#very low key rpg and quite fun

[suburbanbonfire]

played a fun band-themed RPG (free here!) this weekend with my friends, and drew my self-conscious singer, Gina!

[idiotthatdrawsakaartist]

so while yall are waiting for the season 4 rewrite and wizards redesigns I've decided to post some ideas i had for a remake if fate the Winx saga. I've been working on a sort of rewrite but i gave up on it long ago because the point of that rewrite was to keep everything as intact as possible and still tell a good story.

long story short i failed : D miserably

so all my ideas amounted to was a few mood boards of the girl's looks, il run you through them :3

Bloom : 

her casual form is quite simple and monochromatic, I like to imagine my version of Bloom fixated on the idea of fairies so much that it became a sort of coping mechanism. thinking of herself as a fairy as a sort of confidence boost has been her go to so her look includes lots of pastels, cute skirts , simple shapes and butterfly motifs. her whole point is : mi like fairies , mi want to look cute :3.

her fairy form is low key a funny story XD basically in my cancelled rewrite, the only thing you get when you transform are your wings. making your outfit is a requirement in order to become a guardian fairy. its sort of like a uniform. it actively shows that you're using your magic and what your here to do. its not taken lightly. a fairy transforming to fight basically means: u, my friend, are fucked :D

this is done ether during your fairy education or right before graduation. and since in my version Enchantix vanished a long time ago, any Enchantix fairies lost the power and any fairies in training have lost the hope of receiving it your base form is treated like your final form since for many fairies of that past, it was. all fairies thus are told

"make your fairy form fancy as shit, people gatta look at you and piss themsleves bc of how badass you looks"

but since Bloom didn't get the memo she made hers incredibly simple, which low key makes her a laughing stock in Alfea. my plan was to use this to deepen hers and Stella's bond since ide like to imagine Stella would help her redesign her outfit XD also I'm diversifying the body types, Bloom is now skinny fat 

her form very closely based off of her OG form bc of that since their base form was quite simple.

Stella :

her casual form is very in line with the types of things her og counterpart would wear, since in my version Solaria would be called the crescent queendom  with fate version of Luna running it. were keeping the whole her mom is abusive thing but where changing a few things.

Stella grows into her own in the Winx club and thus begins showing off her sunny disposition which in a moon queendom is looked down upon. but her outfits would do a 180 once her mom is present. she's suddenly in dark blues, purples ,and silver.

her fairy form is her trying to morph herself to be exactly what her mother wants, everything is moon themed. again dark blues and silver everywhere. Also i changed her body type to being Chubby bc yes :3

Flora :

she's pretty straight forward, her fairy form and casual form follow the same theme of nature. I just made her main colour for her casual form sage while her transformation pink just like in the OG. also I kept her plus sized bc plus sized Flora was a great idea, and than they white washed her :,)

in terms of her fairy form, I leaned in to the cute pink girl horror rpg asthetic aka pocket mirror. i want her to be as custey as possible bc

y e s

Musa :

oh boy her casual form was fun : D , i hate how they feminised her in the later seasons and took this as an opportunity to go FULL IN to the alt fashion she was meant to wear uwu she a lil alt girlie, she's quirky like that uwu.

her fairy form is based more on her culture but still has the edge of her alt fashion sense ^^ I've decided to keep her as skinny since most of the cast now are leaning heavily to the plus sized of the spectrum, I thought ide include the skinny girls in here too ^^ and when i say Skinny i don't mean an hour glass, i mean no boobs, no butt, no nata.

Tecna :

i decided to dive into the hacker aesthetic but make it fairy :3 her wings ( in her base form at least) don't flap, they put her body into a 0G state which allows her to "fly". lots of neon lights with her uwu

her casually outfits are just generally geometric. also i decided to make her thin but to an unhealthy degree. perhaps she could be dealing an illness and we could explore how she feels being mostly in solitude for most of her life :p

Aisha :

she's basically the sporty girl aesthetic incarnate. lots of neutral tones with hints of green and pink :D her basic form is simply meant to be kind of mermaid inspired, also ide like to imagine her Enchantix would give her afro with cute water drops in it and pearls :3

Jesus that was long. anyhow as stated, this rewrite isn't being made anymore bc I've concluded that my challenge wouldn't work. keeping most of it intact and making it good would just simply result in a decent at best show. and us in the Winx fandom aren't going for just fine were going for MAJESTIC UWU

[jeannahas]

Pathfinder Ancestries - From a First Timer!

Ok: I have to say - I love the sparks of creativity firing as I read the pathfinder ancestries. I've never looked at or opened Pathfinder 2e, but back when I first started to get into RPG's back in 2012-2015, I was introduced by means of Pathfinder 1e, and My brothers and I (Who never played an actual game) spend countless hours making character after character, checking it against the rules, and comparing builds and backstories.

Well, with this whole Debacle that's pushed me away from 5e DnD, I've delved back into Pathfinder with 2e, and oh am I enjoying myself already!

I just wanted to talk about some of my favorite ancestries:

First and Foremost - The ANADI!

I love Anansi, and I love the fact that this ancestry seems like a homage to that legend - Spiders, who become people! I cannot tell you the sheer number of role-play and storytelling options that come to mind with a race that learned how to shapeshift specifically so they could be less terrifying to other inteligent species in order to interact with the wider world - and their ancestral feats are fun, thematic, and fit in great! I have made two characters for Pathfinder 2e in preparation for some games, and one of them is and Anadi Gunslinger- this is going to be fun. Tons of options to customize your shapeshifting abilities, spider and human forms, and your abilities in both.

LESHY - Adorable! If I ever played one, I would love to play as a group of Leshy's out to tackle the world. Lots of tiny, cute plant-people trying to survive a wider world without dying - it would be a hilarious one / four shot.

NAGAJI - Yuan-ti ish, but not evil? Fascinating! I love the philosophical bent of this group of snake-people - they have a lot of the things I enjoy about the Yuan Ti, but the fact that their culture is completely unfamiliar, means that encountering them would be a novel experience for me - I don't know if I would rather play one, or play a normal character running into them, but I would love to explore the implications of this culture.

ANDROID - Always been a favorite of mine. When I took up DnD in 2018 I was sad they didn't have androids, and Warforged just didn't scratch the same itch - mostly but not quite humanoids trying to survive a world that doesn't understand technology? With a mind that uploads and then downloads a new soul every so often? Fascinating implications if your character's body was an adventurer as well, and you run into someone who "Knows" you.

FLESHWARPS- I AM SO EXCITED THIS IS AN ANCESTRY OPTION. I was low key obsessed with the flesh warping process in Pathfinder 1e, and the dark elves experiments, the fact that they could create entire other creatures by dunking people into their warping pits. I love that this is intentionally a very customizable class, and just...super creepy. Comes with automatic backstory too - if your character is a Fleshwarp, what were they before? How have they taken to their twisted transformation? I would love to explore these themes someday.

GHORAN - PLANT PEOPLE! They remind me of one of the magical races from the Beyonders Series by Brandon Mull - plant-people with a seed that they can regrow from, giving them functional immortality so long as they can re-plant and grow the seed they stem from. A bit of personality shenanigans when they regrow too, which could be run to role-play if your character's personality shifts a little after "Dying" and being re-planted. I'd probably home-brew them a little bit to be more humanoid in some ways... but I'd have to play them as is first before making any changes.

KASHRISHI - RHINO BUG SURVIVALISTS! Hyper adaptable stubby rhino-people, which a magical ability to adapt to their environment with each generation. These guys would be cool to see, or role-play, I'd love to give it a try someday.

That's all, Might post on this topic randomly later. :D

[orcelito]

While dragon age veilguard is so fun, I must admit. I do miss the earlier games.

(Under a cut bc I unintentionally rambled a LOT...)

It's so. *Polished*. Blatantly very beautiful. And it does have some fun conversations. I don't like the fact that you can only have 2 companions with you at a time though. I miss the inventory management stuff too... which is smth I never thought I'd say, but it does feel kinda. Low-stakes in terms of item consumption. No matter how rough a battle gets, every resource I use will regenerate given a bit of time and/or a trip to the lighthouse. The EXP system is also so strange. I love defeating enemies that are well above my level bc it usually grants me a Massive amount of exp (for the level I'm at) so it gives me a giant boost. In this game, I beat two champions and a fucking revenant like 15 levels lower than them and what did I get for it??? Some items I don't use, a bit of exp, access to a few places I couldn't go otherwise...which are nice I guess, but not rly that worth it??? I'm still fighting them bc I find it fun, but it does kinda suck a bit of the satisfaction out of it. Also fights giving exp per encounter and not per enemy??? Like if it was exp gained at the end of an encounter calculated by what you fought, that'd be fine. But it'll grant the same amounts of exp no matter how many enemies are in these fights. Really, most of the exp weight is in completing missions. *massively* more exp there. Which kinda makes me sad, bc im the type who does enjoy grinding via fighting enemies and getting stronger. (But also I like the Fast Forward option of fighting BIG things for extra boost, mentioned above). Also, no body looting?? At all??? Sometimes they drop stuff, but rarely. Most of my average item drop grinding is from breaking every box and barrel I see (which is really quite funny for how no one Ever reacts to it). Ultimately, it's lots of fun, but it's missing some of these key rpg experiences that I enjoy that earlier dragon age games Did Have. So that's kinda a bummer.

I also just. Miss the stakes of the earlier games. Like we have world shattering stakes here etc etc oh no another blight but this one's Different... it's like they forgot that you don't have to keep shooting further upward to make things interesting. Like there's only so much gravity of stakes before it starts to feel kinda... idk, boring to me??? I don't care about all this Fighting The Gods shit. I don't like how they did this plot point anyways, specifically with them establishing that the elven Gods were actually all tyrant mages that enslaved the elves & the vallaslin (an important culutral symbol to the dalish identity) were actually slave markings. It feels so massively disrespectful & dismissive of polytheistic cultures, bc they're saying the elves, a group of marginalized people with some clinging desperately to their old heritage, are all mistaken about their gods. And it's only the True god (the Maker)(100% just Christianity in a fantasy setting) that is a real actual god. Or something. I just HATE IT.... and also how they're portraying Tevinter and Antiva, especially with the rewriting of the Crows being some noble and familial order instead of conductors of child torture etc etc. And Tevinter keeps going on about the magisters and the venatori and the slaves and it talks about the Shadow Dragons' work but we don't actually. See much of anything??? At least not yet. They just look like they're sitting there twiddling their thumbs. Would love to actually participate in a slave break or something. See stuff more overtly instead of all the slaves talk being just talk??? Idfk it's Tevinter, smth that has long been a boogeyman for the series bc of its evil mages and slavery, but like... we don't even see any slaves around. They're mentioned Plenty, and they show iconography of it, but it just feels like the true horrors are off hidden... somewhere. Somewhere else. I mean aside from the stuff in like. The underwater prison, where we saw the effects of the blood magic experimentation, but EVEN THEN, slaves were only mentioned. It's like they were too scared to ever show a single actual slave. And after knowing and loving Fenris for so long, it kinda feels insulting??? Feels like the slaves are being denied their personhood. They can only exist as concepts, not actual people for us to see and know their pain. It's reductive, honestly.

Which, that's a good word. That explains this game in a lot of ways. It's Reductive. With the Crows, the magisters, how they present and have us handle the Gods + veil situation... even with all the death and destruction, it doesn't feel like there are any real stakes. Just oh no, more people are dead. I played the Treviso vs Minrathous choice today, chose Minrathous, and I was surprised by how... anticlimactic that fight was??? Like I guess I'm also pretty damn strong and that dragon was pretty challenging even for me. But not That challenging. And I didn't even get to finish the fight. And ALSO they mentioned something about the venatori marching on the magisterium or something?? But then I didn't get to do anything about it??? Just, oh fight's done, let's pop on over to the other city now. Other city is wrecked bc they just couldn't get the dragon to come down... which I know it's bc Rook has the knife that the dragon comes down to fight them, but *surely* they could've shot at the dragon with arrows in Treviso... for it to get low enough to blight everything??? And they couldn't do Anything?????? So like it does suck, there are definite stakes, I hate seeing Treviso overrun by blight like this and it's interesting that they had named characters die from it. I'll miss Heir bc I kinda liked her (WHICH IS WEIRD GIVEN SHES A TRAINER FOR THE CROWS AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE HEARD ABOUT TRAINING IN THE CROWS BEFORE?!?!?! But not this trainer don't worry she's niceys :3)(🙄🙄🙄🙄). But EVEN STILL... It just. It all just felt so anticlimactic. It wasn't a hard enough fight to merit it completely wrecking the other town like that. And the fact that i literally sent half my team to help out the other place!!! The literal only difference is that I had this damned dagger!!! It seems like such a bullshit small excuse to make me make some big difficult choice. Also the dagger being the idol that they found with Bertrand in da2???? That feels so weird. Something about purifying it or whatever but idk it just feels so *weird*.

Idk I miss the earlier games where it felt like things actually mattered. The romances were deep and complex. Again, with Fenris, we got to see how his trauma fucked with him in so many ways and how it took him literal *years* to feel ready for romance. And the passage of time!!!!! Like origins was wonderful for a classic epic rpg story kinda thing, a very good game, but da2 was amazing for how it spanned very little actually, but felt so *important*. It was just us living out a decade with this guy in a fucked up city with his fucked up friends. Everything felt like it *mattered*. It felt like we were actually part of the world.

Which that's another thing, isn't it?? The immersion, the feeling like I'm Part of the world... inquisition also struggled with this in a similar way to veilguard, though to its credit veilguard does try to tie in character backstories more... but we still don't *see* that. In origins and da2, you get a preview of your life Before everything happened. So you see how you ended up how you are. You also got to see your backstory characters at the start of the game, instead of them tossing some characters in front of you and going "Oh yeah, you know them :]" like no I dont???? Idfk it just makes it feel like it matters less.

AND ALSO!!!!!!!!!!!

The mages vs templars thing was such a central part of the games prior to this, and also the stuff on the treatment of elves. I got *one* dialog thing about how hard it must've been growing up in Tevinter as an elf (since I'm the shadow dragon background + an elf) but besides that??? Barely any mention at all. And there's next to no mention of mages with this, which I guess is largely due to the game being set in places other than Ferelden and Orlais....... but idfk man I feel like the world wouldn't be *this* different, minus like. Tevinter, obviously. Even then, we barely see mention of how elves are treated Even In Tevinter, where they are literally largely *enslaved*. I don't know if they've even mentioned that the slaves are all elves. I don't remember it at least if they did mention it (and I have a good memory). And fuck me, I do miss the mages vs templar thing, if only bc of how central it was and how Weird it feels for it to be a nonissue now. Even with us being in a different region of the world, it feels like we've just. Lost touch with the world's key influences. And reduced them all to just... oh no, here's some more death and blood magic. Which is awful, sure, but it feels like Everything awful in this game is just chalked up to death and blood magic and blight. I keep discovering letters in the field and I know they're gonna be dead. Like every time. Go out to find someone? Oh, they're dead now. Or blighted. Or they're dying and we get to hear their last words. I think the only exception for this was when we found the younger cousin in the Crows... which. Even Then. His elder cousin, who we were going after, was found dead. Where's the complexities!?!??!?! Why is everything just death and destruction!??!?!?!? There are more fucked up things to do with characters than just killing them or throwing darkspawn at them!!!!!! It's exactly this kind of thing that's desensitizing me to it in this game. Like oh no more death. Oh well, let's keep on exploring. 🙄🙄🙄🙄 it is, yet again, Reductive.

Now ALL THIS BEING SAID.... I am still obsessively playing veilguard and am having a ton of fun with it. But it just... doesn't Really feel like a dragon age game to me. It's fun, but only really when you assess it on its own. If you look at it in the context of the world at large and the earlier games, its writing just feels so, so weak. I've rambled for forever now and I still have more things I could complain about, but I will not. Because this post is long enough.

I just really miss origins and da2....

[dastardlyobnoxious]

My time with Pathfinder: Kingmaker (P.1)

Full disclosure: I'm spoiling major stuff about Pathfinder: Kingmaker in this post, this is a recollection of my experience with Kingmaker. Both runs of mine were on easy and effortless difficulty and this will be my attempt at recounting the details of my playthroughs.  This wasn't initially written with three parts in mind, so apologies for any confusion. (Text Dump below)

In the initial run-up to my buying Kingmaker, I’d just beaten Skyrim for the first time and I was in need of a new fantasy/RPG experience. I considered quite a few games, from mass effect to Oblivion when MandaloreGamings review of Kingmaker came out. I’m a big fan of his reviews, with them often offering a window into games I’ve never heard of or never played. So, it didn’t take much convincing to dive into a game that sounded like just what I was looking for. For context though, beyond my time with Skyrim and the Fable series I had little outside experience in RPGs let alone ones with turn-based or management mechanics. Leading into my unprepared self forgetting key details of that initial review and eventually grinding my playtime in Kingmaker to a halt.   

The Start.

I want to clarify that Kingmaker is very beginner friendly, from its customizability to its encyclopedia explaining key details of the Pathfinder lore. Both of these systems kept me afloat throughout my playthroughs from my lack of knowledge of basic terms like Armor Class to stat distribution. The story especially roped me in with how engaging and fun it was to learn about this world and my companions, even the smaller things like resting dialogue gave the game this charm you don’t see often. That said, Kingmakers' gameplay was a struggle, from my avoidance of the turn-based system opting to run the game in real-time. To my complete lack of awareness when it came to enemies casting ailments like blindness, fear, or sickness. When I’d finally beaten the Stag Lord and moved on to kingdom management that was an even bigger hurdle. It felt like a system I had to appease rather than enjoy with its constant deadlines and success rates being debilitatingly low. On my first playthrough, I was consistently frustrated with myself past the Stag Lord, alongside having missed both Jubliost and Ekundayo initially. Only finding out you could miss companions when I was in desperate need of a treasurer after already having sent off the only other non-dlc/non-mercenary option. All this built-up frustration snowballed into me taking a long break and eventually giving up on my first playthrough.  

Act 1

Upon returning to the game, in October of 2022, I realized anything less than a full restart would’ve been a disservice to Kingmaker. From my memory of the story being blurry to my less-than-stellar kingdom management, I needed to sit down and commit to learning pathfinders systems within Kingmaker. And it did help, knowing the weakness and strengths of the initial enemies and being at least a bit more competent in running my kingdom led to a better overall experience. I’d only made it to the start of Season of Bloom in my first playthrough, and it led to a deeper appreciation of both the story and the initial dungeons in Troll Trouble and The Stolen Land. I’ve already name-dropped him a couple of times but the Stag Lord is iconic, he’s this faceless threat up until his confrontation, and for him to be revealed as this nut acting like someone out of the WWE is perfect. My character's alignment started as chaotic good and eventually shifted to neutral good due to my choices here, but these encounters with people like Kressle eventually siding with you against the Stag Lord or the Kobold an Mite feud in the Old Sycamore make strong first impressions. It’s very low stakes in comparison to the rest of the game but that’s what sets it apart, from my pursuit of Tartuccio to the recruitment of Jaethal. Amusement can be found almost anywhere here from the clearing of high Kobolds and Mites chilling to fighting that Worg and his gang hungry for Kobolds. 

Act 2

I wasn’t the hugest fan of Troll Trouble either time I went through it, just because of the initial difficulty spike in the form of the Swamp Witches Hut. The dreary colors and muggy feeling of the location on top of poisonous clouds and tough encounters made this into an area I always try to rush through. The same can be said for Candlemere Island, it’s a nasty ambush of electric wisps instantly downing/wounding your companions if you aren’t primed to counter their element. So, while I’m not the biggest fan of the aforementioned dungeons, the story still holds up, in both its side and main story. Candlemere Island's story of three explorers visiting the island only to find their corpses as we go up is chilling, and to have to fight the last remaining member transfixed on the location? It’s hinting at a greater curse here. That and the overarching threat of the troll and kobold king all build up this unknown puppet master. When it was revealed that the Guardian of the Bloom was the real threat, it was genuinely intimidating walking into an ambush instead of a gift. It’s an encounter that would’ve been rough with a full party let alone my physically weak player character who died multiple times before escaping. Aside from establishing the central villain, defeating Tartuk the kobold king and the beast that was Hargulkain was no easy feat. And while it would’ve been easy to dismiss or execute the former Tartuccio here and there it only made sense to me that they became a vassal of my kingdom. The trolls on the other hand were not nearly as lucky, between the general danger they posed alongside a majority of them eating humans, they were promptly kicked out of the region. Ekundayo's backstory is that his family was slaughtered by Trolls and he’s on a never-ending revenge trip. Watching his inner turmoil when faced with killing those troll children was such a profound scene for such a stoic character.

(the Lizard Folk are my favorite of the “non-civilized races” in the game, wasn’t really sure where to put this but if there's other good Pathfinder content focusing on them do tell.)  Act 3

Unlike the prior acts I had little forewarning on what was to come, Season of Bloom made a name for itself through its epidemic of animals bursting out of people. The mystery of the infection was a constant source of entertainment for me, from Tristain’s scene with Jhod debating if the disease could be extracted or not to having to appease a populace shaken up. Underlying this mad dash to find a cure was the cult of Lamashtu and the potential threat they or any other Lamashtu follower brought with people dying by the second. When I finally arrived at the cabin chasing one such follower, I wasn’t expecting a Whodunnit situation and was left pretty clueless on who exactly the Lamashtu follower was. After finally tracking and cornering their cult leader I’d spare the fools, even if I heavily questioned their practices it didn’t feel right in interfering with their chosen religion. Around then the tip-off that goblins had been interfering was revealed and it didn’t quite hit my expectations. The goblins had their moments of chaos but as genuine threats like Hargulkain they were grunts in a bigger game, their few friendly encounters at the windmill or through the goblin shopkeepers were hilarious but otherwise unremarkable the same cannot be said for Nok-Nok. His defeat of the goblin king and general quirky nature just made him super fun to be around even if I barely used him. The other companions' disgruntlement of him was honestly surprising because I never seemed to have trouble with him. While the Goblin Fort isn’t bad, it doesn’t match up to the Old Sycamore in terms of enjoyment, Nok-Nok’s moment may be strong but beyond him, this dungeon doesn’t have much going for it. After stomping the Goblin King out and finding the potential source of the bloom I was left with two choices, go back to support Jhod in the capital or support Kesten in his attempt at cutting the source of the bloom. This hurt, going into it I couldn’t have known Kesten was bound to die if I didn’t have a lawful alignment. I don’t regret going to the capital over aiding him just because of how chaotic it was on top of the Primal Owlbear being double the size of almost every other enemy in-game. And while I’d later honor Kesten by undergoing the project Jhod put in his name, it was a relief being able to stop the Guardian of the Bloom’s scheme and making that owlbear into a tavern rug. 

Act 4

I wasn’t sure how the story could one-up itself after Season of Blooms raid on the capital when the mystery of the Varnhold Vanishing began. I’d visited Varnhold a few times before the start of Act 4 and during those encounters I was often let down, without the Varnhold DLC this might as well have been a barren grassland with a shopkeep or two. So, upon receiving the message from the Swordlords about the area I didn’t expect much, maybe another power-crazed bandit lord? But no, with the guardian of the bloom confirming her lack of involvement I had no clue what I was walking into. A fog of silence lay over the town, it truly had no inhabitants, and it was a very eerie feeling pushing further and further in. A singular Raven was following me, as I came upon the band of Spriggan squatting on the corpse of Varnhold. Clearing the place wasn’t difficult and gave more questions than answers, it had been easy to assume they were behind the disappearance at first but now after defeating and letting their leader go that wasn’t the case. Only getting some answers when the Raven screamed hypocrite and openly announced it had some sort of involvement in the disappearance. Following this, I was left searching for clues with Barbarians pouring into the region on the whim of their leader and a group of Defaced sisters. Dugath was our only connection to Barbarian leadership at this point and while his gruffness might’ve put certain people off he didn’t like being dragged so far out of their homelands. After receiving the quest to find the other defaced sisters, I’d slowly come to find out what happened to the Defaced sisters and the barbarians who followed them alongside Vordaki the Cyclops necromancer. Areas like the Sepulcher of Forgotten Heroes while interesting were trap and puzzle hells for me, and while the City of Hollow Eyes would make up for this rough patch it was clearly illustrated how the Barbarians were being used as meat shields by the defaced sisters. Even going so far as to have the barbarians thrown at traps or left for dead before the Defaced sister would flee. I’d end up sparing both surviving sisters on the assumption they’d cease their violence, only to find their betrayal when I got back to Dugath’s camp. Unfortunately for them, Dugath was no fan of the sisters and their farces and turned on them instead. All this led me to the Valley of the Dead and Vordaki’s tomb, two extremely important areas I was unprepared for. First of all, I’d felt it necessary to bring Tristian along for his companion quest even if I had barely used him up to this point. He alongside Jaethal, Jubliost, Nok-Nok, Regongar, and eventually Harrim all became expert seat cushions as I stuck to my main five. With one last warning from the Raven, we entered and I could’ve made it so much easier on myself if I knew of ONE button. Using rations to heal, not just wait/skip time, as up to this point I’d never been thrown in a dungeon where I couldn’t leave. It made everything so much more intense because I didn’t know of healing/rationing in dungeons so as my main spells dried up I leaned more and more on potions and scrolls only barely making it to Vordaki in one piece. Speaking of Vordaki, he’s hands down my favorite of the villains in Kingmaker, from his appearance to his personality and his goal of invading the surrounding region. He’s the only villain in-game that isn’t a puppet of the Guardian of the Bloom and between his menacing appearance and Tristian’s last-minute betrayal, it left me dumbstruck and very intimidated, nearly losing when he finally went down. From here, freeing the souls of Varnhold was a breeze and it led to me feeling very accomplished. This was my favorite dungeon of the entire game with it being both challenging but never tedious in its encounters alongside my assumed lack of safety nets. 

Act 5

The Twice Born Warlord is mostly spent wrapping up the loose ends of Varnhold vanishing, from the role that the Defaced sisters hold in relation to the guardian of the bloom or “Nyrissa” as we come to find out. To what’ll become of Armag the barbarian leader and the traitor named Tristian. It does have interesting moments, but to me, act 5 is a stop-gap between the introduction of the kingdom of Pitax and the defeat of Vordaki. From Amiri sneaking into Armag’s camp and attempting to kill a defaced sister only to be faced with fighting Armag in a one-to-one duel (that is insanely in his favor). To the fun but rather short-lived raid on Armag’s camp with the Aldori Swordlords. Having to chase Armag into his tomb is interesting as well, between each of the trials via story books to the eventual realization that the Armag we’ve been chasing isn’t the true Armag but instead, a plant brought up by the defaced sisters and Nyrissa. I’d end up killing the fool and taking Ovinrbaane alongside the Warpainted Skull of Duthica, two items that’d make Amiri into a beast of a fighter. I’d end up helping appoint Dugath as the new chieftain as he was rather level-headed and knew it was best to return to his homeland. Finding out Tristian had been used by Nyrissa wasn’t a shock considering how much puppeteering had been done by her. What had been shocking was the fact he was a fallen angel of Sarenrae and after fighting a defaced sister the confusion that captured him seemed to break. He knew what he’d done was wrong, and now I was left to decide to banish, kill, or let him remain in my kingdom. And while he’d done a lot wrong I pitied his plight and wished for him to redeem himself in the eyes of his goddess. So, I let the fool remain even if he was now blind, I knew he’d try and make up for what he’d done. The last major thing that happens in Twice Born Warlord is the coronation, and it felt like a major accomplishment after all the fighting and working through dungeons to finally have proof that I’d made it deep into Kingmaker. And with one last confrontation at the bald hilltop the Twice Born Warlord comes to an end. 

Act Six.

The War of the River Kings is in an odd spot for me, after what’s arguably the best stretch in the game before the start of Act Six you're left with a huge countdown until the Ancient Curse attacks again. I get this sorta time is meant to be used for kingdom management but as someone who had combed the map for new spots, companion quests, etc it really was just me and the kingdom management tab for a couple of hours. Which isn’t bad, but when you are even remotely like me and failed to keep up with the leveling/training grind of kingdom management, balancing the 0% success rate advisors while trying to get them above 20% was a challenge in its own right. Only bailed out by the amount of gold I had and me realizing I could buy build points to counterbalance my own failures. When the Rushlight Tournament finally started it's the easy highlight of this chapter, it’s a cocktail of skill checks, betting on AI fights, and prizes! King Irovetti is just a jerk, and he’s probably the weakest of the antagonists in Kingmaker. Wishing to expand and grow his kingdom with an iron fist while keeping up appearances as he juggles all sorts of petty backhand behavior to discredit you. A lot of the quests here aren’t bad but not amazing, the stolen throne is probably my highlight in its absurdity, bartering with a goblin, and even as you discredit Irovetti’s attempts to bring down your kingdom it kind of bounces back to Nyrissa more than Irovetti here. From her selling him out via the Whiterose Abby and Evindra, to Linzi and the Storyteller using Nyrissa’s dreams to discover the truth about her and her plans. Irovetti is quickly left to hide in his castle after my party shows up to his capital, and embarrassingly this would mark the first time I’d used the turn/round base fighting mechanic that streamlines so much stuff and allows for SO much more experimentation. It doubles the time spent in combat, sure, but when you're fighting hordes of enemies alongside the Zottenropple twins you desperately need that buff. Speaking of the twins, they were the first of many lucky breaks for me as after loads of save scumming one of the twins had ended up polymorphing the other they’re so much worse than the fight with Irovetti. Killing Irovetti was nothing too difficult, finding clues and hints that he, like a certain wizard experimenting with trolls, had instead used an artifact he was keeping under wraps from Nyrissa. 

(Ivoretti reminds me of a taller Lord Farquad and it was so hard not seeing the parallels in his appearance and his eventual demise.) Part Two: https://www.tumblr.com/dastardlyobnoxious/718622705272913920/my-time-with-pathfinder-kingmaker-p2?source=share Part Three: https://www.tumblr.com/dastardlyobnoxious/718899022820261888/my-time-with-pathfinder-kingmaker-p3?source=share

[melody-sy]

changes i would make in a super paper mario remake:

DONT replace the combat with ttyd style battles. that would strip the game of its identity you cant do that to her...... keep the action rpg platformer aspect, but refine the platforming physics to feel more familiar to modern 2d mario-- something like how it feels in new super mario bros games. i think this alone would singlehandedly make this game so much nicer to play >w>.

don't limit 3d mode-- let mario stay in 3d for as long as he needs to...

make the return pipe two-way-- you can return to flipside, and then warp back to the place you used it in. also get rid of the cursya that teleports you back to flipside...

more healing items in the levels please! also, get rid of the constant beeping when at low health-- just one little warning beep is enough i promise

speed up a lot of the sloooow animations. stuff like when solving a puzzle and watching stairs or something appear, or those rotating weoooow thingys in 1-2, or riding the minecarts in 5-3

also. make some changes to the puzzles where you have to memorize a really long solution-- namely mimi's vault code from 2-3 and the overly long block combo puzzle from 5-1... for the vault code, make it a key item you can check at any time, or a sheet of paper that appears on the "enter the code" screen. and for the block puzzle? it can stay overly long because that's funny, but once you know the code the block you need to hit next will sparkle or glow so you don't need to actually memorize it

speaking of 2-3... maybe rework 2-3 entirely? maybe this is a bit controversial but i always saw it as ttyd chapter 3 but without the good parts... i KNOW it's supposed to be "mario must work mindless labor to earn money" but that doesn't necessarily mean it has to be boring on the player end...

i actually have an idea for this. i propose we replace the electricity blocks and hamster wheels with a series of chores... mini-quests that are to be done in a scripted order, like Go kill the enemies in this room! Go retrieve the item from this dangerous area! ......they get progressively more absurd (Bake a cake for me! Jump in this specific location to check the floor quality!) but give you just enough rubees to pay the guy and get the vault code just before the tasks start to become utterly ridiculous (Write "I will not break Mimis pottery" on the chalkboard 1,000 times! Make a slideshow explaining how great it is to work here! Do a triple flip and meow!)

thats the best i can come up with, at least... it'd require remaking the entire level layout, sure, but i think its something thats gotta be done... i think this solution fits the scenario and the game's humor pretty well

4-1 can also use a few improvements... specifically, make each room more visually distinct and do something about all that empty space... i know the level literally takes place in space but it's reaaallly easy to get lost in here and that's not very fun...

this goes for quite a few locations in the game actually... a lot of places with visually similar rooms could use some landmarks 'w'

cut back on the motion control action commands, and im saying this as a motion control enjoyer 'w' shaking the controller to get a Nice is a bit too much and so is pointing at the screen just to tattle

i kinda lost my train of thought somewhere....

i think, if super paper mario ever gets a remake... it should be more of a reimagining... keep the story and characters and artstyle and everything else that makes the original great, but fix the janky gameplay and weird game design

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 5/3/22

fucking doozy of a making section

listening: Pink Panther by Scene Queen. i have been awaiting this for some time bc she did a very sensible and well thought out social media campaign across literally every platform several months before this dropped, which is how i ran across it in the process of looking up things on tik tok for work. every fucking day my job gets harder and harder to explain unless you are also in this extremely specific entertainment/tech brainrot corner of capitalism.

anyway this is an EXTREMELY horny song i love it a lot. contains the lyrics “don’t call you know i can’t answer/gettin pussy like the pink panther”. very early aughts! very ke$ha, very charlie’s angels, very D.E.B.S. if ANYONE else on this godforsaken gay nostalgia website has seen that movie.

there is in fact a very fun sample of the pink panther theme in this pop? metal? pop song with a headbanging interlude? song

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reading: fallow week

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watching: also fallow week

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playing: through an elaborate game of friend barter i have acquired a switch and breath of the wild. it is fucking hysterical to me how much this is just skyrim but good and how much genshin impact is just breath of the wild but with some tits and a lot of ass. it’s also screamingly funny to me that breath of the wild has made about a billion and a half since launch and genshin made 2.1B its first year. just on mobile. so much appetite for these kinds of games (big open world rpg-lite with puzzle solving and kind of grindy mob-based combat) but they’re hysterically expensive to make.

said “oh fuck that’s the guy” out loud when i spotted prince sidon through the ol binocs, he does not have the personality or voice acting i was led to believe

im having a slightly frustrating time mostly bc i don’t really have the hand dexterity to do combos and i didn’t grow up with controllers. it’s easier to map things to separate keyboard keys, although mouse and keyboard is quite hard on the wrists. actually my problem is probably that it’s slightly more brainpower than i want to give to a game rn.

really looking forward to playing a bunch of visual novels in bed this winter. maximum coze

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making: im extremely stressed due to a combination of work and life and not balancing them very well lately. so im buying a bunch of house shit bc it is college grad season so half the people in this area are going home or otherwise moving and looking to ditch their shit.

the first and most important thing is that a new evil lair has been rented. this will be the first place where i am the only one on the lease and it comes unfurnished. i will be slowly moving in, as i did last year, bc this  current above-the-second-floor apartment’s stairs are quite bad for the knees. hopefully everything i can pick up by myself will (at minimum) be in a storage unit by the time my sister comes up memorial day weekend to help me move things that don’t fit in my car. the tuesdayposts may be a little light on content for the next four to six weeks.

i am annoyed i have to pay double rent for a month and a half, and i am annoyed i spent a bunch of money in march for some shit that was Extremely specific to making this apartment nicer (like idk i’m gonna need an eight foot ladder in the new place, which was not built in the 1800s and has somewhat low ceilings and way fewer windows, also there isn’t really a good place to put my swiss dot and pom pom trim cafe curtains :(

anyway here are some objects and very few pictures of things i acquired last week from paying attention to craigslist curb alerts: huge pile of frames, a milk glass object, and this floor lamp. which i think is brass plated and desperately needs a new shade. project for future kay. maybe i’ll get really into lampshades next who knows. my new living room has no good ceiling light so between this and the big green lamp and i guess the plant lights that’ll have to do it

disGOSTang. v excited to get that weird shellac and all that grime off.

some objects i acquired from a moving sale but have no pics of bc they Immediately went into the storage unit: microwave, another little pyrex strage container (glass lid!), a cool vase, a brass vase holder thing, a campaign dresser/nightstand thing that is mostly made out of real wood (may hold out for a 1920s style waterfall dresser with the rounded nose, bc i fear with the brass bed AND a campaign dresser my bedroom may look a little too apartment therapy)

“kay what’s the deal with you and brass?”

well

i feel like brass implies that at least some minimum baseline of thought and effort has been put into an object. i like how mellow and warm it looks. i think it’s an easier finish to decorate around than steel or “oiled bronze” which is usually just treated steel but we don’t have time to get into that. i also like how it leans industrial without going full steampunk. also i hate trying to clean verdigris without ruining it.

also here’s a good post about recreational labor from tumblr user hellenhighwater that made something in my brain go “ping”

[everythingsinred]

Let's Talk About NatsuMikan: Natsume (pt. 5)

I'm back on my bullshit. I decided I'd post these, once a day, four days a week. Then I'll go on breaks for the weekend to let interested readers catch up while also further writing more entries. At the time I'm posting this, for example, I'm in the process of analyzing Chapter 39. That way, it's easier for everyone to enjoy this essay. Which I hope people do.

Anyway, this can finally truly be called a ship essay, because one of our key players has FINALLY developed feelings! Going forward, Natsume's behavior will heavily feature his growing affections for Mikan. We'll be analyzing Natsume's self-preserving hesitation as well as his immediate instinct to give up any chance he has from the get-go.

Chapter Seventeen

Natsume next shows up to walk into Class B during a commotion of Mikan’s retelling of the Reo incident. The kids all gather around him now too to ask questions and press about his condition. One kid even asks if he should teach Mikan a lesson for bragging about his rescue. Mikan smiles at him, under the assumption that their shared trauma has brought them closer and maybe even made them friends, but Natsume’s response is to simply turn away and ignore her.

He’s still Natsume after all. This is the first girl he’s ever liked, and she used to be somebody he despised, so the change in feelings is probably very strange to him. He’s confused and possibly embarrassed. He doesn’t know what to say or how to act.

Can't have her getting any ideas that he's completely changed his mind about her or anything.

Most of the people that Natsume likes at the school (although that is just Ruka and Youichi… so… you know) know that he likes them. He spends time with them, is gentle with them, does things for them, and can openly say kind things to and about them. Mikan is different. He used to be her number one enemy, so all of a sudden switching gears and becoming her friend would be quite odd.

Over time, Natsume will find ways to be gentle and sweet to Mikan, but for now his crush is brand new and he doesn’t know how to act quite yet. He’d rather avoid her entirely, or pretend like nothing happened, than openly approach his new feelings.

Furthermore his behavior is always and under all circumstances inseparable from his status as Persona’s favorite and as the Black Cat. He may have some loved ones, but he keeps the number low and tries to avoid getting close to people for a reason. Naturally, nobody could ever really understand his experiences so there will always be a divide between him and the rest of his peers, but even more than that is that considering people precious turns them into targets.

Natsume has probably learned the hard way that displaying closeness and affection for his friends can have dangerous effects, so he might now think of showing that kind of affection as selfish or even cruel. Why subject somebody to something like that, merely because he has feelings for them? It’s not fair.

In either case, it’s really not that Natsume is naturally mean and cold. He just doesn’t trust his situation enough to properly act. It’s safer in every way to just pretend like nothing changed. It’s too much to deal with otherwise. But sooner rather than later, the hard thing will be staying away. Eventually, maintaining coldness with her will be almost impossible.

Chapter Eighteen

This chapter further touches on Natsume’s new-found crush and its consequences.

Class B is used to being in an environment where Natsume hates Mikan and is bothered by everything she does. He gives in to her slightly, in small ways, and it shocks his classmates. Now, it’s understandable that, even if he hadn’t developed a crush on her, he might still be softer to a girl who risked her life to save him, but it’s still odd.

Mikan recalls asking Natsume for help training her alice. She needs an offensive alice to nullify, so Iinchou or Hotaru’s would be ineffectual in training. Natsume is really the best person to ask, and, to everyone’s surprise, he actually agrees to help.

Natsume doesn't need any convincing to help her, but what did she think practicing with a fire alice would entail?

And yes it does seem like he’s only doing it to torture her, because his alice is capable of genuine bodily harm and his admirers snicker with amusement at his antics, but I can’t help but assume there’s more to it.

He doesn’t really hesitate to help. He doesn’t need convincing at all. In some ways I think he did genuinely want to help. Her alice helped save his life, after all. Why not repay the favor by using his alice to help her train? To him, there's a lot of value in her alice, so training it is beneficial in his perspective as well.

And later still, Mikan spots Natsume sitting amongst the principal students. He stands out, as an elementary student next to upperclassmen. This moment is a good introduction to the arc. His crush on Mikan only grows stronger as the festival goes on, but there’s something looming over him too--he’s different from the rest of them. He stands out so much during the festival. He’s a dangerous ability type who’s not allowed to participate while also being a principal who has to sit on the stage for the opening ceremony. That's horribly ironic, but also shows just how singled out and under the spotlight he is. It’s a huge part of why he acts the way he does, so cold and mean and distant despite his growing affections. It’s all he can do.

He may see potential for a future, but he’d be foolish to think he should be able to acquire it, because his current circumstances have not changed at all.

The chapter ends with Natsume being asked by Koko if he wants to try out the special ability class event. He’s looking towards the special ability area, and we can tell the next chapter will be fun.

Chapter Nineteen

And how!

Natsume is here to see Ruka, his best friend, but he’s also here to catch a glimpse of the girl he has a crush on.

Sumire is also there, and it’s interesting to see that Natsume hasn’t changed in his attitude around her either, even though she also helped save him. She tries to embrace him and he dodges her.

This catches some people’s attention and they start to whisper about his presence.

In the anime, this moment is a bit more potent, hearing the murmurs and seeing a darkness over the gossiping kids, but the manga still establishes that the people waiting in line are by-and-large unhappy to see him. They whisper amongst themselves, rudely asking why he’d bother to come here, but that gloom only lasts for a moment (one singular panel and then Natsume’s responding bitterness) before Mikan appears jumping over the wall, calling his name and even smiling.

It’s almost like she was waiting for him to show up, running off from her post the second she heard Natsume was there. The dark looming screentones are replaced with flowery ones, and it’s hard not to think of this as his perspective: all is gloomy and then there is Mikan. All of a sudden, after hating her for so long, he thinks of her as bright sunshine, and he must have showed up just to see her and feel nice for a change.

It's Natsume seeing Mikan through floral-filter lenses for me...

Of course, he ruins the mood. It feels almost as if he does it solely because he knows it will upset her. She was so excited to see him, and he manages to completely turn her mood from eager to angry, just the opposite of how she was able to unwittingly turn his mood from gloomy to... as close to content as he can get.

He’s okay now. He doesn’t want her getting any ideas.

Now, in my opinion, his method of bothering her could be anything and the plot would remain the same. What matters is that he wants to piss her off, and this just so happens to be the way he does it, partially because it’s intended to be funny. Mikan has to get angry at him for this chapter to progress the way it does, but his actions could have been replaced by any other irritating action and it could’ve gone the same way.

Tsubasa then appears, drawn to the sound of a loud commotion. He sees Natsume and vaguely wonders why he’s there. Everyone knows Natsume, at all grade levels, because he’s famous. For Tsubasa, whose only real knowledge of Mikan’s relationship with the kid is that he causes trouble in Class B, it would be strange to see him at the RPG.

Natsume, meanwhile, has no idea who Tsubasa is. Seeing Mikan crawl all over her senpai, seeing him easily comfort her, is something that bugs Natsume. He glares at Tsubasa, somebody whose name he doesn’t even know, and then starts leaving with Ruka.

At first, Tsubasa is confused to be treated like this, until he hugs Mikan tighter and sees both Natsume and Ruka turn in jealousy. Tsubasa gets it immediately. Thus begins a strange and tumultuous frenemy relationship between Tsubasa and Natsume, where they both begrudgingly understand each other while also irritating each other beyond belief.

Natsume is not interested in playing the game, insulting it and wondering how anyone could get hooked on it. Ultimately, it’s not even Mikan who convinces him to give it a shot; it’s Tsubasa taunting him, “then you should be able to win, no problem, right?”

Tsubasa will come to regret saying this, because the answer is yes.

The RPG is designed to be tough. Nobody has won the whole game yet. Beating one or two students is one thing, but being able to outsmart or outmaneuver the entire special ability class is a difficult feat.

Natsume agrees to play, and gets a robot cockroach as a weapon.

Tsubasa is hugging Mikan as Natsume is about to enter, and that pisses him off even more. He decides that Tsubasa will be his slave, his motive being get your hands off her. This is silly considering that just a short time ago, Natsume hated Mikan. His feelings really did a 180.

The challenges pick up in difficulty as he goes on. The first one is effortless. He doesn’t even move from where he’s standing. The mirror-alice girl just freaks out about the cockroach and sends him on his way after two seconds.

The next one is trickier, and Natsume will need to put in more effort than just standing and waiting for the cockroach to do its job. But not that much effort. He sits next to Megane, lights a fire, and waits. It’s a scorching flame, and although Megane tries to tough it out, he gives in with two seconds to spare. Natsume, a smartass, quips sarcastically that he’s sorry--he really can’t tell how hot it is. (This is not actually important or anything, it’s just interesting that Natsume is not affected by his own flames and can’t feel the heat of them. I might end up referring to this a couple times.)

With the exception of the first and last challenges, Natsume uses his alice to beat the maze; either by heating Megane up so his soul goes back into his body, or by writing with fire instead of chalk. The next challenge is the one Natsume has been waiting for and he’ll use his alice here too.

Tsubasa is shocked to find Natsume has progressed so quickly, but he proceeds with the challenge: Natsume has to touch him in thirty seconds, but it’ll be tricky ‘cause he’s held in place by his shadows. He toys with Natsume’s shadows a bit, which really pisses Natsume off. Tsubasa even apologizes nervously, even though he’s the one in control. Or he is, until Natsume uses his alice again and gets rid of the shadows.

Natsume’s anger towards Tsubasa all stems from jealousy. It’s not just that Tsubasa was hugging and comforting Mikan, it’s that he can. Natsume needs to distance himself from Mikan in order to keep her safe, and he’s aware of that right from the start, but there’s more to it. He’s busy establishing himself as an enemy to Mikan, doing things to bother her to make her angry with him, but nobody rushes to their bully for comfort, and Natsume knows this. It’s not just that Tsubasa was hugging Mikan; it’s that he feels like he will never get the chance.

And so the next and final challenge is where he gets to be selfish.

Mikan is aggravated to see him, obviously not thrilled that he was able to make it in such a short time. Her task is that he has to get her off the carpet in thirty seconds. He can’t hurt her or force her off the carpet, and because of their alice training together, he can’t use his alice on her either. (They’d apparently practiced so much that she was able to sharpen her skills significantly. Before, her alice was a wildcard and she struggled with using it, but now she’s able to use it with relative ease. That’s a lot of training in a short time, and I’m sure Natsume wasn’t upset at all the time they had to spend together as a result.)

Natsume must feel relief regarding Mikan's nullification alice. She's nullified his alice in pretty big ways already, one time to save his life. The girl he's crushing on is capable of turning off the thing that decreases his lifespan. She really is a breath of fresh air, in more ways than one, and his appreciation for her alice, even if he doesn't voice it, will only grow. This is important, but I'll talk way more about this in the other POV.

He tries the cockroach, but she’s a country girl and unaffected.

Natsume is genuinely stumped by her challenge, admitting to himself that it’s a tough one. He then comes up with a risky idea, no doubt influenced by her rescue of him when they were kidnapped by Reo. He plays sick. This act only works if Mikan falls for it and is concerned enough to jump off the carpet, but he’s a good actor on account of all the sick experience he has and she does fall for it in no time. Her being concerned was a given.

She jumps off, meaning he’s won the game, but that’s not enough of a victory for him. He acts sick until she’s closer, so he can grab her and put his arm around her. Yes, he calls her an idiot, but this is the closest he can get to a hug… for now. It doesn’t matter that she’s annoyed and dismayed that he won. All he cares about is that he got to touch her.

She jumped down. He won already, but it's not enough! (Also sorry about two pictures. If it ruins the format, oh well.)

Natsume was jealous that Tsubasa got to do something he thinks he'll never be able to, and so he got a taste of what he wanted some other, convoluted way. He gets angry that Tsubasa is so touchy, but that's only because he wishes he could be touchy too. Natsume will get bolder and bolder with his physical affection, because he will want more and more to show it. When he starts being honest about this affection, she will be more eager to return it.

Natsume is the first winner, and Tsubasa admits it was never expected for somebody to be able to pass all the challenges. Part of the appeal is that it’s an unbeatable game, but Natsume’s feelings of jealousy and spite were enough to get him over the finish line. Though perhaps knowing it's beatable but only one person could is also appealing. It's possible to pass, but very rare for somebody to be able to, so they can draw in crowds by capitalizing on kids who want to the next person to beat the game.

He gets to choose a lamp, but he has no idea which one is whose. He cheats by asking Koko to tell him which one is the right one, but he ends up picking Mikan’s, because Koko assumed that’s the one he wanted. After all--Natsume was thinking about her. Natsume is lucky that Mikan was too anguished at being a slave to care about Natsume thinking about her, but it’s interesting to know that even when he’s supposed to be angry at Tsubasa, he was only thinking of Mikan.

Chapter Twenty

This chapter’s premise is pretty simple and light: Natsume can’t think of any use for Mikan other than to follow him and Ruka around the festival and carry their stuff. They navigate the technical ability class area and even encounter Hotaru, though only for a short time because she’s quite busy.

Most importantly, their time in the technical area makes Mikan insecure. Everyone in the tech class seems to know what they want to do with their lives, with their alices being perfect for research or creation. I’ll go into more detail with this during Mikan’s essay, but it’s important to note that Mikan asks the people around her if they’re prepared for their future only to see that they all are. Hotaru, Sumire, and even Ruka all have dreams for the future, even if Ruka won’t share his. Natsume has decided to leave the conversation and we don’t hear what his dream is, which makes sense because he doesn’t have one. Natsume doesn’t think he’ll live long enough to graduate, so why even bother wasting his own time and getting his hopes up for something unattainable?

It’s then revealed that Ruka is also a triple, and Mikan can’t tell, but the mood has been soured for Ruka. His triple-star status is a touchy subject that he’s unhappy with. His star rank is representative of Natsume’s suffering and he doesn’t like talking about it. He only says that he didn’t mention it because he didn’t get it on his own talent or effort before Natsume forces Mikan to walk in another direction, claiming to be hungry.

This is literally just a scan of the TokyoPop version, which is better than the other version I see floating around.

He can tell Ruka is uncomfortable and is ready to step in so that his friend can feel better.

As a result, they end up at the cafe where Anna is working (after all, Mikan has been perfecting her puppy-dog eyes routine and I think both Ruka and Natsume are affected, even if the latter would never admit it).

Natsume takes the first bite of Anna’s hell pie, just to see a rot demon (or whatever that thing is) taunt him about the trouble his stomach will be in soon. He really doesn’t have a choice but to throw the tea over the pie. Ruka is grateful, but Mikan is outraged at how rude Natsume is acting, and even angrier when Natsume explains that the pie was horrible. She demands he apologize but Natsume simply walks away, content to be the bad guy because he saved his friends from getting food poisoning while also sparing Anna’s feelings and reputation at her cafe.

"Your stomach will writhe" is such a potent threat. I feel sick just looking at that demon/scoundrel/rot thing.

This scene has more substance than in the anime. In the episode, Natsume sees the rotten scoundrel (or WHATEVER IT IS) before he can take a bite. He tosses the tea for all their sakes and ultimately nobody is hurt. But here, in the manga, Natsume has already taken a bite. We see the missing part of the pie, the residue on the fork. Natsume is already screwed. He's going to have food poisoning from Anna's pie, and he still puts her feelings before his own. He'd rather say that the pie is terrible according to his own tastes than to let everyone around know that she made such a health-risking mistake. He drenches the pie so that Mikan and Ruka don't get food poisoning, even if it's too late for him. Natsume leaves, knowing he will look like an asshole, AND with stomach problems on top of that, but at least he's the only one who will be seriously hurt.

This is a pretty insignificant example of a trait that we have seen before with Natsume but haven't really fully explored. It's going to play a major role for the rest of the manga, because Natsume has something of a martyr complex, where he is quick to sacrifice himself because he sees little to no value in his own happiness. This is a small example, and I'm not saying it's not kind of him, but there are consequences with his line of thinking. He's fine with looking like an asshole to protect people, or giving up things he wants so someone else can have it, or blowing himself up so two girls can escape safely. Whenever there's a chance to sacrifice himself, Natsume will take it every single time.

This may seem noble or romantic or admirable but it's not healthy at all. The way he was raised (no shade to Papa Hyuuga and Kaoru but also.... tentatively side-eyeing them for putting so much responsibility on him) and the way he is now tortured by the school has put him in a position where his self esteem is horribly low. This complex of his results in suicidal tendencies, even after he falls in love with Mikan (and even exacerbated by that love). For Natsume, love is sacrifice. He simply cannot love without feeling like he has to give something up. Ideally, he would grow out of this and maybe start seriously choosing himself sometimes. It's not evil to want yourself to be happy and to choose your own well-being, even if it occasionally makes others sad or upset.

In the context of the actual story though, we have yet another glimpse of a complex that will cause a LOT of trouble down the road for Natsume and Mikan.

Conclusion

Natsume has new feelings for Mikan and is having trouble navigating them. They will cause even more trouble in the next essay. We also touched more on Natsume's self-sacrificing tendencies and how devastating they will turn out to be. These tendencies will be consistent and persistent throughout the manga in regards to NatsuMikan's relationship, and cause more problems. These problems will pop up a bit in the next part, so stay tuned!

Also, small note: I call him Ruka and not Luca because I got used to it after watching the anime and through scans and fanfics. I heard his name pronounced that way and at first thought it was a Japanese name so I simply copied the pronunciation. When I found out it was supposed to be Luca, I'd already been using Ruka for a while. I don't really want to switch to using Luca most of the time because I know people in real life named Luca/Luka and I talk enough about GA on the daily where it might feel strange to me. I use Luca sometimes when I'm talking to others who prefer it, but Ruka is what I'm used to. I hope this isn't frustrating, but understand that I pronounce Killua's name (from HxH) like "Ki-ru-a" as well and in my head "Gakuen Alice" is pronounced "Gakuen Arisu" because I pronounce things based on what I hear when watching the anime ;-; These are things I have no real desire to change because they sound right to me. I'm sorry. (Nobody has said anything or complained, and this is not a vague or anything like that! I just wanted to say that I know it's supposed to be Luca and it's not my intention to be disrespectful when I pronounce/spell it Ruka. I am fucking crazy, but I am free.)

<- Previous Next ->

[blitz-and-hearth]

do you play any video games? additionally, do you have any game-related headcanons for MCGA characters?

Of course I do! I'm mostly into single player stuff though, multiplayer kinda stresses me out however I've got a weak spot for both Wizards101 and Pirates101, as well as Splatoon. Pokemon is deffo my bread and butter, I love it so much, especially the mystery dungeon games. Also love fantasy RPGs and like business/town builder management ones. Right now I've actually been low-key rping Blitzen in Fantasy life for 3ds since it's the only RPG I've found where you can be a tailor as a class, very fun he's level 50 now. As for headcanons I could name a bunch of aus but I think I'll list what I think characters favorite types of games are

Magnus- The Sims, he likes making all his friends as Sims and just having fun with it, low-key embarrassed about it. Also likes classic Fantasy games like Zelda and rpgs. Probably also farming games, mainly ones where you can make friends with the villagers/characters, so pretty much mainly Stardew valley and Harvest Moon games.

Alex- Horror games! Alex is a horror queer no question. She loves horror games, horror movies too but we're talking about games RN, so I think she'd have a huuuge collection of them. That's sort of her main bag, but I think she also has a smaller collection of games similar to Magnus' tastes, farming, life Sims, and a few "friendship saves the day" focused rpgs. Magnus is the only one who knows about that though and sometimes when Alex is having a rough mental health day they'll play them together

Sam- Tycoon management/builder games for sure, probably also has a weak spot for any games focused on flying like flight sims. Also low-key think she'd like romance games but that's the type of secret that might get you beheaded if you find out

Blitzen- I don't think he's much of a video game player, very picky about what he plays. Probably crafting/art focused games he can relax and make art for fun without too much effort. Deffo likes Animal crossing but pretty much all he does is making extremely complex pixel designs on it. Also Minecraft, though he only plays on creative to make those fucking insanely huge and realistic cities/buildings that have to take days if not months to make

Hearthstone- You fucking know he's a sucker for Rpgs, no question. I think he'd be one of the most dedicated gamers of the group. Motherfucker canonly went to a renaissance fair and definitely watches LOTR he's a big old nerd. Any fantasy rpg he can get his hands on he's gonna play until he beats the whole thing and gets all the achievements and unlockables. I'd guess he also really likes pokemon too, but that one is more of a comfort/relaxing game for him and he doesn't go quite as hard core with it.

TJ- Dude is canonly a gamer since Magnus hears him playing some kinda shooting game through his door, seems to be really into those shoot em ups and fighting games which makes a lot of sense. Call of duty shoota man, Grand stealing cars, Smash your bros, all those multiple shooting games that people seem to love but I can't fucking stand at all

Halfborn- alright so I know Halfborn is shockingly modern for just how old he is, but I think tech is a bit harder to keep up with so he's definitely into old retro shit. Pac Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong classic, all those pixel arcade games. Maybe eventually he'll get into newer more complex stuff but for now he's pretty happy with those. Though! I bet he does have some of those educational and brain teaser puzzle games for the DS my parents used to try to get me to play in a failed attempt to make me smarter

Mallory- Mallory is another who doesn't really play many video games, but I'd like to think miss hot head has a gulity pleasure of Japanese style romantic visual novels, which she thinks no one knows about but she's not great at hiding it lol

Also in general I think they have a game/movie night every week to just hanging out as a family. They had to stop any competitive games though because TJ and Hearthstone once almost killed each other. They both just get way too into it so now competitive is banned, strictly multiplayer co-op games only lol

[cathoderaysunshinebeaver]

Heretic/Hexen

I love Doom. I’ve never made an attempt to list my favorite video games in a numerical order, but if I did, Doom would likely be one of the highest, if not #1. I’m also a big fan of the “dark fantasy” aesthetic, so discovering the Heretic/Hexen series was a treat, to say the least.

Released in 1994, Heretic was built using the Doom engine by Raven Software, with John Romero himself having helped the team set up their computers and teaching them the basics of how he would make maps for the game. With this in mind, you’d be forgiven for saying what a lot of reviewers said at the time: this game looks like a Doom reskin with a fantasy theme.

This sentiment mostly applies to the first game, Heretic. But in a sea of other “Doom clones” released at the time, it is definitely one of the more competent ones. You play as Corvus, one of the few surviving elves in a world overtaken by the evil Serpent Riders, who have decided to exterminate all the elves because their magical powers make them resistant to the mind control spells the Serpent Riders use to conquer and subjugate realm after realm on their quest for world domination. Unsurprisingly, Corvus is out for revenge, and the end goal of the game is to hunt down and kill the first of the three Serpent Riders, D’Sparil.

The gameplay in Heretic is more similar to Doom than in the later games, but it does the Doom formula well. Most weapons have a distinct counterpart in the game it is based on: the Elven Wand is your pistol, the Dragon Claw is your chaingun, the Ethereal Crossbow is your shotgun, and so on. They are satisfying to use (save the wand, arguably), and look deliciously fantasy-eque, with beautiful spritework. The levels are split into a familiar structure, featuring three episodes with nine levels each (and two more episodes released as an expansion pack). The enemies are varied, with pretty animations and distinct sounds, and play into the Doom experience very well in that the combinations and locations of enemies in each area lends itself to very different strategies (although “run really fast and blast everyone with the crossbow” rarely fails on most difficulties). The two expansion episodes are considerably more challenging, and will require more quick thinking and ammo, sorry, mana conservation. Definitely a fun romp.

The sequel, Hexen, is where the series starts finding it’s own unique twist on the genre, and is the by many regarded as the “classic” that really put the franchise on the map. Again, you’re playing as a vindictive hero on a quest to liberate their realm from the Serpent Riders. This time it’s Korax, the second out of the three. However, now you’ve got to pick a class. This is the first big difference you’ll notice when starting the game. Corvus is MIA from his last adventure, and instead your choice of protagonist is between Baratus the Fighter, Parias the Cleric, and Daedolon the mage. While the game isn’t an RPG, these characters all have different stats when it comes to running speed and base HP. More importantly, they each have access to their own unique set of weapons. Mana is shared between the weapons, which are now split into green, blue and dual mana types, but they all behave very differently. For example, the fighter’s weapons are mostly of the melee variety and consume mana rapidly only for special attack modes, as they can still be swung without mana. The mage on the other hand uses his bare hands to cast a lot of his spells, but they do not burn through mana nearly as quickly. Unsurprisingly, the cleric is a hybrid, and uses both a spiked club and a mix of magical weapons. An “ultimate” weapon is also available to each class, which must be assembled from parts and consumes both blue and green mana, but has really devastating attacks (the cleric’s “Wraithverge” summons ghosts that scream like banshees and tear every nearby enemy to shreds; it’s just as metal as it sounds)!

Beyond the class differences, the level structure is the other major difference between Heretic and Hexen. Instead of a linear series of levels, each episode is now defined by a hub level with many branching areas that can usually be visited in any order. You need to find key items and activate switches in each one to open the way to the next world, and many areas within each sub-level are also locked until you find the right key/switch in a completely different area. As would be expected, this new spin on the level progression comes with both pros and cons. Few players today will be able to complete the game without ever looking at a walkthrough, and based on some comments I’ve read, this is one of those games that many people in the 90s would only dream of beating on their own. That said, there are very few instances where pulling a switch won’t at the very least give you a short message indicating it’s purpose (i.e. “A door has opened in the Wastelands”), and even then those with enough patience will rarely feel completely lost if they’re willing to backtrack systematically through every area over and over, taking note of every single locked door and unreachable area. I doubt it’s something the majority of gamers enjoy doing, but if you’re the type who would rather give up before accepting a hint, I’m happy to report that this game IS beatable even with your play style.

On the other hand, this structure also adds a lot to the feeling of being on a dangerous, epic quest. Metroidvania fans know that there are few things as satisfying as picking up a key and thinking “hey, I recognize this symbol! Now I can finally see what’s behind that door in the swamp!”. Uncovering the world bit by bit in this fashion really lends an air of mystery to the land of Cronos (where Hexen is set), and truly gives you that classic feeling of “pride and accomplishment” when you’re finally able to descend into that forbidding temple that’s been looming on the horizon for so long. And for those of you who are worried you won’t get to blast enough monsters to get your fill, this game still has you covered.

The enemies in Hexen are just as threatening as those in Heretic, and they look even better this time (seriously, if you enjoyed the visual aspect of Heretic, Hexen steps it up tenfold with truly gorgeous sprites, textures, animations and even some environmental visual effects, like thick mist and dead leaves blowing in the wind). You’ve got a fantastic cast of evil wizards, zombies, dog-like orcs, Minotaurs and more types of dragons and dragon hybrids than you could shake a Mace of Contrition at. A good amount of the baddies are initially very similar to those in Heretic, but their attacks are more distinct, varied and dangerous, and there are a whole lot more of these guys this time around. If you have the enemy counter turned on in your automap it won’t be uncommon to see the numbers exceed 400, and some of the weaker enemies will even respawn after a while. Don’t worry though, it’s not frequent enough to be stressful, but instead it really helps the backtracking from getting too tedious. Key hunting is a lot more intense when you never know if an Ettin is waiting around the corner to cave your skull in! However, if you’ve seen any other reviews of this game, you’ve heard a lot of grief expressed in regards to the Minotaurs (and their big brothers, the Maulotaurs). They aren’t the strongest foe in the game, but their shields, their surprise lighting bolts and their sheer numbers can definitely be a pain in the gluteus maximus. On the plus side, it makes killing them all the more satisfying, and you’ll find yourself experimenting quite a bit with your weapons and items to figure out the safest and quickest way to end their existence.

That’s right, I forgot to mention the items. The third and last major difference between Doom and these games is your inventory. The items are largely the same in all the games in the series, and using them can be a bit of a hassle unless you’re willing to fiddle around with your control settings to find a setup you prefer (I would usually bind the item selection keys to the scroll wheel and use them with the right mouse button). Visually, the inventory is similar to that seen in Duke Nukem 3D, and just like in that game, you’ll likely find yourself using some items a lot more frequently than others. Health and mana refills are a major aid, and beyond that you have things such as invisibility, invincibility, flechettes (despite what the name says, they’re more like grenades or mines, depending on your class), and a magical book that gives your weapons a much more powerful firing mode for a short time (although this item is mysteriously absent in Hexen). A special mention also goes to the Morph Ovum/Porkelator/Seal of the Ovinomancer, which transforms an enemy into a chicken/pig/sheep, respectively. A lot of fun to use, and and immense help against some stronger enemies if you’re low on health and/or mana.

If you didn’t find yourself using these items all too much in Heretic or Hexen, the following game might just give you a reason to. Hexen II is the third game in the series, and the final chapter in the Serpent Riders saga. This time you’re in the realm of Thyrion, and the last Serpent Rider, Eidolon, is the one who must be slain to free the land from his curse. In terms of gameplay, Hexen II is a lot more similar to Hexen than Hexen was to Heretic. You’ve got the same type of hub level structure, and you’ll again pick a class at the start, although now your choice has expanded, consisting of the Crusader, Paladin, Necromancer and Assassin, as well as the Demoness in the expansion (yes, all these games have expansion packs and they’re all worth playing in that they’re more of the same, but expanded, duh, and more polished).

The major difference this time around is one you can probably tell immediately from the screenshot: yes, Hexen II goes 3D (and in an exception to the common rule at the time, it is NOT titled “Hexen 3D” despite technically being the third installment). Specifically, the game uses a modified Quake engine. As mentioned, the core gameplay remains largely the same as in Hexen, but the level designers definitely did not waste that extra dimension. The levels are less expansive here, but a lot more complex and full of hidden passages, surprising loops and a whole lot of verticality. Scurring across a courtyard with archers raining arrows down on you from balconies is just as tense as it is satisfying later on to reach the same balcony and return the favor to any ghoul unlucky enough to find themselves below. Overall, the layout and progression in each area feels like it’s been given a lot more consideration and has endured more testing. Most of the time, the key hunting in each area feels more self-contained, and when it isn’t you rarely feel like you have no idea where to go. This is because every lock has been designed to feel more like a puzzle. In practice, your goal is still to find an item and bring it somewhere, but the locks and keys themselves are much more distinct, which helps you remember what to do and where to go. Instead of levers and typical keys, you find yourself looking for artefacts such as potion ingredients that will let you turn metal into wood, pieces of a broken mechanism or symbolic relics that must be placed in the hands of a statue to go in line with a prophecy. There are also more direct instructions in the form of book entries and inscribed stone tablets, which are very helpful in those cases where the puzzle might require a bit more than just item hunting, such as pulling switches in a certain order or lining objects up to create a pattern. It’s still unlikely that you’ll breeze through the whole game without getting confused, but you’ll rarely be at a complete loss; you’ll usually know what you’re looking for or what you’re trying to activate, even if you may need a walkthrough to find a specific hidden passage or to figure out exactly what a contraption does.

Overall, Hexen II feels like a refined Hexen, with more care put into making every area feel very distinct. It is absolutely not any less challenging though. The areas might be smaller in terms of actual units of measurement, and there are definitely fewer enemies on the screen at all times, but this is compensated for in spades. The third dimension adds a thick layer of complexity to every level, and the enemies hit HARD. If you got into a rhythm in Hexen of circle strafing, dodging and picking off targets in an order of perceived priority, you’ll have to learn to dance to a different tune here. Some enemies will close in on you incredibly quickly, and many of them have the ability to turn you into minced meat in a matter of seconds. Now more than ever is when you’ll want to shoot with a steady aim, use your items wisely, keep all the possible paths of retreat in your mental map, and scour every nook and cranny for health and mana to stand a chance against some of the stronger mooks. Hexen II as a whole is a lot more fast paced and tense and also has a more dramatic views and set pieces along with some extra bits of storytelling scattered around the world for those interested.

So, what are my thoughts on the Heretic/Hexen series as a whole? In short, it’s a treat. Combining classic fantasy tropes with the hectic action of Doom (and Quake) was an idea that was bound to happen sooner or later, and in this case, it worked out really well. There are of course other examples of this iconic clash of genres (check out Amid Evil for a totally kick-ass recent example!), but from what I know, the Serpent Riders saga is the one with the most lasting appeal. All the games strike a great balance between frantic, gory FPS action and the slower paced mystery and brooding sense of evil that only dark castles and dungeons can provide, with each game leaning a bit more toward one direction or the other. At a core gameplay level, there is nothing absolutely groundbreaking about Heretic/Hexen, but every element is done well and with care, and the presentation oozes of 20th century gothic fantasy charm, both the visuals and music. If the first paragraph of this review made you go “oh, those are both things I like!” then definitely check these games out. Same goes for anyone who is simply curious about the history of Id software and the impact Doom and Quake had on the gaming landscape. My only warning to you before playing these games is this: keep in mind that these games are from the 90s. There’s a reason many people have memories of booting these games up, getting completely stuck and then never playing them again. That said, as long as you have an internet connection (how else would you be reading this?) and an average amount of patience, there’s a whole lot of fun to be had here. All the games mentioned above are available on Steam (and GoG as well, I believe), and play excellently with modern source ports: gzdoom for Heretic and Hexen, and Hammer of Thyrion for Hexen II are my recommendations.

Finally, there is another game in the franchise. Heretic II returns to the story of Corvus (from the first game) and continues the story beyond the Serpent Riders arc, but due to some licensing issues it is not available on neither Steam nor GoG. Technically you could still buy a physical copy of the game, and I’ve seen mentions of at least one fan endeavor to make the game more accessible on modern computers, but I have yet to check it out. Maybe in the future. For now, I hope you enjoyed this dive into one of the slightly less famous, but still very popular classic 90s “Doom clones”!

[grimoire-of-geekery]

Detect Magic: the Sixth World Tarot by Echo Chernik

(pictured here- the deluxe edition [left] and the Arcanist edition of the Sixth World Tarot by Echo Chernik)

Y'know, it's been a long time since I did one of these, but here goes. It's time for another Detect Magic review. I haven't put the Dork Magician hat on for a while, so let's give this a whirl!

Today we're taking a look at the Sixth World Tarot, by Echo and Lazarus Chernik. She has this available on her website (click the above link), which come signed by the artist and the author. I'm a bit bummed, I bought a copy of this deck juuuuust before she started signing them. Not her fault, but still. XD

For those of you unfamiliar with Shadowrun, it's a cyberpunk dystopian magic-and-mech RPG setting and fantasy novel universe which originated in the late 80's. The premise is that magic is growing stronger, the world experienced a big Awakening in the early 2000's, right around the same time that corporations managed to gain extraterritoriality. So, you have dragons running huge megacorps, which basically enslave people to be lifelong wageslaves from birth (or as soon as they can get their hands on a desired talent), immersive VR Matrix hackers, cyberware enhanced fighters and magic practitioners acting as "deniable assets" to said corps for all sorts of shady business.

Hence the name "Shadowrun."

This setting, one of my absolute favorite settings out there, has had the misfortune of developing a sort of eerie prophetic element akin to the Simpsons and its bizarre track record of prediction of ludicrous world events. Shadowrun was intended to be a cautionary tale, not an oracular one. That being said, that does make a tarot based on Shadowrun more than a little on-the-nose for predictive purposes. After all, they're telling the future without even trying. Wait until they actually put some effort into it...

All right, time to Detect Magic!

Accessory- Crit (4 out of 4) Stunning artwork, evocative imagery... this deck is gorgeous. It's so beautiful, and so intricate and well made, that people who don't even read tarot (or even particularly like tarot) buy several copies for their geeky collections, and even people who don't particularly care about Shadowrun have dropped their jaw when I showed the deck to them.

A bit busier than I'm used to working with (not the art, but the extras which I'll explain later), I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved the cards when I first got them. The box for both editions I own are a nice durable gloss with a magnetic foldover closure, there's a ribbon inside each to help pull the cards and book out of the box, and the decorative artwork is gorgeous and fitting with the setting. Definitely aesthetically pleasing enough to take places, and durable enough to resist scuffing or tearing for on-the-go divination and gaming use.

Tome- Crit (4 out of 4) So, the Tome section of this review is supposed to be about how well the cards help one in the pursuit of learning magic and practicing geekomancy. And... really, I don't think I've found a deck (or any artifact of fandom) quite as good as this.

Let me explain.

Tarot, in the sorcery practice I teach, are already basically a pictorial grimoire, describing life in a way that allows us to learn the hidden movements, mysteries, and forces at play in our world. Art is good for things like that in general. It helps you see the world through a special lens, one which allows you to see things you might have missed.

The thing is, the lens of this deck is the Shadowrun continuity, which as I said earlier, has proven to be more than a little prophetic, and alarmingly so.

The magic system of Shadowrun is pretty adjacent to our own. Life force lines, spiritual power sites, astral projection and spirits and magical "energy" forms, initiatory mysteries... it's all pretty much the same as our own reality, just juiced up a bit, with some extra game elements added (don't even ask me about insect spirits).

This makes the deck particularly helpful if one wishes to learn magic in any of the myriad ways described in Shadowrun (and they're particularly respectful and diverse and true-to-life in their tradition descriptions).

BUT, it also has an entire lore-book called the Book of the Lost associated with it, which explains all these little secret sigils and images and easter eggs stored throughout the deck, which can be used for gamebuilding and storytelling, but are designed to be arcane indicators and omens, among other things. And the kinds of symbols they use range from sentences or mottos in dead languages, all the way to waveform patterns and dot-matrix maps. I swear, if you're one of those people who like puzzles and cryptography, this deck is even more fun than the Hermetic Tarot.

In summary, while you'll have to get some Shadowrun sourcebooks to really get deep into the canon lore, there's so much of it that the cards really show you on their own that I don't consider this a setback at all. Feel free to deep-dive with this deck, you'll learn a TON about magic if you let it guide you.

Relic- Success (3 out of 4) If you read the Book of the Lost, or Unearthed Arcana, or any of the 5th edition Shadowrun magic sourcebooks, you'll see that "tarot magic" is an up and coming thing in their canon. Each text helps you see how practitioners use the cards in-game for spellcasting, ritual magic, initiation practices and spirit summoning. The Tarot are already really valuable as central objects of importance to certain kinds of magical practice. This particular deck is designed to be so handy a central object that there's an entire book dedicated to it.

Weapon- Success (3 out of 4) The only reason I'm rating this a success instead of a crit is because they don't provide enough spreads in the various associated books for one to immediately begin casting spells with them, which means you'll have to do some designing. They do have a couple solid unique spreads for basic divination though.

The deck's canon in-game suggests ritual practices like gathering and doing a ritual with sets of related cards, and one such ritual was easily adapted in my own practice, into the Lucky Kimono spread I designed (which people can read about on my Patreon at the higher tiers). So, even without outright including spell-spreads, they sort of gave us clues anyway.

Again, you're going to need the sourcebooks, but it's only a few of them, and they're well worth a read even if you're not planning on playing the game (and I don't play in the actual Shadowrun mechanical system, though I do like the sourcebooks for campaign setting ideas).

Overall Rating: Critical Success (14 out of 16)

Achievement Unlocked: Novahot Echo's artwork is already legendary in the dork realms of geekomancy. She's done work for Dungeons and Dragons, Mage: the Ascension, House of Night... she's even working on a Fate: the Winx Saga playing card deck right now. Her art-nouveau delicacy combined with the powerful non-pandering way she draws women means that her paintings pack a punch!

That being said, it's rare that we see professional artists create a tarot deck of this magnitude as a gaming accessory. Most tarot decks of this caliber are found in professional occult catalogues or as independent projects by artists just wanting to flex their skills for their own reasons. To have a deck like this, clearly a labor of love by all involved, as a major element of gameplay within a franchise is really very special. And something this diverse, deep, and absolutely saturated with layers of ciphers and riddles... it's a geekomancer's dream come true.

Level Up: 2 Levels I think the only way anyone's going to be able to top this deck is if they manage to design a tarot deck that's also a fully immersive VR video game AND an AR game and divination tool useable with one's iPhone or Android. Legit, Echo and Lazarus left everyone in the dust. I haven't been this excited about Shadowrun since Shadowrun Returns first came out, and I got a set of dogtags that had a USB drive with the game on it.

It's just... crazy cool.

Full disclosure, I've had the deluxe edition of these cards for a while now, so I've basically been low-key squeeing about this deck since I first heard about it in 2018, even before I got it. I've been utterly astonished that people weren't more excited about them, and I wasn't hearing about them everywhere.

Before this, I created my own Shadowrun tarot method using the Universal Transparent Tarot (cuz, y'know, plastic and see-through and weird little mosaic readings all in one place, seemed fitting to me), and when I got the Sixth World Tarot? I don't think I've opened the UTT since!

Anyway, this is my review of this deck! Go follow the link up at the top of this post, and buy yourself one! And hey, let me know if you figure out the cool little map trick. My jaw literally dropped when I was shown that!

[loadet851]

Pc Games With Character Creation Offline

Games With Character Customization Pc

Steam Games With Character Creation

One of the things I love most in a RPG (Role-Playing Game) is the possibility of creating my own character with tons of different options and add-ons. I made a research yesterday and found some interesting PC Games I already knew about, adding them to the titles I have or plan to get with the best Character Customization. I’m going to list them here for you guys also attaching a few videos so that you can see directly how they work and what kind of possibilities they offer.

It’s the main reason I enjoy games like Skyrim and Fallout. But there seem to be so few good (single player) games with decent character creation - and not just picking from a few presets. The character creation in Dragon Age: inquisition was amazing (although I struggled to enjoy the game) as well as Saints Row (which I really enjoyed). Addicting Offline Co-op Games For PC You’ll Want To Play. Dennis Patrick / Features / Best Co-op PC Games, Co-op, Cooperative. Sonic the Hedgehog is a staple video game character. Best MMORPG with Character Creation. Final Fantasy 14 has one of the most complex and sophisticated character editors. In this game, you can change the smallest details using different sliders, pick a unique voice, or add unique tattoos, accessories and facial paint. What Are Best RPGs With Character Creation? Role-playing games let us live out some of our greatest fantasies like slaying dragons, saving the world and owning a house. Whether your main character is dead, alive, or somewhere in between, these games will let you adjust your appearance and abilities to however you see fit. I've always loved games that give you the option to create your character before you start in the world. I enjoy the game even more when it has role playing or social aspects added to it, allowing you interact with NPCs, or other players if the game has a multiplayer feature. Just character creation would interest me enough to check any game out.

Follow me under the cut if you’re curious!

I’ve been introduced to this type of creation with a game I still keep in my heart and consider one of the best of all times; The Sims 2. Seriously, I’ve created so many 3D characters that if I could win an award I’d have 200 on my shelf by now.

With that said, here you are my personal list of PC games with their awesome customization in no particular order:

I tried this game myself (the free beta that is) a few times in the past and I swear the CC included in it is currently one of my favorite. Without the complete pack I probably didn’t have a lot of additional options available in terms of clothes, makeup and hair, but what truly mesmerized me at the time was the shaping tool, not yet common in games when they released EVE. You can grab and drag different parts of the head and body, modeling unique characters every time.

2. Black Desert Online

This game has been released recently with two different packages and it seems to be quite a popular MMORPG (Massive(ly) Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) in Russia and Korea. I’m not surprised considering the quality this game seems to have and its customization is clearly no less. Just like EVE Online, Black Desert offers a good sculpt instrument to shape faces and bodies as much as you like, plus a beautiful variety of colors and combinations.

UPDATE: The game is also available on Steam!

This patch lets you play Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks with mostly non-touch based controls. The new control bindings are Control Bindings: D-Pad=Run Y+Dpad=Walk B=Wide slash B+Dpad=Long slash Y+B=Spin Attack A=Interact A+Dpad=Roll. Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks D-Pad Patch This patch implements non-touchscreen controls for essential actions in Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks. Legend of zelda spirit tracks xenophobia patched rom.

3. Blade&Soul

This is another Asian MMORPG with the classical ‘Anime’ style, you cannot freely reshape the character’s structure, only pick one of the available presets and play around with the sliders to modify the whole body. Andy mckinney molly hatchet. Still, I honestly like the bright colors, the races/classes and the fact that you can actually recreate other existing characters using additional content (just like this guy did with Cloud from Final Fantasy VII).

4. BLESS Online

Yes, another Asian online title. Hey, it’s not my fault if they look so pretty! Bless is quite recent and not yet released in its final stage, but judging by how the CC works you have as much freedom as in EVE or Black Desert and the same unmistakable Fantasy touch.

5. The Sims 4

Didn’t I mention The Sims 2? Well, looks like the latest title in the series has improved quite a lot in this area. The shaping/sculpting method is here as well, considering that we finally have more possibilities I certainly won’t complain!

Note: In this video I can see the woman has a few mods installed. If you decide to get this game (or even the previous chapters) I definitely suggest you to do the same if you don’t like the default character design.

6. Fallout 4

Another recent (and quite famous) game. Apparently you can only work on the face here, but once again we see the sculpt tool in action. Even if the hair options are a bit limited you can still customize your character and create unique features playing around with your cursor.

7. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Who knows me is well aware of the fact that I am completely OBSESSED with this game, thus I couldn’t really leave it out. The hair options are definitely questionable and just like in Fallout 4 you do not have any body morph nor slider to alter, but as you can see from this video example you are still able to personalize your Inquisitor in a good way, also using real people or other characters as reference. To be honest I like some of the default presets too, if you don’t like spending two hours working on a face (I do that all the time, but I am a basket case so please ignore my madness :P), you can pick those and get a good result nonetheless.

And don’t forget about mods! 😉

8. Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls V)

This one has been around for a very long time and it remains probably the top 1 Fantasy game out there. If you’re not into mods at all and want to keep your game vanilla be sure that the overall quality is not as improved as the current generation, you can see that from the low-res hair and general textures. The reason why I’m including this CC in the list anyway is because even if old, Skyrim looks quite good compared to other games where you only get 3/4 slider options.

9. APB Reloaded

The last game I’d like to mention (and I literally just discovered it) is this not so new title which has a kick-ass Character Creator. Not only it shows some quality graphics there, but the level of customization is unbelievable! You can make hair shorter, beards longer, create beautiful tattoos (and place or rotate them wherever you want!), add patterns to clothes and even get your personal car! 😀

Chose one serial + PILIH Salah satu WORKING 99% per 13 Januari 2013 1330-1971-4830-1762 1330-1912-2628-0850-0232-4869 1330-1148-0472-2735-6555-0617 1330-1544-4195-8131-3034-5634 1330-1886-0283-4688-9152-2034 1330-1118-3174-6558-8260-5378 OR 1330-1971-4830-5668-6067-1762 1330-1912-2628-0850-0 232-4869 1330-1148-0472-2735-6555-0617 1330-1544-4195-8131. The serial number for Adobe is available. This release was created for you, eager to use Adobe Cs6 master collection full and without limitations. Our intentions are not to harm Adobe software company but to give the possibility to those who can not pay for any piece of software out there. Adobe cs6 master collection activation key wondershare.

There are of course many other games with a Character Creator, but they all seem pretty similar or not good enough to be mentioned in my list.

What do you think about these? Let me know with a comment if you like!

Those late-night multiplayer sessions can be really fun sometimes. Surely, everything is better with friends, they say and you’ll agree with that at some point. However, after a long day of work and studying, I like to relax with offline games. Sometimes, it’s satisfying to let yourself indulge in a great single-player story and forget about any problems bothering you. So, if you are like me, then welcome to the club! Below is my list of 20 best offline games for PC and I hope you’ll enjoy them.

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

W2k16 pc download. Well, you’ve guessed it! The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes first place on the list with its epic setting, characters, gameplay, and those breathtaking visuals! It’s a compelling game that will offer you more than a hundred hours of non-filler gameplay, and there’s always something to explore. The game looks amazing, and the combat system is great. This open-world title is everything you need on your free days! Combine that with the great RPG elements and fun dialogues with NPCs, and you got yourself a pretty good offline game! Go and play it now, it’s a must-play.

2. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Wolfenstein series has been once again revived with Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. The positive reviews flashed all around the globe, and this game quickly became one of the best shooting games of 2017. B.J Blazkowicz is such a badass protagonist and the characters surrounding the game are interesting. You’ll quickly start to care about each and every one of them, making this game a worthy offline title. Bethesda said that they won’t be focusing on multiplayer, so they can bring an immersive single-player experience. Well, you nailed it, Bethesda; great job!

3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda is one of my favorite companies when it comes to gaming, at least they were a few years back. A few years back, this masterpiece called The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released and it took the Earth by storm! This offline open-world title offers hundreds of hours of exploration and you’ll probably never get bored of it! The combat system might be dated, but it’s damn fun to play and explore every corner of the game. After six years since its release, I’m still eager to give Skyrim another go. It’s that great!

4. Fallout 4

Games With Character Customization Pc

Fallout 4 is one of those top offline games that you either like or dislike. It’s a great single-player experience, as you explore a huge world of fictional city Commonwealth. I mean, the story here is scattered here and there, and our protagonist is in search of his abducted son. However, the game often steers away from that and let you have some freedom and exploration. It’s a fantastic reboot of the series, and it’s surely the best game in the franchise. If you are up for that Stalker-ish feeling, then give this a try!

5. Hitman (2016)

Hitman isn’t a strictly offline game, but I included it because it has a great single-player campaign. While the previous entry in the series Hitman: Absolution relied more on linear, claustrophobic, and confined experience, Hitman (2016) went in a different direction. Here, you’ll experience a vast, open-world with lots of stuff to do. The levels are not that numerous, but they are as big as hell! You can complete your missions in various ways and earn certain rewards and points for doing so. Hitman is a challenging stealth experience, but once Agent 47crawls under your skin, there’s no going back!

Steam Games With Character Creation

6. Nioh

Nioh is a less-known offline game released this year, and I feel like this game is very underrated. It’s a child of Dark Souls and Bloodborne series, which can tell you much about this game. It has a single, crushing, and unforgiving difficulty that will leave you begging for mercy. It’s hard, and you’ll need some blazing fast reflexes and huge gaming skills to finish it. There are more than twenty bosses in the game, and every single boss will kick your ass! Don’t expect to finish this game in a few days; you’ll need weeks to finish it and it will be painfully slow as the bosses shame you every little time… you helpless gamer!

7. Nier: Automata

Another underrated game – Nier: Automata. How could the gaming community overlook this game? Are you blind, or what? This game offers thirty hours of a pure, refined, and amazing experience! It’s a hack-and-slash title that mergers several genres with it. The open world in this game is huge, and the post-apocalyptic environment looks depressing and feels like a void. Nier also introduces RPG elements so you can now level yourself up, upgrade weapons, buy stuff, etc. On top of that, there are some 2D sections that feel like a great platformer, and that’ very unique! Nier: Automata is better than most AAA titles and costs double the less of that price, which is one more reason to get it.

8. Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls series got a fantastic reboot with Dark Souls 3. Just if it wasn’t enough for the previous games in the series, and now we got this punishing game. What can I say? Prepare to die a LOT in this game, as it’s created to kill you. I’m not joking, the whole game is against you, and you can’t do anything about that except fight like a lunatic. Even when you die, the enemies around you respawn and you must fight again and again, which is really frustrating. However, if you have the balls to play it, and manage to finish it, then you deserve a medal, Sir!

9. Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite is the newest installment in the Bioshock series. This cheap game can give you a huge value for your buck, especially when the Holidays come. I mean, for just a couple of bucks, you can get a fantastic FPS game, which campaign isn’t short and definitely isn’t boring! Bioshock Infinite continues its tradition with great shooting mechanics, various powerups, and that fast-paced shooting in a beautiful environment of the game. Get ready to cause mayhem!

10. Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation is that PC offline game that will haunt your dreams every time you try to sleep. It’s a horror game in which you try to stay in one piece and escape that damn space station called Sevastopol. Sounds similar? Well, that’s because the game is based on Alien (1979) movie, which was a very disturbing experience at the time. It’s an intense game that makes your palms sweat and your heart beating so fast that you’ll think it’s gonna come out of your chest! Try this horror if you dare, and watch yourself getting swallowed by the Alien, in a single bite!

11. Far Cry Primal

Elephants are cool, but mammoths are so badass! In Far Cry Primal, you can hunt mammoths and even ride them when you get to higher levels! How cool are you from zero to riding a mammoth? This beautiful-looking game is set 10,000 years BC and no, you aren’t going to shoot guns, but bash the hell out of your enemies. The arsenal of weapons might not be that huge, but the combat is great and requires more thinking, as the enemies are sometimes overwhelming and can easily kill you. If you have the luck to tame a sabertooth tiger, you may survive in this harsh world!

12. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

There is something special about that claustrophobic feeling, especially when it comes to horror games that you can play without internet. That sense of dread and despair when you don’t have much space to move is priceless. Don’t think of me as a psycho, but I LOVE the horror genre! RE7: Biohazard is a game that caught my attention as soon as it was released. This bad boy will provide you with a horrific experience that will leave you scared to death! As the game plays from the first-person perspective, it’s much easier to get yourself immersed, but also scared.

13. Outlast 2

Outlast 2 is yet another offline horror experience, where the developers decided to leave your powerless. There aren’t weapons for you to use, and surely no means to defend yourself. So, what are you left with? Well, a camera and a journal should do the trick! The game does a damn fine job of melding the horror and the dread with stealth and great storytelling. In the end, you may feel a little let down by the ending, but I know you’ll enjoy it until the very end.

14. Dead Space 3

Cat et 2015a factory password generator. While the past games in the series focused more on that horror experience, Dead Space 3 is more of an action-horror game. Sure, there are Necromorphs and they are vicious and all, but the action part is more prominent. Needless to say that Dead Space 3 is an amazing game and I’m very sad that Visceral Games is closed by EA in October. This survival horror game is hugely underrated, but it’s awesome and I recommend you to play it. It’s just a couple of bucks for this experience, don’t be a niggard!

15. Portal 2

There’s something awesome when it comes to Source Engine. The games made with this engine looks amazing, yet they run smoothly. How did Valve manage to do that? Well, as I am not a game developer, don’t ask me! But ask me about Portal 2, which is Valve’s magnum opus, and a compelling puzzle game. The whole point of the game is to use a Portal gun in order to create portals and pass through them. However, the game isn’t that simple and requires some brain skill to finish it. Grab your Portal Gun, and let’s go on a venture!

16. Limbo

This 2D game is straight-up terrifying, dark, and misanthropic from the start to finish! In Limbo, you are a little boy that needs to survive this colorless world of the game as he overcomes various obstacles and escape scary monsters. I like the game’s artwork and the atmosphere is simply top-notch here if you like the dark ambient in the games. It’s a must-play for every offline Indie games lover!

17. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Speaking of the atmosphere, very few great offline games can replicate the atmosphere as it is in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. That post-apocalyptic atmosphere of Pripyat looks great, and the game isn’t colorful, which is the whole point. Everything has that grey-ish tint, as this town suffered greatly when the Nuclear Powerplant in that area exploded. It’s based on a real-life event that occurred around 1989, which gives the game a certain weight and meaning.

18. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

With MGSV: The Phantom Pain, Hideo Kojima proved that he still has what it takes to create such immersive PC games without internet. This stealth game is challenging and full of stuff to do, due to its open-world nature. The characters are badass and the game feels somewhat dark, with a very serious tone. Oh, and not to forget that plot twist at the end that’s worth those thirty hours I’ve spent on this game!

19. SOMA

Horror fans will be pleased that I mentioned another horror title here. SOMA is an absolutely spooky and nerve-wracking experience! It creates that atmosphere that’s very unique, and with the story being told in the shape of various documents scattered through the game, it’s even more badass! You are all alone here and you’ll fight for your life, only to find out that you aren’t actually alive! A truly wonderful offline game for Windows.

20. Superhot

Superhot is a cartoonish-looking offline game that revolves around time. To make it simple, the time in the game moves when you move, so if you are standing still, nothing will happen. Vice Versa, if you are moving and shooting, then the enemies will do the same. It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of challenges too. I played it with some of my favorite death metal albums, just to ensure that I’m hardcore enough to beat it!

As we are approaching near the end of our journey through the offline PC games, I’m here to ask you a question. What is your favorite offline game for PC? I tried my best to count some of my favorite offline games, and although I’m maybe going to start a war for not including some of the games, I stand behind my words. Oh, and why don’t you tell me what game did I miss? Do you have any favorites besides these 20 games? Please, let me know, and don’t forget to do some gaming today!

[regrettablemeasure]

Cyberpunk 2077 non-spoiler review

Anyways here’s my writeup about my least favorite parts of 2077 for people who are interested in seeing if it’s for them. Both going to talk about content as well as gameplay. This is for PC version, too, because I know last gen consoles are suffering terribly rn and I wouldn’t recommend the game if you’re not going to be playing on PC. At least not until it’s on sale or the issues have been resolved. It really, really shouldn’t have been released on last gen consoles at all in my opinion - or at least should’ve been released on consoles LATER.

If you like Saints Row, GTA, Mass Effect, Shadowrun, or the Cyberpunk genre in general - I definitely think this is something you might want to take a peek at! I wasn’t anticipating the game until about a month or two before release - so maybe that’s why I’m having a blast - but It’s one of my favorite stories from the past decade as far as sci-fi goes. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, and It’s really impressed me. I can’t even go into detail about all the things I LOVE because I really want folks to experience it themselves. Just know there’s a very intricately detailed world, all the characters are memorable and insanely well realized and complex, and the story is great fun. Also made me cry like 5 times. It’s become one of my FAVORITE games very quickly.

I’d also recommend Neon Arcade if you want someone who’s been covering the game for quite a while, including the technical and game industry aspect. He does well to go into some detail and even though he’s a fan, I’ve found him to be largely unbiased. I’m not going to go into industry politics here because I feel that’s up for everyone to decide on their own terms.

No spoilers, things to keep in mind, content warnings, etc. below!

CONTENT WARNINGS and issues with plot/story

this setting is dark. very dark. if you struggle stomaching things like dystopian landscapes, body horror, physical, mental and sexual abuse, corporate and gang violence, abuse of children, harsh language, and concepts that mess with the perception of reality - this game might not be for you. It’s a very mature setting, and I don’t mean that in the Adult Swim kind of way. I mean it in the ‘oh shit, it went there’ way. In my opinion I haven’t run across anything in it that was handled distastefully when it dipped into the depressing, but dark and gritty isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and I wanted to give a disclaimer.

The game’s universe in advertising and working for the lower class also exploits sex/sex work quite a bit. This is part of the lore itself because in this universe everyone’s become desensitized to sex and violence to the point that marketing embraces it and makes it ridiculous. I feel it’s very obvious that it doesn’t condone this message and is instead a commentary on consumerism - but people still might be uncomfortable seeing a lot of suggestive stuff all over the place regardless. 

Women in game are naked more often than men - even though there is nudity for both. This is likely a mix of appealing to the Gamer Boy demographic (even though the story does NOT actually), or the fact that media is way more cool with seeing naked women than seeing full frontal nudity on men. They probably had to tone some of it down to avoid going above an M rating. 

The story is amazing, but sometimes it dumps a lot onto you at once. It’s one of those sci-fi stories that you have to really be following the names, faces, and concepts continually to get it all down. There’s a lot of betrayal, background players, etc. I think by the mid-way point I’d mostly had it, but It’s pretty dense. However it’s still amazing. You might just need two playthroughs before every tiny detail clicks - because there’s a LOT of details. 

Honestly I think it would help to read up on the lore first so you’re not going ‘what’ constantly. But people have seemed to manage fine without that also! Neon Arcade has a really nice series of videos (like 2 or 3) that get you up to speed with the universe. It also helps you decide if the tone is right for you. 

I think the main story should’ve been longer, also. I don’t mind a 20 hr story, especially in a massive RPG, but It feels like they really struggled to cram as much into that time frame as possible. It skirts the edge of being nice and concise, snappy, and tight - and needing just a few more moments to take a breath and wait a second. This is helped if you do a lot of side quests.

The straight male romance option, River, is INCREDIBLY well written but he doesn’t tie into the main plot in any way whatsoever. It’s very strange and feels like they either ran out of time with him, or slapped together a romance with him at the last second. All the other romances at least know what’s going on with V’s story - meanwhile River has no idea, and you can never tell him. He’s an amazing guy though and I highly recommend his questline. He appears in ACT 2.

In general I’d say not to bother with the romances. There are only 4 total, and while the romancible characters on their own are really well written, the romances themselves are just kinda meh. One romance you don’t even meet until act 3. I don’t think they should’ve been included in the game at all, because they definitely don’t feel as fleshed out as everything else. 

CDPR also sometimes forget that women players or gay men exist. Panam and Judy have a lot more content than River and Kerry for example. I don’t think this is intentional, they just have a large fanbase of dudebros. It only shows in the romance content and the nudity thing though.

Johnny, Takemura, and Claire should’ve been romances and I will fight to the death on that. 

There are gay and trans characters in the game and their stories don’t revolve around their sexualities. It’s very Fallout: New Vegas in it’s approach to characters: IE. you’re going to love them. All of them. 

V’s gender isn’t locked to their body type or their genitals- but to to their voice. I don’t think it’s the best solution they could’ve used but given how the game is heavily voice acted I assume that was what they had to work with. 

Some of the romances are locked to both cis voices AND body types (not genitals if I recall but body shapes). That’s disappointing but I assume it was because of scripted scene issues and/or ignorance on the dev’s part considering the LGBT NPCS are so AMAZINGLY done. There’s no homophobic or transphobic language in the game - though there are gendered curse words and insults if that bothers you. 

Some characters MAY suffer from ‘bilingual people don’t talk like that’ syndrome. But it can be hard to say for sure given that translators exist in this universe and the way they operate aren’t fully described. It’s only momentarily distracting, not enough to take away from how charming the NPCs are.

The endings are really good don’t get me wrong but I want fix it fic :(. All of the endings out of like 6 (?) in the game are bittersweet. 

Both gender V’s are very good but female V’s voice acting is out of this world. If you don’t know what voice to go with/are neutral I’d highly recommend female V. Male V is charming and good but he feels much more monotone compared to female V. 

V has their own personality. To some this won’t be a detractor - but a lot of people thought they’d be making absolutely everything from the ground up. V is more of a commander shepard or geralt than a skyrim or d&d pc, if that makes sense. You can customize and influence them to a HUGE degree, some aspects of V will always be the same.

Streetkid is the most boring background - at least for it’s introduction/prologue.

GAMEPLAY/TECHNICAL

If you can run your game on ultra, don’t. It actually looks best with a mix of high and medium settings. Unless you have a beast that has ray-tracing - then by all means use ray tracing and see how absolutely insanely good it looks.

There are color blind modes for the UI, but not for some of the AI/Netrunning segments in cutscenes. Idk how much this will effect folks with colorblindness but those segments are thankfully short. 

There was an issue with braindances being an epilepsy trigger because for some reason they decided to mirror the flashing pattern after real epilepsy tests - probably because it ‘looks cool’. I don’t have epilepsy but it even hurt my eyes and gave me a headache. Massive oversight and really goddamn weird. Thankfully this was fixed.

There is no driving AI. Like at all. If you leave your car in the street the traffic is just going to pile up behind it. It’s one of the very few immersion breaking things I’ve encountered.

Sometimes when an NPC is driving with you in the car, they’ll drive on the curb and/or run into people. It’s kind of funny but can occasionally result in something weird. Feels very GTA  - but nothing excruciating. 

The camera angle feels a little too low in first person mode when driving on cars. You get used to it though. 

The police in this game feel slapped on and I hope they improve it. Right now if you commit a crime, you can never tell what will actually trigger it. And if you just run away a few blocks the police forget about it. 

Bikes are just way more fun to ride than the cars are. 

You CANNOT respec your character after you make them. Ever. it sucks. Go in with an idea ahead of time what you wanna do - it’s better than being a jack of all trades.

as of now you also CANNOT change their appearance after you exit the character creator. This, also, sucks. Make sure you REALLY like your V or you’re gonna be replaying the openings over and over like I did. 

Photomode on PC is the N key. Had to look it up. The mode itself is great though

Shooting and Mele fighting feel pretty standard. I don’t have a lot of shooter experience besides Bethesda games so anything feels better than that to me. So far I’ve enjoyed stealth and mele the best, but that’s just my own taste! The combat and driving aren’t groundbreaking by any means, but they’re still very fun. I look forward to running at people with swords or mantis blades, and zipping around the city on a motorcycle to see the sights. The story, lore, and interesting quests and characters are the real draw here.

I haven’t encountered any game breaking bugs in 80-ish hours of play time. One or two T-poses, a few overlays not loading or floating objects - but nothing terrible. Again, my experience is with Bethesda games. This is all usually fixed by either opening your inventory and closing it again, or exiting out and reloading your save. 

The C button is mapped for crouching AND skipping dialogue by default. That’s terrible. Change it in the settings to be HOLDING C skips dialogue and you’ll be gucci.

There’s apparently a crafting system. I have never been inclined to touch it. But I also play on easy like a pleb so IDK how it all scales otherwise.

The mirror reflections can be a little bit weird, at least on my end. They always end up a teeny bit grainy despite my computer being able to run everything on Ultra Max. You can still get good screens out of it though!

So many people text me to sell me cars and I want them to stop. Please. also the texting menu is abysmal. The rest is ok tho

It’s pretty clear when you’re going to go into a ‘cutscene’. all cutscenes are rendered in-engine BUT you often will be talking to other characters at a specific angle or setting. The game locks you into this usually by having you sit down. It works for me - after all we do a lot of sitting- but it IS very obvious that it’s a way for the game to get you in the frame it wants to display.

That’s all I can think of rn! If you’re interested but wanted to get a slightly better idea of whats going on, I hope this helps. I’m really enjoying it and despite my issues it’s exceeding my expectations. I’m going to be thinking about and replaying this game for quite a while. 

[killscreencinema]

Kingdom Hearts:  Birth by Sleep (PSP)

I must admit, as annoying as it is that so many Kingdom Hearts games exist that seem to do nothing but muddle an already needlessly convoluted mythology, most of the little spin offs I’ve played, I actually quite enjoyed.  I loved Chain of Memories card-based battle system, even while I somewhat loathed the incredibly redundant story.  With Birth by Sleep, it also adds an interesting twist to the combat, while introducing a new feature to the KH series:  the option to play as three separate characters, whose respective stories cross-over and intertwine with each other.  

Kingdom Hearts:  Birth by Sleep, released for the PSP in 2010, before being remade for the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix for the Playstations 3 & 4.  The game is set 10 years before the first Kingdom Hearts game and centers around three hopeful Keyblade wielder candidates named Terra, Aqua, and Ventus.  Incidentally their names correspond to the elements they specialize in, such as earth for Terra, water for Aqua, and large overpriced coffee for Ventus!  Rimshot!

Anyway, the game begins during their final trials, which Terra fails spectacularly when he is unable to control the powers of darkness in his heart.  This sets off a chain of events that send the three traveling separately to different worlds, while the evil Xehanort (in his original form before he becomes a Heartless and voiced by the late, great Leonard Nimoy) manipulates events from behind the scenes.  As Terra continues to spiral into the dark side, his pal Ventus goes rogue and follows his friend around the universe to help pull him back into the light, while Aqua (who passed the trial with flying colors) discreetly keeps tabs on them both on behalf of their master Eraqus (voiced by Mark Hamill!).  

Well, it wouldn’t be a Kingdom Hearts game without a ridiculously complicated plot!  I won’t even go into Ventus being the “key” (rimshot again) to forging something called a “Xi-Blade” or the mysterious masked boy named Vanitas who stalks all three characters during their respective campaigns like Protoman in Megaman 3.  All complaints about the story aside, I did enjoy certain aspects, such as how certain incidents from the perspective of the other characters make it seem like Terra is giving in to the darkness, but when you play as Terra you realize it’s all a misunderstanding and that Terra is being used.  So the mild “Rashomon” like elements of the story are interesting, albeit not quite developed enough.  Also, that these characters are basically carbon copies of Sora, Rikku, and Kairi is kind of lame and unoriginal.

Whatever flaws the story may have, at least the gameplay is solid, and that’s all that matters to me.  Birth by Sleep plays like every other KH game, with the exception that you don’t have party members for support.  I’m going to be honest - the metric fuck ton of options and nuances to the combat mechanice was overwhelming at first.  First you have the “Command Deck”, which works similarly to the card system from Chain of Memories, where you can rotate through a collection of Keyblade techniques, spells, and items that you load up via the menu before entering combat.  Also these spells and techniques can be “melded” in the main menu to create new, more powerful spells and techs, which if melded with a particular type of gem, can also grant you a permanent “ability”, such as “treasure magnet”, “air combo plus”, “Once Again”, etc.  

Confused?  I’m not done yet!

You can also shift to other “Command Decks” during battles depending on what types of spells or techniques that you use.  For example, if you use a fire spell, you’ll shift to a fire-based attack style that will eventually end with a fire finisher attack.  That not enough for you?  Well, you also have available something called D-Links (not THAT “D”, ya filthy animals), which are command decks based on characters you meet along the way.  Say you run into Micky Mouse during the story campaign - you’ll forge a D-Link with him and, provided the D-Link meter is full, you can shift into “Micky Mouse” mode, which contains a different move set and finisher.  

Personally, I never found these D-links to be particularly useful except as a way to quickly refill my HP.  Otherwise, they are actually quite bothersome, because many of them don’t have cure spells, so if you get low on HP while in D-link mode, ya better revert back to your command deck or you’re screwed, and many of the more difficult battles later in the game are way, WAY too fast paced for that kind of shit.  

Got a bunch of spells and techniques that you need to upgrade to their maximum level pronto without level grinding?  You have the option of playing something called the “Command Board”, which is Kingdom Hearts version of Mario Party but without those pesky minigames that make Mario Party fun.  I rolled my eyes at using the Command Board at first, but I won’t lie - i actually grew to rather enjoy it and it is a nice way to upgrade a ton of abilities without the monotony of grinding.

Speaking of monotony, though, I would say Birth by Sleep’s biggest flaw is how repetitive it feels essentially playing through the game three times as each character.  They all visit the same worlds, albeit with access to different points of each world’s map.  Each character plays very differently, with Terra being the slow-moving, lumbering oaf but with great strength and stamina; Ventus being the best of both worlds, as he his fairly quick and moderately strong; and Aqua being the  weaker of the two, but fast as hell and with incredibly strong magic.  As a matter of fact, once you get Aqua all buffed up with her abilities, and a decent keyblade, she becomes quite the ass kicker over the two boys in my humble opinion.  Thankfully, each character’s story campaign is fairly short, which takes the edge off the repetitiveness a bit.  After playing through each character, there is a “Final Episode” that unlocks, provided you preserved each character’s post-game file, that wraps up the story... or wraps it up as best as one can expect any Kingdom Hearts game to wrap up.  

As a console game, Birth by Sleep is decent, but lets remember this was meant to be on a portable system!  So in that context, especially on a console like the PSP, Birth by Sleep goes from “decent” to “excellent”, as it provides just enough RPG action to occupy one’s time while on the go, but without being so much of a time sink that you’re rooted in one spot forever and miss your flight or doctor’s appointment or whatever it is you’ve brought the PSP to kill time at back in 2010.  I will forewarn completionists out there though:  this game is a goddamn nightmare to 100%.  Because of the way it is set up, you have to basically one hundred percent the game THREE TIMES, and beat the game at least once on “Critical Mode” if you didn’t already do so in one of those three slots.  That means playing through every mini-game, every arena battle, and beating every optional boss (who are insanely difficult, true to KH tradition) THREE TIMES.  It’s very tedious and it sucks.  As of this writing, I have 100-percented Aqua, and am currently working on finishing up with Ven and Terra.  May God have mercy on my soul. 

[kytea]

The True Nature of Deltarune

Deltarune Chapter 1 has been out for over a year now, and being the big UT/DR fan that I am, I’ve been slowly mulling over both games, reading many fan theories and putting together my own interpretation of what I believe the nature and goal of Deltarune will be. This will be a long one so grab some popcorn, put on your matpat hats and click to keep reading!

So what is Deltarune? Is it a sequel to Undertale? Is it a prequel? Is it an alternate universe? Is it the coming of age story of a bunch of teens? Is it a complex meta-narrative on the nature of video games?

The answer is yes to all of the above. And to begin delving into this we must first understand the creator of this game: Toby Fox.

I won’t toot Toby’s Fox’s horn too much, we all know how talented and hardworking he is, but he’s also very emotionally perceptive and empathic. His general disposition is reminiscent of avant-garde artists that push the boundaries of artistic creation in a medium.

Toby loves mysteries, and in the early version of Undertale there was an included file that disparaged hackers and went on to say that it’s difficult to add mysteries in games these days due to data miners and such.

Thankfully, this did not stop Toby from lovingly adding quite a few big mysteries to Undertale that have yet to be resolved. Knowing Toby and his strong desire to share his story, a story that according to him, kept him awake at night:

“For the past 3 years I've been waking up in the middle of the night unable to go back to sleep because I've been thinking about the scenes that happen in the game. Even though so many details are still hazy, I really want to show you the things I've been thinking about.That's really my only reason for making this game. If I don't show you what I'm thinking, I'll lose my mind.“

I don’t believe Toby will let these mysteries go unanswered, and it is here that we can begin to understand what Deltarune is about.

The Mystery of W.D. Gaster

Truly, the biggest mystery of Undertale is that of W.D. Gaster: former royal scientist, creator of the CORE and the Determination Extraction machine.

A player can go through the entirety of Undertale multiple times and never even hear word of Gaster’s existence. This is because all the events that pertain to him are hidden behind a value in the game’s files known as the “FUN value”. Outside of actually manipulating this file manually yourself, it is, to the average player, random. The FUN value can trigger multiple different events throughout the game, some of which include running into “Followers of Gaster” or even Gaster himself.

While the latter has nothing to say before he “boings” out of existence, the former Followers all tell an eerie tale of a scientist who fell into his own creation and was scattered across time and space.

But hold on. Time and space? Why does that sound familiar?

Ah yes, during the Sans battle he speaks about an “massive anomaly in the timespace continuum”.

And during this battle Sans says a lot of other cryptic things without context, for example, he laments not being able to “go back” somewhere. But where or when is he referring to?

He mentions how he and others were monitoring time-lines and their readings showed them stopping and starting, jumping left and right, and eventually ending. Who was he monitoring these readings with? This all seems incredibly scientific and sci-fi, I thought Sans was just a silly skeleton, is he some kind of time cop? (he does have a “badge” in his workshop) He also uses skeletal weapons known as “Gaster Blasters”.

What…? Gaster Blaster?

Okay, now we KNOW Sans DEFINITELY has some connection to this mysterious scientist W.D. Gaster, but what? Well, for starters W.D. Gaster is short for Wing Dings Gaster, a type of font that he also speaks in.

Who else is named after and speaks in specific font types? Sans and Papyrus of course!

Furthermore, in the concept sketches for Papyrus, Toby wrote and redacted parts of a message that says: “has a brother named comic sans and a [BLANK] named [BLANK]”.

Who is this mysterious redacted person and what is their relationship to Sans and Papyrus? The easy money is on a family member, and for sake of argument lets use the prediction most of the fandom has already concluded and accepted: that Sans and Papyrus have a father named Gaster.

So Sans and Papyrus have a long lost father that was a scientist. This explanation would begin to explain why Sans has a weapon named after him, and why he wanted to “go back” to some place or time, perhaps in an effort to save him from his fate.

There’s a hidden event in Undertale where if you reset after listening to Sans speak about LOVE and EXP in a pacifist route, and initiate the conversion a couple of times in a row, he’ll catch on by the expression your face that you’ve heard it before and will surmise that you’re a time traveller and give you secret code words to tell his past self.

This will lead to him giving you the key to his room which ends up just being a prank at first.

But then you find a key to the secret workshop/basement hidden behind his house.

Once you enter the workshop, you’ll find some blueprints written in symbols you can’t read (wing dings?) and a curtain covering a machine that doesn’t seem to be working, among other things.

Toby Fox tweeted a message regarding this machine a few days after Undertale’s release around the time people were figuring out FUN values and the secrets surrounding Sans and Gaster.

“You’ve all seen the happiest outcome. Neither of them could fix the machine, no matter how hard they tried. No one can.”

This tweet seems to imply that if the machine could be fixed that Undertale could have a happier outcome.

And this my friends, is the gateway to the nature of Deltarune.

Deltarune, according to Toby Fox, is a game for players that have completed Undertale. But what does it mean to complete Undertale, and I mean, TRULY complete it? Toby often expressed that he wasn’t happy with how people told others how to play the game, that it is best played completely blind. Having played Undertale blind myself, and having watched others do the same, the natural way the game is meant to progress is that first players will experience the Neutral Ending, followed by the Pacifist Ending, and Finally the Genocide ending. This is because the game cruelly plays against your expectations of how an RPG should work and this almost guarantees that you will kill at least one monster your first play through. As if the fact that the fight button is always the default position in battle isn’t enough, in the early parts of the game you are told that you may need to weaken a monster before you can spare them. This naturally brings to mind the systems of Pokémon, where you have the best chance to catch a Pokémon if it’s at low health. Well, if you try this during the Toriel fight, as most do, you’ll find that as soon as you get close to critical health, you’ll instantly kill her.

Poor goat mama..

Difficulty-wise, the neutral route is the most easy, because you can level up a little and gain more HP. The Pacifist route is a bit harder because your HP is lower, but with the experience you gain from the previous route, it should prove no problem. Finally the Genocide route is the most difficult because it takes a concerted effort that implies knowledge of the previous routes to kill every single monster.

So an ideal Deltarune player has knowledge of all three main routes of Undertale, and may have experienced or heard of Gaster.

Is this player you? If so, ask yourself, what would a “happier outcome” look like to you? And be honest. Many fans in the Undertale community have already answered this question in the form of fanworks. Some of the most common elements among them are as follows:



1) Frisk and all the monsters are free from the Underground and living on the surface with humans.

2) Asriel is revived.

3) Gaster is revived.

4 )Chara is revived.

The revival of Asriel, Chara, and Gaster are the undisputed holy grails in terms of happiest endings that the UT community dreams of and creates endless fan works to explore the possibilities. Toby knows this well.

Using a speech pattern attributed to Gaster, Toby teased the release of Deltarune Chapter 1

“I LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING A NEW FUTURE WITH YOU.” stands out quite a bit to me as the prospect of a “happier outcome” is already tied to Gaster and Sans, now a “new future” is connected.

And when Deltarune released, and fans had a chance to play it, they found:

1) All the monsters are free and living on the surface.

2) Asriel is alive and well and living his best life.

3) A voice with the same speech pattern as Gaster (based on Japanese text) brought you to this world and attempted to give your own vessel before…

4)…a voice with the same speech pattern as Chara (also based on Japanese text) discarded it.

Right off the bat Toby seems to have given fans what they wanted, a perfect future ending. But as you continue to play, you begin to realize that this may not be the world you dreamed of.

First, while all the monsters are living on the surface, they aren’t the same people from Undertale, for example: Undyne has never met Alphys, and the amalgamates that went to live with their families at the end of Undertale are deceased in this world. And while Asriel is alive, it’s not THE Asriel we were so determined to save in Undertale.

Gaster’s presence permeates Deltarune so thoroughly it would take awhile to point out every example, but it seems clear that he’s present in some form.

And Chara? You only need to see the ending cutscene of chapter 1 to know that they are around in a similar fashion as when they possess Frisk in the True Pacifist after a Genocide ending.

But their presence is also present in subtle ways. For example, if you attempt to play the piano in the hospital in Hometown and then speak to the receptionist, she comments that Kris’ playing isn’t the same as usual (Likely due to our control), but it seems that Chara may be good at piano. Interestingly, on the cover artwork for the official Undertale Piano Collection 2 book, Frisk can be seen holding a knife playing a key on a piano in the judgement hall filled with bones.

So for better or worse, what appears to be the original Chara and Gaster from Undertale are present in Deltarune, in some meta form or another. And maybe that’s the key: “Meta-characters”. After all, you yourself as a player are a “Meta-character”. You can ask the inhabitants of this new world questions that only someone with knowledge of a True Pacifist route would have, such as being able to ask Undyne about Alphys. Asking her this only makes sense if you yourself completed a True Pacifist route before playing Deltarune.

Ralsei, the lonely prince.

Toby being the trickster dog he is, he didn’t just give us 1 Asriel and call it a day, no he gave us 2.

Ralsei is quite clearly meant to be a version of Asriel because not only do they have similar or identical dialogues, but he was also was meant to look more like him before Toby decided to give him his Black Mage look.

There are even strong parallels obviously meant to create an emotional response and connect Ralsei to the feelings people had for Asriel in Undertale by giving the players the option to hug him.

Ralsei is quite the mystery on his own. And while he’s most certainly sweet and lovable, there’s undeniably some disconcerting things about him such as:

-Why does he know Kris and Susie’s names?

-Who did he learn the prophecy from? “Foretold by time and space” isn’t a good answer (or is it?).

-What did he say to Kris when the player SOUL wasn’t present in the prison?

-When he’s KO’d in battle, what does he become? Apparently he can still eat to regain HP when in this shrunken form.

Ralsei seemed to be under the impression that violence wasn’t needed in this world, but upon nearly being defeated by the King after mistakenly healing him, Ralsei says “This isn’t a world where kindness always wins, is it?”

The way he says this seems to imply he knows of other worlds and that they have different rules. Perhaps he comes from a world where someone being kind to everyone they met had great results?

There are definitely things that Ralsei is not telling us, whether this means he’s up to no good will remain to be seen, however, I would like to take this opportunity to make a prediction based on the previous understanding that the original Chara and Gaster are present in this new world in meta forms, and assert that Undertale Asriel, the final piece of the perfect ending puzzle is present in Deltarune in his own meta-character form of Ralsei. Perhaps the form he shrinks into when KO’d is one we know well...

There is that unused Flowey face...

Add glasses and a hat and...

but that’s just a game theory!

And I can't help but wonder about the dark heart on Ralsei's chest and this merchandise in the Deltarune section of fangamer that specifically features a quote from Undertale about the prophecy of Delta Rune (that turns out to be about Asriel in the TP ending, and Chara in the Genocide ending) "There is a prophecy. The Angel... The One Who Has Seen The Surface... They will return. And the underground will go empty."

It's also the Deltarune game logo

Because the merchandise is called Darkheart, it made me immediately think of the dark heart on Ralsei's chest, and having an Undertale quote about Asriel/Chara makes it all the more mysterious...

Regardless, in just the first chapter of Deltarune, the elements of the “happier outcome” connected to Sans’ machine are present. But how do they all connect? Well, let’s look at the other characters in Deltarune, starting with:

Lancer

Oh Baby Santa Claus, how we love you so. It’s hard to overlook how similar Lancer is to Sans. They’re both hilarious in their own way, both ride bikes, have similar color-schemes, both have a love for tomato-based products, and both have some scientific/engineering affinity (Sans and his workshop, Lancer and his “Lancer Industries”).

But that’s not all, the door to Sans’ room is identical to the warp doors found in the Dark World that Lancer hails from, and Sans’ warp ability also makes the same sound effect as these doors as well.

Lancer is a member of the FUN gang (remember the FUN value?), that, as far as we know currently, has 3 other members besides himself: Kris, Ralsei, and Susie (with the possibility of Noelle and others in the future).

Speaking of Susie, her name (or a version of it) popped up in Undertale prior to Deltarune’s release when the game was released on the Switch. By speaking to the Gaster Follower “Clamgirl”, you can learn of a girl named “Suzy”, that you will meet her soon, and that “in life’s grand scheme, she might be why you came here in the first place...”

Upon receiving this dialogue, checking the drawers in Sans workshop will reveal a card with a drawing of 3 people smiling and the words “don’t forget”.

“Don’t Forget” is the vocal theme of Deltarune sung by Laura Shigihara, and the melody from the ending verse,“Don’t forget, I’m with you in the dark.”, is leitmotifed throughout the entire Deltarune chapter 1 OST. The connections between Sans, the FUN gang, Gaster, and by extension Undertale and Deltarune are quite apparent. Perhaps the actions of the FUN gang in the Deltarune world will have an affect on the FUN value in Undertale.

Based on all the evidence we have now, I am going to make a bold prediction:

Lancer is literally a younger Sans.

That’s right, Toby Fox made Baby Sans before Disney and Sega made Baby Yoda and Baby Sonic.

Deltarune’s Dark World is the past from the perspective of Sans and Gaster (or a recreation of it). How Lancer becomes Sans will likely be a very large part of Deltarune’s narrative, and once he becomes Sans, he will exist as a separate meta entity that can traverse different worlds, even if versions of himself already exist in some form there (similar to Ralsei and Asriel).

We’ve seen that if characters are exposed to elements that make it clear they live in a video game world, whether this be Determination for humans and Flowey, a time-space accident for Gaster, or a strange man whispering to Jevil, these characters become something wholly different, more powerful, and begin to become more similar to players with the ability to SAVE, RESET, or use abilities that seem beyond the scope of the game (e.g. Photoshop Flowey, Jevil’s ability to speak, etc). Undertale and Deltarune are video games about video games.

So if it is to be believed that Gaster is Sans’ father, and that Lancer is a younger Sans, then it stands to logical reason that whoever Lancer’s father is, that they must be Gaster.

No, not the King, there is another. A “Lesser-dad”.

Yes, Rouxls Kaard.

“GOD DAMNIT”

Rouxls Kaard, or “Rules Card”, or if you rearrange his name “A Dark Soul Rx”, wait, Rx as in prescription? As in a doctor? Dark Soul as in Mr. Darkness Gaster himself? Too much of a stretch? Maybe. Although you can’t deny they have similar appearances.

If Rouxls Kaard is Gaster, and therefore the father of Sans and Papyrus, then he’s undeniably similar to one of his sons. Rouxls Kaard seems to be quite passionate about puzzles, (despite not having a natural predilection to them). I could see Papyrus gaining an affinity for puzzles by being raised by such an individual, they both have quite flamboyant personalities. And let’s not forget that there are also hints that Rouxls Kaard may be inclined to creating scientific devices such as the “Control Crowne” he uses to control K.Round.

Hmm, controlling other people… sounds familiar to what we the player are doing to Kris… and who was it that was initially going to give us control of a vessel before we lost said control to Chara’s intervention? Control seems to play a big part in Deltarune doesn’t it?

Also, isn’t his manner of speech is reminiscent of a silly ye olde knight. Wait, wasn’t there a Knight causing trouble in the Dark World? Hm.

So something is going to turn Lancer and Rouxls Kaard into Sans and Gaster, respectively.

Now remember the CORE that Gaster built? This one?

It turns geothermal energy into magical electricity via an unknown means with one of the byproducts being ozone, which is corrosive and could potentially make someone very melty. This is what it looks like on the inside.

Lots of blues of varying hues with white accents. Kinda reminds me of Rouxls Kaard and the other “card” people’s color schemes.

What a coincidence! Oh and apparently the layout of the CORE can be re-arranged or something:

"I work at the CORE. The inside is a maze made of swappable parts... That means we can shuffle the layout at will." - Hotland NPC

Almost sounds like a sliding puzzle…

Finally, Gaster is referred to as “The man who speaks in hands”, likely due to his Wing Dings font that contains a lot of hand symbols, however, it isn’t a stretch to also apply that epithet to Rouxls Kaard, after all, the Rules Card speaks in hands as well. Hands of cards.

Susie

Can’t forget Susie. Unfortunately, there’s not much we can say about how her role in all this will play yet. If we are to believe that the “Suzy” that Clamgirl references is Susie, then it’s clear that she’ll be key, perhaps as a catalyst for all the big changes some characters will need to undergo...

I will say that I think it’s interesting that toby specifically has a character in Hometown comment that humans are made of blood (and implying the monsters are not),

and Susie says:

“Everybody bleeds, right?”

From our understanding of monsters in Undertale, monsters don’t bleed, they turn to dust. But, maybe Darkners can bleed. If we believe Sans is a Darkner, it may explain this:

It could be ketchup. It could be a Darkner thing. Lancer does mention blood casually. But if only humans and Darkners bleed, then why would a monster like Susie say “everybody bleeds”?

So what is Deltarune you ask? I think it’s:

1) A story about Sans, Papyrus, and Gaster’s past and future. We get to experience their past in the Dark World, and speak with their future selves in the Light World. But these future versions of Sans and Papyrus may not be as far into the future as the Sans and Papyrus we meet in Undertale. Remember, Sans had an Ice-E’s crossword in Undertale? Ice-E’s-P’E’zza is a restaurant in Hometown. Papyrus may also be younger than he was in Undertale because Sans, an adult who runs a grocery store, thinks a teen like Kris should hang with his little brother, and it would be “weird” if he were there with them.

2) A story about post-Undertale Asriel, Chara, and Gaster. Asriel/Flowey maintains his new form as Ralsei thanks to the power of the Dark Fountain. He now lives in what is/was Sans’ childhood home. Whether he knows this or remembers the events of Undertale is unknown, but it is my belief that he holds a deep connection to the Asriel we all wished to save. Chara resides within Kris in a similar manner as they did at the ending of a UT True Pacifist Ending after surrendering the red SOUL to them in a Genocide ending. Does this mean that Kris’s body or “vessel” is Frisk? This seems to be heavily implied by Kris’ outfit taking on the same color scheme as Frisk’s UT shirt while in the Dark World.

3) A coming of age story for a bunch of teens. Kris, Susie, Ralsei, Noelle, Lancer, and all the friends that may join on their adventures are still people regardless of what grand meta narrative is at play involving the nature of their reality. They still need to go to school, fall in love, and worry about growing up and going to university. Noelle will undoubtedly play a large role with Toby’s tease of her as “Lost Girl”, and considering how attached most of the community has already gotten to these characters, it hurts my heart to think about what may befall them as they try their best to live their lives. Does this mean Deltarune’s world is doomed? I hope not... but those save file screens sure are creepypasta...

“IT WAS AS IF IT WAS NEVER THERE AT ALL.”

4) A story about video games and the control (or lack thereof) we have over them. It’s quite clear that we, the player controlling the red soul, is able to influence this new world based on knowledge from Undertale that should have no barring. For example, we can name “Onionsan” who has forgot their own name. One of the options is “Onion”, but why? Is it because we know their name is Onionsan in Undertale? How do we even know if that is actually what this version of them is really named?

Deltarune is so close to the perfect Undertale ending we wanted, but it’s just a little bit wrong. Would it hurt to force Undyne and Alphys to meet and fall in love? To get Toriel and Asgore back together? To make Bratty and Catty friends? If you were given the option in game to do it, would you do it? What if it made their lives worse…? I believe that the fact we are able to influence inhabitants of Deltarune with our Undertale knowledge may have some unforeseen consequences, and perhaps, be what begins this whole situation in the first place. (Paradoxes are the best time travel stories!)

Toby Fox said that Deltarune was the game he originally wanted to make, but whether it was too ambitious or time consuming, his idea evolved into Undertale. Now that he’s creating the game he always wanted to, I believe that he will connect everything we know about them together and resolve the mysteries, after all, Gaster has been waiting for this chance.

And maybe, with a little luck and determination, we can create a new future with a happier outcome. If I’ve learned anything from Undertale, it’s that you must hold on to your hopes and dreams, because dreams are the goal of “Determination.”

[nad-zeta]

🌚Um.. a matchup for Ikesen, please? I'm usually confident, hardworking, and diligent. I'm considered the "star of the class" and a real genius and nerd, but I enjoy having fun as well! I love to draw manga, watch anime, play Otome and RPG games, listen to music, play the guitar, and sing! I'm a sensitive bean and I cry a lot if I do something wrong. I have a habit of blaming myself although I'm trying to stop that habit. I'm empathetic and I always try to make others happy by helping them. 1/2

🌚My confidence lies in what I do best. I love to speak in front, such as doing speech and public speaking, because I love to talk and inspire. I try my best to be helpful to others, but sometimes I try too much to please everyone. I'm a bit chubby and I'm a bit insecure but I try to be confident in my looks but I can't help it, food is life, hehe. My eyes are a unique brown especially when the sunlight shines through, my hair is also brown. I'm quite short, about 153-155 cm. Thank you! 2/2

Hi hi, love! 🌻Thank you so so much for the request!😆❤ Sorry for taking sooooo long! 😱I hope you enjoy it and i hope you have the best day! ❤🌻

So I match you with............. Sasuke

When you first arrive in the past and save Nobunaga from death by fire, you were hella confused. You have no idea what had happened to you, and honestly you low key thought it was some kind of prank. You laughed when nobunga told you, just who he was and what year it was. You looked around the tree line for the hidden cameras, but there was non. Honestly, things only started to feel real once you arrived at the castle and Nobunaga named you as princess.

From day one, you worked hard to earn the oda forces trust and respect. You were incredibly diligent, and soon all suspicion of you being a spy was dropped. You honestly brought new life into the castle, as your hard work inspired some of the lazier maids to pull up their socks, they couldn’t dare let the new princess outshine them. You went up and beyond what was expected of you, and the small details of your work certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Especially your addition of flowers in every room of the castle, which you would handpick every few days, it just seemed to brighten up the place and give it livelier energy.

TBH you were a big fan of history, so you knew the history of these historical figures pretty well. You low key had to catch yourself sometimes, especially before you completely nerd out in front of them. Especially when talking to Ieyasu, you had been a big fan of him since learning about him in history class, in fact, you were secretly fangirling over all the warlords. 

It got a bit lonely at times, you missed your friends and being able to chat about your favourite animes and mangas. You loved your new warlord friends, but it still felt like they just weren’t on the same wavelength as you. Your hobbies and interests were just so different, and you found it difficult to relate to them sometimes.

After Hideyoshi stop suspecting you of being an assassin, he became like your second mother, and today was a prime example of that. He had handed you a bag full of golden coins and shooed you to the markets to relax and take a load off. You wandered around aimlessly until something caught your attention. A nerdy looking guy wearing a white science coat, you got a bit closer and when you overheard his conversation with his friend you were positive, HE WAS ALSO FROM THE FUTURE. You were so excited to have finally met someone, not from this time that you instantly tapped him on the shoulder. You thought of a phrase that you could ask him, which would quickly confirm whether or not he was from your time. “Excuse me, dude could you please spill the tea on where you’re from.” You knew If he was truly from the future, he wouldn’t question your lingo or your addressing him as dude. Sasuke stared at you shook, just when you began to question whether he really was from the future, he gave a slither of a smile and said, “Exe.Sasuke stopped working, need to reboot,” all while doing some strange robot dance. The two of you laughed, leaving a very confused Yuki looking at the two of you. 

Sasuke took yours and Yuki’s hands and dragged both of you to the nearest teahouse where he explained that he had been looking for you for four years. “WHAT YOU’RE FROM THE FUTURE.” Yuki was in a state of shock, he always suspected Sasuke had a secret with the weird way he talked but never in a million years did he think this was possible. Meanwhile, you were over the moon as not only was Sasuke from the future, but he was also a fellow nerd 

Since that day, the three of you would hang out together every day. You finally found a friend that could understand all your nerdy jokes and references. Often the two of you would go to the teahouse together when Yuki was busy with work. You and Sasuke would legit chat for hours and hours about your favourite animes, otome games and mangas. When Yuki would finally join the two of you after work, it was standard procedure for you guys to tease the poor boy until he was as red as a beet. Sasuke loved that he had finally found a fellow intellectual and nerd as sometimes it was difficult to bounce ideas off his BFF, as let’s face it Yuki didn’t understand half the words that would come out of Sasuke’s mouth.

It had definitely become a tradition for the three of you to play boards at least once a week. Both you and Sasuke loved playing RPG games in the future, so the two of you banded together to create the closest version to that in this Sengoku period. You honestly loved these weekly game nights with the boys. It gave you a sense of nostalgia, and you couldn’t help but smile at the great time you were having with your new friends. These game nights were always filled with witty banter, plenty of junk food and a ton of laughs.

At some point, Kenshin and Shingen had come to visit their vassal only to walk into the room with, Yuki flipping the table in frustration, while you and Sasuke gripped your sides in laugher at his sore loser behaviour. Since then the god of war and Tiger of Kai would occasionally join your game nights, which you always enjoyed. The more people to tease and beat, the better. 

Soon it came time for them all to go back home and prepare for the war that was brewing between the two forces. You couldn’t help but cry when Sasuke and Yuki had come to say their goodbyes. You, after all, were a sensitive little bean and you were definitely going to miss nerding out and joking around. You sat alone in your room when suddenly out of thin air Kenshin jumped down from your roof, you were sister shook. Kenshin had been watching you and Sasuke for some time now during your game nights. He knew at this point that his ninja had fallen in love with you and honestly despite looks, Kenshin had a soft spot for those who he held dear. He asked if you would like to live in his castle with the wacky bunch, even going as far as offering you a job to sweeten the deal. You loved the oda forces, and they were definitely like family to you, but honestly, you had too long ago fallen for the nerdy ninja boy. Plus over time you had really come to love Kenshin and the gang. You definitely didn’t hesitate to accept Kenshin’s offer. You quickly packed up all your belongings and wrote a long letter to each of the Oda forces expressing how much you loved and was going to miss them. 

You made your way to Kasugayama with Kenshin to arrive on the evening of Sasuke’s birthday. Kenshin smiled as he walked into the banquet hall with you trailing behind him, “Sasuke I have a birthday gift for you.” Sasuke looked up and locked eyes with you, he was ecstatic. You simply smiled and walked over to your long time friend and handed him a birthday gift that you had managed to make for him on your journey to Kasugayama. 

You had hand-drawn him a manga, not only that but on the last page of this homemade manga was a confession of love. When Sasuke realized that you had felt the same way he did, he used his hand towel to very dramatically dab away his fake tears, before capturing you in his arms and showering your face in small kisses. You couldn’t help but break into the biggest blush as everyone at the banquet cheered and whistle. Honestly, they had never seen Sasuke ever show any kind of emotion, but now with you in his arms, he was wearing the biggest smile and radiating pure happiness.

Sasuke loved everything about you. He loved that you could sing and play instruments. He could listen to your beautiful voice for hours and hours, he especially enjoyed it when the two of you would make up stupid songs about the most random of topics and sing them while trolling the people of Kasugayama. It was always a good time to irritate them like younger siblings would. 

As a fellow intellectual, you relay enjoyed helping Sasuke with his research, tracking wormholes and discovering new theories of time and space. You loved bouncing ideas and theories off each other. Together the two of you managed to make and design the coolest ninja weapons, which was mostly for your entertainment. As the two of you would play ninja ninja out in the garden, throwing smoke bombs and blunt ninja stars at each other.

For a brief time, you and Sasuke even went back to the future so that Sasuke could present his research findings. He honestly was such a nervous little bean, so he really appreciated the fact that you were right there by his side the entire time, giving him all the help and support. He also loved that you helped him with his presenting skill and listened to his presentation over and over until it was perfect. Of course, after the presentation was over, the two of you went back to the past the second the next wormhole opened, as that was where all your friends and loved ones were. 

Upon your return, Kenshin threw the two of you a big banquet to welcome you home, where Sasuke sang your praise for helping and supporting him. Kenshin was so impressed by your skills in the field of public speaking and presenting that he actually appointed you an official job as Uesugi force negotiator and mediator. A job which enables you to inspire people to work together towards a more peaceful world, free of conflict.  

Sasuke knew that you had some insecurities around your body, which he didn’t understand at all as, in his eyes, you were the most beautiful woman alive. A fact, which he would remind you of every day by wrapping his arms around your waist and gently whispering just how much he adored you, before meeting your lips in a sweet kiss. 

Sasuke loved to spend as much time as humanly possible with you, joking around and chatting for hours and hours about all your common interests. If the two of you cuties aren’t trolling Yuki, you are snuggled together just enjoying each other presence. Usually, Sasuke would hold you in his arms as he rests his head on your shoulder while you play the guitar and sing the most beautiful songs to him. 

This romantic ninja boy will most definitely also take you up onto the rooftop and cuddle with you while telling you everything he knows about the stars and universe above you. You can’t help but smile and kiss his cheek thanking the universe for sending you your better half

Other potential matches..........Mitsunari! 

I hope you enjoyed this love and I hope you have a super good day! 🔥❤🌻😊