about desiree, her powers of wishes were STRONG ENOUGH TO ERASE NOT JUST THEIR MEMORIES, BUT DANNY'S POWERS?! fuck, if I was danny I'd be like, trying to make friends with her. I know they always have horrible side effects as most genie-granted wishes do, but...c'mon, I'd at least TRY to be like 'I wish no ghosts would hurt anyone in my town' or 'I wish vlad would lose his ghost powers forever no matter What and also forget about my mom' LIKE. SHIT DESIREE IS SO POWERFUL. rewriting reality powerful, basically!! appreciate her. respect her.

-aww, sam helping tucker pass the nurse's office so he wouldn't see because he's afraid of medical stuff? very sweet. I also don't like medical stuff, I've gotten a lot better at handling it tho. but seeing blood and needles still makes me feel lightheaded x_x

-FOLEY, BY TUCKER FOLEY. I want to make my own perfume, that's so cool. even if his first attempt isn't good, he's pretty consistently shown to have an inventor/entrepreneur streak in the show, so like. I can see him inventing or making something (or several somethings) that make him $$$ when he grows up :) proud of my creative son

-I know the 'creepy abandoned hospital on the edge of town' is a joke and the creepy hospital trope is so Worn Out, but in my town we actually DO have a hospital like that! my dad was born in it, but its not in use and hasn't been for, like, 20 years! it needs to be torn down but I think the city doesn't wanna pay the money. the inside is horrible, spray painted and broken glass and shit everywhere. but there's still like, rusty equipment and fucking DOLLS all over the place. the cops drive by it pretty frequently to make sure no one is like, breaking in. (because of water damage, some of the areas really aren't safe. also, asbestos, but people still go in anyway) but also, some of my town was used in a filming for a stephen king show. So it's lowkey spooky all over. just a fun personal tidbit :) to lead into saying, any hospital abandoned for any period of time is NOT safe to quarantine these kids in JKSAHDKF like I KNOW it's a ghost trying to do this, but NONE of these parents are even like, 'well, why dont we keep them in the regular, working hospital'....YIKES. this hospital looks pretty accurate to the one in town. grungy and spooky.

-fentons are tax evaders confirmed by jack's fear of being audited, lol no one is surprised

-ghost sickness via ghost bugs. horrifying concept. I actually expected it to be a new villain, not dr. spectra again! this is a very elaborate scheme. her new form rules, love the new costume. the way none of the bg kids seem to recognize her as their old school councilor. did we just forget about that completely?

-dash watching romance movies in the fucked up ghost hospital. same.

-'oh please, you're ghosts, do you have any idea what YOU smell like?' no, tucker, what DO ghosts smell like? I genuinely didn't know they would even have a smell, I actually want to know now.

-it feels like a while since we've seen jazz!! i was happy to see her again, even if she was a head in a jar for most the episode. I want another jazz-focused ep!!

-we finally see danny doing space-related stuff!! him and his friends stargazing to open ep 3 of s2. cute :) until, GHOST PIRATES!!!!! ...ghost pirate captain is a small child?? VOICED BY TAYLOR LAUTNER???

-oh, the easy listening is ember's song instrumental slowed. 'vapor drone' THEY VAPORWAVED HER!!! ember in a pirate outfit tho >>>>. and the cruise being called m.bersback JKASDHJK. ember adopting a little pirate brother is also pretty cute. concerning this teen and little kid have such bad opinions of adults, like, who hurt you?? (how did you DIE ALSO?? im always lowkey curious about that. we know desiree died at an old age, but her ghost form is young, probably mid-20s, so I wonder how that sort of thing works...its a more mental thing, isn't it?) but ghost team-ups are always cool to see, even if ember bailed after danny took her guitar. I guess she probably thinks youngblood can handle it (which, he's been owning danny this far in the ep, so...fair)

-tucker got that sponsorship from nasty burger for their radio!!! again, opportunistic money maker king, love to see it!!!

-danny taking control of the kids SO FAST. he makes a pretty great leader. no one is surprised, im pretty sure I said I think he's the most mature of the trio, once again, correct, because he's taken on so much responsibility already. all the teens suiting up in the jumpsuits to go save the adults and taking the ship over with a BLIMP. OKAY LETS GO. this feels like it should be a mid finale or straight up finale.

-...speaking of finales. why is ep 4-5 of s2 combined into a 50 minute episode? I havent even clicked play and im concerned. weird placement, like, this season JUST started and we're getting a two parter? okay...why are the episodes placed like this? why not put this at episode 10 or something, for a mid-season thing?

-this is also a cute dress. possibly my fav dress so far. can her parents give ME cute dresses, I'LL wear them.

-it turns out the castle fright knight was in is called pariah's keep and there's something worse than fright knight in there! lovely! fuck off vlad wtf are you doing <3 your hubris <3 is going to literally get you killed <3 'ring of rage' and 'crown of fire' are great names tho. ...vlad turning into a super polite guy when he was scared of mr. pariah was hilarious. and fright knight doing the same...I mean, it makes sense, he's a knight, he serves a king? happy to see fright knight again either way :) vlad telling him to call him tho, lmfao. you WISH HE WOULD. (I wish hed call me, too. 😔)

-so...jack being genuinely concerned about vlad...maddie really didn't tell him what happened at the cabin, did she. damn. if I was her id immediately come home and be like 'YOU WONT BELIEVE THIS SHITTTT THIS CREEPY GUY--' like, I feel like that stuff you need to tell your partner!!! I know she didnt want Jack to think she was an irresponsible parent putting danny in danger at that time, but STILLLL. maddie spilling boiling tea on him. get his ass. how is jack this oblivious to his wife's discomfort with vlad!! ughhh

-fenton wipe (tm). trademarked toilet paper.

-DANNY AND VALERIE BEING FRIENDS??? :D that was a cute moment. 'hey val <3' and 'if you like him like him, make a move, or someone else will ;)' at sam...damn!! I love her. valerie go for it girl!!! I hate how sam and tucker treat val also, like I GET IT YOURE PROTECTIVE AND DONT TRUST but if anything him befriending valerie will help when she finds out or he tells her like I feel like she'll be more understanding that they think! ALSO I feel like her reason for not liking ghosts is valid, like you haven't really explained the full story to her anyway! she doesn't seem to have any other friends after being booted from the a-listers so im like :( but seeing them kick butt together again was nice <3

-the ghosts all RUNNING FROM PARIAH DARK IS NOT GOOD, I thought he sent them to attack or something, but no. why doesn't someone just tell desiree 'hey i wish pariah dark would die' lol. once again I think she can solve every problem <3 but seeing all the enemies in one place, being civil and hiding together? love it.

-you just know danny's gonna have to clean up vlad's stupid mess. also, jack being willing to put on the ectoskeleton pants to help maddie, as soon as vlad heard it could kill him, he suggested jack do it instead of helping maddie himself? this is why jack got the girl, my man.

-ghost skeletons. how do you end up as a skeleton ghost in your afterlife instead of a humanoid like most the ones we've seen? lmao

-the ghosts just making new homes in various stores. I'd totally be setting up in an expensive clothing store if I was a ghost.

-valerie's dad is possibly the most useful adult so far, with that ghost shield expansion!!! and valerie saving vlad and danny, even tho shes been thru it already, shes still so good!!! this family rules.

-danny: *gently caresses valerie* :)

-*then he immediately TELLS HER DAD ON HER. and his first response is 'are you okay?' :'( such a good dad...

-*me every time fright knight breathes* youre doing SO great sweetie :)

-the fenton suit thing is so silly looking. does anyone take this thing seriously

-ALL THE GHOSTS FIGHTING WITH DANNY <3 AAAAA. and the fact that pariah isn't perma-defeated, but just locked away again. yikes. he'll probably get out again, won't he? it wasn't too clear, but if vlad DID make a pact with fright knight, I am rabid. I will beat vlad to death with the fenton bat (tm). YOU DONT DESERVE A COOL KNIGHT.

-valerie being direct with sam and challenging her? kinda love that, even tho I normally don't like 'catfight' type situations. because sam has been very passive aggressive about it which is annoying. valerie knows wtf she wants and wasn't even embarrassed to tell sam, but she did tell her, giving sam time to make her own move! and sam denied it and got embarrassed/mad! and sam did have a chance when danny was about to go off and fight, and she hesitated and didn't tell him. I feel like she's hesitating because they're friends and it might make it weird between the trio (poor tucker would be third-wheeling) but if u snooze u lose, u gotta GO after what u WANT girl. smh this is a No Tsundere Zone. 😤

[weshallneverrevolt]

VA-11 Hall-A: Cyperpunk Bartender Action (2016, PC)

Video games are typically about heroes.

This is mostly out of necessity. No one wants to play a third-person going-to-school simulator (okay, maybe Persona attracts a certain audience.) They’re inherently escapist art. We want to be a paladin, or the Hero of Time, or anyone other than ourselves when we pick up that controller and stare at the screen.

It’s also a design decision. Action keeps players interested in a game, and creates more definite objectives. “Go there and fetch the ring” is much easier to program than “Conquer the fear of abandonment rooted in your childhood,” and it’s also easier for players to understand. That cycle of risk, goal, and reward is the most foundational element of game design.

VA-11 Hall-A is a bartending simulator. You do not play a hero, and it has very little of those core gameplay elements; what is there is extremely simple and serves the purpose of telling its story. Calling it a game feels sort of wrong, but so does calling it a bartending simulator; it is instead one of the latest in a great lineage of games that have existed on both the fringe of the genre’s definition and of public appreciation.

The visual novel genre is a uniquely Japanese phenomenon, a sort of digital choose your own adventure novel. There may be branching narrative paths, menial resource management or role-playing game elements, but most of it is just you clicking the text forward. Americans flirted with this a bit with our Leisure Suit Larrys and our Mysts, but those games still focused on puzzle-solving over story.

Perhaps the most famous example is Snatcher, one of the first pre-internet visual novels to arrive on American soil. Directed by the venerable Hideo Kojima, its story of robots assuming human identities obviously borrows from Blade Runner. First released for Japanese-only computers in 1988, it was released here in 1994, right before the dawn of the 3D action game. Naturally, it received very little attention, as did Kojima until he directed a little-known indie game called Metal Gear Solid: Tactical Espionage Action.

VA-11 Hall-A doesn’t just riff of of MGS’  subtitle; its developers have clearly followed Kojima since his earliest days.

The most obvious influence lies in the game’s setting and aesthetic. VA-11 Hall-A is set in “the year 20XX”, in a dystopian pixelscape called Glitch City. Here corporations and government are interchangeable, lifelike robots called lilim mingle with humans and nanomachines bury themselves into human flesh to keep dissenters in check. It’s a dark but gorgeous setting, a rusty jungle of pink and purple neon and flashing lights. It’s all portrayed through colorful pixel art and one of the best video game soundtracks in years, a mashup of vaporwave, cyberpunk, and anime influences.

Such a setting lends itself to stories like those of Snatcher, where you play an elite detective diving into the city’s seedy underbelly. VA-11 Hall-A takes a different tack: you play a twenty-something bartender named Jill who works at a dingy dive bar in a back alley. Her story has a journey - one of forgiveness and redemption - but as the player, your only goal is to serve drinks correctly and pay rent.

Your customers are what give the game its true color There’s Dorothy, a childlike lilim sex worker with a raunchy sense of humor; Alma, a tenderhearted hacker at the center of ever-present family drama; Donovan, a misogynistic but strangely endearing newspaper editor; Art, a mild-mannered private investigator. Jill also has a complicated relationship with her boss, Dana, and mysterious co-worker Gil.

Save for one particular character, most of the stories you hear are far from heroic. One patron finds joy in helping the poor around “Mega Christmas,” while another drinks to cope with his long-lost daughter. It’s not all sentimental: VA-11 Hall-A does embrace the wacky absurdity of its anime heritage. There are talking dogs, robotic catgirls, plenty of fan service, even a daimakura (those creepy body pillows you see in cringe compilations.) The goofiness juxtaposed with the dreary setting and frequent sob stories is captivating.

It’s also surprisingly profound. VA-11 Hall-A‘s developers are from Venezuela, where a corrupt socialist regime has cracked down on civil rights and mismanaged the economy. Anecdotes in the game reflect that reality: a mysterious hacker exposing government corruption, characters waiting in line for flour rations, an independent newspaper turning to shallow journalism for fear of government reprisal. Similar to the regine in North Korea, it’s easy to forget that under cartoonish dictatorships are real people who struggle to maintain their families and friendships.

My boy George R. R. Martin said it best in A Game of Thrones:

“’The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends,’ Ser Jorah told her. ‘It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace.’ He gave a shrug. ‘They never are.’”

Art about “normal people” is not new. Early modern art was a reaction to paintings of gods and kings, an effort to find heartbreak and joy in the lives of common people. Musicians, too, have largely turned from bardic tales of epic voyages to songs about universal emotions: love, loss, and hope. While games have had a broad emotional palette for years, it’s rare that they’re mined from people not on a quest, or fulfilling a destiny, or serving a greater cause.

The men and women of VA-11 Hall-A just want to be happy, fate and feats of heroism be damned. Though you learn a lot about their world by interacting with them, you never find the solution to its problems. They have more pressing things to worry about: finding work, going to the new concert in town, what that cute girl by the jukebox is up to.

VA-11 Hall-A taps into the exhaustion of being a nobody. Of feeling powerless, confused, and lost in a world too large to wrap your head around. Even those of us in a stable country can relate to that, drained of energy by constant Facebook debates and a news cycle that seems desperate to one-up itself with tragedy and dark tidings.

Most importantly, it signals that gaming has grown. The medium once dominated by a jumping plumber and his single-minded quest for a princess is on its way to achieving the same diversity as film, literature, music, and other more “reputable” forms of art.

And they don’t have nearly as many waifus.

VA-11 Hall-A is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The kick-ass soundtrack is also available for streaming on Spotify and Google Play.